Covid-19 Information /Updates

Term 1 2023

Summary of COVID-19 infection guidelines.

1. Who must self-isolate

• · If you test positive for COVID-19, you must self-isolate for 7 days.
• · This means you cannot leave home to go to the supermarket, or to pick up essential supplies, like medication.
• · You will need to have a plan for someone to collect them for you, or to get supplies delivered.
• · Most people who get COVID-19 will have a mild to moderate illness and can safely recover in their own homes.
• · For those who need help, the healthcare system will always be available. Having a plan will make it easier when you need to self-isolate.

2. Household Contacts

• · Household Contacts no longer need to isolate for 7 days.
• · If you live with someone who tests positive for COVID-19, we recommend you: take a rapid antigen test (RAT) each day for 5 days and avoid contact with the person who has COVID-19.

3. Test for 5 days

• · If someone you live with tests positive for COVID-19, you do not need to isolate.
• · You should test daily for 5 days with a rapid antigen test (RAT) from the day the person with COVID-19 tested positive.
• · If any of your tests are positive, you must self-isolate for 7 days.
• · If you cannot test daily, we recommend you stay home for 5 days.

4. Report your tests

• · You should report the results of your RATs, whether they are positive or negative. You can do this online through My Covid Record or call 0800 222 478.
• · Log into My Covid Record(external link)

5. Avoid the person with COVID-19

• · You should avoid or minimise contact with the person who has COVID-19 during their self-isolation period.

6. Wear a face mask

• You should wear a face mask if you leave your home during your 5 days of testing, to help reduce the risk of infecting others. Wearing a face mask is important when:
• · visiting vulnerable people, such as older people and those who are immunocompromised
• · using public transport
• · in a crowded indoor space.

7. Monitor for symptoms for 10 days

• · Monitor for symptoms for 10 days from when the first person in your house tests positive.
• · If you develop COVID-19 symptoms at any time, test and stay home until 24 hours after your symptoms resolve. If you test positive, you need to isolate for 7 days.
• · For further guidance and advice, visit the COVID-19 Health Hub:

If you have had COVID-19

• · 28 days or fewer since a previous infection

If you had COVID-19 and it has been 28 days or fewer from your previous infection (either from when you tested positive or you first had symptoms), and someone in your household tests positive, you are not considered a Household Contact and you do not need to test.

• · 29 days or more since the previous infection

If it has been 29 days or more since you had COVID-19 and someone in your household tests positive, then you should test daily for 5 days. If you test positive, you must self-isolate for 7 days.

If you have COVID-19 After you have had COVID-19

This is only a brief summary. COVID-19 guidelines can change. If you have COVID-19 please follow the guidelines.  

_____________________________________________________________________________

Thursday 18 August 2022

Dear Parents and Caregivers 

Mask wearing when indoors continues to play an important role in minimising transmission of COVID-19 and winter illnesses, coupled with all our other layers of protection. Under the Covid Protection Framework, when at Orange traffic light setting, masks must be worn by ākonga/students aged 12 and above on school and public transport. It is also strongly recommended by public health officials that face masks are worn by students and staff in Year 4 to 8 when indoors, including combined classes when learning and during indoor assemblies. All visitors to school will continue to wear masks.

Stage 2 of parents and caregivers returning to our campus will go ahead as planned in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s wearing of masks in schools for the first four weeks. Therefore on Friday 19th August the following stage 2 elements will be implemented:-

• Parents may enter the school campus and are invited to enter classrooms.

• All parents must wear a mask for the duration of their visit to the campus.

• Parents who qualify for an exemption must display their exemption card on their person and will be required to maintain the public health measures of keeping a safe physical distance.

• After reviewing good practice around mask-wearing, stage 2 will remain in place until the Ministry of Health and Education issues public health measures to the contrary.

• It is strongly recommended that Years 4 to 8 wear masks while involved in classroom and learning team assemblies activities.

