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Welcome back to school. It's a bit of a different start - not the usual - but how good are we at 'different'?
This is a Return to School Letter because there are so many things associated with the way we have to operate from the get-go. I thought we would address them immediately and then we would publish Newsletter 1 2022 next Thursday which would be the norm if, in fact, we were operating in 'normal' circumstances.
So this letter, as the contents list shows, will be dealing with predominantly COVID-related issues and next week's Meet and Greet sessions, while next week's Newsletter will cover many more 'beginning of school' type things like welcoming new staff etc.
We will be running the Meet and Greet sessions from school - but you will have the opportunity to choose a zoom Meet and Greet session should you wish to have your time with your teacher held remotely. If you would like to meet your teacher remotely we ask that you email the teacher directly so that they can send you a zoom link.
OLOL will be following the government's Back-To-School Plan and as always prioritising safe practices within the school.
There is no doubt that this term is going to be challenging for us all, but we are also very excited to kick off the school year and welcome back all of our students.
We ask Our Lady of Lourdes to watch over us this year keeping us safe and happy.
Looking forward to Monday morning!!!
Francine
The plan maintains the importance of the 3Vs: Ventilation, Vaccination, and Vital COVIDSafe steps and as such has introduced some new measures for schools.
Students who are required to isolate or quarantine will be supported with 'Optional Learning Activities' which will be digitally based. These are not as yet developed but teachers will have these activities ready to go within the next couple of weeks. These are looked at as a support to learning (and parents) not the actual curriculum being covered in class. Schools are not expected to provide a full remote learning program for isolating students.
All visitors attending schools, including for drop-off and pick-up, must adhere to physical distancing, density limit, and face mask requirements, and practise respiratory etiquette and good hand hygiene.
Visiting OLOL - Vaccination and QR Codes
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.
COVID-19 vaccinations for students are not required for them to attend school but vaccination for students is highly encouraged. If your child has not yet had their first dose, please try to organise this before term begins.
For more information on how to book a vaccination, including important information about vaccination for children aged 5 to 11, visit the Vaccination information for children and teenagers page on the coronavirus.vic.gov.au website.
Visitors are required to check in with a QR code when entering school buildings, but not school grounds.
If a person is to provide verification of their vaccination status and they refuse or do not meet the vaccination/exemption requirements, that person should be asked to leave the site.
Schools can permit parents to enter buildings on-site briefly for student pick-up and drop-off, providing sufficient QR code locations are available for parents to check-in.
At OLOL our main building accommodates 80% of our students so for safety sake we ask that parents do not enter the main building to take their children to their rooms.
Prep 2022 is the exception to this rule. Prep parents can enter the main building if they are wearing a mask, vaccinated and have scanned the QR Codes available around the school however, we do ask that they keep this visit brief so that others can enter the building.
Having said all that ... parents are welcome to join us outside in the yard before school. On Monday mornings we even have a coffee cart to encourage before school outside chats.
Visitors attending school sites for drop-off and pick-up who do not enter school buildings do not need to comply with vaccination requirements.
Any visitor who needs to access EXTEND before school and after school care is required to use the east side gate and path and go around the school to the library.
Free rapid antigen tests will be made available for all staff and students in Victorian schools for the first four weeks of Term 1 2022. Rapid antigen testing will be voluntary for all primary school students.
OLOL has received their Government provided tests and they are available for collection from Monday. We have been supplied with tests by the Victorian Government – you do not need to buy your own.
Each pack contains five individual rapid antigen tests. Parents should collect one pack for each child at the start of week one and one pack for each child at the start of week three. If you cannot collect your RATs please contact the school so we can help with alternate arrangements.
The Department of Health is strongly recommending that students complete a test twice a week to help proactively identify any cases, reducing the risks of an outbreak.
Students and staff will do the tests at home; they only need to report their result if it is COVID-positive. They must report a COVID-positive result to:
- the school by phone 9510 6688 or the VicEd COVID Portal; this is so that we can support students, 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
- the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form or call centre on 1800 675 398.
Information about how to do a test and how to read RAT results, including a how-to video translated into 33 languages, is available online.
Students and staff will do the tests at home and must report any positive test results to OLOL school either by phone 95106688 or using our designated email
communication@olprahraneast.catholic.edu.au
All students who return a positive result from a rapid antigen test should also follow
the latest advice at https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/rapid-antigen-tests.
- Parent collects RATs from OLOL (RATs must be collected from the school - they are not to be sent home with the student unless previously arranged with the school)
- The student is tested twice weekly on school days
- Parents/carers should complete the RA Test portal if a student tests positive to COVID-19 (via a PCR or rapid antigen test).
- Parent informs the school by phone 9510 6688 or written notification communication@olprahraneast.catholic.edu.au
- Students who report a positive result must isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period.
- Where a student (sibling) 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.
- Ensure that students refrain from returning to school if they remain symptomatic.
At OLOL we will:
Keep all windows, doors, and vents open as much as possible.
