We appreciate your support in return to school processes this week that have evolved over this COVID-19 time to keep everyone safe. With most students back at school, it has been a good week for seeing how everyone is managing to settle into routine and overcoming the nerves that come with returning. We are so proud of our students, parents, carers and staff for their strength and resilience in change.

Summary

Supporting Families:

• Please remember that we are here to support learning for our students, but also to assist in the challenges that we are able to help overcome for our community to feel supported. If you have any concerns and are in need of support, please let us know as we are only too happy to assist.

Attendance at school:

• Please remember to complete attendance messaging as normal if your child is sick or otherwise absent from face to face school.

Social distancing:

Adult social distancing is still to be followed by staff and parents:

• No parents, carers or visitors are to be in the school grounds except office attendance.
• No volunteers or tutors (eg. Canteen, Band) are able to visit until notified.
• Staff are to maintain distance from each other and other adults, continuing hygiene practices.

Drop Off and Pick Up:

Continues as followed in Week 5.

• Please understand that the current drop off and pick up arrangements are the best structure for our school and will continue until changes are communicated. Parents and carers are not to wait at the bus gate or any other school area and ask children to come to them.
• Walkers - if you have asked your child to walk home or to a parent or carers workplace from the school grounds, you must provide a note that will be copied by the office and the original will be kept with the child to show the duty teachers. This gives you and your child responsibility for safe passage.

Traffic:

• The car park that is outside the administration entrance is not for drop off or pickup in fine or wet weather unless you have a disabled family member who requires the disabled car space. We have parents, carers and students who need to have access to this car park to use the disabled space and have a card to be able to do so. We share this car park with Joey’s House and all car spaces are allocated. It is a very busy entrance and unauthorised use puts children, parents and carers at risk of injury.

Help keep our community safe by:

• Parking and turning safely and legally around the school.
• Not making U-turns and three-point turns during pick up and drop off amongst traffic.
• Making sure your children enter and exit the car at the kerb side.
• Keeping children buckled up until the vehicle has stopped.
• Modelling calm, safe and considerate behaviour.

Illness:

• Children must remain at home if they have any cold or flu symptoms. If they present unwell at school they will be sent home. This also applies to staff members.
• If any family member is being tested for COVID-19, the school needs to be informed and students should not attend school until the results are returned as negative.

Week 7 (9th June):

• Blended Learning ceases, all staff and students are to be on site for compulsory attendance and students are to wear winter uniform.
• Focus on English, Maths and Religious Education with other learning areas integrated.

Kindergarten 2021 enrolment interviews:

• From Monday 1st June to Saturday 20th June, children entering Kindergarten in 2021 will be interviewed for enrolment. Permission to be granted for one parent and child to enter the office with social distancing and surface cleaning between interviews.

Our community:

• Congratulations to students who participated in the St Joseph’s Primary Olympics. Well done to the winners who are published in our Sport Spotlight article in this newsletter.
• Continue to enter your talents in our Virtual Joey’s Got Talent show.
• Our amazing Faith Choir will feature in Monday morning’s school online prayer.

Term 2, 3 and 4 School Calendar Events/Activities

While it is difficult to predict what is ahead for the remainder of 2020 with the impacts of COVID-19, we are attempting to plan ahead for Term 3 and 4. The Hastings’ Catholic Schools Principals, Catholic Schools Office staff and Parish Leadership Group meet regularly to review events and activities for Term 3 and 4.

We ask for community support and understanding in navigating these decisions as we move into Semester 2. It is essential to remember that no one can predict the future and decisions are made in the interests of all community members and strict regulations that must be followed at all times, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic which could be part of our lives for some time to come. We are working as a Parish and region to consider all options over many months of planning, to come to the best decisions for all. As time moves on and conditions become clear with all advice and guidelines that must be followed, we will provide alternatives where possible under the current situation. If you would like to provide feedback or input into future options, please make contact via our school email account or phone. Students will also be given opportunities to contribute where appropriate.

Consideration has been given to a number of areas to decide on how to proceed:

• Safety of external activity sites for students due to COVID-19.
• Venue availability at planned time and alternate possible future time.
• Financial impact on families and local businesses now and into the future.
• Uncertainty of COVID-19 virus spread as restrictions are relaxed or lifted.
• Catering for our school community under the Federal and State Government 3 Step Framework for a Covidsafe Australia.

Current status of events and activities:

• Staff Development Day - Monday 20th July - cancelled
  - Students return to school for Term 3 on Monday 20th July

• No excursions or incursions for the remainder of Term 2

• P&F Meetings
  - No physical meetings until further notice
  - Plan to hold a Zoom meeting in the coming weeks - to be advised

• Sacraments, school masses, prayer services and assemblies
  - Not to be conducted until further notice

• School events with parent involvement
  - Not to be conducted until further notice 

• Athletics Preparation and Events
  - To take place with staff and students only

• Year 6 Camp
  - Term 3, Week 6 - Communication directly to Year 6 families via emailed letter today

• Glasshouse Performance
  - Term 3, Week 8 - Cancelled for 2020
  - Creative Arts Team considering a lower key alternative creative opportunity in Term 4 

• Port Macquarie Dance Eisteddfod
  - Term 3, Week 10 - Cancelled for 2020

Tess Koning
Principal