Dear Parents,

I hope you have had a restful break and have been able to spend some time with family, friends and loved ones in preparation for the new school term ahead. This year we warmly welcome back all students and families, especially the new Prep students and their families to St Paul’s. We are hopeful and optimistic for a smooth transition into the wonderful world of learning, belonging and friendships for 2022 . I also would like to welcome new families who are joining us in other grades: 

Prep: Welcome Alexander Gravina

Year 2: Welcome Dean Goulas, Hayden Challis, Angelica Tsihitas and Eva Norris

Year 3: Welcome Christos Tsihitas and Reid Anderson

Year 4: Welcome back Julius Khamu, Sienna Gravina

Year 6: Welcome Kai Anderson, Raemi Brown and Rex Trihey

I hope all our new families feel welcome and supported by the students, staff and families.  The notion of a Catholic School community includes learners, their families, their teachers and other staff at the school. This sense of belonging provides the foundation for the full flourishing of each student in our care here at St Paul’s. 

This year we also welcome new staff members.

Yr 6 Classroom:  Gabrielle Berends

Performing Arts: Connie Antenucci

Visual Arts: Rebecca Saunders

Office Administrator: Louise James

Finance Officer: Petina Thomas

Returning to school

Restrictions will be put in place for the first four weeks of the term which will give us the opportunity to monitor the return of students and staff.

High case numbers of COVID-19 across Victoria, and the nation more broadly, undoubtedly present challenges. We have overcome these challenges before and the COVIDSafe measures that we now have in place will help to minimise the incidence of COVID-19 in our school, and keep students and staff safe.

The Victorian Government made several announcements regarding surveillance testing, vaccinations, comprehensive workforce planning and case management to support schools to return safely and minimise disruption to learning. In today’s newsletter I will outline these announcements.

On Monday 31 January, students from Prep to Year 6 will be welcomed back to school. The gates will be open from 8.30am for supervision. Students will be supervised on the playground until the bell goes at 8.50am.

QR Code and Visitors to School

Parents are able to come onto the playground for morning drop off and for afternoon pickup. Masks are not required to be worn by parents outdoors. QR codes are not required when a parent or visitor is outside on the school grounds. We ask that parents do not come into the classrooms for the first 4 weeks of school. If you need to come into the Office you will be required to use the QR Code check in, wear a mask and show proof of vaccination.

Prep Students

We are very excited to welcome the Prep students into their newly refurbished classrooms. Prep classrooms will be open from 8.30am on Monday for parents to bring their child directly into the classroom to help settle them during the first week. 

This will be done in two groups to minimise the number of adults in the classroom at one time. We ask that families whose surname begins with the letters A-L to arrive at 8.30am and families whose surname begins with the letters M-Z arrive at 8. 45am. 

On entering the building, parents must QR code in, wear a mask, and show proof of vaccination. We ask that parents limit the time in the classroom to under 5 minutes for the health and safety of other parents, staff and students. We know how important the first day of school is for every child and their family and we ask that everyone respects the time limit.

The Prep students will finish at 1pm for the first week and will be brought onto the playground for parents to collect them each afternoon. They will then attend school for full days from Monday 7 February with the exception of Wednesdays. On Wednesday 9th, 16th, and 23rd of February the students will have a rest day before starting full time on 28 February. These three Wednesdays will be used for teachers to schedule 1 hour appointments for each child for assessments. These assessments give us important information regarding the children’s basic Literacy and Numeracy skills. An email will be sent out Wednesday 2 February with online booking details.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer our traditional morning tea to the new families on their first day, but we hope to organise a get together after Week 4.

Face Masks

All students in Year 3-6 will be required to wear a mask indoors unless a lawful exemption applies. Students wear a face mask even if vaccinated. Students in P-2 are strongly recommended to wear a face mask, but it is not a requirement.

Teachers are required to wear a face mask indoors when not actively teaching or communicating with students. Face masks are not required outdoors.

Rapid Antigen Testing (RATs)

Under the plan to safely welcome students back to the classroom the Victorian Government has delivered more than 14 million rapid antigen tests to schools and early childhood education settings including 6.6 million tests to be delivered in the first week of term. Our tests arrived on Thursday.

