I often receive emails immediately after the Premier announces specifically about schools. I would like to share how it works behind the scenes so that you can understand why there is a gap between the announcement and our plans being released.
It often looks like we are reactive because we are. We do not usually expect an announcement or the specifics of what we can and can not do once the announcement is made.
I usually hear that an announcement related to education was made from you, friends, my retired mum in NSW hours before the Department. My boss often sends a text message 'heads up' if he is made aware. Step One The Premier or Education Minister announces a decision at their briefings.
Occasionally, we get a warning that an announcement may relate to schools, so watch the briefing if possible.
Step TwoWe start to plan our response on what we think will be happening. This is based on the limited information provided, and what we have experienced in the past.
Step ThreeThe Director-General sends us an official directive based on the announcement and the details of how we are to proceed.
This directive can sometimes take several hours to be released. I am not allowed to act on anything publicly until I receive this email.
During the first few lockdowns and learning from home periods, these directives could take four or five hours to arrive. The directive usually includes a combination of
- who can be on-site (staff and students),
- whether or not we are allowed to operate with skeleton staff (which is a priority of mine - keeping staff home, off roads, with their families), or if we must bring everyone on-site
- online learning or no learning,
- will casual staff be paid when not on-site,
- activities that can or can not happen,
- cleaning requirements.
Step FourWe confirm internally that our preliminary planning meets the requirements in the Director-General directive.
We try to think of how each workforce and student group will be impacted.
- Day-care students attending the ECDP on Junior Campus
- Those doing online learning and already offsite
- Primary and Secondary sometimes have different conditions imposed
- Students attending the Positive Learning Centre on Senior Campus
- Mature age students attending the Health Academy on Senior Campus
We also need to make plans for Hirers that use our facilities after hours, and excursions or guest speakers or trainers that may need to change.
Step FiveDepending on the severity of the announcement; I meet online with about twenty other Principals (and our boss) to make sure that we understand the directive. We make sure that we can accommodate all of the instructions, helping each other if necessary.
During the first waves of vulnerable people needing to stay at home, the College had about five staff staying at home. Some large schools in Logan had up to forty people offsite because they were vulnerable. Nearby schools shared staff to help those schools where possible. Redlands coped quite well during those times with very few staff vulnerable.
Step Six
Usually, within an hour of the Director-General communicating with us, we share the plans with you. We also communicate with the hirers, excursion venues, trainers etc.
From time to time, we get updates that the Director-General has missed some planning; or the conditions have changed, so we update you too.
On Thursday (after the "collect your children announcement" and "SEQ schools closed" announcement), we received six text message updates and two emails of conditions changing within two hours!
Why do we ask for registrations of students attending during restrictions?
My priority is to always keep as many staff at home and with their families, which is why we ask for student attendance registrations. Approximately 190 people work at the College. Some travel from the southern end of the Gold Coast, Ipswich and the Sunshine Coast. If I can keep 185-ish at home with their families and off the roads, I will.