Dear Parents and Carers,

In line with recent changes to the guidelines for managing Covid safety in schools released by the Health Department and Department of Education, we have moved to implement a new safety plan at Pinjarra Senior High School.

This plan builds on the existing safety measures in place, including the requirement for staff and students to wear masks, to maintain physical distancing wherever possible and to practice hand hygiene through the use of hand sanitiser and regular hand washing.

The additional safety measures incorporate the health recommendations in the school context as far as is practicable to maintain regular classes, programs and student activities. A summary of the measures implemented is below for your reference.

Student management requirements:

  1. Student breaks will be managed by the allocation of designated areas for each year group, (ie: Year 7 area, Year 8 area etc). Students will use these areas before school, at recess and lunch times. Students are able to move to and from shared areas such as the canteen without issue, but masks should be worn in shared areas.
  2. Access to oval and basketball courts will be based on rotational roster. Posters indicating when each year group is able to use these facilities will be placed around the school for student reference and will be posted as a notice on Connect.
  3. The Canteen area will have physical distancing markers placed in queuing areas and a line for additional students to wait behind until a ‘dot’ in the queue is available. Students will need to wear masks while queuing for the canteen. Students will not be required to queue in year- based cohorts. Once they have been served, students will be asked to return to their designated lunch areas.
  4. To avoid overcrowding, students are encouraged to order their lunch before school. Lunch orders for each year group will be delivered to their allocated areas at the start of each lunch time.
  5. Students are required to physically distance out in the yard wherever possible. Duty staff to remind students of distancing as appropriate.
  6. Students are required to wear masks in classrooms and on occasions in outside areas as directed. EG: Canteen queues.
  7. Classroom ventilation protocols are implemented daily across the school.  These are managed by teaching staff and cleaners.
  8. Student assemblies may occur in age cohorts, with gatherings limited to small groups within these. EG: Year assemblies may run as concurrent delivery across 3 rooms – 20 students per group OR 3 outdoor groups.
  9. Students attending WPL to meet vaccination requirements of employer. Alternative arrangements /pathways for those unable to attend workplaces due to vaccination status.
  10. Excursions and access to off -site venues will be determined by student vaccination status where appropriate and required.

External visitor compliance requirement:

  1. Access to the school site will be managed as per published guidelines on the DoE website.
  2. Ad Hoc visitors (less than once per week) are not required to be vaccinated to enter the school site.
  3. Contractors and other visitors who attend school sites more regularly than once per week must show vaccination certificate once – recorded at school reception desk, then regular sign in and out procedures to be followed.
  4. Parents are not required to be vaccinated to attend the school site but are not permitted to enter teaching and learning buildings.
  5. All parents attending school site are required to wear masks if possible.
  6. Those parents coming to the Admin area for payments, enrolment meetings, case conferences etc must comply with physical distancing requirements and use QR code to scan in on SAFE WA app. If there are more than 5 visitors in the space, parents will be required to wait outside the building until this limit can accommodate their entry.
  7. Parents attending the Student Services area for student collection, meetings or enquiries must comply with physical distancing requirements and use QR code to scan in on SAFE WA app. If there are more than 2 visitors in the space, parents will be required to wait outside the building until this limit can accommodate their entry.
  8. Parent Reporting meetings will take place via Microsoft TEAMS through student logins to this platform. Alternatively, such meetings may be conducted by phone.
  9. Where possible and practicable, teacher and parent meetings will not be conducted face to face. If such a meeting is essential, parents will be requested to wear masks and comply with physical distancing requirements.

Preparation and response planning for positive case:

In the event that a positive case is reported at the school, the school will act under the direction of the Health Department and the Department of Education Incident Management Team. Any information provided to parents and carers will come directly from this source.

The following planning is in place for the school should the need to manage a positive case arise.

  1. All staff are prepared to transition rapidly to online and distance education provision. The school website contains links to learning resources, students have been upskilled in accessing and using the Connect platform, and parents are able to access Connect for Parents to assist in managing their child’s learning activities.  Microsoft Teams for students is also being implemented to facilitate increased contact between online class members.
  2. Communication protocols are in place for notifications to parents and carers. Please ensure your mobile phone and email contact details are up to date on our school records.
  3. Remote access to all teaching resources and delivery platforms are available to staff to enable them to effectively work from home if required.
  4. Care, support and monitoring plans are in place for vulnerable students or those at risk. Student Services staff will mobilise these plans for individual students in the event of disruption to regular school routines. Heads of House will regularly check in with students and families who may need additional support.
  5. The school leadership team – Associate Principals and Principal, Manager of Operations and Heads of Learning Area will provide assistance to parents as requested. Parents and carers are welcome to contact the school at any time should they have concerns about the academic progress or wellbeing of their children.

This information is subject to change in accordance with updates from the Health Department and Department of Education. Parents and carers will be provided with updated information as it becomes available.

Jan Stone
Principal