Frequently Asked Questions

(Years 7 to 12)

Can I continue learning if I am not on campus?

All classroom teachers have already been delivering lessons online using Microsoft Teams. This will continue in the event of a College closure. You will be able to join, participate in, and leave each subject classroom in real time. There will be no change to your lessons. Each lesson will continue to run according to your school timetable which can be accessed via Edumate. If you do not have Microsoft Teams, you can download it here: https://teams.microsoft.com/downloads.

What happens if our internet connection at home is poor?

For students with poor internet, or in different time zones, you may not be able to access the live video conference with your classmates.

The primary communication function between students and staff using Microsoft Teams is the Post (text-based chat) function, which only requires low-speed internet. If you are in Year 12 and without a reliable internet connection for a prolonged period that compromises your ability to complete tasks and/or assignments, please make contact with our Director of Studies, Mrs Natasha Stanfield.
Teachers will record at least part of their lesson and this will be accessible for you to download and view when you have better access to the internet. If you miss a lesson due to internet speed, you can always catch up after the lesson as there is no expiry date on the recording.
If for some reason you cannot access the materials in the VC for your lesson, liaise directly with your classroom teacher in the first instance who may be able to display online and/or send the materials to you to download at a later time.

How do I download Microsoft Teams?

You can download Teams from https://teams.microsoft.com/downloads.

You can watch instructions for downloading Teams for Mac or PC.

Will I follow the daily timetable? It is exactly the same?

Initially, we will working on a modified timetable with shortened online lessons per day.
We will be working towards a full timetable with shortened lessons.
You will be sent details about this through the Portal and the Student Toolkit website.

What do I need to know about timetables, sickness and absences?

Timetable:

Your lessons will run according to an adjusted timetable published on the Portal.

Sickness and absences:

If you are sick, your parent should email the relevant School Office with details of your illness as per normal process. Your classroom teacher will mark you absent on the class roll. Parts of every lesson will be recorded. You will be able to access the recordings in the Posts section of the subject online classroom space on Teams. There is no expiry date on these recordings so you will be able to catch up on your work in your own time. For more information, go to the Attendance information.

Quarantine/self-isolation:

If you are in quarantine/self-isolation, you can still participate in your lessons online.

What if my teacher is sick?

The teacher will set work for your lesson as per normal protocol. If we are on campus, your class will be covered by another member of staff. If online, another member of staff may conduct the lesson/will take the roll and provide instructions in the online classroom.

What happens to assessments and assessment dates?

Official notifications for assessments will continue to be in Edumate and in announcements in Canvas for each of your subjects.

Click here: For all FAQ's about Assessment.

If I need help that is not related to my learning, where can I access help/support?

For Wellbeing concerns, please contact your Connect teacher in the first instance and they will liaise with the Head of Year where necessary.

You can find support on other websites such as Beyond Blue, Reach Out and eHeadspace.

Information on these sites can be found on the Connecting in @Connect page.

If I am in Years 11 and 12, will my mentor meetings continue?

All face-to-face meeting times are cancelled. However, mentors are available to meet with you online. Feel free to contact your mentor privately via email to arrange a mutually convenient time. Your mentor will initiate the private call through Teams.

What happens if I need support or usually receive educational support in the classroom?

We understand that remote learning is a new approach to learning that may be uncomfortable to some students.

If you need additional support in your academic classroom, please contact your classroom teacher via the Teams Chat or private email as your first point of call. If you need further support, please contact the Head of Learning Area.
The Educational Support Team will be available during school hours and accessible to those students who already have a working relationship with a member of this department. You will have access to the support staff via the Learning Support Team. For more information, please go to Accessing Support.

Will learning discussions occur during a College closure?

Information about learning discussions will be communicated directly to your parents.

How will learning discussions run differently?

To follow advice from the government's Health Department and preserve the health of our Pymble community, learning discussions will happen via Microsoft Teams. Parents will book a time to meet with your teachers as per normal process. Teachers will invite you to join an online meeting via Microsoft Teams when it is time for your appointment.

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