Principal’s Update – Sunday 22 August: Resource Collection & Children of Essential Workers

Learning resource collection

If your child/ren does not have their required learning resources at home, they may collect items from lockers on Monday 23 August from 9am through to 12 noon. A QR Code/sign in arrangement will be in place at the Sister Aloysius Martyn Arts Centre at Coolock and at AV2 at St Mary’s.

Please note that this will be the ONLY opportunity for the collection of items. Both campuses will be closed afterwards and only authorised staff with permits or students can attend.

Please also ensure that provision is made for the possibility of a protracted lockdown.

Onsite learning applications

Children who are vulnerable and the children of essential workers will be offered access and supervision at the College. Please understand that the College is closed, except for those students. Those approved students will be completing the remote learning program in the Sister Aloysius Martyn Arts Centre at Coolock commencing Tuesday 24 August from 8.45am. Buses will still be operating for those students.

These arrangements have changed from previous lockdowns. From Saturday 21 August, parents and carers will only be able to request on-site supervision for their children in Category A if they hold a permit as an authorised worker.

The College must now ask for parents and carers whose children are in Category A to provide an authorised work permit on completion of the application – COVID-19 Arrangements: Students who need to attend school Form.

Please complete this form by 4pm on Monday 23 August.

Category A

Children where both parents and/or carers are considered authorised workers who cannot work from home, work for an essential provider and where no other supervision arrangements can be made:

• Where there are two parents/carers, both must be essential workers, working outside the home in order for their children to be eligible for on-site provision.
• For single parents/ carers, the essential worker must be working outside the home in order for their children to be eligible for on-site provision.

Category B

Children experiencing vulnerability, including:

• in out-of-home care
• deemed vulnerable by a government agency, funded family or family violence service, and assessed as requiring education and care outside the family home
• identified by a school or early childhood service as vulnerable, (including via referral from a government agency, or funded family or family violence service, homeless or youth justice service or mental health or other health service).
• Where a parent/carer indicates that a student with a disability is vulnerable because they cannot learn from home, and/or informs the school the student is vulnerable due to family stress, the school must provide onsite supervision for that student.

Caring for our community

Over the weekend a number of our sister schools across the Diocese have been impacted by COVD-19 cases. Please keep these communities in your thoughts and prayers.

We have all been through extended lockdowns before and it continues to be important that students keep attending classes and seeking support. If you have concerns, please contact your child’s Year Level Learning Leaders.

Kind regards,

Brian Turner, Principal