No images? Click here Dear parents and guardians, Thank you to all staff, students and families for helping to ensure today’s commencement of Remote Learning rolled out so smoothly. We have had very few issues and I would like to commend everybody for responding so quickly and efficiently. Whilst starting the year remotely is less than ideal, I know from the teachers I have spoken to that they really enjoyed seeing the girls and were impressed with the girls’ engagement and effort. A huge thank you to everyone. I would like to acknowledge that we have a number of families and staff directly impacted by the terrible fires in the city’s north-east, and that most of these families are members of our boarding community. I know we all have these community members in our thoughts and prayers as they continue to deal with yet another unpredictable crisis. To our girls, families and staff working to protect their homes and those who have had to evacuate, please stay safe and know the whole community is thinking of you. If any of our boarding families are impacted by the current situation and the school can be of any support, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly. I would like to add that I have been extremely humbled by those staff members who have had to evacuate their homes yet have, at their own request, continued to work and deliver lessons because they feel so strongly in the need for consistency for the girls. I can’t thank them enough. As with any situation like this, when news is quite vivid and concerning, it is not unusual for young people to become concerned. We have provided some information below to parents in relation to talking to your child about a crisis of this nature. Thankfully, we have had another day of zero positive community COVID-19 cases. Like everybody, I am hopeful this will continue and the lockdown lifted on Friday evening as planned. Please be assured if this is not the case, PLC Perth is well prepared to continue Remote Learning if necessary. As always, we continue to be guided by the advice of the experts at the State Government Department of Health and our advisers within the Department of Education. Frequently Asked Questions When will my daughter be able to return to the Boarding House? It remains our aim, pending further government advice, to re-open the Boarding House next Sunday 7 February at 12.00 noon. We will keep you updated of any further developments throughout the week and confirm this return date and time as soon as possible. My daughter is concerned about the lockdown and the bushfires. How can I help her? It is understandable that some children may become concerned as a result of this week’s emergencies. The Australian Psychology Society (APS) has prepared information and advice which may assist you to help your daughter if this is the case. Please contact any of the PLC Psychologists if you would like to discuss any concerns you may have.
My daughter had trouble accessing her classes today. Who should she call for support for help? Please email the Tech Centre for support and the Information Learning Technology (ILT) staff will be able to assist her. Who do I contact if my daughter requires ILT support? Please email the Tech Centre outlining your query. The ILT team is prioritising help requests and responding as quickly as they can. We appreciate your patience as they work through the requests received. Is Mr Hickmott available to assist the girls with any questions they may have? Yes, Mr Hickmott is working and ready to help the students with their queries. My daughter doesn’t have her PE uniform. What should she wear? Please just wear casual clothes while you are working remotely this week. I would appreciate it though if you could:
What shall I do if our internet connection is not working? Please ask
your daughter to inform her teacher/s and alternative options for lessons will be provided to her. Please ask her to email here with her request and every effort will be made to accommodate the change. On return to School, all elective changes will be requested using the Subject Change Forms, which are available at the View and McNeil Street receptions. No. Only timetabled classes will be delivered this week. This will be reassessed should lockdown be extended. Are the lessons following the usual six period day? No. It was determined during last year’s Remote Learning that it was not good for the girls to sit in front of their laptops for an entire school day. Instead, staff will be teaching to a four period day and Periods 5 and 6 will be time for the girls to do desk work or assignments. This will also allow staff time for planning and preparation. My daughter is in Year 12 and she is worried about the delay to her learning. What should I do? Please assure your daughter that the School will work with all relevant authorities to ensure any disruption to her final year is taken into account. Remember this is impacting all students across the State. In our experience authorities have been very receptive to our concerns about learning disruptions caused by COVID-19. When will we know if and when events scheduled for this week will be rescheduled or cancelled? As soon as there is more clarity around the lockdown and restrictions, we will start to work through rescheduling events. Who can I contact at the School if I need help or advice? PLC Perth is closed and there are no staff on campus. If you require assistance, the following options are available to parents. Please contact me directly if you need to at any time.
I have heard some staff have been impacted by the fires and have had to evacuate. What will happen with their classes? We have had some staff who have been evacuated as a result of the fires. All of these staff have said they wish to continue to work and have been provided with loan laptops so they can deliver lessons as usual. I’m sure all members of the community will join me in thanking them for their efforts under such stressful circumstances. I don’t have the PLC App. How do I get it? You can download the PLC App from the relevant version available for iPhone and Android, to ensure you receive important year group, co-curricular, and sports messages. To log in to the App you will need your username and password, which is exactly the same username and password you use to log in to SEQTA. If you have forgotten these, please click here to reset or contact the PLC Tech Centre for help. Parents of girls commencing this year will have received their login details at their device orientation. Once you have logged in, go to the Settings button, which is in the bottom right corner within the photographs. Then:
When will we know if and when events scheduled for this week will be rescheduled or cancelled? As soon as there is more clarity around lockdown and restrictions, we will start to work through rescheduling events. At this stage, it is our expectation the ball will proceed. Obviously, this is dependent upon the lockdown being lifted this Friday as indicated by the WA Government and whether further restrictions will be in place. If necessary, the event will be postponed to a later date. Will next week’s PLC Parent Welcome Sundowner still be held? At this stage, it is anticipated the Welcome Sundowner on Friday 12 February will proceed, dependent upon any restrictions that may be continued or introduced by the State Government. On behalf of all PLC staff members, I would like to thank you for your understanding. Please know we are working very hard to meet the needs of all students. Please stay safe. |