Dear Parents and Guardians 

I hope you and your families enjoyed a wonderful break over the school holidays. The Victorian Government has announced some important changes to COVIDSafe measures for schools that will apply from the start of Term 2, 2022.

Face masks
Face masks, while recommended, are no longer required in any school setting. This means students in Grades 3 to 6, staff and visitors in primary schools are no longer required to wear face masks. Any student or staff member who wishes to wear a mask may do so, including those who are medically at-risk.

Rapid Antigen Testing Screening Program
Free Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits will continue to be available for all staff and students in Victorian schools for the first four weeks of Term 2, 2022. Participation in the surveillance program will continue to be voluntary but strongly encouraged for all primary and secondary students and staff twice-weekly on school days.

Students and staff who have recovered from COVID-19 do not need to participate in the RAT surveillance program for 12 weeks after their isolation period has ended. This was previously 8 weeks.

Household or Household-Like Contacts
Household and household-like contacts are no longer required to quarantine but are required to undertake the following additional safety measures in the seven days that would have been their quarantine period:

• notify the school if returning during their seven-day period;
• undertake daily rapid antigen testing five times within the seven days;
• wear a face mask indoors (if aged eight (8) and above) unless a lawful exemption applies;
• are not permitted to visit hospitals or care facilities unless an exemption applies.

Household and household-like contacts are recommended to avoid interaction with people at higher risk of severe disease from COVID-19.

If symptomatic, staff and students must stay/return home, take a rapid antigen test, or get a PCR test if a rapid antigen testing kit unavailable. 

If a staff member, student, parent, guardian or carer cannot comply with the additional safety measures outlined above at any time, they must:

• quarantine immediately for the remainder of their seven-day household contact period
• get tested on Day one (1) (or as soon as possible) and on Day six (6) of their household contact period
• not attend school until a negative Day six (6) test result is received.

Vaccination requirements for visitors to schools
Parents, guardians, carers and other adult visitors are no longer required to show evidence of two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine if not performing work or volunteering at the school.

I encourage all parents, guardians and carers to review the attached information in relation to the COVIDSafe measures that will be implemented across all schools in the Diocese of Sale from the commencement of Term 2, 2022 to ensure that we protect our school communities and minimise disruption to face-to-face student learning.

As we approach winter and flu season, the vaccination of children aged five (5) to 11 and booster shots for students 16+ remains the best way to ensure protection for students and staff.

If you have any concerns about getting your child vaccinated, please contact your GP or another health professional who can answer your questions.

Thank you for your ongoing support in keeping our school safe.

Regards

Justin Greenwood
Principal