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47434503600KALLISTA PRIMARY SCHOOLCOVID-19 Return to School PolicyPurposeThe purpose of this policy is to outline how our school will be managing risk relating to Coronavirus (COVID-19) during key interactions between students, parents and staff during the return to school in Term 2, 2020. Kallista Primary School is committed to providing a safe learning and working environment for our students and staff. We ask for the whole school community to follow this policy to enable us to provide the safest possible environment during this time. We all have a role to play in stopping the spread of COVID-19 in Victoria.BackgroundKallista Primary School is following the advice from the Department of Education and Training including, Health and safety advice for return to onsite learning in the context of COVID-19 which can be found on the Department’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) website.ScopeThis policy applies to everyone in the Kallista Primary School community. This includes all members of staff (principals, teachers and education support staff), all parents/carers who interact with the school and all students. It also includes visitors to the school.RequirementsAttendance on-siteThe Department of Education and Training (DET) advises that:Perhaps the most important action school communities can take to reduce the risk of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19), is to ensure that any unwell staff, children and young people remain at home. While the risk of transmission of the virus is very low, staff or students most at risk of severe illness should individually assess appropriateness for onsite attendance at this time with support from their medical practitioner.As the main risk of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the school environment is between adults, it is important that visitors to school grounds are limited to those delivering or supporting essential school services and operations.This means that at our school:All unwell staff and students must stay home.Parents/carers of students with complex medical needs (including those with compromised immune systems), should seek advice from the student’s medical practitioner to support decision-making about whether on-site education is suitable, noting that this advice may change depending on the status of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Victoria. This is in line with the DET Health Care Needs policy.Visitors to school grounds will be limited to those delivering or supporting essential school services and operations (e.g. student health and wellbeing services, specialist curriculum programs, maintenance workers).Additional staff, including parent volunteers, are discouraged from attending school at this time. Activities dependent on and involving parents such as Kitchen are cancelled until further notice.We ask that parents/carers wishing to discuss a matter with any staff member –office, teaching or education support staff- first use the options of either a phone call, video call or email. Face to face meetings are a last resort.However, if needed, appointments can be made through the office. Meetings must meet the physical distancing requirements of 1.5m between adults, and must be approved by the Principal prior.All interschool activities that involve onsite attendance by students from other schools will either take place virtually or will be cancelled. School assemblies, excursions, camps and other non-essential large gatherings will be postponed. This includes the Year 5&6 dance competition, the Light and Lantern Film project. We are still awaiting advice on the Year 5/6 camp for Term 3.We will run our assemblies through online technology in the near future. We ask that parents or carers who need to contact teachers od the office staff, do so via email, COMPASS, or by phoning the office. Urgent matters should be communicated by phone call.Families are encouraged to make all payments by BPAY, Qkr or by telephoning the office.? Cash is no longer accepted.School arrival and departureAll students at Kallista Primary School begin their day at 9am and finish at 3.30pmDET advises that:As the main risk of introducing coronavirus (COVID-19) to the school environment is from adults, close proximity between adult members of the school community should be avoided, particularly during school drop-off and pick-up.This means that at our school:Our crossing supervisor will be on duty. Please respect her and maintain physical distancingParents will not be allowed in the school buildings or grounds except in line with this policy, and by prior arrangement with the principal.We ask staff and parents/carers to observe physical distancing measures by not congregating in areas inside or around the school, including the gateways, school car park, playgrounds, walkways or ‘the rocks’.To minimise interaction of students and adults within the school and at entry points we:encourage physical distancing and minimise adult/student interactionswe request parents/carers do not linger at drop off/pick up, and leave the grounds and surrounds immediatelyrequest that parents only enter the school grounds when essential to do so and to contact the school by phone or email where appropriate insteadrequest that you respect our staff and their contact with the public, by making appointments through Compass, an email, or a phone call to the office, to discuss needs and concerns. Please do not expect conversation about such