Shire Christian is wonderful because of the depth and strength of relationships that have built a united community that is committed to a quality Christian education. I have enjoyed meeting and greeting parents and students in the bus bay each morning and giving a Freddo to students on their birthday. It has been an honour to have connected with many parents more deeply to work through needs and issues of concern to them. Supporting, encouraging and equipping staff has meant a great deal to me every day that I have walked into my office.

Shire Christian is wonderful because there are so many talented and other person centred people who go above and beyond without any desire to receive something in return. These people have made my job so much easier. From our gracious board chair, John Ishak, and the rest of the school board to our exceptionally capable and hard-working executive leadership team to all our outstanding teachers and dedicated support staff I say thank you. Your passion to further the mission of the school and honour God has touched the lives of many, including mine.

Shire Christian is wonderful because so many of our parents earnestly desire to partner the school in the education of their children. I thank them for their expressions of appreciation and thoughtful feedback. I am indebted to our parents, students and staff for their patience when I struggled or made mistakes.

Shire Christian is wonderful because of our students. The maturity, kindness and commitment to learning of so many students is honouring to God and has helped to build the wonderful reputation the school has in the broader community.

Most importantly, Shire Christian is wonderful because we have been blessed by an all loving, all knowing and all powerful God who has guided and protected our school through many joys and challenges. The Lord has blessed us with teachers who have a deep understanding of the Bible and a commitment to teaching God’s word, integrating a Christian worldview into a range of lessons and living a holy life.

While I am sad to be leaving, I am confident that Shire Christian will continue to go from strength to strength. Please pray that the Lord will raise up a new principal who loves God and the whole school community. Please pray that the next principal will delight in seeing children learn and have the experience and wisdom to make wise judgements.

With only another week to go before students start to return to face-to-face teaching I hope to connect with many students, parents and staff before I finish at the end of the year.

Yesterday, the NSW Government brought forward the return to face-to-face learning date for many year groups. Please read on below for the details of the plan and the measures we have put in place to care for the Shire Christian School Community.

Mr Brett Hartley
Principal

We ask that parents support the proposed staggered return to school as much as possible to help students, teachers and parents feel safe and comfortable to return. 

As announced by the premier yesterday, the new return dates for each year group are:

Monday 18 October - Prep, Kindergarten, Year 1, Year 12 (2021)
Monday 25 October - All remaining year groups

The wellbeing and safety of all staff, students and parents is important to us and therefore we are putting the measures below in place based on guidance provided by the Association of Independent Schools (AIS) and NSW Health.

Our school will comply with the NSW Government requirement that all school staff be double vaccinated by early November. The NSW Government is encouraging vaccination of students aged 12 and above; however, students are not required to be vaccinated when they return to school.

Staff will be compliant with the current public health order regarding employees wearing face masks.

All Secondary students are required to wear masks indoors, outdoors and on public transport unless a teacher expressly gives them permission to take the mask off.

Junior School students are encouraged, although not required, to wear face masks.

All classrooms will be ventilated with windows and doors open. All school air conditioners and filters have been professionally cleaned. 

Students will be reminded to follow personal hygiene routines and social distancing as much as possible.

The school will encourage students to learn, play and mix with other students in their class or year group, rather than students mixing with students in other year groups, as per government advice.

Advice from NSW Health is that parents and carers should not send children to school if they are unwell, even if they have the mildest flu-like symptoms. Parents are encouraged to use the COVID symptom checker to help them determine if their child should stay at home. The school is obliged to send students home if they have COVID symptoms. They will be encouraged to get a COVID test. A student should not return until they are symptom free and/or a negative COVID test has been provided. In circumstances where children have other medical reasons for recurrent symptoms, a letter from their GP will be required.

At this stage, unfortunately, parents will not be allowed on the school site other than for school drop off and pick up (see below).

Public Transport

We have received notification that normal bus routes are expected to resume on Monday 18 October.

