PHASE 0

Schools are open for families who need it

• Families are supported to keep their children at home and learn from home via Danebank’s distance learning model. 
• Students who attend school are supervised by qualified teachers, not in their classrooms by their classroom teacher.
• No excursions, activities or inter-school activities.
• Munch Monitor for Canteen orders.

PHASE 1

Girls on campus at least one day a week

• Year 12: full-time face-to-face teaching on campus.
• Pre-K and Kinder: full-time face-to-face teaching on campus.
• Life Skills: full-time face-to-face teaching on campus.
• Years 1 to Year 11: one day a week face-to-face teaching on campus with their classroom teachers and four days a week distance learning at home.
• Families who need to send their children to school every day when not engaged in face-to-face teaching, may do so. Children will be supervised as they undertake distance learning. 
• Register here for Junior School
• Register here for Senior School
• No excursions, activities or inter-school activities
• Munch Monitor for Canteen orders.
• Uniform Shop open on Tuesdays (2-5pm), Thursdays (8-11.30am) & 1st Saturday each month (9am-12noon).
• Extend Before and After School Care available daily.
• Mini-bus service as normal.
• Aquatic Center closed for Swim School.
• No parents or visitors on site.

PHASE 2

Girls on campus at least two days a week

• Years 11 and 12: full-time face-to-face teaching on campus.
• Pre-K and Kinder: full-time for face-to-face teaching on campus.
• Life Skills: full-time face-to-face teaching on campus.
• Years 1 to Year 10: two days a week face-to-face teaching on campus with their classroom teachers and three days a week distance learning at home.
• Families who need to send their children to school every day when not engaged in face-to-face teaching, may do so. Children will be supervised as they undertake distance learning. Registration links available in due course.
• No excursions, activities or inter-school activities. 
• Munch Monitor for Canteen orders.
• Uniform Shop open on Tuesdays (2-5pm), Thursdays (8-11.30am) & 1st Saturday each month (9am-12noon).
• Extend Before and After School Care available daily.
• Mini-bus service as normal.
• Aquatic Center closed for Swim School.
• No parents or visitors on site.

PHASE 3

Girls on campus between three to five days a week

• Pre-K to Year 12: full-time for face-to-face teaching on campus.
• Life Skills: full-time face-to-face teaching on campus.
• No excursions, activities or inter-school activities. 
• Munch Monitor for Canteen orders.
• Uniform Shop open on Tuesdays (2-5pm), Thursdays (8-11.30am) & 1st Saturday each month (9am-12noon).
• Extend Before and After School Care available daily.
• Mini-bus service as normal.
• Aquatic Center will remain open.
• No parents or visitors on site.

PHASE 4

Girls on campus five days a week, with activities considered

Normal school for all girls (Pre-K to Year 12) full-time, five days a week.

We anticipate the resumption of many school activities. Activities will continue to be modified and adapted to respond to public health advice. Examples would include:

• Co-curricular activities, such as clubs and music ensembles
• Sport with limited numbers and, at this stage, no parents/visitors allowed on site. Click here for NSW Health advice in this regard. 
• Excursions, incursions and programs such as Duke of Edinburgh 
• The number of and reasons for allowing visitors on campus

A risk assessment will be completed for all school activities and be reviewed prior to the resumption of that activity. External service providers will be required to have their COVID-19 safety plans presented to and approved by the School before they can start operating on campus again. 

Dear Families

As promised in my letter last week, I am writing to inform you how the NSW Health COVID measures for schools will affect Danebank for the rest of Term 3.

We are interpreting and implementing these measures with the spirit and intention in which they have been developed: to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission in school communities. 

Danebank’s updated Health Action Plan and my letter last week preempted and instituted the relevant changes already. These are the cessation of:

• Activities that result in the mixing of students from different school regions, such as sport.
• School groups singing or chanting activities
• The use of wind instruments in groups  
• Social activities such as formals and others that involve parent attendance  
• Overnight events such as retreats, camps and excursions 

One important additional requirement, effective from today, is that any staff member or student who has any COVID-19 symptoms will be prohibited from returning to school until proof of a negative COVID-19 test result has been provided. The school requires two documents as proof to be emailed to Junior School or Senior School:

• Certificate of Attendance from the COVID-19 Assessment Clinic at which you had the test done.
• A screen-grab of the result for the test, which is normally sent as an SMS text message.

The NSW Health document also spells out specific measures schools are expected to adhere to during school hours. Danebank is already adhering to these, however, we will continue to refine our implementation, including the cessation of individual tours of our campus to new families this term.

While not possible to do this for each individual Danebank activity in this letter, I would like to clarify the following specific activities:

• Sport: Danebank will not participate in any inter-school sport for the remainder of this term, instead we will offer sport on our campus on Saturdays so that students can continue to stay active and fit.
• The SRC movie night for Senior School students has been cancelled.
• Year 12 Showcase: we are planning an online showcase where students and their works will be featured
• Junior, Senior and Training Band is cancelled for Term 3.
• Instrumental Program will not be running for brass and woodwind (trumpet, trombone, flute, clarinet and saxophone)
• Years 3 and 4 Instrumental Program will be running for strings and percussion only (cello, guitar, violin and percussion)
• Private singing and wind instrument tuition will occur via Zoom lessons from home.
• Students are strongly encouraged to wear masks on public transport and on Danebank’s minibuses to and from school.

Sadly, these measures further limit our celebration of and farewell to our Year 12 students. Further information about this will be provided to Year 12 families in the coming weeks.

As always, the safety and wellbeing of our girls is of paramount importance. These changes are expected to be in effect until the start of Term 4, by which time I will have communicated any further changes to you.

Dear Families

I am writing to you to provide a further update on the developing COVID-19 situation as it relates to our Danebank community.

Please be assured that the safety and wellbeing of our treasured girls are always at the forefront of our decisions as we continue to respond in our proactive, measured and informed way to any new developments. Our planning for various contingencies is well established.

COVID-19 Regulations and their Effect on Danebank Activities

Yesterday a number of key educational leaders in NSW met with Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Chief Medical Officer Dr Kerry Chant to discuss the developing COVID-19 situation in NSW, with particular regard to school communities.

The meeting discussed the following proposed restrictions, which Danebank will implement with immediate effect. We are:

• Restricting the mixing of students between schools in areas such as sports and other co-curricular activities
• Ceasing school-related singing of any kind (where we had previously not sung in groups, we will now cease any singing) or chanting activities
• Ceasing the use of wind instruments in groups
• Ceasing school-related overnight events such as retreats, camps and excursions

For Danebank, this means that the following events will not take place this term:

• Danebank Senior School Athletics Carnival at Sylvania Waters Athletics Track which was to be held tomorrow (Thursday 13 August)
• IGSSA Athletics Carnival (Thursday 20 and Friday 21 August), where several schools were to compete
• The Scots College Friday afternoon soccer experience for Junior School students which was to be held at 5 Sports.
• Life Skills Camp at Teen Ranch
• Year 8 camp
• Years 3 and 4 camps
• Year 5 excursion to Ballarat
• Year 6 excursion to Canberra

Junior School families will receive further correspondence from the Head of Junior School, Mrs Melinda Buckley, with details of other affected activities.

We will soon be communicating with you about our plans for new-look and adapted end-of-year functions such as the Year 12 Showcase and Year 12 Graduation ceremony, as well as our plans for the continuation of sport.

We are expecting the finalised publication of the NSW Health guidelines for schools shortly, and will update our community with any further impacts or changes.

Support and Care

While we are all disappointed about these restrictions, I trust that you will recognise that the decisions are made with the girls at heart.

Our girls continue to have access to the best mental health support we can offer at the school. However, please be encouraged to seek additional support for your family if the need arises:

• Headspace
• Beyond Blue
• NSW Mental Health page

Danebank COVID Health Action Plan

We will continue our well established safety measures covered within our Health Action Plan. This includes additional daily cleaning on the site and temperature checks and screening upon arrival.

We have been experiencing an increase in the number of students -- Senior and Junior -- coming to school with cold- or flu-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, sore throat or cough.

These are also COVID symptoms, so I want to draw your attention to our Health Action Plan and emphasise the following:

• Students and staff who are unwell or displaying symptoms of respiratory illness or flu-like symptoms potentially associated with COVID-19 must not attend school and should remain at home until all symptoms have disappeared.
• COVID-19 symptoms can include fever (37.5 °C or higher), cough, sore/scratchy throat, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell. NSW Health requires that such a person self-isolate and be tested for COVID-19 at a testing clinic, even if they have mild symptoms.
• Any student or staff member who has been tested must not attend school while awaiting results and must adhere to isolation/quarantine protocols. Please notify the school if the result is COVID-19 positive.

Therefore, I strongly reiterate the need to not send your children to school if they are displaying any of these symptoms. Should your daughter display any flu-like symptoms when at school, we will use a face mask and contact you to come and collect her.

Please be proactive in this regard and keep your daughter at home when she is unwell. In line with NSW Health regulations, please have her tested for COVID-19 should she display even the slightest symptoms.

Dear Families

I hope this communication finds you all well. I am writing to inform you of two matters.

1. COVID-19 Case in Westfield Hurstville

The Sydney Morning Herald reports this morning that an employee at a nail salon in Westfield Hurstville has tested positive for Covid-19. This has been confirmed in a Facebook post by NSW South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD).

The newspaper quotes Dr Vicky Sheppeard, deputy director of SESLHD, in saying the person worked at ProfessioNail on Wednesday July 22 and Thursday July 23.

According to the SMH, “all close contacts of the case have been identified and directed to self-isolate for 14 days. Casual contacts have also been identified and told to monitor for symptoms.”

It continues: “Dr Sheppeard said there was no broader risk for people who visited Westfield Hurstville, and the business has conducted a deep clean” and that the case has been associated with the south-west Sydney funeral cluster.

A gentle reminder that, as per our School expectations: Students should travel directly to and from school and should not attend Westfield or remain in Hurstville unless accompanied by a parent or carer or if they have a note signed and dated from the Deputy Principal or Head of Junior School.

While the newspaper reports that there is “no broader risk” for other visitors, I wanted to bring this to your attention with Danebank community’s health and safety as a priority. In line with our Health Action Plan, I request that all students and families, and especially those who were in the centre on those days, watch for any Covid-related symptoms, be tested should they occur and self-isolate until the test results come back negative. Here is a link to testing clinics in NSW. If there is a positive result, please notify the school as soon as possible.

Families are also advised that, should they so choose, students and staff can come to school wearing appropriate masks when on public transport and when at school. Here are links to how masks should be used and how to make masks.

2. Man approaching children in Sutherland Shire

I want to encourage you to talk to your daughter about her safety and being aware when out and about. NSW Police have this document available with advice and as a starting point for discussing safety.

This is of heightened importance as we have been made aware that yesterday morning a man approached a student with intent to harm while the student was walking along Warrah Road in Yowie Bay (in the Sutherland Shire). Police have appealed for public assistance to find the man.

Please continue to look after yourselves and be reassured that we are here to support your daughter and family at this ever-changing time.

Dear Families

I trust you are enjoying a lovely holiday and that our girls and young women are looking forward to returning to school next Tuesday! 

Throughout the past six months as we have navigated the waters of coronavirus, I have continued to be amazed by our inspiring, warm, supportive and engaging Christian learning community. I have also been most impressed by the abiding commitment to excellence in thinking, learning, and care. These pillars of wellbeing and learning, underpinned by a firm Christian foundation and culture of excellence are clearly hallmarks of our school.

As we look forward to the Term 3 and as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to evolve, I want to confirm some arrangements for Term 3.

Return to Campus Plans 

We will be in Phase 4 of our Return to On-Campus Learning Plan from the beginning of Term 3. Given the current situation, we will continue to monitor this on a daily basis and move backwards to an earlier phase, should it be required. As always, we will communicate any changes in a timely manner. 

Our guiding principles for the wellbeing, safety and security of our staff, students and families remain. We will ensure our appropriate NSW health and hygiene practices continue. 

We will seek to gradually reintroduce excursions, activities and inter-school activities where it is safe to do so. While we will be guided by health authorities in these decisions, Danebank will also require a risk assessment for any School activity that is being reintroduced, which will be reviewed prior to approval for that activity to proceed. External service providers will be required to have their COVID-19 safety plans presented to and approved by the School before they can start operating on campus again.

At this stage, we ask that, as per last term, parents and visitors not come on to the campus to collect or drop-off students. Similarly, Saturday sport and training will continue to be drop-off and pick-up of students only. IGSSA has requested the same across all venues (no spectators or visitors on site, only students). 

Health Action Plan 

NSW Health requires people who visited Victoria and returned to NSW to self-isolate for 14 days. This requirement stands, even if you are well and not showing any COVID-19 symptoms.

