As parents would be aware, the NSW government made a number of statements earlier this week regarding a new round of limitations that were being introduced into NSW schools in an attempt to further reduce the chance of a local outbreak of COVID-19. Following advice from Catholic Schools NSW and the Catholic Education Office Diocese of Wollongong, Mr Lo Cascio communicated a range of health and safety measures to our student, staff and parent bodies earlier this week. This new/revised restrictions will remain in place for the remainder of Term 3 and include: 

• Following sickness with flu-like symptoms, students and staff are required to be free of symptoms AND present a negative COVID-19 test, which must be sighted by the school, before they can return to school.
• Students will now stay within their relevant cohort for all learning activities. 
• Schools cannot travel outside of their geographic region, including for all inter-school activities.
• Student activities at offsite locations are no longer allowed, except in very limited circumstances (i.e. inter-school activities within our region and day field trips to outdoor locations within walking distance of the school).
• Participants in attendance at inter-school sport and physical activities must be limited to 100 people per venue, including staff.
• Singing, chanting and use of wind instruments in group settings is not permitted. 
• Assemblies are limited to year groups and cannot run for longer than 15 minutes.
• Only incursions/external providers essential to curriculum delivery are permitted. 
• Community groups using school facilities must now have a COVID-19 Safety Plan. 
• P & F meetings must be held online and P & F social events are not permitted.
• Parent/teacher meetings must be held online, except in very limited circumstances. 
• School formals, dances, graduation and other social events are not permitted.
• All professional development undertaken by staff will be online, except where compliance depends on a face-to-face component, and there will be no mixing of staff from different schools.