This Week and COVID-19

There are no updates this week. The following information is for parent reference if needed.

Students remain at school and learning 5 days per week.

St Joseph's continues to maintain a COVID-safe environment, with a range of health and safety measures remaining in place, including increased daily cleaning, additional hygiene measures, physical distancing requirements, and strict infection control procedures.

It is important that we continue to work together and remain vigilant in our response to this virus. Your ongoing support has been very much appreciated in Term 3. The safety of our community remains a priority with the following still in place.

If your child is sick they should stay and home.

If your child has flu-like symptoms they should see a doctor and get tested.
St Joseph’s students remain at school five days per week, with COVID-19 restrictions in place.
The St Joseph’s COVID-19 Response Plan will be enacted should there be a positive case of COVID-19 in a student or staff member. This may include students leaving school early and directions will be provided to staff, students, and parents in such an event.
Staff and students showing signs of being unwell must go home immediately, and if unwell with respiratory illness, they should seek advice from a medical practitioner and must stay home until symptoms resolve.
When the reason for their absence was an illness with flu-like symptoms (as outlined by NSW Health) students and staff (including at CEDoW offices) are required to present a negative COVID-19 test OR a medical clearance to return to school/work. Please note, in the case of a medical clearance, the medical professional is only being asked to declare that to the best of their knowledge the student or staff member is fit to return to school or work.
Stay up to date with public health alerts https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates
Please advise the school immediately if you have traveled to Victoria or been in a public health alert location during the school holiday period. Continue to do so throughout the term as per public health alerts for other areas or locations.

CONTACTLESS SIGN-IN

All staff, contractor and visitor onsite attendance are registered via contactless sign-in using the sign in app in the school office.

REQUIREMENTS FOR RETURNING TO SCHOOL AFTER SELF-ISOLATING OR UNDERGOING TESTING

Students and staff who have been directed to self-isolate or have undergone testing can only return to the school after their 14-day isolation period is complete, they have received a negative test result and are not displaying symptoms.
If a student or staff member is directed to self-isolate but does not undergo a COVID-19 test, they must provide a medical clearance to return to school (and may only return after their 14-day isolation period is complete and if they are not displaying symptoms).

HYGIENE, SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

Good hygiene is practiced and enforced throughout the school, including washing hands regularly and thoroughly; and sneezing into your elbow or tissue (disposing of the tissue straight away and then washing your hands).
Hand sanitising requirements remain in place:
- Entry to school
- Entry into classrooms
- Before eating
- At the direction of teachers where necessary
Enhanced daily COVID-19 cleaning arrangements remain in place until the end of Term 3, 2020, or until such time as changes in the health advice permit.
Increased physical space between students is encouraged where possible.
Adults onsite must maintain 1.5m from other adults, and students where possible.

STUDENT MORNING DROP OFF AND AFTERNOON DISMISSAL

Students may enter the school between 8:30 am and 8:55 am via the Park Road hall gate, Rowan St gate of the Hutton Ave gate. Students must use the hand sanitiser provided at the entry gates. Adults must not enter the school grounds.
Staggered Parent/carer school dismissal pick-up arrangements will continue taking into consideration adult physical distancing requirements. Green and Gold Houses at 2:40 pm, and Red and Blue Houses at 2:55 pm.

GATHERINGS OF STAFF

Large numbers of staff gathering in common places must be avoided.
The four square metres per staff member is to be maintained in any room.

GATHERINGS OF STUDENTS

The school is avoiding gatherings of students other than for the morning school assemblies (which must not exceed 15 minutes) and gatherings essential to the delivery of the curriculum or the religious life of the school.
Weekly whole school assemblies will continue to be provided online.
Parents and carers are not to attend school gatherings at this stage.
School photos are permitted.

STUDENT LEARNING AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

All students should be learning at school unless they are unwell or have a medical certificate to support their absence.
The Diocesan Public Speaking competition for Stage 3 students has been cancelled for 2020.

Sports and Physical Activities

Washing of equipment after recess, lunch and sport remains in place.
Climbing equipment on the grass area will remain closed until further notice.
Contact sports remain suspended.
Inter-school sports are now permitted (subject to meeting directives related to inter-school events, below).

Excursions Field Trips and Camp

Day field trips to outdoor locations with no physical distancing requirements are allowed.
Excursions (other than field trips described above) remain suspended.
School camps remain suspended. The Year 5 Canberra overnight excursion has been postponed.

PARENTS AND CARERS

Meetings between parents and teacher meetings will be conducted via zoom or over the telephone.
The upcoming P&F meeting may be facilitated via Zoom.
Parent/carer school staggered pick up arrangements will continue taking into consideration adult physical distancing requirements.
Parents/carers should not be on school grounds or at school events without the principal’s permission and are not to attend school gatherings at this stage.
Parent volunteers working in the school canteen are permitted and must follow the procedures currently in place, including entry via the school office.
School-based activities that involve large gatherings of adults are not permitted at this time. These include parent/community gatherings such as parent functions, working bees, fundraisers, large parent information evenings, and large on-site events such as Grandparents and Great People Day. These large gatherings and the following activities will continue to be reviewed and assessed based on AHPPC and NSW Health advice and may be permitted at a later date.
For the latest information on suspended Catholic Schools NSW Sports events, please visit the CSNSW website.

Thank you for your cooperation and support. We are very grateful.

Measures to Support Families Experiencing Significant Financial Impact

Please download the letter below and feel free to contact the school with any financial matters you wish to discuss if in financial hardship. https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/for-parents/school-fees/

Note: St Joseph's Catholic Parish Primary School does not offer Direct Debit payment option

COVID-19 Catholic Education Information Centre

Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong has a COVID-19 Information Centre on its website. It is the best place to find the latest information about CEDoW's systemic response to COVID-19.

We will continue to provide you with updates if the situation changes and as soon as new information becomes available.

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