29-Jan-2022
Dear Parents and Carers
I hope that this finds you safe and well and that you and your child/ren are ready and raring to go.
We’re excited to welcome all members of our community back to Edithvale primary. No doubt there are some challenging times ahead for us all but if we all do our little bit, we can help to stay safe and well and keep our school open.
For the next 4 weeks, we will be operating under some fairly familiar Covid safe settings and be doing everything that we can to make sure our school stays safe and open. We’ll have increased ventilation in classrooms, hand sanitiser available, and be limiting the mixing of students in indoor settings. Masks will remain a feature of the current settings. There are lawful reasons for not wearing a face mask, including for staff and students who are unable to wear a face mask due to the nature of their disability, medical, or a mental health condition. Parent/carers of a student/s who meet the criteria for an exception should provide their approval in writing for their child/ren to not wear a mask to the school.
Thank you to families who have been able to collect a Rapid Antigen Test from school over the last few days. We understand that there are a number of families who have been unable to collect these during this timeframe. For these families, we will send 1 pack of 5 tests home with your child/ren on Monday. If you would prefer to collect these in person, please contact the school and we’ll organise a time for pick up.
For the first 4 weeks of term, twice-a-week testing on school days will be strongly recommended for mainstream primary staff and students. Testing will be conducted at home, and students and staff must report any positive result. There is no requirement to report a negative result.
If students receive a positive test result at any time, they must report this through the Department of Health online system or via the coronavirus hotline at 1800 675 398.
Parents must also report a positive result to our school, either through the Student COVID-19 Test Portal or by phone or written notification; this is so we can support you, record that they will be absent while in 7-day isolation, and let the rest of the school community know there has been a positive case onsite and that they should monitor for symptoms.
Over the weekend we have been informed of staff members who are required to isolate and not attend on-site. We will do our utmost to limit the inevitable disruption to our regular teaching programs and aim to keep you informed of all decisions we need to make- in a timely manner.
For the time being, we respectfully ask that parents/carers who attend on-site, remain in the outdoor areas and not enter the buildings. This is to help us to socially distance and keep us safe. If there is a pressing need to attend the Office/Administration area you are required to sign in with the QR codes displayed and wear a mask at all times. Parents and carers must have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine or have a valid medical exception (with limited exceptions) to enter school buildings.
School commences on Monday at 9:00 am and the school gates will be opened by 8:40 am. Gates will be closed again around 9:15 am. We will re-open these at 3:15pm. We have 5 entry and exit points that help to encourage social distancing and hope that we can all model safe behaviours for our students and community.
Importantly- the Canteen will be open from Monday and Breakfast Club kicks off on Tuesday February 1st
Team Kids will again be running their Before and After School Care program commencing on Monday.
We will post our regular Friday update next week. This will include information about what is happening at school and important dates for the remainder of the term.
Take care and keep well
James Whitla