Hello All

Over the last few days I have been watching the developments and responses to the COVID19 virus with growing alarm, something I am sure we are all doing.  The Department of Education is taking a very proactive approach to dealing with the virus and developing situation and is sending out regular if not daily updates, so that I am able to make sure we are looking after the health and wellbeing of our students and staff.  The latest advice is at the end of the newsletter from the Department of Health.  But the summary is as follows:

How can I protect myself and others against COVID-19?

• Frequently washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, or using an alcohol-based hand gel
• Refraining from touching mouth and nose
• If coughing or sneezing, covering your nose and mouth with a paper tissue or flexed elbow.
• Dispose of the tissue immediately after use and perform hand hygiene and
• Avoiding close contact with anyone if you, or they, have a cold or flu-like symptoms (maintain a distance of at least 1 metre).

How is COVID-19 spread? 

COVID-19 is most likely to spread from person-to-person through:

• direct close contact with a person while they are infectious;
• close contact with a person with a confirmed infection who coughs or sneezes; or
• touching objects or surfaces (such as door handles or tables) contaminated from a cough or sneeze from a person with a confirmed infection, and then touching your mouth or face.

 Most infections are only transmitted by people when they have symptoms.  These can include fever, a cough, sore throat, tiredness and shortness of breath.

What will happen if we have to close the school.

If a WA school has to close due to a confirmed case, it will be on advice from the WA Health Department’s Chief Health Officer.

The Chief Health Officer may, if there has been a positive COVID-19 test result in our school community, close the school temporarily while assessment and tracing of exposure is conducted. A thorough school clean will then be carried out to make the school safe for the return of students and staff.

If in the event, we have been instructed to close the school by the WA Health Department’s Chief Health Officer you will receive a message through Class Dojo from me or if you are not on Class Dojo a text message from the school mobile which is 0474846755.  Please add this number to your contacts to you know it is the school mobile.

As or rather when the information changes I will make sure I let you all know.

We have received a couple of phone calls over the last few days asking about testing.  This is the advice we have been given.

Important information about COVID-19 Testing from the WA Chief Health Officer, Dr Andrew Robertson

“Employers should not send their staff or students to be tested for COVID-19 to either COVID Clinics or GPs unless they are currently experiencing symptoms and meet the testing criteria.

To be eligible for testing people must:

• be currently experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat AND have
• returned from overseas travel in the last 14 days
• OR be currently experiencing symptoms, and be a contact of a confirmed case
• OR be currently experiencing symptoms and believe they have been in close contact with a person infected with COVID-19.

There is no point testing someone if they do not have symptoms. This uses valuable resources – personal protective equipment and pathology testing supplies – that are in short supply world-wide and need to be used responsibly for those patients who meet the criteria.

Employers should not send their staff to COVID Clinics or GPs for medical clearances or certificates. We implore Western Australians to be vigilant, but not alarmed.”

Additional COVID-19 information, including FAQs is available at https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/Coronavirus 

On a cheerier note we have had a wonderful start to the term.  All the students are going really well and we have seen some wonderful pieces of work from all the classes. 

On Thursday last week, myself, Sandy McNeill, Deb Brown, Jinane Haouchar and Peta Cunningham (The Design Team) attended a training day with a company called No Tosh.  No Tosh are helping us develop our School Improvement Plan and our School Business Plan for the next three years.  We will be looking for your input.  From Monday when you drop off or pick up your child from their classroom one of the members of the class team will be asking you to answer three questions?

1. What do you think makes Cloverdale Education Support Centre unique?
2. Looking at the future vision/direction of Cloverdale ESC for our students, families and staff. What are the things you feel we need to keep on doing/having etc.?
3. Looking at the future vision/direction of Cloverdale ESC for our students, families and staff. What are they things we need to add -what is missing?

These will be recorded on post it notes and added to our ‘incubator hub’ wall – which is the old kitchen.  If you would like to come and have a look at the wall you are very welcome after school on Monday or Tuesday next week. If you do not drop off or pick up will we will be sending a paper survey home to you so that you can answer the questions.  We will also be looking at interviewing some of you over the next couple of weeks so don’t be too surprised if a member of the Design Team catches you at drop off or pick up, calls you or emails you asking to interview you.  It will only be for 5 minutes and there are no wrong or right answers to the questions you are being asked.

When we have a final result we will be letting you all know what we have found out and what we will be doing.

The students have also been involved and they are taking photos of things that are important to them.

A couple of weeks ago we had our first open Board Meeting and we were able to welcome some new Parent Representatives to the Board; Angelo Forte, Michelle Gabo and Jane Ebert have joined Kellie Oliver, Bianca Landis and Sarah Turnbull as the School Board Parent Representatives.

Our School Board Chair is still Travis Nightingale and our Vice School Board Chair is Bianca Landis.  The Community Representatives are Jenny Mehta, Jenny Williams, Jo Gordon and Monika Steiner and the P&C Representative is Heather Dillon.

Since the last newsletter we have been joined by a couple of new students: Sehajveer has joined us in Pink Room and Jayden is back with us in Purple Room.  They and their families are very well known to the Cloverdale ESC family.

Finally, we are running another parent’s information session on 1,2,3, Magic Behaviour Management and Emotional Coaching on Friday 3rd April straight after Pink and Green Classes Assembly item.  Please come along and hear about the approach and how it can be used at home.