Fire Report 2

Fire Report from the Headmaster:  Update 1 –  4th May, 2012

1. The most important matter is that we are resuming school on Monday 7^th May.
2. I would like to start this update with more thanks to the many offers of help and support from various quarters including lovely flowers from the school P & F and also from Glenaeon School.  We have had cakes galore, a significant upside to this challenging experience.
3. As before your patience and the space you have given the teachers and admin staff have been much appreciated.  I feel a little more will be required as we continue to navigate the maze of insurance, building, architecture, council requirements etc.
4. If you have suggestions and concerns please make your class teacher your first port of call.  The phones are now back on but, as you can imagine, the office staff and reception are using them constantly to move the restoration of the building forward.  So for the next few days keeping calls to the office down to essentials will help. 
5. The school emails have been out since the fire and will not be working for another week or so.  So if you have emailed the school since the fire we have not yet received it.  And we will have quite a backlog to get through.
6. The builders are proceeding with the demolition and removal of debris and with sealing up the western wall of the lunchroom and the eastern wall of the surviving section near Miss White’s classroom.
7. The safety issues were flying roofing tin, and dust and ash – non-toxic but a concern for children especially those with asthma etc.  All this is being dealt with and the builders assure us that all will be well and we will be definitely starting school on Monday. 
8. Could any asthma sufferers please bring their Ventolin and make sure it is up to date.  We have puffers at school as well, but we want to be safe.
9. We assume many of you will want to see the damage and also to shepherd your children into school on Monday morning.  We would ask that you consider our neighbours when you park; you may have to park some distance away and walk up to the school.
10. Now some specifics:
11. Winter uniform will be available today (Friday) from 11.00 to 1.00.  Because of continuing safety issues please enter via the Shakespeare Gates on the western driveway (where the children exit for afternoon dismissal) and proceed to the uniform room.  The Chisholm stairs will be cordoned off.  Uniform can also be acquired all next week and the changeover has been extended to Monday 14^th May;
12. After school care will be on as usual; 
13. Packed lunches for the foreseeable future – vegetarian please, and no nuts;
14. I have contacted the Department of Education regarding NAPLAN and it will go ahead on schedule.  They would have considered some form of concession if the children had nowhere to do the test.  This is not the case;
15. In relation to 2^nd class accommodation, which the teachers are happy with, but which is snug, there is no official certification body – insurer, Board of Studies, Dept of Education etc; and no industry standard as to the ratio of children to room size.  It is a matter for the school to decide.  Our decision is to accommodate the children in the Admin building, which has been cleaned and fumigated, and to ensure that the children are well practised in getting in and out safely.  We will monitor the situation to ensure that it works for both staff and students.  If any 2^nd class parents wish to meet the teachers and myself to discuss any issues relating to the class we can have a meeting on Thursday 10^th at 3.30 pm;
16. The film which was going to start on Monday (!) has been postponed.

Thank you all

Gilbert Mane

Headmaster