Like most schools across the state, Speers Point Public in Lake Macquarie is down to five per cent of its students attending school.

Principal Chris Payne said the first week of the rapid transition to learning from home was focused on planning and implementing online learning.

“Then this week, as teachers were finding a groove, it really started hitting us how much we get from our students daily. Their spark and their energy has always driven us.

“Without them here, we were feeling flat. Teachers working on site, or working from home are so engaged in the support of online and at home learning that those moments you have in a classroom where you can have fun were missing. Everyone was feeling it.”

Students started sending messages that they were missing the teachers, support staff and their friends and sent video and audio greetings in via Seesaw. Teachers have also been posting daily videos to stay connected to their students.

Mr Payne threw a challenge to staff to visually portray to students how much they are missed and to reinforce the message that at the end of the COVID-19 restrictions “the students know we’re here ready for when they come back”.

The result is school staff lip-synching to Eric Carmen’s 1976 classic All By Myself.

Student and family reaction has been overwhelming.

“It’s the sure sign of positive and strong relationships between student and teacher; it’s reciprocal,” Mr Payne said.