Real-time teaching will not take place in schools attached to the Catholic Education Diocese of Wagga during the last week of term one, as staff use the time to plan for online learning.
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Xavier High School and the three Border primary schools that are linked to the Diocese will remain open until the final day of term on April 9, in line with state government direction.
"Our schools remain open for essential workers for supervision and all online teaching and learning resources will continue to be accessible for all students," a spokesperson said.
"We encourage our year 11 and 12 students to consolidate on their already set work plans and other students can continue to access current resources and coursework during this time.
"This applies for children under supervision at school as well as those learning from home.
"None of these changes prevent students from engaging in independent learning or contacting their teachers with any urgent enquiries."
The spokesperson said the Diocese is planning with the anticipation that students will still be learning at home from the start of term two on April 27.
"We are taking this week to improve our resources for term two with the expectation that we may be in a learning from home environment for some or all of that term," he said.
"That looks to be in place for an extended period of time.
"Today the police commissioner, for example, spoke of the social distancing laws being in place for 90 days.
"We will be using professional development days to prepare for more learning from home for term two, and refine our use of technology for both primary and secondary schools to assist with this."
The NSW Education Standards Authority decided last week that HSC would go ahead this year, and board chair Professor Peter Shergold said on Thursday a COVID-19 Response Committee had decided to:
- give Principals and system authorities the power to determine the number, type and weighting of tasks for Year 11 school based assessment, in line with the decision communicated last week for HSC students
- lift the requirement for VET students to undertake NESA work placements
- cancel mandatory group performance exam in Drama and the mandatory ensemble performance exam in Music Extension.
- modify other performance exams that breach social distancing requirements.
The Committee will meet next week to provide advice on major projects for Visual Arts, Design and Technology, Industrial Technology, Textiles and Design, English Ext 2 and Society and Culture.
"The Committee is continuing to meet weekly to address issues and provide up to date advice," Professor Shergold said.
"I can say with certainty that students will have the opportunity to receive their HSC credential this year, so students should continue to learn, complete their assessments and taking care of themselves.
"This year's HSC students will be able to continue with the next chapter of their lives, whether that's university, an apprenticeship or TAFE."
A Technical Advisory Committee of assessment experts and key stakeholders is currently working to establish a fair and equitable way to calculate a mark for each of the cancelled components of the HSC. NESA will communicate this process as soon as it is finalised.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan assured Victorian students and families on Thursday that what to do with VCE was highest on his "next priority list".
"We wanted to deal with childcare, and childcare regulation .. our next thing is to look at what it [COVID-19] means for VCE students," he said, in a press conference where free childcare for essential workers was announced.
