iNFORMATION 

OPEROO [CareMonkey]

As you are aware, the College uses a communications system informing you of College events /excursions/  incursions that take place throughout the year. The system was formerly known as ‘Care Monkey’ but it has now undergone a name change and is known as ‘Operoo’.

If you have not already done so, we ask that you create an Operoo profile for your daughter. The sooner we have your daughter on the system, the more information we have in ensuring her safety and wellbeing. Moreover, if your daughter does not have an Operoo profile it will impede her capacity to attend any excursion/event that is planned.

General permission letters were sent out to all year levels this week. We ask that you provide consent for your daughter to attend the various events by Wednesday 9 February.

Please note that excursions will re-commence in the next few days. These activities are an important part of the teaching, learning and development process. In some cases, venues will require students to check in with their phone and show proof of vaccination. If your daughter is not able to do either of these, parents are asked to ‘deny’ permission for the excursion and then contact the teacher in charge of the activity to discuss. We will provide supervision at school for any students in this position whilst the excursion takes place.

COVIDSafe

At the Academy we are committed to ensuring a safe environment for our community with a full suite of COVID Safe measures to protect students and staff and minimise disruption to learning. Safety of all in this community is our first priority along with the continuation of face to face learning and teaching. However, parents are asked to remember that this is a fluid situation and can change very quickly. Depending on circumstances, it may mean some timetable changes, contingency plans, etc. We will always follow the advice of the Victorian Government, DHS and MACs. 

COVID Protocols maintain the importance of the 3Vs: Ventilation, Vaccination and Vital COVIDSafe steps.  To support the health and wellbeing of all students and staff, the College will continue a stringent cleaning routine particularly of frequent touch-points and high-risk areas, including bathrooms. Frequent hand washing will be encouraged and students have been reminded to practise strict hygiene protocols, use hand sanitiser stations, cough into the crook of the elbow, and use and immediately dispose of tissues. Students and staff are also required to wear masks indoors. Further to this, 33 air purifiers have arrived and have been placed in areas/rooms deemed to have the lowest levels of natural ventilation and/or airflow. As the College has done in the past, social distancing arrangements have been put in place and students have been notified of exit gates and where possible, classes will be conducted in larger rooms or outside. 

A pack of five Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) was distributed to the students on Wednesday afternoon. A further pack of five will be distributed again at the beginning of Week 3. It is strongly recommended to test twice weekly before coming to school and parents must report any positive test results both to the Academy Student Office via a phone call  9412 7111 or email: student.reception@academy.vic.edu.au 

Notify the Department of Health www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/rapid-antigen-tests#report-a-positive-result-on-a-rapid-antigen-test) or call the coronavirus hotline at 1800 675 398.

Above are scenarios with steps all members of a school community need to adopt and follow given a particular set of circumstances. Parents are asked to be familiar with these procedures. 

For any students who need to isolate, we will not be providing a remote learning program, instead teachers have been asked to provide these students with learning materials to support their continued, independent, learning from home. Sr. Mary will also notify the school community through a daily email (where applicable) when a student or staff member has (or multiple students or staff members) have returned a positive COVID-19 test result and had attended the school. Of course the identity of individuals will remain confidential.

Further to the above, parents are reminded that if your daughter is exhibiting any COVID symptoms, they are not to attend school. If students experience any symptoms whilst they are at school or if we receive a message indicating they are a ‘household contact’, they will attend Student Services, where they will be required to isolate outside and parents will be asked to come and pick their daughter up. There will be no Rapid Antigen testing of students at school.

Finally, please remember that students need to refrain from returning to school if they remain symptomatic after 7 days, unless it is known that their symptoms are caused by an underlying health condition or medication.

STUDENT PLANNER

STATEMENT OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

UNIFORM  & STUDENT WELLNESS PLAN

Your daughter’s Student Planner is a key avenue of communication with the College. With reference to the College Policies and Procedures (pp.8-11) in becoming familiar with them, please take note of the General College Rules. Going through this information may alleviate the potential for any confusion about what is expected at the College. There are several key aspects of the Student Planner and they include:

Statement of Acknowledgement & 

College Policies and Procedures

On the first page of the Student Planner we have included a statement which we ask you and your daughter to sign. In asking you to sign this statement, it is an expression of your support of the College’s Policies and Procedures and the expectations and standards that we seek to uphold.

Thank you for your support in signing this statement and ask that this is done by 11 February 2022.

UNIFORM

While most of the students have returned to school wearing the correct uniform, there are still a number of students who need to remember: 

there should only one earring in each lobe of the ear & dress length should be at mid-knee length or longer.

I would also ask you to encourage your daughters to ensure their uniform looks its best at all times.   Additionally, in travelling to and from the College each day, please remind your daughters to be on their best behaviour and to carry themselves with dignity and pride.

