PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

This week...

I was thrilled to see our Kindergarten students arrive! It is such a special day for families to have one of their children start school. There were only a few tears! All classes appear to be settled as I have walked around the school over the last few days. The students are working hard and getting used to the routines and expectations of their new classes. Our three rules for living:

I am safe

I am valued, respected and care for

I am a learner

are being observed by our students which is wonderful. 

We currently have some families isolating due to COVID 19. The impact, so far, has been manageable. Let us hope and pray that this continues and we all remain safe and well. 

Lastly, this week we received a card from the local Saint Vincent de Paul Society thanking us for our generosity at Christmas time. Thank you to our school community for demonstrating such love at Christmas.

Covid 19 Update

RAT kits

We are awaiting the delivery of our next batch of RATs to be used for Weeks 4 and 5 of the term. We will inform families of the collection times as soon as they arrive. 

 The use of RAT kits is highly recommended. Parents are asked to test students at home on Monday and Wednesday morning, before your child/ren go to school. Staff are also being asked to take a rapid antigen test (RAT) at home on Mondays and Wednesdays before coming to school. NSW Health will decide if the use of RAT kits in schools will continue after the first four weeks of school. When we know this decision, we will advise you of details as soon as possible. Under no circumstances will any staff member request that your child take a rapid antigen test (RAT) at school. 

If a student or staff member receives a positive RAT test, they need to:

1. record the positive RAT result through the Service NSW website or Service NSW app
2. notify the school of the positive RAT (or PCR) test result as soon as possible. Please call the school 67224066 or email invadmin@arm.catholic.edu.au
3. follow NSW Health advice to isolate for 7 days.

Negative results do not need to be reported to Service NSW or to the school. Parents will be notified of any cases of COVID in the school, and families will be advised of the current public health advice, including monitoring for symptoms. We will do this via Compass so please check your portal regularly.

Masks

All school staff are required to wear surgical masks indoors. Secondary school students are required to wear surgical masks indoors. It is strongly recommended but not compulsory that primary school students wear well-fitted surgical masks indoors. The wearing of masks in outdoor settings is strongly encouraged where physical distancing is not possible. Students can remove their masks when eating or exercising.

No parents or carers will be allowed on school sites for the first 4 weeks of Term 1, 

Staff News

This week we welcome two new staff members. Mr Harrison Boney and Miss Tegan Higgins have joined our team as our Aboriginal Education Assistants (AEA). We look forward to them supporting our students especially with literacy and numeracy.

Mr Michael Grant (IT Assistant) has been seconded to the CSO Armidale for 2022. We currently have his position advertised. It closes on Thursday.