I hope you had a blessed Easter with your family and are refreshed and ready for all Term 2 has in store for us.
The Premier announced on 13th April 2022, that the Western Australian close contact definition will now align with the National Cabinet’s definition.
This means that a close contact is now defined as:
- a family or household member of a person with COVID-19 who has had contact with them during their infectious period;
- someone who has had close interaction with a person with COVID-19 during their infectious period, where they spent more than 4 hours with them in a single day, in a residential setting, including a boarding facility, where masks have not been worn; or
- someone who is directed by WA Health that they are a close contact.
Schools are no longer considered close contact venues. A child who attends class with a peer who later tests positive to COVID-19 will no longer be identified as a close contact.
Any child who becomes symptomatic should stay home and be tested for COVID-19. Please continue to refer to healthywa.wa.gov.au for information on close contact definitions, testing and isolation requirements.
Any positive COVID-19 result should continue to be reported on the school’s COVID-19 Self-Reporting Portal and positive COVID-19 RAT results must also be reported on the WA Health RAT Register, as is required by the WA Government.
The easing of restrictions has meant some of our school activities can resume this term. We will provide more information on the requirements and additional COVID-19 considerations for each activity as they arise on the school calendar.
School Attendance
The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) encourages all students and staff who are well to attend school, including those with health conditions.
Masks
Masks must continue to be worn by those outlined in the COVID Transition (Face Covering) Directions (No 5).
Staff and students from Year 3 and above must wear a mask at all times indoors, unless:
- the person has a medical certificate confirming a physical, developmental or mental illness, condition or disability which makes wearing a face covering inappropriate;
- communicating with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, and visibility of the mouth is essential for communication;
- the person is engaged in physical activity, including physical education classes and organised sport;
- the person is consuming food, drink or medicine; and/or
- staff are providing teaching or instructions to students; however staff are encouraged to wear masks even when teaching, where possible.
Adults, including parents and carergivers, must wear a mask indoors at all times. Masks must be worn outdoors when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Exemptions and exceptions continue to apply.
Masks are encouraged but not required for students in Kindergarten to Year 2 based on advice from the Chief Health Officer.
Parents/ Caregivers on School Sites
Parents/ caregivers must use the hand sanitiser provided prior to entering the school grounds and follow the mask wearing requirements outlined above.
Parents/ caregivers are only allowed on school sites for the following purposes:
- outdoor drop-off/ pick up of their child
- parent/ teacher meetings (only if an online or phone meeting is not possible)
- Infrequent special events in line with community venue capacity and density limits, and mask wearing requirements
- As spectators to school sports, adhering to physical distancing requirements
Parents/ caregivers attending school sites must adhere to physical distancing requirements where possible.
We are looking forward to a vibrant and exciting Term 2. See you all soon!
Leon Bolding
Principal