18 Aug 2020
Dear Parents/Carers,
I would like to provide you with the following information in relation to our current operational procedures to ensure our school community remains safe, allowing all members to engage in their learning in a safe and healthy work environment.
Schools are required to follow the AHPPC guidelines.
Physical distancing, health and hygiene measures are in place. Please note that physical distancing of children in schools is not required by the latest AHPPC guidelines.
We strongly promote to all staff and students the need to remain vigilant and take all precautions to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in our school and when out in the community. When physical distancing is combined with good personal hygiene, the spread of illness and infection can be slowed.
We remain vigilant in applying infection control and personal hygiene practices while at school. We continue to promote and encourage regular washing of hands, exclusion of any staff and students who are unwell, avoiding the sharing of food and personal items and cleaning of any shared items such as musical instruments, learning and sporting equipment between uses.
All students should be at school unless:
- they have a medical certificate which states that they are unable to return to school due to an ongoing medical condition and the expected timeframe
- they are currently unwell.
In accordance with advice from NSW Health, parents and carers are reminded NOT to send children to school if they are unwell, even if they have the mildest flu-like symptoms. Schools will make arrangements for students who present as unwell or have flu like symptoms to be sent home.
Students and staff with flu like symptoms will need to provide a copy of a negative COVID-19 test result before being permitted to return to school.
The department requires cleaning to be delivered in line with the AHPPC guidelines and advice from NSW Health. An enhanced hygienic cleaning process has been implemented in addition to the standard daily clean.
Our school will promote the need to follow good hygiene practices such as:
- regularly washing hands
- avoiding sharing drinks or food
- coughing or sneezing into your elbow, or a tissue which should be discarded immediately
- filling water bottles from bubblers rather than using the bubbler directly.
We continue to receive additional cleaning in line with the AHPPC guidelines and advice from NSW Health. Target areas include high-touch areas and other hard surfaces, door handles, lockers, light switches and handrails in stairways and movement areas. There will also be additional cleaning of toilets and bubblers and topping up of supplies like soap.
Our school has received supplies of soap, hand santizer, toilet paper, paper towels, disinfectant wipes and personal protective equipment. The school is able to order more as needed.
Responding to COVID-19 cases
There is a clear plan in place for schools to respond to any suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our school. We are working closely with NSW Health and will communicate with parents if a situation arises.
Further information can be found on Advice for families – https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/advice-for-families
I trust that this gives you the confidence that your son/daughter is able to participate in their learning in a safe and healthy working environment.
Julie Tegart
Principal