Especean

Whole School

Opening Mass & High Achievers’ Assembly

You will have received an email from the College on Monday about this coming Friday 5 February, when we will celebrate our faith and our academic achievements at the Quay Centre Homebush. All students and staff will be present on the day for the two events, and parents can watch via video link (the links for both events are contained in the email). Please check your email for specific information regarding the day. This email outlines all matters related to transport, food, times, medical needs and uniform. Please note that any absences will require a Doctor’s Certificate, and all student mobile phones will need to be left in the lunch tubs for the Opening Mass and then are to be switched off for the High Achievers’ Assembly. It is a very important day in the College Calendar and we look forward to celebrating as one.

 

Michael Cutrupi                                and                        Gillian Daley

Director of Curriculum                                                 Director of Identity

 

Youth Achievement Awards

Towards the end of 2020, some of our students were recognised by the Rotary Club of Strathfield for their achievements in 2019. They are as follows:

 

Award Recipients 

 

Ryan Littlechild (Class of 2020) for his outstanding contribution to sports in Sailing – Junior Male category.

 

Matteo Guerra (Year 11) for his outstanding contribution to sports in Futsal – Junior Male category.

 

Certificates of Commendation

 

Arts & Culture

Alexander Maltas (Year 12) for his musical endeavours in Violin.

 

Sports – Junior Male

Jack Dwyer (Year 11) – for his achievements in Water Polo.

Dylan Parks (Year 10) - for his achievements in Rock Climbing. 

 

Science & Technology 

Yun Yi (Year 9) – for his achievements in AI Robotics.

Joel Hallifax (Year 9) – for his achievements in Computer Programming.

I would like to congratulate these students on their hard work and commitment and have no doubt they will continue to shine in their areas of interest. Well done gentlemen!

 

Rob Simpson

Director of Wellbeing

 

St Patrick’s College COVID-19 Safety Plan 

Update for Parents and Carers

St Patrick’s College is a registered with the NSW Government as a COVID Safe Business.

 

We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and all visitors and we assure the College community that we are vigilent in keeping abreast of all restrictions and best practice for schools. The following provides a summary of our current COVID-19 Safety Plan requirements relevant to students and parents:

Latest COVID-19 case locations

  • Staff, students, contractors and visitors are required to check the latest COVID-19 case locations in NSW and follow the recommended actions. Monitor the NSW Confirmed Locations site and follow the relevant health advice if you have been at any of the locations at the specified dates and times.

Testing Requirements

  • Staff or students with flu like symptoms must not attend the College campus or any College event until their symptoms have ceased. Before returning to the College campus or attending any College event, evidence of a negative test result is required.
  • If a student develops flu like symptoms while at the College or at any College event, they will be required to be picked up from the College or the College event, by parent or carer immediately and must not attend the campus until their symptoms have ceased. Before returning to College, a negative test result must be provided to the College.
  • If a close contact of a staff member or student is advised to get tested/self-isolate for 14 days, the College is recommending that the staff member or student does not return to the College or any College events until a negative test result is provided.

Health, Hygiene and PPE Practices

  • Classroom doors and windows are to be left open wherever possible.
  • Hand sanitiser is supplied in all classrooms and to all staff and good hygiene practices among staff and students promoted, such as regular handwashing and covering mouths when coughing and using tissues when sneezing.
  • Posters have been erected in bathrooms and staff rooms reminding staff and students how to stop the spread of COVID-19.
  • Regular monitoring of bathrooms is in place to check for adequate supplies of soap and supplies has been implemented as part of the enhanced cleaning regime of touchpoints.
  • Masks may be worn by any person who wishes to wear one. All staff and students over 12 must comply with the Mandatory Face Coverings Order 2021 when travelling to and from schools and during school excursions by public or private transport services.
  • Bubblers are open however all students should bring a water bottle.

Physical Distancing

  • All adults including staff, contractors, volunteers, coaches, sports coaches and other visitors are required to remain at least 1.5 metres from each other at all times, including in staff rooms, before, during and after school, sports and at all College events, whether internal or external.
  • Physical distancing of students is not required however, wherever possible, students should stay within their cohort group (e.g class, year group/stage).

Visitors to the College

  • Parents are advised they may only attend the College campus in an emergency, to pick up an unwell student, for serious matters, or by appointment. Attendance at the uniform shop is via appointment.
  • Non-essential adults are to be excluded from school unless involved directly in the delivery of curriculum activities, maintenance or health services, officials or dignatories or as allowed under the guidelines of the day.
  • All visitors to the College must sign in to reception and are provided with the ‘External Visitors to School Site form’ which outlines our COVID Safe requirements.
  • Gatherings on the College campus are limited to 30 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.
  • Students and parents will be informed when certain special events are allowable (for e.g Orientations).
  • The St Patrick’s College Strathfield QR Code should be used for any gatherings on the College campus involving more than five parents or other visitors.
  • P&F meetings must occur outside of school hours.

Excursions, Incursions & Events

  • Excursions, incursions and events are allowable and any attendees need to be free of any flu like symptoms. International excursions are not permitted.
  • All external venues engaged by the College must have a COVID-19 Safety Plan.
  • Where a venue requires a QR Code sign in for a College event, the College does not require its own QR code sign in.  There should only be a singular sign on.
  • Outdoor events involving community participation (e.g morning teas, barbecues or picnic events with parents) can proceed and with the current maximum of 30 people.
  • Students over the age of 12 and staff must comply with the Mandatory Face Coverings Order 2021 when travelling to and from school and during school excursions when on public transport or by chartered or private transport services.
  • Interschool activities are permissable.

Sports 

  • All interschool sports and physical activities, carnivals and gala days can continue.  This means that schools and students may travel outside of their local community.
  • Non-essential adults should be excluded from sporting activities held during the normal school day at school.
  • It should be noted that the specific protocols set down by organisers or venues, must also be followed, e.g ISA.  This includes limits on spectators.
  • The number of parents attending the carnivals will be dictated by the capacity of the venue or the parent spectator limit set down by the College.
  • Only one parent spectator per student participant is allowed to attend basketball fixtures. Both parents and siblings are able to support students at cricket, softball and baseball fixtures.
  • Parent spectators are not allowed at training on school grounds.
  • If high school students are expected to sing, chant or cheer at carnivals, then all spectators should wear masks in the grandstand or seating area.
  • Students are required to use appropriate cough etiquette and are discouraged from spitting or clearing nasal passage.
  • Students are encouraged to wash hands thoroughly before and after sport and to use hand sanitiser.
  • Students should provide their own personal items such as water bottles, towels, clothing, mouthguards, etc as required.
  • Students and parents are not to congregate and socialise at the commencement or conclusion of games or while waiting to pick up players from training.
  • Students are asked to clean any shared face shields used for cricket with a disinfectant wipe after each use.
  • Students are asked to clean mouthguards properly at the end of each session.

Singing, Music, Dance and Drama

  • In Years 5 and 6, in class educational activities such as group repetition, chanting, recitation is permitted with no cap provided these activities can take place in large, well-ventilated classroom settings with windows and doors open where possible.
  • For Years 7-12, no more than five performers can sing indoors. There is no cap on performers singing outdoors. A small group of up to five people may sing together in one area if all singers face forward and not towards each other, have physical distancing of 1.5 metres between each other and any other performers, and five metres distancing from all other people in front, including the audience and conductor.
  • Audience members may sing outdoors, however anyone over the age of 12 must wear a mask.
  • Audience members must not sing when indoors.
  • Musical instrument ensembles may continue.
  • Dance and drama group work may continue but be limited to year groups, where possible.

Eloise Cadogan

Risk & Compliance Officer