Kia ora koutou,
It’s pretty tough knowing that those in Auckland will be going back into Level 3 midday today and the rest of the country into Level 2. However, we’ve done this before and we can do it again!
It is safe for all schools to open under Alert Level 2. Safe and sensible practices for hygiene and contact tracing will be part of normal practice, and all students and staff can continue to attend, so long as they remain well.
At Alert Level 2, it is not business as usual. We have to be vigilant. The following guidelines and information will be important for you to follow to help keep everyone safe. The attached plan has been developed to give greater clarity into ‘school life at Level 2’. We urge you to read all of it. Planning in greater detail enables everyone to have greater awareness of the issues at hand and helps to protect the health and wellbeing of everyone in our school community.
We know this is a lot of information but we feel it’s necessary to keep you as informed as possible at this time.
Key Points Summary
- Wellbeing and relationships are a priority.
- All students will be at school except for those with compromised immune systems or those that have symptoms, or have had close contact with a confirmed case. Distance learning is available for those unable to attend school (e.g. self-isolating).
- Children, young people and staff should be far enough away from each other so that they are not breathing on or touching each other.
- Good hygiene practices will be encouraged and monitored and regular cleaning of commonly touched surfaces will occur.
- School transport, Milk in Schools, and SKIDS (after school care) programmes can operate.
- Any visitors and parents who enter the school grounds must be recorded on a contact tracing register – therefore we strongly encourage parents to drop off and pick up students from outside the school gate.
- At Level 2 playgrounds are open and children can play together, students will sanitise their hands before and after breaks.
- At Level 2 we will return to having students and staff space out on the turf for Hui and in the Hall for Assembly.
- At Level 2 we can continue to have tutors and specialist teachers on site.
- At Level 2 some out of school events may be postponed or cancelled, especially if they include gatherings of over 100 people. We will let you know as soon as we know if this is the case.
- Sports practices on site can occur – however contact tracing needs to be enacted by the coach.
Key Actions for Parents and Caregivers
- Student Led Learning Conversations today will go ahead – please be mindful about keeping a 2m distance from others when onsite. Our interview booking sheet will act as a contact tracing register for these.
- Keep children home if they are sick (or someone in their household is) until they have been checked/cleared and no symptoms are evident.
- Talk to your children about being far enough away from each other so that they are not breathing on or touching each other when they are at school.
- Drop off and pick up outside the gate and DO NOT enter the grounds or classrooms unless you need to. There may be exceptions to this – our Room 1 -3 students may need to be dropped off/picked up from their classroom, or there may be a need to come and talk to staff. In this case parents and caregivers will be required to sign a contact tracing register at the gate, classroom, or Office.
- Drop offs from 8:30am in order to space out the arrival of students and ease the flow of traffic and people. Classrooms will not be open until 8:30am, teachers will then be assessing students’ wellness.
- Arrange with your child/ren which gate you will pick them up from so they know where to wait at the end of the day.
- For Pick Ups;
- Students will be packed up and ready to leave by 2:45pm – you can pick them up from this time onwards.
- Children going on the bus, to SKIDS or walking/biking home will be dismissed first.
- Children being picked up will then be sent to one of following places;
- Older siblings will be sent to Rooms 1-3.
- Rooms 1-3 Teachers will hold children and their siblings on their verandahs for pick up and will release children once their parent/caregiver is sighted. Please do not approach the verandah, remain on the concrete at a distance and ensure you have been sighted and marked off. Teachers will have a class list and will tick off who collects the children. If the person collecting is not a noted parent or caregiver on our system they will need to be noted on the contact tracing register at the gate (name, address, contact phone number).
- Those being collected from the Office gate will be waiting on the turf outside the Office supervised by staff, they will be dismissed once a parent/caregiver is sighted outside the gate.
- Those being collected from the ‘Junior’ gate will be waiting on the turf next to the swimming pool supervised by staff, they will be dismissed once a parent/caregiver is sighted outside the gate
- Do not congregate in groups – including in the car park. This is purely a drop-off or pick-up.
- Obey the 2m spacing rule as per supermarkets etc.
- Do not linger at school to play on school equipment after/before school.
- Your child will need a clearly named water bottle as the drinking fountains will be closed from Thursday 13th August.
We thank you for your understanding and cooperation at this time. If you have any questions, queries or concerns please make contact with us directly.
Ngā mihi nui,
Michelle Tate
Principal
Te Horo School124 School Road
RD 2
Otaki 5582
Ph. 06 3643071website: www.th.school.nz
