Dear Sacred Heart School Community

Yesterday afternoon, I was asked by MACS (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools), to contact DHHS and find out about our school's status as a COVID 19 exposure sight. Upon conveying all relevant information such as timelines and the fact that all primary contacts (students and staff) had been tested and had received a negative result, I was given the great news that our school was considered a Tier 2 site.

This means that on Monday, all our Year Prep students can return to the classroom with Bethany, and all our Year One students on Thursday. It also means the staff who were considered close contacts, can be in at school next week as well.

I am incredibly grateful to the parents and guardians who had their children tested immediately, and staff who also got tested. Your willingness to cooperate with the protocols has allowed our school to be deemed a Tier 2 site, allowing all close contact students to be onsite next week as children of permitted workers, or when their class transitions back. The willingness of all involved to follow the Chief Health Officer's protocols also allows us to face next week with some confidence for our student's health and safety in these trying times. Thank you.

Our "positive student" (sorry this sounds very cold), continues to be a bundle of energy which is great news. Thank you to those parents who have reached out to offer any assistance to this family.

Timetable

Week Beginning Monday 18th October

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - Year Prep students onsite

Thursday and Friday - Year One and Two students onsite

Week Beginning Monday 25th October

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - Year Prep students onsite

Thursday and Friday - Year One and Two students onsite

Tuesday and Wednesday - Year Three and Four students onsite

Thursday and Friday - Year Five and Six students onsite

During this transition period, we acknowledge our commitment to provide onsite learning on days when their class is not at school, to those students whose parents are permitted workers.

Protocols (As of Monday)

All students from Year Three to Six are to wear facemasks inside the school building (This is a mandate from our Chief Health Officer. If there is a legitimate reason your child cannot wear a face mask please email
Parents/Guardians are not permitted into the yard of a morning or afternoon after next week (We will have one week of grace of a morning, as we realise there may be some students coming back next week who will need some encouragement from mum and dad)
Parents are asked to limit their presence in the school office. If business can be completed over the phone or by email please do so
If you do need to enter the office, please remember to QR code and face masks are mandatory
We realise that some students will have grown out of the school summer uniform. Please do not stress as our uniform shop cannot be open until further notice for obvious reasons. If it means your child has to wear an item of coloured clothing not a problem until we get back into a routine.

Our staff will be following strict protocols over the coming weeks to limit the possibility of a COVID outbreak, and in the event it does occur, that it's limited to a small cohort and not the school. Classes will not be mixing, windows and doors will remain open, we will utilise outdoor learning opportunities and movement around the school will be limited. I will provide a further updates on these protocols next week. At this sage there is no word on the air purifiers that are going into all school.

In conclusion we are so looking forward to the next two weeks, as our magnificent students transition back. I acknowledge in the excitement, there will be some apprehension and yes anxiety. Please read Kate's information (in wellbeing section of this newsletter) which addresses these perfectly natural emotions, and how you can help your children over the next few weeks.

Please take care

Regards

Mark

Principal

Yours sincerely,

Mark Tierney

Principal

Sacred Heart School

Sacred Heart Primary School Newsletter

Students are at the Heart of everything we do!

Special Bulletin 21 , 2021 · 15 Oct 2021

In this issue