This page contains all information shared with parents with regard to the COVID-19 coronavirus. As the situation is changing so fast, the latest information is the most accurate.
Kia ora Parents/Caregivers
Below is a letter from the Secretary of Education, Iona Holsted, outlining the changes at school level due to the removal of the Covid-19 Protection Framework (traffic lights).
This communication also gives me the opportunity to inform you that there will be no school on Monday, 26 September as that day will be a public holiday to commemorate the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
You’ll be aware that New Zealand will move to a new, long-term approach to COVID-19. These changes have been made based on public health advice and reflect high levels of immunity and declining case numbers across New Zealand.
This new approach will only result in minor changes to the way we operate.
The very positive news is that household contacts of a person with COVID-19 do not need to isolate, but instead are asked to complete a RAT test each day, for five days. Therefore, ākonga who are household contacts but test negative and do not have COVID-19 symptoms, should continue to attend school. It is the best place for them to be so they can be engaged in their learning, and connected with their teachers, classmates and friends.
Information on how to get RAT kits can be found here: Request a RAT– Ministry of Health
Mask wearing is no longer required. However, students have the right to wear masks at school if they wish and are encouraged to do so if that makes them feel more comfortable or safer.
All the other recommended public health measures will stay in place as we know they reduce the spread of infectious illnesses including COVID-19. These include ensuring our indoor spaces are well-ventilated, maintaining good hand hygiene, encouraging everyone to cough or sneeze into elbows and, most importantly, staying home and getting tested if they have COVID-19 symptoms.
Thank you for your ongoing support in protecting our community.
Noho ora mai
Dear Parents/Caregivers
A fortnight ago the college extended mandatory mask wearing for two weeks. Given that staff and student sickness has declined and with the warmer weather, it has been decided that mask wearing is no longer mandatory from Monday, 5th September. However, it is strongly recommended that masks should be worn in indoor settings. Masks will still be required to be worn for larger indoor gatherings such as assemblies.Absences and illness will continue to be monitored and the college reserves the right to reintroduce mandatory mask wearing inside if circumstances change.Thank you for your understanding.Ngā mihi nui
Kia ora Parents/Caregivers/Students
Below is a letter providing information from the Ministry of Education about the need for students and staff to wear masks while at school. We strongly endorse this action and for the first four weeks of this term we will require students and staff to wear masks in all indoor settings. We are taking this action to try to minimise the risk of infection and the resultant impact on learning if students and staff are absent due to illness.
In previous years, we have found there is an increase in winter illnesses in schools at the start of Term 3 as students bring back infections after travelling and socialising during the holidays. This year cases of COVID-19 are increasing in most parts of the country, and we are also seeing high numbers of other winter illnesses.
For the start of Term 3, 2022, the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health strongly recommend that all schools and kura amend their mask policy for the first four weeks of term to require mask wearing in all indoor settings (where it will not have a significant impact on teaching and learning – see below) for students in Years 4 and above.
This recommendation does not include any situation where mask wearing might not be practicable, such as while eating and drinking, playing certain musical instruments, indoor sport, where it will have a significant impact on teaching and learning (for example, students with particular learning needs), certain activities such as singing or drama performance on stage, and PE. In these situations, particular attention should be paid to ensuring there is good ventilation during the activity, and physical distancing where practicable.
Wearing masks can reduce new cases of the virus by as much as 53%. It works alongside other measures including vaccination, good ventilation, staying home when sick, and hand washing and other hygiene measures, to protect our students and staff.
Keep up healthy habits – Unite Against COVID-19
How to wear a face mask safely – Unite Against COVID-19
We know that that some of our tamariki/ākonga are exempt from wearing a mask. If they have an exemption card or a letter from their health provider, or we have agreed that mask wearing is not practicable for them, we will support them to not wear a mask.
Apply for a face mask exemption pass – Unite Against COVID-19
Please make sure that tamariki/ākonga come to school ready to wear masks. Students should bring masks from home. From today, if students cannot bring masks there will be a limited supply of masks for students who are unable to bring one from home.
Thank you for your support in protecting our school community.
