Home Learning

Dear parents and caregivers,

COVID-19 has thrown up all kinds of challenges for us, as individuals, families and communities.

We’re proud to say our teachers and support staff have risen to the occasion. Despite anxieties they might have as members of the community, they are putting their students’ continued learning at the forefront.

Schools and preschools are an essential service. Public health advice from the senior experts around Australia remains that they can and should stay open.

We will continue to be guided by the health advice, and their recommendations on social distancing and hygiene practices in our classrooms and play spaces. The safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and school community is a top priority as we continue to deliver high quality learning.

While many are staying home to help stop the spread of COVID-19, we won’t be standing still.

Continuing the learning for our children and young people in this state remains our core focus. Teachers, early childhood educators, principals and department staff are ever– evolving our offerings to support families and carers in these unprecedented times.

Last week we launched Our Learning SA, a website storing hundreds of teaching resources to help children and young people keep up with their learning when they’re at home. Included are links to ABC TV programs that are of high quality and can also support student learning. It’ll only continue to grow, so please check it out at www.ourlearning.sa.edu.au.

We’ve also created an advice for families section on the website, which has videos and
fact sheets for students and families, including:

• Setting up a learning environment
• Staying happy and healthy while learning at home
• Reading at home with your child
• Preparing for online learning
• Talking to your child about COVID-19

Schools and preschools are at different stages in implementing distance learning arrangements. In addition, we know not every child has a computer at home, or the internet.

This week, during four pupil free days, our teachers are taking at home learning to the next level.

We’re making virtual classrooms available for every teacher, and investigating ways to get kids without a computer or internet connected with their class. This goes hand in hand with the hardcopy resources teachers have been busy preparing for students who need them.

We’re continually impressed with how our staff and teachers are collaborating to prepare for term 2. We’re all in this together.

Please work with your child’s teacher if you need any extra support or have any questions.

Yours sincerely,

Hon John Gardner MP
Minister for Education

Rick Persse
Chief Executive