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Return to school health alerts

COVID-19

School re-opens to all students on Wednesday 17th November 2021:

 

1) People need to play it safe and continue to take sensible health and safety precautions, however public health advice is that schools, early learning services and tertiary institutions are safe to open onsite to all learners and staff. If in doubt, please contact your healthcare provider for advice.

 

2) Heightened vigilance is required when considering sending children who may be feeling unwell in to school. In the event of fever, general headache/malaise, coughing and/or sneezing/runny nose, children must not be sent to school under any circumstances. Any children presenting or developing these symptoms while at school will be isolated in sickbay and parents will be asked to collect them and seek medical advice. Please take a cautious approach and keep your child at home if in any doubt.

3) You/your child must self-isolate for 14 days in the event of:

  • return from overseas, and/or

  • diagnosis with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19; or identification as a close contact of a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19

Please use the school's absence form and we will be in touch to advise/confirm as soon as possible. 

 

After a self-quarantine period if required, children who have not developed symptoms can return to school as directed by healthcare professionals.

This advice is under ongoing review -  information and updates will be posted here

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key organisation

Students will attend school for half days Monday to Friday.  Classes will be separated into 2 bubbles.

  • Bubble A will attend school every morning from 9 am to 11.30 am

  • Bubble B will attend every afternoon from 12.30 pm to 3 pm. 

Siblings will attend school at the same time.

public health requirements

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health have instructed us to implement the following Public Health measures to mitigate the risks of contracting Covid-19 at school. These measures are designed to reduce transmission between staff and students, to provide clarity about who is a contact and what is their risk and to minimise school closures and disruption to learning. 

  • Students have the opportunity to attend school part-time.

  • Students must be formed into small stable groups that do not intermingle either inside or outside - groups must be contained and physically distanced from each other.

  • Students who are in our existing bubble class (the children of essential workers only) will continue to attend as they have over the past weeks. 

  • There must be no congregating onsite, including during drop-off or pick-up.

  • Public health advice is that large groups of students meeting indoors must be avoided, including no assemblies, prizegiving or performances.

  • All staff have had at least one vaccination and a negative Covid test before physically returning to school.

  • Students and staff must stay home if unwell and must return a negative test before returning to school. Staff are to monitor and we will send students home who display any signs of illness. 

  • All staff and students in Years 4, 5 and 6 are required to wear masks while at school. 

  • Practice good hand hygiene - regular use of hand sanitiser.

  • Disinfect and clean all surfaces daily - including between bubbles for our school

  • Indoor ventilation must be optimised.

  • Teaching outdoors is encouraged, however there are issues related to sun safety and the practicality of being able to teach effectively outside the classroom for us to consider.

  • Staff must interact with as few other adults as is possible.  Each team of teachers will be allocated a separate lunch area.

  • Schools must minimise any mixing of year levels.  Each year level will have its own entry and exit gate and separate time and space for break time. 

  • The school must maintain accurate and accessible records to facilitate efficient contact tracing should it be required.  To assist us in this regard please email admin@mteden.school.co.nz if you have changed your phone number or email recently.

actions for parents

  1. Returning to school: 

    1. Please email your child’s teacher by 3 pm tomorrow (Friday 12th November) to indicate if your child is returning to school.

    2. Teachers will organise their class into 2 bubbles and email you on Monday to let you know if your child will attend in the morning or afternoon.  

    3. Please do not make any requests for morning or afternoon time slots, as teachers will be creating bubbles based on learning needs only. Siblings will attend at the same time. 

    4. Please do not send your child to school if they or anyone else in your family/whanau is unwell.

  2. Distance Learning: 

    1. As classroom teaching will take place across the day, please note that Distance Learning will not continue in its current form.

    2. Materials from the past 9 weeks will be available for students who continue to learn at home, however there will no longer be daily videos or conferencing groups.

  3. Other information: 

    1. There is no before or after school care.

    2. There are no music or Performance Net lessons onsite.

    3. The uniform shop will not be open.

    4. There will be no lunch orders available - students will not be at school during lunch time.

    5. Students will not bring readers home from school each day as these need to be individually cleaned after use.  They will use readers at school as we can clean them after each bubble has finished. 

  4. What to bring: 

    1. Students should bring a snack and a water bottle (NB shared water fountains are closed). 

    2. Students should wear school uniform.

    3. A mask for students in Years 4, 5 and 6 (and a spare mask in their bag please.

    4. Hat - school hat preferred however, just for this period any hat will be ok if you don’t have a school hat.

  5. Drop off and pick up: 

    1. Each year level will enter and exit school by a specific gate. Please ensure your child only enters and exits via this gate.  There will be a staff member inside the gate to greet students as they arrive. 

    2. Gates will be open at 8.45am and again at 12.15pm.  Please note there is no before and after school care permitted at this time. At the end of each bubble session, students are required to leave the school grounds promptly. No lingering or playing onsite. 

    3. No congregating at the gate.  Please drop your child and leave straight away.  Alternatively you can drop a few doors down and allow your child to walk the last little bit themselves.  Please ensure you wear a mask and model correct social distancing.  No parents will be permitted to come onsite. 

year level gate entry

  • Year 1: Main gate

  • Year 2: Top gate - on Sherborne Rd by sandpit

  • Year 3: Bottom gate on Sherborne Rd next to driveway 

  • Year 4: Pool gate

  • Year 5: Bottom gate

  • Year 6: Car park gate (middle gate in car park fence)

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