Return to MGC

The staggered return to school is underway, with our year 12's on-site for the first 3 weeks and year 7-11 back very soon. I can honestly say that the joy of seeing students reconnecting on site has given a real boost to everyone who has been here!

Even so, there are many restrictions on what we can do and how we can do it, including ongoing restrictions on excursions, incursions, work experience, and much more. As part of our response, we are working on how we can maximise our use of time with students before the end of the year, and plans are being refined for a series of wellbeing and engagement activities for students to rebuild those valuable connections which are at the core of everything we do.

As always we will keep the timely communication to families and students as we continue to respond to the changes as they occur.

Student and Staff Safety

The safety of our students and staff is, and always will be our primary concern. DET are promoting what they are calling the 3 V’s which are a good reminder of the ways we can best protect ourselves and those we love:

Vaccination
- Students and parents can book and/or change a vaccination appointment at a vaccination center through the coronavirus.vic.gov.au website or contact the Coronavirus hotline by phoning 1800 675 398. To find a vaccination center and opening times, visit the coronavirus.vic.gov.au website
- As mandated by the Chief Health Officer, all school staff will be fully vaccinated by the 29th of November
Ventilation
- Classrooms will be kept as open as possible, with doors and windows open. This will mean that at times classrooms will be cooler or warmer than students may be accustomed to. We recommend that students wear suitable layers under their uniform and ensure they have both their jumper and blazer to keep warm if necessary. We have also been instructed to limit the use of heating and cooling units that recirculate air, so heaters and air-conditioners will not be used in the coming weeks
- DET will be providing several air purifiers which will be placed in higher-risk areas. We are hoping these will arrive this week so we can seek guidance on the best places for these to be utilised
Vital COVIDsafe steps. The good practices from throughout our COVID journey are still some of our best protection against the spread of this insipid virus.
- Maintain social distancing when possible, particularly when eating or drinking
- All students (unless a lawful exemption applies) are to provide and wear a mask at all times unless eating or drinking. These are to cover both the mouth and nose. Students should also endeavour to carry a spare with them in case of breakage.
- Practice good hygiene. Regular hand washing and use of hand sanitiser are great barriers against transmission

COVID Signs and Symptoms

It is important that any student who becomes unwell with COVID-19 symptoms while at school gets tested and returns home. It is also important to note the symptoms for the Delta variant do present slightly differently, with a headache and runny nose often being the first symptoms.

The symptoms to watch out for are:

headache
runny nose
fever
chills or sweats
cough
sore throat
shortness of breath
loss or change in sense of smell or taste

Some people may also experience muscle soreness, stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Students experiencing COVID-19 symptoms must get tested and stay home until they receive a test result.

Wellbeing Supports

Our wellbeing team remains on hand to support students and families in ensuring they are feeling safe, supported, and listened to. They can be contacted via:

Brittany Killer – Psychologist brittany.killer@mgc.vic.edu.au

Danielle Floyd – Mental Health Practitioner danielle.floyd@mgc.vic.edu.au

Kalli Harvey – Student Wellbeing Coordinator kalli.harvey@mgc.vic.edu.au

I would also like to bring to your attention the following external supports:

Beyondblue 1300 224 636 https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
Headspace 1800 650 890 https://headspace.org.au/
Kids Helpline 1800 551 800 https://kidshelpline.com.au/
Lifeline 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au/

As well as these for parents and carers:

Parentline 13 22 89 https://parentline.com.au/
Carers Australia 1800 242 636 https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/
Relationships Australia 1300 364 277 https://www.relationships.org.au/

IT supports

An IT technician will continue to be on-site to help with any IT problems between 9 am and 3:30 pm each day

Technical support will also be available online between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm that students can access through the TEAM named, IT Support for Students
There are a limited number of laptops and internet dongles that are available to be loaned to students as needed
Parents and students can also email the IT Manager, Anthony directly at Anthony.keen@mgc.vic.edu.au with any IT questions

Thanks

Even with the spectre of COVID hanging over everything we do, our students at MGC continue to "Lead and Achieve" in everything they do. Please have a good read through our newsletters when they come through - today's newsletter will celebrate the achievements of our students in the 'TechGirl' competition, the EAL public speaking awards, and much more. These achievements, as brilliant as they are, still though only scratch the surface of the wins that happen every day, in every classroom - let's be sure to celebrate them all!

As always, my sincere thanks to the students, staff, and families for their support of each other during these trying times. Even with the huge infection numbers we are seeing right now there is light at the end of the tunnel, and I hope to see you all back on site soon.

Cheers

Andrew

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