Principal's News
Dear Parents/Carers
Welcome everyone to Sacred Heart for 2022. I trust families were able to enjoy some rest, relaxation and some fun with family and friends. Unfortunately the battle with the pandemic continues, bringing extra complications, uncertainty and stress for us all, however, at the moment it feels a bit like we are on the front foot. Case numbers seem to have stabilised and we all know friends who have had the disease and who have recovered.
Our school supports the goal to remain open and intend to do all that we can to make this happen. All staff are required to receive 3 doses of a Covid 19 vaccination by February 25 or within three months and two weeks of their second vaccine dose.
Air Purifiers are in all of our classrooms and our teachers will be looking for opportunities to work outside with the kids as much as possible.
TESTING
Just a reminder
It is recommended that all staff and students complete 2 Rapid Antigen Tests per week. These tests are available at school and are ready for collection. If you are unable to come in to collect the tests and would like them to be sent home with your children instead, PARENTS MUST TELEPHONE THE SCHOOL OFFICE TO ARRANGE THIS.
1. Parents/carers should complete the RA Test portal if a student tests positive to COVID-19 (via a PCR or rapid antigen test). Parents/carers should inform the school by phone or email if a student tests positive
2. Students who report a positive result must isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period.
3. Where a student is a household contact of a positive case (that is, they have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 inside a house, accommodation, or care facility) they must inform the school and isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period.
HOWEVER if a second person from the same household tests positive later in the week (e.g. Dad on Sunday, then Mum on Wednesday) the student’s isolation DOES NOT start again. That student should complete a R.A.T. 6 days after the first known infection and if there is a negative result the student can still resume school on Day 8.
Furthermore, IF a student has had Covid-19 and then completed their 7 days of isolation, they are then exempt from completing R.A. Tests for 30 days.
VACCINATIONS
Parents are encouraged to get their children vaccinated. I am aware of dozens of our students who have had Covid-19 during the holidays, and dozens more who have already received their first vaccine dose. A further 270 students are booked in for vaccines here at school on Monday February 7th. There are still places available for bookings and Colac Area Health have asked me to let families know that they will vaccinate anyone who has turned 5 but not yet 12 and has not yet received a vaccination dose so long as they are accompanied by a responsible adult. (This might include kindergarten students that have turned 5 or a cousin who attends another school) PLEASE NOTE CHILDREN WILL NOT BE VACCINATED UNLESS THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY A RESPONSIBLE ADULT RELATIVE.
MASKS
Similar to last year, masks will be made mandatory for all staff and students in year 3 and above, as well as anyone visiting a school. If children cannot wear a mask due to medical or mental health reasons then their parents are asked to write a note to their teacher explaining this. There is no need for a doctor’s note for this.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
In the interests of maintaining social distancing we are asking parents NOT to come on to the school grounds unless it is absolutely necessary. We learnt last year that parents dropping Foundation (Prep) students outside the school gates was a much less stressful experience for our youngest students and their teachers than for us to all congregate in classrooms, hovering around little children who are excited to begin their school day.
The “new normal” I think means we have to find alternative ways to communicate with each other and use “face to face” meetings only when absolutely necessary, for the time being.
As I’ve said, all of this is designed to keep our school operating, the cooperation of parents and students particularly with the regular Testing will be a big help.
WELCOME We were delighted to welcome all of our new students to Sacred Heart this week. Sixty four Prep students and 10 other new students scattered among the grade levels commenced the educational journey with us at Sacred Heart today. We welcome too, Maggie Eldridge who is teaching Grade Prep and Emily Wallace who is completing a 12 month traineeship as a Learning Support Officer. We also welcome back Tammie Rooney who will be looking after our English as a second language program.
HATS Sacred Heart is a “SunSmart School” and as such we have a policy that all students should wear a hat whilst outside playing at recess and lunch times during first and fourth terms. Children who do not have a hat will be instructed to play only in shaded areas such as our courtyard.
Please ensure hats are CLEARLY NAMED. Hats will be kept at school during both first and fourth terms.
END OF DAY ROUTINES Consistency and Predictability are the key themes to enable us to ensure each and every student catches the right bus or is delivered to the car every afternoon. At the end of each day we will continue to utilise 4 main Exits:
Our Prep Gate for families who have a child in Grade Prep in 2021. Brothers and sisters of Preps should also use this exit. If your youngest child is in Grade 1, and you normally collect your children by car I would suggest that you use this week to start using either “Crossing 1 or the Gym Gate as your new “Collection Point” This will leave the area immediately in front of the school free for this year’s Preps and their siblings.
Bus children will continue to meet Mrs Daffy at the “Bus Gate” on Pound road.
Crossing 1 (Hart Street) refers to the parking area along both sides of Hart Street, but north of our school along in front of Trinity College.
There may well be some teething problems as these routines are settling during the next couple of weeks but we ask everyone to remain patient and courteous as we endeavour to deliver all students safely to their ride home from school each day.
