Our school follows the Department and Victorian Chief Health Officer’s advice and requirements in relation to health and safety. The health and safety measures relating to students are outlined below. These health and safety measures are regularly reviewed in line with the changing context of COVID-19 in Victoria. 

Unwell Students (including students who have been tested)

  • Unwell students must stay home.
  • Where students have been tested for COVID-19 they are required to isolate at home and must not attend school until they are both symptom free and have received their results (provided the result is negative).
  • It is important that any student (or staff member) who becomes unwell with COVID-19 symptoms while at school gets tested and returns home. 

Managing Unwell Students at School

  • Students experiencing compatible symptoms with COVID-19, such as fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, or loss or change of sense of smell or taste, will be isolated in an appropriate space with suitable supervision and collected by a parent/carer as soon as possible. Urgent medical attention will be sought where needed. Unwell students will not be permitted to travel home unsupervised. NOTE: For some people COVID-19 symptoms may also include headache, muscle soreness, stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
  • Health care plans, where relevant and required, will be updated to provide additional advice on monitoring and identification of the unwell child in the context of COVID-19.
  • If a staff member is unsure whether a student is unwell in the first instance we will contact the parent/carer to discuss any concerns about the health status of the student, and we will take a precautionary approach, requesting the parent/carer to collect their child if concerns remain. A trained staff member may take the temperature of the student, where appropriate, to support decision-making. Facemasks and gloves will be worn for the purpose of taking a temperature.
  • Parent/carers of students experiencing compatible symptoms with COVID-19 will be encouraged to seek the advice of their healthcare professional who can advise on next steps. Students should not return until symptoms resolve.  

Students with Underlying Conditions (such as hay fever or asthma)

  • If a student has persistent symptoms due to an underlying condition such as hay fever or asthma, the student should still be tested for COVID-19 if they develop symptoms that are different to or worse than their usual symptoms.
  • Parents/carers should also consider getting a medical certificate from the child’s treating GP to confirm that it is safe for them to attend school with persistent symptoms that may overlap with some of the symptoms of COVID-19 such as cough or runny nose.

Managing a Suspected or Confirmed Case of COVID-19

The Department has comprehensive procedures in place with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to manage suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 in schools. In accordance with these procedures:

  • We will inform the Department’s Incident Support and Operations Centre if a student (or staff member) tests positive to COVID-19.
  • The Department will then notify WorkSafe on our behalf.
  • The school will be advised by DHHS if a student at our school has been identified as a close contact of a person with COVID-19.

Close contacts are contacted directly by DHHS regarding quarantine and testing; the student should not attend school until they are advised by DHHS that their quarantine has concluded. Students should bring a copy of the clearance message (text, email or letter) they receive from DHHS indicating that their quarantine period has ended when they return to school. Schools will be asked to confirm to DHHS that the student is not attending school during this time. If the student is attending school, we are required to send the student home immediately.

Face Masks 

(Updated to setting in place from 29 Nov 2021).

As the requirements for face masks may change at short notice, our school will always follow the advice on the Victorian Government’s COVID-19 website. We are still amidst a global pandemic and wearing a face mask continues to be one of the many strategies to help keep our community safe.

 Teachers and Education support staff:

  • Staff in secondary schools may elect to wear a face mask.
  • Clear or transparent masks may offer some protection, and may be considered where there is a need to see facial expressions for communication and learning. These mask designs are not regulated, and correct fit and maintenance is required. It is not a mandatory requirement and their practical use is at the discretion of the school and teacher.
  • Model correct and positive mask wearing. Face mask compliance amongst staff, parents, carers and visitors is vital for encouraging students to wear face masks.

Exemptions

* Staff members unable to wear face masks due to a valid exception should avoid providing supervision or care to students with COVID-19 symptoms.

Students:

See advice at  https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/face-masks

  • The Department of Education Operations Guide strongly recommends students in Year 7 to Year 12 to wear a face mask indoors at school.
  • Clear or transparent masks may offer some protection, and may be considered where there is a need to see facial expressions for communication and learning. These mask designs are not regulated, and correct fit and maintenance is required. It is not a mandatory requirement and their practical use is at the discretion of the school and teacher.
  • Students aged 12 or older must always wear a face mask when travelling to and from school on public transport, taxis or ride share vehicles.
  • Secondary students are not required to wear a face mask if they have an illness, condition or disability that means it would not be suitable to wear one.
  • A face mask must cover the nose and mouth. Face shields, scarves or bandanas do not meet these requirements.

Exemptions

There are a number of lawful reasons for not wearing a face mask, including for staff and students who are unable to wear a face mask due to the nature of their disability, medical or a mental health condition.

