LEVEL 2 UPDATE
Tena koutou nga whānau,
It is great news from our government that we are able to move into Level 2 and officially welcome all children back to school on Thursday 9th September. We are looking forward to getting back to some routine and having our great school operating filled with tamariki. We thank you for your support over the past few weeks and look forward to our community beginning to come alive again.
School on Wednesday 8th September will be for the tamariki of essential workers who have been enrolled for the past 2 weeks, unfortunately, we are not able to take any further tamariki in this group.
Staff will be onsite on Wednesday making preparations to start back at school and we are looking forward to seeing our tamariki filling the classrooms and playground again.
Before & After School Care
Our before-school care and after-school care will start on Thursday 9th September. Please contact Shelley for any information.
Face coverings
Face coverings are not considered essential to maintaining health protocols within a school at Level 2 due to the close contact tracing we can provide and how often children are required to remove coverings to eat and drink. However, we know that some families may want their tamariki to wear face masks. We support the choice that each family makes regarding tamariki wearing face masks. Facemasks remain an option for individuals and a decision for individuals and their whanau. Whatever decisions, parents, students, and Teachers make, it is their own to make and needs to be respected. Where an individual chooses to use a face-covering they should apply and wear their own, and do so safely. This option applies to younger children too.
Public health advice for those under six is getting children to cough and sneeze into their elbow and wash and dry hands. The use of masks is permitted but not actively encouraged.
There will be differences of view about the use of face coverings, and it is important to show tolerance toward individual choice in this matter.
Unwell children
If your child is unwell they must stay at home. Please make sure you use HERO, the school app, or email the office if you are reporting an absence.
Access to the school site
Under Level 2 we need to limit access to the school site, as we did last time there will be someone at the entrances to the school to support tamariki to their rooms. If you do come onsite please make sure you keep your distance, scan, and stay for no longer than 15 minutes. The simplest way to make this manageable is to drop your child/ren at the front gate and let them walk into the school from there. If you visit the school during the school day you must first sign in at the school office. This is something we are all going to have to get used to doing in most public places.
Drinking fountains
At Alert Level 2 drinking fountains will be shut down. Please send your tamariki to school with a drink bottle.
Normal school term
As we return to school we will be finishing what is week 7 of a normal school term. This means there are 3 more full school weeks until the school holidays begin. As you will be aware there will be some events that we just won’t be able to do. In tomorrow’s newsletter, we will lay out some of the alterations to the rest of the Terms events. Please note, like last time, we will be taking a holistic approach to our return to school and making sure we have safe, happy environments for our tamariki to learn in.
Enjoy the last day of Level 3 and we look forward to seeing you all on Thursday.
Return of Loaned School Owned Devices.
If tamariki were loaned a school-owned Chromebook or iPad this needs to be returned to school with the charger on Thursday. Please return these devices to Mr. Murray or Mr. Turner at the school office. Thank-you.
St Mary's Staff
Ngā mihi
