• Campus opening questions
• Temperature Screening, health and entry procedure questions
• Leave of Absence questions
• School activities and programmes questions
• Other questions
Does my child have to wear a mask all day at school?
Yes, the government rules are very clear. All students must wear a mask whilst at school. As an alternative students aged under 13 may wear a face shield.
Please refer to the Ministry of Health FAQ for more information regarding face masks and shield.
Will there be any on-campus events during 2021/22?
Events are restricted during phase 2 HA of the Singapore government's reopening plan. Please check the school calendar for the latest updates.
Can parents enter the campus?
No parents will be allowed on campus after 16 August 2021. Where vehicle drop off / pick up points are open, parents must not get out of their vehicle.
Why do children have to be quiet on the bus or public transport?
The Singapore government has advised that all passengers on public transport or buses must refrain from talking or talk quietly if essential. This is part of the safety measures to minimise contamination risk. Please refer to the Ministry of Education FAQ for more information.
[NEW] Who will need to use Trace Together app or token?
All GESS students in Primary and Secondary grades 1-12 and Eingangsstufe.
Preschool students do not need a token, however, accompanying parents will need to use the TraceTogether app or token to enter our campus.
Does my child have to carry the Trace Together token all day?
Primary and secondary students will need to check in and check out of the campus using the TraceTogether token or app on their handphone. Once your child has completed SafeEntry, they can put the token in their bag until they leave the campus. Students will only need to check in and out each time they enter or exit the campus.
Can my child attend school if they forget to bring their token or handphone?
Yes, your child can enter the campus, however, GESS reserves the right to send a student home if they repeatedly forget. For the first two occasions, we will send you a reminder if your child arrives at school without their token or handphone. On the third occasion, we will send your child home or you will be required to pick up your child.
What happens if my child loses their token?
You will need to visit the nearest token distribution centre to get a replacement token. Please see https://token.gowhere.gov.sg/ for your nearest distribution centre.
[NEW] MY CHILD IS IN PRIMARY GRADE 01 OR EINGANGSSTUFE BUT IS NOT 7 YEARS OLD YET.
It is now possible for children under 7 years old to collect a TraceTogether Token. https://token.gowhere.gov.sg/faq
Where can I find out more information about TraceTogether?
You can read the TraceTogether token FAQ for more information on how data is encrypted, secured and used https://token.gowhere.gov.sg/faq
Who is being screened?
Every visitor, staff and student including but not limited to: contractors, canteen staff, bus drivers, vendors and instructors are being screened each time they enter the GESS campus. This will continue until further notice. We realise this may cause delays, however, the safety of our students and community is our priority.
Do I have to pick up my child if their temperature is 37.5°C or above or they have a fever, sore throat, cough or runny nose?
Yes, it is a mandatory school procedure. Please cooperate with the First Aid team and pick up your child as soon as possible. Your child will be kept in an isolation room with a member of the First Aid team.
[New] if a parent or household member is sick, can the child still come to school?
Students who have household members with flu-like symptoms such as fever, runny nose, sore throat and cough and are required to take a COVID-19 swab test, are required to stay away from school until the negative swab test result has been received. You must send the test result to covid19@gess.sg
How often are the buses disinfected?
Bus drivers and the Bus team disinfect buses twice on a daily basis using the same cleaning products as GESS. Hand sanitising is far more important in preventing the spread of germs, however, during these challenging times, we have added extra cleaning measures for buses.
Why does my child have to be temperature screened every time I come to GESS?
We are currently operating an enhanced screening procedure for each and every visitor to the GESS campus including staff and students. This is precautionary and to try and reduce the risk of infection within the campus. There will be additional temperature checks carried out throughout the day.
What time does the campus open?
The campus is open at 07:30 for students. Do not arrive earlier than this.
What is the difference between loa, shn and qo?
Stay Home Notice (SHN) is a Singapore government notice given by the Immigration Checkpoint Authority (ICA). Click here for more information.
Quarantine Order (QO) is a Singapore government order given by the Ministry of Health (MOH). Click here for more information.
Leave of Absence (LOA) is a GESS precautionary measure given by our school. Please note this is different to the previous Singapore government Leave of Absence (LOA) arrangement which has been replaced by Stay Home Notice (SHN).
Companies and organisations may issue orders to stay at home, this is different to a Stay Home Notice (SHN) issued by the Immigration Checkpoint Authority (ICA)
I HEARD THAT A PERSON IN THE CONDOMINIUM WHERE WE LIVE IS A CONFIRMED CASE. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Firstly, always follow Ministry of Health instructions.
If you have not had close contact with the person, 15-30 minutes in the same room, then the chance of the virus spreading is minimal. If you have had close contact, it is likely you will be contacted by the Ministry of Health as part of their tracing activities. In this instance, stay at home and inform the Ministry of Health (telp: 1800 333 9999).
Continue to wash/sanitise your family's hands regularly and take all of your household's temperature twice daily.
If in doubt or if any member of your household feels unwell, go to a doctor immediately.
A member of my family / household is on Quarantine Order or stay home notice. can my children come to school?
No, children must stay at home and follow the Quarantine Order / Stay Home Notice period. You must inform the school by emailing covid19@gess.sg
Application for leave
We respect that each family has the right to decide whether to send their children to school during this difficult period. If you wish to keep your children at home, please make sure you fill in the application for leave form and inform the School Bus team (bus@gess.sg) if appropriate. Completing the form is compulsory.
Absences will be marked as authorised absence and there will no effect on Student’s pass attendance requirements.
Is my child's CCA / music lesson (VIP) or Language class (LEP) cancelled?
Please check the Coronavirus update page in Parent Portal for the latest information on which programmes are operating.
ARE ALL break times and outdoor play cancelled?
All visitors including students are screened at entry to the GESS campus. Break times and outdoor playtime will be restricted and students must follow safe physical distancing rules.
Are all school trips cancelled?
All school trips are currently cancelled.
DOES GESS HAVE SURGICAL MASKS?
GESS has surgical masks for First Aid use only. Families should purchase surgical masks from supermarkets or pharmacies, if they wish to. Please remember regular hand washing and sanitising is key. Dr Leong has good advice on how to stay safe https://www.facebook.com/onefm913/videos/2916759611719451/
I have received different information from a whatsapp group or internet site
All official GESS communication, procedures and advice is published in Parent Portal. This is the only official source of GESS information about the Coronavirus.
There have been several false rumours published on the internet and in WhatsApp groups. Please only follow official Ministry of Health and government advice.
I HAVE feedback for gess
Thank you; as a community school we welcome feedback. During these challenging times, we ask that feedback is NOT communicated via the main communication channels: phone lines, school@gess.sg, firstaid@gess.sg and operational staff.
It is vital that we keep these communication channels free for urgent and operational needs. You are welcome to submit feedback via this form and we will get back to you when possible.
Why isn't the information in German or why is the translation a little bit different
We are trying to simultaneously translate all information into German as part of our commitment to the community. This is a challenging task and we hope you understand that sometimes it will not be possible to have all the information translated into German or that there are some small differences in the translation. We will focus on making sure that the English text is always up-to-date with German translation updates happening as soon as possible. We will also work on translating key messages into other languages where appropriate to further support our diverse community.
If you see any errors or corrections, please submit a general feedback form.
