25 Jan 2022
Hi everyone,
Welcome back to Term 1 2022. I hope you had an enjoyable, restful and safe holiday.
Students will return to school next week on:
- Tuesday 1 February – Years 7, 11 and 12
- Wednesday 2 February – Years 8, 9 and 10
The Premier has announced the latest updates on the operational settings for Term 1 2022, which will have an impact on our school. I will keep you up to date with our plan for the start of term given these developments.
We will operate with a layered approach to COVID-smart measures that have been developed in partnership with NSW Health to help to minimise transmission of COVID-19 while keeping our schools open for teaching and learning.
These key measures include:
- Rapid antigen test (RAT) kits will be provided to all students and staff to help monitor health and minimise the spread.
- All primary and secondary school staff will be required to wear surgical masks indoors. No vented masks or cloth masks should be worn. If required, surgical masks will be available at schools. Secondary school students will be provided with surgical masks as a backup when needed and they are required to wear them indoors.
- Only fully vaccinated visitors essential to delivering and supporting learning or wellbeing are allowed to come on a school site.
- Students will be kept in their year groups on school grounds, with staggered drop-off and pick-ups, break times, playground and canteen access to minimise the spread of COVID-19 across cohorts.
- We will continue to use good hygiene, enhanced cleaning, good air flow and ventilation in learning spaces, as well as physical distancing practices.
The health and wellbeing of our students and staff are our priority and these measures will help to keep our school operational and our students learning in the classroom.
Provision of RAT kits
Before the start of Term 1, our school will be distributing packs of rapid antigen test (RAT) kits for all students and staff.
The second round of Rapid Antigen Tests will be distributed to students during Period 5 on Wednesday 9 Feb 2022. Parents can contact the school to collect them in advance.
The use of RAT kits is an important step to support the health and wellbeing of our students and staff. They are a quick and easy screening tool to help detect COVID-19. It is a simple process of placing a nose or throat swab in a chemical solution which is put onto a scanning device. Results can be ready within 15 minutes. Use of RAT kits is highly recommended but not mandatory.
Provided within the kits are instructions on how to: use the tests, check the results and how to dispose of the tests safely. You can also download the instructions through the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) website. The user guides will also contain a contact number for the suppliers for additional support.
- Packs of RAT kits for student use will be collected from school by parents or carers, and they should carry out the tests at home.
- All students and staff will receive an initial kit of 4 RATs. One test is to be used once a day, twice a week in the morning before attending school.
- Additional tests will be supplied to schools as required.
- If a student or staff member receives a positive RAT test, they need to:
- record the positive RAT result through the Service NSW website or Service NSW app.
- notify the school of the positive RAT or PCR test result as soon as possible
- follow NSW Health advice to isolate for 7 days.
Negative results do not need to be recorded to Service NSW or to the school.
Unwell at school
Any student or staff member who is unwell and/or displays symptoms of COVID-19 will be asked to go home and stay there until they can complete a RAT or PCR test.
- If symptoms continue, they should stay at home and take another RAT in 24 hours or have a PCR test.
- If the second RAT or initial PCR test result is negative, the student or staff member can return to school.
What happens when a staff member or student tests positive for COVID-19?
Under the new close contact rules, schools are no longer included in contact tracing. I will inform the school community of a positive case and advise families of the current public health advice, including monitoring for symptoms.
Use of surgical masks
- All primary and secondary school staff will be required to wear masks indoors.
- No vented or cloth masks should be worn. If required surgical masks will be available at schools.
- Secondary school students will be provided with surgical masks as a backup when needed, which they are required to wear indoors.
- We are strongly encouraging the wearing of masks in outdoor settings where you cannot physically distance. Students and staff can remove their masks when eating, exercising or playing a musical instrument.
- For more information, refer to Masks and face coverings.
Vaccination requirements
All staff at school must be fully vaccinated. This will include a booster shot, and the compliance date will be communicated when the public health order has been updated. Booster shots are now available from 3 months after your second dose.
We strongly encourage our students and their families to be vaccinated.
Visitors on school sites
No parents or carers will be allowed on school sites until further notice with one exception: Two parents or carers will be allowed to accompany their child into school on their first day of Kindergarten, Year 7 or students starting at a new school.
In addition, no visitors are allowed on school sites until further notice except for fully vaccinated:
- volunteers or staff operating uniform shops and canteens
- visitors supporting school operations and curriculum delivery
- allied health partners for the wellbeing of students
Kind Regards,
Mr David Crelley
Executive Principal
Murrumbidgee Regional High School