Given our living on a shaky isle, we thought it would be useful to remind all our school community of emergency plans for all students, staff and visitors.

In the event of an emergency in school hours

(fire, earthquake, pandemic or any other emergency resulting in whole school evacuation)

• The school will assume responsibility for all students until they are collected.
• No student will be released from the school unless a parent or authorised person (emergency contact) collects them. Authorised persons are those persons who the parent has nominated on the student’s enrolment form.
• Any parent or authorised person collecting a student is to report to the reception area at the main office. School can then record that the student has been collected. In the instance that the main office is unusable, we will leave written instructions on the front doors of the alternative reporting area.
• Students should not leave school premises; however, the school recognises that some students may make their own decision to leave, without school permission and without signing out.
• At some stage, it may be necessary to close the school. Be assured that any students who have not been collected will be looked after to ensure your child remains safe. Parents will be notified as possible and the information will also be deposited at the Grey District Council’s Civil Defence Emergency Operations Centre. Handover of students will only be made to authorised Civil Defence Emergency Operations Centre welfare staff.

In the event of an emergency out of school hours
(dependent on power, internet, phone coverage)

Our staff will endeavour to message all families. We will communicate as best as circumstances allow to advise of any school closure. This communication could come via any of the following ways:

• Email
• Text
• Greymouth High School Facebook page
• Greymouth High School Website - www.greyhigh.school.nz
• Notices on main entry points to the school.
• Radio - The Hits 93.1 FM

Do you have an emergency plan?

We urge all our families to make sure that you have in place your own plan to cover your family in these circumstances and that all family members fully understand the plan. Make sure that you have an emergency survival kit set up so that your family can take care of itself for between three to seven days following an emergency. See www.getthru.govt.nz for assistance with this.

  Are your emergency contacts up to date?

If a person is not listed as an emergency contact with the school, then they will not be able to take your child from school until contact has been made with a listed emergency contact. Sometimes this causes frustration and delays in your child being able to leave the school. Please make sure we have all the correct details for any person that may arrive at school wanting to pick up your child in any situation.

Have any of your details changed?

Notify the school of any changes to:

• Email addresses
• Phone numbers, including cell phones
• Residential addresses
• Postal addresses

Contact our office or your child’s mentor teacher to update your details - 

0800 GREY HIGH or office@greyhigh.school.nz