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Marymount College Covid-19 Update

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

As we prepare for students to return next week, we want to remind you that their safety is our highest priority. The Queensland Government has released their Back to School 2022 Plan covering 7 February to 4 March.

I want to share the Back to School Plan detail to keep you informed on the way we can keep you, your family, and our school community safe. We’ll continue to be guided by this plan and will communicate any changes or updates with you.

The main points of the plan are as follows;

As parents/caregivers we ask you to:

• keep your child home if they’re sick, test them if they’re exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms, and follow Queensland Health advice for positive cases or close contacts

• practise good hygiene

• use the Queensland Check-In App if you have to enter the school

• ensure your secondary school children (including those under 12 years) wear face masks unless they are seated or are able to maintain a 1.5 metre distance from others

As a school we will be:

• paying additional cleaning effort to our sick rooms, student areas, and other high-touch point surfaces.

• reviewing ventilation in our classrooms, ensuring good airflow in learning spaces using natural and mechanical ventilation.

• providing free Rapid Antigen Tests to students with symptoms while at school, to be administered at home once you collect your child. The supply of the RAT’s is designed to cover the period of the plan (7 February – 4 March)

• limiting visitors (including parents) on school sites, with exceptions for parents and carers of students experiencing vulnerability.

• suspending camps, excursions, assemblies, and large gatherings.

• limiting external contractors (unless work is critical), and face-to-face parent-teacher interviews.

• applying Covid-19 risk management to sport or cultural activities or in accordance with Covid-safe plans where applicable.

If your child is unwell

To keep our school Covid-19 safe, students and staff must not attend school if they are unwell or have Covid-19 symptoms.

Student absences should be entered prior to 8:00am via the BCE Connect App or parent portal.

If your child tests positive, please inform the school by emailing SBURSAO@bne.catholic.edu.au at your earliest convenience so we can support the student and take any necessary action at a school level.

School Fees

We have received advice from BCE that there will be no adjustments to school fees for Term 1 and they will remain the same as published and shared with our school community at the end of last year.

We appreciate some families may have had their employment or businesses impacted by the current wave of Covid-19. If your family is experiencing financial difficulty and is concerned about paying school fees this term, please email finance@marymount.qld.edu.au to have a confidential discussion about how we can help you through this time and the different payment options available to you.

Communication

We will keep you updated via regular Covid-19 communication about cases of Covid-19 in our school community, as well as any subsequent changes needed to the learning program or to address staff absences.

If a Covid-19 case occurs within the school, we will advise parents, staff and students that:

• there has been a Covid-19 case at the school

• to monitor for symptoms and to stay home if unwell.

This advice will be provided as part of our regular Covid-19 updates to staff and families.

Thank you for your support in these challenging times. Please do not hesitate to contact me or a member of the school leadership team via the email info@marymount.qld.edu.au if you have any concerns.

Martina Millard
Principal

Managing COVID-19 at Marymount College

Information is accurate as of 25 January 2022