Dear Year 11 Parent/Caregiver/Student
The recent spike in Covid community cases and the beginning of the flu season is impacting both staff and student absences. The increase in the number of staff having to isolate has meant that we will be unable to run classes at all year levels. As a result, Year 11 students are requested to work from home using Google Classroom for online learning on Tuesday, 24 May, Wednesday, 25 May and Thursday, 26 May. Year 11 students will be able to return to school on Friday, 27 May.
Year 11 students are still able to attend school for any co-curricular activities e.g. music & sports practices and games as well as any school trips they may be involved with. If it is not possible for students to work from home on the days outlined above, they can undertake supervised online learning at school. They are required to attend in school uniform and report to the Hall at the start of the day to be directed to their study room.
Thank you for your understanding and support. We want to ensure learning can continue while meeting the health and safety needs of staff and students.
Ngā mihi nui
Dear Year 9 Parent/Caregiver/Student
The recent spike in Covid community cases and the beginning of the flu season is impacting both staff and student absences. The increase in the number of staff having to isolate has meant that we will be unable to run classes at all year levels. As a result, Year 9 students are requested to work from home using Google Classroom for online learning on Thursday, 19 May, Friday, 20 May and Monday, 23 May. Year 9 students will be able to return to school on Tuesday, 24 May.
Year 9 students are still able to attend school for any co-curricular activities e.g. music & sports practices and games as well as any school trips they may be involved with. If it is not possible for students to work from home on the days outlined above, they can undertake supervised online learning at school. They are required to attend in school uniform and report to the Hall at the start of the day to be directed to their study room.
Dear Year 10 Parent/Caregiver/Student
On Thursday, 12 May I emailed you informing you that Year 10 students were requested to work from home on Friday, 13 May. You were also informed that there was the possibility that Year 10 students would have to continue with online learning on Tuesday, 17 May.
Unfortunately, continued staff sickness has meant that we are requesting all Year 10 students work from home using Google Classroom for online learning on Tuesday, 17 May. Students will return to school on Wednesday, 18 May.
Year 10 students are still able to attend school for any co-curricular activities e.g. music & sports practices and games as well as any school trips they may be involved with. If it is not possible for students to work from home on the days outlined above, they can undertake supervised online learning at school. They are required to attend in school uniform and report to the Hall at the start of the day to be directed to their study room.
The recent spike in Covid community cases and the beginning of the flu season is impacting both staff and student absences. The increase in the number of staff having to isolate has meant that we will be unable to run classes at all year levels. As a result, Year 10 students are requested to work from home using Google Classroom for online learning on Friday, 13 May. Monday, 16 May will remain an NCEA Accord Teacher-only Day. At this stage we are unsure whether Year 10 students will be able to return to school on Tuesday, 17 May. We will inform you on Monday morning whether students will return on either Tuesday or Wednesday, 18 May.
Kia ora koutou
You’ll be aware that Minister of Education Chris Hipkins has announced the move to Orange.
The decision to move to Orange has been made on public health advice and reflects that we are moving past the peak of cases and our health system is able to cope.
I wanted to give you an update on what the move to Orange means for Glendowie College.
At Orange, face masks are no longer required at school. However public health advice is that masks continue to be strongly encouraged when indoors. Wearing a mask is a key health measure that slows the spread of COVID-19 in indoor settings. For that reason, we ask that visitors to the school, including parents and whānau, wear a mask whenever they are indoors on school grounds.
We also ask that our students continue to bring a mask to school every day. There may be times that we’ll ask them to wear a mask, too – for example, when we are having an assembly in the hall. If there are a high number of cases at school or in the community, we may ask that masks are worn in classrooms for a time.
At Orange, students aged 12 and above are still required to wear a face mask on school or public transport.
We will continue to keep all the other health measures in place at school that we know reduce the spread of COVID-19. These include ensuring our indoor spaces are well-ventilated, maintaining good hand hygiene and cough and sneeze etiquette, appropriate physical distancing whenever we can and, most importantly, staying home if we are sick.
We are looking forward to a few less restrictions and returning to school life that is a bit closer to normal.
Enjoy the holiday break and we look forward to seeing our students back next term.
