Altona Elementary Schools Draft Five-Day Weeks With 300 Minutes Daily Instruction

Elementary students connected to Altona will attend school five days each week under draft schedules released this week, with groups kept together for the full day and 300 minutes of face-to-face instruction each day.

The timing matters because the state government outlined its September approach only days earlier, and local staff have now aligned their own timetables and safety steps with that direction. Families here want concrete details on daily routines before the new term begins.

Altona school communities have already been directed to the board’s dedicated return-to-school site and updated FAQ page for the latest documents. Those pages carry the draft guide that was reviewed with the regional health department and presented to the education ministry.

Numbers behind the elementary model

The draft timetable keeps class sizes unchanged while directing extra resources toward any rooms where extra space can be created for distancing. Students from junior kindergarten through grade 3 are encouraged to wear masks; students in grades 4 through 8 must wear them. Lunch will be eaten in classrooms, and staggered entry, exit and recess times are expected at many sites. The full elementary curriculum remains in place alongside extra cleaning and scheduled hand-washing breaks.

Sample timetables shown in the documents use 40-minute periods in some cases, though individual schools may adjust those blocks. Secondary schedules are still being finalised and will be released separately.

What families should do now

Parents and guardians are asked to check the return-to-school website and FAQ for any further updates that arrive from the ministry. Staff have noted a high volume of questions and are working through responses as quickly as possible. The priority stated in the update remains high-quality learning delivered in the safest way possible under current conditions.