Cranbourne South Primary School

Safety & First Aid News 

Kiss N Go family signs

Thank you to all of the families who clearly display their students names in the windows during pick up times in the Kiss N Go.  Although staff have become familiar with most cars, a sign clearly indicates who is to be picked up. A shout out to a grand parent who has a sign for one, two and three children who are being picked up at different times. You know who you are!

 

If you do not have a sign, could you please arrange to have an A4 size, clearly labelled sign in your car window at pick up time each day? This will ensure that the Kiss N Go time is efficient and well ordered.

Mobile Phone use in Kiss & Go 

 

The School Council and Staff would like to remind all parents that the use of a mobile phone whilst driving through the Kiss N Go is not allowed. It’s a proven fact that using a mobile phone while driving can be distracting. Taking your eyes off the road for just 2 seconds or more doubles your crash risk. The Kiss N Go is a busy time of the day and we ask that parents DO NOT use their phones whilst driving through the Kiss N Go at pick up and drop off times.

Update for schools

COVID-19 isolation requirements have changed

The Victorian Government has announced the end of the Pandemic Declaration and associated Pandemic Orders.

The following settings, based on advice from the Department of Health, will apply from 11.59pm Wednesday 12 October 2022.

It is strongly recommended that students:

  • who test positive to COVID-19 stay home and isolate for 5 days
  • should not attend school after 5 days if still symptomatic
  • who are symptomatic but have not tested positive should not attend school
  • advise the school of the COVID-19 positive test result

Where students become symptomatic at school they should:

  • be collected by their parents/carers
  • undergo testing for COVID-19

It is strongly recommended that staff:

  • who test positive to COVID-19 stay home and isolate for 5 days
  • should not attend after 5 days if still symptomatic
  • who are symptomatic but have not tested positive should not attend school
  • report their positive test result to the school and through eduPay

Reporting positive COVID-19 test results

The Department of Health recommends that a person who tests positive for COVID-19 should inform those with whom they have recently been in contact, including their workplace, schools and household.

Parents and carers will therefore be asked to continue to report positive student COVID-19 cases using the VicED COVID Tool.

Where a parent/carer informs the school by phone or written notification, the school should complete the Schools COVID Case Management Tool.

 

COVID-19 vaccination changes

The current mandatory vaccination requirement for staff and visitors, contractors and volunteers working in specialist schools will cease to apply from 11.59pm Wednesday 12 October. COVID-19 vaccination, including booster doses, continues to be strongly recommended for all school staff.

 

Face masks

Staff and students who wish to wear a face mask should be supported to do so, and schools should continue to make face masks available for staff, students and visitors.

The Department of Health recommends that masks should be worn by a person who is a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 when leaving home.

Additionally, the Department of Health recommends that masks should be worn by a person who has COVID-19, for at least 7 days after a positive test, when they need to leave home.

CSPS is on the Bush fire At-Risk Register and is a Category 3 school

As we head into the warmer seasons, please be aware that Cranbourne South Primary School is preparing for the bush fire season in the following ways:

  • ensuring the buildings and grounds are prepared
  • holding emergency drills
  • staff and students are trained in procedures

School preparedness and pre-emptive actions for the bush fire season

Fire danger ratings indicate how dangerous a fire would be if one started in those conditions and provide clear direction on the safest options for preserving life. They can be a trigger for action in community and for school and household level fire plans. 

Schools and children’s services listed on the Department of Education and Training’s Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) and those at some lower risk of bush fire or grass fire on the Category 3 list will be closed when a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast in their Bureau of Meteorology district.  

 

Schools and early childhood services listed on the Department of Education and Training’s Bush Fire At-Risk Register (BARR) and those at lower risk of bush fire or grass fire on the Category 3/4 list must take pre-emptive actions on elevated fire danger days to minimise the risk of being caught in a fire in these conditions. The category of risk (per the BARR or Category 4 list) determines the actions that the school or early childhood service will need to take on days of elevated fire danger.

Our school has been identified as being one of these schools at high bushfire or grass fire risk, and is a  category 3 school.

 

The department will advise our school of the potential for a Catastrophic fire danger rating as information becomes available, however the pre-emptive closure will be confirmed by 1pm the day prior to Catastrophic fire danger day. 

Fire danger ratings are forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology up to four days in advance. Should a Catastrophic day be forecast, we will notify you of the potential closure via Compass. Closure of the school due to a forecast Catastrophic day will be confirmed on the day prior and we will provide you with advice before the end of the school day.

Once confirmed, the decision to close will not change, regardless of improvements in the weather forecast. This is to avoid confusion and help your family plan alternative care arrangements for your child.  It is also important to note that:

  • No staff will be on site on days where the school is closed due to a forecast Catastrophic day.
  • Out-of-school-hours care will also be cancelled on these days.
  • School camps will be cancelled if a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast for the Bureau of Meteorology district in which the camp is located, or if the travel involves passing through areas that have Catastrophic fire danger.
  • All bus routes that travel through the Catastrophic area will be cancelled.
  • Depending on which fire weather district is impacted, bus route cancellations may affect our school.

Families are encouraged to enact their Bushfire Survival Plan on Catastrophic fire danger rating days.  On such days, children should never be left at home alone or in the care of older children.

For those of us living in a bushfire prone area, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) advises that when Catastrophic days are forecast, the safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Catastrophic day.

As part of preparing our school for potential hazards such as fire, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management Plan and [insert other relevant preparedness actions – i.e. reprioritised any maintenance works that may assist in preparing for the threat of fire and cleared our facility’s grounds and gutters].

What can parents do?

  • Make sure your family’s bushfire survival plan is up-to-date and includes alternative care arrangements in the event that our school is [include as relevant - relocated, undertaking remote and flexible learning and/or closed]  due to elevated fire danger or a Catastrophic fire forecast. Further information can be found on the CFA’s website.
  • Ensure we have your current contact details, including your mobile phone numbers.  Keep in touch with us by reading our newsletters, checking our website- cranbournesouth.vic.edu.au or by talking to your child’s teacher or any other member of the teaching staff about our emergency management plan.
  • Most importantly at this time of year, if you’re planning a holiday or short stay in the bush or in a coastal area, you should check warnings in advance of travel and remain vigilant during your stay. 
  • If your child is old enough, talk to them about bushfires and your family’s Bushfire Survival Plan. 
  • You can access current information about school and early childhood services closures, including those due to elevated fire danger, on the Department of Education and Training’s website – see http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/pages/closures.aspx 

Multiple sources that offer information on emergencies are listed below:

  • VicEmergency app – that can be downloaded on your android and iOS mobile devices
  • VicEmergency Hotline (1800 226 226)
  • Website https://emergency.vic.gov.au
  • ABC local radio, Sky News and other emergency broadcasters