Dear families,
I hope the holidays have provided you with the opportunity for some rest and relaxation after all the disruption and stress term 2 delivered.
Thankfully for us, school will begin as normal on Monday due to Colac not being part of the Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire lockdown. Recent events have illustrated how precarious the situation is in regards to the Covid-19 virus so can I please request that you continue to reinforce the importance of hand hygiene, social distancing and cough etiquette with your children as they prepare to return to school. In addition, can you please keep children at home if they are showing any symptoms of the virus as listed below.
Most common symptoms: fever, dry cough and tiredness
Less common symptoms: aches and pains, sore throat, diarrhoea, conjunctivitis, headache, loss of taste or smell, a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes.
Below is a copy of the document Cheryl Pefanis sent out last term to remind you all of the processes and expectations we have in place at Trinity College to keep you, your children and our staff as safe as possible.
The premise for dealing with any unwell students or staff members remains the same:
⦁ Do not come to school if you are unwell.
⦁ Follow the advice of your medical practitioner. It is recommended that any unwell person who has symptoms associated with COVID-19 is tested for the virus.
⦁ Do not return to school until you are symptom-free or have been given a negative screening result.
GENERAL PROCESS: Enquiries about Screening
Please contact the school’s Reception concerning any queries pertaining to COVID-19. The Reception staff will direct all enquiries to the Principal’s Assistance, Jenny Weller. This includes information about possible infections, students presenting for screening, processes to be followed should a student present as unwell and any results from the screening.
The school’s usual processes for reporting absent students continue as usual, with families contacting the school’s absent line (telephone number: 5233 9299) to notify of absent students.
STUDENT REPORT
The expectation is that no student should present at school if they feel unwell.
In the case of an unwell student presenting at Reception
⦁ Should a student report to Reception that they are unwell with ‘flu-like symptoms, the First Aid Office staff will contact Jenny Keast (as Compliance Officer).
⦁ The process is that a parent/carer is contacted and the student is taken to the isolation area (Chapel) until the student is collected.
⦁ The situation is discussed with the parent/carer, with the recommendation that the student is
⦁ tested for COVID-19
⦁ remains at home until symptom-free.
⦁ Parents are requested to notify the school concerning the length of the student’s absence and to give the school a courtesy phone call as to when the student will return to school and whether the student has received a negative screening result.
⦁ Should a screening test result return as positive, the Principal or Deputy Principal must be notified immediately so that the Health Authority’s processes can be implemented.
Thank you for your support as we continue to keep our students as safe as possible.
Finally, as we look forward to welcoming all the students back on Monday we keep in mind and pray for all those who have again been isolated from family and friends, all those whose livelihoods have been impacted by the virus and all those who are sick as a result of contracting the virus.
Yours sincerely
Paul Clohesy
Principal
