Latest Advice on the Corona Virus from DET

School attendance

This recommendation is that parents/guardians/carers of students should ensure that any student returning from mainland China (not including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) who was in mainland China on or after Saturday 1 February 2020 is isolated at home and should not attend school until 14 days after they were last in mainland China.

This recommendation does not apply retrospectively. It applies only to students who were in mainland China on or after 1 February 2020.

The existing advice remains that parents/guardians/carers of students should ensure that any student is isolated at home and should not attend school for 14 days:

following exposure to any confirmed novel coronavirus case; or
after leaving Hubei Province.

This same advice applies to any impacted staff.

The Commonwealth has also advised that: “additional border measures will be implemented to deny entry to Australia to people who have left or transited through mainland China from 1 February 2020, with the exception of Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family and air crews who have been using appropriate personal protective equipment”.

Schools should inform their staff, students and families of this new advice through your school’s communication channels with parents.

If schools think a student or staff member is a confirmed case or a contact of a confirmed case, please contact the Department of Health and Human Services to discuss further actions via phone: 1300 651 160. Please also inform the Department of Education and Training by making an IRIS incident alert.

In the event that a parent is not aware of the advice from health authorities, and a student arrives at school who should be excluded, the following steps should be taken:

Reassure the student if they are anxious
Move the student to a single room away from others, being mindful of the student's wellbeing
Contact parents/carers, inform them of the advice from health authorities and ask them to come and collect their child

For more advice on coronavirus, see Information for the education sector - novel coronavirus

Unwell students and staff

In accordance with the Department's regular Infectious Diseases Policy send unwell students or staff home. Unwell students and staff should remain at home until symptoms resolve and seek medical assistance as required.

Maintaining good health hygiene at school

Remind your staff, families and children that everyone can protect against infections by practising good hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene. Here are some tips that everyone at your school can follow:

Cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing with a tissue, or cough into your elbow

dispose of the tissue into a bin and then wash your hands afterwards
wash your hands regularly, after using the toilet, and before eating.
Health promotion materials are available to distribute and promote to your staff, students and families, see: Health promotion materials are available to distribute and promote to your staff, students and families, see:

If you have any health-related questions, please email: health.advice@edumail.vic.gov.au

Continuity of learning

Schools should support students who are unable to attend school by providing educational materials that can be completed at home.

Schools with concerns about the impact of novel coronavirus on delivery of their teaching and learning programs should visit the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority for more information.

School Photos

School photos will be taken on Monday 17th February, 2020. Envelopes have been handed to the students. Please check your child's school bag for their envelope.

Please bring the money in on the day and give to the Home Group teacher.

For those who are interested - please see below information in regards to sibling photos.

Envelopes will be available from Monday at the Primary and Secondary front offices.

Rolling Out iPads - How to speed up the process

2020 iPad roll out

Please be advised that our 2020 iPad loan program has commenced. Given a large number of staffing changes in our ICT Department, we ask for your patience during this time. Any student that has paid the FULL curriculum charges by 20th March is able to access this excellent opportunity.

Students new to this program and who have paid the initial $100 deposit should receive their iPad very shortly. If you are new to this program and need further clarification on the requirements, please contact the office for further information.

Students who have previously been on the iPad loan program and have paid the $100 deposit last year (or any student whose family are currently on a payment plan) should have already received their iPad. Once the $100 deposit has been paid and processed, students will be issued their iPad. For students previously on this program, this turn around is very fast and students should receive their iPad within 48 hours of the payment being processed.

Please be aware that the full curriculum charges must be paid in order to continue access to this program. These are due Friday 20th March.

Marcus Finlay

STEM Learning Specialist

School Banking

Reminder for Parents

Primary Campus and Secondary Campus foyers:

Students are not to use these areas to wait in before school or after school. It is expected students will be on their way home by 3.30 pm.

Any student on the Primary Campus not collected will be sent to OSHC (Out of School Hours Care).

We have staff on Yard Duty from 8:45 am until 3:30 pm and due to other responsibilities are unable to to provide supervision outside these times.

Please also be aware the Primary Campus office will close at 4:00 pm each day.

Students waiting for collection at the end of the day will be directed to the concrete leaves at the front of the school and early arrivals will need to find an undercover spot to play.

Please support us in making sure all students are safe.

Parking Safely Around the School Grounds

Parents please remember your ABCDs regarding road safety to ensure you are doing the following:

Adhering to speed zones and parking restrictions;
Being constantly aware of your surroundings and looking out for pedestrians;
Concentrating and driving carefully;
Not using any mobile devices whilst driving.

Work Experience

Can You Help a Lakes Student

This year for the first time our school has Year 10 students and we are keen to assist them in finding opportunities for work experience from 15th June – 19th June 2020 and furthermore some part-time work.

I am sure you are in receipt of requests such as this on a regular basis however our community would be most appreciative if you were able to assist.

Our students demonstrate respect, teamwork, resilience and would give you their best efforts.

Please consider this request and contact Belinda on 9401 3919 if you can “give a kid a go”.

Community Notices

Out and About in the Whittlesea Council

Live Performance

Fix It Fridays

Sing it With Sharon