Ngā mihi
The purpose of this letter is to inform you of changes to the length of time those who have tested positive for Covid-19 and those who are household contacts have to isolate. The period of isolation has changed from ten to seven days.
Less common symptoms include diarrhoea, headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, malaise, chest pain, abdominal pain, joint pain, or confusion/irritability. For more information, please go to the Unite Against COVID-19 website.
Our priority as a college is to keep our students and staff safe and to minimise the risk of infection. We want to have students at school as much as possible rather than online learning from home.
Have an enjoyable weekend and keep safe.
The continuing rise in Covid community cases is impacting both staff and student absences. The increase in the number of staff having to isolate has meant that we will be unable to run classes at all year levels. As a result, Year 10 students are requested to work from home using Google Classroom for online learning from Thursday, 10 March until Monday, 14 March. They will be able to return to school on Tuesday, 15 March unless there are unforeseen circumstances stopping this.
It can be difficult keeping up to date with Covid requirements particularly concerning the length of period of isolation and who needs to isolate at home. Parents have contacted the school regarding their child(ren) returning to school prior to the end of their 10-day isolation period. This is not possible. To minimise the risk to all staff and students, we ask all parents/caregivers to follow the Ministry of Health isolation requirements.
There is also some confusion about whether children in shared custody arrangements need to isolate. The Ministry of Health specifies the following.
If you live with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 (a case), then you are likely to hear from them that you are a Household Contact*.
*The case normally shares a residence with the contacts (permanent or part time, e.g. shared custody) and the contact has spent at least one night or day (more than 8 hours) in that residence while the case was infectious.
So, if a student has been in a household where someone is Covid positive, they must isolate for 10 days even if they move to another household with no positive cases.
Clarification from the Ministry website is on this link Ministry of Health COVID-19 The information was last updated on 4 March. I have also included below two diagrams that set out the requirements as well as summary information.
If you are considered a Household Contact, you must follow these steps (whether you are vaccinated against COVID-19 or not):
Isolating whether as a household contact or as a positive case may impact on assessments particularly for senior students. We are mindful of this and ask students to contact their teachers in the first instance.
Teachers will be able to discuss alternatives with regard to how the assessment can be undertaken and submitted e.g. online or possible deferment of the due date.
We know this is not ideal, but we will try to be flexible to meet individual circumstances.
The continuing rise in Covid community cases is impacting both staff and student absences. The increase in the number of staff having to isolate has meant that we will be unable to run classes at all year levels. As a result, Year 11 students are requested to work from home using Google Classroom for online learning from Monday, 7 March until Wednesday, 9 March. They will be able to return to school on Thursday, 10 March unless there are unforeseen circumstances stopping this.
Year 11 students are still able to attend school for any co-curricular activities e.g. music & sports practices and games as well as any school trips they may be involved with. Students who have yet to have their individual ID photo taken are requested to come to the Hall period one on Monday to have it taken. Otherwise students should be working from home.
If it is not possible for students to work from home on the days outlined above, they can undertake supervised online learning at school. They are required to attend in school uniform and report to the Hall at the start of the day to be directed to their study room.
Dear Year 13 Parent/Caregiver/Student
The continuing rise in Covid community cases is impacting both staff and student absences. The increase in the number of staff having to isolate has meant that we will be unable to run classes at all year levels. As a result, Year 13 students are requested to work from home using Google Classroom for online learning from tomorrow, Wednesday, 2 March until Friday, 4 March. They will be able to return to school on Monday, 7 March unless there are unforeseen circumstances stopping this.
Year 13 students involved with the Year 9 House Activity Days this week are asked to come to school on their particular House’s day as planned to support the activities.
Kia ora koutou Parents and Caregivers
New Zealand’s COVID-19 response continues amid much larger numbers of daily cases.
You may well have seen the headlines in the media about the numbers of cases being seen in schools. Please don’t be alarmed by this. It is only natural as cases in our community increase, they will appear in our school. We have really good systems in place to respond to this and to keep any spread of the virus – should it appear – to a minimum.
You may have seen Dr Jin Russell in the media noting research from New South Wales about their recent Omicron outbreak showing that spread within the school setting is very low (less than 4% of cases at school infected someone else when at school). We have seen that in New Zealand too.
