12 May 2020
Parent daily update from Mr Batty for school day Wednesday 13th May
Hi all - my daily update:
Another really successful day with our support unit children and those children of parents who are working - attending school today. In addition to our support unit students we had 80 students attend school today. Our plans are continuing to work well as we approach each day on its merit. Thank you all as you continue to be so supportive in following our plans!
I will include information on the Uniform Patch opening hours in my update each evening as we are receiving some calls from parents. Mrs Hesse will be creating a one stop shop on our school website tomorrow that has all things uniform. The new uniform is being sold through the 'Uniform Patch' located in the Spotlight Arcade Campbelltown. The shop will be open from 9.00am to 5.00pm Mondays and 9.00am to 7.00pm Thursdays. The Uniform Patch is on their Facebook page and details on our school website through my updates. If you have any questions about the new uniform please contact the school office. From tomorrow parents will have all the updated information on our school website!
Another new group of students return tomorrow and now doubt they are all super excited and probably also a little anxious. We continue to focus on just making the transition back to school a fun one that looks out for their well being and just making sure everyone stays safe. I know our children will have an awesome day as our teachers have some great things planned.
I've included a media release from the NSW Chief Medical Officer, Kerry Chant, reinforcing that health professionals believe child to child transfer of the virus is very minimal and that the main concern is around adult to adult contact. We are putting every measure in place, however it's near impossible in a primary school environment. Please be patient with us and be assured we aim to minimise contact as much as we possibly can. Much of this comes down to you as the individual!
"COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a new virus. We know that symptoms can include fever, cough, a sore throat or shortness of breath. We know the symptoms can be mild in many and severe in some, particularly the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions. The virus can spread from person to person, but we know that good hygiene and physical distancing – as well as exclusion of people with symptoms from any setting – helps prevents infection.
We are aiming to suppress community transmission of COVID-19 to low levels and continue to implement a range of measures such as rapid testing and isolation of people with symptoms of COVID-19, identification of their contacts and placing contacts in isolation, and social distancing and hygiene practices.
Evidence from our studies in schools shows that transmission in the school environment is mainly from adult to adult and children do not appear to contribute significantly to disease spread. This is different to the role that children play in the spread of other respiratory infections such as flu. Therefore strategies in a school environment need to reduce close contact between adult members of the school community.
I encourage you, if you or your child are sick, and think you have symptoms of COVID-19, to seek testing.
Health officials have advised the National Cabinet that schools are safe to remain open. They have also set out guidance for how schools should operate during the COVID-19 pandemic and we have appreciated how the Department of Education has been supporting and implementing that guidance:
Help stop the spread and stay healthy
Stay informed and supported
NSW Health is working closely with the Department of Education throughout this time. From everyone at NSW Health, we thank you for your continued support and compliance."
Dr Kerry Chant, NSW Chief Medical Officer
Whether you are learning from home or at school have a great day and I will see each of our children on their rostered days at school this week. We have had many parents message the school communicating they they don't want to send their child back to school for personal health reasons and still a sense of anxiety around Covid 19. As I have always indicated it will continue to be a parental decision and the school completely supports that choice. Please just communicate that choice to your child's classroom teacher through Seesaw so we can track and plan student daily numbers.
I've attached the Department of Education one page document on a planned return to school. Remember, these aren't normal times (it's not business as usual) so plans can change in a heart beat, We have to be flexible, patient and calm in our approach.
http://t.mail.education.nsw.gov.au/r/?id=h308142,196a864,196bb43
The NSW Department of Education is constantly looking to update advice for our parents and families.
The link below is the new public-facing page.
Support Learning from Home - The link is
https://education.nsw.gov.au/parents-and-carers/learning-from-home Please share it with your family and friends.
Stay tuned for my update each night (Sunday to Thursday). If there are any announcements that are urgent and can't wait until the evening we will post throughout the day.
I will continue to share some of my favourite quotes with families each night. I hope they help you stay positive during a really challenging time!
My quote of the day:
"Not only will this make you treat each moment more preciously, but you will be more patient with yourself and with others, recognisng that there are millions of moments on the path to any worthwhile achievement." Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Take care, stay safe, stay optimistic and keep smiling. We continue to get through this together!
WE CONTINUE TO MISS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!!!!
Cheers
Mr Batty
Principal