With the virus now in some community spots throughout Sydney, including venues in St George and Sutherland Shire, it is important that we remain vigilant in protecting ourselves and our Danebank community and I want to echo NSW Health's urging of anyone who has visited these venues to get tested for COVID-19.

I also draw your attention to our Health Action Plan which states: 

• Students and staff who are unwell with any respiratory illness or flu-like symptoms should remain at home until all symptoms have disappeared.
• If someone has even the slightest Covid-19 symptoms - including tiredness, a cough, sore/scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or fever - NSW Health requires that such a person be tested for COVID-19 at a testing clinic. Please self-isolate until you get your results and notify the School if the result is COVID-19.
• Any student or staff member who has been in close personal contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 must self-isolate for 14 days following that contact.

If you and your family have to self-isolate having returned from Victoria, or in accordance with any of the above points, please email the Junior School and Senior School respectively.

I am certainly looking forward to welcoming you and our cherished girls back to campus soon. 

Dr Emma Burgess, Principal

Dear Families,

It is hard to believe that we are nearing the end of Term 2. Thank you for your continued goodwill and ongoing support as we have navigated the significant challenges of COVID-19 together.

Our prayers and thoughts continue to be with those who have been adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. It has certainly been an unprecedented and challenging time for us all.

Throughout this term and last, I have been impressed by the dedicated and professional staff of Danebank who exerted herculean effort to ensure the continuity of high-quality teaching and learning experiences for our girls, whether off-campus or on-campus. Their extraordinary enterprise has ensured that, despite the circumstances, each girl has been able to continue her learning whilst being nurtured, cared for and deeply supported.

I have also been overwhelmed by our girls’ incredible resilience, positivity, gratitude and determination to apply themselves to every learning opportunity afforded to them.  Danebank truly is a special learning community.

Term 3 Arrangements

We will continue to enact our Danebank model for the safe and gradual return to on-campus learning under the COVID-19 pandemic environment when students return to Term 3 on Tuesday 21 July 2020. 

The various Danebank COVID-19 plans remain in place:

• Lockdown Information outlining the School's planned course of action, should someone at Danebank test positive for COVID-19
• Health Action Plan

Danebank’s Return to On-Campus Learning Plan: Term 3

We anticipate that we will enter Phase 4 of our staged Return to On-Campus Learning Plan from the beginning of Term 3, with activities resuming during the term. Incorporating and reflecting NSW Health requirements, Phase 4 will allow for more freedoms, while prioritising the safety and security of our community.

We anticipate that many of our school activities will continue to be modified and adapted to respond to public health advice. Examples would include:

• Co-curricular activities, such as clubs and music ensembles
• Sport with limited numbers and, at this stage, no parents/visitors allowed on site. Click here for NSW Health advice in this regard. 
• Excursions, incursions and programs such as Duke of Edinburgh 
• The number of and reasons for allowing visitors on campus

A risk assessment will be completed for all school activities and be reviewed prior to the resumption of that activity. External service providers will be required to have their COVID-19 safety plans presented to and approved by the School before they can start operating on campus again. These activities include the reopening of the Aquatic Centre, and the resumption of the Years 3 and 4 instrumental program, gymnastics, and IGSSA and Saturday Sport. 

Term 3, Week 1

Whilst we anticipate that from the beginning of Term 3, Danebank will enter Phase 4, we will confirm final arrangements towards the end of the holidays.

 
Senior Library Extended Hours Service to our Community

We are excited to share that from Week 2, Term 3 Danebank will extend its library hours for students in the Senior School (Years 7-12) from 7.30am to 6pm on Monday to Thursday and from 7.30am to 4pm on Friday. This service to our community is in response to feedback and consultation with parents and students regarding the library.

Our Head of Information Services, Ms Julia Martin, and her wonderful team are planning to open our welcoming learning environment in the library to meet the educational needs of our school community. The provision of extended hours will enable students to study, read, learn and research in a quiet, safe and supportive learning environment. 

Further details will be sent as a separate communication during Week 1 of Term 3.

Dear Families

You may be aware of the temporary closure of two schools yesterday due to students testing positive for COVID-19. While we pray that this will not happen at Danebank, please be assured that we are well prepared for the possibility, as the Premier and Prime Minister have both flagged the likelihood of more such cases.

This letter outlines Danebank’s planned course of action so that families know what to expect in such circumstances. Please read it with care and discuss this with your daughter. The following information stands side-by-side with Danebank’s Temporary Closure of Campus Procedure.

As always, Danebank will communicate with our families via sms, app alerts, email and our COVID-19 Portal.

If a member of the Danebank community has been diagnosed with COVID-19:

• Parents of the affected individual or member of our community are asked to notify the Principal: phone 9580 1415 or email principal@danebank.nsw.edu.au
• The Principal will be in contact with NSW Health. 
• Danebank will take instruction from NSW Health and respond accordingly.
• Danebank may be required to go into a short period of lockdown to determine who may have been in close contact (contact tracing) with the infected person. Parents will receive an SMS regarding the lockdown and a follow-up email clarifying the situation.
• Students will not be allowed to leave the campus until NSW Health advises that the lockdown comes to an end. At this time, parents will be alerted and students will be dismissed as described in the Temporary Closure of Campus Procedure.
• People assessed as being a “close contact” will be contacted by NSW Health directly and given appropriate advice. They are usually required to be isolated for a minimum of 14 days.
• People assessed by NSW Health as being a “casual contact” are also informed and provided with appropriate medical advice.
• The length of any subsequent closure of the campus will be determined by NSW Health (estimated to be 24 to 48 hours) while intensive cleaning of the school takes place.
• Due to privacy legislation, the infected individual/s will not be identified by the school.
• Danebank will contact parents of those children who have been in close contact with the infected individual as a follow-up. 
• Parents are required to follow the directions and stated expectations of the school as communicated in the Temporary Closure of Campus Procedure and other communications at the time of the event.

If a member of your household or workplace is suspected to have been in contact with someone who has been tested/diagnosed with COVID-19

• Contact the school to report this: 9580 1415 or principal@danebank.nsw.edu.au
• Consult with NSW Health or your GP as to whether a COVID-19 test is recommended for you or your family.
• Seek guidance from NSW Health to determine the required length of absence Plan for your child to stay at home for the required minimum of 24 to 48 hours and up to 14 days

Temporary Closure of Campus Procedure (main points)

It is important that your contact details, held by the school in Edumate, are up to date to ensure you receive any emergency communications. Either change it in the Edumate portal or email the school at: enquiries@danebank.nsw.edu.au

Please click through and read the full Procedure document so that you are informed and can discuss this with your daughter, clarifying, for example, how she is to get home in these circumstances. 

However, here are some main points:

• SMS alert to all community members (i.e. parents/ guardians) outlining that the school campus is in lockdown. 
• An email communication from the Principal advising of the lockdown (reasons given) and informing of the course of action on the day.
• Lockdown will be lifted under NSW Health instruction, after which parents/carers will receive an updated SMS and email about collecting their daughters.
• Communication to follow advising of possible temporary closure of the campus for intensive cleaning and while contact tracing is conducted.
• Parents/carers are not to enter the campus to collect their daughters, they are to wait at the gates or in their cars as they would on a normal afternoon pick-up.
• Dismissal and collection details for Life Skills, Senior and Junior School students and how the dismissals are staggered, are outlined in the Procedure document.
  

   

Unwell students and staff to stay home

I want to emphasise to all students and members of staff to stay at home when you are unwell and get tested for COVID-19 if you display any flu-like symptoms. This is clearly outlined in Danebank’s COVID-19 Health Action Plan and I encourage you to familiarise yourself with this again in the coming days. Any student or staff member who becomes unwell on campus will be immediately sent home. Likewise, any student or staff member who has a temperature outside the normal range, will be sent home. 
In our management of the risks of COVID-19, we will continue to follow the medical advice and the guidelines.

Please continue to maintain and promote good hygiene, including handwashing with soap and running water for 20 seconds, as this is an effective way to reduce the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Learning while in 14-day isolation

If students are not unwell, but in self-isolation due to any of the above, school work may be made available as is possible on the applicable learning platforms, e.g.: Canvas, Google suite and Seesaw.

In the Senior School, teachers may choose to share information regarding the learning of the day on the Canvas announcements page. However, it is up to the student to access the day’s teaching in the usual way, as would have been the case pre-COVID-19.

Similarly, in the Junior School, teachers may choose to share information regarding learning for the day on Canvas or Seesaw.

Matters of note

• Parents and students are asked to not post details of such an occurrence on social media (including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and to support Danebank as we endeavour to disseminate clear and factually accurate information through our designated communication channels.
• If you are concerned because someone in your household may have been in close contact with anyone at another school where someone tested positive, please follow the advice of NSW Health. If you have concerns, please contact us by email: principal@danebank.nsw.edu.au
• We are closely monitoring new COVID-19 cases in our local area and are ready to increase safety measures, should it be required.
• Our current procedure of temperature testing for students, staff and all individuals who enter the campus, will continue, along with all other safety and cleaning measures we have implemented as described in Phase 3 of our returning to on-campus learning plan. 
• It is important to note that it is not possible to keep students physically distanced from each other. 
• The NSW Health COVID-19 website is an extensive source of accurate and up-to-date information.
  
  

We are deeply encouraged by the ongoing support and cooperation of our magnificent Danebank community. 

I want to continue to reassure you that, should further action be required of us at Danebank, we are well prepared for this situation and have well-developed plans in place. We continue to monitor and reassess our activities in the light of advice from NSW Health. 

At times like this, when there is uncertainty and constant change, we are encouraged by the steadfast and unchanging nature of our God. He will sustain us, strengthen us and guide us as we continue to navigate our way through these waters.

Dear Parents

The past days have been a wonderful buzz with the sound of girls learning and laughing on campus. The staff and I have loved seeing the girls and are looking forward to welcoming all of them back to campus on a full-time basis soon. 
We continue to be encouraged by the good news being reported by NSW Health and the NSW Premier, with the numbers of daily diagnosed COVID-19 cases in NSW low and restrictions gradually being lifted.

Yesterday the NSW Premier announced that state schools would expect all students to return to face-to-face learning on Monday 25 May. We have canvassed staff and members of our community regarding this news and its potential implications for Danebank.

No Change in Return to On-Campus Learning Schedule

Whilst staff are excited to welcome all girls back to full-time learning, according to our previously published Term 2: Danebank Phases 1-3 Schedule this is scheduled for Monday 1 June. The schedule allowed for a calm, considered and phased, gradual return.

Therefore, understanding that parents would have planned ahead in line with the schedule, and rather than implement this late and rushed change for state schools, Danebank will continue with our controlled, precautionary phased approach, with all students back on campus on Monday 1 June.

We understand and appreciate that parents of some students in Years 3, 4, 7, and 8 may prefer to send their children full-time from next Monday. If this is the case, please be encouraged to register for on-campus distance learning for these couple of days, where qualified teachers facilitate quality learning. Links below.

We will continually monitor the situation and revise any plans for the safety and security of our community. As always, we will communicate with you in a timely manner, should any changes be necessary. 

Phased Return to On-Campus Learning: What Stage 3 entails

When all students return to campus for five days a week, we will have reached and remain in Phase 3. This means:

• No excursions, activities or inter-school activities
• Private music tuition will resume through the School of Music from 1 June. The School of Music will contact current and previously enrolled families to confirm participation.
• Years 3 and 4 instrumental program, bands and clubs will not resume as yet
• Canteen is open for orders
• The Uniform Shop is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as on the first Saturday of the month
• After School Care is available daily from 3pm to 6pm
• Mini-bus service is as normal
• The Aquatic Centre remains closed for Swim School
• No visitors are to be on site

We will continue our additional hygiene and safety measures for the return to on-campus learning for all girls and staff. This includes additional cleaning throughout the day and temperature checks for all on arrival.

Danebank Health Action Plan reminder

 Anyone who has returned from overseas, is to self-isolate for 14 days.

• Everyone who has been in contact with someone who has arrived from overseas, is to exercise a high degree of caution.
• Students and staff who are unwell with any respiratory illness or flu-like symptoms, should remain home until the symptoms have disappeared.
• If students or staff have COVID-19 symptoms, which include a cough, sore/scratchy throat, shortness of breath or fever, NSW Health requires that such a person be tested for COVID-19 at a testing clinic. Please self-isolate until you get your results and notify the School if the result is COVID-19.
• Anyone who has been in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 must remain at home for 14 days following that contact.

‘What if my daughter is ill, or I choose to keep her at home?’

With students returning to full-time face-to-face learning, all online teaching and learning will cease from Monday 1 June as it is not sustainable.

Danebank continues to acknowledge that some parents, staff and students have health concerns that put them in high-risk groups or categories. The School will support you as parents to make decisions based on your circumstances. 