This is why we remain open at Red. It’s great for a child’s wellbeing and learning to be at school with their friends and school staff, and we have very good systems in place to keep everyone as safe as possible.
Your job remains the same, too: please continue to keep a really close watch of your whānau for anyone with symptoms. If unwell, please stay at home and get advice about getting a COVID-19 test.
With Phase 3 of the Omicron response, the key change is that it is only confirmed cases and their household contacts who need to self-isolate. Everyone else, including those who may have had close contact with the case but aren’t in the household, must continue to monitor really closely for any symptoms of COVID-19. Below is a diagram explaining actions to take if you or your child has been in contact with someone with Covid-19.
Rapid antigen tests (RATs) are now being used to diagnose COVID-19 as well as PCR tests. This means that you will get an almost immediate test result back if a RAT is used.
If anyone in your family is confirmed as having COVID-19, you will be asked to notify your close contacts yourself. Please get in touch with us as soon as you can if your child has tested positive for COVID-19.
Transmission of COVID-19 is still most likely to happen in your home – so please keep doing all those good things to keep your whānau safe. Wash your hands, get lots of fresh air, cover any coughs and sneezes, clean surfaces regularly, and seek advice if anyone is not feeling well. And please wear a mask when you are out and about. There is information online to help your family prepare to isolate if you need to.
The most important advice we can give to keep your whānau safe is to act as if you have COVID-19. More than a third of people who have COVID-19 will not have any symptoms if they have had three doses of the vaccine. Please think about who you visit and what health measures you can put in place to keep everyone as safe as possible.
Getting three doses of the vaccine will really help you to do that. Research has shown that compared with being unvaccinated, three doses of the vaccine will mean you are 67% less likely to be infected with Omicron and 97% less likely to get Delta. If you can’t get COVID, you can’t pass it on.
Finally, we know how hard the impacts on COVID-19 have been for many families in New Zealand. If you know of a family in your community who is struggling, please encourage them to reach out for support for example to access food, medicine, or access financial support: Help is available – COVID-19 Health Hub.
If you have any concerns about sending your child to school, please do get in touch with your child’s Dean in the first instance. We are here to help.
Aku mihi
Kia ora Parents and Caregivers,
At present, the impact of the Omicron virus on the college is not as great as some other schools. We are able to run classes as usual and post work on Google classroom for those students away.
However, this situation may change and the school would revert to online learning for students asked to be at home and also those remaining at school.
Some of the decisions we will have to make will depend on circumstances and may be at short notice. Changes will be emailed to those affected.
Information on how learning will be organised and the support available if we move to a hybrid model of learning may be downloaded here.
Thank you for your understanding.
Welcome back to Glendowie College. I hope it was a relaxing summer break. I know that Government’s decision to return to the red traffic light status and the presence of Omicron has brought a range of responses concerning students starting a new year. Some are very excited to be starting a new school and others are anxious.
Omicron and Testing
We have all seen the very large numbers of cases overseas and we will very likely see much larger numbers of cases in Aotearoa than we have previously experienced in the last two years. While Omicron is more transmissible than previous strains, most people who get COVID-19 will have a mild to moderate illness and will fully recover in their own home.
However, some of our community who are immune compromised, are ill or have other vulnerabilities, even when they are fully vaccinated, could be more affected by Omicron. So, we all need to continue to play our part to minimise the spread of the virus.I have listed below the health and safety measures we will have in place to ease some concerns you may have.
Return to School Plan
Year 9 students start school on Wednesday 2 February at 8.45am. They will be directed to the field where they will assemble in Houses to be informed of their form class. Students are to wear a mask and socially distance from other students. Parents are requested not to come onto the school site. The Orientation Day is designed to support the students’ transition into college. A peer support programme led by Year 12 and 13 students will take place which will include a virtual pōwhiri welcome, school Covid requirements, a school tour and various activities to help familiarise students with the college and their form class. We are conscious of the health and safety requirements while conducting these activities.
