Sacred Heart Kew

COVIDSafe Measures & Reminders

COVIDSafe Measures & Reminders (Term 3, 2022) as of 16.9.2022

Please see below for some COVIDSafe measures (in no particular order) that will continue to be in place (in line with the latest CECV School Operations Guide).  

These include:

 

Face masks

It is recommended by the Department of Health that face masks are worn in indoor settings or outside where physical distancing is not possible.

 

Testing and isolation exemption period (4 weeks)

The period of time when someone is considered a recently confirmed case and therefore exempt from testing and isolation requirements is currently 4 weeks.

 

Cleaning and Hygiene 

Our school buildings and classrooms continue to be regularly cleaned and sanitised each day. Our children and staff continue to practise regular COVIDSafe hygiene practices each day, with both soap and Hand sanitiser available for use in all areas of the school.

 

Classrooms/Buildings (ventilation and fresh air flow in all areas)

All classrooms and shared spaces have increased fresh air flow. This includes natural ventilation such as: keeping windows, doors and vents open during the day in indoor spaces. The use of mechanical ventilation (such as air conditioning units and ceiling fans) is also operating in these indoor spaces, to maintain a comfortable temperature and sufficient air flow at all times. Flexible and physically distanced seating arrangements where possible will also occur. 

 

Air Purifiers

Air Purifiers have been placed in all classroom/learning spaces, including 'high traffic' areas across the school. These will continue to operate throughout the school each day.    

 

Parents On-site 

As per the current School Operations Guide, parents are able to come on-site at this time. 

 

Parents can drop their children off at their classroom each day.  We kindly ask that you drop your child off at the classroom and leave immediately. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding with this as we continue to fight a number of nasty germs and lurgies.   

 

General 'safety’ behaviours at School Drop Off and Pick Up

 

St John’s Parade

  • If picking up your children from the St John’s Parade ‘2 minute pick up’ point, please do not park in this area. This is solely a ‘pick up’ point and constant traffic flow is vitally important in this area.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cotham Road

  • A reminder too that each afternoon parents can wait for your child(ren) outside the Church and on the footpath (Cotham Road), in front of the school. This area is larger than the St John’s Parade area and can be accessed from the Cotham Road pedestrian entrance.  

Kiss and Drop

  • Our Kiss and Drop gates open from 8.30am - 8.45am in the morning and again from 3.15pm - 3.35pm in the afternoon. 
  • As stated above, ‘Kiss and Drop’ continues to be our preferred method of drop off and pick up of children. For this practice to run smoothly we greatly rely on all parents' support. As a whole school community we need to ensure that traffic flow is maintained, we cannot have cars parked during this process.  
  • If your children cannot do their seat belt up immediately upon entering the car, you must use the 2 minute drop off, pick up instead.  Please have your surname displayed on your visor (or in an elevated vertical position) so we can ensure smooth delivery of your child(ren) to each awaiting car. 

Other important COVIDSafe measures include:

 

Rapid Antigen Testing 

As previously mentioned, please see below for an update to some of our COVIDSafe measures, in particular, the use of RAT kits for the remainder of 2022.  

The Victorian Government will continue to provide rapid antigen tests (RATs) for use by students and staff for the remainder of 2022.

 

It is now recommended that RATs are used by students and staff ONLY when symptomatic. However, RATs are required to be used (each day) for five days if a student or staff member is a close contact of a confirmed case and they are attending or working at a school.

 

Students and staff must continue to notify the Department of Health and their school if they return a positive RAT result.

 

Thanks everyone for your ongoing support and understanding with all of the above, as we continue to keep everyone healthy and safe within our school community.

Process for positive COVID cases within the school community and Household contact information

Parents are STILL to contact the school if their child tests positive to COVID-19. Parents are also to inform the school when their child is deemed a 'household contact'. 

Parents are also to lodge the positive COVID-19 test result with the DH Covid hotline/website.

 

 

 

 

RECENT CHANGES TO ISOLATION PERIOD AND OTHER PROCEDURES

 

It is recommended that rapid antigen tests are used by students and staff when symptomatic. 

 

Any student or staff member who tests positive to COVID-19 must now isolate for a minimum of 5 instead of 7 days. If they are asymptomatic, they may return to school on day 6. If they are symptomatic, they must remain in isolation until day 7. If they have symptoms after 7 days, they are strongly advised to stay home until their symptoms have resolved. 

 

As an additional risk mitigation, the Department of Health strongly recommends that you wear a face mask away from home indoors and outdoors when you cannot physically distance. If you are leaving isolation on day 6, wear a mask for 5 days but particularly the first 2 days. If you are leaving isolation on day 7, wear a mask for 4 days but particularly first 2 days.

 

Household Contacts

Household contacts are required to test negative using a rapid antigen test on at least 5 out of 7 if they are attending or working at a school onsite. Household contacts attending school who are over 8 years of age are required to wear face masks indoors unless they have a valid exception. However, if any household contact returns a positive RAT result during this period, they must isolate for 5 days and not attend school. 

 

As mentioned above, if your child is deemed a ‘household contact’, please communicate this information with the school as soon as possible.  

  • When a Covid positive case is identified with the school setting, ONLY the class/year level families of the positive case will be notified and encouraged to monitor their child for symptoms. 

Children who are unwell (with Covid like symptoms)

 

A reminder of the importance of children not attending school if they are feeling unwell, however mild their symptoms may be.  Any child who presents with symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), however mild, should get tested as soon as possible. 

 

If a child presents as unwell, parents will be contacted immediately to collect their child.  As you can appreciate we are unable to have unwell children remain at school under our current COVIDSafe plan. 

 

Families are highly encouraged to follow ALL directions provided to them by the Department of Health (DH). Children should not return to school until all symptoms have been resolved. 

 

Thanks to all parents for your support and cooperation with the above items as we do our very best to keep all school community members healthy and safe during this time.