The following information outlines some of our guidelines as we head back to school tomorrow - Thursday 9 September. Please note in particular arrival and departure times and procedures.
RETURNING DEVICES AND BOOKS
Could students return devices and books to their classroom teacher at school tomorrow please.
AURORA LUNCHES
There will be NO Aurora lunches until further notice.
THE SUSHI SHOP
There will be on-line orders for sushi tomorrow, Thursday.
WALKING SCHOOL BUS TO AND FROM KINMONT
The Walking School Bus to and from Kinmont will resume tomorrow, leaving at the same times as prior to Lockdown.
REMINDERS:
PUPIL ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Unwell children and adults are not to enter the school.
Parents are encouraged to drop their children at the main gates - Cemetery Road entrances and school carpark gate entrance. There will be a staff member monitoring entry at each gate. Gates from the field will be locked.
The name of any parent who comes onto the school site needs to be recorded - to enable contact tracing. Please scan using the QR code.
Parents who need to come onto the school site are strongly encouraged to wear a mask
Children are NOT to arrive at school BEFORE 8:30am (unless they are attending Kelly Club). If bus children arrive before 8:30am they will head straight to their classroom.
Children must go to their classroom upon arriving at school. They can then stay in class, or play in a designated before school play area - teachers will inform children of where these are.
Some children may be anxious or reluctant to leave parents at the gate. If this is the case, parents may bring their child to the classroom door, do the hand over, and then leave the school promptly.
Children who show signs of sickness will be sent home.
Latecomers are to head straight to the office
The bus bell will be rung at 2.40pm and the bus will be leaving school at 2.45pm
To avoid congestion at the gates children from the Junior School will be taken to the school carpark gate with their teacher at 2.40pm. Older siblings will leave at this time as well. Could parents please let us know if they cannot collect children at that time. Those who cannot be collected early will stay with their teacher until 3pm.
Middle and senior school students will leave at the normal time of 3pm.
Kelly Club staff will notify you of their safe arrival and departure process
CLASSROOM PRACTICE
It is unreasonable to expect children to maintain a safe distance from each other and from the teachers 24/7.
The wearing of masks is optional.
We will do our best to educate the children that for the time being, closeness could spread sickness but we will not police this unreasonably.
The classroom should operate as normal with the following exceptions:
Children will line up outside the classroom after interval and break times and after being anywhere else in the school - e.g. library, CRT, etc
Hand sanitising or washing at the beginning and end of each session is essential. Such practices should also happen when the children use other areas in the school such as the Owhiro Centre, the playground and the library.
Teachers will ensure there is a supply of hand sanitiser, soap, tissues available in their classroom. Surface will be cleaned with disinfectant regularly during the day.
We will be having staggered intervals and lunchtimes to limit interaction between different areas of the school.
Each child will need a named drink bottle - no drinking fountains to be used
Children are to use hand sanitiser as they enter their classroom
DISTANCE LEARNING
Distance learning is for Level 3 and 4.
Teaching and learning will be available at Level 2 via a reduced number of distance learning options.
Once school restarts, all general use devices lent out must be returned and put back to use in the classrooms. They should be cleaned upon return.
VISITORS
We need to keep a record of all we come in contact with.
Visitors will be discouraged to visit school until we settle down. They will be asked if possible to use the phone or email to communicate with school staff.
BUSES
School buses will be running as normal in the mornings
When bus children arrive at school they will go straight to their classrooms
Afternoon buses will be leaving school at 2.45pm
If there are any changes to bus arrangements for your child please contact the office
WELLBEING
We need to work together to alleviate anxiety.
Some of the children will be anxious returning to school. It is important for the school staff to acknowledge this and provide opportunities in the first few days for children to share their fears and concerns
POSTPONEMENT/CANCELLATION OF EVENTS
Unfortunately several events have had to be postponed or cancelled. This Friday's assembly and Discovery Time have been cancelled. The Otago Cross Country to be held this Friday has been postponed. The Taieri Hui Ako has been cancelled and we are awaiting information about other planned events.
We are looking forward to seeing everyone back at school in the morning.
Ngā mihi nui
Jennifer Horgan