Principal's Message

 

 

 

Dear Parents and Carers,

RE:  St Philomena’s School Flood Clean-up Progress Update No.2 - 23042021

I would like to extend a warm welcome back to Term 2 to all our family of St Philomena’s and trust that everyone has had an enjoyable and safe Easter and Term Break.

Although absent of staff and students, the school has been a hive of activity over the term break, as the extensive clean-up, repair and restoration work continued, to ensure the school would be a safe, clean and sanitary environment for our staff and students to return on the first day of Term 2.

A meeting with Cowan (Flood Restoration) and Patterson (Builders & Repairers) early this week identified that drying of the school would continue for another 6 – 8 weeks to ensure all potential issues/risks regarding moisture and mould would be eliminated to all buildings.  Extensive drying to all St Philomena’s buildings is required to be carried out as a result of the flood waters entering the underneath areas of the buildings.  Before the drying could commence, approximately 30cm of soil beneath all the buildings needs to be either removed (access permitting) or treated to ensure all toxins from the flood water is removed. 

Along with the drying and sanitising of all the classrooms, the restoration teams have also replaced the contaminated sand from both sandpits, repaired damaged sections of the pavers in front of the main office, and replaced the contaminated soft fall underneath the play equipment.  This extensive work means that all play areas for our students have been thoroughly cleaned and sanitised, and thus safe for our students to play in and around.

A meeting this morning with the Cowan Restoration Team, provided exciting news, identifying that the Canteen, Staff/Visitor Bathrooms, Undercover Bus Bay and the Primary Boys and Girls Bathrooms will all be fully operational and sanitised for use by Monday 26th April.  This is wonderful news for our school community.  That being said, our canteen will operate with a limited menu next week which can be accessed via the Qkr app.  I would like to thank our school community for their patience around the closure of the school canteen during this time.

I will continue to provide updates throughout the term as further progress, restoration and repairs are made to the school.

God bless,

Jamie McDowall

Principal