Rapid antigen testing will be in place for at least the first four weeks of Term 1.

This surveillance testing is strongly recommended for all primary and secondary school students and staff, twice-weekly at home before coming to school. We ask that students test each Monday and Wednesday before coming to school. Test kits will be sent home with your child on Monday of Week 1 and Week 3. (it will need to be done on Tuesday morning for this week as we have only just come back to school)

Tests will be provided in packs of five individual tests. Students and staff will do the tests at home and must report any positive test results to the school. If staff or students receive a positive test result at any time, they must report this through the Department of Health system (Rapid antigen tests | Coronavirus Victoria) or via the coronavirus hotline at 1800 675 398. Parents must also report a positive result to the school by phoning the Office on 95577130 or emailing the Principal (ctammesild@spbentleigh.catholic.edu.au). This is so we can support families and 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.  No names will be disclosed, however, a daily email will be sent to parents identifying the Year level, dates of attendance, affected class or cohort and any relevant extracurricular activities. where a positive case has been reported.

All students and staff 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.

Where a student or staff member is identified as a positive case, education contact tracing will no longer be a requirement. If a child tests positive, the whole class is not required to isolate but parents are asked to monitor for symptoms.

Management of Confirmed Cases and Household Contacts at School 

Identification and notification:

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 must inform the school by phone or email 

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. 

4. Parents are asked to refrain from sending their child back to school if they remain symptomatic, unless it is known that their symptoms are caused by an underlying health condition or medication.

5. If a student has been in contact with a case of COVID-19 while at school or another social setting:

• If asymptomatic, students should continue to attend school and monitor for symptoms. 
• If symptomatic, students must stay/return home, take a rapid antigen test, or get a PCR test if a rapid antigen testing kit is unavailable. 
• On receipt of a negative test result, and if well enough, the student can return to school.  

Student attendance

All students are expected to attend onsite unless they are formally registered as being homeschooled. Parent preference is not an approved reason for students to be absent due to COVID-19. Students who are required to isolate or quarantine will be supported in the same way as students with an extended absence due to illness or injury, with learning materials provided to support their continued learning. 

Schools are not expected to provide a full remote learning program in these circumstances.

 (MACS)

Verification of Vaccination

Visitors attending any event or activity inside a school building including, but not limited to, tours, graduations, kindergarten transitions and whole-school events are required to show evidence of vaccination.

Understanding COVID-19 

For information on the science behind COVID-19 see Facts about coronavirus (COVID-19). A combination of strategies is required to minimise transmission risk. No single strategy completely reduces risk and not every measure will be possible in all educational settings. Where some controls are not feasible, others should be enhanced. Strategies should also be adjusted over time in line with the changing risk of transmission in the community. 

Students will be encouraged to practise physical distancing where possible. Maintaining a physical distance of 1.5 metres will not always be practical in the school environment and may be particularly challenging in the younger years. In these contexts, a combination of health and safety measures should be utilised to reduce risk.

All students will undertake regular hand hygiene, particularly on arrival at school, before and after eating, after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the toilet. 

Hand sanitiser is available at entry points to classrooms. Age-appropriate education and reminders about hand hygiene will be provided. Sharing of food is not permitted. Use of non-contact greetings (not shaking hands, hugging or kissing) will be encouraged.

Click here for more inforation about Coronavirus

Facts About coronavirus

Ventilation

All learning areas will increase fresh airflow into indoor spaces whenever possible and  maximise the use of outdoor learning areas.  For natural ventilation, all windows, doors and vents will be open as much as possible. Students will eat outdoors when possible. All classrooms have now received an Air Purifier from the Victorian Government sponsored initiative.

Events to be Postponed

A number of planned events will be postponed until we have a clearer picture of the impact of students returning to school. We hope to reschedule all events.

These include:

• Beginning School Mass
• House Swimming Carnival
• School Photos
• Andrew Chin Twilight Concert, Meet teaching Staff and Welcome Picnic.

On Monday every child will be given a box of 5 RATs to be administered before school each Monday and Wednesday. (Thursday for the Preps). The next box will be sent home at the beginning of Week 3.

There will be a daily email starting from Tuesday 1 February with Covid notifications.

Take care and thank you for your continued support.

Best Wishes,

Catherine