Student Drop Off

For students who are not catching the bus to school, parents can drop off their children in the bus bay. However, they are asked not to get out of their car unless their child is unable to get out of the car without assistance. Alternatively, parents can park on the street and walk their children to the front gate. There will be no onsite parking available for morning drop off. These arrangements also apply to Shire Prep. A Prep Staff member will be at the drop off each morning to greet and collect Prep students from 8.20am.

Student Pick Up

Parents with students in Prep to Year 2 are welcome to wait, physically distanced and wearing a mask, on the front oval for their child from 2.25pm. Teachers will bring students to the oval at the end of the day. 

Parents with students in Years 3-12 who would like to pick their child up in the afternoon are asked to wait for their child in their car in a pre-arranged location. Parents are welcome to send their child a text to let them know where they have parked the car. Parents who are unable to make these arrangements will be able to wait on the front oval with the K-2 parents.

Parents waiting on the front oval must wear a mask, check in using the QR codes located on the fence, practice physical distancing and wait at the relative year group sign.

We ask that one parent per child waits on the front oval and that you leave as soon as you have collected your child.

Uniforms and Hair

After 16 weeks of lockdown, the school appreciates that students may not have been able to have a hair cut or arrange to buy a summer uniform. The school simply asks that students come to school complying as best they can with the standard uniform requirements. The school will be flexible and reasonable. 

The school uniform shop is currently closed. Uniform items can be ordered online at shop.ranier.com.au. Parents will be notified when items are available for students to collect from Student Services. Parents can rely on the sizing guides when ordering. All uniform orders are entitled to free size exchange. 

Water

We encourage students to bring their own water bottles to school and fill them up at the water bottle refill stations.

Sport, Excursions, Peripatetic Lessons, Assemblies and Performance Evenings

The school will seek to provide students with positive and worthwhile co-curricular activities that are compliant with government regulations.

Camps

The Year 4, 5 and 6 Camps have been cancelled and camp fees will be refunded to Years 4-6 parents.

The Year 6 Celebration Evening will go ahead, although unfortunately parents will be unable to attend.

Remote Learning

Class Zoom lessons and teaching video clips will not continue once the year group returns to school. It is difficult for teachers to manage face-to face and remote learning at the same time. Teachers will continue to provide online activities using the current systems which will phase out as the term progresses.

It is expected that all children will return to school during the timeframe listed above. However, if you are concerned about your child returning to school, are considering that they not return to school or have further questions and concerns, please complete a short survey.

Mr Paul Carter
Head of Junior School
headofjunior@shirechristian.nsw.edu.au 

Year 12 (2021)

Year 12 will continue with optional Zoom attendance until the end of Week 2. They will return to school on Monday 18 October (Week 3) according to the regular school timetable. They will have the option to attend school onsite for Weeks 4/5 or complete their own study from home. The HSC will begin on Tuesday 9 November (Week 6).

The Year 12 graduation is planned for Friday 3 December at 3:30pm in the school hall and the formal will be in the evening on Monday 6 December. The nature of these events will be dependent on government restrictions and will be communicated in the coming weeks.

Faculty Free Weeks

After the two recent changes in bringing forward the return dates for all students to October 25, we have decided to not proceed with the faculty free weeks. With only 10 days of remote learning remaining, the end is in sight and lessons will run as normal according to the regular timetable for each subject.

Remote Learning

Once students return to school on the dates listed, Zoom lessons will no longer continue, as it is not practical for teachers to provide both in person and online lessons. Instead, each teacher will post a brief summary of the work covered in the lesson on the Google Classroom page. 

Other Events in Term 4

We will continue to monitor NSW government regulations and keep parents informed of any changes. The school is particularly conscious of the Year 12 graduation and formal, the Year 10 social event and the Week 8 activities. The school will provide more information about these events when we have more certainty about the regulations.

If you have any questions or concerns about Secondary School related matters, then please don’t hesitate to contact me. Likewise, please contact your child’s Pastoral Care teacher if your child is particularly concerned about returning to school.

Mr Peter Richardson
Acting Head of Secondary School