I HAVE RECENTLY RETURNED FROM TRAVELLING. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If you have travelled overseas or to Victoria in the past 14 days, do not come onto the School campus for any reason.
If you have travelled within NSW, visit the NSW Health website (www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates) for a list of venues where person(s) with confirmed cases of COVID-19 visited.
If you have visited a listed venue on the identified dates as noted on the NSW Health website:
WHAT CLEANING, HYGIENE AND DISTANCING MEASURES ARE IN PLACE AT THE SCHOOL?
CLEANING
Extended and increased formal cleaning of high-touch areas including toilets, door knobs, taps, light switches etc.
HYGIENE
Continued promotion of good hygiene practices for staff and students. This includes:
SOCIAL DISTANCING
On the 24th of April the AHPPC issued a statement to say they do not believe that the ‘venue density rule’ of no more than one person per four square metres is appropriate or practical in classrooms or corridors, nor is maintaining 1.5m between students during classroom activities. Shearwater will however continue to encourage social distancing for both students (where possible and practical) and staff. This includes:
CAN VISITORS BE ON SITE AT SHEARWATER?
WHAT ARE THE PROCEDURES FOR DROPPING OFF AND PICKING UP MY CHILD FROM PRIMARY AND HIGH SCHOOL?
WHAT ARE THE PROCEDURES FOR DROP OFF AND PICK UP IN PRESCHOOL/KINDERGARTEN?
Due to the requirement for sign in/out in the Preschool and Kindergarten, parents and carers will only be permitted on the Little Shearwater grounds for the purpose of dropping off and picking up their child. Social distancing measures are in place and they will be implemented for drop-off and pick-up times, with clearly spaced markings on the pathways in the yard. Only two adults will be permitted on the verandah at any one time - enabling caregivers to drop-off and pick-up their child from the group leader and deal with their belongings quickly and safely. We remind families that they must not congregate anywhere on the School grounds.
ARE BUS SERVICES RUNNING TO AND FROM SHEARWATER?
Families are encouraged to use bus services where possible for their children so that we can avoid congestion in our drop-off and pick-up areas.
Shearwater has confirmed with the bus companies that provide services to and from the School, that all regular school services are running. Please contact individual bus companies for any service-specific questions.
WHEN SHOULD I KEEP MY CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL?
WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CHILD BECOMES UNWELL AT SCHOOL OR SHOWS ANY SIGNS OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESS AND/OR COLD OR FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS?
WHAT HAPPENS IF I RECEIVE A ‘SHEARWATER COVID TEST REQUEST’ FOR MY CHILD BUT I DO NOT PRESENT EVIDENCE OF A NEGATIVE COVID TEST RESULT?
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY CHILD IS WELL BUT I WANT TO KEEP HIM/HER HOME FROM SCHOOL?
WHAT CAN I DO AT HOME TO PROTECT AGAINST COVID-19?
Practise good hygiene to protect against infection and prevent the virus spreading.
If you have travelled overseas or to Victoria in the past 14 days, do not come onto the School campus for any reason.
If you have travelled within NSW, visit the NSW Health website (www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates) for a list of venues where person(s) with confirmed cases of COVID-19 visited.
If you have visited a listed venue on the identified dates as noted on the NSW Health website:
- Adhere to the advice on the NSW website regarding self-isolation and testing.
- Inform the person undertaking the COVID-19 test of the venue and the date of your visit - this will assist in management of the outbreak.
- Provide family members with the relevant information, such as self-isolation, if that has been advised by NSW Health.
WHAT CLEANING, HYGIENE AND DISTANCING MEASURES ARE IN PLACE AT THE SCHOOL?
CLEANING
Extended and increased formal cleaning of high-touch areas including toilets, door knobs, taps, light switches etc.
- Further installation of extra hand sanitising stations throughout high-traffic areas of the School, including classrooms, music and specialist rooms, library and staff rooms (this is in addition to the extra hand washing measures that were put in place in Term 1).
- Provision of sanitising packs to teaching staff for use in classrooms.
HYGIENE
Continued promotion of good hygiene practices for staff and students. This includes:
- Washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, or using hand sanitiser, when entering school, and at regular intervals throughout the day particularly before and after eating, and after going to the toilet. All classrooms have a supply of hand sanitiser.
- Covering coughs and sneezes with one’s elbow or a tissue and placing used tissues straight into the bin.
- Avoiding touching one’s eyes, nose and mouth.
- Encouraging students to not share food or drink.
- Continued adherence to strictest food hygiene preparation standards for the Canteen. The Canteen will not be available to parents.
- Closure of all communal water bubblers.
- All students should bring their own water bottles to school with their names clearly marked. Students are able to refill their water bottles from various taps around the School.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
On the 24th of April the AHPPC issued a statement to say they do not believe that the ‘venue density rule’ of no more than one person per four square metres is appropriate or practical in classrooms or corridors, nor is maintaining 1.5m between students during classroom activities. Shearwater will however continue to encourage social distancing for both students (where possible and practical) and staff. This includes:
- Avoiding activities that lead to large groups of students, including reduced use of common areas.
- Where possible, avoiding close-proximity queuing and encouraging increased space between students, for example, by placing markings on the floor around the canteen area.
- All school excursions, assemblies, sporting activities and other large gatherings have been cancelled until further notice.
- Where appropriate or possible, conducting lessons outdoors or in environments with enhanced ventilation.
- Where possible, arranging classroom furniture to leave maximum space between students.
