GRADUATION plans are under way for Penola High School students as schools across the state return to normality.
COVID-19 restrictions on school activities were lifted this week, paving the way for business as usual for Term 3.
Parents, volunteers, departmental support and other service providers will be allowed to enter the premises provided health advice is followed.
There will be also be no cap on the number of people in one room.
Adults must still adhere to the two person per square metre rule with intrastate excursions, graduations and formals allowed to go ahead.
Penola High School Year 12 students welcomed the news as they scramble to plan their graduation.
Thankful the future celebration is now able to go ahead, Year 12 students Ruby and Alex said it would be all hands on deck to have the event planned on time.
“It has been the one thing we have looked forward to and we are happy we can celebrate all our hard work together again,” Ruby said.
“It has been a rough year because of COVID-19 but it is great we will have that time at the end of the year to see our schooling off.”
Alex said graduation preparation was already in the works, with the students working tirelessly to get back on track.
“We were worried about how many people we would have been able to invite at the beginning because we were not sure if it could go ahead,” Alex said.
“Now restrictions are lifting it’s going to be the normal amount of people we can invite and we are beginning the planning process.”
Primary school students have also felt the positive impacts of restrictions lifting as Nangwarry Primary School students prepare for a number of intrastate excursions.
Nangwarry Primary School principal Erica Hurley said the school would now look at exploring local excursions for students after having to cancel all interstate camps.
“We are now able to re-book as many local and intrastate excursions as we can and we are looking forward to that,” Ms Hurley said.
“We want to provide those experiences as they have missed out on their camp this year and what we do choose will coexist with their current curriculum.”
Alongside intrastate excursions, Ms Hurley said staff were also working hard to reinstate the school’s leadership programs.
Education Minister John Gardner said students, staff and families across the state would welcome the return of the activities.
“It is great news for South Australian families that we were able to lift the restrictions on these school activities and it was because of the great work of our public health officials this was able to happen,” Mr Gardner said.
“Staff, students and families alike would welcome the return of many of these activities from Term 3 which would provide a sense of school returning to normal.
“The lifting of these restrictions would also provide a critical lifeline for many businesses who have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic such as those who were welcoming the return of intrastate school camps and excursions.”
