Mr Patrick Brennan, Deputy Principal - Student & Staff Wellbeing
The College is excited about the return of all students to face-to-face learning next week. The safety and wellbeing of our community is our top priority as we return to campus.
The College is following NSW Government guidelines to ensure our staff and students are safe. A number of changes will therefore be in place upon your son’s return. These were outlined to students at today’s online assembly.
We recognise the need for a ‘multilayered approach’ to minimising risks associated with the Delta strain of COVID-19:
Cohorting
Where possible, students will be separated into cohorts to limit the interactions of year groups. This includes not conducting in-person whole College indoor Assemblies and assigning designated spaces to year groups at break and lunchtimes:
- Year 5 – Junior School – playground separated
- Year 6 – Junior School – playground separated
- Year 7 – Centenary Quad + pool Monday
- Year 8 – Kenny Quad + Birrell Street Basketball Courts + pool Tuesday
- Year 9 – Conlon + Gymnasium + pool Wednesday
- Year 10 – Braidwood + Tennis Courts + pool Thursday
- Year 12 – Airmont + Library + pool Friday
Please note that our vertical Wellbeing time has been suspended to prevent students in different year groups from mixing. We will continue to communicate important wellbeing messages via Year groups meetings (socially distanced) and whole online school assemblies.
As a result, the Senior School and Junior Schools will be following the adjusted timetables below:
Normal Timetable (Senior School)
| First Bell | 8:40am | ||
| Period 1 | 8:45am | 9:40am | 55 mins |
| Period 2 | 9:40am | 10:35am | 55 mins |
| Recess | 10:35am | 10:55am | 20 mins |
| Period 3 | 10:55am | 11:50am | 55 mins |
| Period 4 | 11:50am | 12:45pm | 55 mins |
| Lunch | 12:45pm | 1:25pm | 40 mins |
| Period 5 | 1:25pm | 2:20pm | 55 mins |
| Period 6 | 2:20pm | 3:15pm | 55 mins |
Normal Timetable (Junior School)
| Periods 1 & 2 | 8:40am | 10:35am | 115 mins |
| Recess | 10:35am | 11:00am | 25 mins |
| Period 3 | 11:05am | 11:50am | 45 mins |
| Period 4 | 11:50am | 12:35pm | 45 mins |
| Lunch | 12:35pm | 1:25pm | 50 mins |
| Period 5 | 1:30pm | 2:15pm | 45 mins |
| Period 6 | 2:15pm | 3:00pm | 45 mins |
Health and Hygiene
We will continue to implement a range of measures to decrease the likelihood of the spread of COVID-19. Hand sanitiser will be widely available around the College and students will be reminded to use it regularly. We will continue with increased cleaning measures, with high touch and high traffic areas being cleaned regularly throughout the day. Students will also be regularly reminded of spatial distancing as well as hygiene measures.
If Your Son Is Unwell
If your son presents with even the mildest of cold-like symptoms, and even if he is partly or fully vaccinated, he should remain at home. If he presents at College, he will be isolated in the Health Centre and will need to be picked up as soon as possible by his parent/carer. He will then only be able to return to campus following a negative COVID-19 test, with the result of this test being emailed to the Health Centre.
>>> Click here to email the Health Centre.
Masks
In accordance with NSW Government guidelines, masks are compulsory for all Years 7-12 students and staff. The College is however taking the additional precaution of mandating masks for students in Years 5-12.
Masks must comply with NSW Health guidelines and must be of surgical grade standard (a triple layer mask), and well fitted around the mouth, chin and nose. Students will be required to have sufficient stores of masks to use throughout the course of each week.
Health Centre
The College Health Centre continues to operate and is staffed by our College Nurse. The staff have well-prepared procedures, in line with NSW Health protocols, to manage the health of individuals and the campus community, in the event of a COVID-19 case.
Student Vaccinations
On the day of your return, all staff (teaching and non-teaching) will be fully vaccinated.
NSW Health strongly urges all students aged 12 years and over to receive two doses of either Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible before returning to College. COVID-19 vaccination is the best protection against severe illness and also reduces the risk of spreading COVID-19 to others.
Vaccination bookings can be made via the Vaccine Clinic Finder. Depending on location, bookings are available within the next few days, including at local GPs.
>>> Click here to view the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Finder.
For students and families who have questions or concerns related to getting vaccinated, please refer to NSW Health’s ‘Know the Facts! COVID-19 Vaccines’ fact sheet.
>>> Click here to view the Know the Facts! COVID-19 fact sheet.
