The NSW Department of Education and NSW Health have been working together and have completed the contact tracing process following notification of a staff member testing positive for COVID-19 from Ashcroft High School.

This work included identifying close contacts of the confirmed case and communicating directly with them regarding their requirement to self-isolate. This work has now been completed and all staff and students who have been identified as a close contact have been informed.

The students and staff identified as close contacts were asked to self-isolate for 14 days and not return to school until this time has elapsed. A 'close contact' is a person who has spent significant time either face-to-face (15 mins) or in an enclosed space (two hours or more).

The school has been cleaned and will resume operation on Monday 30 March 2020. Families are still encouraged to keep their children at home if possible and undertake learning from home through the work teachers have provided. Students will be able to engage in prepared resources and online materials.

Students of essential care workers and those families who need their child to attend school are still welcome to do so.

Alternatively, families who wish to keep their children at home can access learning materials online as already communicated to students and their families through the school’s Google Classroom log on.

For students attending school, the school will be vigilant in implementing the department’s infection control procedures including daily cleaning in accordance with normal protocols, the promotion of healthy hygiene habits and will make hand sanitiser available for staff and students to use while at school.

All staff and students should remain at home if they are unwell. Those who become unwell will be sent home and asked to stay away until they are well.