#15 Lockdown Notice
3 September 2021 - Learning at home in L3
Dear Parents, Whānau and Caregivers
As we complete two full weeks of learning at home I'd like to congratulate everyone for their grit and wonder! It's been a steep learning curve all over again for staff, parents and students, but I'm really proud of the way everyone is being positive, flexible, adventurous and most of all KIND!
Staff are having online hui 3-4 times per week with each other and we're just the same as all the parents working at home, with pets, toddlers and teenagers making surprise appearances from time to time! We really appreciate your feedback and support, keep sending your messages!
At Alert Level 3, everyone must stay within their household bubble unless for essential personal movement, including going to work or school. As the Prime Minister noted last week, schools are essentially closed at Alert Level 3 with the exception of those few children whose parents and care-givers must go to work at Alert Level 3, and there is no appropriate caregiver at home.
Like so many other schools Paparangi opened on Wednesday, with the shift to L3, for a small number of children who need to attend. We are operating one bubble with two staff on a roster to provide supervision. A bubble may have no more than ten students and a bubble may not mix with other bubbles.
Children may not attend bubble school without prior arrangement. Please notify the Principal if your child requires supervision at school under Alert Level 3 as we require enough time to organise the extra staff to operate another bubble. We have limited staff who can work at school in L3.
We continue to support the majority of our tamariki who are learning from home, through our learning at home programmes. While we know it is difficult 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.
What are our plans?
Learning at Home
Learning at Home carries on next week! Teachers are in contact by email and daily online hui. Remember do as much or as little as you can - whatever is right for your family situation. There are lots of ideas that don't require a device.
Go to the Paparangi website for the Learning at Home guidelines. There's information on
- learning at home
- roles and responsibilities
- contact details of staff
- digital safety
- alert level descriptions
- and Mrs Fui singing Anei Ra!
Talking to young children about Covid19
Have you read Super Felix by Phoebe Morris? Created by award-winning illustrator Phoebe Morris and translated by volunteers around the world, ‘Super Felix’ is a self-published storybook designed to help kids everywhere make sense of COVID-19 and talk about it with their parents, peers, and teachers. Follow Felix as he overcomes his fear of the virus, and learns what superpowers he has to help everyone stay safe. Go to Phoebe's website to read the story in many languages - https://phoebemorriscreative.com/superfelix .
Super Felix is FREE to download as a PDF or EBook. Fiction, ages 4-8. Available in Te Reo, English, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Spanish and many others.
Managing screen time - Netsafe can help!
The experts at Netsafe know many parents worry about the amount of time their kids spend online. With many ways of connecting, learning and being entertained not all screen time is created equally. Netsafe has put some advice together to help you work out what’s right for you and your family. Learn more here - https://www.netsafe.org.nz/screen-time/
Conservation Week
Te Wiki Tiaki Ao Tūroa/ Conservation Week | 4-12 September 2021
That's right folks, conservation week starts tomorrow so we will be at home. So it's a great opportunity to take a moment to celebrate and enjoy nature from your back door step! The lovely Department of Conservation team have put together loads of activities that you can do from the comfort of your own home, or at least nearby such as
- making patterns with fallen leaves
- writing a nature poem
- mapping your backyard
- drawing a tree in detail
- mindfulness outdoors
- planting a seed
- noticing what is around you can be a fun way to get outside and appreciate your home.
Dance Splash for Y4-6 students
It has been confirmed that Dance Splash will be postponed until October/November. The organisers are hunting for a suitable replacement date. For safety of participants and audience, we need to be in Level 1 for such a big gathering to go ahead.
This means that any payments made so far can still be used for the new date if you are able to make it. We are happy to provide refunds to those who have paid but are unable to make the new date. We will let you know as soon as we hear when this will be.
A notice and new permission slip will be sent out with the new date on it too, so please hold tight sending slips or payment for now. As Dance Splash is still going ahead, we encourage tamariki to rehearse the parts of the performance they know, while at home. The music is on the Rākau Nui links google classroom. Contact Loreece Vesty if you have any questions at lvesty@paparangi.school.nz.
General Information
Have a good weekend Paparangi! As you have been doing, please continue to follow the alert level 3 requirements and stay at home. Staying home is the best tool we have to keep our community safe.
I'll be in touch again early next week after the government's next announcement about Alert Levels. If there is anything we can do to help, please do get in touch as we are not alone in wanting to offer help. New resources are being added to the Covid19 official website all the time - see the links below, and here are some good starting points if it's time to reach out to someone:
Resources:
www.allright.org.nz
www.youthline.co.nz
www.whatsup.co.nz
www.thelowdown.co.nz
Telephone Helplines:
Youthline 0800 376 633, free text 234, email: talk@youthline.co.nz
What's Up 0800 942 8787
National Helpline 1737
Lifeline 0500 54 33 54
Ngā mihi nui, Tracey Arthurs, Principal/Tumuaki
Lockdown help and advice
Go to the Covid19 website for everything you need to know about keeping your family safe during Level 3. Information is in a range of languages, including New Zealand Sign Language and Easy Read. Go to https://covid19.govt.nz/iwi-and-communities/alternate-formats/
Contact Us
During Alert Level 3 the school phones are not manned every day and messages may not be cleared the same day. Contact the Office or Principal by email for general Covid19 information. For learning at home queries email your child's home class teacher or team leaders.
Email: office@paparangi.school.nz
Website: https://paparangi.school.nz
Location: 57-59 Beazley Avenue, Paparangi, Wellington 6037, New Zealand
Phone: +64 4-478 6617