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The Victorian Government has ordered two pupil-free days for public schools to help teachers prepare for distance learning due to the coronavirus pandemic.

No students will be able to attend public schools on Friday, the last day of term 1, while a second pupil-free day was called for the first day of Term 2.

In a late night memo to all schools, Department of Education deputy secretary Dr David Howes said the student-free days would “provide an important opportunity for schools to consolidate their preparations” as they plan to run lessons off-site if the outbreak shuts all schools.

“While our schools and teachers are well prepared to commence remote learning, it won’t always be perfect, and we will learn as we go,” Dr Howes said.

The enforced curriculum days will cause headaches for some schools.

It’s understood a number of campuses already arranged their own student-free days, and notified families, in an effort to prepare for potential closures and online learning.

In addressing health concerns raised by staff over the potential of exposure to the virus on campus, Dr Howes urged principals to allow concerned teachers to work from home.

He said “some teachers and staff are medically vulnerable and would prefer to work at home at this time”.

“I would appreciate your support in enabling this,” he wrote to school staff.

The Herald Sun understands it’s up to principals to work out how to allow concerned staff to work from home.

Dr Howes also acknowledged the absence of a high number of students from schools across the state, and said the onus would be on parents to support the learning of their kids if they choose to keep them home.

“However, where teachers have capacity, they can support these children,” he said.

Schools would be open next week based off the advice of medical experts and would “continue to provide the full range of classroom teaching, learning and social activities that are so important for our students”.

COCKTAIL PARTY LEADS TO GEELONG PARENTS’ CORONAVIRUS

A student and five parents from Geelong Grammar have tested positive to coronavirus.

The school confirmed today that a senior boarding student from the Corio campus, and five parents with children who attend the Timbertop campus, all have confirmed cases.

The adults had attended the Timbertop Parents’ Cocktail Party in Toorak on March 6.

Geelong Grammar learned last night that one parents had the virus.

“This parent had attended the Timbertop Parents’ Cocktail Party where they were in contact with another parent who had also received a positive diagnosis,” principal Rebecca Cody wrote in a letter to families.

media_camera Five Geelong Grammar parents tested positive for coronavirus after attending a cocktail party hosted by the school. Picture: Mark Wilson

“As at the time of writing, the school has received notification of five parents who attended the Timbertop Parents’ Cocktail Party who have received a positive diagnosis of COVID-19.

“These parents had close contact with their children (students at both Timbertop and Corio) over the exeat weekend.”

Timbertop is the school’s year nine campus, located at Mansfield.

Geelong Grammar was also made aware this morning that a Corio senior boarding student also has a confirmed case of the virus.

“As part of its contact tracing processes for confirmed COVID-19 cases, the DHHS will contact families directly if they are deemed to be at high risk,” Ms Cody wrote.

“In order to assist with the required contact tracing for this diagnosis, the school is providing

information to the DHHS of the configuration of the boarding arrangements in the house, the classes attended by the student, as well as their co-curricular and sport activities.”

Students have already vacated the campus, with the school last weekend announcing it would move to a remote learning model.

The school’s campus closed to students on Wednesday.

Earlier today, NAPLAN testing was scrapped for all of Australia’s students for 2020 due to the coronavirus.

The Education Council of ministers met this morning and made the decision.

It’s understood the call was made as results could not be relied upon as indicative of student performance.

Victorian Education Minister James Merlino said “the decision to cancel NAPLAN for 2020 is the right one”.

>>SCROLL DOWN FOR FULL LIST OF SCHOOL CLOSURES<<

“These are unprecedented times and our school communities need to focus on the additional challenge of preparing for remote learning,” he said.

“I want to acknowledge the exceptional contribution from our teachers, support staff and principals at all schools during these challenging times.

“They can be assured that we are acting on the very best medical advice.”

The decision to scrap the annual test was agreed to by all states and territories.

NAPLAN was due to be sat by all students from May 12 to 22.

The Education Council released a statement saying the move “has been taken to assist school leaders, teachers and support staff to focus on the wellbeing of students and continuity of education, including potential online and remote learning”.

media_camera Education Minister James Merlino. Picture: AAP/Erik Anderson

“Further, the impact of responses to the COVID-19 virus may affect the delivery of NAPLAN testing, including the operation of centralised marking centres and the implications for nationally comparable data if an insufficient number of students are available to do the test.”

Testing of the NAPLAN Online platform was also canned.

The Council will meet next week to consider future plans.

A second University of Melbourne staffer has tested positive to the coronavirus.

The staffer returned from overseas before the 14-day self-isolation rules and was at the Peter Hall Building and Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) on March 17.

Both buildings have been shut for cleaning until March 23.

Yesterday, another Melbourne Uni staffer was confirmed to have the virus and may have exposed others after attending a Bouverie St, Carlton building on March 13.

The university was working to move all its classes online, and had already done so for large lectures and sessions with more than 25 students.

It comes as Aussie teachers demanded answers in a desperate address to the Prime Minister over the coronavirus crisis and how to care for 2.5 million students.

The teachers’ union has issued a letter to Scott Morrison calling for urgent consideration of problems around cleaning, social distancing and restrictions on gatherings of 100 people at schools, kindergartens and TAFEs.

