COVID-19

Kia ora e te whānau

We are looking forward to welcoming your children back at school tomorrow. If you have not already done so, please makes sure you have read the guidelines shared with you on Thursday for returning to school.

With a huge focus on good hygiene, wellbeing and ensuring everyone is safe, school at Level 2 is not a return to normal. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.

It is certainly a great opportunity to reinforce our school value of kotahitanga – a strong focus on unity and inclusion where everyone can work together for a shared purpose.

Here is a second update on 2 areas where clarification has been sort from parents and caregivers, pick-up & QR codes.

Drop-Off & Pick-Up

• We know that there are both children and parents who will find a gate drop-off difficult, especially on the first day.
• As such we are not stopping parents from entering the school grounds but it is preferred that you stop at the gate. To help us manage risk and to limit contact tracing if ever required, less people on site will make it easier. Hence our request encouraging parents to stay off school grounds.
• However, the expectation is very clear, if you walk through our school gates you must check in and have your details recorded in our Contact Tracing Register (accessed via a QR code).
• As such we can’t have a designated pick-up or drop-off zone anywhere within the school grounds where parents don’t need to check-in.
• Some classes eg. our new entrants class, may contact you with additional pick-up and drop-off expectations. Please follow these carefully.
• Remember there are 3 entrances to the school that can be used to drop-off and pick-up your children.
  • Tyndall St Gate: The alley way is not school property so it is fine for parents to wait there.
  • Russell St Carpark Gate: The front carpark is not school property so it is fine for parents to wait there.
  • Russell St Driveway Gate: Both the pedestrian and traffic gates will be open to support physical distancing entering and leaving this area.

We are asking for everyone to be patient, work together in keeping our children as safe and recognise that school routines are not the same during Level 2.

Drop-Off & Pick-Up Advice

• Talk to your children about what school will be like in Level 2
• Discuss how drop-off and pick-up will work for your family
• Make sure your children know who is picking them up at the end of the day
• Agree on a pick-up location where you will be waiting for them, eg. on the far side of the Russell St pedestrian crossing; on the corner of Russell St and Rongopai St, etc.
• Be patient and respect other people’s space

Pre-planning, especially for the end of the day pick-up, will ensure that your child knows exactly what to do and where to find you at 3pm.

QR Code Check in & Check out

We have been using the QR code check-in/check-out system for a few days now with staff and visitors.  Here are some learnings:

• Be prepared – if you know you are coming on the grounds, make sure your phone is set up to scan QR codes
• While you can use our SchoolStream app to access the form, the app does not always set the date and time automatically
• The most reliable way is through scanning the QR code.
• Some staff have gone to the form, https://russellstreet.myschoolstream.net/rss-check-in-check-out/ and then booked marked it or added a shortcut to their home screen. This has made checking in & out quick and easy.

School iPads Borrowed during Level 3 & 4

Please send these back to school on Monday with the charging cord.

Ngā mihi

Nick

Kia ora e te whānau

There has been a real energy at school today as staff are busy preparing our site for Monday. Most teachers will be in again tomorrow preparing and as such their ability to post remote learning will be limited. They will communicate with you via Seesaw about what is likely to be posted online if anything.

I appreciate you making the time to read through the following guidelines for students and parents returning to school next week. It is a long list but it is vitally important that you understand what is going on. If you are able to it would also be greatly appreciated if you could sit with your child and explain what the expectations are.

Overarching Level 2 Priorities

• Ensure people with COVID-19 symptoms or feel generally unwell stay away from school
• Maintain physical distancing (in schools this means children and staff maintaining a physical distance so that they are not breathing on or touching each other)
• Enable good hygiene practices
• Keep track of people that enter your school

Our School Priorities

• All of the above, and;
• Wellbeing of students and staff.

Arrival at school

• On Monday May 18, students should arrive at school between 8:40-8:55am. We do not want children wandering around the grounds without first being taken through the Level 2 health and safety expectations. This will take place in classes through out the day.
• From Tuesday May 19, students can enter the school grounds from 8:30am. Please do not drop your child off earlier. If you need before school care, Kelly Club can look after your children. Please contact them directly.
• All school gates will be open to use.
• School ends as usual at 3pm.
• There are no staggered start and end times to the school day.

Parents on site

• Parents are encouraged to stay off school grounds at all times.
• Parents entering grounds must check in and then check out using the provided QR code link found at each gate entrance and around the school. This is not optional, it is a Contact Tracing requirement under Level 2 (more info on QR codes below).
• If entering the grounds, parents should avoid entering classrooms. Please email teachers to arrange any required meetings.
• Parents should observe physical distancing of 2 metres from people they don’t know, both in and out of the school grounds.

