Dear Parents/Caregivers,
I am writing to inform you that access to our Science Building Entrance (G Block) was recently restricted due to damage to building materials that contain or are assumed to contain asbestos and that some children were in proximity of the area when the damage occurred. All students and staff were removed from the area surrounding the damage and steps taken to restrict access to the impacted area.
Damage to materials that may contain asbestos is taken very seriously by the Department of Education (Department) and investigations are conducted where incidents impact the school's operations or the school community. However, research evidence concludes that being present when an isolated event involving damage to asbestos containing materials occurs is unlikely to create any significant exposure to hazardous dust.
I understand you may be concerned by the information I have provided. However, in the absence of any significant exposure, there is unlikely to be any risk to your child's health. Accordingly, this incident did not require notification to the Work Health and Safety Regulator.
I invite you to review the information, including vodcasts from the Department's Chief Health Advisor, Dr Keith Adam, about asbestos exposure and associated health risks at 
DoE's Asbestos management website to assure yourself of the information I have provided. Also, I have attached a departmental brochure that contains further information about asbestos risk, which you may also find helpful.
In line with the Department's work health and safety requirements, and due to the age of some of the Department's buildings, an asbestos register is maintained for all departmental facilities, including for this school. The register identifies facility materials that have or are assumed to contain asbestos. A review of the school's asbestos register identified that the damaged materials are assumed to contain asbestos.
The safety of students and staff is my highest priority. Despite the evidence that the health risk from a matter such as this is very low, I have initiated steps to ensure the impacted area is only accessible to members of the school community after remediation / repair work has been completed and clearance obtained that the area is safe to re-occupy.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like further information about this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Nathan Shonhan
Acting Principal