Keep these openings clear of any obstruction to airflow.
Aim to open windows and vents that are higher or towards the ceiling during poor or windy weather.
Take measures to maintain thermal, noise and other comfort, such as flexible seating arrangements ensuring students have removed jumpers on hot days.
Air conditioning units are set to use external air rather than recycling, where possible.
Air conditioning filters are maintained according to maintenance plans, checked and cleaned. Where available and possible, we will use natural and mechanical ventilation at the same time.
Maximise natural ventilation in thoroughfares and minimise gathering in these spaces.
Minimise the use of enclosed spaces with little or no ventilation.
Operate ceiling fans on the winter setting (where possible) and lowest speed.
Avoid or reduce the use of spaces that can’t be ventilated with fresh outdoor air, including spaces with windows that don’t open or open to environments with poor air quality or other pollutants.
Encourage the use of outdoor environments, where appropriate and prioritise the use of outdoor space over an indoor space whenever practicable.
Our Bathrooms have ample ventilation provided by upper air flow.
Air purifiers:
We have received some air purifiers from the Victorian Government (model Samsung AX7500). These, as per the guidance received, have been prioritised for higher-risk areas. These areas include where there are high levels of mixing of staff and reduced mask use when eating, higher levels of exertion and increased aerosol projection, and lower ventilation and possible exposure to illness. For example, sick bays, staffrooms, and intervention rooms.
Please see coronavirus.vic.gov.au for the latest face mask requirements.
For all school settings:
• Teachers will be required to always wear masks indoors when not actively teaching or communicating with students. Masks are not compulsory for teachers and staff outdoors.
• Students in Grade 3 and above must wear a face mask indoors at school, including Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) programs, unless a lawful exception applies. Students must wear face masks even if vaccinated.
Students are not required to wear masks outside.
• For composite classes that include students in and above Grade 3 and below Grade 3, those below Grade 3 are strongly encouraged to wear masks.
• Face masks must continue to be worn when indoors on camps and excursions.
• Everyone over eight years old must wear a face mask when travelling to and from school on public transport, taxis or ride share vehicles.
• School staff must wear a face mask in all indoor settings, except where removal of a face mask is necessary for effective communication.
• Visitors to schools aged eight and above must wear a face mask in all indoor spaces, unless a lawful exception applies.
• Students in Prep to Grade 2 are strongly recommended to wear a face mask indoors at school or an OSHC program.
A face mask must cover the nose and mouth. Face shields, scarves or bandanas do not meet these requirements.
Parent/carers of a student/s who meet the criteria for an exception must provide their approval in writing for their child/ren to not wear a mask to the school.
There is no requirement for a letter for medical exception for not wearing a face mask from a medical practitioner.
The school does not provide face masks. All students must bring a mask from home - if using a reusable face mask the students' name must be on it or it will be binned.
I know many of you will have questions about what happens if your child’s teacher gets COVID-19.
While there may be some disruption because of staff absences, we will be able to bring in extra teachers and other staff if we need them, and will be doing everything that we can to make sure our school stays safe and open.
Meet and Greet & Session Keeper Feb 2022
Bookings using 'Session Keeper' are now open and will close on Tuesday 1st February at 3 pm.
Instructions on how to book an appointment with your child's Class Teacher are as follows :
Session Keeper Instructions
Parent-Teacher Interview Bookings are open between 28th January, 8 am
and 1st February, 3 pm.
- Click here to access the Session Keeper website
- Click ‘Add New Student’
- Enter your child’s name and click ‘Save’
- If you have more than one child at OLOL repeat step 3 as necessary
- When you have added all children, click on one child and then ‘Save and Continue’
- Choose your child’s Class Teacher and click ‘Next’
- Choose the date and time from those available and then click ‘Next’
- Review the date and time then click ‘Next’
- If you need to make an additional booking for another child click ‘Book Again’ and repeat the process
- To view all bookings made click ‘My Bookings’
Once you have completed all ten steps and have a confirmed booking, please email the teacher should you wish for your appointment to be held remotely and the teacher will send you a Zoom link.
Prep/1
Jamie Lee Jackson - jamielee.jackson@olprahraneast.catholic.edu.au
Tanya Murphy - tanya.murphy@olprahraneast.
Eimear Ross - eimear.ross@olprahraneast.catholic.edu.au
Year 2
Daniel Podbury - daniel.podbury@olprahraneast.catholic.edu.au
Year 3/4
Irene Archer - irene.archer@olprahraneast.catholic.edu.au
Tom Venier - tom.venier@olprahraneast.catholic.edu.au
Year 5
Alison March - alison.march@olprahraneast.catholic.edu.au
Year 6
Adrian Costa - adrian.costa@olprahraneast.catholic.edu.au
This year due to the amazing number of prep students joining us we now have 8 classes and because of this our PE lessons are spread across two days. Students are to wear their sports uniform on the following days:
Tuesday - Prep, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 5
Wednesday - Year 3, Year 4 and Year 6
Friday - All students