7 March 2022
Dear Parents, Guardians and School Families,
I hope that you have enjoyed the Labour Day weekend holiday with your families.
I write to update you with how current Government and Health Department directives impact us at Emmanuel. The aim of directives is to keep schools open and students in classrooms.
WELCOME BACK FROM ISOLATION AT HOME FOR 7 DAYS
Over the last week, several ECCS Primary school classes have had to follow Health Department directives to isolate at home for 7 days as ‘close contacts’ of a COVID-19 positive person.
We welcomed back Year 12’s on Wednesday 2/3/22.
We welcomed back the Year 6 classes on Friday 4/3/22. It was so good see how pleased they were to meet their friends and teachers again.
Year 5 on Tuesday 8/3/22 and Years 3 and 4 on Wednesday 9/3/22 will be welcomed back, if they test negative, have no symptoms and the household is not COVID-19 positive.
ISOLATION AT HOME FOR 7 DAYS
YEAR 2 classes are following directives to isolate at home for 7 days and will only be able to return to school on Monday 14/3/22, if they test negative, are symptom free and provided the household is not COVID-19 positive. At home learning support for students will begin on Wednesday.
YEAR 1 classes are following directives to isolate at home for 7 days and will only be able to return to school on Monday 14/3/22, if they test negative, are symptom free and provided the household is not COVID-19 positive. At home learning support for students will begin on Wednesday.
MASK WEARING
Already mandated for year 7-12 students and all school staff.
FOR YEAR 3-6 masks were mandated by the Health Department from 3/3/22 and we encourage all students to wear a mask as mandated.
We encourage students in years K-2 to wear a mask if they are able.
Masks offer some protection and make it less likely your child will be a ‘close contact’ and need to isolate at home for 7 days.
Students will be given plenty of short break opportunities and are able to remove their masks for a short visit to the toilet, go for a drink and play at the oval during recess and lunch.
Your attitude to mask wearing will directly influence your child and we thank those of you who have remained positive and whose children are happily and consistently wearing their masks in class.
ON-LINE LEARNING
SECONDARY
Students who are isolating at home because they are either COVID-19 positive or a close contact, have access to the curriculum via SEQTA and TEAMS and are encouraged to log-on and complete the work teachers have arranged for them. Teachers are accessible via SEQTA and TEAMS at the times they indicate to their students.
Students absent, attending to online learning, are marked ‘present’.
Students absent, too unwell to work on-line, are marked ‘absent sick’.
Students absent, but not in isolation and not engaging with on-line learning, are marked ‘absent’.
PRIMARY
On-line learning via SEESAW or TEAMS is intended for either whole school closure or cohort isolation at home due to being COVID-19 positive or a close contact.
Individual students isolating at home or whose parents choose to keep their children at home, will be directed to homework and curriculum support materials online. No direct instruction or input from the teacher is provided.
We will not expect our teachers to provide both face to face teaching of students and on-line learning and support, at the same time.
COMMUNICATION
If a student becomes COVID-19 positive please notify the school immediately: admin@eccs.wa.edu.au OR cdavis@eccs.wa.edu.au
The safety and well-being of our students and our staff is our priority.
Therefore we ask that you understand that administration staff and classroom teachers are not responsible for the decisions about mask wearing or isolation. They cannot provide solutions or suggestions for families who are having to navigate their way through COVID-19 difficulties. Please don’t ask them to.
Please direct any questions you have to either Deputies or the school Principal.
Thank you for praying for our school community.
In Christian Service,
Carol Davis
Principal
2 Thess 2:16,17 May our Lord Jesus and God our Father, comfort our hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
THIS INFORMATION IS CURRENT AT THE TIME OF WRITING BUT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY GOVERNMENT/HEALTH DIRECTIVE.