Monday 18th October, 2021
Dear Warrawong, High School Community,
Re: Updated school operations.
This term will see a lot of changes as we gradually transition back to face-to-face learning as the Premier announced in the adjusted return to school plan recently. Below are the key dates and details to help prepare you and your family for the return, including some changes in the staged return to school.
Return to school roadmap
During Term 4, students will return to school in a staged approach, with no mingling or on-site activities.
In schools like ours where we have been learning from home for extended periods of time, students will return to face-to-face learning with NSW Health-approved COVID-safe settings on school sites in the following order:
· from 18 October – Our current Year 12 HSC students.
· from 25 October – all remaining year groups, inclusive of the Intensive English Centre (IEC) and Bayview Support Unit
The return to school roadmap is subject to change depending on advice from NSW Health. You can stay up to date with the most recent information on from the Department by accessing the following links:
https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/advice-for-families
https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main education/covid19/media/Roadmap_to_Return_Guidelines_for_Families.pdf
COVID Safety
Part of our return to school plan we are implementing increased safety measures including: the use multiple entry points to the school, limiting the use of classrooms, designated cohort breaks and before school playground areas, staggered finish times and no mixing among student cohorts. This will mean a change to the way the school day feels and operates. The principles of student cohorting are to:
• minimise unnecessary physical interaction between students on school grounds
• ensure that students learn and play only with those in their cohort, wherever possible
• minimise opportunities for transmission and enhance contact tracing
• minimise the potential for widespread infection across the school and wider school community
As a result of these guidelines, we have had to restrict activities for student cohorts. For Warrawong High School students, this means that we have allocated learning and playground spaces for respective year groups, segregated our break times and staggered our finish times. We have also put measures in place to minimise the movement of students around the school in order to reduce contact between student cohorts, maintain physical distancing and maximise our COVID safety.
Warrawong High School has also developed the following guidelines:
• In our classrooms, doors and windows across the school will be open to promote cross flow of air. In addition.
• student movement around the school will be limited. Classes will mostly be held in the one classroom to minimise movement
• maintaining strict personal hygiene and physical distancing
• wearing of masks by all students, at all times, indoors.
For more information, refer to Masks and face coverings https://education.nsw.gov.au/inside-the-department/covid-19/advice-for-school-basedstaff/guidance-on-masks-face-coverings
Visitors to the school
Non-essential visitors are not permitted on school sites. If necessary, visitors who are permitted on school our site will be required to check in and check out using the QR codes, wear a mask indoors and physically distance. Parents and carers who currently drop their child off at school may do so outside of the school gates.
Canteen
The school canteen will return to being operational from Monday 1st November. However, the canteen will operate on a pre-order only basis and will be filling lunch orders only, this will be available on-line via our school website. The canteen will be closed for Break 1.
Uniform shop
The school uniform shop will continue to operate on a click and collect only basis, this will be available on-line via our school website. Orders are available to collect from the front office.
Practicing good health and hygiene habits
Regular hand washing will be encouraged throughout the school day. Hand sanitisers will be readily available, and all toilets have soap dispensers. In addition, the cleaning of facilities and high touch surfaces will occur during the day.
Water bottles
In line with health and safety expectations, the school bubblers will be used as filling stations for water bottles only. To assist in supporting this health and safety initiative we will be purchasing each student a water bottle included as part of a return to school wellbeing package being provided for each student.
Toilets
Toilets will be open during break times and students will be physically distanced and following health and safety guidelines. Teachers will supervise each toilet block during break times, whilst the office will manage students who need access to the toilet during class time.
Staff vaccinations
Very soon our area will be moving out of Level 4 restrictions into Level 3 Plus. This means that any member of staff, teaching, and non-teaching, returning to school sites under Level 3 plus from 18 October will be fully vaccinated. In addition, any person on premises from delivery drivers to external agency support will, under current guidelines, need to present evidence of 2 doses of vaccine. For more information, refer to
https://education.nsw.gov.au/inside-the-department/covid-19/vaccinations
Wellbeing
Wellbeing supports are available for students who need additional assistance including our teaching support staff, classroom teachers, Year Advisors, School Counsellors, our front office staff, our Student Support Officer, our Deputy Principal/s and our Principal.
Sport
Sport will be a part of the school day on Thursday as normal. All students will participate in their cohort only.
Specialist practical classrooms
Practical subjects may be returning to operation as part of our school timetable. Updated advice is now available for staff on safety, hygiene and infection control in the following subject areas:
- For a full list of infection control guidelines, refer to our Infection control page.
Masks and face coverings
NSW Health has advised that this is an important part of reducing the risk of transmission and protecting people’s health. If a student cannot wear a face mask because of a disability, physical or mental health illness or condition, parents are requested to provide one of the following:
• For those students who utilise the Assisted Student Transport Program, drivers and ATSOs must wear masks at all times in and around vehicles, maintain physical distancing, and practice good personal and vehicle hygiene.
•NSW Health advice requires that all staff and students must wear a face mask or covering indoors.
• Staff and students should bring their own mask where possible, however the school will provide masks for students if required.
Some exemptions apply for wearing a mask including:
• a student or staff member with a physical or mental health illness or condition, or disability, that makes wearing a mask unsuitable including, for example, a skin condition, an intellectual disability, autism or trauma. A person who is in this category must carry evidence of this and produce it on request. Staff and students required to wear masks may remove them when:
• they are eating or drinking
• engaging in strenuous physical exercise
• they are communicating with another person who is deaf or hard of hearing
• the nature of their work or learning makes the wearing of a fitted face covering a risk to their own, or another person’s health and safety, or means clear enunciation or visibility of the person’s mouth is essential, because of an emergency
• when they are alone in an office or classroom.
HSC
•Throughout this term in the lead up to the HSC exams, Year 12/HSC students can continue to attend school for revision, learning and wellbeing support and to have access to their teachers in a limited way.
•Students cannot move between or mingle with other study bubbles during the day.
•A record of students on site will be kept each day and supervision is required for all on site activities. From 18 October, all Year 12 and HSC students will have access to school campuses and their teachers.
HSC exams will proceed for all students from 9 November 2021 in a COVID-safe way, in line with NSW Health advice.
Our experiences over the past 12 months inform us to be flexible as the guidelines continually change over time. We will continue to update our school community on our website and via social media platforms as more information becomes available.
Thank you for your continued support, strength, and resilience as we again work together to support the young people in our care.
Take care,
Brad Hughes
Principal
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