Year 10 - 13 students will return to school on Thursday 3 February at 8.45am. They are to go to their form class. Students are expected to wear a mask and socially distance from other students. The day will begin with an extended form period in which the students will be welcomed back, and Health and Safety measures outlined. For most students their form class and teacher will be the same as last year, but students can check on the portal from Wednesday 2 February.
Please click here for the updated ‘Start of Year Arrangements for 2022’.
Safety Measures
We have prepared the school for students by disinfecting all of the classrooms and having hand sanitiser available in every room. All staff are double vaccinated and are encouraged to get the booster when eligible. We have also increased the daily cleaning regime. All students must wear a mask indoors at all times. Any food consumption must take place outside for safety reasons. Students may take their masks off outside, but our recommendation is that they stay on. Public health advice is that an appropriate face covering will fit snugly and seal well around facial contours. This can include single use, disposable masks (medical masks) and re-usable fabric masks with three layers. Adequate ventilation has been identified as a way of minimising risk. Windows and doors will be kept open where possible to aid air flow. Students are advised to bring a school jumper or jacket if it is a cooler day.
Events and Activities
Large gatherings especially when indoors continue to be one of the riskier activities we can undertake. We have therefore reviewed all our events and activities for the upcoming term to ensure we meet the health guidance for Red.
Hygiene Practices
Physical Distancing Guidelines for Schools
Sharing Equipment
Food
Visitors
Student Support
The counsellors in the Guidance Department are available to support students. Students can make a booking in the usual manner. Deans are also available for more general advice related to all aspects of school life.
Extracurricular Activities
All extra-curricular activities remain on hold until College Sport determine what activities can be undertaken.
Managing Cases in Our School
We have a good contact tracing system in place, so that if there is a confirmed case who has been at school while infectious, we can quickly identify who was a close contact of that person. We will then quickly advise those contacts of what they need to do. Parents/caregivers will be notified.Only if the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Education advises to do so, would we consider closing a physical onsite school and moving to distance learning for everyone. At Red, we will keep everyone learning onsite for as long as we can.
Please make sure your contact details we have on file are up to date, so we can get in touch with you if needed.
We look forward to seeing our students return to school. We are taking all necessary measures to minimise any health risks. If your child is not vaccinated, this is strongly recommended.
Kia ora Year 9 & 10 parents and caregivers I hope this letter finds you and your family well.
Thank you for supporting the learning of your children through remote lessons. I understand this may have been a stressful time, particularly for those who find learning from home a challenge. Learning face-to face is the best option for students. It’s important for them to connect with their friends and teachers and helps their social, physical and emotional wellbeing. Conversations I have had with senior students have reinforced this view. I know the Government’s decision to return students to school has brought a range of responses. Some are very excited to be returning to school and others are anxious. However, the expectation is that all Year 9 & 10 students are at school. Students at home will not have the same amount of teacher support as with online learning. There may be some schoolwork posted on Google Classroom but the teachers’ priority is those students at school. If a student is absent through illness or injury please contact the Attendance Officer as per usual.
I have listed below the health and safety measures we will have in place to make it safer for students to return. Return to School PlanYear 9 &10 students will return to normal classes on Wednesday, 17 November by 9.45am (normal Wednesday late start). They are to go to their form class wearing a mask and socially distance from other students. The day will begin with an extended form period in which the students will be welcomed back and Health and Safety measures outlined. The rest of the day will have usual Day 3 classes from interval onwards. Safety measuresWe have prepared the school for students by disinfecting all of the classrooms and having hand sanitiser available in every room. All staff have had a negative Covid test and must be vaccinated before coming on campus and we know our community has a high rate of vaccination. We have also increased the daily cleaning regime. We also believe the reduced number of students on campus will help with social distancing as Year 12 and 13 students will be on NCEA study leave.
All students must wear a mask at all times unless eating and drinking. Any food consumption must take place outside for safety reasons.
