MUST READ: Canterbury College Full COVID Update - MON 9 AUG
MUST READ: Canterbury College Full COVID Update - MON 9 AUG 2021
Dear Canterbury Parents & Carers,
I’m certainly pleased today to be writing to you in the knowledge that things will be somewhat back to normal when school returns tomorrow Tuesday 10 August.
I have observed that our home learning programs have been successful again, but nothing is ever as good as face-to-face contact between a teacher and their students.
To parents and carers of our youngest students, thank you again for the time you would have spent sitting alongside your sons or daughters last week guiding them through their learning resources.
Here are some updates based on the most recent communications from the Public Health Directive and clarifying material from Independent Schools Queensland that I have received.
Mode Of Instruction
When classes resume tomorrow Tuesday 10 August, we will not be offering dual learning modes.
All classes will be on campus, involving face-to-face instruction.
Some exceptions may apply if the teacher has been ordered to stay in home quarantine if they were potentially exposed to COVID-19.
In these situations, either another teacher will be allocated or the teacher will direct learning through online lessons, with students supervised in a classroom by a relief teacher.
Face Masks
All college staff and all secondary students from Year 7 upwards must wear face masks at school.
This is not a school-based stipulation - it is a specific requirement of the most recent Public Health Order from the Queensland Government to schools.
Younger Junior School students are of course welcome to wear masks, but this is not yet a Chief Health Officer stipulation.
Masks can only be removed to eat or drink, or when exercising or playing sport.
Masks are not for sale at the school – students will have to bring their own each day.
If parents wish to seek an exemption from their child wearing a mask at school, medical documentation from a GP or specialist is the easiest way of dealing with this.
Parents who do not agree with the Public Health Directive should not take issue with the College’s stance.
My suggestion is that you contact Queensland Health directly to express your views.
Co-Curricular Activities
Music ensembles cannot gather and rehearse during the upcoming period, although studio lessons will resume from Monday.
TAS and JTAS weekend sport has been cancelled for the next two rounds, but training will continue during the week.
Planned sport activities in the Junior School will continue, with instructors wearing masks and also social distancing. All PE lessons will continue as normal.
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer advised she is happy for sport to be undertaken within schools, because children have already been together in class at school.
However, there is no community-wide sport for the next two weeks - including any sport that brings different groups of children together from different schools, or different parts of Logan or Brisbane etc.
Excursions And Outdoor Education
Any excursions or outdoor education trips planned for the next fortnight have been cancelled.
In some cases, staff are looking at re-booking for later in the year if possible.
School Assemblies, Concerts And Mass Gatherings
We have cancelled all school assemblies, concerts and mass gatherings that were programmed for the next three weeks – including our major Saturday 21 August College Festival.
I am pessimistic about the prospects of mass gatherings being reinstituted before the end of term.
We will keep Year 12 students and parents informed about whether some changes will need to be made to the Formal at City Hall on Tuesday 14 September 2021.
At time of writing, we are unsure whether the United Nations Day celebration planned for Thursday 26 August 2021 can continue in any form. A decision will be made in the next few days.
School Canteen And Yalburru Café
Our Canteen and Yalburru Café will open as normal from tomorrow, with regular menus.
We will ensure social distancing is employed where possible in the queues for these services.
Canterbury Taipans Athletics, Swimming And Tennis
Programmed lessons for most participants in Taipans tennis, swimming or athletics will re-start from tomorrow.
Tiny Taipans ‘Learn To Swim’ classes will also resume tomorrow, with some expectations that parents will be required to wear masks and socially distance when waiting to pick up their children.
At this stage, only Canterbury families (i.e. current students and their siblings in the same household) can take part in Taipans Club sport or 'Learn To Swim' lessons.
Tennis lessons and court hire can only be undertaken - in line with Tennis Queensland directions - with members of the same household, which will severely limit the amount of tennis that can continue over the next fortnight.
COVID Vaccinations
A healthy percentage of Canterbury staff have already been fully or partially vaccinated for COVID-19.
The College is investigating ways of increasing the vaccination rate of those staff who have not yet been eligible.
I welcome the State Government’s commitment to fast-tracking school staff through the vaccination waitlist process.
Once vaccinations for 16-18 year-olds have been sourced, we will look at ways of offering a service to students onsite here at Canterbury.
But it may be that this will be facilitated at a central mass venue by the State Government, in a similar fashion to New South Wales, but we will keep families abreast of this issue.
ELC Playgroup
ELC Playgroup is cancelled until we have received an ‘all clear’ message from Playgroup Queensland.
They will provide their official update this Friday 13 August 2021 at the latest.
Drop-Offs And Pick-Ups
Parents and carers are asked to please drop-off and pick-up all Junior School students, and not come on campus, and not congregate around college exits or entrances.
This is as per the Chief Health Officer’s Public Health Directive.
