Alert Level 3 information for education, gatherings, exercise and recreation.
Please read the Alert Level 3 information below.
Stay home. If you are not at work, school, exercising or getting essentials, then you must be at home, the same as at Level 4. “The key message for you is that if you can, you should keep your child at home. You should only physically send your child to school if you need to.”
Work and learn from home if you can. We still want the vast majority of people working from home, and children and young people learning from home. At-risk students and staff should also stay at home, and they will be supported to do so. Early learning centres and schools will physically be open for up to Year 10 for families that need them.
Under Alert Level 3 it will be safe for Early Learning / Education Centres and schools to open for children up to and including year 10, with appropriate public health measures in place. All young people in years 11-13 will continue to learn at home.
In order to ensure the safety of those children and our staff who do come to school, we will be operating with strict enforcement of health and safety measures.
I want to assure you that we will continue to support your child’s learning at home. Where possible, students should remain at home connected to distance learning. Where parents or caregivers need to, they can send their children to school. Schools will be a safe place for children to go to learn if their parents need to return to work, or the children cannot learn at a distance. Children who are able to, should remain home and learn via distance.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like gloves and masks are not necessary for a school environment. Children, young people and staff who are at greater risk are encouraged to stay at home. Any child, young person or staff member who is sick should remain at home.
The School is being prepared to be ready to open after we go to Alert Level 3 on Wednesday 29 April.
All families – please complete this survey to indicate if you child/ren NEED to attend school from Wednesday 29 April or if your child/ren will not be attending school. You must complete this so we can best prepare and plan for a safe school environment. Should you wish your children to return at anytime after this date you need to notify the office with at least 2 days warning for us to prepare staffing and resources.
Examples to explain these measures
Schools will look different under Alert Level 3. There will be far fewer students on the grounds, and they will stay within their small groups. Some teachers will be teaching students at school, while others will providing distance learning.
FAQs
Is it safe for my child to go to school?
Yes, it is safe for your child to go to school. The restrictions on the numbers of children are necessary due to the need for physical distancing, transport constraints, and limited resources. The limits also help reduce the risk.
Limiting our interactions with others is our best defence against COVID-19. Under Alert Level 3 we must continue to stay in our household bubbles whenever we are not at work, school, buying the groceries or exercising.
People must stay within their immediate household bubble, but can expand this to reconnect with close family / whanau, or bring in caregivers, or support isolated people. It’s important to protect your bubble once it’s been extended. Keep your bubble exclusive and only include people where it will keep you and them safe and well. If anyone within your bubble feels unwell, they self-isolate from everyone else within your bubble.
If you were in the wrong place when the restrictions came into place, and need to get home, you can now move throughout New Zealand to do so. You can only move once, and in one direction. New Zealanders can move to or from the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau once, and in one direction.
Examples to help explain these measures
If a relative or loved one lives locally, and is currently alone you can extend your bubble to include them. If you are returning to work and need to establish child care or other care arrangements for those already in your bubble, a care provider can join your bubble.
FAQs
What is a bubble?
A bubble is your household – the people you live with. Under Alert Level 3, you can slightly extend your bubble. For example, you can bring in a caregiver you might need, or children who might be in shared care. Or, if you are living alone, or a couple who wants the company of another one or two people. These people do not need to live in the same household, but must be local. Always keep your bubble exclusive, and keep it small.
What if my bubble isn’t safe?
If the situation in your bubble is unsafe or life-threatening you can leave your bubble immediately, and seek help from a neighbour or friend. Once there you can reach out to the Police, or Woman’s Refuge. If you are in this situation or concerned for someone else, find out about the support available for family or sexual violence.
We know that exercise and recreation is an important part of staying mentally and physically healthy. However, we have to be very careful about the way we do this to avoid spreading the disease.
The most important principals here are to stay close to home, stay two metres away from people not in your bubble, and don’t do activity that could get you hurt and require medical care or rescuing (putting essential workers at risk).
You can do activities that are local, which you can do safely, and which do not involve interacting with other people, or equipment touched by other people. You should go to your nearest beach or park, not your favourite one. Staying overnight at a bach or holiday home is not permitted.
More information and details about the operation of the school will be sent home later this week.
For now, we will continue to support your child’s learning by distance while we progress our planning for what Alert Level 3 will mean for you and for our school. We will be in touch again soon with more information. As you have been doing, please keep connecting with your teachers with any questions you might have.
Kind regards
Mike
By Mike Molloy
