Dear St Bernie’s families,

Welcome back to Term One and we hope this letter finds you all safe, well, and rested as we prepare to begin the new school year.

I was lucky enough to get away for a few weeks down south, before returning to start work subdividing my block and getting the house ready for sale. I know that moving concrete slabs and painting the exterior of the house in 40-degree heat is not the best idea and weeks later I am still finding paint attached to my hair. Needless to say, I learnt a thing or two about tradie life! I look forward to hearing all about our students holidays next week.

Last year was a fantastic year here at St Bernie’s and I am really looking forward to building upon the awesome work of 2021. Here at school our teachers have been preparing to make our start a fun and engaging one. Teachers have been in robust discussions about what good quality teaching and learning looks like and in particular, looking at our English Dedicated Time and how we differentiate the curriculum to meet the needs of the students.

Your child’s stationery is now unpacked and ready to go for Day 1 – we hope this means less weight in student backpacks!

In 2022 we welcome our new staff – Ashleigh, Fiona, Nicole and Raelene to the team and already their enthusiasm and participation in our discussions has been invaluable to the direction of our team! I am really excited for the year ahead!

As we have all witnessed, the COVID situation is a rapidly changing one and calls upon those of us charged with leading school communities to remain as calm, considered, organised and optimistic as we can be, despite the obvious challenges and uncertainties that lie ahead.

As always, the safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and whole school community is at the forefront of our planning and our highest priority. I write therefore, to reassure you that we are deeply committed to providing each and every child in our school with the very best of care from day one of term. We also want to provide you with as much clarity as possible in regards to the way forward. To this end, we are sharing our current expectations and practical information regarding changes to any aspects of school operations, events and/or procedures at this time.

In addition, I have attached a letter from the Director of Catholic Education, Mrs Debra Sayce, detailing CEWA’s system response to the current situation.

It is very understandable that you may have some questions and concerns in relation to COVID and school. Many of these will undoubtedly be similar to the questions and concerns of parents, staff and leaders from schools across Australia. We have been listening and reflecting upon the information, direction and recommendations provided from the Government, the Health Department and CEWA and will continue to keep you updated with as much clarity as possible. So, in line with this, we look forward to welcoming your child back to school, settling them into their classrooms and providing a calm, safe, organised and positive environment in which they can work and play in.

Please ensure that you sign in when coming onto the school grounds, through the QR codes that are displayed at the front of the school.

While there are certainly some things beyond our control, there is much that we can and have been planning to support as smooth and safe a start as possible to 2022. Your trust, cooperation, support and encouragement will go a long way to helping staff remain healthy, optimistic and enthusiastic about creating a positive learning environment for your child here at St Bernadette’s.

May we continue to treat one another and our children with gentleness and kindness as we navigate our way through all that lies ahead.

Yours sincerely

Geordie Thuijs

Principal

Vaccinations

• All St Bernadette’s staff are double dose vaccinated by January 31 and have a third dose vaccination within a month of becoming eligible. More information regarding vaccinations is included in the Executive Director’s letter.
• Parents who come into school to help out (more than once) will need to provide proof of vaccination to the office.

Drive through and Parents on the School Site

• Our ultimate goal is to try as best we can, to keep students and staff as safe as possible. To achieve this, our aim is to limit the number of parents onsite as fewer parents reduces the number of daily interactions and potential for community spread of the virus in our school.
  

• All parents of children from Years 2 - 6 are therefore strongly encouraged to please use the drive through from Day 1. This would entail saying your goodbyes and offering good wishes to the children at home and in the car, rather than at the classroom door. Extra staff will be on hand to welcome your child as they exit your car and to ensure they arrive at their classroom safely.

• Parents know their child best and Year 2 – 6 parents are permitted to enter the school site to drop off and pick up their child if they feel it necessary. We ask parents not to enter indoors to the classroom blocks unless they have arranged to do so with the classroom teacher. Please say goodbye outside and encourage them to find a friend and get ready for the day.

