What a difference a week makes. We thought last week was bad in response to the coronavirus but this week we have seen unprecedented panic buying and the cancellation of nearly all activities that involve groups of people gathering together. For the last couple of days email after email filled our inboxes with new cancellations and dire warnings

At this time of writing there are no plans to close the school. We are definitely putting measures in place in the event that we need to close because of contact with a COVID-19 case, or we are operationally unable to fulfil our duty of care (eg too many staff away). We are putting planning in place to continue to provide quality educational outcomes if there is reason to close the school for any period of time. We will be gathering information about internet access, availability of technology and email addresses “just in case” we are told to close. We are putting different contingencies in place so that we can continue to meet the educational needs of our students. As you would be aware, this is a totally new prospect for our teachers and staff. It is a totally unprecedented space where we are trying to prepare as best we can for a classroom we never thought we would be providing. Catholic Education and the Department of Education are collaborating and working very hard to supply the resources that teachers will need to provide lessons. We will be sending out information on expectations of teachers, students and parents in such an event that we are required to close the school. Please be patient as we work in this unfamiliar space.

We will definitely keep our community informed of developments as they happen. I have regular online meetings with Canberra to make sure we know what support is available and what are the latest recommendations for schools. Our Director Ross Fox is in daily contact with the Directors of all other Catholic sectors and the Government and Independent equivalents. All discussions are based around a nation as a whole response to issues like NAPLAN, closures, remote learning.

Please know that the wellbeing of students, families and staff is paramount in all our decision making.  If you have any concerns or issues please feel free to email me. I will endeavour to reply as soon as I possibly can.

We have shared letters on schoolzine with the latest information coming from Catholic Education. I have included, once more, the instructions that were forwarded last week in terms of best practice around protocols and management.

 The Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn has received advice from medical experts that we should employ best practice and be prudent in preventing the transmission of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Please read the information below that has been sent through from Catholic Education in regards to the response to the current situation.

Advice on School Closures for Non-Government Schools

Current advice is that mass school closures are unlikely. The Director is the only person who has the authority to close a school. Schools should not unilaterally close and will only close after consultation with CECG and NSW / ACT Health.

Sending Home Sick Students and Staff

As the impact of the virus on children and healthy adults can be quite mild there may be a tendency to continue working and attending school and hence increase the risk of infecting others. This is in contrast to SARS and Swine, where most people were quite unwell if infected. The advice from Health is that schools should be very strong on sending home staff and students who have the slightest sign of illness. This is not a time for soldiering on with coughs and colds.

NSW School Attendance Patterns

NSW Health wants CSNSW to monitor anything unexpected in school attendance levels of students and staff. It is a reasonable expectation there are far more cases in the community than have been identified and they are keen to get the earliest read they can on breakouts and hotspots. 

Hygiene 

Good hygiene remains the best protective measure against the spread of the virus:

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water or hand sanitiser (for 20 seconds).
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue (dispose tissue into the bin) and then wash hands thoroughly.
• Avoid close contact with anyone displaying cold or flu-like symptoms and stay away from others if you are unwell.

Our school vision to “Learn, Lead, Live” should continue to inspire and motivate each of us every day as we strive to build a community with a common destiny.

Remember if you have to choose between being exceptional or kind, be exceptionally kind!

God Bless

Mrs Nicky Trinder

Principal