This approach is in-line with the Ministry of Health and Education recommendations for the use of masks in school. We wish to implement this process with care and consideration for others. We are mindful that we have immune-compromised students and staff at our school and we ask that you respect our workplace and the health and wellbeing of everyone on site.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed that the guidance for returning to schools following vomiting or diarrhoea has not changed. If a child is free of those symptoms for 48 hours, they can attend school again. The updated reflects the following points:

• If a child has been unwell with a respiratory illness other than COVID-19, they can return to school 24 hours after they have significantly improved and are behaving/eating normally.

• Following vomiting or diarrhoea, a child should be symptom free for 48 hours before they can return.

We look forward to welcoming parents and whanau back on to our campus.    

Regards

Ross WIllocks

Principal

____________________________________________________________________________ 

Wednesday 3 August 2022

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The Board of Trustees along with the School Pandemic Team has decided that we will take a managed approach to open the school up again this term. This approach is in-line with the Ministry of Health and Education recommendations for the use of masks in school. We wish to implement this process with care and consideration for others. We are mindful that we have immune compromised students and staff at our school and we ask that you respect our workplace and the health and wellbeing of everyone on site.

Parents and caregivers will be allowed on site again for pick up and drop off, to support learning and extra-curricular activities. We are asking parents to remain outside the classrooms and must remain vigilant about mask wearing.

The process is as follows:-

Stage 1: Week 3 Term 3 (From Monday 8th August 2022)

• Parents may enter the school campus grounds.
• Parents must remain outside the classrooms and administration areas.
• All parents must wear a mask for the duration of their visit to the campus.
• Parents who qualify for an exemption must display their exemption card on their person.
• The upcoming Learning Progress Meetings will still be held via zoom or by phone call during Stage 1.
• After reviewing good practice around mask wearing, Stage 2 will then enable the school to open up the classrooms to parents at a future date.

Stage 2:

We hope to implement Stage 2 in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s wearing of masks in schools for the first four weeks. Therefore, on the basis that Stage 1 goes smoothly, then on Friday 19th August the following stage 2 elements would be implemented:

• Parents may enter the school campus and are invited to enter classrooms.
• All parents must wear a mask for the duration of their visit to the campus.
• Parents who qualify for an exemption must display their exemption card on their person and will be required to maintain the public health measures of keeping a safe physical distance.
• After reviewing good practice around mask wearing, Stage 2 will remain in place until the Ministry of Health and Education issues public health measures to the contrary.

We look forward to welcoming parents and whanau back onto our campus.

Yours sincerely

Ross Willocks

Principal     

____________________________________________________________________________

29th July 2022

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Masking up for the start of Term 3: first 4 weeks.

Further to the note sent to you on the 21st July, the Ministry of Health and Education has advised the following: In previous years we have found there is an increase in winter illnesses in schools at the start of Term 3 as students bring back infections after travelling and socialising during the holidays. This year cases of COVID-19 are increasing in most parts of the country, and we are also seeing high numbers of other winter illnesses.

For the start of Term 3, 2022, the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health strongly recommend that all schools and kura for the first four weeks of term 3, require all students from Years 4 to 8 to wear masks during all indoor settings (where it will not have a significant impact on teaching and learning.)

This recommendation does not include any situation where mask wearing might not be practicable, such as while eating and drinking, playing certain musical instruments, indoor sport, where it will have a significant impact on teaching and learning (for example, students with particular learning needs), certain activities such as singing or drama performance and PE. In these situations, particular attention will be paid to ensuring there is good ventilation during the activity, and physical distancing where practicable, as prescribed by the Ministry of health and Education.

Wearing masks can reduce new cases of the virus by as much as 53%. It works alongside other measures including vaccination, good ventilation, staying home when sick, and hand washing and other hygiene measures, to protect our students and staff.

