Welcome to the 2021 school year! I hope that everyone had an enjoyable school holiday break and found time to rest and re-energise together as a family. I would like to especially welcome those new families joining the St Dominic’s School community this year.
As you are aware, Term 1 will commence for students in Pre Primary to Year 6 on Monday, 1st February. Our Kindy students will commence on their allocated staggered start day in Week 1.
Many students will be out of routine after the holidays, some may be excited and some apprehensive. It is important to be patient with our children and demonstrate positivity about the start to the new school year. Emphasise with your child/ren that home and school are a partnership and that together we will be working to ensure that school life is positive and rewarding. A calm environment is the most effective for learning and a smooth and comforting transition between holidays and school will set your child/ren up for success. You may find the ‘Stepping Back to School Pack’ provide by Nicole Leach our school councillor helpful when discussing returning to school with your child/ren. The checklist below may also be helpful.
The school calendar is now available on our website here, please use it to prepare yourself and your child/ren, and discuss any queries that they may have. If you require further information, in the first instance, please make contact with your child’s classroom teacher. For anything that is required beyond the classroom, please communicate with Mr Alex Paljetak our Assistant Principal or the specific staff members responsible for the event.
Although the COVID-19 situation remains very positive here in Western Australia, we remain in Phase 4 of WA’s Roadmap to Recovery. With this being the current situation and following both the Premiers and Catholic Education Western Australia’s (CEWA) directives in relation to Phase 4, the following arrangements have been put in place to ensure that parents and carers can be involved safely and in line with current regulations.
Recent Interstate Travel
If you have travelled interstate recently, you will need to ensure that depending on the risk category of the particular state you visited, that you follow the current quarantine regulations. Those who have travelled and are required to quarantine or are in close contact with someone who has travelled and is required to quarantine, are not to attend school or leave quarantine until they have satisfied the quarantine period and any testing requirements.
Student Attendance
Students who are unwell should stay at home and parents are asked to seek medical advice if their child exhibits symptoms of COVID-19. The normal processes for advising the school of a child’s absence continues to apply.
Parent and Caregiver Access
Parents and caregivers are able to enter school grounds to drop off and pick up their children and to attend scheduled meetings with staff. Parents may enter classrooms but only with the approval of the principal or at the invitation of the teacher.
Parents or caregiver wishing to bring their child onto the school grounds or collect them from the classroom at the end of the day, must continue to use the hand sanitiser provided at the main school gate prior to entering.
All visitors to the school during the day (outside of drop off and pick up times) are required to use the hand sanitiser provided at the main school gate and report to the main office before entering the school.
When on school grounds, adults are reminded to maintain appropriate physical distancing at all times and to not congregate in groups.
Drop Off
Families are reminded that students should not be arriving on school grounds before 8:15am.
The drop off procedures put in place last year will continue in Term 1. The following applies to all Kindy – Year 6 students.
- A staff member will be present at the ‘Kiss and Ride’ driveway each morning from 8:15am to 8:45am and will assist students out of their cars and onto the school grounds.
- Staff members will continue to be on hand to escort our Kindy and Pre-Primary students into their classrooms and these parents should drop off after 8:30am.
- We encourage all families to continue using this option.
Students not being dropped off by car at the ‘Kiss and Ride’ driveway are expected to enter the school grounds through the main school entrance on Beatrice Street and not through the gate located at the ‘Kiss and Ride’ driveway.
Kindy and Pre-Primary families not utilising the ‘Kiss and Ride’ option, are required to drop their child/ren at the classroom door located on the courtyard side of the classroom.
Pick Up
Pre-Primary – Year 6 students will have access to the ‘Kiss and Ride’ option as per normal, however, Kindy students will need to be collected from the classroom door located on the courtyard side of the classroom.
We again encourage all families to continue using the ‘Kiss and Ride’ option for pick up in the afternoon.
Parents who wish to park in the school or church carpark and collect their children from outside classrooms, will need to follow the below procedure:
- Enter the school through the main school gate located on Beatrice Street (not the ‘Kiss and Ride’ gate).
- Use the hand sanitiser provided at this gate prior to entering.
- Collect children from outside classrooms. Kindy and Pre-Primary students should be collected by a parent/ caregiver from the door located on the courtyard side of the classroom.
- Exit the school via the main gate located on Beatrice Street (not the ‘Kiss and Ride’ gate).
Playground Use Before and After School
At this stage, the junior and senior playgrounds are closed before and after school. After collecting students from the classroom, families should exit the school in a timely manner via the main gate.
Uniform Shop
Online orders are still our preferred option, however, parents may physically attend the shop by making an appointment with our manager, Peta Kelly. To arrange an appointment time, please contact Peta via admin@stdominics.wa.edu.au or by calling the front office.
All students should be wearing the correct summer uniform as outlined in our School Uniform Requirements document.
Water Fountains
Our water fountains remain turned off and students are advised to continue bringing in a water bottle for their own personal use. These bottles can be refilled as necessary in the classroom and via the water bottle refill tap located in the courtyard.
CEWA Safe Hands Initiative
St Dominic’s School will be promoting CEWA’s Safe Hands initiative. Children will be encouraged to use the hand sanitiser provided each time they they enter the classroom and will be given time to wash their hands regularly throughout the day.
Enjoy the final days of the school holidays and I look forward to catching up with you all on Monday!
Leon Bolding
Principal