At least two Ballarat primary schools will welcome all of their children back this week, not just their prep, grade one and two, or year 11 and 12 students.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bungaree and Lal Lal Primary Schools both have permission from the Department of Education to welcome all of their children back through the school gate and in to the classroom.
Their small school populations allow for appropriate social distancing and all year levels to return on Tuesday.
"There was a lot of singing, dancing and happy tears from children, staff and parents when I announced we would all be coming back together," said Bungaree Primary principal Catherine Barnes.
Bungaree Primary has 10 pupils, with up to three attending school for supervision during the coronavirus lockdown period.
"We can still follow all of the rules and have everyone on site," she said.
"There will be some fun on the first couple of days which, for us, is to make sure our kids are well socially, emotionally and academically."
Larger schools have had to make changes to ensure social distancing requirements are met, particularly around drop off and pick-up times.
Some primary schools have staggered start and finish times, others have designated entry and exit points based on a student's surname, and some have even drawn lines on the footpath to remind parents they cannot enter.
At some schools parents of prep children will be allowed to walk them to a designated point inside the school grounds to meet their teacher before they are taken inside.
There will be no playing outside in the school grounds before or after school, and all students and staff will be reminded to wash and sanitise their hands at key points throughout the day.
"We are looking forward to seeing all or students. The school is not the same without children in it," said Alfredton Primary School principal Laurel Donaldson.
Brightly coloured templates have been painted outside Alfredton Primary so parents know where to stand safely, but they won't need to cope with staggered start or finish times.
"We've got enough room to ensure social distancing for our parents ... and having a staggered start would make it a real challenge for our parents who are working," she said.
Buninyong Primary School principal Bernie Conlan said pupils naturally arrived at different times, but classes would be dismissed at two-minute intervals at the end of the day to ensure a smooth exit.
Mr Conlan said play times would be staggered once all students were back after June 9, and playground access would be limited.
"We have chosen one adventure playground to open which will have entry and exit points and children will sanitise their hands as they head in and out, and it will be cleaned during the day," he said.
"It's just going to be very different."
Ballarat Grammar and Ballarat Clarendon College junior and senior classes to resume today, a day ahead of government and catholic school students.
Anxiety creeps in over return to school
While most parents are excited about their children returning to school, experts have warned that children may experience anxiety as they head back to class.
For foundation students particularly, who had less than a full term at school, Tuesday's return will mark another 'first day' and another transition or change in routine that could be hard to deal with.
And older children and teens could suffer too, wondering whether they will be safe, whether they might catch the virus as they are in a larger group, and coming to grips being back out in a world that has been dangerous for the past two months.
"Returning to the classroom after such an interruption may feel a lot like staring over again" said Ballarat paediatric occupational therapist Brianna Edgar. "Especially for our youngest students and those with additional needs".
"It is important to acknowledge that students may be feeling a range of different emotions at this time. Excitement, nervousness, anxiety or confusion are all valid responses to such a big change," she said.
Junior students at Ballarat Clarendon College spent some time in classrooms as a reorientation last week to help overcome any trepidation. And several high schools have allowed senior students back in to the school in recent weeks for subjects hard to study from home.
Mrs Edgar said while the past weeks had been challenging for parents and teachers, the coming weeks could pose some different challenges as children readjust to routine. Year 11 and 12 students have faced their own anxieties over their final year of school.
A Macquarie University study found 60 per cent of parents and 80 per cent of teachers had concerns about their children's mental health.
If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Courier, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thankyou very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling Ballarat's story. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.