Notification of Positive Case, Closure not Required.
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has confirmed that a staff member at Pakenham Secondary College has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).
I would like to reassure you that we took immediate action as soon as we became aware of the situation and sought advice from DHHS and the Department of Education and Training (DET).
The staff member did not attend school while infectious and DHHS’ investigation of the situation determined the school does not need to close.
The DHHS investigation also determined that the cleaning of the school site was not necessary. Our school will continue operating in line with the current advice from the Victorian Chief Health Officer for schools in metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire. The only students to attend on-site are:
- students in years 11 and 12
- students in Year 10 for VCE or VCAL classes
- students who are not able to be supervised at home and when no other arrangements can be made – including children whose parents cannot work from home, vulnerable children and children with a disability.
Under Stage 3 “Stay at home” restrictions, students in Prep to Year 10 at government schools in metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire will learn from home from Monday 20 July until at least 19 August
DHHS, as the lead health agency, has also advised that staff or students do not need to take any further precautionary action other than what has already been communicated to community members; all of us in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire remain under the Stage 3 Stay at Home restrictions, with only four reasons to leave home:
- Shopping for food and essential items
- Care and caregiving
- Exercise
- Work and study, if it can’t be done at home.
I can reassure you that we are doing everything we can to ensure the health and safety of our whole school community, and we have followed the advice from DHHS and DET on this matter.
I ask you to please respect the privacy of the staff member and encourage the community to support each other during this time.
For more information about coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit the DHHS website.
For school information in your language, call TIS National on 131 450. Please ask them to call the DET coronavirus (COVID-19) hotline on 1800 338 663 and they will help interpret.
Kind regards,
Ray Squires
Principal
Pakenham Secondary College