Principal News

Dear Sacred Heart School Community

Students Onsite

Our Chief Health Officer yesterday recommended primary-school-age children wear masks while indoors and outdoors, which includes those students working onsite at school.  At this stage it is a recommendation and is not mandatory. 

During this lockdown we are averaging around a low twenty students at school each day. All these students have parents who are permitted workers. This number of students which equates to about a fifth/sixth of our student population, is similar to what principal colleagues have reported in their schools.

I am comfortable letting parents make a personal decision about their children wearing masks if they are one of the student cohort attending school.

As the photo below details, our students attending school are completing the same work as those learning offsite. The picture shows our Year Prep Classroom Teacher Bethany's literacy lesson from last Thursday, in which all children in Year Prep participated whether on or offsite. 

Finally can I also reiterate the message contained in last week's newsletter which is published below.

Please, Please, Please .................................... Please

We have all seen the pictures of groups of people over the weekend not adhering to the regulations our state government has instituted to reduce the spread of the Covid virus, and have been made aware of the affect this has had, not being able to reduce the transmission of the virus. It is certainly not my place to be the arbiter of our school community's decision making on weekends, and it would be very wrong for me to make judgement in this newsletter. What I would ask however, is that all our families, particularly those with children attending school during lockdown, be aware that decisions out of school hours can decrease or increase the chance of the virus infecting our school community. Our staff, just like supermarket workers, staff who work in nursing homes and workers in the health profession are on the front line. As for our students, I have an obligation to ensure as much as possible their safety. I know the restrictions are difficult, I also have two children, but we will not be able to beat this virus unless as a school community we to do our part.

Please stay safe.

Regards

Mark Tierney

Principal