Return to onsite learning - Years 7-11
We are looking forward to welcoming all students in Years 7-11 back to onsite learning from the 25th October. As always, our priority is the health and safety of students and staff. In response to the current Public Health Orders and advice from the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta, we would like to provide you with some information about the return to school. We will update our plans in response to any changes in Public Health Orders and COVID-19 requirements and will continue to provide you with as much information as possible at all times.
Attendance
All students in Years are expected to return to onsite learning from the 25th October. Once students return to onsite learning teachers will no longer be delivering online lessons via Zoom. Teachers will continue to post work on Google Classroom as per normal practices. We understand that the decision for students to return to school may be difficult for some families. If you have any concerns about your daughter’s return to school please contact her Year Leader. Absences must be documented by following our usual processes.
Students must not attend the College if they are unwell or have any COVID-19 symptoms. Anyone who is unwell with COVID-19 symptoms is strongly encouraged to get tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received.
Health and Safety
Each classroom has a supply of cleaning materials and students will be asked to wipe desks and chairs at the conclusion of each lesson. Hand sanitiser is available in every classroom and at the entrance to the school. Students are encouraged to practise good hygiene. Additional cleaning of frequently touched surfaces, such as handrails, will be undertaken during the day.
Doors and windows will remain open during the day. Fans and air conditioning will be set to run all day to ensure the best possible air flow.
In order to minimise interaction between year groups, each year group has been allocated one area of the school for breaks. Students will need to remain in their allocated area at break times to minimise contact with students from other year groups. The Year Group Leaders of Learning will be meeting with students via Zoom during Pastoral Care next Friday to explain these health and safety measures. On their return to school on Monday 25 October, students will need to go to these areas as they arrive at the college before the bell goes for homeroom:
Year 7: Eastern side of the oval near the basketball court
Year 8: Western side of the oval near the West Wing
Year 9: On the COLA under the high roof area
Year 10: On the COLA under the C Block awning and between there and the high roof area
Year 11: Senior Common Room or Visual Arts verandah
Vaccinations
All staff working onsite at the College are double-vaccinated. The school is not required to know the vaccination status of students at present and students will not be asked to provide this information.
Face Masks
Students are required to wear face masks while at school and on public transport when travelling to and from school. Please ensure your daughter has a mask with her at all times and discuss with her the importance of following these guidelines. If students refuse to wear a mask while onsite, parents will be contacted and asked to take their child home.
Uniform
A reminder that as students return to school, the usual summer uniform and grooming expectations apply. In a change to normal practice for this term only, students will be permitted to wear their school sports uniform to school on the days they have practical PDHPE lessons to avoid congestion in the change rooms.
Canteen
The canteen will only be open for recess and lunch orders. Please note until further notice no Breakfast Orders will be taken. Orders must be placed online using the FlexiSchool App. The App can be used via a Smartphone, Tablet or Computer. If you have not used the App before or have lost/deleted the App please refer to the attached ‘Setting Up the Flexischools App’ document and the current ‘Morning Tea & Lunch Menu’ options. Recess and lunch orders will be distributed at different points in the school for each year group. Until further notice, students will not be able to line up and purchase items at the canteen.
Activities
Unfortunately, there will be no excursions or offsite activities until further notice. We have also had to cancel many of the incursions and community events we had planned for this term. While this is disappointing, it will limit the risk of exposure for our students and staff and maximise our classroom learning time after a term learning from home.
Arrival and departure
Parents who drop off and pick up their daughters from school will need to remain outside the school gate and observe social distancing requirements. Parents are asked to contact the College by email or phone whenever possible. Parents who need to access reception will need to wear a face mask, observe social distancing requirements, provide evidence of double vaccination or a Medical Contraindication Certificate, and sign in and out using the College’s QR code.
School Buses
Blue Mountains Buses (servicing Emu Plains) and Busways (all other routes) advise that normal school bus routes will be operating from Monday 18 October.
