From the Principal

I had a discussion with a former test cricketer earlier this week. I had not spoken to him for over thirty years, and he contacted me to provide an endorsement for a family trying to get their children into our College. It was nice to be re-acquainted with someone I knew from school and club sport, and to reminisce on the people we had in common.

 We talked all things family and sport and our conversation turned to the untimely passing of Rod Marsh and Shane Warne, both of whom were well known to the former cricketer. I can only imagine the impact the loss of life would have on their families and friends.

Our conversation was also a reminder that our current issues with COVID will be temporary and that most people in our state are managing the challenges very well. One of my young adult daughters was recently identified as a close contact so our family has adjusted our living arrangements. I appreciate it is far more difficult for John XXIII families with much younger children and I have been incredibly impressed with the resilience and support of our families with specific COVID issues.

It was great to acknowledge International Women’s Day earlier this week. It is especially significant in schools with over 70% of teachers in Australia being women, only behind nursing (87%) for the participation of women. Rounding out the top three are lawyers with 53% being women.

Congratulations to all the women, present and past, who have made such an outstanding contribution to John XXIII College.

COVID - Very high caseload settings

The main change affecting our students in these new very high caseload settings is around the way different types of close contacts are able to quarantine. All other requirements are still in place. The additional close contact measures have been implemented following the latest advice of WA Health with a view to keeping schools open and continuing face-to-face learning for our students, while balancing this with the safety of students, staff and the school community.

Under the very high caseload setting, students who are asymptomatic close contacts, unless they are household close contacts, may:

• continue to attend school;
• attend care service centres;
• attend Outside School Hours Care (OSHC);
• attend school-based sporting, music, cultural training, practice or events that are organised by or take place at our school, and are held immediately before or after school; and travel directly between their usual place of residence and their school. Public transport and College Charter buses should only be used if there are no other options available.

At all other times, asymptomatic close contacts should quarantine at home for 7 days and get tested, as per the requirements for close contacts, as follows;

• undertake a COVID-19 test on Day 1 and Day 6, if a PCR test; or
• undertake a COVID-19 test on Day 1 and on day 7, if a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).

These arrangements DO NOT APPLY to children who are household close contacts of a COVID-19 positive person or who are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. 

This means that if anyone in a child’s household is serving 7 days isolation because they are COVID-19 positive, the child must remain in quarantine and not attend school.Students are considered close contacts if they are:

• A household member of a person with COVID-19 who has had contact with them during their infectious period.
• Someone who has had close interaction with a COVID-19 positive case during their infectious period, including:
  • At least 15 minutes face to face contact where a mask was not worn by the exposed person and the person with COVID-19; or
  • Greater than two hours within a small room or a classroom environment with a person with COVID-19 during their infectious period, where masks have been removed for this period by the exposed person and the person with COVID-19 (note: others wearing masks in this scenario would not be a considered a close contact); or
  • Someone who is directed by WA Health that they are a close contact.

An asymptomatic person means they have no COVID-19 symptoms. 

As noted above, if a member of your household is COVID-19 positive, then every member of the household is deemed as a household close contact, the testing and quarantine protocols apply and your child must not attend school. If your child is unwell, they should stay at home and get tested.

As a Catholic school our priority is always the health, safety and wellbeing of our students and all members of our broader community.

Thank you for your understanding as we take the necessary steps to keep our school community safe.

Robert Henderson

Principal