Other parents might not wish to send their children to school regardless. In these unique times, as we transition back to full-time face-to-face teaching, we will record it as “absent with leave”. 

Please inform the School of your daughter’s absence via the usual channels:

• Junior School
• Senior School

Class and Home Learning

From Monday 1 June, Danebank will not make individual arrangements to deliver distance learning to students who do not attend school.
 
In the Senior School, teachers may choose to share information regarding the learning of the day on the Canvas announcements page. However, it is up to the student to access the day’s teaching in the usual way, as would have been the case pre-COVID-19.
 
Similarly, in the Junior School, teachers may choose to share information regarding learning for the day on Canvas or Seesaw.

On-Campus Distance Learning

Families who, next week, need to send their daughters to school every day when not engaged in face-to-face teaching, may do so. 

• Register here for Junior School: Week 5
• Register here for Senior School: Week 5

The staff and I are looking forward to welcome all our girls back on campus!

With warm regards,

Dr Emma Burgess, Principal

Dear Families

We are looking forward to welcoming girls from various year groups back to campus on Monday 11 May (Week 3) as we implement Phase 1 of our Return to On-Campus Learning Plan.  

Teachers have been eagerly anticipating the girls’ arrival and many celebratory surprises have been planned. A Coffee Cart will be in the colonnade from 8am to 11am for our Year 12 and 11 students to enjoy a hot chocolate and a treat with our compliments as they start their day.

Latest Announcement for Return to On-Campus Learning

We continue to be encouraged by the reduced numbers of daily diagnosed COVID-19 cases in NSW and the corresponding directions from authorities regarding the lifting of restrictions.

On Monday this week, the NSW Premier announced that all students are encouraged to be back in classrooms by the beginning of June. This is different to prior advice according to which all students were to return to on-campus learning by the end of Term 2. 

Our Phased Return to On-Campus Learning Plan provides Danebank with well-prepared and sound plans to enact this new requirement.  The Return to On-Campus Learning Plan will serve us well, allowing us to bring all girls back to full-time face-to-face teaching and learning by Monday 1 June (Week 6) by rapidly moving through Phases 1 to 3.

Term 2: Weeks 3 to 6 Arrangements

The revised weekly Term 2: Danebank Phases 1-3 Schedule.

We will continually monitor the situation and will revise any plans for the safety and security of our community. As always, we will communicate with you in a timely manner, should any changes be necessary. 

On-Campus Supervision

Families who need to send their children to school every day when not engaged in face-to-face teaching, may do so. Children will be supervised as they undertake distance learning.

Register here for Junior School

• Weeks 3 and 4
• Week 5

Register here for Senior School

• Weeks 3 and 4
• Week 5

 Student Wellbeing and Care

I want to emphasise that the deep concern for the health and wellbeing of our students and staff, along with the need to provide the best educational outcomes for our girls are always at the heart of the decisions we make.

The NSW Premier has also recently indicated the possibility of further positive cases of COVID-19 when students return to classrooms. Please review Danebank’s Temporary Closure of Campus Protocol established in Term 1, so you can re-familiarise yourself with it in the event that we may need to temporarily close the campus. 

As our students return to campus, Danebank:

• Expects all members of our community to adhere to the Health Action Plan which calls for self-isolation of those who have returned from an international trip or have been in contact with a known case of COVID-19. We also expect parents to keep their daughters at home should they be unwell and especially if they display any cold- or flu-like symptoms.
• Has increased and expanded the cleaning of our facilities, buses and classrooms.
• Has instituted the use of hand-sanitiser upon arrival and in classrooms.
• Is limiting visitors (including parents) on site (please, no visitors on site during Phases 1 to 3).
• Continues to advocate improved hand-washing practice and physical distancing among our students in social circumstances and at the Canteen. 
• Has instituted temperature checks upon arrival at school. 

Temperature Testing

All students and staff will be temperature tested upon arriving at school. We ask that families are supportive and considerate as we undertake this process for the safety of our community. Any students refusing to have their temperature taken will not be permitted on the campus. 

The temperature testing does not require physical contact, as the School is using proximity (non-contact) thermometers. Any students or staff presenting with a temperature in the red range will be directed to the sick bay and required to go home. 

To facilitate this, not all entrances to the school will be open. Staff will be at the following open entrances to test temperatures on arrival:

• Park Road (near the pedestrian crossing) and the Junior School’s “Forest Way” entrance, also on Park Road
• The Colonnade off The Avenue
• Students attending sport early will be tested when they arrive at the Gymnasium
• Life Skills students will be tested on arrival at the half-court entrance.

Danebank Community Portals: Descriptions and Links

Please be encouraged to utilise the comprehensive community communication network, Danebank from a Distance, also accessible via iDanenet, to stay up to date and informed. We have uploaded new content throughout the week from students and families.

You will find links to the three portals we have established for our community as we navigate the pandemic together.

• Danebank Distance Learning Portal spells out the details of our distance-learning plan and lists Frequently Asked Questions.
• COVID-19 Information Portal for all Danebank's previous communications in relation to COVID-19, as well as Frequently Asked Questions. This link also provides information about our Health Action Plan and Financial Hardship information.
• Danebank From A Distance for advice, news, videos and pictures of life on campus and at home while we are social distancing. Please visit this regularly and send your contributions to: community@danebank.nsw.edu.au

With warm regards,

Dr Emma Burgess, Principal

Dear Parents

We are eagerly looking forward to transitioning back to face-to-face learning on campus for all our Danebank girls soon. Once again, I thank you for your continued encouragement and support as we navigate these challenging times together.

This communication outlines our planning for the phased return of students to on-campus learning in the coming weeks. There is also information regarding our financial support of families due to COVID-19. 

We continue to take a measured, informed and well-considered approach in managing our response to the COVID-19 situation. 

Danebank has been encouraged by the greatly-reduced numbers of daily diagnosed COVID-19 cases in NSW and the corresponding directions from authorities regarding the gradual lifting of restrictions in our society. The government’s health advice and emerging studies continue to reassure us that schools are safe places to be and that physical distancing measures are not necessary in schools.

Planning for Return to Danebank

Our guiding principles in planning for a staged, safe and effective transition back to on-campus learning are: 

• The wellbeing and safety of our girls and staff, and ensuring that appropriate health and hygiene protocols continue.
• Ensuring the continuity of high-quality teaching, learning and care. 
• Consideration for the specific learning needs of our girls, including whether there are additional learning needs, our Pre-K girls with specific play-based learning approaches, and our oldest girls who are studying for the HSC. 
• The layout of the Junior and Senior Schools and classroom size. 

Accordingly, Danebank’s plan for students’ return is tailored to our needs and what we believe is best for our girls’ learning. Our model will differ from that of NSW government schools.

Danebank Return to Campus Model

Danebank has chosen a blended learning model encompassing face-to-face teaching and learning, and distance learning on the days where students are not allocated a face-to-face learning day.

We believe this plan is optimal for student-learning and care during Term 2, as it enables the provision of the excellent teaching for which Danebank is known.

The blended model will mean that: 

• Students who are learning on campus during their allocated “on-campus day or days” will be with their teachers, engaging in face-to-face learning,
• Students who are learning from home will continue to engage in distance learning, and
• Students who need to be on campus on days other than their allocated face-to-face day, will engage in distance learning whilst supervised by Danebank teaching staff. 

We have designed a phased return of girls using the Guiding Principles as outlined above.

The Return to On-Campus Learning Plan is organised in phases and outlines the specific teaching and learning arrangements and measures to be taken at each stage of gradual return. 

Over the term, we hope for the forward movement from Phase 0 to Phase 4. However, we do recognise that the COVID-19 crisis has been unpredictable and rapidly changing. So should circumstances change, we may be required to step back to a previous phase. Any changes will be communicated with you as soon as we are made aware of these. 

Please familiarise yourself with the Return to On-Campus Learning Plan so you are able to see and plan for what may happen in each phase.

Term 2 Arrangements in Summary

To accompany the Return to On-Campus Learning Plan we have devised weekly schedules for each phase. 

The Term 2 Danebank Phase 1 Schedule outlines the arrangements for each Year Group for Weeks 3 and 4. You will see that:

• Year 12 returns to face-to-face teaching full-time on campus 
• Pre-K and Kindergarten return to face-to-face teaching full-time on campus 
• Life Skills girls return to face-to-face teaching full-time on campus
• Years 1 to 11 return to face-to-face teaching for one day a week on campus with the girls engaged in distance learning from home for the other four days a week 
• The campus remains open for those students who need to be supervised when not engaged in a face-to-face learning day with their class teacher. This will be particularly useful for parents with more than one daughter at Danebank, who need their whole family to be supervised on campus at any given day.

Students in High-risk Health Categories

Danebank continues to acknowledge that there are some parents, staff and students who have health concerns that put them in high-risk groups or categories. The School will support you as parents to make decisions based on your circumstances. 

Other parents might not wish to send their children to school regardless. In these unique times, as we transition back to full-time face-to-face teaching, we will record it as “absent with leave”. 

At this stage, the School remains open and will not make individual arrangements to deliver our Distance Learning Plan to students who do not attend school on their allocated face-to-face teaching days.

In the Senior School, teachers may choose to share information regarding the learning of the day on the Canvas announcements page (with additional care for students in Years 11 and 12). Similarly, in the Junior School, teachers may choose to share information regarding learning for the day on Canvas or Seesaw.

Financial Circumstances 

Danebank continues to be committed to support and work in partnership with families experiencing financial hardship. The Council recognises that COVID-19 is having a financial impact and many families are facing, or may face, confronting challenges over the coming months. Please be assured that Danebank does not want girls to leave Danebank due to COVID-19. 

This afternoon families will receive their Term 2 invoice. As a result of further consultation with families due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Danebank School Council is waiving the Term 2 Service Fee. The Term 2 Service Fee will not show on your billing. 

This means, the following financial assistance measures are now in place:

• Danebank is waiving the Term 2 Service Fee.
• Families will not be charged for optional/extra-curricular activities that would normally occur in Term 2. 
• Danebank will refund charges collected in advance for optional/extra-curricular activities that were cancelled in Term 1.
• The provision of additional financial support through a COVID-19 Assistance Scheme, deferral of payments or a payment plan.

 Please contact Danebank’s Director of Finance and Operations, should you require altered payment terms due to current financial pressures.

Health Action Plan

Danebank’s Health Action Plan remains as follows: 

• Students and staff who are unwell with any respiratory illness or flu-like symptoms should remain at home until all symptoms have disappeared. 
• Any student or staff member who has travelled overseas should remain at home for 14 days from the date of their return to Australia. 
• Any student or staff member who has been in close personal contact with someone diagnosed with coronavirus must remain at home for 14 days following that contact. 
• Any confirmed case of COVID-19 will be excluded from attending school until they are medically cleared to return.

 As before, in the event of a student needing to be quarantined, we ask that you notify the School of the absence through the usual channels.

Current NSW Government policy is that all potential cases be tested for COVID-19, so we would encourage you to do so should you have any symptoms.

Health and Safety Measures

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our community, we have established the following measures for the return to on-campus learning for all girls and staff:  

• Sign-in and checks upon arrival (students and staff)
• Limiting visitors on site (only staff and students please)
• For at least the first weeks on campus, students in Years 7-12 will not use their lockers as these are in very close proximity
• Wherever possible, larger classrooms, verandahs and break-out rooms will be used. The Year 12 Common Room will be used as a larger classroom for learning
• Markings have been placed in areas where students or staff should line up to ensure physical distancing (e.g. Canteen)

Danebank From A Distance Portal

Please be encouraged to access the Danebank From a Distance portal for further information and to stay in touch. This will be our communications portal until we publish a newsletter again later this term.

We have uploaded some new videos and photographs from students and parents to this portal. The Senior School prefects have made a beautiful video for our staff which can be viewed here too. Please continue to visit the portal as we are keeping it up to date. Also, send your own contributions to: community@danebank.nsw.edu.au

We are blessed to belong to the supportive and compassionate Danebank community. Danebank remains deeply committed to you and your family at this time and we are enthusiastically looking forward to welcoming more and more of our girls back to full-time, on-campus learning soon.

A very warm welcome to Term 2 2020. I trust that you are all well and have enjoyed a refreshing break over the past weeks. 

As we look forward to the start of Term 2 on Tuesday 28 April, our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those members of our own Danebank community who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as others in Australia and world-wide. It has been an extraordinary and unprecedented time for us all. At the same time, it has been encouraging to see that our joint efforts as a nation have begun to reduce the numbers of Australians being diagnosed with coronavirus. 

I deeply appreciate and value your ongoing support and partnership as we continue to navigate the challenges of this pandemic together.