Keep up healthy habits – Unite Against COVID-19

Adult-sized masks can generally be adjusted to fit older children by tying knots in the ear loops. Unite Against COVID-19 shows how to do this:

How to wear a face mask safely – Unite Against COVID-19

We know that some of our students are exempt from wearing a mask. If a student has an exemption card or a letter from their health provider, or they have had their mask exemption previously recorded at school, we will support them to not wear a mask. A new mask exemption process was implemented in early June 2022 and will still apply if you change your mask policy. Information on this can be found on the Unite Against COVID-19 website.

Apply for a face mask exemption pass – Unite Against COVID-19

Please make sure that students come to school ready to wear masks. Students should bring masks from home. If students cannot bring masks there will be a limited supply of masks for students who are unable to bring one from home.

Thank you for your support in protecting our school community.

Regards

Ross Willocks

Principal

_____________________________________________________________________________

21st July 2022

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Current Orange Traffic Light Settings at QPS

As we approach the beginning of Term 3 and enter the winter season properly we are mindful that we are still in an infectious environment and we have Covid-19 in our community. After a review and analysis of our Covid Protection Framework it has been decided that the school will continue with the current protocols. They are as follows:-

1. Drop off and pick up of children at the front and back of the school will continue until further notice. There is an area on the front basketball court and back field car park where parents can wait.
2. While mask wearing in schools is no longer mandated, we are strongly recommending that students wear masks from Years 4 to 8 when inside the school buildings.
3. The school can supply masks (supplied by the Ministry of Education), to students who wish to wear masks while inside the classroom areas.
4. Masks are mandatory on school and public transport for all those 12 and up.
5. In the classrooms, students and teachers are to maintain the 1 metre distance rule, and practice public hygiene health measures.
6. Please maintain the one metre physical distancing rule at pick up and drop off times.
7. Children should not be sent to school if they are unwell. Unwell children will be sent home.
8. Please contact the school if your child is unwell.

Mask wearing has been an effective strategy in slowing the spread of the Covid-19 virus; and as a recognised method of slowing the spread of seasonal infections such as influenza and gastro-bugs which are currently evident in our school.

All these measures are a priority for all and as a result, unlike many schools, Queenspark School has been able to remain fully open for teaching and learning. We can only do that if we have Covid free staff and children. The Ministry of Education’s Covid Protection Framework is designed to keep schools open, therefore lessening the impact on families and parents who would have to take leave from work and or keep their children at home during these current trying economic times if we had to close the school.

We appreciate your ongoing support through all of this and very much understand that not being able to make face to face teacher connections is something we all miss. However, teachers are very happy to connect with parents via phone, email and Zoom if needed to help support your child. We regularly review our Covid Protection Framework and will do so again during Term 3.

If we can keep our staff well and importantly we can keep our students safe and free from an interrupted school year, then we can stay open. We can do this. But we can only do this together. One community, one goal.

Regards

Ross Willocks

Principal

_______________________________________________________________________________

29 April 2022

Kia ora Parents / Caregivers

We hope that you have enjoyed having the children home during the holiday break and that you have had some quality fun times with them. We look forward to seeing our children back at school on Monday.

Covid Update

The staff have certainly enjoyed this break after all the uncertainties of last term. As we get ready for term 2 we are mindful that we are still in an infectious environment and we have Covid in our community. The Board of Trustees and staff are proceeding with caution under the orange setting as we begin term 2. The reality is that a significant proportion of our staff and children have not contacted Covid. While this is a good thing we want to make sure that safety is the priority for all and our school is able to remain open. We can only do that if we have well staff and well children. Under the Orange setting our Board of Trustees through our Pandemic Planning team have set the following protocols as we start term 2:

1. While mask wearing in schools is no longer mandated, we are encouraging children and staff to wear masks indoors from Year 4 and up. Mask wearing has been an effective strategy in slowing the spread of the Covid virus.

2. Masks are mandatory on school and public transport for all those 12 and up.

3. In the classrooms, students and teachers are to maintain the 1 metre distance rule, and practice public hygiene health measures.

