A very warm welcome back to Term 4.

It will be a Term that everyone will be looking forward to I’m sure as we transition back into the routine of face to face learning over the coming weeks. The College is built on forming deep relationships and a strong sense of community. While this has been maintained over the past six months due to the extensive commitment of our children and young people, you the families and our staff, there is now real excitement and anticipation in the air as we prepare to transition everyone back to the campus.

The circumstance during Terms 2 and 3 have challenged us all but the College’s resilience has shone through. There have been countless examples of staff, students and families initiating new ways of teaching, learning and staying connected and well. These examples of innovation and support for the wellbeing of our community speak volumes about the underlying culture here at the College and it is something that we can all be grateful for. It is testament to all in our community now and to the successive generations of people who have gone before us. But it is also deeper than that. It is actually part of our Josephite DNA that goes right back to the founder St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.

From a wellbeing perspective, the focus of the staff and students will continue around enhancing their ability to BOUNCE forward. Bouncing forward is the ability to continue to push forward either during or after being challenged. These challenges can take many shapes and sizes. Possessing the ability to do so, allows our staff and students to continue to B E C O U R A G E O U S in overcoming these challenges and continue to thrive.

Young people often face adversity and change, and it is vital that they develop the skills to cope effectively with these challenges. Everybody at some point will face challenge – and we have no choice but to move forward the best we can.

Staff and students will be provided with a resource that has been designed to help students, parents and teachers to explore and develop the steps that can be taken to spark the mind and body into readiness in order to B E C O U R A G E O U S.

The focus is centred around building positive routines, eating healthy, exercising, positive mindset, sleep and cultivating gratitude. These key pieces of the wellbeing puzzle will be focused on through an extended homeroom on the first day of onsite learning and a follow up pastoral lesson the next day.

Central to a positive school climate is a sense of safety - where children and young people are confident in adults’ ability to keep them safe; where they are provided refuge from challenges that they experience outside of the school; and where they can relax (and learn) in an environment that is free from harm. Through the first week of onsite learning, the students will be delivered a session that will provide them with an overview of what it means to feel and be safe. The students will be are provided with a brochure (below) which includes but is not limited to forms of abuse, who and where they can obtain support.

The College acknowledges that feeling safe and respected at school and being happy and healthy has a direct impact on each student’s capacity for optimal learning – and for them to flourish in their chosen field. Equally, enjoying school and being engaged in learning influences a student’s wellbeing – in particular their confidence and resilience. Each child will be empowered with the understanding of how to contribute to this style of environment and how to seek help if they feel unsafe or disrespected.

All of our wellbeing resources will continue to be produced into the future and will form the springboard for many of our wellbeing initiatives moving forward. These can be found on the College website and on our social media channels.

Wishing you all a wonderful Term 4.

Departure Procedures

We will be operating two main entrances to the College through Term 4.

Bus Arrivals/Departures: Main College Entrance
Parent Drop Off/Pick Ups: Top Car Park

Students with A – K surnames will depart at 3.10pm.

Students with L-Z surnames remain in their classrooms until 3.15pm to allow for staggered movement.

Students catching buses will be notified over the PA system.

Departure movement of students

Years 7 & 8 students (from the Years 7 & 8 building) will move to the buses along the high path closest to the Art Rooms and then down towards the music rooms.
Year 8 students in the main building will exit out through the exterior doors and alongside the chapel
Years 9-10 students will be the usual path alongside the chapel
VCAL students will move down between the Food Tech and Middle School buildings
VCE students will move through the hallway or exterior doors alongside the library and administration building and Principal’s office.

Parent Pick Ups will be facilitated via surname and occur as follows:

A – K 3.10pm-3.25pm
L – Z 3.25pm-3.40pm

Pioneer Hall for overflow of students during the waiting period. We ask that parents remain in their cars. Parents may text their child/ren when they have arrived.

In the Classrooms

Year 7-10 classes will use their lockers, as they are in classrooms. Classroom teachers will factor in management of locker access at the commencement and conclusion of classes to ensure staggered access to lockers.

Tables are to be separated in order to support social distancing.

When students have a PE class, they may come to school in Full PE uniform for Term 4.

New warm sports jackets are available from Carly Kitchingman for families who wish to purchase these.

Hand sanitisers are now available at various locations in classrooms and hallways. During movement between classes students and staff are required to use sanitiser upon entering a classroom.

Each teacher is asked to remind students to use sanitiser at the conclusion of EVERY class.

Recess and Lunch

The oval and soccer pitches are out of bounds until further notice.

Location for students at Recess and Lunch:

Years 7/8 students will use Pioneer Hall toilets for the remainder of Term 4. The students will have access to the area behind the Years 7/8 building, the playground, between the Tech and Arts building and between the Office block and Arts Building. Left hand side (Pioneer Hall rear) of the basketball courts.