  • Parent/carers of a student/s who meet the criteria for an exception should provide their approval in writing for their child/ren to not wear a mask to the school.
  • There is no requirement for a letter for medical exception for not wearing a face mask from a medical practitioner.

Read about specific exemptions from these requirements.

Face masks and hot weather

It is important to follow the Victorian Chief Health Officer’s directions on wearing face masks. There are steps that can be taken to improve comfort during warmer weather:

  • Keep hydrated with water.
  • Use a single-use mask, or a reusable face mask made from 100 per cent cotton, for increased breathability.
  • Wash your reusable mask frequently to maintain effectiveness and bring a spare so you can change your mask if it gets damp or wet.
  • Take mask breaks throughout the day, when you’re in settings that do not require them to be worn.
  • The school encourages students, staff and contractors/visitors to bring their own face mask.  Reception can supply, at low cost, a replacement face mask for staff, students or visitors who do not have their own or for masks that get damaged/soiled.

Face masks at external premises

  • Staff and students attending camps and excursions will be required to meet any face mask requirements of an external provider/venue, including transport providers, unless a lawful exception applies.

Staff and students unable to wear face masks

  • A combination of strategies are required to limit transmission of COVID-19. Where students and staff are unable to wear face masks, other transmission reduction strategies can be enhanced, noting that any additional or enhanced strategies should be aimed at the whole school or class population.
  • Staff members unable to wear face masks should avoid providing supervision or care of students with COVID-19 symptoms.


Physical Distancing

  • Wherever possible we will encourage and support physical distancing of students however the Department and Victorian Chief Health Officer has acknowledged that physical distancing in schools is practicably difficult to achieve and has not mandated this practice.
  • Students, staff and visitors will be reminded through signage of the importance of physical distancing where possible.
  • Parents are asked to observe physical distancing requirements (1.5 metres) whenever dropping off or collecting students from school and must not congregate at the 'school gate'.
  • Signage will indicate where there are limitations on the maximum number of members of the public that may be present in the space at a single time.
  • Density limits do not apply to classrooms and other spaces for the purposes of student use, including corridors and other shared areas.

School arrival and departure arrangements

In line with Department advice, the standard school arrival and departure time will remain in place for all students. Students are to arrive at school by 8:35am and depart from school at 3:05 pm unless otherwise arranged.

However, to continue to support physical distancing at our school we ask students to use the external entry/exit point nearest to their locker.

 Staff, contractors and visitors use the Main Entrance to ‘check- in’ using the Compass Kiosk.

Hand, Food and Drink Hygiene

  • Hand sanitiser will be available at entry points to classrooms and students will be educated on the importance of this health and safety measure.
  • All people on school grounds must undertake regular hand hygiene, particularly on arrival to school, before and after eating, after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the toilet.
  • Where shared equipment is necessary, students will be required to exercise strict hand hygiene before and after use.
  • School water fountains and taps have been reopened for normal use.
  • Students will be encouraged not to share their food. Where sharing of food occurs we will encourage individual portions alongside strict hand hygiene.

Air Ventilation

  • The Department is providing air purifiers to schools for higher risk areas. Where possible, we will minimise use of spaces that can't be ventilated with fresh outdoor air.
  • Wherever possible, we are increasing fresh air into indoor spaces and maximising the use of outdoor learning areas and environments. This will include keeping all windows and doors and vents open as much as possible to keep air circulating, setting air conditioning units to use external air rather than recycling. Fans are only to be used with other natural and mechanical methods in place. 
  • Further advice on ways to reduce risk can be found in DH guidance: COVID-19 transmission from air-circulating, wind-blowing devices and activities.

Temperature Checks

  • Mandatory temperature testing of all students is no longer required.

Mobile Phones

  • The Department and school’s mobile phone policies continue to apply and we ask that students clean their phones regularly.

Health, Wellbeing and Inclusions Workforces at School

  • Health and wellbeing staff (such as Student Support Services, Koorie Engagement Support Officers, Visiting Teachers and school nurses) will continue to provide support to students as required.
  • Please contact Felicity Marlowe, Student Wellbeing Coordinator, for further information

Record Keeping for Contact Tracing

  • To support contact tracing, we are required to keep a record of the name, contact details, date and time of attendance of all staff, students and visitors who attend on-site for more than 15 minutes. All visitors to the school must sign in and out using the Kiosk at Reception and use the QR code upon entry.
  • We are also required to record the areas of the school the person attended.

 COVID-19 Safety Management Plan

COVID-19 Information Home

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