4. Drop off and pick up of children at the front and back of the school will continue until further notice.

5. Please maintain the one metre physical distancing rule at pick up and drop off times.

6. Children should not be sent to school if they are unwell. Unwell children will be sent home.

7. Please contact the school if your child is unwell

Please know that our Board of Trustees and staff are meeting regularly to discuss this evolving situation and decisions will be made and communicated to you as we proceed through this term.

We appreciate your ongoing support in all of this. We look forward to a positive term and lots of great learning.

Kind Regards

Ross Willocks

Principal

Queenspark School

________________________________________________________

Vaccinations after recovering from COVID:

Unfortunately, even if you’ve had it once, you can get COVID-19 again!

It is recommended to wait 3 months after you test positive before getting any COVID-19 vaccination. This recommendation is for all ages and applies to all COVID-19 vaccines.

Waiting for 3 months after having COVID-19 can give you better protection and a stronger immunity response to the vaccine dose.

If you are at high risk of severe disease if you catch COVID-19 again, talk to your GP or other specialist for advice on timing of your next dose. It might be appropriate for you to receive your COVID-19 vaccine sooner than 3 months.  

Think you’ve got COVID?

We all love a good flow chart! This one is a good summary of everything you need to know and do if you think you might have COVID-19

March 17, 2022

Covid Update

Dear Parents,

We hope that you are doing well out there. This is certainly an uncertain time but it is heartening to know that our families overall are doing well and getting through the isolation phase when family members have tested positive.

The reality is that we have an even spread of children throughout the school who have tested positive at home. Some of these children returned this week after the mandatory isolation period with their families. We are being informed on a daily basis of children who have tested positive and these children are currently isolating with their families. Our data tells us that the virus transfer is not happening at school. Thank you for your support in this by keeping unwell children at home. School remains a safe place to be as a result.

Our systems are working well and it is a real credit to our teachers who are going about their work with positivity and passion despite the obvious concerns about contacting Covid. Our DP’s and teachers are working hard to make sure that learning packs are available for families who are isolating and that learning generally at school is as normal as possible within the MOE restrictions that have been put in place.

We need to continue to keep things tight and we would appreciate it if you could continue to be vigilant about the following:

• Unwell children kept at home
• Correct mask wearing for Year 4 - 8
• Practising good hygiene with regular hand washing
• Exercise and regular bedtimes - quality sleep is important
• Strict boundaries around home device / screen time
• Two metre distancing during contact with others beyond your family especially during after school school and weekend times
• Unwell children at school will be sent home.

Home Learning Packs:

If a student is self isolating due to having COVID or as a household contact then they are entitled to receive a home learning pack. Keeping a student at home voluntarily does not entitle you to having a home learning pack. The Home Learning packs provide the opportunity for students to engage in school learning activities at home. There is no expectation that all Home Learning activities are to be completed.

The home learning hard-packs are not designed to replicate a school day. They provide activities for an approximate 10 day period (two weeks.)

Yours sincerely

Ross Willocks

Principal

___________________________________________________________

March 8 2022

Covid Update

As of today we have 25 children who have tested positive for Covid-19.

Dear Parents

Over the weekend we have had a steady stream of positive Covid cases in our Queenspark community reported to us involving children and adults. This rapid increase is continuing this week. See the following data.

• Number of active positive cases with QPS children 25
• Number of QPS families with Covid infections and who are all self isolating 45

• Range of daily student absentees 100 - 160

Our systems are working well but our staff are coming under increasing pressure as the number of Covid infections rise rapidly in our community. Yesterday was crazy!

Please do not send your child to school if he /she has a sniffle, cough, runny nose, sore throat, headache or simply just not feeling well.

Yesterday we sent home 37 children who were not well and who should not have been at school in the first place. Some of these children had clear Covid symptoms. Aside from creating risk for others it also created an enormous amount of additional work for our office staff at an already busy time. This is unacceptable.

