Please see communication from the Head of Junior School, Mrs Cinaea Dallinger, below:

• Update from the Principal (9 August)
• Remote Learning in Junior School (3 August)
• Information for Collecting Students' Essential Learning Items
• Update from the Principal (Monday, 2 August)
• Update from Head of Junior School (Tuesday, 3 August)
• Essential Workers Information
• Instrumental Music Update

Other helpful communication:

• How to: Google Meet

These helpful documents outline the different responsibilities, recommendations and requirements for online learning at Northside. Please ensure you read through them prior to engaging with online content.

Student Guide. This document is specifically catered for Junior School students, addressing student expectations, studying suggestions and overall wellbeing.	Parent Guide. The parent guide for Junior School students outlines what parents can expect for their students, from an online teaching format.

Google Classroom

Junior School students will access remote learning opportunities through Year Level Google Classrooms. Through this platform, students will access weekly resources, lessons and communications from their teachers. Curriculum specific content and devotions will be uploaded each Monday morning at 7 am.

Content and learning activities posted at the beginning of each week, will allow students to progress through their subject lessons and activities at their own pace. Specialist teaching staff will be providing a weekly range of online learning experiences for each year level. This will include; Physical Education, Music, French (Yrs 4-6).

Students from Years 4 to 6 will utilise their school provided Chromebook and are encouraged to log in to their Google Classroom each morning.

Our younger students, Prep – Year 3, with help from parents, will also access their online learning through Google Classroom. Activities will include familiar applications and programs such as Reading Eggs, Bridge Builders, Mathletics and MyOn. Also available will be outlines for hands-on activities to keep their young minds busy.

We have provided a dynamic learning environment with both structure and flexibility to access educational lessons at school from home. Our teachers will be contactable during the school day via email (8.30 am to 3 pm) to support, encourage, provide feedback and problem solve as required.

Please note, year level teaching teams will continue to collaborate to ensure the quantity and range of work set is comparable across all Junior School classes.

Google Meet

After the initial transition to remote learning possibilities, Junior School may utilise Google Meet - a video conferencing platform. Similar to Skype or Zoom, this allows teachers to have face-to-face lessons and social interactions with their class as a group. A Google Meet is by invitation only via parent email or posted within a specific Year Level Google Classroom by a classroom teacher.

Technology
We strongly recommend parents remain vigilant towards technology whilst accessing remote learning opportunities. Students (Prep –Year 6) are responsible for upholding our Junior School Digital Policy and our expectation of appropriate online behavior.

Suggested rules for home device usage:

• Chromebooks/devices should never be left in bedrooms
• Online learning and usage is to be done in a public area in the house (Prep – Year 3 with direct parental assistance)
• Parental controls and restrictions are to be checked and maintained on personal devices used by children in the home
• If you have any technical Difficulties with a Chromebook please email helpdesk@northside.qld.edu.au

Education

• Reading Eggs – (Prep – Year 1) Learn-to-read and phonics based games and activities
• Mathletics – Mathematics resources and platform with interactive games/challenges and assigned tasks
• Accelerated Reader – Personalised learning reading goals and reading quizzes
• MyOn – Ebooks and online reading and comprehension activities
• Typing Turbo - Typing skills resource where students can compete in fun and fast paced typing races to improve their typing confidence and speed
• Bridge Builders - wellbeing, mental health, conflict resolution and anti-bullying program
• ABC Education - educational games, videos and articles

COVID-19

• UNICEF’s guide on how to talk to your child about coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
• A Child Mind Institute article on Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus; or video.
• Department of Education - Coronavirus (COVID – 19) – Information to support children and young people
• COVID-19 and your child
• Article: Parenting-tips-for-parents-and-caregivers-in-uncertain-times - COVID-19

Parent Resources

• Triple P - Positive Parenting Program – Online parenting course- now free to Qld parents
• Tips for home schooling
• How to turn your home into a school without losing your sanity
• 9 tips for creating the perfect study space

We deeply care about how our Junior School students and families deal with the many emotions and experiences that coronavirus has created. We understand that this is a challenging time for us all.

We encourage students to reach out and talk with their class teacher or Year Level Coordinator if wish to speak with someone.

For Educational Support needs please contact Mrs Cheryl Williams (JS Educational Support Coordinator)

• Emotional: Our Junior School community is encouraged to keep checking in with one another and with family and friends – either via a phone call, video conferencing or sending text messages of connection and encouragement. Many of our students will value hearing from their class friends and the social connection this brings.
• Physical: Junior School students need to keep active, whether in your lounge room or backyard. Use the skipping rope or handball provided in your Learning Resource Kit or get parents joining in to some great home fitness workout videos and ideas from a P.E coach!
• Spiritual: We encourage our students to continue to connect in with their churches online, through live stream/pre-recorded services. Make time to speak with youth group leaders or friends from church to update them on how you're going and to connect.
• Health: Please refer to the below for relevant health advice;

  - Queensland Health advice and information
  - Metro North Public Health Unit (07 3624 1111)
  - 24/7 National Coronavirus Health Information Line (1800 020 080)
  - 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84)

7 Wellbeing Suggestions:

1. Provide a regular routine to the day at home

2. Encourage your child to exercise regularly, independently and together with your family. Dancing, skipping rope, bouncing on a trampoline or playing handball in the back yard are great ways to distract a mind from boredom and worries.

