COVID Alert Level 4 Update 23 August 2021
Monday 23 August 2021
Kia ora koutou
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement we now know that Alert Level 4 has been extended for us all until 11.59pm on Friday 27 August, with the alert settings to be reviewed that afternoon.
Tomorrow our distance learning programme continues and will be supported by a number of "face-to-face" google meets. These will be spread out over the next three days. The timetable for these google meets was communicated last week. If you would like to view the timetable, you can find it on our website by clicking on the Covid Alert Level 4 link.
Our teachers will communicate with students via their school email address. It is therefore important that students are encouraged and reminded to check their school email for important information and alerts which link to work posted or invitations to google meets. We understand that some students require learning materials and devices that they do not currently have in their homes. Staff are working on this and are responding to requests from our community. If students in your household require a device, please make contact with Ms Clissold via email [email protected]
Friday August 27, as indicated, will be a mid-term break and a chance for everyone to pause before we move into the final 5 weeks of Term 3.
Our Senior Course Selection evening, that was rescheduled for this week, has been cancelled. The careers staff are working on an alternative method to provide advice and information to students to support their selection of courses for 2022. The details of this will differ, depending on the length of time we will be working remotely. Therefore, please keep an eye on the information shared via our community updates to keep informed.
Unfortunately, Winter Sports Tournament has been cancelled for all participants. All parents/caregivers should have received an email letter from Paige Hubber, our Sports Coordinator regarding this, today.
Once again, we hope that Friday will bring a positive shift for the Canterbury region. We will continue to keep you updated the best we can as we receive information. Given we now know the Alert Status through to Friday we will look to pause our community communication until later this week.
We have included the latest information from the Ministries of Education and Health at the bottom of this email as this contains a range of useful information. Ideally, if nothing changes, we will send through a communication on Thursday 26th August.
Keep safe and take care
He waka eke noa - We are all in this together
Ngā mihi nui
Mr. Jeff Smith
Principal - Tumuaki
The Ministry of Health and Education has provided the following supporting information;
Please find below information regarding childcare for Covid level 4 workers. This is intended as support for parents and whānau of children 0-13 years who are required to work providing essential services and who are unable to source private childcare.
Thank you to those home-based providers who are providing this care.
Childcare for Workers of Alert Level 4 Business or Services Scheme
The Government has contracted approved licensed home-based education and care providers across the country to provide childcare to workers in Alert Level 4 businesses and services.
Childcare through this scheme is only available:
· During an alert level 4 lock-down period as announced by the New Zealand Government.
· for children under the care of Alert Level 4 business or service workers.
· where there are no other adults in the household able to undertake childcare.
· for children aged 0-13.
The preference remains that Alert Level 4 workers make their own private arrangements where they are able to do so.
Conditions of childcare delivery:
· Carers are only able to care for one household.
· Funding is not available where the carer normally lives at the same address as the worker in an Alert Level 4 business or service.
· Workers in Alert Level 4 businesses or services are not to be charged any fees for this service.
· All Covid19 Public Health rules must be complied with.
Information for parents, caregivers and whānau
A list of approved licensed home-based education and care providers can be found at https://www.education.govt.nz/covid-19/childcare-for-workers-of-alert-level-4-business-or-services-scheme/ If you are an Alert Level 4 business or service worker, you can organise childcare by contacting one of these providers directly.
Information for home-based providers
If you are a licensed home-based education and care provider and are interested in being involved in this scheme you can contact us at [email protected]
To become an approved provider, you must:
· be meeting the requirements under the Licensing Criteria for Homebased Education and Care Services 2008
· confirm that you have undertaken a complete and current safety check including police vet, in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014, for any carers delivering care through this initiative.
· be able to confirm, in cases where the care is provided from the carer’s home, your organisation has previously assessed the carer’s home as meeting health and safety licensing requirements and police vetted any adults in accordance with the Education and Training Act 2020.
For more information please refer https://www.education.govt.nz/covid-19/childcare-for-workers-of-alert-level-4-business-or-services-scheme/
Food and Essential Items
Finally, we know some families in our community may be finding it difficult to access food and essential items such as medicine. This information about how to access food or essential items https://assets.education.govt.nz/public/Documents/School/SchoolsBulletin/2021-Bulletins/2021AUG23/Access-to-food-or-essential-items.pdf summarises the supports that are available, including financial help to buy food.
Keeping yourself updated
· The Ministry of Education website http://www.education.govt.nz/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-3/ will continue to be updated with education related information.
· The Ministry of Health website https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus will be regularly updated with health and status information.
· The All of Government website https://covid19.govt.nz will also have the latest updates.
Support Services Available
Our primary focus remains supporting the well-being of our students while maintaining an ongoing teaching and learning programme. It is important to note that we are all learning and adjusting to being back in COVID Alert Level 4 and the stresses that this can bring. Should you feel it necessary please contact the services below.
- Free call or text 1737 support from trained counsellor
- Child, Adolescent & Family (CAF) Emergency Team (Business hours) 0800 218 219 - press 2
- Crisis Resolution, Freephone 0800 920 092, (After hours), 7 days a week.
- Youthline – 0800 376 633 or free text 234
- Lifeline – 0800 543 354
- Suicide Crisis Helpline – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
If it is an emergency or you, or someone you know, is at immediate risk call 111