By Brendan Rees
For Lynbrook parent Vanessa Watson, a return to remote learning for her two teenage children is something she has mixed feelings about.
“On one hand I believe it’s the best for our state to control the spread of this disease and on the other hand I worry about the kids’ socialisation and how this will affect them long term,” she said.
It comes as Victorian students have been ordered to stay at home for the next six weeks, as the State Government signalled a return to remote learning in the fight to contain the second wave of coronavirus.
Year 11 and 12 students and those undertaking VCE and VCAL subjects have been permitted to return to class from Monday 13 July.
However, the majority of students from prep to Year 10 at government schools across Melbourne and Mitchell Shire will study from home when term three resumes on Monday 20 July.
Those who returned to face-to-face learning this week were among the first to line up outside schools to have their temperature checked. Any student who had a temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius or above in the morning would be sent home.
Henry Grossek, principal of Berwick Lodge Primary School said his school was “much better prepared” for remote learning “because we were flying blind first time round” although he added: “It’s a far from an ideal circumstance”.
“On one hand it’s relief because it makes excellent sense to do this in these very challenging circumstances but on the other hand it’s hardly uplifting news, honestly. No one really enjoyed remote learning the first time round,” he said.
Fountain Gate Secondary College principal Pete Hanratty said a transition back to remote learning had “been met with determination from our staff in ensuring that each student is supported during this time”.
“We are at the advantage of having dealt with remote learning before and we will use that to our advantage to ensure a smooth and efficient transition to online learning for our students in Years 7 to 10,” Mr Hanratty said.
Connie Vandervoort, principal of Narre Warren North Primary School, said parents and teachers were positive about going back to remote learning “because it worked for us the first time” however the school had adjusted its teaching and learning schedule “slightly” after receiving feedback.
“We sent home pencil cases and work books at the end of last term with the students just in case,” Ms Vandervoort said.
Meanwhile, Ms Watson said she and her husband were preparing for a second round of being home together – including their children, aged 15 and 16, as well as their three-year-old daughter and Ms Watson’s 80-year-old father.
But the couple, who both work from home, were becoming increasingly frustrated about their home internet cutting out – with the “whole area” being disconnected on Wednesday 15 July, which they hoped would be sorted quickly before school resumed.
