Executive Director’s Update to Principals #125: COVID Update - 23 Nov 2021

God of justice, God of mercy: outrage at a smug politician can be satisfying;
shining a light                    
on the powerful when
one assumes the rules don’t apply can clarify what is just and unjust. But keep us from turning
our search for fairness
into a hunt for a villain.
Remind us that outrage
will not comfort the mourning, and can’t cure a mindless disease. Our kindness will serve as the best equaliser,
offered to both the great
and the good.
Amen.

~ The Corrymeela Community

Updated Open Premises Directions

Several principals have asked if the information in this email may be provided as a memo to make it easier to share with venues/premises. Please find attached a PDF memo, we hope may assist in this regard. (Note a hyperlink has been added to the Department of Education and Training comms for clarity.)

The Open Premises Directions has now been updated and is available on the health.vic.gov.au website or can be downloaded here.

In respect of Part 3, Clause 12 (page 6):

• The amendment is broad in respect to education and childcare services, ages are not specified/limited for students.
• The limited exception for ‘exclusive use by one school’ has been lifted, allowing for other schools or patrons to be on the premises at the same time.
• Staff, parents, or other non-student attendees must comply with the vaccination requirements in part 2 and density limits in part 4.

Part 3, clause 12 of the Open Premises Directions No. 6 states:

Education and childcare services

• (1) The obligations in Part 2 and the patron limits in Part 4 do not apply in relation to patrons who are enrolled in an education and childcare service and attend an open premises for the purpose of an activity including an excursion organised by the operator of that education and childcare service.
  Note: the obligations in Part 2 and patron limits in Part 4 still apply to staff, parents and other persons who are not enrolled with the education and childcare service and attend the open premises for the activity.

For the purpose of the Open Premises Directions, education and childcare services means:

• (a) school education at a registered school as defined in the Education and Training Reform Act 2006;
• (b) onsite early childhood education and care services or children's services provided under the:
  • (i) Children's Services Act 1996 including limited hours services, budget based funded services, occasional care service, early childhood intervention services, and mobile services, but not including school holiday care programs; or
  • (ii) Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 and the Education and Care Services national Regulations 2011 including long day care services, kindergarten/preschool and family day care services, but does not include outside school hours care services;

This amendment aligns to the advice received from the Department of Education and Training on 21 November 2021, specifically that the Victorian Government have confirmed that:

Students aged between 12 and 15 who are not fully vaccinated will be able to attend camps, excursions, graduations, and other school activities held at open premises that are also used by other schools or patrons from Tuesday 23 November.

This exception to the current Directions will apply only to school-organised activities when at least one teacher is present.

All Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Ballarat are reminded to ensure COVIDsafe plans are in place and observed in all settings for any school-based activity or event.

Thank you for everything you continue to do to keep our school communities safe.

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