What schools are doing

The Victorian Government has announced some new measures for the beginning of the 2022 school year across all Victorian schools.

The measures set out in the Victorian Government’s Back-To-School plan will ensure every possible effort is made to ensure staff and students are safe and that schools remain open.

The plan maintains the importance of the 3Vs: Ventilation, Vaccination and Vital COVIDSafe steps and introduces some new measures.

Free rapid antigen tests

Free rapid antigen tests are available for the first 4 weeks of Term 1 2022. The school has received enough test kits for all students. Each student was provided with a kit to bring home on their first day of school and they received their second kit on the Tuesday of Week 2. When we deliver the next shipment we will inform the community.

Uncollected kits will be available for collection by students from the school's general office.

Each kit contains 5 individual tests which will be enough for testing for a 2 week period.

Twice-a-week testing, Monday and Thursday of each week is strongly recommended for both students and staff. Students and staff will do the tests at home and they will only need to report their result if it is COVID-positive. They must report a COVID-positive result to:

the school by phone or the RA Test Portal- students/families will need to register for an account; this is so the school can support them, record that they will be absent while in 7-day isolation, and let the rest of the school community know there has been a positive case onsite and that they should monitor for symptoms. The privacy of students and families will be upheld.
the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form or call centre on 1800 675 398.

Information about how to do a test and how to read RAT results, including a how-to video translated into 33 languages, is available online.

Vaccination requirements

Parents and carers must have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine or have a valid medical exception (with limited exceptions) to enter school buildings. All staff working in schools need to be fully vaccinated or have a verified medical exception.COVID-19 vaccinations for students are not required for them to attend school but vaccination for students is highly encouraged. For more information on how to book a vaccination, including important information about vaccination for children aged 5 to 11, visit Vaccination information for children and teenagers.

Ventilation

We will also make sure that classrooms are well ventilated by opening windows and doors, to minimise the risk of infection. We have received enough air purifiers for one to be situated in every classroom within the school. These units provide an additional safety measure.

Vital COVIDSafe measures

Hand hygiene, mask wearing, and social distancing will continue wherever possible in Term 1. Information was provided at the student assemblies on Day 1 about the COVIDsafe measures being implemented.

Face masks should be brought from home as the school has a limited supply. Please continue to keep your child at home if they are unwell.

Staffing our school

I know many of you will have questions about what happens if your child’s teacher gets COVID-19. We will be able to bring in extra teachers and other staff if we need them, and we will be doing everything that we can to make sure our school stays safe and open. Where teachers are isolating and able to teach from home, we will organise for them to connect virtually to the classroom and provide supervision in the classroom at school.

Feel free to contact us to clarify any concerns you may have.

Thank you for your continued support.

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