Management

Roles

• Elect a COVID-19 manager to oversee all safety
• Assign a COVID-19 representative in each department

Communication

• Process to notify all staff of any changes in procedures or policies
• Staff have a means to raise issues and concerns

No demarcation

• “Staff” include teachers as well as admin staff, cleaners, etc.

Daily checks

• Screen staff and students at the start of each day
  • Experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
  • If possible, check their temperature using a contactless thermometer
  • Ask if any other family members sick
  • If returning from leave or travel, completed the required self-isolation period
• Hold a daily meeting to keep staff up to date on COVID-19 issues

Staff Absenteeism

• Arranged for expected absenteeism if any of the following are sick:
  • Teachers (by subject)
  • Teachers’ aids
  • Admin
  • Cleaners
  • Principal
  • Deputy principal
• Procedure for short term illness as well as an extended period of illness
• Alternative or temporary staff procedures
• Class cancellation procedures

Disaster recovery

• Designed a comprehensive hazard prevention plan if a suspected COVID-19 case is present in the school
  • Immediate notification to the relevant government department
  • Notification to staff
  • Possible notification to parents and students
  • Possible immediate closure of premises
  • Notification to suppliers
• Procedures to include:
  • Students
  • Staff
  • Suppliers / couriers / trade

Staff

Education

• All staff been trained in
  • Correct handwashing techniques and hand sanitiser use with a product like GlitterBug (glitterbug.com.au).
  • COVID-19 laws and guidelines, including social distancing
• Scheduled monthly training sessions with staff for handwashing, sanitising, social distancing measures, cleaning and student care

Staff to staff protection

• Streamlined shifts to try and keep the same staff together (e.g. canteen)
• Dedicated room or area for admin staff.
• Avoid hot desking.
• Allocated equipment per person or small group
• Reduce unnecessary staff in areas
• Avoid shared items in staff room
• Decentralised staff rooms

Staff to student protection

• Desk distanced from students
• Chalk to be wiped clean before throwing at student 🙂
• Minimise handouts

Students

• Minimise interaction between the years
  • Seating during breaks
  • Staggered break times
  • Avoid inter-year activities (e.g. band)
  • Staggered canteen times
• Reduce students at bus stops

Student to student protection

• Minimised highly touched items during lessons
• Desks cleaned between students or cleaned with a long lasting antibacterial agent

Student to staff protection

• High risk staff have reduced or no face to face teaching hours. Option to work from home or leave without pay.

Year 12

• Procedure for year 12 student with exams or assignment and showing COVID-19 symptoms
• Access to teachers and resources

Parents

• Eliminate or reduce parent presence including
  • Volunteering,
  • Drop off / pickup
  • School shop
  • Presentations
  • Meetings
• Enforce visitor record keeping
• Regular communication with parents
• Discourage congregating during drop-off or pickup

Welfare

• Counselling available for staff or students experiencing anxiety regarding COVID-19 or social isolation
• Increased awareness of DV during home schooling, and process in place
• Cyberbullying policy in place, communicated and enforced
• Process for suspected domestic violence, especially during home schooling

Signage

• COVID-19 warnings and guidelines displayed around the premises
• Social distancing signs in premises
• Maximum room capacity displayed on all rooms
• Floor markings indicating physical distancing
  • Canteen
  • Admin area
  • Bus stop
  • Library

Cleaning

• Clean desks after each class
• Regularly clean all highly touched surfaces
• Additional cleaning of doors, handrails, etc
• Additional cleaning of toilets including doors, taps, hand driers
• Provided appropriate glove wear for cleaning

Hand Hygiene

• Set a protocol with staff for when to wash hands
• Sanitisers available in:
  • Reception
  • Before and after school care
  • Staff rooms
  • Canteen
  • School Shop
  • Meeting rooms
  • First aid room
• Sufficient stock of soap and sanitisers
• Correct choice of sanitiser (≥ 70% alcohol)
• Hand sanitiser is NOT used as soap at a sink
• Sufficient stock of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staff members

Sick Room

• Have a different room for injuries and illness
• Avoid sickroom use for minor issues
• Full PPE for staff
• Wash hands / replace gloves before and after dealing with each student
• Disposable bed covers and seat covers that are correctly disposed off after use

Music

• No shared instruments or sheet music
• Rehearsals to have strict social distancing
• Avoid bands or rehearsals between years
• Increased air circulation
• Clean stands after use

Remote Teaching

• Home environment complies with OH+W requirements
• Reliable internet access
• Confidentiality maintained

Student contact policy​

• Social media and student contact policies updated.
• Clear instruction on what contact teachers can have, on what platform.

Bins

• Bins located in every classroom
• Bins regularly emptied

Canteen

• Strict enforcement of hand washing
• Consider a Perspex barrier if possible
• Encourage food from home
• Wipe down surfaces regularly
• See our Cafe checklist for more ideas

Sports/PE

• Avoid physical contact activities
• Effectively clean sporting equipment after use

Library

• Returned books quarantined for 72 hours
• Gloves worn when handling returned books
• Minimise “browsing”
• Remove board and card games

Layout and facilities

• Doors and windows to be opened to increase air circulation
• Can students enter and leave the premises without touching a door handle
• Layout to allow for physical distancing between students and staff
  • Students can comply with social distancing requirements
  • Queues do not mix with walking areas
  • Students can easily access receptionist without blocking walkway
• Ensure social distancing in bathrooms, possibly by restricting to a single person at a time.
• Unavailable tables and seats are removed or clearly blocked off
• Consider contactless taps and soap dispensers
• Contactless hand dryers
• Disable bubblers. Encourage the use of water bottles that are filled at home.
• Close or restrict access to playground equipment.

Wet Weather

• Appropriate seating arrangements during breaks, maintaining year segregation and as much social distancing as possible
• Avoid crowding in walkways between classes
• Avoid crowding waiting for buses or parents

Suppliers

Deliveries

• Ensure all delivery staff are healthy and do not have a temperature
• Allocate an appropriate drop-off point with suppliers
• Physical distancing measures when deliveries are made on the premises

Changes

• Confirm with suppliers that stock is readily available
• When sourcing stock from alternative suppliers or changing brands:
  • Ensure an MSDS is available for all chemicals, especially cleaning products
  • Staff are trained in the correct storage, use and disposal of new products
  • For the canteen, consideration of allergens when sourcing alternative ingredients or products.