We are working hard to protect our staff and children at this time and sending an unwell child to school is problematic in the middle of a pandemic. In fact this could well accelerate the attrition rate and make running our school operation ( in what already is a challenging environment ) untenable.

We would appreciate your support on this matter.

We are closely monitoring the health and wellbeing of our staff. We can only keep the school operating in its present manner if we all work together by keeping unwell children at home and thus keeping the remaining student population well alongside their teachers.

Returning to school after Day 10 of Self Isolation

Children are able to return to school after 10 days of home isolation providing the following conditions are met:

• The isolation period started on the day of the positive Covid test.
• Day 10 a negative RAT test result
• No symptoms

The above includes if the student has not directly tested positive, but if they have been a household contact also.

Kind Regards

Ross Willocks

Principal

___________________________________________________________

22 February

As you are aware Covid infections are now starting to spread quite rapidly in Christchurch. As a school we are prepared and we are monitoring this situation closely and by the day. The Ministry of Education has provided clear guidelines to follow should a case of Covid-19 occur in our school. Families and community will be informed if a covid-19 case occurs and advised on the appropriate action to take.

Please follow the following protocol calmly and carefully:

• Please notify us immediately if you or a family member has tested positive
  • We will discuss with you close contacts and who needs to be isolated
• Watch for symptoms ( see below )
• If any symptoms develop get tested immediately and inform us
• Stay at home until you receive the result.
• Inform us once you know the result.
• Please keep your child at home if he/she is unwell
• Children who are unwell will be sent home
• Please be vigilant with mask wearing
• Please be vigilant with hand washing routines

Symptoms of Covid 19

• A new or worsening cough
• Sneezing and runny nose
• A fever
• Temporary loss of smell or altered sense of taste
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath

Thank you for the responsible way you are treating this issue. The health and wellbeing of our children, staff and community is our top priority.

___________________________________________________________

11 February 2022

Dear Parents / Caregivers

Re: Vaccination Clinic has been cancelled

Planned Protest outside Mobile Vaccination Unit at Queenspark School

We have received information that one of our parents has planned an anti vaccination protest outside our school today and has invited others from the Freedom Rights group to join her.

Given the recent conduct of this group, this sort of behaviour outside a school setting is totally inappropriate in our view. I do not not want our children or staff exposed to this. I have taken Police advice and wish to advise the following:

• The Vaccination unit will now not be on site today.
• Families who had booked for this are being contacted about an alternative venue.
• Staff will not be engaging with any protesters and we have made plans to keep our children away from the front school court during morning and lunch time break times.

We are encouraging our families not to engage with this group should this protest eventuate. Thank you for your anticipated support here.

Regards

Ross Willocks

Principal

___________________________________________________________

Thursday 10th February 2022

Dear Parents / Caregivers

Re: Home Learning

Our term ‘on campus’ has got off to a great start. You may be wondering what will happen should there be a Covid-19 outbreak here at school. Schools have been asked by the Ministry of Education to be prepared for COVID-19 by planning actions we might have to take in the event of an outbreak in the school. 

The Ministry of Education has created a Covid Protection Framework by which schools can plan for various scenarios which might affect the delivery of education to students.This notice is to inform you about how we will support Home or Distance learning if a student or group of students has to self isolate. This also includes if a state school has to close as a result of multiple contacts with Covid-19.

The primary objective of the Ministry's Covid protection plan is to keep the school open for instruction and to keep environments and learning routines as normal as possible. However this may look different if many students, classes, learning teams and many teachers are absent from school because they have contracted Covid-19 or are in isolation.

The plan provides for the possibility of different home learning scenarios, such as:

• If a student is directed by health authorities to self isolate please contact the School Office admin@queenspark.school.nz or phone 383 1578 and Home Learning packs will be delivered (contactless).

• If a parent is notified by the school to come and pick up a student due to Covid-19 in a class or team. Students in this class or team will be given a pack to bring home with them.

• Further Home Learning packs can be delivered after the initial 2 weeks as needed.

