VHHS COVID-19 update - 5 June 2020

Dear Families

As you read this COVID-19 Update for weeks 7 and 8, I hope you are safe and well. Whilst not much has changed for children attending school a lot has changed for the community. I trust you are all enjoying greater movement and remembering hygiene and social distancing.

Student Attendance

In the last fortnight, student attendance has hovered between 80% to 88%. Thank you to those families who monitor their children’s health and for your continued support in keeping our school community safe.

A gentle reminder not to send unwell students to school. Whilst students are required to attend this expectation does not apply when:

·         Feeling unwell

·         Have a chronic medical condition or compromised immune system and are not able to attend school on advice from their medical practitioner

·         Live in a household with others that are deemed vulnerable to COVID-19 and are not able to attend school on advice of their medical practitioner

·         Have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or have been required to self-isolate by SA Health.

Please continue to report daily absences by contacting your student’s House Teacher or Student Services on (08) 8551 1912.

We will continue to provide ‘Learning at Home’ programs, for students unable to attend school on advice from their medical practitioner. Please contact your child’s House Teacher with any updates or queries.

Practical Activities

As the majority of students have returned to school, practical activities can recommence with staff making learning adjustments for students ‘Learning at Home’. At the time of writing there has been no change to SA Health advice about school camps and excursions. Given the relaxation of other measures in the state we will consider camps and excursions on an individual basis. Teachers will negotiate with either the principal or deputy principal. Families will be notified and permission sought if a camp or excursion is to proceed. Camps and excursions which are a compulsory part of the curriculum will be a priority.

Health and Physical Education (HPE) learning activities on-site will continue as the COVID-19 restriction of 10 people does not apply for schools. Students will be able to make use of the Recreation Centre stadium during break times to provide opportunity for non-contact physical activities. Staff will supervise these activities with a maximum of 30 students at any one time.

Site access

We will continue to allow essential services staff on-site, with appropriate social distancing and hygiene measures taken. This includes:

·         priority and essential services for students and staff

·         services expressly requested by the Principal and/or Education Director

·         facilities management and building works.

Essential services as determined by the Principal, may include:

·         psychologists

·         speech pathologists

·         social workers

·         other similar essential services that are vital to the health, well-being and learning outcomes of our students.

Family needing to visit the school must first contact School Administration on (08) 8551 1900, or as arranged by a senior staff member. Please report to Administration reception on your arrival. All visitors to the school must complete the site entry form COVID-19 before they can enter the site.

At this time SA Health has advised that volunteering and non-essential services should continue to be postponed

Please note: Weeks 8 and 9 will be different as once again we undertake the VHHS Learning Intensive 2 weeks. Families should have received a letter about this. In short years 8 and 9 will be involved in an innovation project, year 10s will be completing the Personal Learning Plan (a compulsory SACE subject) and the year 11s will begin their Research Project (another compulsory SACE subject). Year 12s will be undertaking their “normal” timetabled lessons.

Continue to stay connected, and keep well.

Yours sincerely

Amanda O’Shea, Principal