Message From the Principal Regarding Alert Level 2 - 11 May 2020 The Prime Minister announced today that we will be moving to Alert Level 2 and schools can reopen from Monday 18th May. The experience of lockdown and distance learning have been markedly different for each of us. There will be an adjustment period as we get classroom learning back up to speed. Our focus will be on re-establishing relationships, routines and expectations.
As such we will reopen our school as follows
Monday 18th May with Years 7, 8, 12 and 13
Tuesday 19th May Years 7,8 and 11-13
Whole School on Wednesday 20th May
The two key public health principles that support our approach at Alert Level 2 are first to minimise the risk that someone gets infected in the first place, and second to ensure we can identify and contact anyone who has been in close contact with a person, if someone in our school is infected.
What does Alert Level 2 mean for us:
We expect all students to be back at school when we open under Level 2, unless there are health issues. Only those that are unwell in any way should be absent. Please notify the school office of any absences.
Maintaining physical distancing where practicable - in schools at Alert Level 2 this means children, young people, and staff maintaining a physical distance so that they are not breathing on or touching each other (there is no minimum distance requirement for schools at Alert Level 2). Just avoid getting in their 'moist breath' zone”.
Enabling good hygiene practices – regular washing and drying of hands and good cough and sneeze etiquette remain fundamental to preventing spread of illness such as colds, flu and COVID-19. Regularly washing hands, including before and after using shared equipment
Ensuring people with COVID-19 symptoms stay away from school. We ask that parents support us with this. If a child becomes unwell while at school they will be sent home immediately. As will any staff member.
Keeping track of people that enter our school – through your attendance register, timetable and visitor register.
There are situations where physical distancing is not possible, such as some sporting activities. In these situations extra emphasis on handwashing and drying (or cleansing with hand sanitiser) before and after activities and regular cleaning of equipment is recommended. Contact sport can resume within schools. No inter school competitions until Term 3.
Please leave scooters, skateboards and balls at home
Please bring your own drink bottles. There will be no sharing of food and drinks
No student will be able to leave school grounds unless a caregiver collects them by signing out at the school office. This includes lunch and interval breaks.
School transport will resume.
All devices issued from school or received from the Ministry of Education are to be returned to the school office by the 22nd May. If we need to reissue devices because of a change in circumstances we will do so swiftly.
We will be working through other aspects over the next week. We are looking forward to seeing our students again.
Jo Vennell
Kia ora koutou Term two As you are aware the start date of term two has moved to Wednesday 15 April. Currently the COVID-19 Alert Level 4 is due to remain in place until Thursday 23 April. Schools and kura will open for instruction from 15 April with instruction taking place remotely. This means that students will be expected to be doing school work from the 15th April from their homes. Teachers will also be working from their homes.
Distance learning brings challenges but also innovative ways of teaching and learning. We want this to be manageable for all students and staff. We are looking at times where students will be able to communicate with their teachers and time to independently focus on their work. As you would have seen on the news yesterday the Ministry of Education is also looking at how they can deliver hard copy paper packs of work to students. It has been very pleasing to see so many students accessing Education Perfect. On Thursday 23rd if Alert Level 4 is lifted students and staff will return to school.
Access to devices Whanau teachers have been making contact with families to confirm whether they have access to the internet and a device. We did this prior to the lockdown but many families had already chosen to self-isolate. The Ministry of Education would like to support those students who do not have access. Priority will be given to NCEA students. Some whanau teachers have been having difficulty contacting some families. If you have not been contacted please email me at principal@wairoacollege.school.nz
Wellbeing Given the length of time we are all at home isolating, wellbeing is an important focus. Our counsellor –Andrew Scotson (aas@wairoacollege.school.nz), will remain available to students at this time. Please encourage your child to contact us through our school emails and we will work with them to set up the most appropriate way for us to communicate. This may be through email, messaging or phone. Parents are, of course, also encouraged to contact us in the same way. Please follow this link to some advice from the Mental Health Foundation: https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/get-help/covid-19/ The following link gives information about and links to a range of online supports: https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&v ed=2ahUKEwi8_pm4w6XoAhVKwjgGHT81AMMQFjADegQIAxAB&url=https%3 A%2F%2Fwww.mentalhealth.org.nz%2Fget-help%2Fa-z%2Fapps-e-therapyand-guided-self-help%2F&usg=AOvVaw2JiA2Fdblf9N6MddtGfJrZ Further support: 1737 - free text or call for confidential counselling If you have immediate concern for your child’s safety call the Emergency Mental Health number – 0800 112 334 to talk to a mental health clinician. KidsCan We are very fortunate to have KidsCan delivering food parcels to some of our families. These families will receive their packs over the next week. Each whanau pack weighs a total of 40kg and will be received in 4x 10kg boxes – these boxes may be delivered at different times due to courier systems. In each pack:
3kg rice
3kg pasta
12 cans of heat and eat meals
12 cans baked beans
12 cans fruit salad
6 jars pasta sauce
Tip Top bread
Peanut butter
NCEA assessments this year There will be anxiety from many young people and parents about how this will work. What we know right now:
the big picture remains the same in terms of how qualifications are awarded and the place of external examinations
NZQA who run NCEA, are making provisions to run as many internal assessments as practical remotely
School dates for some internal assessments will change and you will be advised as soon as this happens to give plenty of warning
I hope you are having good quality time together. I know this is a challenging time but I wish all of our families the best as they work through these very unusual circumstances. I will have more information for you at the end of this week.