Where you can go or not go around school

• As above, we would prefer that parents remain off site (and remain outside buildings if on site).
• The school office is open however we strongly encourage you to phone (3586671) or email (office@russellst.school.nz) rather than turn up in person.
• No children are allowed in the admin foyer/office/staffroom areas.
• Students (and parents) should not use the main office doors as an entry point to school. Please go directly to external classroom doors.

Keeping safe

• Good hygiene practices are vital and will be followed and reinforced over and over again.
• Anyone who is sick will not be allowed at school and will be sent home immediately if they turn up.
• Physical distancing will be in place so that staff and students are not breathing on or touching each other. Our general guide is – if you can smell the person’s breath or feel that you are in their “moist breath” zone, we will move a little further away.
• Hand washing after toilet, before eating, before morning tea/lunch play, after morning tea/lunch play, before & after using any shared equipment… in other words, everyone at school will be washing their hands a lot!
• All other good practice such avoiding touching eyes, mouth, nose etc, coughing/sneezing into elbow, using and disposing tissues appropriately will be followed and reinforced over and over again.
• Daily routines will also include all hard surfaces (desks, door handles, switches, devices etc.) in learning spaces being cleaned and disinfected at least twice during the school day, followed by a full school clean after school by our contractors.
• Drinking fountains are not switched on so named drink bottles are required for all children.

QR Code Check-In & Check-Out

• QR codes are a quick and easy way to get info and a set of instructions into your phone.
• It also avoids sharing pens and clipboards and having to sanitise when using paper and pen each time someone signs in.
• Scanning our check in/out QR code will take you directly to a simple online form for you to complete entering and leaving our school.
• Many phones can scan a QR code by using the camera app and clicking the pop-up link.
• Or… you can download a dedicated QR reader app
• Or… if you have Google Chrome app on your phone, open it and click in the search bar at the top and a QR code scanner icon appears above your keyboard.
• Or…. the form is also in our School Stream app in the Forms category
• Or… you can bookmark this web page https://russellstreet.myschoolstream.net/rss-check-in-check-out/ and just go directly to the form when you come in and out of school
• Remember, if you come on site check in is compulsory not optional.

We are still developing our approach for those learners who are not returning to school in Level 2. We will communicate this with you as soon as it is confirmed.

There is a lot to take in here and no doubt I have forgotten something! Rest assured I will communicate anything further with you before Monday.

Ngā mihi, Nick

Update: May 12 #8

Kia ora e te whānau

Here is an update regarding yesterday’s announcement on the shift to Level 2.

The most important being of course that we look forward to welcoming all students back to school from Monday May 18. To assist with our planning for next week, please complete the form below to signal if your children will be attending school during Level 2 or not. At this stage we are expecting everyone here next week.

Right now we are refining our Level 2 Safety Plan to ensure all of the health and safety requirements are in place for Monday. We have yet to receive full guidance from the Ministry regarding this.

Rest assured we will communicate all necessary information to you as soon as it is finalised. It is likely that;

• Parents and caregivers stay away if sick or feeling sick – no exceptions!
• Parents and caregivers enter the school grounds only if absolutely necessary
• If parents and caregivers do come on site they will need to sign-in/check-in and avoid entering classroom spaces
• All parents and caregivers entering the school grounds will model good hygiene practices

We will also be continuing with other practices that were already in place pre-lock down including;

• Students staying away if sick or feeling sick – no exceptions!
• Expectation of good personal hygiene at all times (washing hands after toilet, washing hands before eating, washing hands before morning tea/lunch play, washing hands after morning tea/lunch play, avoid touching eyes, mouth, nose etc, coughing/sneezing into elbow)
• No assemblies or team meetings etc
• Drinking fountains off so named drink bottles required
• Hand sanitiser and hand washing facilities in all classrooms
• Regular disinfecting/sanitising of hard surfaces and shared equipment

Thanks for your continued cooperation!

Ngā mihi nui, Nick

Please complete the form below as soon as possible. (NB available in our SchoolStream app)

Kia ora e te whānau

The purpose of this update is to clarify the processes and systems for continuing learning at home.

Here is a time frame so you are aware of what we are doing and when:

• Tuesday & Wednesday March 24 & 25: Teachers are at school supervising the children of essential workers and finalising plans for setting up remote learning in Seesaw.
• Thursday & Friday March 26 & 27: Teachers will share one or two simple learning activities for children to complete in Seesaw. This is to test the approach and address any issues that may arise and to build familiarity of supporting this as you are able with your children. It also gives you the opportunity to sort any technical issues at your end.
• Monday March 30 – Tuesday April 14: School Holidays including Easter
• Wednesday April 15: Remote Learning commences via Seesaw.

