Start of Term 2 for Middle and Secondary School

Thursday, 16 April 2020

Good evening Middle and Secondary School families,

We hope you had a blessed Easter break. Thank you again for your support, kindness and co-operation during these times. Our teams are praying every day for the safety and protection of all our families.

Earlier this week, The Premier and Minister for Education made new announcements and arrangements for Queensland schools from the start of Term 2. In light of these directions, please note the following for Brisbane Christian College:
From Tuesday, 21 April 2020, for a period of five weeks until 22 May, all students will be learning from home, except for the children of essential workers where supervision at home or other arrangements can’t be made; vulnerable children; and children in designated indigenous communities.
Essential worker means any worker who must continue to attend their workplace for essential business during this time.
If you are required in your workplace, we look forward to seeing your children at school in Term 2. We will support all families that need their children loved and supported on campus.

Advice regarding the model of learning for the remainder of Term 2 2020 will be provided
by the Education department by mid-May 2020.

Monitoring our children's health
Our responsibility and priority through this time is the health and wellbeing of our community. To help minimise cross-infection and spread of any illness, we request your absolute diligence in monitoring your child’s health. In alignment with our health policy, we ask that any child who is sick or displaying any flu-like symptoms including coughing or runny nose to please stay home.

The College requests all parents take their children’s temperature each morning and keep them home if they have a temperature above 37.5 as outlined by Queensland Health. If we have any concern about a child at school who is unwell, families will be asked to pick their child up from school immediately.

School Attendance
Independent and State schools are currently developing the process for marking rolls and attendance for children learning from home which may vary depending on your child’s year level. However, in the meantime, please know that any child learning from home will not be marked absent from school. We continue to ask that, just like a normal school day, if your child is unwell and not participating in class or home learning programs that families notify the school absentee line. This will also help our pastoral care teams identify any families who may need extra practical support.

Term 2 Survey
To help our team allocate appropriate staffing and ensure we can best cater for your children, you will be sent a survey tomorrow to indicate your intentions for your children for the first five weeks of Term 2. We understand that your arrangements may change during this period and this survey is just a guide for our planning.

Middle School
As outlined in the previous Middle School Home Learning Program Letter, our Home Learning Coordinators have prepared to continue our children's learning journey through the Learning Hub. We encourage all Middle School students to sign into the Learning Hub as soon as possible to ensure they are prepared for Term 2. iPads are still available to pick up through the holidays by emailing itdept@brisbanechristiancollege.com.au. Our IT team is ready to help any families who may require further technical support via the Technical Support page on the Community Hub.

Secondary School
As outlined in the previous Secondary School Home Learning Program Letter, we aim to provide a sense of normality and routine for our children by offering classes in their normal scheduled timetabled slots. The Learning Hub will continue to be the central portal for the delivery of lesson content and submission of work through class forums on the class pages. The Head of Year 12 and Head of Secondary will send a further email to all Year 12 families tomorrow.

Lines of Communication
As a College, we endeavour to be approachable and we cherish open communication between parents and the College team. Especially through this season, we ask that you follow our regular lines of communication and direct any questions to your Home Learning Coordinator or subject teacher. This will allow us to respond to you quickly and provide better clarity around any questions you may have. Our Heads of Year are also available for support.

Frequently Asked Questions
To assist with communications, we have prepared Frequently Asked Questions pages to answer common questions families may have and raise a new question. These pages will be updated regularly and will be available on the Community Hub.
Communications about coronavirus (COVID-19)
COVID-19 and Home Learning Frequently Asked Questions
Technical Support

Term 2 Events
The College Management Team continues to evaluate the Term 2 events in accordance with current health and social distancing guidelines and will keep the College Calendar updated with any changes. Our preference is to postpone or re-arrange events and programs to ensure our children are still offered the experiences where possible. Click Here to find an updated list of Term 2 events.

Supporting Families
We are aware that children and families in this time may be feeling stress or concern, and as a College we are looking at ways we can continue to remain focused on the "Good News" our faith offers us. Our team is continuing to find creative ways in developing our children's academic, physical, emotional and spiritual progress throughout Term 2. Our pastoral care and chaplaincy teams will continue to run online Chapels, send devotionals and are here for those students on campus and at home learning. Please pray for our team as we desire to Honour Jesus Christ throughout this season. Your continual encouragement is valued and appreciated as we love our children together.

If you require any practical support or prayer, contact our College Pastor at shill@brisbanechristiancollege.com.au. We would love to support and connect with you.

If your family is facing financial challenges due to COVID-19, please contact our Business Manager, Mr John Abraham directly on jabraham@brisbanechristiancollege.com.au or call (07) 3719 3111.

Mr Ross Eggins (Deputy Principal)
On Behalf of the College Management Team