Top private school’s vax requirement

Staff at a prestigious boys’ school have been told they are required to be fully vaccinated by term four, while another private school has sourced its own supply of Pfizer through a student’s parent.

Camberwell Grammar will vaccinate its year 12 students. Picture: AFP

Kew boys’ school Xavier College is requiring its 400 staff members to be double vaccinated by the start in term four, with other schools expected to follow.

A letter sent on August 31 tells staff to get their first dose as soon as possible and their second by October 4.

Staff who do not want to get the jab are asked to meet with their supervisor to assess “potential work outcomes” and “chart a way forward”.

The move comes as teaching staff in Victoria are not required to get vaccinated but it is encouraged and they are given half a day off to do so.

Staff at Xavier College have been told to get their second dose by October 4.

In NSW vaccination of teachers is mandatory.

Xavier principal William Doherty said the vaccination requirement was “the right thing for our community”.

“It’s important that we’re not thumping this on the table; we’re keeping open a conversation with those who are uncomfortable,” he said.

Mr Doherty said the response from staff had been very positive.

“We hear a lot today about people’s rights, but these come with responsibilities and we think we have a responsibility to care for people,” he said.

Mr Doherty said he “could count on one hand those who had an issue for whatever reason. Most said it gave them more confidence that their return to work would be safe.”

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools executive director Jim Miles said “all eligible members of Catholic school communities are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible”.

Deb James, Independent Education Union Victoria general secretary, said the union was working closely with its representatives at Xavier. “So far, there appears to be general support for the school’s position on vaccinations,” she said.

A spokesman for the Department of Education said all teachers and school staff were now eligible for a coronavirus vaccination and were encouraged to do so as soon as possible.

Camberwell Grammar, meanwhile, has become the latest school to obtain Pfizer vaccine supplies for their students and administer them onsite.

Headmaster Paul Hicks wrote to parents telling them the school had “secured a limited number of Pfizer vaccines through one of our parents for students currently in Year 12”.

The vaccines will be administered to boys on Sunday 12 September and October 3 on school grounds.

“Students will need to register for these doses online. If any vaccines are left over after students in Year 12 have had an opportunity to register, the remaining doses will be offered to students in Year 11,” he said.

“More appointments will be added if we are able to secure more vaccines, but for now, there should be enough for all students in Year 12 who wish to have a vaccine.”

Dr Hicks said the school was still working on securing vaccine doses for the broader Camberwell Grammar community.

“These vaccines are offered in the belief that they provide the best way to protect our students and improve our chances of returning to school in Term 4,” he said.

The move comes as the State Government is about to embark on a vaccination blitz from September 7 to 17 in order to get all year 12s at least one vaccination dose before the start of exams on October 4. Schools will work with local clinics to prioritise access for the final year students.

A phone number enabling priority bookings will be announced on Friday and it will operate from Monday.

Other schools such as St Leonard’s College and Albert Park Secondary College have secured their own supplies through local contacts.