Coronavirus (COVID-19)
It has certainly been a tumultuous week as we grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, its impact on the service and retail industries, on our own community and the panic and confusion caused by having access to so many sources of information (and misinformation) via the media and social media.

I would like to assure families that Rostrevor College is in a very good position to respond to any potential threat. We have developed plans for managing and boosting hygiene practices, reducing student exposure to larger groups, and responding to a confirmed case, should there be one, with short-term closure as well as longer term closure if required to do so. Our plans are based on advice and information received from SA Health, the Government, Catholic Education SA and EREA.

In the event of short-term school closure due to a confirmed case, students will continue to have access to SEQTA Learn and their teachers online to ensure that learning continues, feedback is available and assessment deadlines are met. This also applies to an extended closure if necessary. We are working to ensure that all students have access to flexible learning options, including a range of online resources. Consequently, there will be continuity of learning and assessment to meet the learning requirements of each subject. For additional details of our Learning Contingency Plan, please click here.

There is no doubt that the communication age means that awareness is more contagious than the virus. This should be a good thing but isn't always, as it will depend on the particular report and on one's own perspective. What is most important is that we keep calm and remember, children look to us for guidance on how to react to stressful events. If we seem overly worried, childrens' anxiety may rise. Teaching children positive preventive measures, talking with them about their fears, and giving them a sense of some control over their risk of infection can help reduce anxiety.

Please refer to Brian's Parent Update which will be emailed this afternoon.

SEQTA Learn & Engage
Our students have been using SEQTA Learn since the commencement of this term and all parents/caregivers were sent an email last week inviting them to SEQTA Engage. Whilst we are still in the learning phase of this wonderful new tool that allows everyone to view upcoming assessment and unit overviews, teachers are adding further resources as the year progresses. Students have readily embraced the new learning system and are seeing the advantages of being able to plan their time to meet deadlines and have a clear understanding of how they will be assessed.