Preparation for Term 2

During the weeks of non-term time, our staff has continued to prepare for our students’ return. This included developing high-quality teaching and learning experiences for our girls via the distance-learning model by taking into consideration the feedback from our community at the end of Term 1.

Danebank has also begun work on a model to facilitate the safe and gradual return of our girls to on-campus learning, with particular consideration to our Year 12 students.

Latest Announcement and Implications on Term 2 Arrangements

The health advice is still that schools remain open and that we can be confident that school is a safe place for children to be. 

At a media conference earlier this week, NSW Premier Ms Gladys Berejiklian and other education leaders outlined broad plans to support the continuity of education for students and the increase of face-to-face teaching in NSW through a staged return to school during Term 2.

This news, while logistically challenging, is welcome, as we are all eager to see the return of our girls and staff to our campus at the appropriate time. 

With the aim of welcoming students safely and effectively back to school in a staged approach, the Government has released complex and multidimensional guidelines to schools. We are now working on a tailor-made Danebank model as we carefully consider and plan to ensure the wellbeing and safety of our students and staff, and the keep the learning of our girls as our priority. 

We anticipate to be able to provide details about the phased return of students, featuring the schedule for your daughter’s year group or Junior School class, by Week 2. This information will also outline additional hygiene and on-campus social distancing measures.

Term 2: Weeks 1 and 2

Term 2 will begin, as planned, on Tuesday 28 April. The first two weeks (from Tuesday 28 April until Friday 8 May) of learning will be delivered via the same distance learning model as per the end of Term 1. 

Students are encouraged to learn from home where practical; however, Danebank’s campus remains open for students who need to be supervised at school. If you require on-campus supervision for your daughter, please register here:

• Junior School students

• Senior School students

Week 3 Onwards

From Monday 11 May, Danebank will begin a safe, phased and gradual return of our students to on-campus learning. Details of the new model will be communicated as soon as possible.  

Student Wellbeing 

The wellbeing of our girls and community is critical at this time. If your daughter or family would benefit from psychological support, please contact the School Counsellors as per the details on the Distance from a Distance portal. 

If your daughter needs support more generally, please be encouraged to make contact with your classroom teacher or Year Coordinator who will be able to offer assistance and guidance. Link here for Who to Contact When.

Danebank From A Distance Portal

Please be encouraged to access the Danebank From a Distance portal for further information and to stay in touch, and to forward your news and pictures to: community@danebank.nsw.edu.au

Looking Forward

Dear Parents

As I reflect on Term 1, I want to begin by thanking you for your support and active engagement as we have all navigated the joys and challenges of the term together.

The beginning of 2020 was a new chapter and freshly turned page for us at Danebank. We were excited about the new decade. Staff returned in late January with enthusiasm, and the joy of student laughter filled our corridors, grounds and rooms. I began as the seventh Principal of Danebank and was treated to the warmest of welcomes by all in our community.

2020: A New Era    

2020 held promise that, as a new era and decade began, we would maintain the positive aspects of Danebank and make changes for the better. Together we planned to build on our strengths, improve and innovate in order to continue to provide our girls with the very best in learning and care.

We recognised that Danebank has established itself as a leader in girls’ education in the region, fulfilling the mission established by our Founder, Miss Edith Roseby Ball. This mission was “to establish a fine Christian girls’ school that would prepare young women for life, a life of service”.

From the first days of term, with our guiding tools before us, we began to steer towards our future. The focus has been to build relationships, continue the exceptional teaching, learning and care for our girls, and to begin to chart a path forward as we reimagine the next decade together.

Despite the backdrop of the ever-changing and unpredictable COVID-19 situation, we have actively and enthusiastically worked towards this aim. Our community has remained hopeful, optimistic and excited about our outlook.

As a Christian school, we continue to frame our planning and actions for each girl within the context of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our aim is to ensure that our young women are ready and prepared for the rapidly changing world beyond Danebank so they would flourish, serve and shape the world in years to come. Our hope is that each graduate optimistically engages with future challenges and that she will be creative, resilient, well educated, confident, faith filled and compassionate.

COVID-19 Response

Our response to the COVID-19 pandemic has constantly been well-considered, calm and responsive to the ever-changing requirements from authorities. We have looked ahead, planned and then provided certainty in our communications, initially through our COVID-19 portal and then our Distance Learning Plan and FAQs, and actions.

On Thursday 26 March 2020 we began the Danebank Distance Learning Pilot. Feedback from staff, students and parents has overwhelmingly indicated that, under the circumstances, the Distance Learning Pilot has been a great success. If you haven’t already, I invite you to offer your feedback. We are now using this advice to refine and improve our practice as we anticipate that learning will continue to be offered through a remote model for Term 2.

Our commitment to the continuation of learning and the wellbeing of our Danebank girls is unswerving. As a school we remain dedicated to our students and are particularly mindful of upholding our Class of 2020 in the context of COVID-19. 

We have been assured by NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) that in NSW there will be an HSC in 2020, and that the certificate will facilitate access to university, further education and employment. I have been heartened by NESA’s delegation of authority to Principals which will allow school-based decisions about the number, type and weighting of HSC formal assessment tasks in 2020. This will enable Danebank the flexibility we need to support our Year 11 and 12 girls in the months ahead.

Staff have been exceptional in their response to COVID-19 and the demands placed upon them, and have worked tirelessly for our students. Our community has been deeply supportive and we are so grateful to you for every kindness shown. Girls have continued their active engagement in learning and have demonstrated courage, resilience, grit, determination, good humour and flexibility. Danebank Prefects have launched a new initiative to boost morale and grow closer together during this time.

Collectively, we have stayed connected, learnt and become closer as a Danebank community. I am so proud.

Financial Hardship

The School continues to be committed to working in partnership with families experiencing financial hardship. The following arrangements are in place:

• Families will not be charged for optional/extra curricular activities that would normally occur in Term 2.
• Danebank will refund charges collected in advance for optional/extra curricular activities that were cancelled in Term 1.
• The invoice and due date for Term 2 fees has been pushed back to allow families additional time to meet their financial commitments.
• The School Council has established a committee to consider applications for additional support for families experiencing financial hardship.

Please contact the Director of Finance and Operations, Mrs Beth Ellerman beth.ellerman@danebank.nsw.edu.au to request an Application Form should you require assistance. For those families who have already made contact with the School, we will contact you directly. 

Whilst we understand that the full extent of the impact of COVID-19 on families is yet to be fully understood, we do hope that the above measures may provide a way forward in coming months.

Initiatives

In the midst of these changes, we have undertaken various initiatives to chart our path forward towards the next decade of Danebank’s history.

Learner Profile

The first has been the consideration and development of a futures-focused Danebank Student Learner Profile. In developing this, staff have begun to consider key questions: 

• What will our girls be, what might they need to know and be capable of doing when they leave Danebank, and
• How can we ensure that our teaching and learning empowers and assists our girls for these possibilities?

Staff engaged in professional discussions, considering what attributes, character traits, dispositions, habits of mind, knowledge and understanding would be required to ensure that each Danebank woman thrives and contributes to the world with compassion and confidence.

Building and Property Committee

The second is the re-establishment of the Building and Property Committee by the Danebank Council in February. The committee has begun to progress the major renewal of facilities, to create dynamic, contemporary and innovative learning spaces for our learners.

Strategic Planning

Next, we have begun to review progress against Our Strategy (2016-2020), starting a major refresh towards the end of the year as we reimagine our future with hope.

I have begun extensive consultation with our community to learn about the School’s strengths and opportunities for growth and development. This has taken the form of one-on-one conversations with staff, meeting with the girls and key community groups across the School, and beginning Conversations with Dr Burgess for parents to share their thoughts and feedback. Unfortunately, these conversations were postponed due to COVID-19 and the requirement of reducing gatherings.

Now, I am pleased to share that Conversations with Dr Burgess has been reinstituted in a slightly different format. Those who have registered for the original series in Term 1, have been offered the opportunity to register for one of four Zoom meetings. Further opportunities to meet with me and provide your feedback will be offered in Term 2.

In addition, I intend to build on this consultation with more opportunities for our community to provide feedback and input on the future of Danebank through, among other things, various surveys and focus groups.

2020: Term 2

As we look towards Term 2, we remain optimistic and deeply committed to our girls, staff and community.

We anticipate that learning in Term 2 will continue to be through the distance-learning model.

Our campus will remain open for the families who need it, especially those working in essential services. Students who are able, will be encouraged to learn from home. We will endeavour to provide the best possible education under the circumstances and will always place the needs of our girls at the forefront of decisions made.

We will continue to be guided by the advice of the federal and state governments and health experts, and will keep you well informed of any changes. Term 2 will begin for our girls on Tuesday 28 April 2020.

Danebank From A Distance Portal

To connect and inspire one another, despite our distance, we have established a Danebank from a Distance Portal. Danebank From A Distance, is Danebank's community portal through which we will keep in touch and build our community while we teach and learn from a distance.

On the portal you will find video messages, pictures and videos of staff, students and families, and helpful information on topics such as wellbeing, teaching and learning. For the holiday break, there is a plethora of learning and fun ideas for students to enjoy. We invite you to send your pictures, stories and videos to us at community@danebank.nsw.edu.au. 
Please save this link: https://news.danebank.nsw.edu.au/news/issue/danebank-from-a-distance/ in your favourites as we will continue to add new contributions as we receive them from our students, staff and families.
I have recorded a special video message for our  parents, senior and junior students respectively. Please visit the portal to view them.

Final Reflections

Finally, as we approach Easter, I leave you with the enduring gospel message of hope and love. Easter brings hope to all of us. We are pointed beyond the Cross to the hope of the empty tomb; that Jesus came to redeem the world, to save us all from our sins and to provide assurance that God has triumphed over evil and death.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2: 8-10

Coronavirus Changes

Dear Parents

The COVID-19 crisis and its impact on our way of life is unprecedented in Danebank’s history. I would like to again assure you of our care and support, as well as our unwavering commitment to the continuation of learning and the wellbeing of your daughter as we navigate these challenging times together.

Our staff and teachers are exceeding our expectations to deliver quality teaching and learning to our girls through a variety of distance learning platforms. There is no less work for them, in fact, there is more as they navigate new platforms and modes of delivery, and as they endeavour to continue to also support our girls emotionally. Our staff and teachers are embracing this challenge as they are deeply committed to your daughters’ education.

Prime Minister’s New Announcement and Implications for Danebank

The ever-changing and almost daily announcements from the Prime Minister necessitate our flexible, continual and calm response. I trust that you recognise that every decision we make is done so with the safety and wellbeing of your daughters in our minds.

Late last night, the Prime Minister limited to two the number of people allowed to gather together. A gathering of more than two people is now only allowed for members within households.

The Prime Minister urged people to stay at home to protect themselves from the Conoravirus. He said Australians could go outside for medical care or compassionate needs, to exercise or for work or education, if they could not do this remotely. Schools are to remain open to those students who are unable to learn remotely. People over 70 years old should stay at home and self-isolate. The Public Health Officer, Dr Brian Murphy stated:

 
“We have to change the way we, as people, interact with each other. It is very simple.”

Danebank remains open. We are continuing our Distance Learning Pilot as planned. Danebank continues to strongly encourage families to allow students to learn from home, where possible. Students are still able to come on campus if they are unable to learn remotely.
 
However, as a result of these new requirements, the School has decided on the following additional measures: 

• The Year 11 and 12 Assessment Block has been moved to an online format as we believe that the School would be in breach of the Prime Minister’s directive to not do so. The great majority of Year 11 and 12 students are able to work and learn remotely, some of our supervisors for Special Provisions are over 70 years old and we are confident that moving the assessments online will be fairly and equitably administered by our staff. The weighting and moderation of the assessment tasks will be decided in the future. Consequently:
• Today’s assessments (Monday 30 March) – English, Maths and some Biology – were postponed until Tuesday 7 April when they will occur online.
• The assessments scheduled for tomorrow (and for the rest of this week, as well as Monday 6 April) are still going ahead at the scheduled times, but these will now be online. Students and parents will receive detailed information as to the logistics of the assessments.
• According to their requirements, many of Danebank's members of staff will be working from home from tomorrow onwards, with some core staff remaining onsite. Students onsite will be supervised. 

Financially Difficult Circumstances

We do acknowledge and understand that this is a difficult time for some of our families. The financial impact may be challenging, both initially and in the aftershock of the crisis. We anticipate that the effects on our wider community, and particularly on many individual families, will be with us for some time.
 
As a School, we have no desire for any girl to have to leave our community during this period. We believe that, given the current uncertainty, now is not the time to make decisions that may have an adverse impact on your daughter’s education and wellbeing.
 
