Covid Update 10/12/2021 Hamilton

Dear Parents,

I write to provide you with an update on the current situation at Hamilton College with regard to COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.  
At present, the number of positive cases within Hamilton College remains relatively low and is currently 22 within the learner and staff body.
This is a fast-moving picture and I am meeting with my Senior Leadership Team on a daily basis to monitor how we can best safeguard our community at this time. 

We are continuing to focus on learning throughout the school. At present, the SQA exams are still planned to take place in May and therefore the S4, S5 and S6 learners must continue to focus on their learning and revision programmes in preparation for these.

We will continue to insist on the wearing of face masks, regular hand washing/sanitising, use of the one-way system and well-ventilated classrooms.  
In light of today’s Government announcement, I will be making the following changes to our offering next week at Hamilton College:

•    The S5/6 Dance: has now been postponed 
•    The year group movies that were scheduled for the last day of term have now been moved to Friday 17 December.  These will be shown in the form classrooms.
•    Junior School celebrations will continue as planned.
•    All after school clubs will be cancelled.  

Aftercare will run as normal for J1 – Transitus learners.  Aftercare places can be booked by emailing [email protected].  

Supervised study for S1-S6 in Library remains available until 5pm.   

The situation is changing quickly, and I may find myself in a position where I have to communicate further changes next week.
The rules on self-isolation have changed today, meaning that all close contacts (including members of the same household) of a positive COVID case must self-isolate for ten days regardless of their own PCR results or vaccination status.

Thank you for working with me to keep Hamilton College as safe an environment as it can be at this time. Please can I ask that you continue to engage in regular testing at home using lateral flow tests which are available from the School.  Please report all results whether positive, negative or void at www.covidtest.scot or by calling 119, as per the instructions included within test kits.  Should there be a positive result from the lateral flow test, self-isolation and booking a PCR test is essential as is following the latest rules on self- isolation.  Please also keep the School updated by emailing [email protected] 

I send you my very best wishes.

Kind regards

Richard