However parents, carers and students are reminded that there are significant changes to some Busways routes, mainly affecting afternoon routes servicing the Mulgoa, Warragamba, Wallacia, Luddenham and Silverdale areas. The changes affect Routes 4514, 4534, 4549, 4563, 4573 and 4592. Some changes are fairly minor, such as for Routes 4514 and 4592, which have some minor time changes to accommodate some of the major changes. However, many of the changes are major, including replacing some routes with new routes.
The new route timetables start on Monday 25 October, when Years 7-11 students return to school.
The full Caroline Chisholm bus timetable is available on the Busways website under the school routes section. At the moment, you can choose to select the current timetable, operating until Friday 22 October or to check on the new routes, click on the red link to the right with the timetable for all routes (including the new ones) operating from Monday 25 October.
If you have any questions about this information, please contact Busways, not the college.
Accessing the College through Bethany
Bethany will continue to allow Caroline Chisholm students to move through in the mornings and afternoons. Students MUST wear face masks as they move through Bethany and they should be observing social distancing. They should move straight through the school and not dawdle or stop.
9 November - 3 December HSC Examinations
Year 12 students will be onsite from 18 to 22 October engaging in revision and examination preparation activities. From 25 October until the beginning of the examinations, Year 12 will be working from home to undertake independent study and preparation. Students will be able to communicate with their teachers via email throughout this period. They may be able to set up Zoom contact with teachers in times when they would have had scheduled lessons. This two week period prior to the examinations also minimises the risk of exposure for our HSC students and possible interruption to examinations.
The HSC Examinations will be held onsite between 9 November and 3 December. There are specific guidelines that require the HSC examinations to be run in small groups in exam rooms that are not accessed by other students. The HSC Examinations will be held in the S Block and students in Years 7-11 will be allocated to other rooms for the period of the examinations.
The return to school will be both an exciting and challenging time for students, families and staff. We understand that there will be hurdles to overcome and problems to solve along the way. We are confident that we can work together to make the return to school a success for all of our students.
Returning to normal after COVID-19
Transitioning back to onsite learning may be difficult for some students. This resource may provide some useful information to support parents and students as they make this transition.
https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/returning-normal-after-covid-19
TAS COVID SAFETY - Student equipment requirements
With the return of face to face classes from the 25th October, 2021, the TAS staff are looking forward to resuming practical opportunities with you. To ensure your safety and the safety of others, we would like to remind you of your equipment requirements:
All students in the Workshops (T3 and T4) must have their OWN safety goggles. Goggles are not to be shared.
Aprons - for the Food and Wood Technology classes are to be brought by each student to the required lessons.
Agriculture - students must bring their OWN gloves
Food Technology students must bring their OWN container and hat
Your TAS teachers will go through other specific COVID safety requirements with you in upcoming lessons.
We look forward to your return and having fun with practical opportunities.
The TAS team
Term 4 Parent Fees Information Statement
Term 4 Information Statements were sent to Parents & Carers with outstanding amounts on Thursday 14 October 2021. The due date for payment noted on the statement is Thursday 18 November 2021.
The following note is printed on the statement:
We are aware of the financial strain that COVID-19 is having on some families and its impact on their capacity to pay school fees. Families experiencing hardship are encouraged to seek support by contacting their school Principal. If you have any queries regarding your account or your payment arrangements, please contact Wendy Slaughter on 02 4737 5520 or wslaughter@parra.catholic.edu.au. If you are already on a payment arrangement or are awaiting the outcome of a concession application, then this statement is for information purposes only.
Cancelled Overnight Excursions
As previously advised we have cancelled the following overnight excursions that had been due to occur in Terms 3 and 4, and processed refunds against Parent & Carer accounts:
PASS Camp - Year 9 & 10 (Selected students)
Urban Challenge - Year 9
Benedict XVI Retreat Centre - Year 11
Accounts that have been fully paid will have any resulting credit carried forward against fees due in 2022.
Accounts in receipt of a fee concession in 2021 will not have a credit carried forward to 2022, with any concession given in 2021 reduced by the amount of the refund.