matters to take place at drop off or pick up— we do not wish to offend but will not make exceptions in this matter. encourage non-contact greetings.There will be three entry and exit points available for parents and students to use-On Kallista-Emerald Road -ENTRY: The main lych-gate at the front officeEXIT: The gate with steps going down to blue breezeway door.On Monbulk Road - ENTRY & EXIT: The single access pedestrian gate next to double gate.Parents will be asked to respect social distancing protocols. Close proximity between adult members of the school community of course should be avoided, particularly during school drop-off and pick-up times. We will ask parents to avoid congregating near entry points and to minimise their time on school grounds. The entry points will be supervised by staff each morning and will open at 8:45am. Parents are asked to avoid arriving at school earlier than this. Please stay in your car until 8.45am if you are early. RETURN TO SCHOOLSTAGE 1- Prep to Year 2Tues 26th May to Friday June 5thIn the first stage of return to school, we will allow the Junior School Prep to Two parents to come into the grounds to drop students at the classroom, however, parents will not be able to enter the classroom or buildings. Please follow directions on signage.Prep to 2’s – What morning arrival will look like *Teachers will be at the doorway to welcome children in. Familiarity and continuity builds security and calm.*If any child is distressed, there are spots marked under JLC walkway next to the double doors, where parents can stay and help settle them. Please use the dots to physically distance from other parents. We will have Kallista PS staff close by in case assistance is needed.*Parents will not be able to enter buildings or the classroom, and need to leave the school grounds as soon as possible.Prep to 2’s – What afternoon departure will look like *At the end of each day, teachers will dismiss their classes from the following places:Foundation – Pathway / oval alongside Prep verandahGrade 1/ 2S – Asphalt next to 1 /2S verandahGrade 2 K – Top Basketball Court *Please be on time*Classroom teachers will remain with students until 3.45pm, at which time they will be taken to the Breezeway to be collected there. RETURN TO SCHOOLSTAGE 2- All children back at schoolTuesday June 9th to Friday June 26thIn the second stage of Return to School, from June 9th, the older students Year 3 to 6 will begin school. These students should be able to manage being dropped off and picked up independently, with teacher assistance along the way. We also hope that the younger students in Year Prep to 2 will have gained confidence and independence, and will be able to be dropped at the gate, and come into school, with the friendly help of our staff along the way. This will be the preferred and safest option in Stage 2, and into Term 3, if restrictions continue. SAY GOODBYE AT THE GATES- Please support the safety and health of our school staff by encouraging your children to say good-bye at the gates.During Stage 1, the Prep to Year 2 teachers will coach the younger students about what this will look, in order to prepare them for independence in the STAGE 2 drop-off and pick-up routines. The children’s wellbeing matters at our school. If you have any concerns about your child’s ability to cope with saying goodbye at the gates, please communicate this with a phone call or email to the office, so that we can provide further support.All staff will be on duty in the first week to guide students through this routine. Once students are accomplished, normal afternoon yard supervision will apply.Whole School—What arrival and departure will look likeNote- We will have a designated sibling gathering point which will be communicatedWe may enforce a staggered departure time if it becomes necessary. TBCKallista-Emerald RoadARRIVALEntry is through the lych-gate, and students will turn left to breezeway to be welcomed by teacher on duty. Students to move to toilets to wash hands and then to classrooms. DEPARTUREAt the end of the day exit is back through breezeway and directly up the adjacent steps to ‘the rocks’, or agreed parent pick up.Monbulk Road (lower playground pedestrian gate)ARRIVALUnder teacher supervision children will enter school to wash hands in JLC. Older children at toilets. Students to go to classrooms.DEPARTUREStudents will move to lower playground and be picked up by parents at pedestrian gate.Late Arrival and Early LeaversLate Arrival to School.Any student arriving after the 9am bell must be brought to the main entrance to sign in at the office as per usual. No adults are to enter the building.? They may telephone the school office if necessary.Students must NOT be sent directly to classrooms after 9amEarly LeaversParents are to notify the classroom teacher (via email) if their child is to leave early for an appointment, etc. The classroom teacher will ensure they are signed out at the office at the requested time.When you arrive to pick up your child/children, please call the office and your child will exit through the front door.For all unplanned Early departures, please call the office and office staff will contact the classroom teacher. HygieneDET advises that:Everyone can protect themselves and prevent the spread of coronavirus by continuing effective hand hygiene. At our school:All staff and students will undertake regular hand hygiene, particularly on arrival to school, before and after eating, after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the