COVID 19

At Walkaway Primary School we are prepared and are working hard, as always, to provide the best opportunities, striving for positive outcomes for our students. Below you will find the most up-to-date information about the steps we are taking to keep all at Walkaway safe. This page was last updated Tuesday 2nd June 2020.

WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT CORONAVIRUS?

Along with the steps below, we will be following the latest AHPPC (Australian Health Protection Principal Committee) Guidelines (click for the link) on reducing the potential risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools.

As always, our students' health and wellbeing is of paramount importance and the focus of the processes and strategies we put in place to keep them safe. These strategies and processes have been a focus for our school over the past weeks and/or are being added recently based on more up to date information:

Explicitly teaching and reinforcing hygiene procedures – coughing, sneezing into elbow/tissue, cleaning hands.
Encouraging Social distancing – although challenging with students so young
Hourly to two hourly cleaning of the environment ensuring all surfaces are sanitised including the wiping of frequently touched surfaces such as desks, light switches periodically throughout the day
Leaving chairs unstacked so they can be sanitised daily
Students will not be drinking from the water fountains. Please make sure they have a water bottle that can be filled throughout the day.

WE ALL PLAY OUR PART

Please help us by reminding your children at home of the following guidelines:

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 1.5 metres).

SHOULD MY CHILD ATTEND SCHOOL? (updated 02/06/2020)

As of Monday 8th June, parents are allowed onsite for student drop off and pick up. Contact sports are allowed.

Advice for Parents on Returning to Schools from Chief Health Officer

MASS GATHERINGS

Although our numbers are significantly lower than 500, we have decided to postpone our events which come under the umbrella of non-essential mass gatherings. This has included such events as our Assembly and Open Day and the NCVISSA Swimming Carnival. Please see below for a more extensive list.

EVENT AND ACTIVITY INFORMATION

Specific decisions and status of events and activities in the school are as follows:

Friday 27th March NCVISSA Swimming Carnival Cancelled

Wednesday 1st April Room 4 Assembly and Open Day Cancelled

Tuesday Afternoons IMSS (instrumental music) band practice Cancelled until further notice

Fortnightly Fridays Student Assembly Cancelled until further notice

11th-15th May NAPLAN Cancelled

Friday 8th May Mother’s Day Morning Tea Postponed

Friday 29th May World of Maths TBC - Cancellation expected

Tuesday 9th June QPT – Edward the Emu performance K-2 Cancelled

COVID-19 symptoms

People with COVID-19 may experience:

fever;
flu-like symptoms such as coughing, sore throat and fatigue; or
shortness of breath.

For the latest health information and health related enquiries please visit WA Department of Health or access the helpline 1800 020 080.

COVID-19 testing

The WA Chief Health Officer, Dr Andrew Robertson, has advised people are encouraged to get tested by their GPs if 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
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.

For more information

WA Department of Health: www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/coronavirus
Call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
For general or travel related queries about coronavirus please go to the healthdirect website.
Visit the Australian Department of Health website or details about the novel coronavirus.
You can also visit the World Health Organisation website for more information about coronavirus and for updates.
Telethon Institute for Kids - Tips for discussing coronavirus with your kids