Dear Parents/Carers,

It has been great to have students return to full-time onsite learning over the last fortnight. Whilst afternoon pickup remains a little congested and K-4 early dismissal at 2:30pm is something we do not want to maintain, they remain necessary for the short term. As COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease will re-evaluate dismissal arrangements. 

Last week Principals met to revise their comprehensive plans to facilitate a coordinated dismissal should we have a confirmed positive case of COVID-19 among the school community. Put most simply, the NSW Public Health Unit (PHU) would advise the College that a member of the school community had tested positive and the College would need to be closed temporarily for deep cleaning to occur. A process of working with the PHU to establish contact tracing would also occur and families that came into contact would be advised to self-isolate. 

In the unlikely event of a temporary school shutdown, parents would be advised via Compass and a text message on their mobile phone that a positive case has been confirmed. You would be asked to pick up your child from school, but this would not be urgent. Further instructions would be provided to parents via Compass but essentially parents would need to nominate one of three possible pickup points to collect their child. The first would be to pick up your child in carline, the second would be to pick up your child at the Pozieres Gate (Walkers North) or at the end of the Bus Bay (Walker South). Students would be supervised by members of the College Leadership Team at the pickup points immediately before collected by parents/carers. 

Deep cleaning of the entire school would then be organised over the next day or two and the PHU team would examine contact tracing details and inform families that are required to isolate. 

It is hoped that we never have to activate this plan and with fewer and fewer cases each week it is unlikely, however we need to be prepared and the safety of our community is always at the forefront. 

The pandemic has presented issues for every workforce. Ours is no different and there a number of staff changes as a result:

• Miss Nadia Gregory has formally resigned, to be replaced by Ms Ellen Lombo for the remainder of 2020
  
  
• Ms Lisa Christensen will be taking extended leave for the remainder of 2020
  
  
• Mrs Jessica Gallaty will be taking leave up to her maternity leave & therefore will not return in 2020
  
  
• Mrs Maria Ramos will be taking leave up to her maternity leave & therefore will not return in 2020

Building Program

This week we finalised the tender for the Middle Years Block. This block will commence construction in July and will provide 18 new permanent classrooms and 2 practical activity spaces for students in Years 5-8. This will be the third block under construction at the moment at St Francis, so things are really happening quite quickly. 

The image below, provided by Sydney Aerial Imagery, shows the Performance Centre in the middle of the site which is due for completion for the beginning of Term 4. Next to it, the foundations of the Hall are clearly visible. The Middle Years block will be constructed adjacent to and parallel with the Innovation Centre which is located top right of the image. 

Submissions for funding the remaining permanent buildings (Admin, Junior Block, Library & Senior Block) were submitted to the Catholic Grant Block Authority last week.

We look forward to hearing about funding arrangements for these remaining blocks in November. 

May God continue to bless you all.

Mr Simon Abernethy
College Principal