Letter from the Principal: 30 April 2020

Dear Parents and Care-givers,

Thank you for taking the advice of our State Government and sending your children to school at the start of this term. On Monday at Hope Christian College 70% of our students were back and on Tuesday 80% of the students were back to school. We are looking forward to having all of the students back by the end of Week 1. Most classes are already fully face-to-face teaching. By the start of Week Two all classes will be back to normal face-to-face teaching.

In South Australia we are in a very good position with regard to the virus outbreak. Our Federal and State Governments and Health Departments remind us that schools are safe places. In South Australia there have been no cases of student-to-student transmission and no cases of student-to-teacher transmission. So it is safe to send your children to school. In South Australia we have now had 6 days in a row of zero transmissions in the whole state. The fact that we are currently not seeing new clusters emerge also tells us that there are not hidden carriers in the community, because, if there were, we would see people around them getting sick. This is not the case, therefore it is safe to send your children to school.

Due to the advice of the Government and the Chief Medical Officer by the end of Week 2 (next week) Hope Christian College will not be providing extra lessons such as Zoom or My Ed Online for students staying at home. Lesson programs will still be accessible to students on SEQTA, however, teachers will not be creating specific new content for children not coming to school. This is because it is safe to send children to school.

If there is any change from the Government or from the Health Department we will let you know. In order to look after children and families at Hope Christian College we will continue following safety measures until we are advised that they are no longer necessary. These include, but are not limited to:

• Playground washed 2 times per day
• Toilets cleaned 3 times per day
• Drinking taps disinfected several times per day
• Classrooms disinfected several times per day
• Hand sanitiser for children, parents and staff
• Hand washing for children
• Social distancing where possible
• No large gatherings such as assemblies
• Camps and excursions cancelled

To assist us, if you or your child is sick with cold or flu like symptoms such as a cough, sore throat or runny nose, do not come to school. Go to the doctor and get tested for COVID-19. If your child has other sickness do not send them to school.

Thank you for working with us in these changing times. We bless God for the way that Australia and in particular South Australia has responded to the Coronavirus outbreak. Thank you for returning your children to Hope Christian College and for partnering with us.

Blessings in the name of the Lord Jesus

D Hopps
Principal