Dear families

COVID-19 in schools – SA Health and Department for Education guidance

SA Health and the Department for Education has provided guidance on how to manage cases of COVID-19 in schools.

There will be new contract tracing and close contact arrangements in education from 31 January 2022. 

The new arrangements recognise the importance of providing quality education and care for our students while minimising the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

Schools will remain open if there is a case of COVID-19 under the new arrangements.

It’s very important that you notify us immediately if your child tests positive to COVID-19.

If a student or teacher in your child’s class tests positive for COVID-19, they will be deemed a classroom contact and the following will occur:

·         We will notify all parents in that class of the positive case

·         All students and children without symptoms can continue attending school. No rapid antigen testing will be required.

·         If your child develops any symptoms (even mild) please keep them home from school and get a COVID-19 test.

Any student who has worked 1:1 with a COVID positive staff member (more than 15mins, indoors, in close proximity and where face masks are not able to be worn) will be asked to complete 7 days of rapid antigen testing (‘test to stay’) each morning before attending school. We will provide you with the testing kits at no charge. Students that test positive must not attend school

Alternatively, if you don’t want your child to complete the 7-day testing, they can quarantine for 7 days. The Department for Education is developing online learning resources for students in years reception to 10 that can be completed during quarantine.

The Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO) has recommended that classroom contacts should avoid the following between days 1 to 7 of exposure:

·         attendance at OSHC where possible

·         attending extra-curricular-based activities for 7 days (such as camps, excursions, interschool sport, combined choir etc – noting most of these activities have been temporarily suspended until week 4).

The CPHO advises classroom contacts should do the following to minimise risk to others, when outside of the school, preschool or ECEC setting between days 1 to 14 of exposure:

·         avoid high risk settings or COVID Management Plan events

·         wear a surgical mask around others (where age appropriate) and outside your home

·         avoid contact with vulnerable people outside of your workplace or family, where possible

·         avoid non-essential activities where possible (eg where there are lots people, inside, in close contact)

·         avoid shared spaces and maintain physical distance.

 Our staff will also undergo 7 days of rapid antigen testing (test to stay) in the event that they are in a classroom with a student or colleague who tests positive.

 It’s vitally important that you please:

·         keep your child/ren home if they are:

o    unwell

o    experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms

o    any other member of the household has COVID-19

o    they are a close contact for a person who has COVID-19 and are required to quarantine

·         notify us asap if your child/ren tests positive for COVID-19

·         let your child (if in years 3 to 12) know that they will be required to wear a face mask while indoors at school. We will have supplies (including child sizes) for them to wear if they don’t already have one.

These new settings will be in place until the end of week 4 of term 1. However, with the rapidly changing nature of the pandemic, this may be reviewed or changed if and when needed. As always, we must remain flexible and responsive.

I understand you may have a lot of questions about this information. We’ll continue to provide you information as soon as we have it.

Thank you for your understanding and support in implementing these temporary measures as we continue to adjust to this rapidly changing pandemic.

Please stay safe and contact us if you require any further support.

Adie Conley, ¶¶Òõ¸£ÀûÊÓƵ Harbor High School Principal

Welcome back to the 2022 VHHS school year

As has been circulated via the school website, Facebook and Instagram pages, you will be aware of the plan for staged return to school for the first two weeks of Term 1.

Years 9, 10, and 11 students accessing online learning are expected to engage meaningfully with their learning as outlined in the VHHS Teaching and Learning Guide available on our school website. Students of essential workers, or those who are vulnerable, are welcome at school, where they will be supervised as they complete their remote learning program.

To support Year 9 to Year 11 students who will be learning remotely, VHHS House Teachers will be contacting each family very soon. The focus of their initial contact with you will be to introduce themselves and outline their role. They will provide you with their contact details which may include calling the school, email and Daymap. House Teachers will be your first point of contact at the school. They will be able to help answer your questions/concerns and provide further support.

Families with Year 9 to Year 11 students new to VHHS will receive individual emails with their log in details for Daymap and Microsoft 365. If new students or those existing VHHS students who have purchased new devices and need IT assistance to connect to VHHS, please email dl.0799.ictsupport@schools.sa.edu.au or phone (08) 8551 1932 for an appointment.

We encourage you to reach out and have regular communication with your child’s House Teacher to promote positive connections between home and school.