Dear staff and families

Well – what an exciting premier’s announcement that was.  The plan is for all students to be back at school “in a safe and sensible way” by Monday 8 November with all 12+ students vaccinated and mandatory vaccinations for staff. I’m am sure you will have heard the announcement, and we will get the detail over the next few weeks, but in summary:

A staggered return to school:

• Monday 25 October: K-Year 1 return to school. Year 12 will also be able to come back to school for an increased time.
• Monday 1 November: Years 2, 6 and 11 return to school
• Monday 8 November: Year 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 return – and we are all back together!
• Tuesday 9 November: the HSC begins.  NESA will publish the examination timetable in September. Well done to our dogged Year 12 who pressed on with their trials despite the uncertainty around the HSC external examinations.
• Mid-January: HSC results will be released, in time for 2021 university admissions.

The return to school will be at Level 3 restrictions, which are similar to last year: only students and staff on site; year groups separated; no large gatherings. The main difference is that all staff and students (7-12) will be required to wear masks.  K-6 students will be encouraged to wear them.

Vaccinations:

• Vaccinations will be mandatory for school staff, and they will need to be vaccinated by Monday 8 November.  There will be a “special day” (as the premier called it) on 6 September to help enable this. This gives a ten-week window of opportunity for any staff member who has not yet begun the process. In saying that, the majority of our staff have made a concerted effort to get their vaccinations, and we are very grateful to them for that.
• Students who are 12+ will start having access to vaccines in September

That is the gist of the announcement, which is very welcome news in the current doom and gloom. Senior staff will be in touch soon with more specific details of our return-to-school plans.  In the meantime, we can look forward to some light at the end of the tunnel and – thankfully –girls will be back with their friends again.

Have a lovely weekend

Dr Julie Townsend
Headmistress