Principal's Report

Dear parents,

A big thank you for your continuing efforts in supporting our school and students during the pandemic - especially prioritising safety and learning. The Department of Education has this week announced many changes to school settings.

These updated settings were developed in close consultation with NSW Health and key stakeholders to ensure we continue to keep our schools open for learning, while keeping up with changing community settings.

The updated settings include:

Usage of RAT's has moved to symptomatic testing. Our school will provide each student with 8 tests. Beyond that, students and staff can access PCR tests or buy their own rapid antigen tests as these are now readily available and accessible in the community.

From Monday 7 March, masks will no longer be mandatory for all staff. However, those who wish to continue to use them will be supported to do so.

Visitors are now allowed back on school sites regardless of their vaccination status. Our school will consider activities such as assemblies, parent-teacher meetings and other gatherings on a case basis. We will let you know if these can proceed within our school in a COVID-smart way. All visitors are asked to follow our usual sign-in and sign-out process.

Students are no longer required to remain in year groups or other cohorts and we are no longer required to use staggered start and finish times. The school day now operates between 9am - 3pm for all students.

Parents should not enter the school grounds in the morning. We kindly ask parents to drop at the gate. In afternoon parents are welcome to come on school grounds to collect their children. We ask that you follow the organisation in the parent communication sent via Seesaw.

Lots of great learning continues to occur everyday at Girraween PS. I look forward to visiting more classrooms in the coming weeks.

Keep dry and have a safe weekend!

Nigel McClifty

Rel. Principal