The two updates sent by WHS today can be read below or on the COVID-19 link from our homepage.
Message to the community 2 – Tuesday 7 September
Kia ora,
Following on from my earlier email, we have now received advice from the Ministry about operations at level 2.
Firstly, we will be following our original plan to support those students we have supported at level 3 to continue to attend school tomorrow and we will be welcoming all students back on Thursday starting with rōpū at 9.30am. Please note that students are welcome onsite before this but there will be no formal classes until 9.30am rōpū.
At Alert Level 2 there is low risk of community transmission and it provides us with a lot more opportunities to engage and connect with others. However, there are still a number of public health requirements we all need to follow. Please do continue to monitor your health and do not send your children to school if they are not well (and please seek advice about getting a COVID test).
For us, all the required safety precautions for Alert Level 2 will be in place which include following all the recommendations from the public health experts. This means we will regularly clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces, encourage everyone to frequently wash their hands and cough and sneeze into their elbow.
While physical distancing is not a requirement in schools, we will be doing our best to keep students from congregating in very large numbers and keeping spaces well-ventilated.
Face coverings are not required to be worn in school. The Director General of Health has recommended that children 12 years+ wear a face covering at school – just as older children are required to wear face coverings in some other places. The decision to wear a face covering is up to you and your whānau, whatever your decision it will be respected.
If you are not sure what all the rules are for alert level 2 when you are out and about, then the following information may be useful to you:
Unfortunately, our cafeteria will not be reopening until Monday 13 September. Please ensure that your student has enough food for Thursday and Friday lunch and let us know if there is any problem with this.
Please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s kaiako or me if there is something you need assistance with. See you Thursday!
Ngā mihi
Dominic Killalea
Principal
Message to the community – Tuesday 7 September
Mālō e lelei
I have used a Tongan greeting to start as this week is officially Tongan language week. I apologise for the delay in communications. I have been waiting on advice from the Ministry and it has not yet arrived. I am sure you will all welcome the announcement to move to alert level 2 from midnight this evening and the resumption of schooling from Thursday. I hope that in amongst the stresses of having young people trying to connect and continue with their school work, and you trying to continue with your work, you have also all found time to spend together that you might not normally be afforded.
Because of the delay in communications and changes to level 2 that have been foreshadowed, I am unable to outline what school will look like at level 2 but it is likely I will send another communication this evening or as soon as I receive more information. I can tell you that there is no school tomorrow (except for those who have been attending under alert level 3) and that school will recommence with a rōpū class at 9.30am on Thursday morning. The later starting time is because we are anticipating that not all public transport services will be running perfectly on Thursday morning and this will also give teachers some time to set up before students arrive. Rōpū will be from 9.30am to 10am and this will also be a chance for students to reconnect with each other before they resume lessons for the rest of the day.
School cafeteria
Please note that the school cafeteria will not be reopening until next Monday 13 September.
NZQA Changes
I have previously mentioned that NZQA have changed their dates for end of year exams and portfolio submission dates. Further to that information, Level 3 and Scholarship Visual Arts submission dates have also been adjusted to allow students more time to complete their portfolios. In addition, the DCATs (Digital Common Assessment Tasks) have been pushed by 2 weeks in recognition of the need for some candidates to have extra time to prepare for the DCATs.
NZQA has also flagged some other possible compensatory changes if lockdowns extend for more than 20 school days although these would seem unlikely to apply to students in Wellington. More information can be found at this link – https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/news/threshold-set-for-learning-recognition-credits-and-other-nceaue-changes/
School ball
This has been rescheduled for Saturday 30 October at the same venue.
Everyone aged 12 years and over can now be vaccinated
Everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand aged 12 years and over can now book their free COVID-19 vaccination.
- The Ministry of Health advises that two doses of the Pfizer vaccine are necessary to protect each other, our whānau and our community against the Delta variant of the virus.
- Reservations can be made through bookmyvaccine.nz – when booking appointments remember to stay local and book as close to home as possible.
- If you have questions or need help booking, call the COVID Vaccination Healthline 0800 28 29 26.
- It may be able to book directly at your local general practice, community pharmacy or hauora provider. For more information visit Healthpoint or Karawhiua.
We are really looking forward to welcoming everyone back onto site on Thursday. As I said above, I will send out more information about how level 2 will look this time around when I receive further advice from the ministry.
Mauri Ora
Dominic Killalea
Principal