Excited to be Back at School

LOCAL schools are all taking a slightly different approach in getting back to face to face study, but the excitement of students, teachers and parents seems the same. 

Veronica Rolfe, assistant principal at St Joseph’s High School in Aberdeen said their students were quite excited to be back.

“Staff and students adapted beautifully to online learning, but it is difficult and nothing is the same as having kids in the classroom,” said Ms Rolfe.

Students at St Joseph’s High School, Aberdeen, getting back to school, but keeping their social distance.

St Joseph’s has 650 students and has structured their return program to ensure year 12 students have four days a week, years 7 to 10 have one day, and year 11 two days for the next three weeks.

“We have two cohorts of 200 students per day for the next three weeks,” Ms Rolfe said.

“There are 70 students her each day, whose parents are essential workers and we expect that number will keep increasing as more parents return to work,” she said.

“We are keeping the digital lessons going and at school we are trying to keep the kids socially distanced, hand washing at the end of recess and lunch, extensive cleaning and to minimise movements, keeping kids in the same classroom,” explained Veronica Rolfe.

At St Joseph’s Primary School in Merriwa, with much smaller numbers they have been able to take a different approach.

Lulu Peebles and Shyanne Beeney back in the playground at St Joseph’s Primary in Merriwa.

They have a total of 48 students, who are all back on deck today until Thursday and on Friday they will do their learning from home.

The students are reportedly all excited to be back, with a couple a little home sick with the big move back to school.

Scone Grammar School have 544 students from kinder to Year 12 and are excited to have a third of their students back each day.

“It’s wonderful to have lovely bouncing children back at school,” said Paul Smart, principal of Scone Grammar School.

“Each day we have more students on site,” he said.

“Year 12 has been back on site since last week full time, Year 11 is three days per week and everyone else is a day a week for the initial phase, plus children of essential workers,” he explained.

“They are returning in house groups and it is very exciting for everyone,” Paul Smart said.

Jye Bates, Ben Patterson and Myles Hvirf hanging out again at St Joseph’s Primary, Merriwa.