- Teachers monitoring students during non-class times to encourage distancing.
- Teachers and staff maintaining 1.5m physical distance from other adults in staff rooms and common areas.
- Encouraging non-contact greetings.
- Two visitors only at any time in the school Reception area.
- Using phone, Zoom or other means to conduct meetings involving parents or carers.
CAN VISITORS BE ON SITE AT SHEARWATER?
- NO external visitors are permitted to enter or visit the School unless an emergency, or critical to the School’s operations.
- Parents and Carers are asked not to come onto the grounds unless your child requires your urgent attention, which would be notified to you by the School. The exception to this is to drop children at school, and collect children. Please remain in your vehicles for this.
- All non-essential incursions, events and festivals on-site that involve parents have been cancelled.
- All assemblies have been cancelled.
WHAT ARE THE PROCEDURES FOR DROPPING OFF AND PICKING UP MY CHILD FROM PRIMARY AND HIGH SCHOOL?
- We encourage families to consider using the bus service where possible to avoid congestion in our car park.
- When dropping off and picking up students from Class 1 to Year 12, parents/carers must stay in their vehicle. Additional staff will be stationed in the car park to supervise drop-off and pick-up.
- Primary-aged students will be escorted to the Primary School drop-off area at the front of the School.
- Primary-aged students who have siblings in Kindergarten or Preschool will be escorted to the Little Shearwater car park in front of the Kindergarten. If it is raining, they will be supervised in the undercover basketball court area, at the High School end of the same car park.
- For late arrivals or early departures, parents should bring their child to the Office to be signed in. School staff will arrange for younger children to be escorted to classrooms. This is the only exception to parents being on site.
WHAT ARE THE PROCEDURES FOR DROP OFF AND PICK UP IN PRESCHOOL/KINDERGARTEN?
Due to the requirement for sign in/out in the Preschool and Kindergarten, parents and carers will only be permitted on the Little Shearwater grounds for the purpose of dropping off and picking up their child. Social distancing measures are in place and they will be implemented for drop-off and pick-up times, with clearly spaced markings on the pathways in the yard. Only two adults will be permitted on the verandah at any one time - enabling caregivers to drop-off and pick-up their child from the group leader and deal with their belongings quickly and safely. We remind families that they must not congregate anywhere on the School grounds.
ARE BUS SERVICES RUNNING TO AND FROM SHEARWATER?
Families are encouraged to use bus services where possible for their children so that we can avoid congestion in our drop-off and pick-up areas.
Shearwater has confirmed with the bus companies that provide services to and from the School, that all regular school services are running. Please contact individual bus companies for any service-specific questions.
WHEN SHOULD I KEEP MY CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL?
- Any student or staff member who has been overseas or in Victoria must self-isolate for 14 days on their return, during which time they will be excluded from school.
- Students or staff who have been identified as close contacts of a person diagnosed with COVID-19 during their infectious period must also self-isolate at home, and should not attend school or childcare settings until 14 days after their last contact with the infected person.
- Parents are requested to keep their child home if they are unwell with ANY cold or flu like symptoms until symptoms have fully resolved.
- Students kept at home that display ANY of the following symptoms (fever, cough, sore/scratchy throat, shortness of breath, loss of smell or taste) must present a negative COVID test before being allowed to return to school.
- Any student with a known allergy must have a medical action plan in place at the School, or a current letter from their doctor, to minimise confusion about assessing symptoms.
WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CHILD BECOMES UNWELL AT SCHOOL OR SHOWS ANY SIGNS OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESS AND/OR COLD OR FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS?
- If a student becomes unwell ANY cold or flu-like symptoms they will be directed to visit the Wellness Room. Students may then be asked to wear a mask and will be further assessed (including a temperature check) by a First Aid Officer. If symptoms warrant the student being collected, a parent/carer will be contacted and prompt collection of the student is required. If a parent/carer can’t be contacted, an emergency contact will be called. Please note that the School will always err on the side of caution when making a decision to send a child home.
- If the student being sent home has ANY of the following symptoms (fever, cough, sore/scratchy throat, shortness of breath, loss of smell or taste), parents will be sent a ‘Shearwater COVID Test Request’ email advising that evidence of a negative COVID test must be presented before the child can return to school.
- Any student with a known allergy must have a medical action plan in place at the School, or a current letter from their doctor, to minimise confusion about assessing symptoms.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I RECEIVE A ‘SHEARWATER COVID TEST REQUEST’ FOR MY CHILD BUT I DO NOT PRESENT EVIDENCE OF A NEGATIVE COVID TEST RESULT?
- If you choose to disregard the School's request for your child to present evidence of a negative COVID test, your child will not be permitted to return to school whilst this directive remains in place and your child will be marked 'Absent'.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY CHILD IS WELL BUT I WANT TO KEEP HIM/HER HOME FROM SCHOOL?
- If parents are keeping children home as a long-term precautionary measure, please contact the School to let us know.
WHAT CAN I DO AT HOME TO PROTECT AGAINST COVID-19?
Practise good hygiene to protect against infection and prevent the virus spreading.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue.
- Put used tissues straight into the bin.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, including before and after eating and after going to the toilet
- Use alcohol-based hand sanitisers.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces such as bench tops, desks and doorknobs.
- Clean and disinfect frequently used objects such as mobile phones, keys, wallets and work passes.
- Increase the amount of fresh air available by opening windows or adjusting air conditioning.