COVID-19 Back to School Plan 2022

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Thank you for your ongoing support as we work together to respond to the evolving COVID-19 situation.

As announced by the Premier on Sunday 30 January 2022, the Queensland Government has released the COVID-safe back to school plan.

From Monday 7 February, key features of the plan include:

• The suspension of school camps, excursions, assemblies, and large gatherings (please note that school sport will continue as usual)
• limiting visitors on site, with exceptions for parents and carers of students experiencing vulnerability, students attending early childhood development programs, kindergarten, Prep or Year 1
• staggered drop off times and special drop off zones
• masks supplied and strongly encouraged for students in Years 3 to 6
• rapid antigen tests (RATs) available in school for students and staff who develop symptoms while on site
• priority access to RATs for students and staff at Queensland Health testing clinics
• a range of ventilation measures including air purifiers as required

You can access the Back to School plan here, and further information and FAQs on the Department of Education COVID-19 website.

Essential to the success of these measures is that if your child is unwell or displaying any COVID-19 symptoms, they must not attend school. I cannot emphasise this message strongly enough – it is critical to keeping our school community safe.

Rapid antigen tests (RATs)

Our school has a supply of RATs which will be provided to any staff or students who, while attending school, develop COVID-19 symptoms. Please note if your child has COVID-19 symptoms while at home they must not attend school.

Your child, if they have COVID-19 symptoms, can visit your local Queensland health testing clinic and will be given priority access to a free RAT.

Limiting access for visitors

At our school, limitations on parent and visitor access are now in place.

Prep Students (unless attending OSHC):

Morning Drop-off:

A parent/caregiver is required to walk their child through their designated Prep gate at their designated time as outlined in the table below, and go directly to their classroom. The gates on Colwyn Street are clearly marked for each Prep classroom. To ensure social distancing, there are signs on each Prep classroom door identifying the maximum number of adults who are permitted in the classroom at the same time. Please limit your drop-off time ensuring it is not unnecessarily extended, to allow all families time to drop off their child.

Please do not enter the gate or the classroom before your allocated timeslot:

Please see information below in the “Late Arrivals / Early Departures" section for instructions on the late arrival process for students arriving after 9:00am.

Afternoon Pick-up:

A parent/caregiver is required to collect their child from their child's classroom at the designated time as outlined in the table below, and exit via their designated gate.

Year 1 Students (unless attending OSHC):

Morning Drop-off:

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to drop off Year 1 students between 8:30am and 8:45am and proceed directly to their classroom.

Please see information below in the “Late Arrivals / Early Departures" section for instructions on the late arrival process for students arriving after 9:00am.

Afternoon Pick-up:

Parents and caregivers are to pre-arrange a pickup area with their child identifying where they will be collected from. Year 1 students can also be collected from their classroom. The three pick up zones are:

• Resource Centre Drop and Go Zone
• Oval Drop and Go Zone
• Tuckshop Pedestrian Gate

Staff will supervise at these gates until 3:15pm.

Years 2 to 6 Students (unless attending OSHC):

Morning Drop-off:

Students arrive or are dropped off by their parent/caregiver between 8:20am and 8:40am ready to start their school day at 8:45am, and enter school via:

• Resource Centre kiss and go zone;
• the oval kiss and go zone
• the Tuckshop gate.

Staff will supervise these gates from 8:15am to 9:00am. Once on the school grounds, students will make their way to the Junior Shelter Shed (Years 2 and 3) or the Senior Shelter Shed (Years 4 to 6). A staff member will greet them there at 8:40am, before releasing them to move to their classrooms.

If your child is running a little late, please note that the above gates will remain supervised until 9:00am.

Please see information below in the “Late Arrivals / Early Departures" section for instructions on the late arrival process for students arriving after 9:00am.

Afternoon Pick-up:

Students make their way to one of the following exits to meet their parents or travel home: Please discuss with your child what gate you will collect them from.

• Resource Centre Drop and Go Zone
• Oval Drop and Go Zone
• Tuckshop Pedestrian Gate

Staff will supervise at these gates until 3:15pm.

Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) Students – All Year Levels

Students attending OSHC will arrive and depart via the Tuckshop gate. OSCH staff will be at the gates to meet students from 7:00am. Further details will be provided to OSHC families re drop-off and pick-up. Prep students attending OSHC will continue to be taken to and from Prep as per the current process.

Late Arrivals / Early Departures

Should your student arrive late to school –

Prep students – upon arrival at school, please move to the applicable drop-off gate on Colwyn Street and telephone the school Office on 3849 0555 to notify them of your child's arrival at school. A member of our Admin team will electronically sign your student in with a Late Slip and will telephone your child's classroom Teacher to notify them that your student is waiting for entry at the Prep gate. A staff member will then meet your child at the Prep gate and take them to their classroom. Please note – the Late Slip will be passed on to your child's Teacher by Admin throughout the day.

Year 1-6 students – upon arriving at school, bring your child to the Admin entrance gate and wait outside the gate until your student enters the Office foyer, to ensure their safe arrival into the school grounds. Your child will then obtain a Late Slip from Admin staff, and proceed to their classroom and give the slip to their classroom teacher.

Should your student have to leave school early – advise your student's Teacher in advance, and when you arrive to collect your student please phone Admin on 3849 0555 and -

For Prep students, Admin will contact your child's teacher who will organise for the student to be accompanied to the Prep gate for that class

For Year 1 to 6 Students, Admin will contact your child's teacher who will organise for your student to come up to Admin, and Reception staff will supervise them meeting you at the Admin gate.

Please note: Gates will be closed outside of drop-off and pick-up times. Entry to the Admin Foyer is only for persons having business at Administration, it will not be used for student arrivals or departures unless they are arriving late or leaving school early.

Please ensure you do not enter the school grounds at drop-off and pick-up times or during other times of the school day.

We thank you for your ongoing cooperation and support at this time.

For parents/caregivers of our Year 2 to 6 students - we are aware that many students will be excited to return, while others may feel anxious about separating from family members. Please let your child's Teacher know if your child is concerned about starting back at school, so that strategies can be discussed to support a smooth transition back to their classroom.

Excursions and camps

There are no Excursions or camps scheduled between now and 4 March.

This week

For the upcoming week, our school remains open for children of essential workers and vulnerable children, in the same way we were last week. If you need to send your child to school you must ensure your child is well and not displaying any signs of illness.

School staff will supervise any students who attend school.

I encourage you to stay informed of the latest developments relating to COVID-19 by regularly visiting the Queensland Government website.

Thank you for your understanding as we continue to work together during this difficult and unprecedented time.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Ray Bloxham PRINCIPAL