Covid-19 Update

Attached to this week’s newsletter is the latest advice from the Department of Education and Training regarding how schools now manage confirmed cases of Covid, minimising school closures and rapid anti-gen testing. As you can appreciate, the advice is changing as more is learned about the virus. When I receive any updates that affect our school community in any way, I will communicate them to you.

Thank You

On the topic of Covid, I would like to thank all our families who are social distancing during drop and pick up times, remaining outside the school grounds, only visiting the office when needed and supporting our students and teachers as they re-establish school routines.

Most importantly, thank you to all families who keep their children home if they are unwell with even mild symptoms. It may be just a cold but if it spreads to other families, then the ripple effect is quite significant, particularly among our parents who are health care workers.

A key action in the school’s Covid-19 Safety Plan is that any child who is unwell must be sent home until they are symptom-free. We understand this can be challenging so we really appreciate your support with this.

Visitors and Volunteers in Schools

The current advice is that any visitor or volunteer in a school performing work on school sites (both inside and outdoors) must check in via the QR code at the office and then confirm that they are fully vaccinated with the office staff. Our staff will record your name, the date and that they have sighted your certificate (or green tick). You will only need to do this the first time. You will still need to check in on the Compass kiosk as well. Masks are required to be worn inside all school buildings at all times and social distancing between adults even in classrooms is also required.    

Presently we are only allowing Canteen volunteers (numbers capped with regard to the person per square metre ratio of 1 to 4). Visitors are on a case-by-case basis unless they are Department staff from the regional office. These staff are required to be fully vaccinated in order to work as our school staff are.  

External providers who use or hire school facilities outside of school hours must ensure that their use aligns with the Open Premises Directions including vaccination requirements.

Prep 2022 Transition

It is so delightful to be able to welcome our 2022 Prep students onsite to complete the transition program. The first two weeks had to be done remotely, which is not ideal. Parents were met at the gate by our current Prep staff who collected all the children and brought them inside for a ‘real life look’ at the classrooms.

Our staff have done a wonderful job of connecting with our new students, making them feel welcome and getting them comfortable and excited about starting school next year. There are two more onsite sessions to go before our Prep 2022 Information Night for parents to be held in Week 9 of this term; this will be held remotely.

Adrienne Dudley

Acting Principal