The students are often the start and end of what the public see and how they present themselves with their uniform and their behaviour should reflect the very highest of standards.  The students are ambassadors for the Academy each time they step outside the school gate and, as such, they should be mindful that they are representatives of the College.

STUDENT WELLNESS PLAN (pp.16-17)

Another aspect of the planner is the Student Wellness Plan which we hope to use as a reference tool in supporting your daughter.

The plan asks the students to consider when they are happy, calm, or frustrated and from what they draw strength. The plan is taken from the Berry Street Education Model which is focused on engaging students who are vulnerable and at risk of not reaching their potential.

Our primary purpose of using the Student Wellness Plan at Academy is driven by a desire to better understand your daughter’s mindset at any given stage throughout the year. We encourage parents/guardians to engage with their daughter in talking about and contributing to the plan. Mentor Group Teachers will also be working with your daughters in talking about this wellness plan.

The more we can engage your daughter and encourage her to develop a clearer understanding of herself, the better able she may be to navigate the sometimes murky waters of adolescence.

MENTOR GROUP TIME

Just a reminder that Mentor Group Time has now reverted back to the beginning of the school day. This is a very important part of the day that will allow the opportunity for the development of a strong rapport between Mentor Group Teacher and the students and in doing so, students are looked after in the best possible pastoral manner. It’s also a period of time where some administrative tasks can be undertaken and Mentor Group Teachers can really set a positive tone for the day ahead. Attending Mentor Group is not an optional activity, nor is arriving late. All students are be expected to be punctual in the morning and there are procedures in place for any students who are late or do not attend this important part of the school day. We ask for parental support with this. The updated bell schedule was published last year and can also be found in the Student Planner. 

MOBILE PHONES AT SCHOOL

Over the first few days of school, a number of mobile phones have been confiscated because students have been seen using them during the school day. Could I please remind everyone that at the Academy phones are not to be seen or heard once the school day commences. They should be placed and left in lockers and only accessed after 3:15pm. If parents need to contact their daughters in an emergency, they are to ring reception. We ask for your support with this.

CHILD SAFE SCHOOL

At the Academy of Mary Immaculate, we are committed to being a nurturing, child-safe school where our students are respected, their voices are heard and where they are safe and feel safe.  Our commitment and responsibility to child safety is driven by Jesus Christ’s message of hope, love and care for all.

The important area of Child Safety is highlighted to staff at the beginning of the year and throughout the year.   We have several strategies currently in place in our school designed to keep students safe and to affect positive student learning, for example:

• Regular review of Child Safety Code of Conduct
• Regular review of Child Safety Policy
• Regular review of Child Safety Reporting Obligations 
• Annual presentation to students on Child Safety Procedures 

As a school we will continue to reflect, review and approve our Child Safety strategies. Wellbeing and Child Safety is everyone’s responsibility.  As always, we welcome your comments and would be happy to discuss any ideas or concerns you may have regarding the matter of student safety.

HOT WEATHER

The month of February is always very hot weather wise. The College is well able to cater for students during the hot weather as every classroom in the College is air-conditioned. During periods when it is extremely hot an announcement will be made informing students that they are not required to wear (or bring) their blazer to school. 

ANAPHYLAXIS

For us to become a nut free school, we seek cooperation of all members of the College community in ensuring that no nuts are brought on to the premises at any time.  Our canteen is a nut free canteen as is the Food Technology area of the College and our staff are aware that they are not permitted to bring any products containing nuts into the College.

Anaphylaxis is a severe, rapidly progressive allergic reaction that is potentially life threatening. The most common allergens in school aged children are peanuts, eggs, tree nuts (e.g. cashews), cow’s milk, fish and shellfish, wheat, soy, sesame, latex, certain insect stings and medication.

The key to prevention of anaphylaxis in schools is knowledge of those students who have been diagnosed at risk, awareness of triggers (allergens), and prevention of exposure to these triggers. Partnerships between schools and parents are important in ensuring that certain foods or items are kept away from the student while at school.

Adrenaline given through an EpiPen® auto injector to the muscle of the outer mid-thigh is the most effective first aid treatment for anaphylaxis.  In the event of an anaphylactic reaction, the school’s first aid and emergency response procedures and the student’s Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan must be followed.

Principles

The College is committed to:

• Providing, as far as practicable, a safe and supportive environment in which students at risk of anaphylaxis can participate equally in all aspects of the student’s schooling.
• Raising awareness about anaphylaxis and the Academy’s anaphylaxis management policy in the College community.
• Engaging with parents/carers of students at risk of anaphylaxis in assessing risks, developing risk minimisation strategies and management strategies for the student.

Ensuring that each staff member has adequate knowledge about allergies, anaphylaxis and the College’s policy and procedures in responding to an anaphylactic reaction.