Important Information

Lunch Time Clubs and Extra Curricular Activities

Reporting and Managing Positive COVID Cases at School

Where a positive result is recorded by a student on a rapid antigen test, their parent/carer or student must report that result to the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form  or call centre on  1800 675 398.

The parent/carer  must also report the result directly to the school by email and using the new RA Test Portal. The school must enter that information into the DET VicEd COVID Tool. 

Where a positive result is recorded by a staff member, that result must be reported to the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form  or call centre on  1800 675 398.

Staff must also report a positive result through EduPay. 

The student or staff member who has tested positive must isolate for 7 days.

Schools are no longer required to individually identify the close contacts of a positive case. Instead, schools need to inform the school community or cohorts as applicable, at the earliest opportunity, that:

• there was a positive case onsite
• all members of the school community should monitor closely for symptoms
• staff and students should continue with twice-a-week or 5-times-a-week rapid antigen testing (depending on whether they are attending or employed at a mainstream or specialist school, respectively).

It is important the privacy of all positive cases is protected and informing the community of cases will be done to parents/carers via email/news feed through Sentral.

At this stage 5/6C and 5/6 EB were informed last Monday evening that a staff member had tested positive, and two students the following morning from 5/6C.  From  today the whole school community will be informed of our cases, if they have attended school. We have many families who have not started back at school and are absent for a mixture of reasons including testing positive, in isolation or unable to return to Victoria from holidays.

I thank all our families for their continued support as we navigate a very complex set of arrangements. If you are ever unsure please contact the school via phone (during school hours) or email.

Additional COVID Safe Measures at MPRPS&K 

Key behaviours required for reducing coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission risk include staying home when unwell, performing regular hand hygiene, and where possible pursuing strategies to support physical distancing. Face masks are recommended for all students in Years 3-6 and when 1.5 metres physical distancing cannot be maintained. 

Air Purifiers 

Air Purifiers have been installed in the Kindergarten and School classrooms. As schools are required to increase fresh air flow into indoor spaces whenever possible and to maximise the use of outdoor learning areas and environments, the air purifiers sit alongside a broad suite of controls to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in school settings, including vaccination, physical distancing, good hygiene, cleaning and mask use.

Cleaning 

Additional cleaning arrangements will continue in Term 1. COVIDSafe routine cleaning will be in place, which involves daily end-of-school-day cleaning, with a particular focus on cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces.

Face Masks 

• Face masks are mandatory for all school students in Grade 3 and above when indoors including at Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) programs unless a lawful exception applies. Face masks can be removed while outdoors at primary schools.

Practise good hygiene 

• 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. Staff will direct or supervise young students where required. 
• Sharing of food is not recommended. Where this occurs, individual portions should be encouraged alongside strict hand hygiene. 
• Use non-contact greetings (not shaking hands, hugging or kissing). 

Ensure physical distancing 

• Staff must practise physical distancing 1.5m between themselves and other staff members or adults to the extent that is reasonably practicable. Staff should physically distance themselves from students where appropriate and feasible.  
• Density limits do not apply in classrooms and other spaces for the purposes of student use, including corridors and other shared areas. 
• Density limits of one person per two square metres apply to staff areas such as staff lunchrooms and areas accessed by the public, such as reception areas.  

Strategies that can be considered to support physical distancing include: 

• the careful management of movement of adults through school reception and staff rooms  
• management of congestion within the school and at entry/exit points  

Stay home when unwell  

The most important action school communities can take to reduce the risk of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19), is to ensure that any unwell staff and students remain at home and get tested, even with the mildest of symptoms.  

Students with underlying conditions (such as hay fever or asthma) 

• If a student has persistent symptoms due to an underlying condition such as hay fever or asthma, the student should still be tested for coronavirus (COVID-19) if they develop symptoms that are different to or worse than their usual symptoms.  
• Parents/carers should also consider getting a medical certificate from the child’s treating GP to confirm that it is safe for them to attend school with persistent symptoms that may overlap with some of the symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) such as cough or runny nose. 

Young children with persistent mild symptoms 

• Younger children (pre-school up to Grade 2) may have prolonged post-viral symptoms such as a runny nose or cough and may return to school following a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test even if they are not completely free of symptoms. They will need a medical certificate from their GP to confirm they are otherwise well or have recovered from their acute illness. 
• Any worsening of symptoms will require review and repeat coronavirus (COVID-19) testing, if considered appropriate by the doctor. 

Students with a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test whose symptoms have completely resolved do not need a medical certificate to return to the school.