From the Assistant Principal

Principal’s Assembly

This week we celebrated our first Principal’s Assembly, which was a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together. I would like to commend our Year 12 Student Leaders for their organisation and leadership of the assembly. It was also an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our Swimming Carnival with individual and group recognition of success. 

The College community was privileged to experience performances by three of our many talented musicians – Taylah Kerr, Kaila Cenidozan and Mana Sugimoto. Their performances demonstrated the special gifts that they so willingly shared with the community. I thank Taylah, Kaila and Mana for their courage and willingness to share their gifts and encourage all students to take part in College opportunities that are presented so that they too can share their gifts with others.

Uniform Review

A final call for parents who would be interested in providing feedback on the current uniform as part of the College’s review process of gathering feedback. 

The first opportunity for parents to be part of this Uniform Review will be at our Parent Engagement Meeting on Wednesday 30 March (5.30 pm Coffee/Tea for a 6.00 pm start) in Belley. Please register for the Parent Engagement Meeting by completing this form. Following that, we will continue to gather student and staff feedback via Focus Group Workshops during Term 1 and Term 2.

COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

Do students who have previously tested positive have to isolate for seven days?

People who have recovered from COVID-19 have a low risk of getting it again in the eight weeks after they are released, as most people develop some immunity (ability to fight the disease).

If you come into contact with someone with COVID-19 within eight weeks after you are released, you will generally not need to self-isolate or get a test. If you come into contact with someone with COVID-19 more than eight weeks after you are released, you will need to self-isolate, test and follow the advice available in the Information for people exposed to COVID-19 and Get tested for COVID-19 factsheets.

What about when members of the household test positive during the isolation period – does it reset?

The household must follow the Self-isolation guideline and self-isolate for seven days from the time the first COVID-positive person in your household had their test.

Have a rapid antigen test (RAT) as soon as possible and again on Day 6. Have an additional RAT if symptoms develop.

If all tests are negative, households can leave isolation after seven days.

If another member of the household tests positive while in isolation, you do not have to restart your isolation period.

If you are a household close contact who is unable to separate from the COVID-19 positive person, you should self-isolate with them until they are released from isolation.

If your daughter is in isolation as a household contact or COVID-positive they are not to return to school until they have completed their full seven days of isolation. The medical clearance letter received from NSW Health when a case is reported via the Service NSW app or when the PCR test is positive indicates the isolation period dates. Students can return the day after the end date for the isolation period and no sooner, as long as they are not presenting with symptoms.  

Please send through the medical clearance letter received from NSW Health to mscw-attendance@syd.catholic.edu.au.

Travelling to and from school – masks

I ask for your support as a parent/carer in ensuring that your daughter/s are wearing masks on public transport, which includes the bus and ferry. Please see the below communication from the School Liaison Police Officer for the Ryde Area that was sent to all schools in the area: The current Public Health Orders regarding face coverings for students aged 12 years and older are required to adhere to this legislation. (See Below)

COVID-19 Mandatory Face Coverings

Public Health Act 2010

The Public Health (COVID-19 Mandatory Face Coverings) Order 2021 was amended commencing 29 January 2021.

A fitted face covering is a mask or other covering that fits securely around the face and is designed or made to be worn over the nose and mouth to provide the wearer with protection against infection. A scarf is not a fitted face covering.

Requirement to wear a fitted face covering

Public transport

A person in Greater Sydney must wear a fitted face covering at all times when:

(a) at a public transport waiting area, or

(b) when the person is in a vehicle, train or vessel that is being used to provide a public transport service and the vehicle, train or vessel is carrying passengers or is in service and available to carry passengers.

Public transport service includes a taxi service, rideshare service and community transport service. A public transport waiting area is a station, including the platform of a passenger railway station or light rail station/stop, a ferry wharf, a bus stop or taxi rank.

Thank you for your support of the current requirements for wearing a mask to and from school on public transport.

This article on College life meets The Archbishop’s Charter for Catholic Schools – Charter #2, #6 & #8