Student Diary Holidays Listing Error
Finally, I hope all our students enjoyed today’s Logan Local Government Area Show Holiday, despite the actual Brisbane EKKA Show being postponed until later in the year.
Whichever new public holiday date the Brisbane Local Government Area now chooses for its own region, will not apply to Logan or Canterbury College, with today’s public holiday in place – as we advised last week on all channels.
Any student diary entry showing a public holiday or student-free day listed for tomorrow Tuesday 10 August or this Wednesday 11 August should be ignored as printing errors.
Let’s continue to be safe and strong and make these lockdowns a thing of the past…
Mr Dan Walker
Principal
Canterbury College
Playgroup Queensland: COVID Statement – MON 9 AUG
Playgroup Queensland: COVID Statement – Monday 9 August 2021
Dear Canterbury College,
At Playgroup Queensland, we are committed to ensuring the health and safety of all our members, volunteers, staff and partners.
So we are requesting that ALL playgroups operating in the Local Government Areas (LGAs) that have just emerged from lockdown REFRAIN from meeting this week – including the Logan City Council, Brisbane City Council and Gold Coast City Council.
We will provide further updates over the coming days.
Playgroup Queensland will be working hard to ensure that groups can safely meet again soon.
Please join us on social media to share play at home ideas and ways to support and stay connected with each other via our online community.
Playgroup Queensland will make a statement about returning to playgroup by Friday 13 August 2021.
Stay safe and take care,
The Playgroup Queensland Team.
Message From Canterbury ELC Director Ms Thalia McDonald: Hello All, Due to the information above, our Playgroup is not to proceed this week as per their request.
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NB: Full Canterbury College COVID Update coming shortly from the Principal.
2021 Canterbury Fine Tunes, Moves & Foods Festival COVID CANCELLATION
2021 Canterbury Fine Tunes, Moves & Foods Festival COVID CANCELLATION
Dear Canterbury Families & Students,
After meeting with our College Executive Group online, it is with much disappointment that I must announce the official COVID cancellation of our Saturday 21 August Arts, Food and Wine Festival for this year.
We will try again next year in 2022, as Term 4 is simply too busy with existing assessments, events and graduations, to squeeze in a major event of this scale, when this possibility was discussed.
Our decision was not taken lightly, but ongoing COVID lockdown length uncertainty only makes this conversation harder and more stressful, as late cancellation penalty fees rise with the many event suppliers, and our students and their families need certainty around school scheduling.
Our final cancellation reasons are:
- Ongoing lockdown uncertainty causes people to lose interest in major events.
- Even if the current lockdown finishes before Saturday 21 August, strict crowd limits below 50, 100 or 200 people will almost certainly remain - effectively killing any sized festival event.
- Many of our Canterbury parents may well be experiencing serious job and financial security issues privately at home, caused by this current lockdown, so cannot really afford a family night out.
- Our main concert's student dance, song and music group performers are unable to rehearse together during this entire lead-up lockdown, making delivery of a professional performance onstage impossible.
- Our amusement providers, food truck operators, beverage suppliers, performance stage staff, caterers, cleaners, security staff etc all need certainty and cancellation fees only grow as the event date draws nearer, so better to be decisive now rather than lose tens of thousands of dollars later.
- And finally, it will be growingly difficult – if not plainly negligent, to actively encourage over 3,000 people to all amass at one location together, with genuine COVID delta strain ‘super spreader’ event fears in our Logan and Brisbane communities.
Therefore, all attractions access wristbands purchased via Humanitix will be fully refunded in due course and our Facebook event post will be cancelled.
Let’s hope for much better luck next year and a permanent end to this ongoing COVID pandemic soon.
And as always - stay safe and stay strong… Canterbury is providing all the education and student support we can to keep school life as ‘normal’ as possible.
Yours faithfully,
Mr Dan Walker
Principal
TAS Community Update: THIS Weekend's Sport Round Postponed
TAS Community Update: THIS Weekend's Sport Round Postponed
Public Facebook Post Message From The Associated Schools
We hope our TAS community is faring well so far during this lockdown.
Due to the recent extension of the lockdown, TAS Sport for THIS Saturday 7 August 2021 has been postponed at this stage.
The TAS Management Committee will determine whether replaying the round at a later time is viable, depending on the outcome of the State Government’s further deliberations on our current lockdown status.
Stay safe and well everyone, and we hope to welcome you back to sport as soon as possible.
Monday 9 August Logan City Show Holiday Remains
Monday 9 August Logan City Show Holiday Remains
Public Facebook Post Message From Cr Laurie Koranski - Division 4 Logan City Council
PUBLIC HOLIDAY TO REMAIN FOR LOGAN
The City of Logan’s annual Ekka holiday will go ahead as planned on Monday 9 August 2021.
