Coronavirus: St Christopher’s Catholic Primary School, Panania, reopens
Not one teacher who could potentially have been exposed to coronavirus at a professional development day in southwest Sydney have shown signs of the virus.
The Express
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Students and teachers have returned back to St Christopher’s Catholic Primary School in Panania after it was shut down due to fears of coronavirus.
St Christopher’s, which has 605 students and 50 teachers, has reopened after cleaners went through the whole school on Tuesday and Wednesday following the unprecedented measure.
The closure was ordered after an independent contractor, who addressed 40 staff members at a professional development day at St Christopher’s on Thursday, March 12, was diagnosed with coronavirus.
In addition to St Christopher’s, there were teachers from three other southwest Sydney schools: Immaculate Heart of Mary Primary (Sefton), Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School, (Carnes Hill) and Mary Immaculate Catholic Primary (Bossley Park).
Principal Jamie Wahab told The Express that while some students are staying away, the entire school community has reacted well to the measures taken so far to keep them safe.
“The parents have been very good with not a single complaint,” Mr Wahab said.
“There is no sense of panic and I have been meeting with the parents and students during the morning and afternoons to make sure everything is alright.
“The parents have been very very supportive.
“We don’t know why some students are not attending and will be following standard procedures, which are in place (for absentees).
“Before the government notices, we had already cancelled assemblies, excursions and sporting carnivals.”
Mr Wahab did not give any specific numbers of students who have stayed away.
Sydney Catholic Schools executive director Tony Farley said not one teacher at the professional development day workshop have shown no symptoms of the coronavirus, which has caused thousands of deaths across the world.
“All these schools are functioning normally though student attendance varies,” Mr Farley said.
“We are looking at all options in case we are forced to close all our schools but for now, we are happy to run the schools as the government wants us to.
“We are very impressed at the way in which people are managing to cope with the situations in our schools.
“This is a crisis for our schools, no doubt about it but people are rising up to the occasion.”
Mr Farley said the Sydney Catholic Schools are equipped and ready to run classes online if and when needed.
“I am aware that while some schools have had limited student and staff absences, other schools have had increases in either one or both,” Mr Farley said in a letter to the parents.
“I will be asking principals to engage with parents extensively in the coming weeks so that we can be aware of particular concerns or issues that they may have about what is happening now and what may happen in the future.
“We will continue to monitor the situation daily and make sure that you are informed of any developments.
“Be assured that our schools and system are working around the clock to educate, protect and care for our students, staff and school communities and with both hard work and prayer our efforts will be rewarded.