• Should a Covid/Omicron crisis result in the whole school being closed, then Home Learning will be supplemented with digital learning activities.

The Home Learning packs provide the opportunity for students to engage in school learning activities at home. There is no expectation that all Home Learning activities are to be completed.

The school has prepared hard-packs of home learning materials and activities for all students who have been advised by the Ministry of Health to continue their learning at home with their whanau, while isolating. The home learning hard-packs are not designed to replicate a school day. They provide activities for an approximate 10 day period (two weeks.)

We have attached a set of Ministry of Health recommendations from the Covid-19 website with suggestions for how to prepare your home and whanau for Covid-19 isolation.

Regards

Ross Willocks

Principal

** With the new wave of Covid-19 spreading across the world, it's important to prepare your household in case you need to isolate yourself and family at home.

Have you got your Covid survival kit together? New Zealand’s Unite Against Covid-19 website offers a comprehensive guide to help you stay safe and be prepared when isolating at home.

Your Covid survival kit

Get prepared ahead of time and stock up on a wellness kit tohelp you manage symptoms while at home. Here’s a handy checklist:

• Face masks

• Hand sanitiser

• Gloves

• Tissues

• Thermometer

• Pain relief (e.g, panadol, ibuprofen)

• Hydration (e.g, Hydralyte)

• Throat lozenges

• Cough medicine

• Ice blocks

• Vapour rubs

• Cleaning products

• Rubbish bags

• Prescribed medicines

You should also consider gathering some boredom busters to keep you entertained, such as magazines, books, puzzles, games, or even a list of the latest TV shows to watch.

Make a plan

The Unite Against Covid-19 website recommends making a plan so you know what to do if someone in your household contracts Covid-19. Here are some keys areas to consider:

• List household information: Make a list of every household member's names, ages, NHI numbers, any medical conditions and medication(s) they normally take.

• Make a list of support people: “Identify people outside of your home who could help if your household is isolating, for example by dropping off food or supplies. Services like The Student Volunteer Army might be able to help with drop offs and Work and Income may be able to help with costs.”

• Notify people that you are isolating: It’s important to stay connected with your loved ones. Let family and friends know your situation and discuss how you’re going to let potential visitors know your household is isolating. “This could be a sign for your front door or fence and having a QR code poster so people can keep track of where they have been. If people are helping with contactless drop offs, do you want them to text or message before they arrive? Beep the car horn from the gate? Use an agreed entrance?”

• Write down instructions: If you have to leave your home and go into managed isolation or hospital, be prepared by having a list of pre-written instructions for caring for pets, watering plants and other household duties.

• Map out the home to minimise spread: If one person in the household is isolating with Covid-19 from others, have a plan for how you will divide up the spaces and which areas are shared or not. Set up a sanitising station in shared areas to further reduce the risk of spread.

Visit the Unite Against Covid-19 website for more tips and click here to download the Covid-19 Readiness Checklist.

All teachers take their professional ethos of 'duty of care' very seriously. Earthquakes, tsunami evacuations and lockdowns have taught us all what is really important in life…

He aha te mea nui o te ao

What is the most important thing in the world?

He tangata, he tangata, he tangata

It is the people, it is the people, it is the people!

Especially our tamariki, our future.

Regards

Ross Willocks

Principal

___________________________________________________________

9 February 2022

Kia Ora Parents / Caregivers

Re Covid testing

In the event of you or your children becoming unwell and you decide to take a Covid test OR if you have been advised to have one after you have been notified as being a close contact or you have been to a place of interest, please keep your children at home while you are waiting on that test.

If you or your children are receiving a Covid test please inform us by email and then email us the result at admin@queenspark.school.nz.

This is a process that will allow us to keep our school community safe during these unprecedented times. We also have a protocol that we must follow as a school.

Many thanks for your anticipated support here.

