Morisset Public School

Learn and Live

Telephone02 4973 1435

Emailmorisset-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Provision and Distribution of RAT tests and Principal Update Friday January 28

Friday January 28, 2022

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

An update on the operational settings for Term 1, 2022, which will impact our school.

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 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 school. Primary school students are strongly recommended to wear well-fitted masks 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 cohort groups on school grounds, for drop-off and pick-ups, break times, playground and canteen access to minimise the spread of COVID-19.
  • We will continue to use good hygiene, enhanced cleaning, good air flow and While this is not going to be a normal start to the school year, we know that being together in the classroom is the most effective way for students to learn and grow. Your child's relationship with their teacher is important, but as we manage potential disruptions to staffing due to COVID-19, they may get to meet more teachers than usual.

Provision and distribution of RAT kits – commencing Monday January 31

Distribution will take place in the “Kiss and Ride” zone.

Families whose surname begins with A – K from 11:30am-12:30pm

Families whose surname begins with L – Z from 12:30pm-1:30pm

If you are unable to make this time, please email the school for an alternate time.

Additional information

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)External link website. The user guides will also contain a contact number for the suppliers for additional support.

  • School staff, will not be required to administer rapid antigen tests to students.
  • 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 result, they need to:
  • It is recommended that staff and students who return to school after recovering from COVID-19 do not participate in rapid antigen test surveillance for 28 days (four weeks after recovery) following release from self-isolation. This is due to NSW Health advice that people who have recovered from COVID-19 have a low risk of contracting it again in the following 28 days. After 28 days (from week five after recovery) staff and students may resume participation in RAT surveillance.

 

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.
  • In NSW, positive COVID-19 cases are provided a Medical Clearance Notice after 7 days and allowed to leave self-isolation as long as they do not have COVID-19 symptoms.

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.

Primary school students are strongly recommended to wear well-fitted masks indoors and in outdoor settings where they cannot physically distance. Students and staff can remove their masks when eating, exercising or playing a musical instrument.

Visitors on school sites

No parents or carers will be allowed on school sites until further notice. The following exceptions apply;

Up to two parents or carers are allowed to accompany their child into school on their first day of Kindergarten or Year 7 or students starting at a new school.

Volunteers or staff operating uniform shops and canteens must be fully vaccinated.

Visitors supporting school operations and curriculum delivery must be fully vaccinated.

Allied health partners for the wellbeing of students must be fully vaccinated.

All staff on school sites are required to be fully vaccinated, including having their booster when eligible.

We strongly encourage our students and their families to consider vaccination when eligible.

Other key measures

Ventilation

We will continue to follow NSW Health ventilation guidelines that natural ventilation is the most effective measure so we will maximise fresh air flow in learning spaces through opening doors and windows.

This approach is strongly supported by expert advice. Where natural ventilation is not sufficient, mechanical ventilation and/or air purification will be used and we will continue to use outdoor settings where possible.

Air purifiers have been provided to schools as a supplementary measure to support common areas in schools and can be deployed at the principal's discretion. These purifiers could be located in areas where high levels of student and staff mixing occurs, such as staffrooms, internal canteens, student centres and music rooms.

Cleaning

We continue to have enhanced cleaning focusing on high-touch and high-traffic areas.

 

 

Physical distancing

We will continue to follow physical distancing guidelines and maintain 1.5 metres distance wherever possible.

Please email any questions to Morisset-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Further information will be distributed via the School Stream App, Facebook and the School Website. Please check these regularly.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Mrs Warham

Principal