20/03/2020
We would like to thank the community for your ongoing support. Many of our staff are parents and caregivers themselves and your understanding of their situation is greatly appreciated.
As a School, we are monitoring the situation locally and globally, and continuing to develop proportional responses that are well planned and based on official information. The School continues to follow advice as provided by NSW Heath, the NSW Department of Education, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Association of Independent Schools.
Our advice remains, that if you or your child are unwell and experiencing flu-symptoms then you or your child are not to attend school and should seek medical attention as soon as possible, particularly if there is a fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath. As is the normal practice at school, if your child presents with flu like symptoms, including a fever, parents will be asked to collect their child. We do request that students remain at home until all symptoms have ceased.
We continue to operate school as close to normal for our students. Some precautions that we have taken include:
- Ongoing lessons for students on hygiene and age relevant information as it comes to hand
- Apart from play times, ceasing any gatherings of more than two classes
- Operating our lunch program for students to eat outside or in classrooms, in class groups
- Suspending our Buddy Program
- Putting on hold in class parent helpers
- Engaging our cleaning company for a more extensive classroom clean on a daily basis
Understandably the School and the P&F have had to cancel a number of events for Term 1. This includes:
- Lower 1st Parent Morning Tea
- Trivia Night
- Easter Service
- Walkathon
The whole school assembly for Anzac Day is cancelled, however we shall still conduct a small Service with a minute’s silence observed in classrooms.
It is highly likely that all large events in Term 2 will be cancelled. However, we will confirm this closer to the end of Term 1. In the event that our Open Day, scheduled for the 24th May, is cancelled, Monday the 25th May will be a normal school day. We continue to run our other Information Events for prospective parents at this stage, as we can accommodate these numbers safely.
As a staff we continue to plan for the possibility of the School being closed, if directed to by the relevant authorities. In this event while the School would be physically closed, our staff, depending on their personal situations, would be working to provide continued support for students at home during term time. Our School is not in a position to offer a full remote learning environment if there is a closure. However, we would endeavour to ensure an extensive program. Available workbooks and textbooks would be taken home, a schedule provided, including expected and optional work and that this is supplemented with online options. We do appreciate that our community has mixed access to technology. Staff would be available for communication by email.
For further health advice please visit the Department of Health website
For further information on travel restrictions please visit the Department of Home Affairs website.
Thank you again for your ongoing support.
Kind regards,
Julian Wilcock
Head of School
