Rocky River Public School Newsletter

School Information

COVID Information - Term 3

In Term 3 2022, all schools will operate with a number of COVID-smart measures that have been developed with NSW Health to minimise transmission and keep schools open.

These key measures include:

  • strongly encouraging mask-wearing indoors for all students and staff
  • rapid antigen testing (RAT) of students and staff who have COVID-19 symptoms or are identified as close contacts
  • strongly recommending staff and students keep up-to-date with their vaccinations
  • maximising natural ventilation
  • encouraging regular hand washing
  • boosting enhanced day cleaning of schools
  • assessing risk and applying appropriate safeguards across activities and events
  • learning remotely where face-to-face learning is not possible.

In certain circumstances, NSW Health and the Department of Education may advise that additional COVID-smart measures be temporarily reintroduced at a school. These temporary measures may include:

  • ceasing large indoor gatherings
  • ceasing off-site and inter-school activities
  • cancelling or postponing overnight activities and excursions, including school camps
  • mandating mask wearing for adults and high school students
  • limiting visitors to schools
  • separating cohorts of students
  • learning from home or remotely.

Close contacts attending school

Students and staff who are identified as close contacts and have no symptoms can attend school if they follow certain guidelines agreed with NSW Health:

  1. They must notify the school if they are intending to return under this provision.
  2. They should conduct a daily RAT and return a negative result each morning before attending school for 5 school days.
  3.  Primary school students are recommended to wear a mask indoors (except when eating or exercising).
  4. No student or staff member identified as a close contact will be permitted to participate in overnight excursions, including school camps.
  5. Any visitor to a school site who is a close contact is required to advise the school that they are a close contact before they come on site. These visitors should conduct a daily RAT and return a negative result before attending. They must also wear a mask indoors at all times. Schools should consider if the visit can be conducted virtually.

Note that staff and students who have had confirmed COVID-19 in the last 4 weeks do not have to comply with the following guidelines if they become a household or close contact and are not required to self-isolate or test unless they develop new COVID-19 symptoms.

 

Testing

Remember: Staff and students cannot attend school if they are showing any symptoms of COVID-19. If symptoms occur at any time, your child should not attend school and should undertake a rapid antigen test (RAT).

 

The school has supplies of RAT Kits for staff and families. These RAT kits can be used for symptomatic testing or for daily testing as part of the close contact requirements.

 

If a student is unwell and has any COVID-19 symptoms, even the mildest of symptoms, they should always test for COVID-19.

 

If the test comes back negative for COVID-19, the student should still not return to school until either:

  • The student no longer has any symptoms, or
  • A medical certificate is provided to the school confirming that symptoms are explained by another diagnosis (such as hay fever).

 

It is important that students do not attend school if they are unwell, even if they have tested negative for COVID-19. Rapid antigen tests can produce false negative results and symptoms of other illnesses can also be similar to COVID-19, including flu, the common cold and stomach bugs. Health advice is that students who are sick should always stay home to rest and recover and avoid putting other students and staff at risk of getting sick.

 

For further information, please click the link below:

Term3_COVID-smart_measures.pdf

 

School Hats - No Hat, No Play

Please ensure that your child has a school hat for use whenever outside every day at school. We have a number of children requesting spare hats each day and sharing personal items can pose a health risk. 

School hats are available for $10 from the school office.

Students who do not have a hat at school are asked to remain in the shaded areas during break times as part of our no hat / no play policy.

 

School Staff

Principal – Brad Hunt

Assistant Principal Curriculum & Instruction - Mrs Sarah Harper

Classroom Teacher Lower Division – Jess Fortescue & Emma Schaeffer

Classroom Teacher Upper Division – Brad Hunt, Leah Miller, Emma Schaeffer 

School Administrative Manager – Anne Miller 

School General Assistant – Chris Schaeffer 

 

School Times

Lessons commence 9.00 am. 

Recess 11.00 am. – 11.30am. 

Lunch 1.00 pm. – 1.45 pm. 

Lessons finish 3.00 pm. 

School bus departs 3.25 pm – 3.30 pm. 

 

Other Information

  • Canteen Operates on a Wednesday by volunteers. 
  • Scripture is on a Thursday afternoon provided by the Anglican Church of Uralla. 
  • Library is every Tuesday for Lower Division School Sport is held each Friday. 
  • P & C Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month at 5.30pm. 
  • The school newsletter is produced every 2 weeks. We are currently discussing the possibility of moving to an online platform for this. However, at this time, a copy is sent home to each family on the day it is published. This can be emailed to you if you wish (just email the school and we will add you to the mailing list) and it is uploaded onto our school website and our SkoolBag app.

School Uniform

  • GIRLS: Summer uniform; Navy Blue shorts/slacks, Rocky River School shirt, navy socks, black joggers/shoes, maroon school hat Winter uniform; as for summer, but navy slacks or track pants. School jacket Sport: Navy Track Pants in winter & Rocky River Polo Shirt. 
  • BOYS: Summer uniform; Grey short/long pants, Rocky River School shirt, grey socks, black joggers/shoes, maroon school hat. Winter uniform; as for summer, but navy track pants may be worn. School jacket Sport: Navy Track Pants in winter & Rocky River Polo Shirt. 
  • School hats and Rocky River shirts and jackets can be purchased at school through the P & C. Kindergarten students receive a complimentary hat when they commence school. The P&C have a clothing pool of second hand clothing available. 
  • Please contact the front office if you are require assistance. You can access the order form for shirts, hats and jackets through our SkoolBag app. School App 

Contact Information

Student Transport Information