Dear Parents and Caregivers
You will have heard the Prime Minister announced this afternoon that New Zealand will be remaining in Alert Level 4 until 11.59pm on Tuesday 24th August. This means that Kohimarama School will continue to operate our remote learning until at least this date.
You already have the timetable for Google Meets for students and the teaching staff continue to publish the learning for students while in this alert level. Remote learning runs from Monday to Friday, 9.00am – 12.00noon. Please watch out for communications from teams and invitations for students to meet. We understand that each family’s circumstances are different and know that there will be times when students are unable to complete the set work. This is understandable and accounted for within remote learning.
COVID 19 Delta variant
Please see attached an article from Dr Siouxsie Wiles and Toby Morris regarding this Delta Strain of the COVID 19 virus, here. This is a good visual for students to understand what is happening at this time. It is for your use as you see fit.
Device distribution
At the commencement of this Alert Level 4 lockdown, members of the school staff were not permitted to enter the school premises. Late yesterday this was changed to allow designated staff to go into school to provide assistance to retrieve devices or loan devices to the school community.
Today, teachers checked with students if they needed to collect a device or needed to borrow one. A comprehensive list has been created from this survey by teachers. If you did not indicate that you needed to collect or use a device with your child’s teacher then please email pengles@kohimarama.school.nz.
Device distribution will be on Monday morning in an orderly fashion with contactless pick up in place. A time is allocated for pick up, please wait in your vehicle. Masks must be worn.
Keeping safe online
This is a time when I want to encourage you to discuss internet safety with children – of all ages. If we all work together to make sure children are safe online, we can make the internet a great tool for people of all ages. A reminder that school controlled devices are subject to FamilyZone (Linewise) controls. You can enrol the family into the Family Zone App to support safety at home for all. See school website for information.
Flutracking
Flutracking is an online survey which asks if you have had a fever or cough in the last week and which can help track flus and possible COVID-19 symptoms. Registering online will help surveillance efforts by providing early detection of community spread of the flu and also of COVID-19 symptoms.
People can register online at Flu Tracking This is a practical thing everyone can do to help us monitor flu and COVID-19 symptoms throughout NZ.
Wellbeing for all – Resources to support families at this time
Wellbeing at Alert Level 4
We have information focused on wellbeing and supporting a child’s learning at home for parents, caregivers and whānau. Health and Wellbeing
Further information to support wellbeing
I AM HOPE is the youth and community focused support group run by The Key to Life Charitable Trust, started by Mike King.
Nathan Wallis has some helpful videos on his Facebook page for parents and whānau
Mentalhealth.org.nz – tips on looking after mental health and wellbeing during COVID-19 from the Mental Health foundation.
Depression.org.nz – a website by the Health Promotion Agency to help New Zealanders recognise and understand depression and anxiety. `
We are again experiencing the effects of the global pandemic in New Zealand. We had a rapid transition into Alert Level 4 and as positive cases continue to rise in the foreseeable future, it is likely that we will be in this situation over the next few weeks. Thank you for your understanding as the educational landscape changes at an exponential rate.
The Board and Staff at Kohimarama wish you and your family all the very best during this time. Please contact me, pengles@kohimarama.school.nz or Meegan Hill, DP mhill@kohimarama.school.nz if you have any queries or concerns. Please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions about remote learning assignments.
Kind Regards
Paul Engles
Principal
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