From the Deputy Head Master – Summer Hill

Welcome back to what we trust will be another productive, exciting and growth-inducing term for your sons. It has been a busy break for many of our boys and young men, with the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme hike, the NSW Schools Snow Sports Championships, sundry training and gym sessions and games, and, of course, a (hopefully) busy period of study leave for our Year 12 students gearing up for their final run in to the HSC or IBD. It is critically important for your Year 12 sons to understand how much value can be added with a disciplined regime of study over the next 12 weeks or so. There are so many ‘marks’ that contribute to the final calculation of ATARs still available that it is possible to significantly improve, or to go backwards, so it is critical not to be complacent, not to be discouraged, but to persevere and focus on the process of study. In my experience, Year 12 students ought to be spending something in the order of 20 hours a week preparing for the upcoming Trial Examinations (three to four hours per subject per week in addition to their scheduled lessons). I also strongly recommend that, if they have not already done so, all Year 12 students ought to be taking notes in class by hand. Both public credentials will require efficient, legible handwriting, and, like any fine motor skill, handwriting efficiency and stamina improves with practise and deteriorates if neglected. I am reliably informed by a physiotherapist friend that taping a small battery to the end of a pen in the final weeks prior to an examination is no substitute for regular handwriting, and is unlikely to provide any benefit, despite the urban mythology.

The Trinity Ball is coming up on 20 August, and it promises to be a wonderful evening at the spectacularly located Jones Bay Wharf. Ticket sales close on Monday 1 August and are going fast. I do hope that you will be able to join us for what promises to be a highlight of the year. You can purchase tickets at this link.

You will also have noticed that there have been public health warnings about an increase in COVID-19 infections with the OMICRON BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants currently circulating in the community.

The School will continue to operate in a COVID-safe way by implementing school-based risk assessment processes and risk mitigation. Risk mitigation and preventative measures include masks, ventilation, physical distancing, hand hygiene, vaccination boosters, and isolating when unwell.

Attendance

All students are expected to attend school as normal. However, students must not attend school if they are unwell, even with mild symptoms of COVID-19. Students with any COVID-19 symptoms must stay at home and be tested for COVID-19, either through RAHT or PCR testing.

Students who test positive for COVID-19 are required by the Public Health Order to:

• Notify the School through the Trinity app.
• Notify NSW Health. This is done through the Service NSW app.
• Isolate for seven days from the date of the positive test, and only if your son is symptom-free at that point. Symptoms include: a sore throat; runny nose; cough, or shortness of breath. If a person continues to have symptoms, they may leave isolation after 7 days with a medical clearance.

Mask wearing

Mask wearing is strongly recommended for all students and staff while indoors at School. NSW Health continues to encourage the community to wear masks where social distancing is not possible.
Masks continue to be mandatory on public transport and Trinity bus services. This applies to students aged 12 years and older and during school excursions or on sport buses.

Household Contacts

• If your son is a household contact, he no longer needs to isolate.
• He is able to come to school so long as he is symptom-free and has a negative RAHT each day that he is a household contact.
• If in the Middle or Senior School, as a household contact, he will be required to wear a mask while at school.

If your son is a household contact, parents must notify the School via the School app and choose ‘COVID-19 Household Contact Attending School’.

Bradley Barr | Deputy Head Master – Summer Hill