toilet. This will be directed or supervised by staff where required. Students to wash hands prior to entering classroom and leaving. eg. going to a Specialist, recess, lunch etc. Specialists will return them with clean hands. Hand sanitiser will be provided in all classrooms, in playground troughs, and appropriate locations throughout the school.Sharing of food not permittedShared equipment will be cleanedWhere soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitiser will be made available. Students must bring their own water bottles to school for use (and refilling). It is recommended that students do not drink directly from drinking fountains at this time, so water will be turned off at drinking fountains. Staff and students are reminded to clean their mobile phones regularly. The Kallista Primary School Mobile Phone Policy remains in place so students will not be handling their mobile phones during the school day.Specific arrangements for teaching and learning environments and break timesDET advises that:Maintaining a physical distance of 1.5 metres will not always be practical in education settings. Physical distancing is most important between adults.Reducing mixing between different cohorts (either classes or year levels) is recommended as a precautionary measure to minimise risk of spread of transmission and aid containment in the rare event of a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) on site.At our school we will:Where possible, reduce mixing of cohorts, consideration given to whether certain activities are at this stage postponed or to be modified, for example- Senior Sport, Chess, some Music ensembles, Choir, Friendly Friday activities, 5/6 using shared space together, Kids Hope, Film project and Dance Competition etc. Parents will be notified of postponements or modifications.Create airflow indoors (weather dependent).Avoid mixing of staff and students between rooms.Consider the order and pace in which classrooms are vacated. Plan with nearby teacher if doors are close together.Maximising use of outdoor learning areas or environments with enhanced ventilation where possible and as practical depending on weather conditionsStudents and staff will largely remain in the same classroom areas where possible rather than moving for particular classes from room to roomOrganising student traffic in corridors and locker bays (e.g. dividing the corridor for traffic direction).Staff will maintain physical distancing as much as practical when working in a classroom togetherStaff to respect the ‘safe space’ of others.Entry to such spaces should only occur if necessary.If more than one adult in a room then social distancing is to be maintained.Maximum of six adults in the Staffroom. One only in the kitchen area.Specialist Programs-These will run as per normal in regular facility. Specialists will pick up/return Grades to their classroom. Class teacher to ensure Grade has observed hand hygiene prior to pick up. Older Grades may regularly be asked to bring their pencil case. Specialists will return students with clean hands.Kitchen cancelled in Term 2 and Term 3 TBC.Groove Foundation is continuing instrumental lessons online until further notice.Garden will go ahead, but is dependent on the weather.Learning Intervention- Quicksmart to go ahead online, Toe by Toe to be replaced by a suitable online program.School offices and staff facilitiesDET advises that:As the greatest risk of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the school environment is between adults, close proximity between staff will be avoided where possible and especially in offices and staff rooms.At our school we will:Implement appropriate hand hygiene, screens and modified processes to ensure less contact with people face to face, and possibility of infection through shared equipment.Consideration to spreading staff workstations out as much as possible and limit the number of staff in offices, re-locating staff to other spaces (e.g. library or JLC shared space.Limit use of photocopier by students and use hand sanitizer before and afterPut PASSTAB on staff phones to reduce need to use community office IPadOnly Bronwyn, Bernie and Chris to enter general officeLimit use of loud speaker to Principal wherever possibleUse of email, phone or counter to communicate with them when necessary.In line with other workplaces across Victoria, we will remind staff to maintain physical distancing from each other as much as possible in the reception, staff room and offices.Cleaning and facilities managementDET advises that:Environmental cleaning, coupled with regular hand hygiene, remains important to reduce the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission.At our school we will:Continue extension of routine environmental cleaning, including progressive cleaning throughout the day to ensure that risks of transmission are reduced for high-touch services. See Department information about Access to cleaning supplies and services.At our school:We will carefully consider the necessity of using shared items or equipment e.g.: shared computers, class sets of teaching and learning materials, musical instruments etc at this timeWe will be practising hand hygiene immediately before and after use of shared equipment , including photocopierStaff to implement hand hygiene practices --to be used before and after using equipment.High touch shared equipment to be wiped down regularly- all classrooms have been supplied with bucket, sponges, gloves, liquid soap,etc.Remember that part