Well after three long weekends in a row I am actually looking forward to a five-day week next week.  It has been wonderful having this extra ‘weekend’ time but to get back into the routine of five days of school will be a real treat next week. 

NAPLAN Online – 10 May – 20 May 2022

Our students in Year 3, 5, 7, & 9 will join with students throughout Australia to sit the NAPLAN tests next week. We are confident our students are ready to give 100% in these tests which provide the school with data that we can use to enhance our teaching to better cater for the needs of your children, our learners.  These tests are another ‘check’ along the student’s learning journey to see how they are learning the essential skills of reading, writing and mathematics. These students missed their NAPLAN in 2020 as it was cancelled due to COVID. 

In 2022 we are excited to use the online platform for our testing, except Year 3 Writing. The test window begins on 10 May and concludes on 20 May.

Below is our schedule for testing at OLSCC, based on guidelines provided by ACARA:

Classes will run as normal in the timetable for all of these students around the testing schedule. 

LAPTOPS for NAPLAN

Students in Year 3 will use College Early Years Laptops that will be stored in the classrooms for the duration of the test. They have been using these to familiarize themselves with the test platform this year. Students in Year 5 will use assigned class computers that are stored in classrooms. 

Students in Year 7 and Year 9 will use their own laptops assigned through the 1:1 program. It is essential that these come to school fully charged each day and that students store their chargers in their laptop bags during this time. We ask that parents support and check that these are being charged each night in preparation for these tests. Your assistance is appreciated.

All other supplies needed for the tests will be supplied by the College.

We wish these students well and are proud of their efforts in their learning that they will showcase next week.

YEAR 10 RETREAT

Last Week Mrs Twidale and I had the pleasure of leading the Year 10 Retreat.  We spent the afternoon exploring the idea of masks we wear and ‘being true to oneself’.  Students created masks that reflected their outside personas and their inner self.  Each one of these students is a gift created by God, each unique, individual and a special part of our Year 10 cohort.  They are all very creative too!

MINI VINNIES

Today at Assembly we presented a cheque to our local St Vincent de Paul chapter from our Easter Egg Raffle.  Thanks to everyone who bought tickets and donated eggs.  You assisted us in raising $1096, an amazing achievement. Well done to Year 5 teachers and students for their Praxis and involvement in Mini Vinnies.

COVID UPDATE - Close Contact Guidelines

Last week the Queensland Government announced and commenced the new close contact rules to ease pressure on our society.  These rules allow close contacts some freedoms to continue to leave their homes.  This change has no impact on isolation requirements for people diagnosed with COVID-19 (ie positive cases). 

You are classified as a close contact if  

• you have been with a person that has COVID-19 for more than four hours in a house or other accommodation, a care facility or similar, or
• you live with a person that has COVID-19 and have had more than four hours contact with them in the household setting.

You are a close contact from the date the person diagnosed with COVID-19 took the test that returned a positive result. 

Close contacts who have COVID-19 symptoms must stay at home until the symptoms resolve. They must not attend work or school. Close contacts (staff or students) who are symptomatic, must undertake testing immediately and quarantine until the earlier of Day 7 or until they are no longer experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19. 

For the most accurate information in regards to quarantine for close contacts we recommend families visit the Queensland Government Guidelines for close contact in Queensland page.  The new guidelines were introduced from 6pm Thursday 28 April 2022.  To assist families we have summarised the requirements that impact on the College, these apply to close contacts who do not have symptoms:  

• Close contacts (staff or students) must inform their employer or school that they are a close contact before returning to work or school. The school does not need to record or store this information to meet Queensland Health requirements, nor do they need to provide this information to Queensland Health. The purpose of requiring close contacts to provide this notification is to support schools and workplaces in risk managing their sites.
• Close contacts (staff or students) are recommended to take a RAT test every two days until Day 7, ensuring they have a negative result before leaving home (eg to attend school). RAT tests will need to start from the day the person becomes a close contact (and then additional tests performed on days 2, 4 and 6). 
• Close contacts must wear a mask while outside their home if they are 12 years or older (or where they are a secondary student) until Day 7. Masks are recommended where safe for students under 12 years. This will apply across the community, including schools. The normal exemptions about mask wearing will remain (e.g. not required for a teacher where visibility of mouth is required or where there is a valid medical exemption). 

RAT TESTS for close contacts 

The provision of RAT tests to meet the close contact requirements is the responsibility of individual close contacts.  We encourage families to ensure they have tests for the purpose of testing close contacts.  We will continue to provide tests to any students or staff where they develop symptoms whilst at school. 

CAMPS and EXCURSIONS 

As we recommence more camps and excursions this term, we are working to ensure that all who attend maintain good health.  If you child is unwell or displaying symptoms of COVID-19 they must not attend an excursion or camp.  Each individual event will have a plan in place to manage any staff or students who develop COVID-19 symptoms whilst away from the College.  

We thank families for their vigilance in following these guidelines set by the government.  As we head into the cooler season it is important that we continue to maintain high levels of hygiene to reduce the amount of illness in our community, both COVID and the flu.  With the reduction of illness we have been able to open our College back up with more events and parental involvement which is fabulous.  We look forward to being about to continue this.

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education