Adequate ventilation has been identified as a way of minimising risk. Windows and doors will be kept open where possible to aid air flow. Students are advised to bring a school jumper or jacket if the weather looks cold. Here are some further details about school operations under Level 3: Hygiene practices · Any student or staff must stay at home if they are sick, and we will send anyone home immediately if they show any flu-like symptoms · Students will have hand sanitiser available in all classes · Masks must be worn on campus and on buses to and from school · Children at higher risk of severe illness are to remain at home. Physical distancing guidelines for schools · Students must not touch each other or be close enough to breathe on one another · At least 1m distance is recommended · Schools are exempt from bubble and mass gathering rules but we will not be holding any large gathering events such as assemblies or prizegivings. Sharing equipment · Students cannot share personal stationery · School equipment used by students will be sanitised regularly.
Food · The tuck shop will be open. Students must social distance when queuing. · Drinking fountains are closed so students must bring a drink bottle. It may be refilled from the tap below the fountain in the Quad. Visitors · Only visitors and contractors with an appointment are allowed on site. Student support The counsellors in the Guidance Department are available to support students. Students can make a booking in the usual manner. Deans are also available for more general advice related to all aspects of school life. Extracurricular Activities All extra-curricular activities remain on hold.
Important DatesThere have been some changes to the dates calendared for the rest of the year. The NCEA Change Process Teacher Only Day scheduled for Thursday, 25 November has been shifted to Friday, 26 November.
The final day for Year 9 and 10 students has also been changed due to it not being possible to run Junior Prizegiving. The final day will now be Friday, 10 December. We look forward to seeing our Year 9 and 10 students back in class on Wednesday. Getting used to school routines now will make the return in 2022 easier. We are taking all necessary measures to minimise any health risks. If your child is not vaccinated this is strongly recommended.
Ngā mihi nuiGordon Robertson (Principal)
Kia ora Year 12 & 13 Parents and Caregivers Thank you for supporting the learning of your children through remote lessons and the recent assessment week. I understand this may have been a stressful time, particularly for those who find learning from home a challenge. I know that Government’s decision to return seniors to school has brought a range of responses. Some are very excited to be returning to school and others are anxious. Having some students at school for the assessments may have made the transition back on campus easier. The expectation is that all Year 12 & 13 students are at school. Students at home will not have the same amount of teacher support as with online learning. There may be some schoolwork posted on Google Classroom but the teachers’ priority is those students at school. If a student is absent through illness or injury please contact the relevant Dean.
I have listed below the health and safety measures we will have in place to make it safer for students to return. Return to School PlanYear 12 &13 students will return to normal classes on Tuesday, 2 November by 8.45am. They are to go to their form class wearing a mask and socially distance from other students. The day will begin with an extended form period in which the students will be welcomed back and Health and Safety measures outlined. The rest of the day will follow normal Day 4. Safety MeasuresWe have prepared the school for students by disinfecting all of the classrooms and having hand sanitiser available in every room. All staff must have a negative Covid test before coming on campus and we know our community has a high rate of vaccination. We have also increased the daily cleaning regime. We also believe the reduced number of students on campus will help with social distancing.
Adequate ventilation has been identified as a way of minimising risk. Windows and doors will be kept open where possible to aid air flow. Students are advised to bring a school jumper or jacket. Here are some further details about school operations under Level 3: Hygiene Practices · Any student or staff must stay at home if they are sick, and we will send anyone home immediately if they show any flu-like symptoms · Students will have hand sanitiser available in all classes · Masks must be worn on campus and on buses to and from school · Children at higher risk of severe illness are to remain at home. Physical Distancing Guidelines for Schools · Students must not touch each other or be close enough to breathe on one another · At least 1m distance is recommended · Schools are exempt from bubble and mass gathering rules. Sharing Equipment · Students cannot share personal stationery · School equipment used by students will be sanitised regularly.
Food · The tuck shop will be open. Students must social distance when queuing. · Drinking fountains are closed so students must bring a drink bottle. It may be refilled from the tap below the fountain in the Quad. Visitors · Only visitors and contractors with an appointment are allowed on site. Student Support The counsellors in the Guidance Department are available to support students. Students can make a booking in the usual manner. Deans are also available for more general advice related to all aspects of school life. Extracurricular Activities All extra-curricular activities remain on hold. We look forward to seeing our Year 12 and 13 students back in class on Tuesday. There is only limited time before the NCEA exams begin so want to use the time effectively to prepare the students. We are taking all necessary measures to minimise any health risks. If your child is not vaccinated this is strongly recommended.