Kind Regards

Ross Willocks

Principal

___________________________________________________________08 February 2022

Dear Parents /Caregivers

A reminder to return your permission form back to school by tomorrow if you would like your child to be seen by the vaccination team on Friday afternoon. If parents wish to have their own vaccination done at this time, please make contact with the school office so we can advise the clinic of numbers - admin@queenspark.school.nz

The clinic will be in the front classroom on the court from 1.30pm this Friday 11th February.

Thank you

Ross Willocks

Principal

___________________________________________________________

Wednesday 26th January 2022

Kei aku nui, kei aku rahi, tēnā koutou katoa i roto i ngā āhuatanga o te wā.

Welcome back after what we hope has been a wonderful summer for your whānau. Like us you would have been enjoying the great weather and making the most of family time, in the outdoors. 

Please read the following information carefully. This notice holds a lot of pertinent information that we are required to pass on from the Ministries of Education and Health. It will also inform you about how we are keeping our students and staff safe during the Traffic Light Red setting. In regard to COVID-19 we have moved fully into the new traffic light framework for all our school and kura activities and events this year. 

You will be familiar with all the health measures we currently have in place and it is good to know that at the Red setting, we are able to support all students learning onsite. Alert Level 2 last year is the equivalent of the orange traffic light status. The red traffic light system that exists currently indicates significant more risk than at Alert Level 2 or orange.Please discuss the following aspects of our Covid Protection Plan:Public Health Covid-19 Hygiene routines reinforced with all children and staff. 

Washing hands routines modelled and discussed.Use of hand sanitisers after washing hands.Physical distancing as per last time - keep out of that MOIST BREATH ZONE.If students are unwell - please STAY AT HOME! 

We will resume the Alert Level 2 drop off and collection point routines at the front and back of school from Tuesday morning (1st February) until further notice. It will be important for parents to establish with their children which pick up zone they go to at the end of the school day.

Junior School Teachers will meet their students and dismiss them at the end of the day from the Front of School Drop Off and Pick Up Zone, as we have done in the past. Parents will not be allowed on campus at the Traffic Light Red setting. Parents must wear masks, maintain social distancing and scan in using the QR Code at the drop off and pick up zones. This will help with our contact tracing if it is necessary. 

School drinking fountains will be unavailable. Please ensure that your child has a named drink bottle each day.PLEASE REINFORCE WITH YOUR FAMILY GOOD HYGIENE ROUTINES 

Mask wearing: The Ministries of Education and Health have confirmed that masks (not face coverings) will be required at Traffic Light Red settings for children and staff in Years 4 to 8 when indoors. When playing outside the students can remove their masks. However, there will be no contact games and students must stay out of the moist breath zone - at least 1 metre distance. Face coverings are not required to be worn in schools by staff or students, for Years 1 – 3. Parents are to provide face masks for their children in Years 4 to 8. Schools will not provide masks. 

The Government is also now requiring that a face covering be an actual mask. That means no more scarves, bandannas, for example. This is to ensure that it is a mask designed to cover a child’s nose and mouth properly. It is also now recommended that masks be medical grade masks however student’s can wear cloth masks. 

Exemptions to wearing a mask for children who are deaf or have a physical or mental health illness or condition or disability that makes wearing a face covering unsuitable, must be applied for through the Ministry of Health and or through government agencies such as Disabled Persons’ Assembly NZ or Deaf Aotearoa. Exemptions must be official and will need to be recorded at school. Younger children will need help to learn how to wear a mask and the reason for wearing them: they are a protection. Please use the analogy of sun hats and sunscreens. Here is information and a video that may help explain to young children how to safely put a mask on and remove it. 

Public health advice is that an appropriate face covering will fit snugly and seal well around facial contours. This can include single use, disposable masks (medical masks) and reusable fabric masks with three layers.For those of you with children who might be reluctant to wear a face covering, there is some helpful advice from Michigan Health, including using simple, specific explanations about why they need to wear a face covering, adults being the role models, providing small rewards for wearing them, bringing face coverings into play such as drawing face coverings on characters in colouring books, or letting them choose/make the mask.