The Australian Education Union noted that fear around the pandemic had already led to “high levels of student absence in many states and territories”.

The AEU said it was “gravely concerned” about the impact of COVID-19 and enacting the decisions of the National Cabinet before listing 14 urgent matters for consideration.

It also rejected “unrealistic expectations” that learning could be taken online for all students, especially vulnerable pupils from low socio economic backgrounds, regional and remote areas.

Concern over spreading the virus has led a Melbourne primary school to ban students from drinking from water fountains.

Instead, parents are being called on to send their kids to school with a drink bottle.

Mr Merlino yesterday addressed cleaning worries, vowing to meet teachers’ pleas for more supplies and sanitisers.

Extra cleaners have been ordered into schools across the state and for longer hours, to clean campuses throughout the day and with more disinfectant.

Detailed and regular cleaning was promised for common touch points, including sinks, chairs, desks, other shared surfaces and entry and exit points.

A boost in hand sanitiser supplies was also being delivered to campuses yesterday, with the government vowing more supplies were on the way.

Two more public schools closed yesterday over confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Kensington Primary will not open to students today after two parents contracted the virus.

Families were told in a late message last night, with the campus to be shut for at least 24 hours.

Middle Park Primary students won’t be able to return until Wednesday, after a staffer tested positive, while teachers would be back on Tuesday.

A Newport Gardens Primary parents tested positive, but the school would remain open.

Chief Health Officer Dr Brett Sutton moved to allay staff concerns yesterday, stating schools were remaining open because keeping people in their daily routines while distancing and limiting gatherings “will decrease the opportunities for spread in our community, including those to teachers”.

Meanwhile, parents who have been ignoring the Prime Minister’s advice and pulling their kids out of school due to coronavirus are inundating teachers with demands for class work.

Schools are being swamped by parent requests as up to half of Victoria’s students are pulled from classes.

media_camera APF federal president Julie Podbury.

Australian Principals’ Federation president Julie Podbury said one school had 174 kids out of class over virus fears on a single day this week — more than a third of its students.

“And 174 parents were asking for work,” Ms Podbury said.

“Schools are in this bind where they’re effectively catering for two sets of clients.

“Parents have every right to (ask for work) but it’s very difficult in that their teachers are still conducting their classes — it seems unreasonable.”

It’s understood the department does not expect teachers to issue coursework when schools are running.

If a student is temporarily absent due to illness or holidays, teachers would keep parents updated on what they missed.

But the expectation was children would catch up when they returned.

The principal’s union is aware that 30 to 50 per cent of students are being kept home by parents — that’s more than double the rate not attending at the start of the week.

With health officers advising schools to stay open — children are less at risk from the virus and tend to be infected by adults — Ms Podbury said schools were still concerned about the health of staff.

Coronavirus: Scott Morrison's new measures to kerb the spread of COVID-19 Travel bans, bans on indoor gatherings and limits to aged care visits have been implemented in response to the pandemic.

She said some educators were pregnant, had low immunity, were battling cancer or suffering other illnesses.

“They are all very deeply concerned but they understand they are servants of the community,” she said.

“You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t — there’s no right answer here.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday confirmed the national consensus of leaders was that schools would remain open.

“There’s only one reason your kids shouldn’t be going to school and that is if they are unwell,” he said.

Mr Morrison urged parents to “keep our heads” and consider the impact of mass closures — a 30 per cent reduction in available health workers and tens of thousands of job losses.

He said there was a “national public interest” in keeping schools open, particularly as the crisis is set to run for six months.

“Let’s do the right thing by the country and by each other and follow the proper advice,” he said.

Premier Daniel Andrews said “my kids are at school, the chief health officer’s kids are at school, and that’s where your kids should be”.

“That’s the best place for them in these difficult times. For their safety and the safety of others in the community — particularly people who are vulnerable.”

He urged non-government schools to stay open if they didn’t have any cases of the virus.

Victoria’s Chief Health officer Dr Brett Sutton did not rule out future school closures to clean campuses, conduct tracing of the virus, or in anticipation of peak infection rates.

media_camera Scotch College will try to maintain normal school operations. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

A leading Melbourne private school has broken ranks with other elite institutions and will continue to teach students on campus.

A letter to parents from the principal of Scotch College in Hawthorn says maintaining “normal operations” is the “best way to meet the educational and pastoral needs of the boys”.

The school has cancelled a number of regular events, like most schools around the state, but will continue to teach boys face-to-face.

The letter from principal Tom Batty backed the Prime Minister’s stance that, based on medical advice, schools should stay open.

“Supporting the view of an elected government allows it to govern,” Mr Batty wrote.

“Scotch will remain open until it is otherwise directed by an official agency or the local environment changes to make such course unsustainable.”

The letter acknowledges that “some members of our community will disagree with this course of action”.

Boys at Scotch, as at many state schools, have been kept home by parents.

Camberwell Grammar has also elected to stay open, but like Scotch, is trialling online learning.

Some state schools, which are mostly remaining open, have been at half capacity as parents elect to remove their children.

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ashley.argoon@news.com.au

@ashargoon