Enrolment Information Booklet

Health & Wellbeing

Accidents and Emergency Care

Minor cuts and abrasions will be treated as school.  In the event of a more serious injury, or where there is doubt as to the seriousness of the injury, you or your emergency contact person will be advised.  In cases requiring immediate medical care the school will contact the ambulance service if appropriate.  Please ensure that contact information is kept updated at the school office. 

School Health Nurse

The School Medical Service is authorised to conduct medical examinations on children in all Departmental schools. These examinations are conducted at Foundation level with parental permission.  Health Questionnaires are sent home to families of Foundation students to be completed and returned to school.

Immunisation Certificate

All children commencing school require an immunisation certificate.  It is not compulsory to have all the immunisations, but a child who has not been immunised against a particular disease will have to be excluded if there are cases of that particular disease in the school.  Principals are required by law to exclude students with certain illnesses.

Pediculosis – Head Lice

Parents should regularly check children’s hair.  If head lice are found, treatment should be sought immediately and the school notified.  Children with head lice are to be excluded from school until the day after treatment has begun.

Medicines Procedure

If a student needs to take medication while at school or at a school activity:

Parents/carers will need to arrange for the student’s treating medical/health practitioner to provide written advice to the school which details the name of the medication required, the dosage amount, the time the medication is to be taken, how the medication is to be taken, the dates the medication is required, whether it is an ongoing medication and how the medication should be stored. The full medical policy can be viewed on our school website.

Medical Alerts

Children often complain about “tummy aches” at school.  They can often be emotional upsets (e.g. a problem with friends, school work, any other worry or fear) and are usually helped by a little bit of TLC, a lie down, or just by the provision of a distracting task.  If the problem persists, then further discussion may reveal the cause of the problem, or a phone call home may be necessary. If you are concerned about your child’s health, please message your child's teacher via Sentral or send an accompanying note to alert us of the problem.

In Case of Illness or Emergency Medical Care

Families are asked to provide emergency contact details as part of the enrolment process. In the event of a sudden illness, a parent or their nominated representative will be contacted.  An emergency contact should be someone who would be willing to collect and look after your child if you are unable to be reached. It is important that the emergency contact records in the school office are kept up to date at all times.  

 

If your child is unwell or injured at school, they must be collected from school in a timely manner. If a parent is unable to collect their child, you must arrange an alternative emergency contact to collect them. The school is unable to provide emergency transport for sick children.  Parents are advised to consider the need for Ambulance Cover for their families, as ambulances will be used in cases of serious illness or injury.

 

In the event of you changing your address, work circumstances or telephone number, please advise the school immediately.  Given Teesdale’s location, the risk of fire and each family's Emergency Plan needs to be considered and discussed with contacts to ensure that in an emergency your child will be safe.  

Infectious Diseases

If your child has an infectious or serious illness or is to be absent for an extended period, a phone call to the school would be appreciated.  Infections spread quickly at school.

 

Accordingly the Health Department exclusion table can be located at http://ideas.health.vic.gov.au/guidelines/school-exclusion-table.asp

 

These procedures must be followed if your child contracts any of the following diseases:

Chicken Pox, Conjunctivitis (acute infections) Diphtheria/Giardiasis (diarrhoea), Hepatitis A (infectious Hepatitis), Hepatitis B, Impetigo (School Sores), Leprosy, Measles, Meningococcal Infection, Mumps, Erythema Infectiosum (Slapped Check Syndrome), Pertussis (Whooping Cough), Ringworm, Rotavirus (diarrhoea), Rubella, Scabies, Shigella (diarrhoea), Streptococcal Infection, Scarlet Fever, Trachoma, Tuberculosis, Typhoid and Paratyphoid.

 

COVID Safe Management Plan

Teesdale Primary School is committed to providing a COVID safe environment for all students, staff, parents and visitors to the school. The COVID-19 Safety Management Plan (COVIDSafe Plan) applies to all Victorian government schools, and outlines key health, safety, and wellbeing hazards that schools should plan for. It links to the strategies described in the School Operations Guide and safety advice for on-site schooling in the context of coronavirus (COVID-19) that are issued by the Victorian Chief Health Officer, and the central and regional supports available. The latest Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for schools is available here.

The COVID-19 Safety Management Plan (COVID Safe Plan) is required to be implemented at each school to:

  • address the health and safety issues arising from coronavirus (COVID-19)
  • outline the process for record keeping for all workers and visitors attending the school for longer than 15 minutes
  • address the level of appropriate PPE to be worn
  • outline the process to respond to any suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19

A combination of strategies is required to minimise transmission risk. No single strategy completely reduces risk and not every measure will always be possible in all educational settings.  In line with advice from the Department of Health, the school practices the following strategies:

Reinforce COVID Safe behaviours    

  • Stay home when unwell.
  • Practise good hygiene. 
  • Ensure physical distancing (1.5m).
  • Wear a face mask.
  • Avoid interactions in enclosed spaces.

Create COVID Safe spaces

  • Make hand hygiene easy.
  • Keep surfaces clean and implement regular cleaning and disinfection.
  • Promote outdoor air ventilation and do not have air conditioners on recirculate.

Promote COVID Safe activities

  • Move activities outdoors where possible, weather permitting.
  • Adapt, modify or defer higher-risk activities.
  • Limit school access to outside visitors where possible.
  • Reduce mixing between groups.
  • Create workforce bubbles.

Respond to COVID-19 risk

  • Keep records and act quickly if someone becomes unwell.
  • Use personal protective equipment where indicated.
  • Clean and disinfect appropriately if a staff member or student has been unwell at school.
  • Manage individual risk.

For more information go to: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/health-and-safety-advice-all-victorian-schools?Redirect=1