The Queensland Government today announced the annual Brisbane Ekka holiday scheduled for Wednesday 11 August 2021, has been postponed to a date to be confirmed.
Logan City Council decided to keep its planned public holiday given the late notice to postpone would have created uncertainty for our community and disrupted long-held plans by schools and public transport, residents and business owners.
NB: Canterbury is observing Logan's Public Holiday THIS Monday. Please spread the word everybody! 
Years 7-9 Student Subject Selection Evening For 2022 COVID Cancellation
Years 7-9 Student Subject Selection Evening For 2022 COVID Cancellation
Dear Years 7-9 Parents, Carers & Students,
Due to the ongoing strict COVID lockdown, Thursday night’s planned Years 7-9 Student Subject Selection Evening For 2022 at our Canterbury Events Centre has been CANCELLED.
Instead, you will be provided with a recording, handbook and email information shortly, to help you navigate through this important process at home and in your own time.
Yours faithfully
Mrs Rebecca Adamson
Head Of Secondary School
Canterbury Junior School Lockdown Full Update: TUE 3 AUG
Canterbury Junior School Lockdown Full Update: TUE 3 AUG
Dear Parents & Carers,
Thank you for your flexibility over the last few days as we have transitioned to online learning.
With the lockdown now being extended to 4:00pm Sunday 8 August, I would like to outline some of the logistics for the coming days.
Our staff have been working hard to prepare online learning resources.
Our Prep-Year 2 teams have prepared some learning booklets which can be accessed via MyCC.
However, we know this may be difficult for some families to access, so we will be printing off some of these booklets and giving parents an option of picking them up from the College between the hours of 10:00am - 12:00pm midday THIS Wednesday 4 August.
These can be collected from the undercover area outside the Junior School Discovery Centre Library.
Years 3-6 students will access their home learning via MyCC.
I would also like to provide an opportunity for parents of Year 3 children to come in and collect a device, so your child can access their online learning.
Mr David Peckham will be overseeing this process and these devices can be picked up from Mr Peckham’s classroom, also between the hours of 10:00am - 12:00pm midday THIS Wednesday 4 August.
Year 3 families will receive further communications around this, as there will be some additional paperwork that needs to be signed.
Thank you to those families who have completed the form letting us know that your child will be on campus over the next three days.
All Prep-Year 6 children of essential workers, or from vulnerable families, attending our school, will need to be signed in at the front of the Junior School Discovery Centre Library from 8:00am.
Children will be walked down to the Carpark A entrance at 3:15pm for collection.
If there are any children remaining after 3:45pm, they will be walked to Camp Australia and signed in there.
We are also comfortable for families to pick their children up earlier than usual, as this may help alleviate congestion.
If you do this, please head up to the Discovery Centre and we can sign your child out from there.
If you require supervision for your child outside the school hours of 8:00am - 3:45pm, please book into Camp Australia for Before School Care (6:45am - 8:00am) and/or After School Care (3:45pm - 6:00pm) as per the normal process.
Please note that usual costs apply to the Camp Australia service, and students attending Camp Australia should wear their PE uniform.
The College is committed to following official health advice and have organised for our cleaners to do a thorough clean of the premises at the end of each day.
Please ensure you do not send your child, or attend the campus yourself, if you or someone from your household is exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if there is anything further I can assist you with via email -
Yours faithfully
Mr Bill Garland
Head Of Junior School
MUST READ: Canterbury Full COVID Lockdown Update: MON 2 AUG
MUST READ: Canterbury College Full COVID Lockdown Update: MON 2 AUG 2021
Dear Parents & Carers,
Thank you to all our Canterbury families for adapting so quickly to the new lockdown arrangements and for following updates on MyCC and our social media.
Now that the Acting Queensland Premier has confirmed this lockdown will extend through until 4:00pm Sunday 8 August at least, I have some updates to share.
For all year levels, our staff will be wearing masks and adhering to all social distancing provisions.
Early Learning Centre
The ELC will remain open for children of essential workers and those students classed as vulnerable by the Queensland Government only.
Playgroup
Canterbury Playgroup is cancelled this week due to the current lockdown with this message:
Playgroup Queensland is committed to ensuring the health and safety of all our members, volunteers, staff and partners. So we have requested ALL playgroups in the 11 affected Local Government Areas to suspend their sessions taking place this week. Playgroup Queensland will provide an update on Monday 9 August.
Junior School
For Monday and Tuesday, supervision of children of essential workers and those classed as vulnerable will be provided by Camp Australia staff in the Junior School.
Students attending Camp Australia should wear their PE uniform.
I know many parents have already signed up to this service.
There will be NO CHARGE for this service for Monday and Tuesday.
From Wednesday to Friday, Canterbury teaching staff will provide supervision and oversight of learning in regular classrooms to children of essential workers and those classed as vulnerable.
NB: This will be in the Secondary School Library (7-12) from Tuesday and Junior School classrooms (P-6) from Wednesday.
