Dear Kuyper Families,
Term 4 brings a ray of hope for what we can offer this term within the current COVID restrictions.
Limited excursions and camps are back on the agenda and we are pursuing these at present. The School Concert Band will return to rehearsals on Friday morning with a new socially distanced format. Likewise, Seussical rehearsals will continue following COVID safe guidelines.
At this stage, our Year 12 students will be celebrating with supervising staff at their Graduation Dinner, following examinations. Sadly, parents will not be able to attend and there will be no whole community gathering at School, as in previous years, before students leave for the Dinner. These plans will be reviewed closer to the time and if restrictions are relaxed further, we will act upon them, and communicate with the Kuyper community.
HSC Examinations
Our students will sit the exams in a special space prepared exclusively for them at Richmond High School. We pray that they will be busy preparing now for these pending examinations.
Student & Staff Testing for COVID-19
Students must not come to school if they are unwell, even with very mild symptoms. Likewise, staff must not attend work if they are unwell. This includes even minor flu-like symptoms. If students or staff become unwell while at school they must leave promptly and not return until they have a negative COVID-19 test and are symptom-free.
Teachers are being vigilant in recognising if any students are exhibiting flu-like symptoms during teaching and learning activities. Isolated incidents of sneezing or coughing may not indicate that a student is ill. To determine if a cough/sneeze is an isolated incident or whether the student is unwell, staff will talk with the student about how they are feeling. If a student is unwell, they will be referred to the sick bay, and the Office will arrange for them to be taken home.
Flu-like symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath, loss of taste, and loss of smell. Find more information about COVID-19 symptoms by following the link below:
https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/symptoms-and-testing
If a student has been absent from school due to flu-like illness, or they develop flu-like symptoms while at school, they are not to return to school until they have a negative COVID-19 test and are symptom-free. The negative COVID-19 test result must be sighted and received by the School for both students and staff members before their return. Text message notifications can be forwarded to the school mobile (0436 025 775). To minimise absence, the School encourages immediate COVID-19 testing for any student or staff member identified as being unwell. This is so that they can return to school once they receive confirmation of a negative COVID-19 test result and their symptoms are resolved. If, after testing negative, a student or staff member has ongoing symptoms which persist beyond 10 days, they should arrange to see their doctor. The medical assessment will consider whether the symptoms are typical for that person (for example seasonal, allergic rhinitis), and provide documentation for the School if this is the case. If there are new symptoms at any time, the person should be tested for COVID again. Student families who do not provide confirmation of a negative COVID test result will be excluded from school for a 10 day period. Additionally, the student must be symptom free for a 3 day period before returning.
COVID-19 testing for students with complex health or disability may be challenging. In these situations, parents may have their child assessed by their medical practitioner. Where a medical practitioner determines that a COVID-19 test is not required, a medical certificate must be provided to the School to confirm that the student does not have symptoms that warrant a COVID-19 test. The certificate must also indicate that the student is able to return to the school environment.
Visitors
Visitors to the School must maintain the physical distancing, health and hygiene measures required by the Government and the School. This means that all visitors must sign in using their mobile and our QR code (located at the Office and the main entrance to the School). If you intend to be on school grounds for more than 5 minutes, you must also sign the visitors’ sheet in the School Office.
Adult attendance at School is still for essential activities only, i.e. a scheduled meeting with a member of staff, Uniform Shop, invitation to assist with an event or program. When dropping off or picking up your child from school, please wait outside the fence for them and follow social distancing guidelines. Prep families may deliver and collect their Prep student from the classroom, and must use the register at the Prep room door. More information about Kuyper’s QR code can be found in News & Notices.
Thank you for your ongoing support during these difficult times of upheaval and change as we deal with the new normal for schools living with COVID. It is so good to know that none of this is a surprise to an all-knowing God and Father who has us in the palm of His hand. Our trust is in Him through the horror and wonder of life.
Ian Shaw
Principal