Chatswood High’s Covid spike sparks home learning concerns, rethink on mask mandates

A rapid spike in Covid cases is taking a toll on one of the north shore’s largest high schools as the state government rethinks student mask mandates.

A rapid spike in Covid cases is taking a toll on one of the north shore’s largest high schools as the state government rethinks student mask mandates.

A P&C meeting at Chatswood High School has heard a high percentage of students and teachers at the 1628-student campus have been forced into isolation after contracting the virus or being identified as a close contact.

Relieving principal Evelyn Manson told the meeting the increase in cases has placed additional pressure on teaching staff who are having to take extra classes where required.

Case numbers are on the rise at Chatswood High School.

She said the Department of Education was considering reintroducing mandatory masks due the numbers of students and teachers in isolation.

P&C president Angela Todd said the rise in case numbers was causing growing concern among parents in the school community.

“In the beginning of term one we used to get a weekly email saying how many cases were associated with the school, now we just get emails saying ‘the school has cases’,” she said.

Many students are now back learning from home.

“The big issue for parents is that a lot of (the students) are learning from home again and asking what kind of education they’re now getting.

“I think last year when everyone was home there was more focus on online learning and maybe it had more consistency.

“Now you’ve got a bit of a hotchpotch mix where it’s half face-to-face learning and online.”

Ms Todd said many students were still opting to wear masks, despite masks no longer being mandated within the school environment.

“In the school setting, some kids are still optionally wearing masks but the school is trapped when it comes to enforcing it because they have to follow the Department of Education guidelines,” she said.

Case numbers have risen at the school.

“The department I think is now looking at numbers at school and realising it’s rapidly spreading and has to do something.”

A Department of Education spokesman said new measures announced on March 23 will enable the department to direct schools with high case numbers to adopt “additional proportionate measures” for a short period of time

The spokesman said the measures include requiring staff, visitors and high school students to wear masks indoors, or moving assemblies or large gatherings outdoors.

As of Friday, 39 schools across NSW had adopted some or all of these measures.

“These tailored measures will support the continuity of learning and help to protect students and staff by reducing in-school transmission of Covid-19,” he said.

Latest figures show active Covid case numbers continue to remain high on the north shore with the Willoughby local government area recording 2109 cases as of yesterday – up from 718 this time last month.