One of the Principal’s main job in any school is to ensure the safety of students and staff. There are many policies and rules in schools to assist with this. In our current climate, what students, parents/carers and staff elect to do outside of school does directly impact on the safety of everyone at school and even the wider school community. Every decision that a student, parent/carer and staff member make in relation to whether they follow social distancing impacts not only on all of us at the College but it also impacts on extended family, the elderly (eg. grandparents), those that already have respiratory-related health issues or low immune systems (eg. people undergoing treatment for cancer, or have received a transplant organ). There is a quote enshrined in a seat that overlooks Bondi Beach at Sam Fizman Park that I feel is appropriate for our time. “I am better than no man and no man is better than I.”
At Rose Bay Secondary College, the students and staff practice being respectful and responsible learners. I am now requesting that we all practice being respectful global citizens. When an effective treatment is found for COVID-19 and this all becomes a distant memory we must all reflect on how we navigated through this. Did we contribute to the solution by following the government’s policy of social distancing and thus slow down the infection rate allowing our health system to cope with the increased demand and potentially save thousands of lives? Even better still, did you look around and offer to help others in the community in their time of need and do something good for a loved one or elderly neighbour?
As I have stated before, Rose Bay Secondary College is a community that has a strong foundation that will stand us in good stead during this challenging time. It is imperative that with this strong foundation we remain unified and follow the government guidelines for the safety of our students and their families, school staff and the wider community.
Please note for today there will be two things that we will be doing to assist with social distancing.
1. All non – specialist classrooms will be left open between lessons so students don't have to line up in the corridors. This does not include TAS rooms, Kitchens, Arts Rooms, Music Rooms and Science Labs. Students will be allowed to enter classrooms without a teacher for today. We know that our students will be respectful and responsible learners and will enter the room, sit down, get instruments out and wait patiently for their teacher. N.B. The Fit Lab is closed until further notice.
2. Years 7 and 8 will be dismissed five minutes early from class to ease congestion in the hallways. They are to move to their next class. If the room is empty they may sit in the classroom and wait. If there is a class in the room they are to wait quietly. They are also to leave the playground five minutes earlier and make their way to their classrooms and enter them. They are not to be released early though in period 6.
These measures are for the safety of everyone at College and our Community at home. Please adhere to them in a respectful manner. We will review whether these measures are being implemented successfully throughout the day.
