FOR families across Australia, it’s back to some state of normal, with a return to school welcomed after six weeks at home as part of enforced COVID-19 restrictions.
“There were lots of smiling faces, and students are just happy to be back with their friends,” Southern Cross Catholic College’s communications and marketing co-ordinator Majella Thompson, said.
“It’s that social contact they were really missing.”
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk welcomed the return of Years 2 to 10 back to face-to-face schooling, joined other students from kindy, prep and senior years 11 and 12 who returned to class a fortnight earlier.
“But as I’ve said very clearly, we are not out of the woods yet, we need to take each day as it comes, each week as it comes, and we’ll keep our fingers crossed that Queenslanders will continue to flatten that curve,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
So, I want to thank all of the school communities for getting schools prepared.”
Ms Palaszczuk a called on school staff, students and parents to stay home if they were not well.
“Once again I want to thank parents, principals, teachers, teacher aides and staff for their work over the past few months to get us back to normal classes this week.”
Swelling school numbers meant a lot more cars on the road, and congestion outside some schools across Brisbane.
Parents were urged to drive their children to school or accompany them by foot as they walk to the school gates.
“Parents have been asked to drop and go,” Ms Thompson said.
“Adults have to keep 1.5 metre distance.”
Once inside school grounds, students were asked to wash their hands several times throughout the day.
Activities like assemblies, concerts, excursions and camps remain on hold across the nation.
In a tweet on May 25 Brisbane Catholic Education said: “We are so excited and delighted to have all our Years 2-10 students back to all our schools. Your teachers and school support staff have been missing you and are looking forward to seeing you all in person.”
