Tēnā koutou katoa. Tēnei te mihi atu ki a koutou

We are certainly living in unsettling times. As I write this, the media have just reported the twentieth case of covid-19 nation-wide including the first confirmed case in Christchurch. As parents and teachers, it is important that we stay calm and composed throughout this time as the children will look to us for guidance and often mirror the way adults respond to challenging and stressful situations like we are currently experiencing. 

For the most part, this means business as usual at school. As you will have read in yesterday's email however, we have implemented some more rigorous routines for washing hands and encouraging good hygiene habits with the children. We are also closely monitoring staff and student wellbeing. Keeping your children at home, if they are showing any signs of illness whatsoever is vitally important. 

One of the most effective things we can do with our children in times like these is to provide them with helpful age-appropriate information that will reassure them about the steps they can take to keep safe and stop the spread of viral infections. There are a large number of Youtube clips now available for parents to support this. I recommend the two clips below which come from the Nanogirl series. Please have a look at the video and consider sharing them with your children to help alleviate some of the concerns and anxieties they may be feeling. 

Corona Virus Explained 

How to teach your children about washing their hands 

We also need to be careful around overexposing our children to the ongoing media streams in the news and online that focus on the pandemic. Constant exposure to these sorts of messages can easily lead to feelings of helplessness in our young people which can cause them to feel completely overwhelmed. 

Lastly, I would like to reassure families that we are monitoring the situation very closely and continue to receive regular updates from the Ministries of Education and Health about the evolving situation. We will keep you posted with any developments. 

Farewell to Mrs Luff

Finally, as it will be Sandra Luff's last day on Friday, I would like to finish this week's newsletter by acknowledging the fantastic contribution she has made to our school over the past 5 years. For many of you, Sandra would have been your first introduction to our school and as such, I know you would have been greeted with a very warm and friendly welcome to our school. Sandra has been a highly-skilled Office Manager and a real asset to our community. She will be greatly missed around here. 

On behalf of the Halswell School staff, students and parents, I would like to wish Sandra and husband Kevin all the very best as they head back home to the Deep South. Safe travels Sandra! 

Ngā mihi nui

Stuart Cameron
Principal