Each teacher has prepared a slide to give you a heads up of what the remote learning will look like for their class. The slides also outline the apps that we use and links to some suggested web sites. We require you to download the Seesaw Class app. This is to prepare you for learning at home before the actual learning is shared via Seesaw.

What about devices and Wi-Fi?

• We have a limited amount of devices that we can lend out to families. If you need a device please email troy@russellst.school.nz before 12pm Wednesday March 25. Decisions will be made on a case by case scenario and parents will need to sign an agreement accepting liability for the device.
• If you have no wi-fi, please contact your child’s teacher, or phone the school office before 12pm Wednesday and together you can try and work out how this can work.

What else do you need to know about learning from home? Here is a guide for you.

1. Teacher’s will put their and their family’s health first! Arrangements will be made for the learning to be communicated by another teacher if the teacher has a higher priority.
2. We will use only one consistent platform (Seesaw) for communicating learning expectations and sharing learning activities.
3. Teachers will only use other apps and online sites that your children have used before in class. We will not be introducing new apps and sites with your learners.
4. Teachers will provide learning that is familiar e.g. a follow-up or extension of the current class and/or personal goals of your children. They will not be introducing new concepts.
5. Learning will come from across the curriculum – this is not just about numeracy and literacy.
6. Learning will up online by 10am at the latest each day (unless the learning/project is to be continued over several days
7. Teachers will not be available all day! They will monitor, respond to and approve student learning as it is posted back to Seesaw, 2 to 3 times a day.
8. Classroom teachers are only to communicate learning with you.
9. School leadership will communicate updates on school closure/opening and all other relevant information.

Digital Citizenship

Working online provides a great opportunity for everyone to practice being a great digital citizen! The characteristics of a successful digital citizen closely align to our school’s values and are driven by our vision of Empowering Agency, Innovation and Leadership.

We think a good digital citizen is someone who;

• is a confident and capable user of ICT
• will use ICT for learning as well as other activities
• will think carefully about whether the information they see online is true
• will be able to speak the language of digital technologies
• understands that they may experience problems when using technology but can deal with them
• will always use ICT to communicate with others in positive ways
• will be honest and fair in all of their actions using ICT
• will always respect people’s privacy and freedom of speech online
• will help others to become a better digital citizens.

We appreciate your support in modelling and supporting these characteristics with your children.

Further to the notice sent out late this afternoon here are some further updates from the Ministry of Education relating to school closure.

Clarification of whether your work is viewed as an essential service can be found here: https://covid19.govt.nz/government-actions/covid-19-alert-system/

If you need to have your child cared for by someone else you will need to identify that person or people as part of your self-isolated group. This will need to be done by midnight Wednesday and the group must remain the same for the whole 4 week period. The caregiver’s own group (eg, their partner and children), your child and your own group (eg, your parents and other children) become one group. This group needs to be limited to minimise any risk of spread and should be no more than 20 people.

Your children will be looking to you for guidance about this decision. Parents, caregivers, whānau and teachers will have a particularly important part to play in reassuring children at this time. If you haven’t already done so, you may wish to read the information put together by the Ministry of Education to support your conversations with your children – Talking to children about COVID-19

School holidays are being brought forward so that they are completed within the 4 week period. Holidays will now begin from Monday 30 March to Tuesday 14 April inclusive. At the end of the school holidays, schools will be open for distance learning but not physically open for staff to work at the schools. Please note the instruction to stay home (Alert Level 4) will continue beyond the new school holiday period but schools will be technically open for distance instruction. Teachers will be working offsite.

As noted by the Prime Minister these restrictions are our best chance to slow the virus in New Zealand and to save lives. We all have a clear role here to slow the spread of COVID-19.

We will continue to communicate with you over the coming days. Tomorrow morning we will communicate with you the process for continuing learning from home.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our school staff and school community.

As you are all aware the Prime Minister announced today that schools will be closed from tomorrow.

Here is what you need to know:

• For situations where both parents work in essential services areas*, we will cater for your children for Tuesday and Wednesday.
• For all other children, school is closed from tomorrow.
• From midnight Wednesday, school is closed for all learners.

Teachers are ready to continue learning with your children at home. Information regarding this and how to access the learning will be communicated with you tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.

*the Ministry of Education will be providing a list of what it deems as essential services areas. We will communicate this with you when it is received.