Dear parents and caregivers The start of the school year is an important time for students, staff and families and I write to provide assurance of the measures that Catholic schools have in place to align with the requirements set out by State Government in response to COVID-19.

Since the onset of COVID-19, the response to the pandemic has centered on the fact that COVID-19 is first and foremost a health issue. As a result, Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA) has worked with the Department of Education and the Association of Independent Schools Western Australia (AISWA) to ensure a comprehensive, collective, and consistent response to the advice of State Government and the Chief Health Officer to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every student in every school in Western Australia.

In announcing the safe return to school plan for 2022, Premier Mark McGowan and the Minister for Education confirmed that Term One in Western Australian schools will commence from Monday 31 January 2022.