Dear Parents, Important new guidance The Government of Jersey has issued new advice and I attach a Press Release from the Minister for Education. The key point is as follows:
- From Monday 23 March through to the Easter Holidays, Schools will be closed for students except for Y11 and Y13
As you know, we have a plan in place should this action be taken. This plan is now being initiated to take effect from Monday for students to work from home. As a reminder, the plan is as follows:
- All students should be prepared to follow their normal timetable for lessons to keep them focussed on their learning.
- Please check your Wi-Fi connectivity so that your daughter has access to online resources.
- She needs to check her school emails and SMHW regularly to ensure that she is up to date with work being set and does not miss any online lessons.
- ShowMyHomework:
- Subject teachers will upload all necessary worksheets/ past papers/ PowerPoints/ audio recordings and video content to support students learning within their subject.
- Your daughter can also use SMHW to post questions to her teachers.
- Submitting work and Feedback
- Students to submit work online (a photo of the work) via SMHW or by emailing their teachers or through Office365 as directed by their subject staff.
- Feedback will be given using SMHW and Office365 through annotated work and audio feedback.
- Some lessons will be delivered using Zoom (video conferencing system). If your daughter is required to participate in a lesson delivered via Zoom she will be emailed the link.
- We will also use ClickView (accessible though Office365) to upload and store videoed lessons, again this information will be emailed to your daughter.
- Emotional support – Jan our counsellor is available to speak to your daughter by telephone should she feel it to be of use. Jan is available on: 07797 765198 at the following times:
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- Monday 9am – 1pm
- Weds, Thurs and Friday - 9am – 4pm
It is essential that your daughter accesses and uses her school email account, Office365 (including Sharepoint) and ShowMyHomework to ensure that she is up to date with her learning and receives all relevant communications. If you haven't done so already, please discuss this with her to ensure she knows how to do this. If your daughter has any issues with accessing the resources please ask her to contact Ruth Lea by emailing at r.lea@jcg.sch.je This change to your daughter's education may well cause her some confusion and anxiety. In addition to what I sent yesterday, please also find attached Government guidance on talking to our children about Covid-19. Obviously any event planned for the next two weeks is postponed. I know many students will be so disappointed that House Music will not take place as planned nor the announcement of House Cup or the announcement of the new Student Leadership Team. We will do all we can to rearrange these important College events once everything has settled. For Year 11 and Year 13 Later today, I will be sending you information about the plan we have in place to support these students in their examination years. This plan will involve the students attending classes in College and taking any practical exams. However, for the next two weeks, students will be on a different timetable to what they are used to. This plan will also contain information on how we will be practising social distancing according to medical advice. The advice from OfQual has not changed. Therefore students should plan to take their exams as per their schedule. In light of updated guidance for staff, any person with the following conditions is advised to work from home:
- Heart conditions
- Diabetes (both types)
- Respiratory conditions, including asthma
- Suppressed or compromised immune systems
This will affect some of our staff. We are currently looking at our staffing capacity for the remainder of this week. However, please be aware I may need to take a decision to not allow a Year group in tomorrow or Friday. I will of course give you as much advanced warning of this should I need to take this decision. Thank you for the very many kind and reassuring emails and phone calls from parents during this last week. This is a fast moving situation and while we are doing everything we can to plan in advance, we personally appreciate your kindness and understanding. As always, our young people look to us as parents and teachers for emotional guidance at this difficult time. Please do all you can to model calm. We will get through this. For updated guidance on Covid-19 please click here: https://www.gov.je/Health/Coronavirus/Pages/CoronavirusAdviceForParentsAndCarers.aspx Yours, Carl Howarth Principal