The Board of the Anglican Schools Corporation and the Danebank School Council, together with myself and the School Executive are actively considering how to best support families in maintaining their daughter’s enrolment at Danebank, should they face financial hardship. We understand that the full extent of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on some families may take some time to fully emerge. We ask for your continued patience as we consider these matters and determine the best way forward for our community.
 
To help us better understand the financial impact COVID-19 is having on families, we are inviting you to inform us of your current situation and/or expected need for assistance by contacting our Director of Finance and Operations, Ms Beth Ellerman: beth.ellerman@danebank.nsw.edu.au or 9580 1415.

Distance Learning Pilot and Feedback

The Distance Learning Pilot continues this week and we thank you for your continued support as we engage in this together. I invite you to provide your feedback about your daughter’s learning experience on this Google Form.
 
Our students and staff will also have the opportunity to add their feedback and reflections on the pilot. Taken together, these reflections will support us as we refine and continually improve the distance learning model.
 
Please continue to work with the School, as together, we seek to support each other. With warm regards, 

Distance Learning Pilot 

Dear Parents

This morning the NSW Premier has announced that from tomorrow, all NSW schools will be transitioning to teaching and learning from one platform, this being a distance-learning model.

She strongly encouraged all parents to keep children at home from tomorrow. Schools are to remain open for those parents who have no other option and whose children will require supervision.

Danebank’s preparations and planning have positioned us well to implement the Premier’s decision effectively and calmly in the coming days. Therefore, Danebank will accelerate our Distance Learning Pilot to begin tomorrow, Tuesday 24 March, with teachers finalising their preparations and students not participating in any online learning for two days.

All co-curricular activities have been cancelled until further notice. Please do not bring your daughter for any activities she might have been enrolled for in the mornings or afternoons. The School of Music Coordinator will be in contact with families with regards to individual music tutoring for Junior School.

Danebank’s Distance Learning Pilot Launches Tomorrow

Today Monday 23 March: 

All students will be encouraged to collect their belongings today, and take all learning materials that they might need with them home. This includes: 

• The resources and equipment necessary for learning
• All books and devices, as well as accessories (e.g. chargers) and other equipment (e.g for major works)
• Any learning resources that have been prepared for them by their teacher.

Girls are encouraged to seek assistance from our IT team if there are any outstanding problems accessing CANVAS or SEESAW, or completing other online learning readiness tasks.

If for any reason, girls have forgotten some items, the School campus will remain open. Please come to the Senior School Office or Junior School Office to collect any missing items.

Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 March: 

Staff will finalise their preparations for the implementation of the Distance Learning Pilot. Students who have registered, may come to school for two days of “school care”. We have developed a plan and program to keep the girls engaged, as they won’t be following their usual learning program. The students who are on campus will not be cared for by the class teachers. Casual staff will be caring for these girls. Class teachers will be preparing and finalising their online teaching programs.

Please note: Because the dates have changed, you have to re-register your daughter’s attendance for the school care. Here is the new link for tomorrow and Wednesday.

To confirm:

• Students will not attend class as usual tomorrow and Wednesday. Students are encouraged to stay at home, or families may use the care program provided by the School if required. If you want to use this program, you must register here to enable the School to plan. 
• On these days, staff will be on campus, finalising their preparations for the Distance Learning Pilot.

Week 9 (Thursday 26 & Friday 27) and Week 10 (Monday 30 March to Friday 3 April)

• Implementation of Danebank’s Distance Learning Pilot. The pilot will now last seven days. All other arrangements will remain the same: 
• All learning will be via distance learning mode. This means that whether girls are at school or at home, we will be engaged in our Distance Learning Plan. 
• Families are strongly encouraged to keep their children at home and engage in the Distance Learning Pilot from there.
• If you have no other option and your child requires care, the campus will remain open to allow students to engage in the Distance Learning Pilot from school. If you want to use this service, please register your daughter’s attendance here.
• Rolls will continue to be taken (online and on campus) and the normal absentee process will be in place. 
• Years 11 and 12 Assessment Block will continue. Students are to come in to campus to sit the assessments if they are able to under our Health Action Plan.
• While staff will be on campus, there will not be any traditional face-to-face teaching of students as staff will be engaged in distance learning only. Please register here if you require your daughter to attend school during the seven days of the Distance Learning Pilot period.
• Students who are on campus for the pilot will be accommodated in groups in different venues on the campus in line with physical distancing requirements, however, not necessarily with their class teacher.

Week 11: Monday 6 to Thursday 9 April

• School holidays commence for students. Professional learning commences for staff.
• School holidays commence one week earlier for students (with the exception of those in Years 11 and 12, who are still needing to complete their assessments onsite). 
• The School will consider the provision of a holiday program for families who may require this during this week. Please register for this program here.
• Staff will engage in four days of preparation for distance learning from Term 2, should this become the requirement from the Federal Government and NSW Health.
• Staff will remain on campus unless they need to work from home. 

Term 2

Term 2 will commence for students on Tuesday 28 April, as scheduled. Our arrangements for Term 2 will be determined closer to the time.

Thank you

I want to thank you sincerely for the many messages of support I have received over these weeks as this situation has developed. These times are unique and we will overcome the challenges ahead together. 

Our staff remain committed to connecting with the girls and ensuring that they continue to receive quality learning, experience a high level of student care and support, and know they belong to an outstanding Christian learning community.  

The strength of our community is second to none. It is reassuring that we are here for each other with support, encouragement and our characteristic care and grace.  

With warm regards and my prayers for our community. 

Dr Emma Burgess

Principal

Coronavirus Notice

Dear Parents

We are aware the NSW Premier announced the shut-down of all non-essential services within 48 hours. She will announce a decision on school closures tomorrow. Girls are to attend school as usual tomorrow. Once we are informed about the Premier’s decision in this regard, you will receive a detailed email communication from us.

Coronavirus Update: Distance Learning Pilot

Dear Parents,

Danebank continues to provide excellent teaching, learning and care, whilst concurrently preparing for a continuation of learning at a distance

We recognise that this is a challenging time for our community. There is a high degree of uncertainty and unpredictability in the manner in which the situation unfolds.  

We have been closely following the guidance and advice of the Federal and State Governments, NSW Health and other agencies, which have continued to urge the education sector in New South Wales to keep students in schools for as long as possible, for the good of the wider community.  We have also been listening to the feedback and requirements of our community. 

I wish to reassure you that during this time, as always, the wellbeing of our girls, staff and community is at the centre of every decision we make. Indeed, Danebank’s response is calm, measured and well considered. 

We have been engaged in deep and prayerful consideration and extensive consultation with our Executive team, the School Council and the Anglican Schools Corporation along with other external advisory bodies. 

Please note that Danebank has not had a positive case of COVID-19. At the time of writing; however, we have a number of girls and staff away for varying reasons. 

Beyond our current situation, our attention has turned to managing and preparing for the potential shift in learning from face-to-face delivery, to a distance learning plan. Whilst we cannot predict how long this may be, indications are that students across New South Wales are likely to be engaging in distance learning options and that these may be occurring for longer than initially anticipated. 

To support the wellbeing of staff, students and families at this time, the School has decided to engage in a Distance Learning Pilot for students from Pre-K to Year 12. 

Danebank’s Distance Learning Pilot

Week 9: Monday 23 March to Friday 27 March

• From Monday 23 to Wednesday 25 March: Students are to attend school as usual.
• Staff and students will implement various distance learning systems daily in class (campus remains open).
• On Thursday 26 and Friday 27 March:Students will not attend class as usual. Students can stay at home, or families may use the care program provided by the School. If you want to use this program, you must register here to enable the School to plan. 
• On these days, staff will be on campus, finalising their preparations for the week of the Distance Learning Pilot.

Week 10: Monday 30 March to Friday 3 April

• Distance Learning Pilot Week for students and staff: All learning will be via distance learning mode. This means that whether girls are at school or at home, we will be engaged in our Distance Learning Plan. 
• The campus will remain open to allow students to come to school, if they choose to engage in the Distance Learning Pilot from school, OR
• Families may choose to keep their children at home and engage in the Distance Learning Pilot from there
• Girls who are required to be in self-isolation as a result of adhering to our Health Action Plan, must engage in the Distance Learning Pilot.
• Rolls will continue to be taken (online and on campus) and the normal absentee process will be in place. 
• Years 11 and 12 Assessment Block will continue. Students are to come in to campus to sit the assessments if they are able to under our Health Action Plan.
• If Year 11 and 12 students are not able to attend onsite, they must contact their teachers to make other arrangements.
• Staff will be on campus.

Week 11: Monday 6 to Thursday 9 April

• School holidays commence for students. Professional learning commences for staff.School holidays commence one week earlier for students (with the exception of those in Years 11 and 12, who are still needing to complete their assessments onsite). 
• The School will consider the provision of a holiday program for families who may require this during this week. Please register for this program here.
• Staff will be onsite, engaging in four days of preparation for distance learning from Term 2, should this become the requirement from the Federal Government and NSW Health.
• Staff will remain on campus unless they need to work from home. 

Term 2

Term 2 will commence for students on Tuesday 28 April, as scheduled. Our arrangements for Term 2 will be determined closer to the time.

What does the Distance Learning Pilot look like for your daughter?

For Senior School Girls

• Dress at home is mufti; dress at school is uniform.
• Follow your timetable and school hours (8.15am to 3pm).
• Check Canvas and your email for daily instructions from your teachers. 
• Be on time for your scheduled virtual meetings as the roll will be marked.
• Your teachers will be available throughout the day via email.
• We are here to help, so reach out if and when you need us or if you have any problems.
• The Wellbeing Program will continue. 
• Our main platforms for Danebank’s Distance Learning Plan are Canvas, Google Suite, Office 365.

For Junior School Girls (Pre-K to Year 6)

• Dress at home is mufti; dress at school is uniform.
• Complete your tasks during normal Junior School hours. 
• Each day will begin with a welcome from your teacher. 
• Check Seesaw for daily instructions from your teachers. 
• Your teachers will be available throughout the day via email.
• We are here to help, so reach out if and when you need us or if you have any problems.  
• Our main platforms for Danebank’s Distance Learning Plan are Seesaw and Google Suite.
• Pre-K: Mrs Elizabeth Stuart is finalising the Pre-K plan and this information will be communicated to our families next week.

NAPLAN 

All Education Ministers met today and decided that NAPLAN will not proceed in 2020. This decision was made to assist school leaders, teachers and support staff to focus on the wellbeing of students and continuity of education, including potential online and remote learning.

Sports and Events

As advised, excursions and events for the remainder of Term 1 have been cancelled.  IGSSA and IPSHA have also cancelled Saturday sport for the rest of Term 1 and all of Term 2.  Danebank Saturday Invitation Sport competitions have similarly been cancelled for the remainder of Term 1.  

For those students who would ordinarily participate in Saturday sport, an alternate Saturday training program has been devised by our Director of Sport, Ms Kerrie Banfield.  

With the wellbeing of our girls in mind, across all sports, the number of participants has been capped to manage risk and ensure social distancing is possible. Parents are not permitted to spectate, instead drop-off and pick-up times have been specifically stated and communicated.  

Waterpolo players have the option to participate in a modified, no contact game or water-based fitness session.

Details of the training program have been sent to families and students today. 

Finally

At the beginning of the year, I shared a metaphor with staff which likened Danebank to a ship.

I talked about the nature of our “Danebank Ship”: that it is strong, sturdy and secured by able crew and officers. There was encouragement for us that God is for us and that He will protect us, comfort us and guide us as we sail onwards. We considered our students, our community and the activities that we all undertake to keep our ship sailing forward and well.  

We could never have imagined the new waters that we now find ourselves in.   

These new waters will be difficult to navigate for us all. It is a significant shift for our whole community, one that our staff is embracing with their customary dedicated service and professionalism. 

However, I ask that you be conscious of the fact that distance learning is new to us and that there are likely to be some teething issues ahead. There will be opportunities for you to support us with feedback as we refine and improve. I ask that you will continue to encourage our staff and your daughters, understanding that we are bravely moving forward in unchartered waters. 

As a Christian school for girls, we know that our God is the one who rules over the seas and all situations we face. He will care for us, protect us, comfort and sustain us, guiding Danebank through this time: “You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them.” (Psalm 89:9) 

Logistics and Links

• Queries and Feedback: We have set up a Google Form for your queries. Please do not send your general questions or feedback to any email address anymore, but click on the link and complete the form.
• Danebank Distance Learning Plan
• Frequently Asked Questions: Covid-19 Information Portal.
• We will be seeking feedback from the girls, families and staff about the Distance Learning plan and will advise of the method for this in due course.

Important: Danebank Distance Learning Plan

Dear Parents

Please see attached the Danebank Distance Learning Plan that will be implemented in case of a campus closure. It outlines important information about the continued delivery of teaching and learning under those circumstances.

