29/04/2022
Term Two Update
29 April 2022
Kia Ora Koutou,
I want to take this opportunity to thank our students, staff and parents/caregivers/ whanau for their commitment throughout Term One.
Term One was the most disruptive term over the past two and a half years as the COVID-19 Omicron wave washed through our community, resulting in approximately 50% of our students, according to the data we had available, and 70% of our staff testing positive for COVID-19.
During the term, students and staff demonstrated the commitment and resilience needed in the face of the ongoing challenges, to ensure that teaching and learning continued to occur as normally as possible. This involved being flexible providing in-class learning and synchronised online-offsite learning, or using a combination of both at the same time!
I consider that our school has managed the disruptions of Term One extremely well and applaud all of the staff, with our whole school continuing with in-class learning for the entire term.
The Ministry of Health statistics show that the peak of the Omicron wave has passed. It is expected that over the two-week holiday period the number of daily cases should continue to drop. So, by the time we come back to school at the start of Term Two, my expectation is that school life should return to being close to pre-COVID times. Therefore, it is very important for students, parents/caregivers and teachers to focus on Term Two being a highly productive onsite learning experience. This will require us to work together to ensure that the term gets off to a great start.
Exciting Developments
Throughout the holiday periods and the term the school has been engaged in many exciting projects/upgrades. These include:
Shade sail project
Solar panel project
Modular classroom project (x 4 classrooms)
Turf project
Playground upgrade project
Attendance
Attendance is linked to both student wellbeing and achievement. It is very important that tamariki attend school regularly. There is no “safe” level of non-attendance.
Parents/caregivers must ensure that their tamariki attend school every day to enable them to realise their potential. Now that the Omicron is filtering through our community the school will implement a concentrated effort to reduce student absences at the start of Term Two. The purpose of this action is to ensure all students are attending every lesson, every day. I request that parents/caregivers provide the necessary support required to enable your child to attend school each day. If there is a justified reason for your child to be away from school please communicate this with the school by calling the office on (07) 5422447 or via our school mobile #0297702519.
3. Orange Light Setting
At 11:59 pm on Wednesday 13 April 2022, our country moved to the ‘Orange Light’ setting.
Face Masks
At the Orange Light setting, face masks are no longer required at school. However, face masks continue to be required for students aged 12 and above on school and public transport.
The Ministry of Education strongly encourages that face masks continue to be worn by students and staff when indoors at school. Face masks are one of the key health measures that reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Although wearing face masks is no longer a requirement, students and staff who wish to wear a face mask during the Orange Light setting will be encouraged and supported to do so.
Larger Indoor Gatherings of Students
There are now no limits to the number of students gathered indoors. At the Orange Light setting, larger numbers of students can gather indoors for assemblies and other activities. As mentioned above, the Ministry of Education strongly recommends that students and staff wear face masks for large indoor gatherings.
4. Health, Safety and Hauora
We will continue to keep all the other health and safety protocols in place at school that we know slow the spread of COVID-19.
Students and staff are expected to take responsibility for their personal hygiene to minimise risk to themselves and others, including:
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
Maintaining an appropriate physical distancing where practical.
Not breathing on, or touching, each other.
Coughing or sneezing into your elbow.
Washing your hands thoroughly and often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, followed by drying your hands completely.
Avoiding touching your face.
If your child is unwell, keep them at home, get them tested with a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), which will give a result within 20 minutes:
If the result is negative, then the student can return to school, as long as they are well and not showing COVID symptoms.
If the result is positive then the student and their family need to isolate for 7 days. If the student is unwell, they should stay home until they feel better.
People who test positive can call the COVID-19 Welfare Phone Line, 0800 512 337, (https://covid19.health.nz/advice/help-available) if they need help with:
food and essential items.
mobile data to keep in contact with friends and whānau.
support for personal care or daily tasks.
talking to the employer about leave or pay.
mental health support.
support with family or sexual violence.
5. Start Date
Monday 2 May 2022
Updates of information will be posted on the school page and Seesaw
Please contact me if you have any queries.
Yours sincerely
Bruce Jepsen
Principal
