Important Information
Reference Information
Drop Off & Pick Up Arrangements have changed (similar to 2021):
To minimise interaction at entry/exit points:
Kindergarten:
- Kinder students continue to enter/exit through the Hall door off Mount Pleasant Road at normal start and finish times.
Foundation Students:
- 8:45am Foundation students enter through Reception to line up in the courtyard.
- Foundation students will be dismissed at 3.30 pm through Reception. FD first, followed by FH and then FJ.
Year 1/2 Students:
- 8:45am Year 1/2 students enter through Car Park 1 on Mount Pleasant Road.
- 1/2 students will be dismissed from Car Park 1 at 3.30pm.
Year 3/4 Students:
- 8.45 am Year 3/4 students enter through Mount Pleasant Road Gate near Senior Playground off Mt Pleasant Road and line up at classroom doors.
- 3/4 students dismissed from Mount Pleasant Road Gate at 3:30pm.
Year 5/6 Students:
- 8.45 am Year 5/6 students enter through double gates (Eugenia Street Gate) on Eugenia Street onto the oval and line up at classroom doors.
- 5/6 students dismissed at 3:30pm from Eugenie Street Gate.
Additional Information
- Parents practice social distancing, wear a face mask and do not linger.
- One parent/carer only for pick up and drop off.
- Where siblings wish to leave the school together, they may exit through the gate assigned to the youngest sibling.
- Students are encouraged to practice physical distancing.
- Please discuss where you will meet your child after school, so they know which entry/exit they will be using.
- Late Arrivals: Please phone the school on arrival and students must enter through Reception to sign in, through Sentral.
Access to School Grounds
- Parents should only enter the school grounds when absolutely essential to do so and must notify the school by phone or email beforehand and use the QR Code Check-In
- Classroom helpers are not permitted at this time.
- Music Online, WiseOnes and other classes run by external providers are cancelled until further notice.
Keeping Everyone Safe
I know this is a very challenging and concerning time for our families. All of School and Kinder staff will have met the vaccination targets set by the government. We have spent a lot of time on planning and putting in place procedures and routines to make our school as safe as possible for our students.
I published strategies in the newsletter last week and we will communicate the routines to students through a video and via classroom teachers.
Key behaviours required for reducing COVID-19 transmission risk include staying home when unwell, performing regular hand hygiene, and where possible pursuing strategies to support physical distancing.
| Strategy | Summary |
| Face Masks | Mandatory indoors and outdoors for all adults and secondary students. Mandatory indoors at school for students in Years 3-6. Masks to be provided by students. Recommended for Years F-2 primary students Masks to be washed regularly/disposed of correctly. |
| Playgrounds | Playgrounds are open for school use and are available for community use after school hours only, before 7am after 6.00pm in line with community settings. |
| Hygiene | Hand sanitiser provided and regular hand washing timetabled throughout the day. Liquid soap provided in all bathrooms and wet areas with paper handtowels/dryers |
| Social Distancing | Limit mixing with other Year Levels and across Learning Centres Utilise different exit/entry points. Maintain physical distancing with adults Use large spaces and outdoor learning areas Limit non-essential visitors and density limits in common areas The density limit of 1 person per 4 square metres applies in spaces used by staff and to publicly accessible areas. It does not apply in classrooms or other areas used by students. |
| Vaccination | All staff working in our school will be vaccinated by 18th October and will be fully vaccinated by 29th November. |
| Ventilation | All schools will continue to maximise ventilation through opening windows and doors. Students and staff are encouraged to wear additional layers. Fans to be used only if in Winter mode and with windows open. Air conditioners to use outside air, where possible. |
| Equipment | Eliminate or minimise the necessity of using shared equipment at this time. When used, strict hand hygiene will be followed before and after use. Items where appropriate, for example cleaned using a disinfectant/detergent wipe or cloth. All classes provided with cleaning materials. |
| Cleaning | Additional cleaning is provided daily, including for high touch surfaces. Classrooms are provided with disinfectant spray for shared equipment and to clean high touch surfaces during the day. |
| Illness | Any staff member or student who becomes unwell while at school with symptoms of COVID-19 must return home immediately and get tested, with a designated space(s) made available on school premises to support isolation where required. Get a test with even the mildest of symptoms. Isolate until you receive your test results. |
| Playgrounds | Playgrounds and Bathrooms to be assigned for Year Level use. |
| Food | No shared food. |
The wellbeing of all our students is our priority and our school staff and teachers are here to support you and your family. We held a Wellbeing Night for parents last term and we have another one coming up for parents as published in the newsletter. This new session will be facilitated by Karen Hall from ‘Wellbeing for Kids’. Karen is a qualified Counsellor and Primary School Teacher. Other sources of support include: Parent Line 13 22 89 and Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800. Teachers are also of course communicating with their classes around what the return to school will look like and what to expect when they come back to onsite learning.
When to notify the school:
A reminder that if you, your child, or a family member develops symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested at a COVID-19 testing facility and stay home. Each family should regularly check the list of public exposure sites in Victoria, and if anyone in the family has attended a site at the times listed, follow the instructions given. If your child or a family member tests positive to COVID-19 you must contact the school immediately via phone 98781730 and/or outside office hours via the school email address at mt.pleasant.road.ps@education.vic.gov.au.
ICAS
Due to the current restrictions we have moved ICAS to the following dates:
- Digital Technologies – Tuesday 9th November 7:40am – 8:40am
- Mathematics – Thursday 11th November 7:40am – 8:40am
- English – Tuesday 16th November 7:40am – 8:40am
- Science – Thursday 18th November 7:40am – 8:40am
- Spelling – 23rd November 7:40am – 8:40am
Students will need to be at school by 7:30am on the day of their ICAS test. Students will be supervised across separate classroom spaces to support us in maintaining COVID safe practices.
At this stage ICAS Writing has been cancelled as we are unable to run the session in the required window of the 5th-15th October. More information on this has been communicated to families via Sentral.
Parenting in the Digital World
eSmart, an initiative from the Alannah and Madeline Foundation are holding an online seminar via Zoom on Parenting in the Digital World for parents/carers. The 30min session will cover:
- Latest apps and traps
- Online gaming
- Popularity vs Privacy and more
The session is held on Tuesday 26 October 2021 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM and repeated on 27 October 2021 8:00 PM - 8:30 PM.
Parents wishing to attend need to pre-register for their session via esmart.page.link/12pm or esmart.page.link/8pm
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/93636805210?pwd=UVUva0lnbVRJbFduUWZsMEhjdGR3QT09