Kia ora koutou We hope you have had a wonderful summer break.

Welcome to the new school year. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back onsite next week.

The recent move to the Red setting of the Covid 19 Protection Framework means we have had to adjust our previously published information for students returning next week. I have outlined the new format below. Please note that all students must be wearing masks as they arrive onsite and, as in the last two years, we ask that all drop-offs and pick-ups occur off the school grounds.

We will welcome the students next week as follows:

Tuesday 1 February – Year 9 only start at 9.00am: This is a change to the published time.

Unfortunately, we are not able to hold our Mihi Whakatau, therefore no whānau/parents on the school grounds please.

As Year 9 students arrive they will move straight to their form class group which will be signposted. These are well-spaced across our fields and separated by Divisions. Please refer to the attached map which indicates the areas students should move to:

• Students in Te Puna Tonga, South Division, meet by Tī Kouka – the cabbage trees in front of the Aurora Centre
• Students in Te Puna Raki, North Division, meet by the Ki-o-rahi Rock on the field opposite I Block
• Students in Te Puna Uru, West Division, meet on the top field

Student Support Prefects and Staff will be outside to direct students as they arrive. There will also be the puna flags and signs to help students. Year 9 students should find their form group, line up and stay with their class.

After students have assembled, met their form teacher and designated Year 13 Student Support Prefects, they will move into form rooms for their Induction and Orientation Day programme.

Tuesday 1 February – New students to Burnside High School  in Year 10, 11, 12 and 13 – 8.30am meet at the Aurora Centre

Wednesday 2 February – Year 10 start at 9.15am (This is a change to the published time)

Students start in your form room. Year 10 will receive timetables that morning and will be in classes from Period 3.

Thursday 3 February – Year 11, 12 and 13 start

All year levels (Year 9 -13) start with form time at 8.15am.

All Year 10-13 students will receive an additional email informing them of form rooms prior to the above dates.

Getting ready to return to school

The Ministry of Education has some helpful information on their Parents and Whānau website to support your tamariki to get back to school. There is also a very important reminder about how you can take care of yourself. Click on the links below for Uniform and Stationery

Uniform

Stationery Lists

Red setting at school

You will be aware that there is a health order in place which mandates mask wearing inside for everyone onsite, students and staff alike. All school students in Years 4-13 must wear a face mask. 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.

Students must arrive at class with their masks on. Failure to wear a mask will mean that the student will not be able to access in-class teaching. This health order is in place to protect everyone.

Managing cases in our school

We have a good contact tracing system in place meaning 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 advise those contacts of what they need to do.

If a student is isolating, or a positive case; please contact the school immediately to let us know.

We will only move to distance learning for everyone if the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Education advises us to do so. At Red we will keep everyone learning onsite for as long as we can.

Please make sure the contact details we have on file for you are up-to-date, so that we can contact you if needed.

Schoology

We are very well prepared with our Learning Management System, Schoology. This allows us to go to on-line learning quickly. Students should familiarise themselves quickly with Schoology. The Schoology portal also enables us to share messages with whānau. Details of how to access this will be sent through soon.

We ask that students take all learning materials, including devices, home each afternoon.

Buses – metro buses and school buses information

Timetables for all metro buses, except the orbiter, will be back to normal schedule on Monday 31st. The orbiter is on a new 15 minute frequency schedule. Face masks are now mandatory on buses for all passengers unless you are under 12

Omicron

Just as you will be doing at home, we are preparing. We want to ensure that students continue learning during any Omicron outbreak. This means that there may be changes in the coming weeks. We may need to roster year levels at school if staff and student absence is high. Decisions often have to be made quickly; so this is a timely reminder to keep yourself informed by signing in to Schoology, checking our Facebook site and the BHS Website.

While this might all feel a little overwhelming, we know that all these measures will help our children return to school, reconnect with whānau and friends, and do what they enjoy. We are also here to help. Please get in touch if you have any concerns or need help in any way.

Ngā mihi nui

Andrea Griffin – Associate Principal