Kia ora Year 11 Parents and Caregivers Thank you for supporting the learning of your children through remote lessons. I understand this may have been a stressful time, particularly for those who find learning from home a challenge. I know that Wednesday’s decision to return seniors to school has brought a range of responses. Some are very excited to be returning to school and others are anxious. We are looking forward to having students back on campus. I have listed below the health and safety measures we will have in place to make it safer for students to return. Return to School PlanYear 11 students will return to school on Tuesday, 26 October by 8.45am. Year 11 students are to go to their form class wearing a mask and remain 2m apart from other students. The day will begin with an extended form period in which the students will be welcomed back and Health and Safety measures outlined. The rest of the day will follow normal Day 5.
Year 11 students taking NCEA Level 2 subjects will also receive another communication about the assessment organisation. There may be times when students will be in study rooms rather than timetabled classes. Safety MeasuresWe are preparing the school for students by disinfecting all of the classrooms and having hand sanitiser available in every room. All staff must have a negative Covid test before coming on campus and we know our community has a high rate of vaccination. We have also increased the daily cleaning regime. We also believe the reduced number of students on campus will help with social distancing.
Adequate ventilation has been identified as a way of minimising risk. Windows and doors will be kept open where possible to aid air flow. Students are advised to bring a school jumper or jacket. Here are some further details about school operations under Level 3: Hygiene Practices · Any student or staff must stay at home if they are sick, and we will send anyone home immediately if they show any flu-like symptoms · Students will have hand sanitiser available in all classes · Masks must be worn on campus and on buses to and from school · Children at higher risk of severe illness are to remain at home. Physical Distancing Guidelines for Schools · Students must not touch each other or be close enough to breathe on one another · A 1m distance is recommended · Schools are exempt from bubble and mass gathering rules. Sharing Equipment · Students cannot share personal stationery · School equipment used by students will be sanitised regularly.
Food · The tuck shop is closed · Drinking fountains are closed so students must bring a drink bottle. It may be refilled from the tap below the fountain in the Quad. Visitors · Only visitors and contractors with an appointment are allowed on site. Student Support The counsellors in the Guidance Department are available to support students. Students can make a booking in the usual manner. Deans are also available for more general advice related to all aspects of school life. Extracurricular Activities All extra-curricular activities remain on hold. We look forward to seeing our Year 11 students on Tuesday. We are taking all necessary measures to minimise any health risks. If your child is not vaccinated this is strongly recommended.
Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students
The latest government announcement that students in Year 11-13 will return to school from Tuesday, 26 October in Auckland, has come as a surprise.
The Senior Leadership Team met this afternoon and below is a summary of the intended plan for the return of Year 11, 12 and 13 students next week. While this is not complete, the purpose is to give some clarity particularly for Year 12 and 13 students undertaking assessments.
As stated above further information will be forthcoming as we have yet to receive advice from the Ministry. Normal school rules will apply to all students attending school and all students are required to be in correct school uniform. They may wish to bring a jersey or jacket because of the emphasis on adequate ventilation.
The Government has given a clear indication that senior students need to be back at school and preparing for the NCEA exams. Like you, we want our students to be as well prepared as possible and to be safe in their return to school. If your child has not been vaccinated can you please make this a priority so that the risks to all the school community are minimised.
Gordon Robertson (Principal)
Kia ora,
The Government has kept with their cautious approach when responding to COVID-19, and as a result, we will stay at Alert Level 3 for a bit longer.
This means that we will be continuing with online learning using the same structure as last term.
On-line Learning
Year 12 and 13 Exams
The delay and uncertainty in returning to school this term has impacted on the planned Year 12 and 13 exams scheduled for Friday, 22 October to Friday, 29 October. These will no longer take place. However, as these exams were being used in some subjects / standards for derived grade purposes in case the NCEA external exams can not take place there will be assessments for those specific standards / subjects. Subject teachers will inform the classes affected early next week of the nature of the assessment. In the meantime, Year 12 and 13 students should continue studying in the expectation that the external NCEA exams will take place as scheduled.
