Illawarra kids kept home as schools lift spirits amidst COVID-19 crisis

The Department of Education told the Mercury 84 per cent of students in NSW are learning from home at the moment.

This figure seems to be on par with many Illawarra schools.

The Mercury understands one Catholic high school in Wollongong's southern suburbs had less than 10 per cent of its 1000 plus students show up on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

It was the same at Dapto Public School, which had about 80 students, mainly children of health and emergency service workers, on Friday

But Dapto also put on a special event for its learning at home students.

The drive-by event with a difference saw students and their parents drive by the school and wave to staff and teachers bordering the school fence.

School principal Tony Friedrich said the event aimed to lift the spirits of the whole school community.

"It's all about being positive because if you look at the news it is all about doom and gloom," Mr Friedrich said.

"Our students and community see that and it can get overwhelming.

"We wanted to let our community know we are there for them and we appreciate them. As teachers we are very appreciative of our community's support and over the next few months we are going to have to work together even more considering we will be moving online.

"What we really want is for kids to feel as connected as they can be.

"Though we have been working online and that has been a really good thing for us so far, this was just a way to have some visual contact with each other.

"As you can see we have kept our social distance and are celebrating people the best that we can at this difficult time."

Windang Public School was also looking at the bright side of life, principal Loreta Kocovska said.

There were less than 20 students at school on Friday but Ms Kocovska said Windang and Primbee Public School students had been preparing for better times ahead.

"Being community minded, we want to spread kindness not germs," she said.

"We are planting daffodils in the hope, that by spring time we'll see an end to the coronavirus.

"Our potted bulbs will be delivered to IRT, Port Kembla for residence who are unable to have visitors or participate in their normal activities because of coronavirus.

"We will also be posting this initiative on our online learning platform, so students that are at home don't miss out."

While many non-essential businesses and operations have been forced or chosen to shut up shop, schools continue to be open to students.

But if the NSW Teachers Federation has its way, that will change as early as next Monday.

"Normal school operations must end to put the health and safety of students and staff first on school sites," NSWTF president Angelo Gavrielatos said.

"It is now essential that an immediate transition to an emergency mode of school operation be put in place with minimum staffing (to support essential frontline services workers who are unable to care for their children during this crisis) and necessary systems to provide maximum health protection for all present on sites.

"Staff not rostered on minimal supervision are to work from home providing educational continuity as far as is practicable for students online during term time.

"To facilitate this transition, from the week beginning 30 March schools must be declared pupil free for all students except the children of essential frontline services workers who are unable to care for their children and vulnerable children."

Read more: Illawarra COVID-19 cases jump as police issue $1k fines for flouting rules - live updates

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