Updated COVID Advice
from
Catholic Schools NSW
Current COVID-19 Advice
COVID-19 UPDATED 27 JANUARY 2022
THIS WILL CHANGE DUE TO THE GOVERNMENT UPDATE - 17 FEBRUARY 2022
Catholic Schools Office Diocese of Armidale
Unit 2, 131 Barney Street P.O. Box 636 Armidale NSW 2350
Ph: (02) 6772 7388 Fax: (02) 6772 9285 email: cso@arm.catholic.edu.au www.arm.catholic.edu.au ABN: 90702916776
27th January 2022
Dear parents and caregivers,
Welcome to a new school year; an exciting time as our students start or return to their school journey. I would like to share how we are building on our experiences of the last two years, how we are continuing to keep our school community as safe as possible, and how we are working to keep our schools open for learning.
The Premier has announced the latest updates to the COVID-safe operational guidelines for Term 1, 2022. There have been a number of changes to the guidelines and requirements that were in place in schools in Term 4 2021. I will be in regular contact to keep you up to date with our plan for the start of Term 1, and any more changes to guidelines or requirements.
As always, our highest priority is the safety and well-being of all students and staff. To continue to ensure this, we will operate with a layered approach to COVID-smart measures that have been developed with NSW Health. These measures are important to minimise the spread of COVID-19 while also keeping our schools open for teaching and learning.
The key measures include:
- Free rapid antigen test (RAT) kits will be provided to all students and staff to help to monitor health and help to stop the spread of COVID-19.
- Unless they have a medical exemption, all primary and secondary school staff must wear surgical masks indoors. No vented masks or cloth masks can be worn. Schools will provide free surgical masks.
- Secondary school students will be provided with free surgical masks and, unless they have a medical exemption, they must wear them indoors.
- It is strongly recommended—but not compulsory—that primary school students wear well-fitted surgical masks indoors.
- Only fully-vaccinated visitors who are essential to delivering and supporting learning or wellbeing are permitted to enter school sites.
- Good hygiene, enhanced cleaning, optimal airflow and ventilation in learning spaces, and physical distancing practices will continue at school.
While this is not going to be a normal start to the school year, we know that being together in the classroom is the most effective way for students to learn. Your child/ren's relationship with their teacher is important, but as we manage potential disruptions to staffing due to COVID-19, they may get to meet more teachers than usual.
This is because if staff are required to isolate because they have COVID-19, schools will have to make the best arrangements possible for learning to continue. This could include some class groups having one or more casual teachers for the period of their regular teacher’s absence; some class groups working together; small groups of students temporarily working with other class groups, or even some combination of all of these solutions if more than one teacher is required to isolate at the same time.
Provision of RAT kits
The use of RAT kits is an important step to support the health and wellbeing of our students and staff. They are a quick and easy screening tool to help detect COVID-19.
A supply of RAT kits for testing all students and staff twice per week in the first 2 weeks of Term 1 is currently being distributed to schools.
Distribution of RAT kits to our students and staff
Your school principal will communicate with you directly regarding the distribution arrangements for RAT kits.
Additional information
Parents are asked to test students at home on Monday and Wednesday morning BEFORE your child/ren go to school.
Under no circumstances will any staff member request that your child take a rapid antigen test (RAT) at school.
- Staff are also being asked to take a rapid antigen test (RAT) at home on Mondays and Wednesdays before coming to school.
- At first, each student will get their first 4 rapid antigen tests (RATs) to be used twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays of the first two weeks of school.
- Soon, each student will get four more rapid antigen tests (RATs) to be used twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays of the second two weeks of school.
- NSW Health will decide if the use of RAT kits in schools will continue after the first four weeks of school.
- When we know this decision, we will advise you of details as soon as possible.
Use of RAT kits
All RAT kits that we have received so far require a throat swab NOT a nasal swab.
Using a RAT kit is a simple process of placing the throat swab in a chemical solution which is then put onto a scanning device. Results can be ready within 15 minutes.
Everything that you need to complete the test is in the box.
Kits include instructions on how to use the tests; check the results; and dispose of the tests safely. Instructions can be downloaded from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) website. For additional support, the User Guides will also include a contact number for the suppliers.
The use of RAT kits is highly recommended.
RAT kit results
If a student or staff member receives a positive RAT test, they need to:
- record the positive RAT result through the Service NSW website or Service NSW app
- notify the school of the positive RAT (or PCR) test result as soon as possible
- follow NSW Health advice to isolate for 7 days.
Negative results do not need to be reported to Service NSW or to the school.
Unwell at school
Any student or staff member who is unwell and/or displays symptoms of COVID-19 must be asked to go home and stay there until they can complete a RAT or PCR test.
- If a student or staff member displays even mild COVID-19 symptoms, they must take a RAT or get a PCR test and isolate until they receive a negative test result.
- Students must not come to school until they are symptom free, even if they get a negative RAT result.
What happens when a teacher or student tests positive to COVID-19?
Under the new close contact rules, schools are no longer included in contact tracing. Parents will be notified of any cases of COVID in the school, and families will be advised of the current public health advice, including monitoring for symptoms.
Use of surgical masks
All primary and secondary school staff are required to wear surgical masks indoors.
No vented or cloth masks are to be worn. Surgical masks have been procured for each school. Details regarding delivery of these will be provided as soon as it is available.
Secondary school students are required to wear surgical masks indoors. The wearing of masks in outdoor settings is strongly encouraged where physical distancing is not possible. Students can remove their masks when eating, exercising or playing a musical instrument.
It is strongly recommended but not compulsory that primary school students wear well-fitted surgical masks indoors and in outdoor settings where physical distancing is not possible. Students can remove their masks when eating, exercising or playing a musical instrument.
Vaccination requirements
All staff on school sites are required to be fully vaccinated. At the moment, staff can work at a school even if they haven’t had a booster shot. However, I am advised that this will soon change.
When staff are required to have a booster shot to be at work, the CSO will ensure that all staff comply with this requirement.
The Catholic Schools Office Armidale strongly encourages vaccination for all students and staff. However, vaccination is the choice of the parent/carer. I assure you that under no circumstance will CSO Armidale schools be vaccinating any student.
Visitors on school sites
No parents or carers will be allowed on school sites for the first 4 weeks of Term 1, with the following exceptions:
- Two parents or carers will be allowed to accompany their child/ren into school on their first day of Kindergarten, Year 7, or with students of any year level who are starting at a new school.
No visitors are allowed on school sites for the first 4 weeks of Term 1 except for fully-vaccinated:
- volunteers or staff operating uniform shops and canteens
- visitors supporting school operations and curriculum delivery
- allied health professionals visiting the school for the wellbeing of students.
Other key measures
Ventilation
NSW Health guidelines state that natural ventilation is the most effective ventilation measure, so wherever possible teachers will ensure fresh air flow in learning spaces by opening doors and windows.
Cleaning
Extra cleaning of high-touch and high traffic areas will continue in Term 1.
Physical distancing
Wherever possible, teachers will continue to ensure that students follow physical distancing guidelines: maintaining 1.5 metres’ distance between people.
Further information
I know that you understand how busy schools are at this time of year ensuring that your child/ren have the best possible start to their learning for 2022.
If you would like more information or to ask just a question about any of this information, please do not contact the school directly; instead please email covid@arm.catholic.edu.au.
If you wish to make a complaint regarding the school’s application of these guidelines, please do not contact the school directly; instead please email complaints@arm.catholic.edu.au.
Thank you again for your continued support during this school term.
Sincerely,
Chris Smyth
Director of Schools