PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Welcome back to everyone for term 2. The recent holidays were a welcome break from the school routine, however now that we are recharged it is great to be back at school again.

Uniform

The weather has certainly been up and down this week. Students are able to wear either their summer or winter uniform until the end of next week (6th May), so please encourage your child to wear what they need to be comfortable. The Uniform Committee met this week, with the student representatives meeting with an extended group of students to discuss uniform options for the future. I felt privileged to be able to listen to the voice of our students as they gave wise, constructive and positive feedback.

Grade 6 Transition Days

Transition Days for Grade 6 students considering enroling at St Mary MacKillop College in Year 7 2023 begin on Tuesday 10th May and continue on Wednesday 11th May and Wednesday 18th May. The first day is open to all Grade 6 students from the local Primary Schools, the second day is for students from St Mary’s Primary School, Swan Hill and on the third day we will welcome the students from St Joseph’s Primary School, Kerang. Over the three days we anticipate that we will meet over 150 Grade 6 students. All students will be provided with a pack of information, including an enrolment form. If your child is unable to attend, please contact Damien Hirst (dhirst@mackillopsh.vic.edu.au) and we can arrange an alternate time for a transition visit.

Open Day, Subject Expo and Information Sessions

I invite you to save the date, Wednesday 25th May, into your calendar as this is our annual Open Day, Subject Expo and Information Evening. Tours will be available from 2:30pm with the Subject Expo opening at 5:00pm in the Jubilee Centre while information sessions run simultaneously in the Parish Function Centre (times to be advertised closer to the date). This is a very exciting event for staff and students as subjects are promoted, questions are answered and subject selection information is explained.

COVID Restrictions

The following changes to restrictions take effect in schools from 26th April 2022:

Face masks

From 11:59 pm Friday 22 April, face masks, while recommended, are not required in any school setting. Any student or staff member who wishes to wear a mask may do so, including those who are medically at-risk.

Screening requirements

Students and staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 and have completed their 7 day isolation period, now do not need to undertake rapid antigen test (RAT) screening for 12 weeks after their release from isolation. This was previously 8 weeks.

Household contacts

Students and staff who are household contacts of a COVID-19 case are no longer required to quarantine. They can return to school as long as they undertake rapid antigen tests (RAT) 5 times within their 7-day period and wear face masks indoors if they are aged 8 and above unless they have a valid exemption.

If any household contact returns a positive RAT result during this period, they must isolate for 7 days and not attend school.

Where a staff member or student is a household contact of a positive case they must inform the school. Household and household-like contacts are no longer required to quarantine as long as they take additional safety measures in the 7 days that would have been their quarantine period. Household contacts are required to inform the school that they are attending during the 7 day period.

Vaccination requirements for visitors to schools

Parents, carers and other adult visitors (not performing work) are no longer required to show evidence of two doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination requirements for education workers (including volunteers) remain unchanged.

RAT screening program extension reminder

The supply of RATs will continue for the first four weeks of this term. We have an abundance of Rapid Antigen Test kits available. All students are able to collect two boxes that will cover the first four weeks of term. If you require additional kits, due to the requirements of the household contact requirements, please speak with our Front Reception staff.

There are always exciting things happening in our school and Term 2 will not be any different.  I look forward to witnessing the students' involvement, participation and excitement in the opportunities provided to them.