An update from Graeme Budler including the A-Z COVID-19 Parent Information Sheet
KingsWay School Alert Level 1 Procedures
On Monday, 8th June, the government agreed to what life at Alert Level 1 will look like for New Zealand and New Zealanders from 9th June.
Alert Level 1 sees everyone being able to return without restriction to work, school, sports and domestic travel, and you can get together with as many people as you want.
Controls at the borders remain for those entering New Zealand, including health screening and testing for all arrivals, and mandatory 14-day managed quarantine or isolation.
It’s also essential that we keep the necessary hygiene measures that worked so well through higher Alert Levels going. These include washing your hands and coughing or sneezing into your elbow. Remember to remain vigilant and being aware of physical distancing when out and about amongst strangers is a good habit to keep.
We should all continue to keep track of where we’ve been and who we’ve seen to assist with rapid contact tracing if it is required. Please continue to use the KingsWay App when you visit KingsWay to help us with contact tracing in the unlikely event of a reported case. We request that visitors to KingsWay continue to use the KingsWay App or NZ COVID-19 Tracer app.
These procedures will be our new normal but, while we do return to pre-COVID life, we must remember we remain in a global pandemic.
The Golden Rules for everyone at Alert Level 1
1. If you’re sick, stay home. Don’t go to work or school. Don’t socialise.
2. If you have cold or flu symptoms, call your doctor or Healthline and make sure you get tested.
3. Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands.
4. Sneeze and cough into your elbow, and regularly disinfect shared surfaces.
5. If health authorities tell you to self-isolate, you must do so immediately. In this event, please update the school immediately at principal@kingsway.school.nz
6. If you’re concerned about your wellbeing or have underlying health conditions, work with your GP to understand how best to stay healthy.
7. Keep track of where you’ve been and who you’ve seen to help contact tracing if needed. Use the NZ COVID Tracer app as a handy way of doing this.
8. Businesses should help people keep track of their movements by displaying the Ministry of Health QR Code for contact tracing.
9. Stay vigilant. There is still a global pandemic going on. People and businesses should be prepared to act fast to step up Alert Levels if we have to.
10. People will have had different experiences over the last couple of months. Whatever you’re feeling — it’s okay. Be kind to others. Be kind to yourself.
While it is encouraging to have entered Alert Level 1, the KingsWay School Community must remain vigilant, especially as we enter the flu season. While the leadership is committed to resuming the regular school programme, the reality is that factors such as lost time and student and staff wellbeing require programme adjustments. Please liaise with your HOS if you have concerns.
Please read through the A-Z COVID-19 Parent Information Sheet below.
Regards,
Graeme Budler
Executive Principal
The A-Z COVID-19 Parent Information Sheet
Alert Level 1 Edition Updated on June 8
After School Sport and Practices
All after school competitions will start soon, and practices can fully resume. The various Teachers in Charge of codes will advise. The field is now open.
Assemblies
Syndicate assemblies e.g Middle School can resume from June 15. There are no full school assemblies scheduled for Term 2.
Assessment
The assessment schedule is led by Heads of Faculty and Heads of Learning. Adjustments will be advised at faculty and year level meetings. Students must be kept informed of any modifications to the assessment calendar.
Camps
All camps and trips can resume under Alert Level 1 unless cancelled by the provider or no longer viable. The status of camps and trips must be communicated to parents at least one month in advance. The Year 9 Tongariro camp is on track to continue.
Distance Learning
The school expects that all students are on-site from 9th June. If students are self-isolating or absent following Ministry of Education Guidelines or suspected of having COVID, their learning should be supported.
During School Sport Programmes
Sports’ programmes can resume as usual under Alert Level 1.
Evening Events
All evening events held during Term 2 are cancelled but can resume from Term 3. The Middle School Science Fair is postponed.
Marking the Roll
All students who do not return under Alert Level 1 will be marked as unjustified unless advised otherwise by your HOS.
NCEA
The Senior School Senior Management Team have reshuffled teaching and assessment times to accommodate subjects that were impacted by the Lockdown. The leadership have scheduled Week 11 of Term 2 as a catch-up week. We regularly review this timetable to ensure the school is responsive. All Senior School students are expected to maintain contact with KingsWay School until December, i.e. sign out will be different this year. We plan to use this additional time for credit catch-ups, revision and completion of subjects granted an extension by NZQA. While the school is appreciative of the adjustments of NZQA to the assessment criteria, the school continues to offer full NCEA courses for 2020. The NCEA examinations and New Zealand Scholarship examinations are delayed, so they start on 16th November instead of 6th November. Examinations will now end on 9th December instead of 2nd December, and an updated examination timetable is available here https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/ncea-exams-and-portfolios/external/national-secondary-examinations-timetable/
Parent-Teacher Conferences
There are no face-to-face conferences scheduled for Middle and Senior School in 2020. Teachers will use Zoom or Teams to connect with parents (your Head of School will advise). A PTO system will be set up for this soon. We will evaluate this trial after this round of interviews.
Pastoral Care for Students
Pastoral care is fully operational and conducted face-to-face.
Property and Grounds Maintenance
Access to KingsWay’s grounds continues to be carefully monitored and tracked. All visitors must continue to report to reception before accessing the site.
Report Writing
The issuing of the mid-term written reports is delayed until Term 3, Week 3.
Senior School Ball
The Senior School Ball is cancelled for 2020.
Senior School Production
The Senior School production is postponed until 2021. The Senior School Dance Festival will continue in the Events Centre.
Teacher Only Days
The Kahui Ako TODs are cancelled for 2020. The PPTA/NZEI Accord day scheduled 6th August has been postponed but there will be a Teacher Only Day on 19th November during senior students NCEA exams.
Tournament Week
The organisers cancelled Tournament Week for 2020.
Trips
All Term 2 trips and school excursions are approved on a case by case basis, and parents will be advised accordingly. The Year 9 trip for Sports Studies to Snow Planet is postponed until Term 3.
Year 13 Graduation
At Level 1, Year 13, graduation will continue as usual.