Coronavirus Update 

Dear Parents

As promised, I am writing to continue to update you on Danebank’s response to the COVID-19 situation as it unfolds and governments make announcements relevant to our school.

At times like these, I believe the strength of the Danebank community becomes immediately apparent. Danebank is warm, supportive and compassionate. We band together, support one another and trust in God, knowing that He will strengthen us, uphold us and comfort us. 

To this end, Danebank continues to take a measured, well considered and calm approach to the coronavirus pandemic. We continue to monitor and reassess our activities in the light of advice from NSW Health and the state and federal governments.

Consequently, we are adopting a number of additional, precautionary measures.

Social Distancing

Assemblies, Chapel, Lunchtimes

Overnight, the NSW Department of Education has instructed the cancellation of school assemblies and substantial gatherings. This includes:

• Inter-school arts, sports, initiative activities and events (details below)
• Whole-school sporting events and inter-school events involving three or more schools.

As a result:

• We will temporarily put all assemblies, Chapels and morning line-ups on hold, and are finalising alternative methods to deliver announcements, Chapel and assembly messages. 
• As of today, students have been instructed to spread out during common lunchtimes. 
• We are considering other internal activities on a case-by-case basis. 

Reduction of Activities and Events 

Autumn Fair and Open Mornings 

All Open Mornings, as well as this year’s Autumn Fair* and Open Day will be cancelled. 

We all value the great importance of this day to our school, especially in terms of community building and fundraising, but also because of the numerous families who visit our campus on the day to explore the school for their daughter. 

We will continue to work with the P&F Committee to explore other ways to build community and fundraise and will advise of this in due course. 

* The Autumn Fair’s silent auction and small baskets will continue through an online auction portal, so the P&F Committee has requested that you kindly continue to donate your items.

Cancellation of activities

Excursions, trips, year-group camps, travel, interschool arts (such as Theatresports and debating), external sports, initiatives and events, including: 

• Mother Daughter Camp
• Year 5 Camp
• Year 9 Camp
• The Central Australia Trip
• Conversations with Dr Burgess
• Junior School Coffee and Chat Mornings
• P&F Meetings
• Tildesley Tennis Shield
• Dragon Boating Nationals, Penrith
• All inter-school sport between multiple schools, including representative trials

Staff meetings

We are implementing the use of conference calls to facilitate meetings between members of staff and others.

Canteen

From tomorrow the Canteen will only supply orders made through Munch Monitor. 

• The Canteen will not be open at recess or lunch time for over-the-counter purchases. 
• If you do not already have an active MunchMonitor account, go to https://www.munchmonitor.com/Account/SchoolRegister and follow these steps: 1. Enter the School ID: danebank 2. Enter the School Password: munch2220 3. Follow the steps to create an account

Other precautionary measures

Hygiene:

The school will continue to operate on campus with additional hygiene measures in place, including handwashing, reducing face-to-face contact and cough etiquette.

Danebank’s Health Action Plan is updated according to the latest advice from the federal government: 

• As of midnight last night, arrivals from any country are to self-isolate for 14 days from the day of their arrival in Australia. This applies to staff, students and members of our community. 
• Everyone who has been in contact with someone who has arrived from any overseas country, is to exercise a high degree of caution. They are to self-monitor for symptoms and not come to school if feeling unwell. If needed, seek medical advice urgently and isolate yourself.
• Students and staff who are unwell with any respiratory illness or flu-like symptoms should remain at home until all symptoms have disappeared.

Closing the school campus

If the government announces the closure of school campuses:

You will be alerted by:

• An SMS to all community members
• An email from the Principal, detailing the decision and way forward
• A starting date for the Danebank Distance Learning Plan
• Signs posted on the outside of the Danebank campus
• Notice on the School website and other media

If we do close our campus temporarily, Danebank has established a Distance Learning Plan. The main things to be aware of are:

• The plan outlines that teachers will be given up to 48 hours (up to two school days) to finalise distance learning operations
• After this time, your daughter will continue her learning from a distance
• Teachers and staff will be available to support your daughter’s learning 
• We encourage her to follow her usual timetable and establish routine quickly 

Our vision is for the continuation of high-quality teaching, learning and care from a distance. It reflects our philosophy of learning in which students are actively engaged in authentic, meaningful learning experiences to support deep understanding.

We acknowledge that learning at a distance will not involve being constantly online for 7-8 hours a day, as we cannot directly replicate that which occurs when on campus. However,  we can provide innovative, creative and exciting alternatives for our girls from a distance. 

We are finalising some details of Danebank’s Distance Learning Plan, which will also be published online for your access. We will send the link in due course.

As always, let us place our trust in the Lord and continue to pray for our school, our community and our country.  I am confident that as a community we will emerge from this situation stronger.  

You can contact me at principal@danebank.nsw.edu.au with any queries, concerns and feedback.

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.  Romans 12: 11-13

COVID-19 Information Portal 

Dear Parents

You would have heard the news over the last few days of several confirmed COVID-19 cases among students at schools in NSW.

With the World Health Organisation now having declared a pandemic, I want to continue to reassure you that we are well prepared for this situation and have well-developed plans in place, should further action be required of us at Danebank. We will continue to be advised by the state and federal health authorities and the NSW Department of Education.

An update of our Health Action Plan

Students and staff who are unwell with any respiratory illness or flu-like symptoms should remain at home until all symptoms have disappeared.

Any student or staff member who has travelled to or passed through (stopped over in) any of the following countries should remain at home for 14 days from the date of their return to Australia:

• Any region in China, including Hong Kong and Macau
• Iran
• South Korea
• Italy

Everyone who has themselves travelled, or been in contact with someone who has, travelled to Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Japan, Singapore and Thailand in the past 14 days, is to exercise a high degree of caution. They are to self-monitor for symptoms and not come to school if feeling unwell. If needed, seek medical advice urgently and isolate yourself.

Any student or staff member who has been in close personal contact with someone diagnosed with coronavirus must remain at home for 14 days following that contact. 

Any confirmed case of COVID-19 will be excluded from attending school until they are medically cleared to return.

Some frequently asked questions:

Could the campus close?

Should a student or staff member be confirmed to have contracted COVID-19, the School will temporarily close the campus to provide health authorities an opportunity to assess the situation. This short-term closure may be followed by a longer closure to allow all students and staff to self-isolate for a required period. Alternatively, a select cohort of students or staff may be required to remain away from campus. Finally, the School may be directed by health authorities to close its campus as a measure to limit infection in the wider community.

In any of these situations, the School will continue to operate, including through the delivery of off-campus teaching and learning.

How will my daughter continue her learning during a temporary campus closure or exclusion?

We have the planning and technology in place to allow us to keep operating and deliver off-campus learning. This means teaching and learning will continue and students will have full access to their subject specialists.

Senior School

• Instructions will be given by class teachers via email and through our Canvas learning management system.
• The Senior School Pastoral Care (PC) program will continue and students will access information from Year Coordinators on their year group’s wellbeing page on Canvas.
• Year Coordinators, School Counsellors and the Deputy Principal: Student Wellbeing will be available for pastoral support and to assist students and their families.

Junior School 

• For our Junior students, work will continue to be set by their class teachers. Students will need access to the internet and a personal or family device.  If accessing a device will be difficult for you, please email juniorschool@danebank.nsw.edu.au

Some work will be made available via programs that our students are familiar with, such as:

• Grades K-6: Seesaw and Google Suite (for some things)
• Additional apps such as Mathletics, Literacy Planet and others may be incorporated

Teachers will monitor student engagement with course work and provide feedback on submitted learning tasks for all students from Kinder to Year 12.

Are student excursions, events and other off-campus activities taking place?

The School has postponed all overseas trips for this year. We are actively reviewing all upcoming camps, interstate trips and other excursions. This means that we will review each activity individually, assessing if it is appropriate to proceed or postpone.

We have already made changes to and postponed a number of activities, with the affected families notified as decisions are made.

How is the School managing external visitors?

In an update to our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Health Action Plan, we are also continually reviewing on-campus events that include external visitors (including parents) to determine if it should proceed or be postponed.

What is the advice for overseas travel?

We have alerted families to the possible risk of students being quarantined after the upcoming school holiday if they, or people in their home, were to travel overseas. This is particularly relevant to Year 12 students whose preparations for the HSC could be affected.

With a growing number of countries reporting COVID-19 outbreaks, the risk posed by international travel continues to grow. Because of this we ask that you adhere to our Health Action Plan, outlined above.

If you do plan to travel overseas, we urge you to check the latest travel advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and be mindful that new quarantine or travel restrictions may be implemented while you are away.

Finally, if you are planning to have any international guests in your home, we ask that you carefully follow any quarantine advice from the Department of Health.

What is close contact?

According to NSW Health, a ‘close contact’ is someone who has been face to face for at least 15 minutes, or been in the same closed space for at least 2 hours, as someone who has tested positive for the COVID-19 when that person was infectious.

What should I do if my child is sick?

NSW Health advise that:

• If your child has a sore throat, heavy cold, cough, fever or flu-like symptoms, keep them home from school. 
• If, while at school, your child presents with a heavy cold, sore throat, cough, fever or flu-like symptoms, we will contact parents to come and collect their children.  We request that parents do so promptly.
• If there is any history of travel to countries with confirmed cases of coronavirus, or contact with a known case, phone your GP for advice.
• If we suspect a student has coronavirus, based on their symptoms and history, we will isolate them and follow NSW Health guidelines.

We will continue to update you with any new information. However, if you have any questions regarding this or any other aspect of our Coronavirus Health Action Plan, please contact us by email on principal@danebank.nsw.edu.au

I thank you all for your continued support and understanding during this time. Please be reassured that we are well prepared to continue to deliver learning and to care for our girls.

Important update regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Dear Parents

I am writing to provide a further update on the coronavirus situation following more recent developments. The Federal Department of Health advises that recent international developments significantly increase the risk of a Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic (sustained community transmission in several countries).

In particular, they note the growing concern about community transmission in a number of countries including South Korea, Japan, Italy and Iran. Further, while limited or no cases have been reported in countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia, authorities deem these to be high-risk too, due to travel volumes from China. Additionally, unlinked cases in Hong Kong and Singapore remain a cause for concern.

Health Action Plan

As a result of the most recent announcements from the Federal Government regarding international travel restrictions, Danebank will require the following:

• Students and staff who are unwell with any respiratory illness or flu-like symptoms should remain at home until all symptoms have disappeared.
• Any student or staff member who has travelled to or passed through (stopped over in) any region in China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Iran or South Korea should remain at home for 14 days from the date of their return to Australia.
• Any student or staff member who has been in close personal contact with someone diagnosed with coronavirus must remain at home for 14 days following that contact.
• Any confirmed case of COVID-19 will be excluded from attending school until they are medically cleared to return.

At this time, the School is not putting in place any further restrictions for students or staff who have travelled to other countries with confirmed cases of COVID-19. However, this may change if the advice from authorities changes. As before, in the event of a student needing to be quarantined, we ask that you notify the School of the absence through the usual channels and the School will make arrangements for remote learning during this time.

Family Travel

We wish to alert families to the possible risk of students being required to be quarantined after the Term 1 break if they, or people in their home, were to travel anywhere overseas. This is particularly relevant to Year 12 students whose preparations for the HSC could be affected. We ask that families and staff members consider this when planning for holidays. If you do plan to travel overseas, we urge you to check the latest travel advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and be mindful that new quarantine or travel restrictions may be implemented while you are away. In addition, if you are planning to have any international guests in your home, we ask that you carefully follow any quarantine advice from NSW Health.

Overseas Trips

Danebank has decided to cancel all overseas school trips and exchanges for students and staff this year. This is in line with the advice from the NSW Department of Education, who have also suspended all overseas school trips. We understand that this will be disappointing for our students and families, but trust that you will recognise that the decision has been made with the safety and wellbeing of our girls at heart.

A separate communication will be sent home to families of those students who had planned to travel to Cambodia or France for Dragon Boat Racing this year.

Potential Temporary Closures of Premises

As you may have seen, the NSW Minister for Education has flagged the possibility of temporary closures of some educational premises in NSW in future as a mechanism to contain the community spread of COVID-19. There are no current plans to exclude larger groups of staff or students from the Danebank campus. However, we will continue to take a measured, informed and well-considered approach in managing our response to the situation, prioritising your daughter’s wellbeing whilst supporting the continuation of learning.

I wish to reassure you that we are well prepared and have systems in place for off campus teaching and learning, should that be needed. We are committed to ensuring our girls will continue to have access to excellent learning opportunities under all circumstances.

Communication with your daughters

Finally, while only a small number of COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in NSW, there is much news and talk of coronavirus in the media and across the community, and our girls hear and see what is going on around them. For some, this can contribute to anxiety. I encourage you to speak directly with your daughter, even the youngest ones, and to listen to their concerns. Provide them with factual, age-appropriate information and reassure them of all the work being done by the authorities, the medical profession and the School to protect them and us all. Please also remind them of the importance of good hygiene practices to prevent the spread of illness.