3. Have frequent “brain breaks” to move around in between lessons and school work.

4. Encouraging your child to keep in touch with friends and family via phone or email. Try using Skype, Zoom or Google Meet as a family to speak with friends and catch up.

5. Taking the opportunity to talk to your whole family about what is happening at an age appropriate level. Understanding the situation will most likely reduce their anxiety and allow them to be critical consumers of the information surrounding the current health crisis. This will, of course, look very different across the Junior School years.

6. Engage in daily devotions and pray together regularly as a family.

7. Keep a regular daily routine. Get up at the same time each morning and follow a similar schedule each day. Possible suggestion ideas include: hold morning family devotions, take afternoon walks, play ball games and eat dinner together as a family.

FAQs:

Q: For online learning, when does my child need to study?
A: Every student and family situation is different. Each day Junior School students are expected to visit their Year Level Google Classroom, and work through the completion of lessons and activities allocated to them.

Students will be required to engage with curriculum content and just like at school, answer weekly quizzes/questionnaires and small assignments for their teachers. Weekly content will be posted into Google Classrooms each Monday at 7 am.

Q: Who do I speak to if my child is falling behind or struggling?
A: Just like on campus, please contact your Class Teacher or Year Level Coordinator via email (firstname.lastname@northside.qld.edu.au) and explain your concerns.

Junior School has teachers ready to support and differentiate content, as well as Educational Support Teachers and Teacher Aides who can be in contact.

Q: How long will online learning last?
A: Northside Christian College will continue to follow the advice from the Queensland Government on school closures, and will continue to offer remote learning opportunities for students whether schools are open or closed.

Q: Is my child expected to hand in work digitally to their class teacher?
A: Yes, each student in Junior School is expected to complete work assigned in their Year Level Google Classroom. This can range from Targeting Maths textbook pages to complete, to online quizzes assigned, to written submission work (Years 4-6). At the end of weekly subject sessions, a feedback form and online checklist of completed work is to be submitted by students.

Q: What if my child is sick/unwell?
A: WeeklyJunior School content will be posted each Monday at 7 am, and interaction is required weekly from students. If your child is unwell and unable to complete weekly lessons, please email your class teacher to let them know your child will be 'absent' from learning. Content and activities covered can be caught up at a later date, when convenient.

Q: Will teachers be available for questions from parents/students?
A: Yes, via email, Google Classroom or Google Meet. Teachers will be available to respond to parent's or student's questions Monday – Friday via email 8:30 am – 3:00 pm.

Q: How will teachers deliver content?
A: Subject content delivery methods may vary between year levels. A typical approach would involve read, write/do and watch. Students would have subject material to read, instructions to follow, links to examples of work expected, perhaps a video to watch and then work/activities to complete.

Junior School teachers will be looking to run Google Meets with either their whole class or smaller groups within the class where face to face discussions can occur from Week 2 or 3 onwards.

Q: How will teachers check if the students are completing the work?
A: Google Classroom has a feature that allows teachers to ask questions from students, and the teacher can set a due date and time. Students need to provide an answer by the due date and responses are recorded and collated. Teachers have other online resources like quizzes, Google Forms and Google Sheets where teachers can monitor student's progress. Google Meets allows for video conferencing, where students can show the teacher work completed.

Any student who is not engaging in the weekly curriculum will be contacted by a Junior School Year Level Coordinator or their classroom teacher, to ascertain their online attendance or to enquire if they need support.

Q: Will students follow a typical Junior School day timetable?
A: No. Our online learning framework caters for the flexibility needed by families in this current season. Students will have weekly work set for them in their Google Classroom for English, Mathematics, Humanities, Science, Physical Education, French and Music. Once our Junior School community has adjusted to the online learning environment, Visual Arts and Christian Studies will be added. Devotions for students are provided daily by teachers.

Students can work through the week’s work as they determine. However, students will need to try to be available for Google Meets if their teacher schedules a Google Meet towards the end of Week 2 or 3.

Q: What is Google Classroom Guardian?
A: Google Classroom Guardian sends parents a weekly report on any Google Classroom notices their children have been sent and the type of work/activities posted into their Google Classrooms. It will also notify the parent if work was not completed/handed in on time.

Q: Will assessments still happen?
A: Formative assessments will still be occurring to benchmark student learning. Types of assessments will vary to accommodate online learning.

Q: Does my child need headphones?
A: Headphones would be preferable (to avoid distraction) if the student is working near other siblings when watching class content on a video. In Weeks 2 or 3, when Junior School teachers may offer the opportunity for students to participate in a Google Meet, headphones may help prevent audio feedback.

Q: How do I print from Google Classroom?
A: You can print from your Chromebook using most printers that connect to Wi-Fi or a wired network. Click through to the Support page from Google to set up your printer.

Despite not being able to meet together in person, or in gatherings, we can still find ways to do so digitally.

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