• New families are permitted to enter the classroom in the first week if they feel their child needs the extra support.

Kindy and Pre-Primary Parents

• 3YO Kindy to Pre Primary parents are invited to bring their child onsite and either drop their child at the classroom door or wait with their child as they play in the indoor and outdoor learning space. Parents are asked to please wear masks and to try hard to maintain social distancing where possible.
  

• Kindy parents are invited to drop their children at the classroom door. Parents are asked to please wear masks indoors and to try to maintain social distancing where possible.

• PP parents please wait outside the gate to the PP area until opened by staff. Parents are asked to please wear masks and to try to maintain social distancing where possible.

• Year 1 parents are also welcome to bring their child to class and upon the bell sounding at 8.35am, enter the block while wearing a mask in Week 1.

• Where you believe your child does not require your support, parents are encouraged to drop students and go.

Masks

• All parents are asked to please wear a mask while on the school site.

• Masks are not required for children at this stage, however this may change for children in Years 3-6 and we will be guided by the health advice in regard to this as more information comes to hand.

Ventilation

• Preliminary audits have been undertaken in all learning spaces and more information is included in the Executive Director’s letter.

Our school is committed to adhering to the advice of the Chief Health Officer in ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of all within our community.

Following an internal audit of our school’s teaching and learning spaces during the Christmas holidays, only those spaces with appropriate ventilation will be used in the 2022 school year. Should any space be deemed insufficiently ventilated please rest assured that either:

• the room will not be used by students or staff; or
• Air purifiers will be installed to meet the required standard.

It is important to note that both natural and mechanical ventilation methods are utilised in our school along with the critical strategies of staff vaccinations, the wearing of masks, enhanced cleaning and ongoing expectations of high levels of hygiene. Each measure is being used to keep our students and staff safe.

We are lucky at St Bernadette’s to have sliding doors, windows, fans and aircon in most rooms of the school.

Attendance

• All students are required to attend school unless they are unwell.

• Staff, students and parents are not to attend schools if they are unwell (symptomatic) or test positive to COVID-19, until permitted under public health requirements.

• Parents are asked to seek medical advice if their child exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 and are encouraged to notify the school if they have undergone testing.

• Normal processes for advising the school of a child’s absence will apply for any parent who keeps their unwell child home. Please do this through the website or email the Admin Team. admin@stbernadettes.wa.edu.au

Lexi, George, Marlee, Aliyah, Ari, Patrick and Heidi in PP;

Molly, Audrey, Laylah, Scarlett, River, Piper, Chloe, Robyn, Ebony, Leo and Nate in Year 1;

Beau, Ashton and Taj in Year 2;

Lewis, Tayah and Lily in Year 3;

Mila, Harvi, Finn, Jace, Oscar and Aaliyah in Year 4;

Thomas and Lilli in Year 5;

Jack and Archer in Year 6

Steps to get started:

• Go to www.spriggyschools.com.au to register and download the app.
• Add a profile for each of your children, making sure you select SCHOOLNAME and your child’s class.
• Start placing lunch orders! You can place orders up to 4 weeks in advance.

If you have any questions, please contact Spriggy Schools via their website.

Please ensure that you register as detailed below as the old Quickcliq has been discontinued.

We are very excited to introduce the Ricky Grace Basketball Clinic to be held on Wednesday mornings 7.45am - 8.30am.

Please register your interest as detailed below.

Welcome Mass, Smoking Ceremony & morning tea - Friday 4/2/2022 - 9.00 - 10.30am

Term 2 Wednesday 27/04/2022 - Friday 01/07/2022

Term 3 Tuesday 19/07/2022 - Thursday 23/9/2022

Term 4 Monday 10/10/2022 - Friday 09/12/2022

Tuesday 07/6/2022

Monday 18/07/2022

Monday 15/8/2022

Monday 7/11/2022