To let us know how many children we can expect, please fill out this form:
Parents wishing to book their children into OSHC before or after regular school hours, will need to contact Camp Australia through their normal channels.
Could I please ask that when dropping off or picking up your children, that you strictly adhere to wearing masks and all social distancing parameters as articulated by Junior School staff.
Secondary School
From Tuesday, Canterbury will provide on-campus learning options for children of essential workers and those classed as vulnerable by the Queensland Government.
We anticipate that supervision, in regular school hours only, can be managed in our Secondary School Library in a socially-distanced environment.
This supervision will be provided by College Executive, leadership staff and learning support teacher-aides.
Students will need to bring earphones that plug into their laptops, so they can participate fully in the Microsoft Teams online lessons that are being delivered by their teachers.
They will also require food and drink for the day and a mask.
To let us know whether to expect your child, please fill out this form:
There are some Year 12 IA3 assessment items that are due this week. Individual Heads of Faculty and teachers will confirm arrangements for due dates with students through MyCC.
For other year levels, assessment due dates and checkpoints will be re-negotiated as required over the period of lockdown.
At this stage, I anticipate that very few, if any, Year 7-11 assessment items will need to be shifted.
DEFINITIONS
Queensland Health defines an essential worker as someone who is "required to provide time critical services" in Queensland. For example, but not limited to, healthcare workers, police, teachers, childcare workers and supermarket staff.
A vulnerable child is currently receiving services from Child Safety, including children who are under a child protection order or subject to a youth justice order.
Co-Curricular Activities
If the lockdown ends this weekend, we will not plan online studio lessons.
However, if the lockdown extends beyond Sunday, it is likely the Performing Arts department will make arrangements to transition to online studio music lessons.
Music, Dance and Drama ensembles are cancelled.
All sport and sport training is cancelled.
Debating and public speaking competitions for this week are also cancelled.
Canterbury Taipans Swimming, Tennis & Athletics Clubs
All training for this week is cancelled.
Further Comments
We are becoming adept at quickly pivoting to online learning, but of course not every subject and topic lends itself perfectly to an online environment.
Teachers in practical subjects especially, are quickly reinventing their work so there is still meaningful learning to be done.
I am keen to avoid the drop-off in attendance for online learning experienced by schools in NSW and Victoria as they have navigated their much longer lockdowns.
We will continue to provide outstanding learning through Teams and MyCC, as well as lots of fun and pastoral support for our students.
If it turns out the lockdown does extend beyond this Sunday afternoon, I’m confident we can quickly adapt and deliver quality learning and engagement from Prep to Year 12 for all our students.
Please stay safe and connected through this next week.
Warm regards
Dan Walker
Principal
Canterbury College
Canterbury Online Learning For Monday + Tuesday Lockdown
Canterbury Online Learning For Monday + Tuesday Lockdown
Information regarding Canterbury’s Online Learning for THIS Monday + Tuesday during the Queensland Government COVID lockdown for Logan & Brisbane...
General Information:
• Teachers will have Monday Periods 1 and 2 to organise and prepare work, with online classes starting from Period 3 Monday.
Secondary School:
• Online classes will run for 50 minutes – starting at their scheduled times but finishing 10 minutes early.
• ALL student assessment will still be due on the dates and times published.
• Heads of House will run a ‘Check In’ meeting for students on Tuesday from 8:30am – 8:45am.
• Student attendance and absences will still be recorded online.
• Students will need to wear their PE uniform, with Year 12s being able to wear their Senior Jersey.
Junior School:
• Students will need to wear their PE uniform.
See you all online Monday from Period 3! 👩💻🧑💻👨💻
Child Care For Essential Workers
Child Care For Essential Workers
Dear Parents & Carers,
I am pleased to announce that Camp Australia will be providing care for Canterbury children of essential workers during the Queensland Government’s 3-day snap lockdown.
Please be aware that ALL previous bookings made for Monday and Tuesday have been cancelled.
To access this service for these days, families will need to go back into the Parent Portal which can be accessed by clicking here and then re-register for these days.
In line with the announcement and following health advice, parents must rebook care as we cannot accept on-the-day bookings.
It's very important that if you have not previously registered for Camp Australia, you will need to do so before being permitted to use their service.
Registration is FREE and can be done by clicking here.
Furthermore, we want to reassure you that we are taking a careful and considered approach to our service delivery to ensure the safety of your children and our staff.
We have a detailed COVID Safe Plan that our staff are well versed in, to ensure the safety of our services and to manage the risk of COVID-19.
Please be assured we are in close contact with the Government to ensure we are continually briefed with any changes required.
Our number one priority is to ensure we provide a safe environment for all children, families and staff.
If you have any further questions, please email me at
Yours faithfully
Mr Bill Garland
Head Of Junior School
Canterbury College