A number of ACT public schools have moved some students to remote learning as staffing shortages make face-to-face teaching not viable.
Catholic systemic schools and public schools in Canberra will also have two extra pupil free days this term to allow teachers to catch up on planning and administration work.
Seven schools have asked students to stay home this week, including:
-
Amaroo School - Year 10 - Monday, May 9 to Friday, May 13
- Palmerston Primary School - Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 - Tuesday, May 10 to Monday, May 16
- MacGregor Primary School - Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 - Tuesday, May 10 to Monday May 16
- Franklin School - Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 - Tuesday, May 10 to Monday, May 16
- Black Mountain School - two classes - Monday, May 9 to Friday, May 13
- Caroline Chisholm School - Years 5 and 6 - Wednesday, May 11 - Tuesday, May 17
Meanwhile, Year 7 and 8 at Calwell High School are continuing with remote learning after the school was issued a prohibition notice from WorkSafe ACT last term.
"The Education Directorate is awaiting advice from WorkSafe ACT regarding when the prohibition notice will be lifted which will enable Year 7 and 8 students to return to face to face learning," an ACT government spokesperson said.
Parents were given very little notice of the home learning arrangements. Children of essential workers and vulnerable children are able to attend school for supervision.
Students have been given work via Google classroom and will be doing a daily wellbeing check to also mark attendance.
Students at Margaret Hendry School, Charles Weston School and Cranleigh have returned to campus after learning at home last week.
ACT Council of Parents and Citizens Associations spokeswoman Janelle Kennard said periods of remote learning were the new normal for parents.
"I think parents are feeling like we have to roll with the punches," Ms Kennard said.
Australian Education Union ACT branch president Angela Burroughs said the directorate was taking a sensible approach of keeping younger students on site and sending older students into remote education where necessary.
"I think it's a good sign that the schools and Education Directorate are really closely monitoring staffing and student [absence] levels and making decisions to make some year groups go into remote learning promptly," Ms Burroughs said.
She said it was much more likely that schools would switch to remote education in term 2 and 3 as winter illnesses were on the rise, including COVID-19.
"Schools and principals don't like moving to remote learning so we had to overcome that cultural resistance."
In the week ending on Sunday, May 8, 281 cases of COVID-19 were reported to 60 ACT public schools.
A spokesperson for Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn said since the start of the year Catholic schools had maintained lessons at school for all students.
Schools in the public and Catholic systems will be scheduling two, non-consecutive pupil free days this term to compensate teachers for the classroom release time they missed out on while filling in for absent staff.
An Education Directorate spokesman said schools were consulting with their own P&Cs before deciding on dates for staff planning days.
"Student attendance on the designated school staff planning days should only be for those who cannot be cared for at home," the spokesman said.
"Schools will work with their parents, carers and school communities on these dates and notify them about scheduled school staff planning days at least two weeks before they occur to allow families adequate time to make alternative arrangements."
The spokesman said it was part of a package of workload reduction strategies to ease the burden on schools and staff during term 2.
Ms Kennard said the pupil free days would be difficult for some families.
"We know it's hard for families but we'd ask parents to consider their teachers and give them a shout out and a thanks for the extra work they're putting in in covering absences," she said.
