Dear Parents/Caregivers
FOR VOLUNTEERS
RESPONDING TO RISKS OF HARM, ABUSE AND NEGLECT TRAINING
On July 1st a new Responding to Abuse and Neglect training was released. The new training is called Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect – Education and Care. We call it RRHAN-EC for short. The Department for Education has asked that all current volunteers with the older certificates that expire on December 31st 2021 please undertake the new training to receive a new certificate before December 31st. The new certificate expiry date will be December 31st 2024. This new certificate will be required to continue volunteering in 2022. It will also be the required training for new applicants undertaking applications to become volunteers from now on.
As a volunteer, you only need to do the RRHAN-EC fundamentals course. Please use this link to book into Plink to do the course. Please then provide the school with a copy of your new certificate asap. Thank you in advance
LATEST COVID UPDATE FROM THE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION
On November 16, the Commissioner of Police, acting in his role as the State Coordinator responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, announced the Emergency Management (Education and Early Childhood Settings Vaccination) (COVID-19) Direction 2021.
Under this Direction, COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandatory for all people who work or volunteer at our school except those who have a medical exemption endorsed by the Chief Public Health Officer. This includes:
· All of our staff and contractors
· Anyone who visits our schools centre for work purposes
· Our Governing Council members
· All our volunteers and parent helpers (people who assist with reading, camps, excursions, canteen, fundraising etc).
Under this Direction, all of the above-mentioned people must receive at least 1 dose of a Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA) approved COVID-19 vaccination and a booking to receive a second dose by 11.59pm on 10 December 2021, which is the last day of term. This means that from the very start of 2022, parents/caregivers who volunteer in the school will need to show evidence that they are double vaccinated to be able to volunteer. Those volunteers who would like to continue volunteering next year and who are already double vaccinated are encouraged to come in and show me your evidence to asap, to ensure your smooth transition into volunteering next year.
Please note that the Direction does not apply to students, parents dropping off or picking up children, attending parent teacher interviews, events or similar, as long as they are not working or volunteering at the event and COVID safe measures are followed.
More information about the Direction is available on The Department for Education website: education.sa.gov.au.
Our number one priority is providing a safe environment for our students and for our staff, and this new measure aims to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
PREMIER’S BE ACTIVE CHALLENGE
Congratulations!
A huge congratulations to Hallett Cove East Primary School which, for the fifth year in a row, has been selected as one of the 50 highest achieving schools in this year’s Premier’s Be Active Challenge due to the more than 400 students who completed the 10 week challenge. Well done to everyone who completed the challenge, but in particular those students who completed the full 10 weeks – great effort!
PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE
This year we had many students complete the challenge of reading 12 age appropriate books over the first 8 months of the year. As we know the value of developing reading skills can never be underestimated. The students achieved in the following categories:
· 1st year certificate
· bronze medal
· silver medal
· gold medal
· Champion medal
· Legend medal
· Hall of Fame medal
· Reader for Life certificate (8 years in challenge)
· Reader for Life certificate (9 years in challenge)
This year we were also in the top 55 achieving schools for completion of the Premier’s Reading Challenge. A special reception with the Premier and Minister for Education was held last week on Wednesday at the Adelaide Zoo. Irene Sulcs and Taylah from 9W represented our school and received our award. Taylah was chosen as she was a 9 Year Reader for life.
Well done to all students and we look forward to even more students taking on the challenge next year.