There’s lots of smiling faces on students, teachers and parents this week as all local schools resumed face-to-face learning on Monday after lockdown restrictions in Co-bar ended on Saturday.
Local schools have returned under Level 3 Guidelines set down by the NSW Department of Education.
While schools are permitted to continue to operate in a mostly “normal” way, there are however still some restrictions in place to ensure the safety of students, teachers and the wider community.
Non-essential visitors are not permitted at any of the schools which includes parents not being inside school grounds.
Some school activities have been modified (ie dance, drama, singing and choirs) and at this stage school performances, concerts, speech nights and award presentations are not permitted to be held at the schools.
Cobar High School principal Shane Carter said the best learning environment for stu-dents is in the classroom and his staff are looking forward to welcoming students back.
“Staff and students will be required to wear masks indoors and outdoors while on school grounds,” Mr Carter said.
Also as part of Level 3 restrictions, class mingling will be reduced with school assem-blies, sport, excursions and field trips all not permitted.
St John’s School co-principals Benetta Townsend and Stacy Tranter said they were happy to have all of their students back (even if it is just for the week before holidays)!
St John’s School staff’s focus this week will be on the students’ wellbeing, social/emotional connections and settling back in.
“This needs to be our first priority as chil-dren are unable to learn adequately without these important building blocks,” Mrs Town-send said.
