Kia ora koutou
We are so excited to hear we are moving back to Alert Level 2 at the beginning of tomorrow. We look forward to welcoming all our students and staff back onsite at that time!
Thank you once again to our whanau for the support and resilience you have shown through Alert Level 3. We are pleased that this time it was not for long. Tamariki were very proactive with remote learning. We thank both you and the teachers for that. As a school we really tried hard to listen to your feedback from previous lockdowns and implement changes to make it easier at home.
We still need to remember to be vigilant, have good hygiene practices, and contact our health authorities if you have any of the symptoms.
Just a reminder that while everyone is onsite at Alert Level 2 tomorrow we must adhere to key health measures including:
- Good hand hygiene and cough and sneeze etiquette (see posters at school)
- Staying away if sick- (sorry but your child will not be allowed on site of sick)
- Keeping the appropriate physical distance from others (in class this means no touching each other and keeping out of breathing distance – approximately 1m)
- Cleaning and disinfecting our high touch surfaces daily
- Displaying QR code posters at our entrances and encouraging all of our community to download the NZ COVID Tracer App and use it if you come onsite.
- Senior staff will welcome you all back with a smile and a reminder to use the covid -19 app on the gate. You may sign in outside the school office using pen and paper too.
- Keeping a visitor register for anyone who cannot use the app and for other visitors who come onsite for a period of time.
Drop off
Please can we ask that you drop your child off at the gate in the morning, unless your child is Yr 0-1 or displaying signs of anxiety. We ask all parents who do come on-site to follow the procedures above.
Pick up
Due to our site being next to the main road, you are welcome to collect your child on-site but please maintain a safe distance and sign in with the app. If possible, please ask your child to meet you outside the gate.
We know all these things will help to keep our community as safe as possible. Because of these measures, your child does not need to wear a face covering while at school. We will of course support them should they choose to do so. The Prime Minister has announced that face coverings will be required on public transport, but this does not apply to any tamariki who are under 12 years of age and does not apply to school transport (we have good systems in place to manage safety on school transport). Public Health officials have advised that tamariki under the age of 6 should not wear face coverings.
Our health and safety plan is in place as it has been under every alert level, and you can be assured we’ll continue doing everything we can to keep tamariki safe.
If you haven’t already downloaded the NZ COVID Tracer app the Ministry of Health’s website has information to help you do that. We will also be keeping a visitor register for anyone who doesn’t have the app- stationed outside the school office for anyone who comes on site for a period of time. This will help us contact trace in the unlikely case it is needed.
For more information about public health measures at Alert Level 2 you can visit the COVID-19 website, and if you have any questions about next week please get in touch.
We are conscious that some of our community might be finding things more difficult than usual. There is a large range of support available for businesses and the community. We encourage you to go to covid19.govt.nz for more information, or get in touch and we will help you to find the information and support you need.
Photolife
Photolife will no longer be taking photographs tomorrow. We will update you on this when we have more information.
Hats
It is not just Covid-19 where we need to protect our children. Please make sure they have their hat on return to protect them from sun damage. All children without wide brimmed hats will now have to sit in the shade instead of playing.
Buses
School buses will run before and after school as normal.
Thank you for your support and consideration. If we are mindful we can keep our tamariki safe. Our focus as always will be to support the learning, safety and wellbeing of our rangatahi and tamariki and we continue to be here to support you as well.
Please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s kaiako or me, if there is something you need assistance with.
Stay safe
See you tomorrow.
Ngā mihi
Phil Wainwright