Dear Parents,

We are already at the end of Week 4 of term. I can not believe how quickly the term is passing! Students have been busy learning and as I walk around the school it is great to see such a range of activities taking place. From building terrariums in Year 4, debating in Year 6 to learning about living things and playing in the vet surgery in Kindergarten. St Joseph’s is bustling with engaged learners who are creative and collaborative.

As we have experienced, the situation regarding COVID-19 is continually fluctuating. Last week important information detailing our COVID-19 Evacuation Plan was communicated via Compass. We have attached it to this newsletter too. Please take the time to read through the document carefully.  The safety and well-being of the students is of the highest priority. To this end it is important that we all continue to reinforce good hygiene practices. These include:

• Washing / sanitising hands regularly throughout the day.
• Covering coughs and sneezes.
• Disposing of used tissues in bins.
• Using appropriate distancing when possible.
• Using their own water bottle rather than drinking from the bubblers.

If your child is unwell, please continue to keep them home. If they require a COVID-19 test it is essential that they stay home while awaiting the result.  We each have a responsibility in keeping ourselves, our families, and our community safe. It is also a timely reminder to be aware and keep to social distancing guidelines for those who come into the school grounds to pick their children up in the afternoon. Thank you for following the routine of exiting the school grounds via the back gates.  We are finding that this is very effective in limiting close contact.

As the pandemic continues, we are noticing increased anxiety in some of our students. While we cannot completely isolate children from what is happening around the country and around the world, it is important that the information they are exposed to is accurate and balanced. The KidsHelpline website has a wonderful parent resource section that has valuable information.  The COVID-19 link here may be particularly useful at this time.

Social Media advice from the eSafety Commissioner  

The eSafety Commissioner website has some great resources found at https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-issues/esafety-guide. This website offers tips for parents about how to keep their children safe online. The site gives a summary for the most recent downloaded apps, such as Tik Tok, House Party and some of the older sites too such as Instagram. For anyone who needs advice or just more information about these of social media sites, we encourage you to visit this site above as it has some useful information.

Renata Powell

Assistant Principal