As always, the safety of our girls and their learning are our priority. Our additional hygiene measures remain in place across the School and staff continue to reinforce good hygiene practices with our students. We will continue to communicate any changes or recommendations from the relevant authorities as they become available.

Other NSW government advice

Advice for confirmed cases: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/advice-forconfirmed.aspx

Travellers and isolation: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/hubei-contacts-andtravellers.aspx

Advice for suspected cases: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/advice-forsuspected.aspx

Close contacts: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/novel-coronavirusclose-contact.aspx

Casual contacts: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/novel-coronaviruscasual-contact.aspx

If you have any further queries or concerns, please contact principal@danebank.nsw.edu.au

Coronavirus New Email Arrangements

Dear Parents

We sincerely appreciate your positive, pro-active approach and assistance in communicating with us regarding the coronavirus. Going forward, we request that absence-related communications be sent to the school, as follows:

Junior School

1. Coronavirus-related emails: continue to communicate directly with your child’s classroom teacher.
2. Other illnesses: juniorschool@danebank.nsw.edu.au

Senior School

1. All attendance, coronavirus- and other illness-related emails: attendance@danebank.nsw.edu.au

Coronavirus Important Attendance Changes

Dear Parents

• As a result of the most recent advice from NSW Health and NSW Department of Education regarding the coronavirus situation, Danebank has decided to require the following:
• If your family has been anywhere in mainland China or Hong Kong in the past two weeks, that you keep your daughter home from school for 14 days from the date of return to Australia.
• If your daughter or other family members have been in contact with a person confirmed as having coronavirus, that your daughter does not attend school for 14 days after the last contact with the person.
• As always, if you have not visited mainland China or Hong Kong, but your daughter is exhibiting any flu-like symptoms, that she does not attend school until she has recovered.
• Students who are to be absent from school as a result of any of the above points, will only be allowed to return to school upon presenting a doctor’s certificate, confirming that the student is well.

Finally, we ask that you consider these matters when planning to attend public Chinese New Year celebrations.

Please note, all these requirements apply to members of our staff as well, and we are communicating with them separately.

At the heart of our decision is the wellbeing and health of our entire school community.

A reminder to please contact the following staff members to advise of your daughter’s absence as a result of these precautionary measures:

• Junior School students: Melinda.buckley@danebank.nsw.edu.au
• Senior School students: Lisa.romberg@danebank.nsw.edu.au

Should your daughter be affected, we will be in touch to put in place steps to minimise the impact on her learning.

I encourage you to continue to seek advice from NSW Health https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/coronavirus.aspx, including familiarising yourself with basic hygiene guidelines.

Dear Parents

I am writing to provide an update on the coronavirus situation and to inform you of the change in the School’s attendance measures as a result of the latest advice for parents from the NSW Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant, ahead of school starting this week.

It is important to note that at the time of writing, NSW Health continue to describe the risk for infection as low.

Further information has indicated that the virus may be infectious during the incubation period and that people may be infectious before symptoms, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, are obvious.

Given this, and because the methods of transmission are still not clear, the School has decided to take the following additional precautionary measures:

• Any student who has travelled to Wuhan or the Hubei Province, is to remain at home for 14 days following her return to Australia.
• Any student who has been in close contact with someone who has travelled to these places, is to remain home for 14 days following contact.

We encourage you to seek medical advice proactively. This is a slightly more cautious approach, but it seems sensible given the above indications.

If your daughter will be absent from school as a result of these precautionary measures, please contact the following staff members to advise of her absence:

• Junior School students: Melinda.buckley@danebank.nsw.edu.au
• Senior School students: Lisa.romberg@danebank.nsw.edu.au

Should your daughter be affected, we will be in touch to put in place steps to minimise the impact on her learning.

I encourage you to continue to seek advice from NSW Health:

• Coronavirus main page: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/coronavirus.aspx
• English fact sheet: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Factsheets/novel-coronavirus.pdf
• Simplified Chinese fact sheet: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Factsheets/novel-coronavirus-sc.pdf
• English video: https://vimeo.com/386147857/a8e1d22d28
• Mandarin video: https://vimeo.com/386147841/06968c72ae

We will continue to monitor the situation and advise if there are any further developments directly affecting our community.

Coronavirus

Dear Parents

I hope this email finds you well.

I am writing about the recent outbreak of the coronavirus and new cases in NSW. Although we have no reason for immediate concern, we would like to inform you of you the School’s health action plan in accordance with information and advice received from NSW Health.

So that we may care for our girls, staff and wider community, we request that, if your daughter is unwell with flu-like symptoms, you please keep her home from school and seek medical attention.

If any of our students present with symptoms whilst at school, staff will send Senior students to sickbay and Junior students to Junior School Reception. Parents will be notified and, if appropriate, requested to collect their daughter from school to seek medical attention. It is very important that your daughter remains at home until the symptoms clear and she has fully recovered.

We appreciate your consideration and cooperation in working with us in remaining vigilant.

For now, NSW Health offers the following advice (as outlined on their website, link below):

Children returning to school or child care

What if my child is unwell?

Any child who is unwell should not attend childcare or school. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.

What if my child was in contact with someone who has the coronavirus?

Any child, who has been in contact with a person confirmed as having novel Coronavirus, should not attend school or childcare during the 14 days after last close contact with that person. Contact the local Public Health Unit on 1300 066 055 for advice.

Close contact is defined as 15 minutes face-to-face contact with a person with confirmed Coronavirus in any setting, or sharing a closed space with a person with confirmed Coronavirus for more than 2 hours.

What if my child is returning to school after visiting Wuhan?

School students returning from Wuhan who are well, and have not been in contact with a person with confirmed coronavirus, can continue to attend school provided that they follow the advice below.

If they develop a fever, a cough, sore throat or shortness of breath, the student should be isolated from other people.

The parents should be asked to give (the student) a surgical mask if available and take the child to their usual GP or emergency department as soon as possible, but to phone ahead so that ideally they can speak to the doctor and the practice can make appropriate preparations to protect others.

In all cases the school should contact the local Public Health Unit on 1300 066 055 and provide details so that the Public Health Unit can follow up as necessary.

For further information please visit the NSW Health website (https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/coronavirus.aspx) where the latest news and a wealth of other related information can be found.

The links below are to a video with coronavirus health information:

English (https://vimeo.com/386147857/a8e1d22d28)

Mandarin (https://vimeo.com/386147841/06968c72ae)

We will continue to monitor the situation and communicate with families as, and when, required.

The School continues to be committed to working in partnership with families experiencing financial hardship. The following arrangements are in place:

• Danebank is waiving the Term 2 Service Fee.
• Families will not be charged for optional/extra-curricular activities that would normally occur in Term 2. 
• Danebank will refund charges collected in advance for optional/extra-curricular activities that were cancelled in Term 1.
• The provision of additional financial support through a COVID-19 Assistance Scheme, deferral of payments or a payment.

The School Council has established a committee to consider applications for additional support for families experiencing financial hardship. Please contact the Director of Finance and Operations, Mrs Beth Ellerman beth.ellerman@danebank.nsw.edu.au to request an Application Form.  For those families who have already made contact with the School, we will contact you directly. 

Whilst we understand that the full extent of the impact of COVID-19 on families is yet to be fully understood, we do hope that the above measures may provide a way forward in coming months.

• Parents of the affected individual or member of our community are asked to notify the Principal: phone 9580 1415 or email principal@danebank.nsw.edu.au
• The Principal will be in contact with NSW Health. 
• Danebank will take instruction from NSW Health and respond accordingly.
• Danebank may be required to go into a short period of lockdown to determine who may have been in close contact (contact tracing) with the infected person. Parents will receive an SMS regarding the lockdown and a follow-up email clarifying the situation.
• Students will not be allowed to leave the campus until NSW Health advises that the lockdown comes to an end. At this time, parents will be alerted and students will be dismissed as described in the Temporary Closure of Campus Procedure.
• People assessed as being a “close contact” will be contacted by NSW Health directly and given appropriate advice. They are usually required to be isolated for a minimum of 14 days.
• People assessed by NSW Health as being a “casual contact” are also informed and provided with appropriate medical advice.
• The length of any subsequent closure of the campus will be determined by NSW Health (estimated to be 24 to 48 hours) while intensive cleaning of the school takes place.
• Due to privacy legislation, the infected individual/s will not be identified by the school.
• Danebank will contact parents of those children who have been in close contact with the infected individual as a follow-up. 
• Parents are required to follow the directions and stated expectations of the school as communicated in the Temporary Closure of Campus Procedure and other communications at the time of the event.

• Contact the school to report this: 9580 1415 or principal@danebank.nsw.edu.au
• Consult with NSW Health or your GP as to whether a COVID-19 test is recommended for you or your family.
• Seek guidance from NSW Health to determine the required length of absence Plan for your child to stay at home for the required minimum of 24 to 48 hours and up to 14 days

With students returning to full-time face-to-face learning, all online teaching and learning will cease from Monday 1 June as it is not sustainable.

Danebank continues to acknowledge that some parents, staff and students have health concerns that put them in high-risk groups or categories. The School will support you as parents to make decisions based on your circumstances. 

Other parents might not wish to send their children to school regardless. In these unique times, as we transition back to full-time face-to-face teaching, we will record it as “absent with leave”. 

Please inform the School of your daughter’s absence via the usual channels:

• Junior School
• Senior School

As our students return to campus, Danebank:

• Expects all members of our community to adhere to the Health Action Plan which calls for self-isolation of those who have returned from an international trip or have been in contact with a known case of COVID-19. We also expect parents to keep their daughters at home should they be unwell and especially if they display any cold- or flu-like symptoms.
• Has increased and expanded the cleaning of our facilities, buses and classrooms.
• Has instituted the use of hand-sanitiser upon arrival and in classrooms.
• Is limiting visitors (including parents) on site (please, no visitors on site during Phases 1 to 3).
• Continues to advocate improved hand-washing practice and physical distancing among our students in social circumstances and at the Canteen. 
• Has instituted temperature checks upon arrival at school. 

Yes, all students and staff will be temperature tested upon arriving at school. We ask that you support and consider everyone’s wellbeing and health as we undertake this process. Any students refusing to have their temperature taken will not be permitted on the campus. 

The temperature testing does not require physical contact, as the School is using proximity (non-contact) thermometers. Any students or staff presenting with a temperature in the red range will be directed to the sick bay and required to go home. 

To facilitate this, not all entrances to the school will be open. Staff will be at the following open entrances to test temperatures on arrival:

• Park Road (near the pedestrian crossing) and the Junior School’s “Forest Way” entrance, also on Park Road
• The Colonnade off The Avenue
• Students attending sport early will be tested when they arrive at the Gymnasium
• Life Skills students will be tested on arrival at the half-court entrance.

Students in High-risk Health Categories

Danebank continues to acknowledge that there are some parents, staff and students who have health concerns that put them in high-risk groups or categories. The School will support you as parents to make decisions based on your circumstances. 

Other parents might not wish to send their children to school regardless. In these unique times, as we transition back to full-time face-to-face teaching, we will record it as “absent with leave”. 

At this stage, the School remains open and will not make individual arrangements to deliver our Distance Learning Plan to students who do not attend school on their allocated face-to-face teaching days.

In the Senior School, teachers may choose to share information regarding the learning of the day on the Canvas announcements page (with additional care for students in Years 11 and 12). Similarly, in the Junior School, teachers may choose to share information regarding learning for the day on Canvas or Seesaw.

Health and Safety Measures

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our community, we have established the following measures for the return to on-campus learning for all girls and staff:  

• Sign-in and checks upon arrival (students and staff)
• Limiting visitors on site (only staff and students please)
• For at least the first weeks on campus, students in Years 7-12 will not use their lockers as these are in very close proximity
• Wherever possible, larger classrooms, verandahs and break-out rooms will be used. The Year 12 Common Room will be used as a larger classroom for learning
• Markings have been placed in areas where students or staff should line up to ensure physical distancing (e.g. Canteen)

The School has cancelled all excursions, trips, year-group camps, travel, interschool arts (such as Theatresports and debating), external sports, initiatives and events for now.

Will the Danebank Mini-Buses still operate as normal during Distance Learning?

Yes, our mini bus service is currently operating as normal, please contact Mrs Lauren Stewart by email: minibus@danebank.nsw.edu.au 

Will the Junior School drive-thru system still operate during Distance Learning?

Yes, all arrivals and pick-ups for Junior School students will continue to be via the Park Road Entrance. The Drive-Thru system will still be available.

