By now most families would have received a new two-week supply of Rapid Antigen Test kits that were distributed in homeroom on Thursday. When the government first announced the RAT program, they indicated that they would be available for the first four weeks of the new school year before an evaluation of the program took place to determine its effectiveness moving forward. At this point, we are yet to receive information regarding the program beyond Week 4, however, all students were given an extra test this week that should allow them to test at the start of Week 5 as well. 

As a reminder for those within our community who have tested positive in recent weeks, you may continue to test positive on a RAT (and certainly a PCR test) for some time after recovering from the virus. For this reason, students who have been released from isolation in the previous 28 days may return to school even if they cannot produce a negative RAT as long as they have no symptoms. Students with symptoms must continue to isolate regardless of any previous COVID infection. 

As has been communicated on a number of occasions, I request that families inform the College immediately should any student test positive to COVID-19 and again stress that should this occur, the student must isolate for a minimum of 7 days, along with any sibling from the same household. Finally, I would also ask that students who are displaying any type of flu-like symptoms, to stay at home until the symptoms have ceased. 

Kind regards,

David Cloran
Assistant Principal