As of today, Victorian students in all schools will be moving to remote and flexible learning.

This means Lakes Entrance school children will be learning from home and teachers will be conducting classes online.

The State Government has guaranteed if any student does not have access to a computer or device at home, they will have one loaned to them. They will also provide internet access to students who need it most.

Children whose parents still have to go to work can continue to attend school but they will still be doing remote learning under supervision.

“We don’t want any more students or staff than absolutely necessary to be at school,” Premier Daniel Andrews said last week.

Year 11 and 12 students’ VCE exams will be postponed to a later date in the year.

“I appreciate how difficult this is for everyone. I have three teenagers at home in exactly the same boat,” Mr Andrews said.

Lisa and Matthew Tyter, of Lakes Entrance, are two parents right in the thick of things with one child at Lakes Secondary College, two at Lakes Primary and one at kindergarten.

“We have been busy creating the right learning spaces and setting up the correct equipment, technology and resources,” Lisa said.

With the COVID-19 restrictions in place over the holidays, Lisa and husband, Matthew, have been embracing the time with their children and not seeing it as a burden.

“We are lucky to have a big backyard and the kids can run around and ride their bikes. It hasn’t been a problem, I feel sorry for city kids, especially those in apartments.”

Lisa, who is a community health nurse, is not underestimating the load that will be placed on parents.

St Brendan’s Primary School principal, Matthew Hamer, is proud of the way the school is adapting to the different circumstances.

“The parents have been understanding of the situation, we have a small number of students who need to physically attend school and we are catering for them,” Mr Hamer said.

Staff have been busy putting together and sending out the remote schooling package.

“It will take hard work from everyone as it is unknown territory. In three or four weeks we will have a better picture of how it is working,” Mr Hamer said.

It hasn’t been an easy year for school, firstly with the fires and now the COVID-19 virus.

“I am extremely proud of our staff, they are full of optimism, in a year that has had many challenges,” Mr Hamer said.

“I am mindful of students’ parents situations, with some experiencing a reduction or no income in these difficult times.
“We are all in this together and will need to dig deep.”

IMAGE: School is back, but not how it usually it looks. St Brendan’s Primary School teacher, Elle Henderson, who was supervising students that needed to be at school while teaching online, is one of only a few staff operating from the school as students turn to online home schooling amid the coronavirus outbreak.