Mulwala Public School

Thursday 24 February 2022

Yarma (Welcome)

Dear parents and carers

Finley Zone Swimming Carnival

Good luck to the 11 students who are representing our school at the Finley Zone swimming carnival at Cobram on Friday.

Clean Up Day

Friday 4 March

All students will be participating in Clean Up Australia Day.

• Goonie students will clean up the COLA and the oval

• Thurgoon students will clean up the school block perimeter

• Nungara students will clean up over at the Mulwala Foreshore

Gloves will be provided but students are welcome to bring their own from home.

Important information for parents and students

The department recognises that family breakdowns take place. Unless there is formal notice or otherwise, it is assumed that both parents have shared and equal parental responsibility for their children and both parents have been involved in decisions regarding their children’s education. This also means the school recognises that each parent has equal duties, obligations, responsibilities and opportunities relating to matters involving the school.

If changes occur in your family relationship which might impact on the relationship between the school and your family, you should advise the school immediately. This includes providing copies of any relevant court orders.

Bring your wheels to school

The students are invited to bring their wheels (bikes, scooters, skateboards etc) to school each Thursday to ride at lunchtime. The students must have a properly fitting helmet. This will begin on Thursday.

Updated Covid Information

The recent announcement to the changes in how schools use RATs as a surveillance measure against COVID-19 means that students and staff will only need to test if they are displaying COVID-19 symptoms.

For this week:

We will continue to recommend the use of rapid antigen tests (RATs) for twice weekly testing of students and staff until 25 February. For our school, this means:

2 tests per student and staff in school

From Monday 28 February we will move to symptomatic testing. Tests are to be used at your discretion such as if your child is displaying COVID-19 symptoms. For our school, this means:

• 8 tests per student and staff in school

• Beyond that students and staff can access PCR tests or purchase RATs directly.

• Our school will continue to ensure our core COVID-smart layers are in place, including vaccinations, physical distancing where possible, maximised fresh air flow through natural ventilation, continued good hand hygiene practices and enhanced cleaning.

Picking up your RATs

Our school will receive additional RAT kits over the coming weeks to support testing for students who have COVID-19 symptoms. These kits will be sent home with your child.

We will let you know when our school is ready to distribute supplies.

If your household is isolating during this time due to a positive COVID-19 case, please contact our school to arrange an alternative distribution method or to hold your RAT allocation until the time you’re able to receive them.

Registering your child’s RAT result

If a student or staff member receives a positive RAT result, they need to:

• record the positive RAT result through the Service NSW websiteExternal link or Service NSW appExternal link and please include the name of your child’s school when prompted

• notify the school of the positive RAT or PCR result as soon as possible

• follow NSW Health adviceExternal link to isolate for 7 days.

Registering your child’s positive RAT with Service NSW is a requirement of the Public Health Order and helps NSW Health track COVID-19 in schools and address any public health issues early on if required.

Negative results do not need to be reported to Service NSW or to the school.

Unwell at school

Any student or staff member who is unwell and/or displays symptoms of COVID-19 will be asked to go home and stay until they can complete a RAT or PCR test.

• If symptoms continue, they should stay at home and take another RAT in 24 hours or have a PCR test.

• If the second RAT or initial PCR test result is negative and they are displaying no symptoms OR they are diagnosed as another condition such as hayfever, the student or staff member can return to school.

• In NSW, positive COVID-19 cases are provided a Medical Clearance Notice after 7 days and allowed to leave self-isolation as long as they do not have COVID-19 symptoms.

For further information refer to the NSW Government’s Rapid antigen testing fact sheetExternal link.

What happens if a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19

Under the close contact rules, schools are no longer included in contact tracing. I will inform the school community when there is a positive case in our school and advise families on public health advice, including monitoring for symptoms.

We strongly encourage our students and their families to consider vaccination including boosters when eligible. Find a vaccination clinic to book an appointment near you.

Thank you again for your continued support during this school term.

Covid Safe Guidelines

• Students to remain in class groups (cohorting) in the classroom and playground

• All staff, volunteers and providers are fully vaccinated

• Staff to wear masks indoors

• It is strongly recommended that students wear masks.

• All staff and visitors when attending the school site must QR code in.

• Students have been provided with rapid antigen kits.

• No visitors allowed on school site except for:

*picking up a sick child

*drop off materials

* to conduct a financial transaction

*attending a critical meeting when invited

Moodamoot (farewell)

Regards

Gayle Pinn

Principal

Goal - 95%

Term 1 - 93.11%

No of days 100% for 2022- 0

The students in the Yarrunga (giant redgum tree) have been reading the book Somebody's Land by Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing. They have compared and contrasted themselves and the Indigenous children from before and during European settlement. They have illustrated the similarities and differences.

Water fun day, it was amazing. First off we changed into our swimmers and we went to the basketball court. Most of us didn't have water guns so we used sponges. So the fight was on! All I could see were water buckets dumping over people's heads, sponges and water guns everywhere. The fight was finished, so we went to the slippery slide and most of us continued with the water fight. After that it was recess. So after recess we went to Thurgoon to watch a movie. Some of us played board games. Katherine, Indigo, Poppy K and I played Monopoly. I got lots of properties. So after that it was lunch. We had icy poles. After that we went back to Thurgoon and watched the rest of the movie before realising that the rest of Nungara were back and Nungara went to watch Mr Bean.

By Max

It is a requirement of the P&C association that all members have a current WWCC. Volunteer applications are free of charge. Follow the link to submit your online application prior to visiting the mobile centre: Working with children check. Once applications have been cleared a copy can be sent to the school office mulwala-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au.