COVID Updates

Dear Parents,

We have made an enormous effort to reduce the spread of Covid-19 at East Kimberley College and I thank you for your support.

You may wish to access the children’s COVID-19 vaccine clinic over the school holidays. They are free and available for children aged 5 years and older.

The WA Chief Health Officer has encouraged all school principals to provide the following information to parents.

As we move into the school holidays, vaccination is the best thing you can do to keep your children and family safe while reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

Vaccination reduces the chances of children becoming infected and reduces the number and severity of symptoms if children do get infected.

Children may also be less likely to pass on the infection if they are vaccinated.

Getting children vaccinated is being assisted through a range of convenient vaccine providers and additional pop-up clinic events during the April school holidays.

Here are some fast facts to help you make an informed decision about COVID-19 vaccination. 

Visit Roll up for WA or Vaccine Clinic Finder to find and book your child’s COVID-19 vaccine.

Kind regards

Learne Dunne

Principal, East Kimberley College, Kununurra

School is open and we are continuing to use a lot of different strategies to reduce the spread of COVID19.

We are:

• Wearing masks – the Chief Health Officer requires all students from Year 3 – 12 and adults to wear masks.  Parents can choose for children in Kindergarten to Year 2 to wear masks.
• Regular hand washing
• Physical distancing
• Reducing visitors
• Reducing the mingling of children across year levels
• Ensuring our staff are vaccinated
• Supporting parents and carers to get children and youth vaccinated

With the increase in numbers of positive cases in Kununurra it is best to assume anyone could be positive and to apply these measures at all times.  We are doing this whilst ensuring our children can safely learn and play together so all aspects of their development and wellbeing are being considered.

New cases this week

• The number of students who have tested positive has increased this week and many more year levels and classes have been affected.
• The good news is that in Years 3-12 there are very few close contacts as staff and students are adhering to mask wearing and distancing.
• The groups that have been most affected this week are Kindergarten, Year 1 and 2 classes.  As the children are not required to wear masks it means that all children are considered non household close contacts. Parents can choose for their child to wear a mask, this will reduce the risk of exposure to COVID and the risk of them being a close contact.
• We are especially concerned about the spread of COVID19 in the Year 1’s at the moment so please be vigilant in monitoring children for symptoms.

Students and staff who are positive cases

Thank you to the parents and carers who are calling and emailing us to inform us their child has tested positive.  We ask that parents and carers continue to contact us so we can complete contact tracing, provide support and Learning From Home packs.

If we are informed of a positive case then we:

1. Immediately commence contact tracing within the school.
2. As soon as possible notify parents of children who are considered close contacts.
3. Organise for Learning From Home packs or link on Connect to be available. Please call the school on 9168 4400.
4. Send communications to the parents of children in that year level, Department of Education, and any service providers who may have worked with the person who tested positive.
5. Update the website at least twice a week.
6. We will continue offering phone support to the person or family during the time of the person’s isolation.

Students and staff who are household close contacts

Thank you to the parents and carers who are calling and emailing us to inform us their child is a close household contact.

Household close contacts are required to get tested and quarantine at home away from the positive case for 7 days. The child is not allowed to attend school.

We can provide Learning From Home Packs or links to Connect, our online learning program. Please call the school on 9168 4400.

Students and staff who are school or other close contacts or children who are vulnerable

If a child is deemed  close contact at school or through an outside organisation then the child can attend school provided they are tested on Day 1 and 6 (PCR) or Day 7 (RAT), are asymptomatic and isolate when they are not at school.  Parents and carers who choose to keep the child at home can access Learning From Home packs. Please call the school 9168 4400.

If your child is deemed a close school contact then this cycle commences.  It commences each time they are notified they are a close contact.

• Day 0 = the day the person who they had contact with tested positive
• Day 1= the day the close contact is notified and tested (preferred)

• Day 1-7= the child can attend school but needs to isolate when not at school – this means they can not engage in community based activities or sports or go shopping /eat out, visit other people’s homes

There has been a positive case of COVID-19 in Year 5 at East Kimberley College. On advice from WA Health, I am providing the following information.
They attended school on Friday 25.3.2022. They may have been infectious from 25.3.2022 and 27.3.2022. Any staff and student close contacts have been identified and contacted by the school. You can find out more about what to do if you are a close contact including testing dates at healthywa.wa.gov.au.

Advice for all families and staff:
– The school remains open.
– If your child is not identified as a close contact, your child is not required to quarantine and should attend school.
– If staff are not identified as a close contact, they are not required to quarantine and should attend school.
– As for everyone in Western Australia, we ask that you monitor your child/yourself for symptoms of COVID-19 and get tested and isolate until you receive a negative result, if symptoms develop.
– If you or your child develop symptoms, please do not attend school.
– Please note that the Omicron strain can present with less typical symptoms such as diarrhoea, particularly in children.

If you have queries or concerns, please contact WA Health on 1300 316 555.

Please contact Erin Whiticker, Deputy Principal regarding Learning at Home packs.

As of 25 March 22 there have been at least six positive case of COVID-19 associated with East Kimberley College. The positive cases attended school on Wednesday 16.3.2022, Thursday 17.3.2022 and Friday 18.3.2022.

The confirmed positive cases are in the following classes:
Kindy Red Joeys and last attended school Wednesday 16.3.2022
Year 1 Room 3 and last attended Friday 18.3.2022
Year 2 Room 7 and last attended Friday 18.3.2022
Year 7 and last attended Friday 18.3.2022
Year 9 and last attended Thursday 17.3.2022

The positive cases and their household contacts are isolating for 7 days per the Chief Health Officer directions.
Students who do not have symptom and are identified a school based close contacts may continue to attend school. During the 7 days students must:
1. Get tested on Day 1 and Day 6
2. Wear a mask
3. Actively monitor for symptoms and get tested and follow household close contact guidelines.
The parents and carers of students who were in classes that these students attended last week will be notified in a separate email as a courtesy.

School is open and safe for face to face learning.  Thank you to our students for adhering to mask wearing at school.

Please be advised there has been a positive case of COVID-19 associated with East Kimberley College. The positive case attended school on Friday 18.3.2022.