Public Transport: Currently public transport and school transport requires face coverings to be worn for those aged 12 and above at Red, however there has now been agreement to extend this to Year 4 and above so that the requirements are consistent. We will advise you when this change takes effect. 

Events and activities under TL Red setting students will not be gathering in large numbers for indoor recreational and formal events such as assemblies. As we gather more information we will review events and activities that have been planned for this Term. We will keep you informed about any changes to school events.

Important Information: Vaccination for five- to 11-year-olds Vaccination, including a booster shot, remains an important tool to help prevent the most serious harm from the COVID-19 virus. If children and young adults who have been vaccinated do develop COVID-19, they are far less likely to get seriously ill and less likely to transmit the virus to others.

The free five- to 11-year-old vaccination programme is now underway and more than 100,000 children in New Zealand have had their first dose. There is some helpful information available to support you on the Unite Against COVID-19 website including How to book a vaccine for your five – 11 year old and some great videos on the Kids Health page that can support you to talk to your tamariki about the COVID-19 vaccine.

A Mobile Vaccination Clinic will be available at Queenspark School on Friday 11th February for those parents and community members who wish to get themselves and their children vaccinated. Consent forms and information about this will be sent out once school has started next week. A time of day for the mobile clinic to be at Queenspark School on Friday 11th February is yet to be established. Unvaccinated children can and must attend school. In situations where events and activities occur on school grounds and or students are attending outside agency events such as swimming, school camps, gymnastics, then the event facility organisation might require a student’s vaccination status in order for them to participate in the event or activities. We assume this could happen for students aged 12 years+. 

Distance Learning: Schools and kura will support home learning only for those required to officially self-isolate or waiting for a test result during isolation and or quarantine. Support will also be provided for children with complex medical needs, especially if not fully vaccinated, and who are learning from home following advice from a health professional and or the Ministry of Health.

Third-party users of education facilities will also need to provide evidence of vaccination when using these premises.

Physical and cultural activities onsite/use of playgrounds: Playgrounds can be used. Exercising and singing must be held outdoors. Physical education classes and break time activities can include access to sports equipment, but hygiene practices should be observed before and after playing with equipment. Physical distancing is not possible in some sporting activities. In these situations, extra emphasis on handwashing and drying before and after activities will take place. Music, instruments, singing etc: For singing, participants must be outside and two metres distant from each other. No singing should take place inside. Wind instruments not to be shared and limited to home use, or outside only. Support services and agencies on site including Ministry of Education, Education Review Office, NZQA, Police, Fire, 

Mobile Dental units etc: Learning support services continue. Those on site must be captured in a visitor register (as per usual) to support contact tracing and must meet any other health requirements applicable at the time. Managing cases in our school. We have a good contact tracing system in place so that if there is a confirmed case who has been at school while infectious, we can quickly identify who was a close contact of that person. We will then quickly advise those contacts of what they need to do. Please make sure your contact details we have on file are up to date, so we can get in touch with you if needed. We will be sending home the contact information forms when school begins. Please check, change and send back to school in a timely manner. Getting ready to return to school 

The Ministry of Education has some helpful information on their Parents and Whānau website to support your tamariki to get back to school. There is also a very important reminder about how you can take care of yourself. While this might all feel a little overwhelming at times, we know that all these measures will help our children return to school, reconnect with whānau and friends and do what they enjoy. More information will continue to be sent out to parents as the New Zealand Government updates, and Ministry of Education directives are announced.

A reminder that children are required to bring their named sunhats to school each day this term. If hats are forgotten, children will have to remain in the shade house during break times. Hats are only available for purchase from The Warehouse Belfast and also Mainland Uniforms. 

Named drink bottles with water are to be packed each day also, especially while the drinking fountains are closed.Remember we are also here to help. 

Please get in touch if you have any concerns or need help in any way.

Thank you for your support.

Regards

Ross Willocks

Principal