COVID-19 Weekly Website Update
Tuesday 29 March 2022
Dear Parents and Carers
As we approach the end of term, I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the support and agility of our school community. While school continues as usual onsite, each day there are students beginning their learning from home, recovering from illness, or returning to classes after isolating. Learning, friendships, routines and co-curricular activities have been interrupted for the children; however, they continue to show optimism and resilience. Staff have also had a disrupted term professionally and sometimes personally, and continue to put the children first. Families have worked in partnership with us to navigate sometimes confusing guidelines and directives. The flexibility, kindness and understanding we have afforded one another is a testament to our school community.
Mary's Mount Primary School follows the guidelines provided by the Health Department of Western Australia (WA Health) and Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA).
SELF-REPORTING OF RESULTS
Please use the self-reporting portal to record COVID-19 results via this link for all positive student cases. This way, we can act quickly to support families and identify potential close contacts. This is also where negative RAT or PCR results are to be recorded.
If your child’s COVID-19 positive result was obtained from a self-administered Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), you must register the result online with the Department of Health here or call 13 COVID for assistance.
TALKING TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT COVID-19
CEWA have put together some excellent resources on talking to young people about COVID-19:
https://covid19.cewa.edu.au/wellbeing/.
ADVISING OF CLOSE CONTACTS
Let the school know immediately if your child is deemed a close contact outside of school, including a household close contact. Close contacts are required to isolate for seven days but students will be permitted to attend school if they have no symptoms, test negative and no household members have COVID-19.
LATEST GUIDELINES AND ADVICE
Please find below the following advice for current very high caseload environment:
- Information and FAQs for all Parents, Caregivers and Guardians
- What do the new COVID-19 rules mean for my child?
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Please continue to encourage your child to wear masks correctly (children in Years 3-6), and do not send your child to school if they are unwell. Monitor for symptoms and get tested if symptoms develop.
Earlier today, Tuesday 29 March, an announcement was made by Ministers for Health and Education, the Hon Amber-Jade Sanderson and Hon Sue Ellery, about the new operating guidelines for very high caseloads, to be implemented in schools for Term 2.
Importantly, current guidelines are still in place and will remain the key operating instruction for schools until the end of Term 1.
If you need support, advice or assistance, please be in touch. You can reach me via 9290 5200 or admin@mmps.wa.edu.au
Warm regards
Emma Bell
Principal