This uncertainty can be stressful especially when academic qualifications are involved. Be assured staff are working hard to ensure students will not be disadvantaged. As this is an Auckland-wide problem NZQA are engaged in finding a workable solution.
Students at School in Level 3
At full Alert Level 3 you legally must stay within your household bubble unless for essential personal movement, including going to work and going to school. We are therefore open once more on Monday for only the small number of children who need to attend. All our usual safety precautions for Alert Level 3 will be in place which include all the recommendations from the public health experts.
While we know how difficult it is trying to work from home as well as support your child’s learning, please keep your child at home if there is an appropriate carer available or if your child is unwell. For those of you with no other option, we will look forward to seeing your child at school.
Please note that face coverings are now required to be worn on school transport for students in years 9 – 13 in addition to being worn when at school.
Vaccination Requirements
Our staff on-site will have been tested for COVID-19 before they get back to work and we are moving toward having 100 percent of our staff vaccinated – so we are all playing our part in keeping our community safe.
It is now legally required that we hold a COVID-19 vaccination register for all eligible students and staff.
If we were to have a case of COVID-19 in our school, public health authorities will want to know if we are a school with a high vaccination rate. This information will then be used as part of the local health authority’s risk assessment. The more highly vaccinated we are (staff and eligible students), the less likely it will be that we will have to close down for a long period of time, or we might not need to close at all.
We will therefore need to know if your child has had their first or second vaccine dose or is exempted from being vaccinated. This information will be held by us in accordance with the Privacy Act and will only be shared with public health authorities.
We are therefore getting our data collection system in place and will get in touch with you again very soon.
Please continue to follow all the alert level requirements including staying at home and getting tested for COVID-19 if you are feeling unwell, and for your own sake and for the health of your whānau, please get vaccinated. I have included some information about vaccinations to support decision making.
Thank you for your consideration and support. We have the same goal which is to educate our children while keeping them safe.
Ngā mihi,
Tips for students transitioning back to school after lockdown may be downloaded here.
We have heard that many parents and whānau are feeling anxious about their children’s behaviour and routine changes through alert level changes and extended alert level restrictions.
The quick move to Alert Level 4, high volumes of testing for COVID in the community, extensive wastewater testing, huge numbers of New Zealanders being vaccinated (more than 2.8 million people have now received their first dose) and an amazing response by Aucklanders to follow the rules at Alert level 4, has given Government confidence that we might move to Alert Level 3 on Wednesday. Until then, we remain at Alert Level 4.
When we do move to Alert Level 3, you legally must stay within your household bubble unless for essential personal movement, including going to work and going to school.
All going well, we will be open on Wednesday, for only the small number of children who need to attend. As you imagine, it will not be school as we know it under Alert Level 2 or 1. All our usual safety precautions for Alert Level 3 will be in place which include following all the recommendations from the public health experts.
This means we will regularly clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces, encourage everyone to frequently wash their hands and cover their coughs and sneezes, and keep everyone physically distanced from others as much as possible (one metre inside and two metres outside). We will also keep school bubbles to no more than 10 students. These bubbles will not mix with other bubbles.
Our contact tracing systems will be in place, which includes our attendance register and visitor register, and we will be limiting staff onsite with the majority of our team working from home. You can also assist everyone’s safety by keeping your child at home if they are feeling unwell and please do contact your GP or Healthline, to seek advice about getting tested.
We will continue to support all children who remain learning from home, through our distance learning programme.
While we know how difficult it is trying to work from home as well as support your child’s learning, please keep your child at home if there is an appropriate carer available. For those of you with no other option, we will look forward to seeing your child at school.
We should be proud of how we have responded to this outbreak, but the mahi isn’t yet done. As you have been doing, please continue to follow all the alert level requirements at Alert Level 4 and stay at home. It is the best tool we have to keep our whānau and community safe.
Because being in COVID-19 lockdown has affected learning and assessment, changes have been made to NCEA, NZ Scholarship and University Entrance. These changes help give students a fair opportunity to gain the qualification they are aiming for.
These changes affect all schools that are in Alert Level 3 or 4 for a total of<
