Updated 2/2/22 : Primary
General information:
• All primary students will return to classes on Monday February 7
• Masks are strongly encouraged for students in Year 3 – 6
• Masks are not required for Prep to Year 2 students
• There will be slight changes to drop off and pick up for Term 1
• Families are required to keep children at home when they, or members of the family, are sick
• Parents are asked to work closely with the school staff to collect their child/ren promptly should they fall ill at school
• Other information in relation to COVID-19 can be accessed at the Qld Heath website
POSITIVE CASES:
https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/stay-informed/i-have-covid/first-steps-if-you-have-covid
CLOSE CONTACTS: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/stay-informed/exposed-to-covid/close-contacts
Arrival at school
Parents of Prep and Year 1 students are welcome to escort their child/ren to their classrooms when school commences. However, to maintain safe numbers of people on the school site for the first four weeks of school, parents of students in Years 2 – 6 are asked to limit their presence on the school grounds.
All Primary students are asked to access the school grounds via the bike rack gates near the council car park (Meridan Way).
From Monday February 7, Prep and Year 1 families may walk to classrooms through the bike rack gates from 8:30am where staff will welcome you.
Students in Years 2 - 6 are asked to move to the following areas upon their arrival (PLEASE NOTE that our preferred student arrival time is 8.30am):
* Year 2 and Year 3 students will be supervised at the Year 1 and 2 Undercover Area
* Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 students will be supervised at the Year 5 and Year 6 Undercover Area
Please discuss with your child over the next few days where their classroom is and where they will need to go on the first day.
There will be staff members in High Visibility vests on the first day back throughout the school who can support your child to arrive at their classroom.
Should your child need to arrive before 8:30am, “Helping Hands” (Meridan College’s Before and After School Care) is available to support your child.
https://meridansc.eq.edu.au/facilities/out-of-school-hours-care
Pick up arrangements
It is requested that Prep and Year 1 students be collected from their classrooms at 2:30pm.
This staggered pick up format is to allow for social distancing measures to be maintained. Families are requested to move directly to the council car park or family pre- determined offsite locations and wait there for older siblings to meet up at the regular school finish time of 2.45pm.
Any Year 2 – 6 students that escort their younger siblings (Prep – Year 1) home, can meet their younger siblings from behind the Prep buildings from 2.45pm (Prep – Year 1 students will be supervised by a staff member until collected).
Students in years 2-6 will be released at 2:45pm and directed to move offsite promptly.
Buses will continue their regular bus routes and routines.
Contact them for further information https://cdcqueensland.com.au/
Excursions, Camps and Assemblies
From February 7 to March 4 there will be no excursions, camps or assemblies.
There will be a further update after Friday 4 March.
Swimming Carnival will proceed on Friday 18 February.
Year 6 camp has been re-scheduled to Term 3.
School Photos will take place from Thursday 3 March 2022.
Arrangements for families required to isolate
Should any member of the family fall ill, the family will be required to keep children at home when they, or members of the family, are sick.
If children are not sick during this time, but are required to stay at home, there is an Education Queensland Department website “Learning at Home” where materials, support and advice can be utilised whilst isolating.
https://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/learning-at-home
At Meridan, we are totally committed to making this year a successful one for your child. Let us know how we can assist you with any questions, queries or comments by contacting corro@meridansc.eq.edu.au
School Operations: Current operational status 21 Jan 2022
Current Operational Status
AQs about mandatory vaccinations
Who is required to be COVID-19 vaccinated?
Do students need to be vaccinated?
Do students over 16 years of age need to be vaccinated?
Do visitors need to be vaccinated?
and more:
Email from Mrs Kerri Jones Monday 17 January 2022
Dear Parents and Caregivers
Happy New Year to all of our Meridan families. I hope that everyone has had a happy and safe Christmas break with family and friends. The start of 2022 looks like being another year of unexpected twists and turns that I know we can work through together to make sure that all of our community members are safe and well.
I would like to welcome all of our new families to our Meridan community and I look forward to meeting all of our new students, including our new Prep students, and their families, as soon as possible.
As announced by the Premier on Sunday 9 January, the start of the 2022 school year in Queensland will move from Monday 24 January to Monday 7 February to avoid opening schools during the predicted peak of the Omicron wave and allow more time for children to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations.
Please find below a summary of key information:
School Routines:
- Our school will remain open for children of essential workers and vulnerable children from Monday 24 January to Friday 4 February. Essential workers are only those who absolutely must continue to attend their workplace during this time. The Department of Education has asked all parents to consider the Chief Health Officer's advice and stay home with your children if you can. If you need to send your child to school, you must ensure your child is well and not displaying any signs of illness.
- During this time, students will not be in regular classes. School staff will supervise any students who attend school and will not be providing teaching activities during this time, nor are you expected to supervise remote learning for students who remain at home.
- Staffing will change regularly with reduced numbers of staff on site to minimise transmission and further protect the health and safety of our school community.
- Students of essential workers requiring supervision are to meet at the following locations:
- Primary
- P-2 at the Year 1/2 eating area
- Years 3-5 at the Tear 4 eating area
- Year 6 on the year 6 deck
- Secondary
- If you would like to access some activities from home you can access the Department of Education's learning@home website. This site contains a range of student learning material and links to other high-quality education websites.
- From Monday 31 January, Year 11 and 12 students will undertake remote learning for one week until the revised formal start of the school year on Monday 7 February.
- The school office will open from Monday 17 January to Friday 21 January with amended hours (please refer to the college website). From Monday 31 January, office hours will be 8.00am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday.
- The Tuckshop will be operating from Monday 24 January from 8.00am to 11.00am with a limited menu for first break only, through the Munch Monitor system. For online ordering, please refer to the college website. Students of essential workers who will need to attend school over this 2-week period are asked if possible to bring their own water bottle and lunch for both breaks.
Communication:
- Information regarding Year 1- 6 primary classes for 2022 will be emailed to families by Friday 21 January.
- Communication to Secondary students regarding start up processes and expectations will be delivered via student email address and via our CANVAS Learning Management System. Students are asked to monitor these as their commencement date approaches.
- To minimise possible transmission, we would ask parents to contact the office via email or phone.
- If you wish to speak with your child's teacher, we ask that you contact the teacher via email or contact the office to arrange a time to discuss the matter over the phone.
Wellbeing:
- A reminder that from January 2, masks must be worn indoors everywhere in Queensland, except in your own home. Additionally, masks must be worn outdoors if you cannot maintain 1.5m of social distancing. As drop-offs and pick-ups are busy times at the college, we encourage all parents and caregivers to wear masks while on the school site.
- We will provide further updates on masks if the current advice changes.
I realise these latest developments may create challenges for families. Please be assured these decisions have been taken as a necessary response to the evolving COVID-19 situation.
The Department of Education will continue to keep all principals up-to-date with any further changes to schooling over the coming weeks and I will continue to provide parents with this information as it becomes available. Further information for parents has been developed including frequently asked questions.
I encourage you to stay informed of the latest developments relating to COVID-19 by regularly visiting the Queensland Government website.
Thank you for your understanding as we continue to work together during this difficult and unprecedented time.
Yours sincerely
Kerri Jones
College Director
Updated