When you’re a kid, and you make it all the way to year 12, the pressure on your performance in the HSC is enormous. Throw in the coronavirus and some of these kids reached breaking point. Up until this week, formals were not going to happen, with restrictions on big gatherings not allowed. Even graduation ceremonies weren’t allowed, putting a really big downer on the ‘Class of 2020’.
This week Premier Gladys Berejiklian, listened to the voices of approximately 200 school captains across NSW.
“Given this is a one-off event and our students have worked incredibly hard during this quite challenging year, there will be opportunities to consider how we can conduct dancing safely, how we can encourage that intermingling, signing of books and other activities that graduates have told us that they want to participate in,” said the Premier.
HSC exams first
Year 12 students all over NSW are preparing for the HSC right now. The focus is to keep our kids healthy and free of COVID-19 so they can sit the exam without any symptoms. Exams don’t finish until November 11th, so any events need to be planned for after this date. If kids need to be tested for COVID-19 close to exam dates, they should tell their GP or testing clinic. This will ensure test results are marked as urgent.
How will formals & graduations look?
This Friday the 11th, Dr Chant will unveil all the details, however at this stage, it will look similar to this:
- Schools will have guidance provided by Health NSW to develop a COVID-19 safe plan for their celebration.
- Larger schools may need to have multiple events on the same occasion to make it COVID safe.
- Attendees, which could include parents, as well as, students and teachers, would have to adhere to the 4-square metre rule.
- High-risk activities such as choirs and ‘normal’ dancing wouldn’t be allowed, and attendees must be seated.
- Schools would need to register as a COVID-safe business.
- An alternative to handing out certificates would need to be implemented.
- No hugging or close contact, and strategies in place to avoid group photos.
‘Best in class’ team of teachers
Best in Class is a team of 66 of the state’s best teachers who have share their classroom skills directly with those teachers and students who have needed it most. This team is also developing a new ‘best practice’ teaching package. Over 700 HSC teachers from over 300 schools have benefited directly from this group during the past 6 months. This is now set to expand even further and support even more teachers and students across all high school years.
“The ‘Best in Class’ team have done an excellent job supporting teachers with remote learning techniques during the pandemic and offering easy-to-access teaching materials online. The teachers selected to deliver the program stand out and we want to replicate these great teaching methods across all the state’s classrooms.” – said the Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell.
References:
‘Best in Class’ to support more teachers and students – {Accessed 8/9/20}
School formals to go ahead – {Accessed 8/9/20}
‘Terrific outcome’: Bans on formals and graduations to be lifted after HSC – {Accessed 8/9/20}
Year 12 graduations and formals back on agenda for NSW, despite COVID restrictions – {Accessed 8/9/20}
Year 12 student ‘thrilled’ formals and graduations will go ahead – {Accessed 8/9/20}