timers/Specialists expect a clean ‘safe space’ when they return. Do not allow students into these work areas or storerooms.If a Specialist room is used please ensure it is added to the cleaning roster for that day- this is in staffroom to be referred to by cleaners.Sport and recreationDET advises that:In line with community advice, reasonable precautions are still advised to reduce the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission in the context of sport and recreation.At our school: Playground equipment can be used. However, students will be directed to practise hand hygiene before and after use. Wherever possible, outdoor facilities will be used for physical education and recreational play. Where indoor facilities are used, we will limit the number of students.Swimming and aquatic facilities will not be used.All Interschool Sport on hold.We will encourage non-contact sports at this time. Hand hygiene will be practised before and after use of any sporting equipment.Provision of routine care and first aidDET advises that:Physical distancing is not practical when providing direct care. In this situation standard precautions, including hand hygiene, are important for infection control.At our school:Standard precautions as per DET Infectious Diseases policy and our Medications Policy and First Aid Policy will be followed when providing first aid. For example, we will use gloves and an apron when dealing with blood or body fluids/substances. Hand hygiene will be practised before and after performing routine care or first aid.Additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), for example face masks, is not required to provide routine care or first aid for students who are well, unless such precautions are usually adopted in the routine care of an individual student.We have an additional space for students who are feeling unwell over this period, next to the principal’s office.Management of an unwell student or staff memberDET advises that:It is important that any staff member or student who becomes unwell while at school returns home. While it is unlikely that a staff member or student who is unwell with flu-like symptoms will have coronavirus (COVID-19) there are some sensible steps schools can take while a student awaits collection by a parent or carer as a precaution.This means that at our school:Staff and students experiencing compatible symptoms with coronavirus (COVID-19), such as fever, cough or sore throat, will be isolated in an appropriate space with suitable supervision and collected by a parent/carer as soon as possible. Urgent medical attention will be sought where needed. Unwell students will not be permitted to travel home unsupervised.Where staff or students are experiencing compatible symptoms with coronavirus, we will ensure hand hygiene, physical distancing and (where possible) use of a face mask. See DET guidance for the use of Personal Protective Equipment in education.Health care plans, where relevant, should be updated to provide additional advice on monitoring and identification of the unwell child in the context of coronavirus (COVID-19).If a staff member is unsure whether a student is unwell in the first instance we will contact the parent/carer to discuss any concerns about the health status of the student, and we will take a precautionary approach, requesting the parent/carer to collect their child if concerns remain. A trained staff member may take the temperature of the student, where appropriate, to support decision-making. Gloves will be worn for the purpose of taking a temperature.Staff or students experiencing compatible symptoms with coronavirus (COVID-19) should be encouraged to seek the advice of their healthcare professional who can advise on next steps. A medical certificate is not required to return to school after a period of illness, however staff and students should not return until symptoms resolve. ?If a student spreads droplets (for example by sneezing, coughing or vomiting), surfaces will be immediately cleaned with disinfectant wipes (and using gloves).Managing a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19DET has comprehensive procedures in place with the Department of Health and Human Services to manage suspected or confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in schools.We will contact the Department of Health and Human Services on 1300 651 160 to discuss what to do next if a student or staff member:is a confirmed casehas been in close contact with a confirmed caseWe will inform the Department by making an IRIS incident alert.DHHS defines ‘close contact’ as someone who has either:had at least 15 minutes of face-to-face contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19)shared a closed space for more than two hours with someone who is a confirmed case.We have face masks, gloves and gowns, should we be supervising someone suspected to have COVID-19, while waiting for them to be picked up by parent/carers.Further information and resources DET Coronavirus (COVID-19) website: Coronavirus (COVID-19) website: DET Infectious Diseases Policy: DET Health Care Needs Policy Talking to your child about COVID-19: Department of Education and Training COVID-19 Advice Line – 1800 338 663Department of Health and Human Services Coronavirus hotline – 1800 675 398 (24 hours, 7 days a week)Review This policy was last updated on 23 May, 2020 and will be reviewed weekly- as new advice comes to light- until the end of Term 2 ................
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