Unlocking the lockdown

This week we actually started seeing other people in the flesh.

Classes started; things are steadily returning to normal.  Let's hope there are no new Covid-19 outbreaks.

With our new in-home classroom fully operational (yes, Mulan and I did watch the nine Star Wars movies during lockdown!), Mama started teaching in-person lessons on Monday.  I also taught a student there on Friday.  We keep appropriately distanced, and wipe down the equipment after each student.

Yesterday, Mulan and Miya had their first outside class in two months.  Their swim school has re-opened, and swimming lessons are back on (twice a week).  Apparently the pool has more chlorine than usual.  For now I think it's best if the girls just jump in and out of the pool directly and not use the swim school changing rooms.

Tomorrow, the girls will also return to in-person ballet lessons at Rowe Dance (three times a week).  It seems they will dance sufficiently distanced from each other, and surfaces will be wiped between each class.  Throughout the lockdown the girls were having their ballet lessons at home via Zoom, so it'll be great to get back to a large space for dancing.

We got word that Mulan's netball team plan to have their first practice in a week or so.  The tentative word is that the netball competition will start at the beginning of term 3 (end of July).

We've decided to not re-enrol in gymnastic lessons for now; we might return in term 3.

For now group music lessons at Belmont Music Centre are continuing online via Zoom.  Given the way singing aerosolises respiratory droplets, it's best to be safe about this.  (I'm the BMC manager, and my tentative thought is that if things go well we'll return to in-person lessons at the beginning of term 3.)

Mulan's private music lessons have been online via Zoom throughout the lockdown.  Her recorder teacher comes to us, and we'll re-start in-person lessons on Tuesday in our new classroom.  We go to Mulan's cello teacher's home, but since she has not created a secure teaching space we decided we'll continue with online lessons for now.

We haven't heard anything more about Mulan's athletics Interprovicials competition since they suggested it might happen in October.  We haven't done much (ie any!) athletics training during lockdown; we should probably restart.

We also haven't heard anything more about the girls' ballet exams, Mulan's music exams, or Miya's interschools swimming competition.  All may or may not be going ahead this year.

(Yes, our homeschooling includes a fair amount of external lessons / classes / competitions / exams.)