Principal's Report
Dear Parents,
This past week we have welcomed back our Prep and Grade 1/2 students as well as our Grade 5/6 students. It's been lovely to see the smiling faces of our students back on site. We are looking forward to welcoming our grade 3/4 students back onsite this week.
Despite such an extended period in remote learning it has been fantastic to see students have settled back into classroom learning, demonstrating amazing resilience.
Mackellar will continue to follow the health advice to ensure staff and students are safe onsite.
Students will return to onsite learning in a staggered structure. Ventilation strategies, wearing masks and continuing to follow health advice will help maintain schools as safe places.
All staff, students and visitors to schools should undertake regular hand hygiene, particularly on arrival to school, before and after eating, after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the toilet.
Hand sanitiser is available at entry points to all classrooms.
Stay home when unwell and get tested.
The most important action school communities can take to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19, is to ensure that any unwell staff and students remain at home and get tested, even with the mildest of symptoms.
It is crucial that parents adhere to our ongoing COVID safe measures including not entering the buildings, and all adults on the school site MUST be wearing a mask and MUST maintain social distancing.
Below are some critical dates and information for the next three weeks. Please read these carefully so you aware when your child can attend onsite. If they are attending onsite, they are also able to make use of before and after school care for those days. These dates will also be sent to parents via XUNO closer to the time so you will be well aware of the dates which relate to you.
All students in Grade 3-6 are required to wear a face mask only when indoors on school premises, unless an exception applies.
IMPORTANT DATES OCTOBER 25 - 29
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
Prep students onsite for three days in their classrooms with their teacher.
Tuesday and Wednesday
Grade 3 and 4 students onsite for two days in their classrooms with their teacher.
Thursday and Friday
Grade 1 and 2 students onsite for two days in their classrooms with their teacher.
Thursday and Friday
Grade 5 and 6 students onsite for two days in their classrooms with their teacher.
All students continue with remote learning and flexible learning on the days they are not onsite. Children of essential workers and vulnerable children from all year levels can attend onsite as usual.
IMPORTANT DATES NOVEMBER 1 - 2
Monday November 1st - On this day we will be holding a pupil free day. We understand after such a long lockdown that a pupil free day at this point is bad timing, however there are a number of reasons as to why this date cannot be altered. We sincerely apologise for this inconvenience. TheirCare will operate on this day for students booked in.
Tuesday November 2nd - Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday (School Closed).
IMPORTANT DATE WENESDAY NOVEMBER 3
From Wednesday November 3, remote and flexible learning ceases and all students attend onsite every day.
From this point on, it will be up to all of us to make sure we do all we can to stay COVID safe. As you know all school staff must have had their first vaccination by October 15 with all school staff double-dosed by November 29.
I've certainly had both of my vaccinations and I would encourage each and every one of us to talk to our GP and ensure we are double-dosed as well.
Term 4 Hat Policy
Please ensure all students bring an approved sunsmart hat to school in Term 4.
Kind Regards,
Simon McGlade
Principal