Years 9/10 students are to use the Central Toilets. They will access the right-hand side (main driveway side) basketball courts, the deck and surrounding chapel area.

Years 11/12 students are to use the Central Toilets. The students have use of the senior oval and new landscaped area between the library and new building.

During wet weather classrooms will be open to students, sub-schools may provide activities (e.g. a movie) to assist students with self-regulation of behaviour.

Canteen

The canteen will re-open on 12th October until end of term with staggered times for each sub-school.

Years 7 & 8 12.50 - 1.05pm

Years 9 & 10 1.05pm - 1.20pm

Years 11 & 12 1.20pm - 1.30pm

Queuing markers will be placed on the ground for social distancing purposes.

Face Masks

Students who travel to school via bus are now required to wear their face mask to and from school on the bus.

What are the different types of face masks and which one should I use?

The term ‘face mask’ includes any paper or textile covering designed or made to be worn over the nose and mouth to protect the wearer. It does not have to be medical grade and you can make your own. Both cloth face masks and single-use face masks (commonly called surgical masks) are suitable for use to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Surgical face masks are made with a non-woven melt blown polypropylene layer and available in various levels of protection. These are single use face masks only, meaning they cannot be washed and used again.

There are other types of face masks and respirators (such as P2 or N95). These are not recommended for use in the community and not advised to be used outside of healthcare or specific industries under health advice.

Can I wear a face shield instead of a cloth or reusable face mask?

No.

Victorians are now required to wear a fitted cloth or reusable face mask that covers the nose and mouth. Face shields may be worn in addition to a cloth or reusable face mask, but cannot be worn in place of a fitted face mask.

During face-to-face learning, the health and wellbeing of students and staff is

of the utmost importance.

If a student or staff member attends school and are unwell, the student or staff member must be sent home immediately.

Students and staff who feel unwell should not attend the school.

Students and Staff Become Unwell at School

If a student or staff member is experiencing signs or symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, chills or sweats, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of sense of smell), appropriate school staff must isolate the student / staff member. Arrangements must be made for the student / staff member to be immediately sent home or to a medical practitioner.

An unwell student / staff member must be moved to a single room away from others, or if not available or appropriate, an area well removed from contact with others, being mindful of the wellbeing and safety of the student / staff member. Identify a safe place for the student / staff member to be separated from others. The student should also be supervised (for example in an office with windows). It is also important to re-assure an unwell student by using age-appropriate language, whilst waiting for an appropriate adult to collect the student from school.

This will reduce the anxiety levels of the unwell student.

School staff who have escorted / monitored an unwell student / staff member should remember to maintain good hand / respiratory hygiene. The easiest way to protect other students, staff and the school community is to:

wash hands regularly with soap and running water, for at least 20 seconds
dry hands with a paper towel or hand dryer before eating and after using the toilet
avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth
cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. If a tissue is not available, remind students and staff to cough or sneeze into their upper sleeve or elbow.

In the context of schools supporting children with complex health needs, if the care of an unwell child or young person is to be prolonged (for example, because it will take some hours for a parent to collect a child) and maintaining distance is not practical when providing direct care, then gloves, gown and eye protection should be used.

Face masks should not be used in situations where an individual is unable to safely or practically tolerate a mask (for example a child with complex medical needs, including existing respiratory needs, and younger children).

Follow cleaning guidance according to the situation of the case. For example, if a child spreads droplets by sneezing, coughing or vomiting, clean surfaces immediately with disinfectant wipes and seal waste in a plastic bag before disposing.

If staff members have any concerns in relation to their health, they should contact their medical practitioner.

Parents, guardians or carers of students with a health care plan should ensure this is up-to-date and that it provides additional advice, where required, on monitoring and identification of their child in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.

A student or staff member who is unwell should remain at home until they are well. Medical clearance from a student or staff member’s medical practitioner is not required upon their return to school, unless the staff member or student has been tested for COVID-19 and received a negative result.

Where a student who undergoes testing for COVID-19, any sibling(s) of the student being tested must also remain home until a negative test result has been received.

Playground Equipment

Students are permitted to play on outdoor playground equipment during school time, provided the school implements a strict cleaning and disinfecting program, including after each recess and lunch break.

Where playground equipment is accessible to the public outside of school hours, the strict cleaning and disinfecting program should also be completed before school to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

The Junior School Playground will operate the following way:

Year 7: Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Year 8: Tuesday, Thursday

Temperature Testing

Students will again be temperature tested before entering the College in Pioneer Hall.

Mary MacKillop Newsletter

"So great is the strength we possess in our unity" Mary MacKillop 1874

Issue 5 · 09 Oct 2020

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