COVID-19 UPDATES

To ensure the ongoing health and wellbeing of our students, staff and school communities, we will continue to abide by NSW Health directives and The Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AIS) requirements.

Parents will be informed of any necessary changes to usual routines and practices.

Please see NSW Health for updates.

UPDATE 5th AUGUST, 2021

The Premier Gladys Berejiklian and the NSW Health Minister have announced that the Greater Newcastle area, including the local Government areas Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock, Maitland, Dungog, Muswellbrook, Singleton and Port Stephens will enter into a 7-day lockdown from 5pm until 12 August at 5pm.

All of our St Philip's Christian College schools will move to remote learning. Each of our schools will continue to operate for students of essential workers who will conduct their remote learning curriculum from school, however under the current health guidelines you must keep your children home if you are able to do so.

If you require specific information or answers to questions in relation to what remote learning looks like for you, please contact the main administration contact for your school.

SPCC Newcastle: 02 4960 6600

SPCC Port Stephens: 02 49195400

SPCC Cessnock: 02 4007 5000

SPCC Gosford: 02 4331 4400

DALE

Waratah Campus: 4949 2929

Gosford Campus: 4949 2979

Cessnock Campus: 4949 2939

Narnia

Newcastle: 02 4960 6695

Gosford: 02 4331 4471

Port Stephens: 02 4919 5435

Cessnock: 02 40075000

Young Parents Waratah: 02 49492919

Young Parents Wyong: 0472 666416

UPDATE 1st AUGUST, 2021

The Premier has announced an extension of the lockdown in the Greater Sydney area until the 28th of August. Students from our Gosford School and our DALE and DALE Young Parents will continue with their online mode of learning. Please see the communication below from Mrs Michelle Cairelli, Principal of SPCC Gosford and Mr Brant Maslen, Acting Principal of DALE and DALE Young Parents.

If you require specific information or answers to questions in relation to what remote learning looks like for you, please contact the following staff members:

SPCC Gosford: Courtney.flores@spcc.nsw.edu.au

SPCC DALE and DALE Young Parents: Salina.mayall@spcc.nsw.edu.au

Our SPCC Schools located outside of the Greater Sydney area will continue to follow the Level 2 COVID restrictions as outlined below.

Letter to parents from Mr Brant Maslen

To our valued community,

As you may have heard there has been some new locations of concern listed by Central Coast Health. Please ensure that you are regularly checking venues of concern and adhere to the advice in this alert. We ask that you keep your child at home if affected until the public health requirements have been satisfied.

We will continue our dual delivery for this week as planned. We are so proud of how well your children have been engaging with their learning so far this term and we are looking forward to that continuing this week.

We understand that these developments will add further uncertainty to families in an already difficult time and we will be prioritising the wellbeing of our students during the learning week. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s classroom teacher if you require further information or support.

Mr Brant Maslen
Acting Principal
DALE and DALE Young Parents

SPCC Gosford and Wyong Remote Learning Update

As you will be aware, the lockdown that Greater Sydney (including the Central Coast) is currently experiencing has been extended to 30 July 2021. This will mean that our regular face to face learning at school will not be able to take place as we commence Term Three. Instead, we will be switching to an Online mode of learning from home for our students at our Gosford School and our DALE and DALE Young Parents students.

If you require specific information or answers to questions in relation to what remote learning looks like for you, please contact the following staff members:

Gosford School: Courtney.flores@spcc.nsw.edu.au

DALE Gosford and DALE Young Parents Wyong: jaime.boys@spcc.nsw.edu.au

Thank you as always for your patience and support.

SPCC Newcastle, Port Stephens and Cessnock Update

As you would be aware there is a continuing Public Health Order and lockdown in greater Sydney and associated restrictions affecting people across regional NSW.

For our Gosford and Wyong students this will mean that regular face to face learning at school will not be able to take place as we commence Term 3. Instead, we will be switching to an online mode of learning from home (please see above for more details).

For our Newcastle, Hunter Valley and Port Stephens students, we are required to follow Level 2 COVID-19 Restrictions until 30th July.

Under Level 2 Restrictions, school can resume for Term 3, and all students are expected to be at school unless they have COVID-19 symptoms.

Important details of the Level 2 Restrictions are outlined below.

COVID-19 Symptoms

Students should not attend school if unwell, even with mild symptoms. Any person with COVID-19 symptoms (cold/flu-like symptoms) should be sent home and not return to school unless they have a negative COVID-19 test result and are symptom free.

In circumstances where children have other medical reasons for recurrent symptoms, a letter from a GP is sufficient to negate the requirement for a negative test.

Physical Distancing

Students are not required to maintain physical distancing.

Masks and Face Coverings at School

While at school, masks or face coverings are recommended in all indoor settings for:

• all secondary school students
• all staff in primary and secondary school settings.

Please note that while the requirement for students aged 13 years and over to wear a mask at school is a recommendation only, masks are mandatory on public transport. This applies to students aged 13 years and over when travelling to and from school, and during school excursions by public transport, or by chartered or private transport services (including off-site sport).

Visitors to Site

No non-essential visitors are permitted in schools.

Peripatetic staff, contractors, and external providers may come on site for the duration that they are providing service. These visitors are required to complete an additional sign-in at reception, as well as use the Service NSW QR code.

Parents and carers should not come on site.

QR code sign-in process for all visitors

The NSW Government have introduced mandatory QR codes across a range of additional settings, including schools. All on-site visitors, including contractors, are now required to check in every day.

Modified Routine

Assemblies and Chapel

Assemblies and Chapels can continue. However, no parents or visitors are permitted to attend. In addition, singing, chanting, group repetition and choirs are only permitted if conducted outside in a well-ventilated area. This will mean some modification to the program.

Excursions

Excursions can only be to outdoor locations within the local area, and should be limited where ever possible. A COVID-19 Safety Plan needs to be developed as part of the excursion application process.

Examinations

Examinations can go ahead. Schools must implement COVID-Safe arrangements for exams to minimise mingling between students.

NESA will provide further updates regarding implications for Year 12 as the HSC approaches.

If you have any specific questions around how this affects your child, please contact your St Philip’s school directly.

We are looking forward to learning commencing next week, and thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to work together to respond to Government requirements and ensure a safe environment for our staff and students.