Ventilation
The wellbeing and safety of our students and staff are paramount. To this end, classrooms and indoor learning spaces have undergone a thorough external review as we consider the optimal ventilation solutions for the campus. Guidelines for the use of each learning space in the College have been developed in line with these recommendations, considering a range of mitigations including wearing of masks, spacing of students, ventilation and other hygiene measures. The College has purchased 50 air purification devices which will be utilised across the campus.
Canteen
To assist with social distancing and to decrease interactions between year groups, the canteen will reopen in Week 4 and will be cashless. There will be no access to microwaves. Access to the canteen will be restricted to one year group at a time.
Library and Book Hire
To ensure we are not mixing cohorts, the Library will only be open to our Year 12 students (2021 cohort).
Senior School
Students in Years 7-11 will be able to enter the College via the opened gates next to the library and other access points. Note, access to and from the College will not be available via the library.
The library will be offering a Click and Deliver service. Students can send through requests for reading books and resources by email, the library OLIVER search page, or the Library CANVAS page.
>>> Click here to email the library.
>>> Click here to access the library OLIVER search page or the library CANVAS page.
Resources will then be prepared for students and placed into a bag with the student’s name on it. Library staff will deliver these to classrooms.
Library staff will have an outdoor service point to assist Years 7-11 students where needed. This will be outside the entrance to the library.
Printers will be placed outside, with the favoured option to have students email library staff their printing jobs, which we can then deliver to teachers or classrooms.
>>> Click here to email the library.
Library staff will be offering a ‘Pop Up’ library service in the designated year group areas. For example, library staff will be physically present in the playground area during lunch to field questions and take requests. Our focus will be on the new Year 12 (2022) cohort, however we will move through all year groups.
Student replacement ID cards can be printed at the Wellbeing Centre.
Note: loans of library items will be available over the summer holidays. This may be a way to balance online and offline and screen time, and we encourage your sons to borrow. Borrowing will be available up until Friday, 10 December.
Book Hire
Book Hire will be open. Students can see Ms Pearce who will attend to student inquiries via a help desk located outside the current Book Hire office.
>>> Click here to send your requests and questions.
Library staff will also be available to assist with Book Hire / TextBook inquiries.
Junior School
At the Junior School, the library will be opened on alternate weeks for each cohort.
Co-curricular Activities
At this stage, a number of co-curricular activities will continue to be offered in an online format. The Convenors of these and other co-curricular activities will communicate with students and their parents directly, as well as via the Friday Nurrunga newsletter. We are awaiting further advice from the Association of Independent Schools NSW and the NSW Government as to the possibility of increasing our offering of co-curricular activities.
Please note, many activities including retreats, bands and ensembles, assemblies, service week, community events and excursions are not permitted at this stage under NSW Government guidelines.
Parents and Visitors on Campus
Parents and visitors, as a general rule, are not able to visit the College grounds under the Level 3 directions. Arrangements for meetings between staff and parents will continue to be delivered via Zoom.
If you need to drop off any items you can do so by labelling the item with your son’s name and leaving it in the boxes located at Reception.
Sport
At this stage, there will be no Saturday sport. We are awaiting further advice from the CAS, Association of Independent Schools NSW and the NSW Government. Any updates, including information regarding the availability of facilities such as the gym and pool, will be provided via Friday’s Nurrunga newsletter as this information becomes available.
In the meantime, students should check that they have registered for summer sport and continue to follow the online activities that are posted on the relevant Waverley app pages.
Transport
It is requested that parents make arrangements for their sons to arrive on campus as close to 8:30am each day, and depart as soon after 3:15pm as practicable. All public transport and school specials are due to run as timetabled. Students are encouraged to depart campus using multiple access points to reduce congestion.
Uniform and Appearance
Students will wear their full summer uniform when participating in face-to-face learning.
At all times, students are expected to be clean-shaven. All students should have an appropriate haircut by Monday, 25 October. Anticipating pressure on barbers, parents/carers and students are encouraged to make arrangements as soon as practicable.
Uniform Shop
Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, the Uniform Shop is operating online with pre-ordering arrangements in place. There will be one dedicated staff member attending outside of school hours from 3:15pm-4:30pm Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for student pick up.
Further Questions
Please contact your son’s Mentor or Head of House to share any information you feel necessary, to assist us to support him as he recommences face-to-face learning. Any updates based on NSW Health guidelines will be shared via the Friday Nurrunga newsletter or the Waverley app.
With COVID-19 restrictions in place, there is an even greater need to ensure that our community is looking out for each other to the best of our ability.
Please contact your son’s Head of House should you have any questions or concerns.
Mr Patrick Brennan
Deputy Principal – Student & Staff Wellbeing
E: pbrennan@waverley.nsw.edu.au
