Principal’s Message

It was fantastic to see students and staff back on-site today. The many students I spoke to are to be congratulated for their compliance with the various restrictions which are in place and their responsiveness to reminders to wear a mask and appropriately social distance where required. Today’s update will provide a little more detail about the restrictions which are currently in place for school settings across Victoria.

Structured Workplace Learning

Thank you to those parents who completed my short survey about SWL. The feedback is clear that families see great value in this program and would like to see an opportunity for our Year 10 students made available again. The feedback also indicated this needs to be balanced against further interruptions to classes for this cohort. I am pleased to be able to report that SWL and work experience placements can recommence. However, the Department of Health has recommended that SWL and work experience placements in highrisk settings (i.e., healthcare, aged care, meat works etc) be deferred until further notice. Ian Cook will communicate further information about arrangements for upcoming SWL opportunities as soon as possible.

Camps, Excursions and other School Events

School camps and overnight stays can take place across Victoria with no travel restrictions. Bookings will be limited to single schools. Multiple schools can attend camps providing school groups remain separated and do not share common facilities at the same time. Mixing of staff and students between different schools is not permitted. Testing requirements are now in place for the Victorian ski fields (see below).

School trips must adhere to additional requirements if attending the Victorian ski fields. Travel to regional Victorian Alpine Resorts is permitted provided visitors have had a negative COVID test within the previous 72 hours. Visitors must be able to show evidence of a negative test as condition of entry into ski fields. I am currently seeking clarification from DET about what this looks like practically for schools.

Outdoor education including excursions and overnight stays, for the purpose of outdoor education are permitted. Programs will only operate for staff and students from single schools.

Non-essential meetings, and all school events, gatherings and assemblies will be deferred or held remotely. Year 6 to Year 7 transition programs are not permitted at this time.

Visitors on-site

Non-essential visitors to school grounds will not be possible at this stage. Examples of an essential visitor includes:

Preservice teacher placements
Staff involved in School Breakfast Clubs
Health and wellbeing staff

QR code check ins are required to be used by:

all visitors on school site (including contractors, external Department staff and building and maintenance staff)
all parents who enter school buildings when on school site.

A Reminder about Face Masks

School staff and secondary school students aged 12 or older must always wear a face mask at school, including when attending an Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) program, unless a lawful exception applies. Children under 12 years of age are not required to wear face masks when at school. For communication purposes, teachers and education support staff are not required to wear face masks while teaching, but those who wish to do so, can.

Face masks are mandatory for all school staff and school students aged 12 or older when travelling to and from school on public transport and when in taxis or ride share vehicles.

It is important that any student who experiences COVID-19 symptoms stays at home until these symptoms abate.

The symptoms to watch out for are:

fever
chills or sweats
cough
sore throat
shortness of breath
runny nose
loss or change in sense of smell or taste

Please contact the college via the absence line (5479 1150), if your child is unwell, to notify us of their absence. If the absence is going to be longer than 3 days, please make contact with the appropriate Precinct Manager to discuss the provision of work.

With all students and staff back on-site, I will return to my weekly updates unless there is something I need to communicate with you all urgently. My next update to parents and carers will be on Monday 2 August.

Simon Woods

Acting Principal

All ther parent updates can be accessed through the school website : https://csc.vic.edu.au/info_box/covid-19-coronavirus-update/

Student Subject Preferences for 2022

Students and families are reminded that students need to submit their subject preferences for 2022 by 4pm on Monday 9th August. The link for students to submit their preferences has been sent to each student’s education email address. Once student preferences have been finalised the CSC Leadership Team will start developing the 2022 Timetable, with the aim of releasing student timetables in week 5-6 of term 4.

Justin Hird

Assistant Principal

Castlemaine Secondary College News

Issue 7 · 28 Jul 2021

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