(Sunday 22 March 2020)
Kia ora koutou katoa,
The Government announced that we had entered a level two (copied below) response to Covid 19 as a country. That has some implications for us.
The first and most important is that some of your sons are advised to stay at home. The broad advice applies to the following:
Older people, particularly those with pre-existing health problems are more likely to get severe illness and are therefore considered at risk. High risk individuals also include people with underlying medical conditions, such as:
- a compromised immune system
- liver disease
- cancer
- kidney disease
- heart disease
- diabetes mellitus
If you are in this category and feel that you should stay at home then please could you let attendance know via email with an outline of the reason why ( In what way you are compromised). You are not expected to obtain a medical certificate in the situation as the government is anxious not to add any more pressure to medical centres. These guidelines are in addition to the previous guidelines about staying away of you are not well, self-isolating if you have been in contact with a potentially infected person.
Physical distancing and its importance is the another key message.
- We will take all practicable steps to spread students around the class. Staff will be mindful of keeping well clear of their space and avoid contact with them and their belongings. Staff will move to a delivery methods that does not involve sharing resources.
- Practical classes will ask students to hand wash before and after the lesson and will need to consider regimes for cleaning shared resources.
- We have established many hand washing sites around the school. These are being restocked at least twice daily and are signposted too. Students will be reminded about these.
- Students should avoid sharing resources and food of any sort with each other
Student absences
- A student who is absent because they are required to self-isolate for whatever reason, or who are unwell will be marked as explained and justified absences. Staff will do what is practically possible to provide work for these students.
- A student who is absent by choice or not actually required to self-isolate will be marked as explained by unjustified (J).
- Students will not be required to obtain a medical certificate, again to minimise the load on medical centres.
Rumour/ gossip.
- Please direct any personal concerns you have to leadership.team@nelsoncollege.school.nz we can very easily help you to dispel rumour without adding to the speculation
- Please be very assertive with sons if they are being silly and thoughtless with rumour. We all have different levels of anxiety in this situation and must be mindful of those potentially more significantly impacted.
School closure
- The government has stated that schools will not close end masse until we are at level four or on a case by case basis. Both relevant Ministries are being incredibly proactive and will undoubtedly let us know if we meet this threshold for any reason. They are also very clear that it is has serious implications should we take the law into our own hands on this matter.