As outlined in a COMPASS message sent on Tuesday, this term has began with a detail COVID Road Map based on new ACT health guidelines.  It is wonderful to be able to welcome back our parent community on school grounds.  Please note at this stage, parents are unable to enter the school building (unless by appointment, preferably out of school hours).  This includes the front foyer/front office area. 

As stated, we are excited to welcome parents/carers back on school grounds in outdoor areas. Any parents needing to see teachers/staff, will need to make an appointment. From 3:10pm, all students will now be picked up from the drive through area in our car park-  we will no longer be doing a separate pick up on the ring road for families with one child (unless wet weather!). As parents are now allowed to come on site outdoors, you may park and collect your child/ren from the following areas:

• Kinder and Year 1- Kitchen garden
• Drive through area near portables
• Basketball courts

Otherwise, you can drive through in the car park and we will place your child/ren in the car. Parents are also welcome to come on school grounds when dropping child/children off in the mornings.  Wet weather pick up is the same as last term, with the ring road for families of one child and the drive through for families with more than one child.  Wet weather supervision in the morning is now allowed to be in the hall, as cohorts can be together.  Please click here for the Term 2 COVID Road Map, noting that this may change if ACT Health continue changing restrictions.  These new protocols will allow us to have our working bee outside next Friday and our Mother's Day stall outside. 

Significant staff absences in Term 1 and the limited availability of casual teachers has placed extra loads on staff at schools to cover classes and maintain face-to-face teaching. As a consequence, many schools have a backlog in teacher RFF and extra teaching duties. Teachers have been unable to complete regular professional learning, class preparation and administration. Principals and members of schools executive teams were also taken away from their normal responsibilities to take classes.  As a result of this, Ross  Fox, Catholic Education Director, has authorised every Catholic school in our Archdiocese to have two pupil free days this term.  Please see his letter below: 

Dear parents and carers

I have authorised two extra pupil free days in Term 2 for all schools in the Archdiocese of Canberra Goulburn to support teachers who have been carrying extra teaching loads due to the COVID-related staff absences.

Like many other school systems, in Term 1 our schools had significant staff absences. Casual teachers were in short supply so teachers and principals covered classes of absent teachers. They went without their usual allocated release from day-to-day teaching and planning, professional learning and administration.

Despite these challenges, our staff sought to maintain the highest quality of teaching, learning and pastoral care of students.

I have asked each school to engage with their parent and carer communities to give you timely notice of these pupil free days.

Thank you for your understanding and support,

Ross Fox

Director Catholic Education

Please mark in you calendars that these pupil free days will be on Friday 27th May and Friday 1st of July. The 27th of May coincides with the Reconciliation Day long weekend and the 1st of July is the last Friday of term.  Please note this is for both the ELC and the school.  We will be offering holiday care programs for both of these days at the ELC and KidsBiz.