Ominous warning to students as question mark hangs over school return
The holidays may provide some relief to schools with confirmed coronavirus cases, but that hasn’t stopped some from issuing an ominous warning to their students on a possible return to remote learning.
HS Coronavirus News
Don't miss out on the headlines from HS Coronavirus News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Surging coronavirus infections hit six schools across Melbourne on Monday as parents and teachers brace for a possible return to remote learning.
Footscray High was one of six schools closed for deep cleaning after a child tested positive to coronavirus.
The others were Al-Taqwa College in Truganina, Maribyrnong College, Queen of Peace Parish Primary School in Altona Meadows, Aitken Hill Primary in Craigieburn and Port Phillip Specialist School in Port Melbourne.
A Year 8 student at St Bernard’s College, Essendon, has also reportedly tested positive.
As the number of infections rises, the Herald Sun has been told several schools across the state told students, particularly those in VCE, to take everything they needed home in case there was a shift back to remote learning in term three.
Confusion reigned on Monday when Health Minister Jenny Mikakos mixed up Fitzroy and Footscray when naming virus-blighted schools.
VCE and prep to year 2 students returned to classes on May 26 and other students on June 9. Some private schools worked on a different return to school schedules and some will have more than three weeks holiday in the semester break.
A Department of Education spokesman said the $45 million allocated at the start of the pandemic was being used to deep clean schools where positive cases have been notified.
“Any decision to close a school will be made on the advice of Department of Health and Human Services,” the spokesman said.
“When a school is closed, it allows time for the school and DHHS to undertake a full risk assessment.
“The closure also allows appropriate cleaning of the school site to occur on the recommendation of DHHS.”
The $45 million is also being used to improve cleaning at all schools. Since March 18, the Victorian School Building Authority has carried out 23 deep cleans at government schools as a result of having a confirmed coronavirus case.
Among these were Toorak, Middle Park, Kensington, Meadowglen, Avondale, Apollo Parkways, Newbury, Pakenham Springs, Strathmore, Albanvale, Keilor Views, Brunswick East and Ascot Vale primary schools, as well as Glenroy Specialist School, Copperfield College Springside P-9 and Keilor Downs Secondary College.
The Department of Education has not included some non-government schools in the list. Among the first schools to be hit by the pandemic were Carey Grammar and Geelong Grammar.
FEARS AS TRANSMISSIONS SPIKE AGAIN