06 Jun 2022
With winter upon us, we are all aware of the importance of staying COVID Safe in our schools. The pandemic is not over and ACT public schools are continuing to take sensible steps to safely operate while also managing the risks of COVID.
Fresh air circulation is one way we can reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools. Along with vaccination, physical distancing (where possible), good hygiene and cleaning – good ventilation is important.
The Education Directorate has worked with each ACT public school to develop an Indoor Air Quality Plan. The directorate has mapped the type of ventilation in each of our more than 3,500 learning and teaching spaces that have ventilation provided by either natural or mechanical means. Natural ventilation is provided through windows or louvres, while mechanical ventilation is provided by the school’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Knowing the types and levels of ventilation in every learning space allows us to plan and provide guidance on how to operate naturally ventilated spaces and balance the use of windows and louvres to provide ventilation.
Where our Indoor Air Quality Plans identify teaching and learning spaces that rely on natural ventilation, consideration will be given to balancing ventilation and thermal comfort during colder weather. Depending on the comfort levels in naturally ventilated classrooms, this may mean running heating systems while also having windows open to ensure both warmth and adequate ventilation.
You can find out more about how your school is handling ventilation and see their Indoor Air Quality Plan on their school website.
ACT public schools continue to have a range of COVID-19 health and safety measures in place to protect students and staff. For more information about how we are managing COVID in ACT public schools, visit our COVID Safe public schools page.