Dear Parents / Caregivers / Whanau

First and foremost, I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to all those who lost loved ones on Friday 15th March.  It's nearly two weeks since Christchurch was rocked by the tragic event that impacted on so many people.  I also want to extend our thanks, appreciation and respect to the first responders and emergency personnel involved, many of which are parents and friends of Clearview.  They did an amazing job under what would have been extremely difficult and stressful circumstances.    What truly inspirational people they are!

Going into lockdown was also a challenging situation, especially given the timing of the day.  We hold lockdown drills and try to think of different scenarios to practice.  However, there are so many factors at play that make it a tough procedure to rehearse and get right.  In saying this, our staff and students handled it beautifully.  The children remained calm and settled throughout and our staff were professional, caring and calm also.  They were amazing and I am honoured to work alongside them all!

It's hard to comprehend the magnitude of kindness and humility shown by our school community.  Following the lockdown, I have received multiple messages of thanks from our parents for taking such good care of your precious children, our teachers have been thanked personally and we even had a delicious morning tea made for our staff by a group of parents.  Thank you so much for your generosity - it's much appreciated.

Please remember, if your child requires extra support, please don't hesitate to contact their teacher in confidence.  We have access to support services and counselling and we will do what we can to help.  There are also some valuable resources and advice for parents, so feel free to visit one of these websites.

• Mental health advice for coping after a traumatic event (Ministry of Health)
• Tips for parents and educators: Supporting children and young people (Ministry of Education)
• How to talk to your kids about: Trauma (The Parenting Place)

Take care and enjoy the rest of your week.

Nga mihi nui

Rob Rush

Principal / Tumuaki