Information from Extend

Extend are committed to the Federal Government’s Essential Services Care package which includes Free Childcare for all Australian families for at least three months. 

It is very important that during the delivery of our services, we keep everyone safe. That’s why we are introducing all schools, families, children and staff to the NEW Essential Services Care (ESC). During the Free Childcare program, ESC will look different to your current Before or After School Care program and it’s important everyone understands what has changed, and what remains the same.

What has changed? 

Social distancing measures:

• Parents/guardians when you drop off or collect your child please remain four (4) metres away from the nearest child, and remain 1.5 metres away from the nearest Educator. This is for your safety as well as the safety of our children and Educators. 
• Children will be required to remain 1.5 metres away from all children and Educators whilst in our care. We know your children are already very aware of social distancing. They are telling us! However, please continue to reinforce this with your children at home so they still feel loved and welcomed at the service despite the physical distance.

Outdoor school playgrounds:

• As per current government restrictions, all playground equipment will remain off limits until we are advised it is safe to use this equipment.

Play:

• Play will look different in the service. There will be no team sports or group activities where close proximity is required. But that doesn’t mean there is no play. We will be constantly designing activities, and giving children a say in the activities, to ensure children remain engaged and connected. You may notice some of our regular play options are not available in your service, such as dress ups or the library, but we do encourage children to bring books from home for their personal use (not to be shared).

Food:

• You can now provide all food for your child. Our services are cleaned and disinfected and we practice exceptional hand hygiene. However, parents may be concerned about food preparation for their children. We will still provide non-perishable breakfasts and afternoon snacks (which require minimal handling with tongs) for those children who do not bring food. However, if you wish to have complete control of the preparation of your child’s food, please feel free to provide them with food and let your child and the Educator know the child is to eat the food prepared at home.

Illness:

• Keep your child at home if they are sick. We know before coronavirus (BC), children might have come to school with a sniffle or a cough. Based on health advice, during coronavirus (DC), we are unable to accept your child into the service if they have any signs of infection, and you will be phoned to collect your child. 

Drop off and pick up procedures

Sign in and out:

• Please use the tissues at the sign in table to wrap around your finger to sign your child in an out of the service using the tablet provided, then discard the tissue in the bin provided.
• Drop off your child at the door. We ask parents to not enter the service past the sign in table unless absolutely necessary (for example where a very small child might need help with their bags, or to wash your hands).
• When you collect your child, again please do not pass the sign out table, unless your child needs assistance or you need to wash your hands.
• Please wash your hands or use hand sanitiser prior to collecting your child. If you have been unable to do so, please wash your hands with the soap provided in the service. If you haven’t washed your hands prior to attending the service, please open any doors with your hands covered.

General assistance

• Educators will ensure they do not touch your child’s belongings at drop off, pick up or during the service, so you are able to assist your child provided you remain 4 metres away from all children except your own, and 1.5 metres away from our Educators.
• If your child does need general assistance (putting on a jumper, opening their bag, etc), Educators will step in, ensuring they have thoroughly washed their hands prior to touching your child or their belongings, and again wash their hands afterwards. Please inform your child that they may need to wait for their Educators to wash their hands prior to assisting them.

Electronic devices

Extend has been a vocal supporter of non tech, social, interactive play. However, for the duration of the delivery of ESC as part of the Free Childcare program, personal use devices will be allowed in the program. These devices must only be handled by the owner of the device and time restrictions on use will be in place. Please speak to your Educator if you wish to allow your child to bring their device to the service. The rules around device use will be fully explained to you and your child (including access to appropriate content on their devices during the service). The use of devices in our services will not continue after coronavirus (AC).

What remains the same? 

There are three administrative actions that have always been important but during Essential Services Care (ESC), these have become vitally important:

• Book in advance
• Cancel your place as soon as you know it is not needed
• Collect your children during service hours
• Please book your child in as soon as you know you need care and cancel as soon as you realise you no longer need care. Please manage your bookings carefully via LookedAfter.com 24 hours a day. There are aspects of the Free Childcare program that require careful management of attendances. At some services, places will be limited due to staffing restrictions associated with the program. In order to keep your children safe and provide Free Childcare places for as many families as possible, we do need to know exactly how many children we are expecting each day.

The Free Childcare program only applies to standard session times. It does not cover charges that will apply if you are running late to collect your child. We do not want anyone to pay Late Pickup charges so please pick up your child during the hours of operation of the service. Please ensure you have nominated appropriate people who can collect your child from ESC so you have back up plans in place if you are delayed. You can update your ‘can collect’ details at LookedAfter.com.

Handwashing:

• Educators have always been required to exhibit good hand hygiene and provide hand hygiene instruction to children. This has not changed, but our information has been updated in line with pandemic handwashing conditions.

First Aid:

• If your child requires First Aid, this will be administered in the most hygienic manner possible. It may involve our Educators touching your child to administer emergency assistance. This will be the main reason our Educators touch your child or their belongings.

NSW Health advise that:

• Current NSW Government policy is that everyone with any flu-like symptoms is to be tested for COVID-19. Find a testing clinic here.
• If your child has any COVID-19 symptoms, which can include fever (37.5° or higher), cough, sore/scratchy throat, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, runny nose, muscle pain, joint pain, headache, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, keep them home from school and have her tested for COVID-19.
• If, while at school, your child presents with any of the above symptoms we will contact parents to come and collect their children promptly.
• If there is any history of travel international travel or travel to known Australian hot-spots with confirmed cases of coronavirus, or contact with a known case, self-isolate and phone your GP for advice.

If we suspect a student has coronavirus, based on their symptoms and history, we will isolate them and follow NSW Health guidelines.

We will continue to update you with any new information. However, if you have any questions regarding this or any other aspect of our Coronavirus Health Action Plan, please contact us by email on principal@danebank.nsw.edu.au

According to NSW Health, close contact is defined as requiring:

• face-to-face contact in any setting with a confirmed or probable case, for greater than 15 minutes cumulative over the course of a week, in the period extending from 48 hours before onset of symptoms in the confirmed or probable case
• sharing of a closed space with a confirmed or probable case for a prolonged period (e.g. more than 2 hours) in the period extending from 48 hours before onset of symptoms in the confirmed or probable case.

According to NSW Health, casual contact is defined as:

• ​A casual contact is someone who has had brief contact with a person with a COVID-19 infection.
• This may be face-to-face contact with them for less than 15 minutes (like a brief conversation) or having been in the same room as the person for less than 2 hours. 
• Casual contacts do NOT need to self-isolate in their homes UNLESS they develop symptoms.

‘Self-isolation’ is intended to remove direct contact with other people, in order to ensure that the virus is not transmitted. If self-isolating, people should limit their activities outside the home, not go to school or to public areas. NSW Health provides more information at this page.

The advice from the Australian Department of Health is:

• Biosecurity measures and travel restrictions are in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• Australia’s borders are closed. Only Australian citizens, residents and immediate family members can travel to Australia. Learn more about who can enter Australia from the Department of Home Affairs.
• Australian Border Force liaison officers will work with airlines at overseas airports to identify those who should not board flights to Australia.
• Since 27 March 2020, no foreign-flagged cruise ships may enter Australian waters (with limited exceptions). The cruise ship ban is in place until 17 September 2020, but this does not mean the ban will be lifted at that time. The Australian Health Principal Protection Committee reviews the ban regularly.
• Everyone who arrives in Australia will be quarantined for 14 days and might have to comply with other state and territory travel restrictions.
• Australians must avoid all non-essential travel. Social distancing is slowing the spread of coronavirus and it’s important that this continue.
• Please check the latest travel advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and be mindful that new quarantine or travel restrictions will change from time-to-time.
• Finally, if you are planning to have any international guests in your home, we ask that you carefully follow any quarantine advice from the Department of Health.

• Stay 1.5 metres away from other people at all times.

• Wash your hands as soon as you get home.

• Abide by the gathering restrictions issued by NSW Health.

• Good hygiene practices remain the single best protection against COVID-19 infection, namely hand washing for greater than 20 seconds with liquid soap.
• Wash hands before and after preparing food, before and after eating, after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose and before and after touching your face.
• Cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and throw the tissue in the bin, or cough into your elbow instead of your hand.
• Avoid close contact with those with cold or flu-like symptoms.

Will my daughter be in her small class group or one larger group for Distance Learning on campus?

The students who will be accessing Distance Learning at school will be spread throughout the classrooms. They will be seated apart in line with the social distancing requirements. Junior School Students won’t necessarily be in their own classroom nor will their class teacher be the supervising teacher in the classroom they are allocated.

Who will supervise my daughter during Distance Learning on campus?

Teachers but not necessarily each student’s class teacher.

How is on campus Junior School supervision organised?

• Girls are predominately divided into two groups (Pre-K to Year 2 and Year 3 to Year 6). There can be more groups with different combinations of grades, depending on the number of students registered on the day.
• Students meet in large meeting rooms on campus. Setup are tables, chairs, reading corner, age-appropriate activity tables.
• Students are supplied with electronic devices on which to complete their distance-learning activities.
• Rooms are staffed by teachers and teacher aides, including, when required, Head of Junior School Mrs Buckley and the Junior School Deputies. The number of staff depends on the number of students to ensure staffing is in line with government-required ratios. However, ratio requirements are more often than not exceeded.
• Within each room, students are clustered into grades to complete activities, although they do sometimes mingle, such as when doing other activities e.g. reading, craft, PE. We take special care to ensure our younger students are supported to complete the various distance-learning tasks they ahve been assigned.

If my daughter is taking part in Distance Learning ON CAMPUS, where does she need to go?

In Junior School, students will meet in the playground as per usual and will be accompanied to their assigned classroom when the bell goes at 8:50am

Should my daughter wear her uniform while taking part in Distance Learning ON CAMPUS?

Yes. On campus Distance Learning requires the students to wear their uniforms. If students are accessing Distance Learning from home they are able to wear mufti.

Will my daughters current Learning Support Lessons/Teachers still be available during Distance Learning?

Mrs Sharon Williams, Head of Learning Enrichment, has been in contact with the families who currently access our Danebank Learning Support services. Learning support teachers will be available online during our Distance Learning mode. 

Will the Danebank allow my daughter to bring home the Chromebook she currently uses in class?

Junior School students will not be able take a school Chromebook home. Students will need to use a home device as they do for normal homework activities.

However, in extenuating circumstances the school will support our families with a suitable device. Please contact our IT department at support@danebank.nsw.edu.au

What technology, apps or software packages will my daughter need to use?

All Junior School notifications about Distance Learning will be sent through Seesaw. From there the teachers will notify which applications will be required for the day. These applications will be those that the students are already using. Instruction in all subject areas will continue via Seesaw for Pre-K to Year 6, with the addition of some Google Office Applications for Years 5 to 6.

• Helping children cope with stress during the 2019-nCoV outbreak (WHO)
• Tips for coping with coronavirus anxiety (Australian Psychological Society)
• NSW Government Mental Health links

Overseas Trips

Danebank has decided to cancel all overseas school trips and exchanges for students and staff this year.  This is in line with the advice from the NSW Department of Education, who have also suspended all overseas school trips. We understand that this will be disappointing for our students and families, but trust that you will recognise that the decision has been made with the safety and wellbeing of our girls at heart. 

A separate communication has been sent home to families of those students who had planned to travel to Cambodia or France for Dragon Boat Racing this year. 

The Federal government has advised that a mandatory 14-day period of self-isolation is required for all people travelling from overseas. It is the School’s strong recommendation that, in light of the current government advice to reconsider the need for overseas travel at this time, and in light of the mandatory self-isolation on return, that students should not travel overseas during this break. This is particularly relevant to Year 12 students whose preparations for the HSC could be affected.

With a growing number of countries reporting COVID-19 outbreaks, the risk posed by international travel continues to grow. Because of this we ask that you adhere to our Health Action Plan, outlined above.

If you do plan to travel overseas, we urge you to check the latest travel advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 

Finally, if you are planning to have any international guests in your home, we ask that you carefully follow any quarantine advice from the Department of Health.

Assemblies, Chapel, Lunchtimes

On 15 March 2020, the NSW Department of Education instructed the cancellation of school assemblies and substantial gatherings. This includes:

• Inter-school arts, sports, initiative activities and events (details below)
• Whole-school sporting events and inter-school events involving three or more schools.

As a result:

• We will temporarily put all assemblies, Chapels and morning line-ups on hold, and are delivering announcements, Chapel and assembly messages via alternative means (Seesaw, Zoom, recorded messages, emails).
• As of 16 March, students have been instructed to spread out during common lunchtimes.
• We are considering other internal activities on a case-by-case basis. 

Prioritising your mental health is important, watch this video to find how you can prioritise your mental wellbeing during this time of change. Eating well, keeping active and talking with family, friends and neighbours are all ways you can stay healthy.