Long-term COVID approach update to Naenae College community.

220914 COVID update long-term approach

220905 Every school day is a big day

Student Attendance Campaign

22 July 2022

Kia ora e te whānau

Masking up for the start of Term 3

In previous years we have found there is an increase in winter illnesses in schools at the start of Term 3 as students bring back infections after traveling and socializing during the holidays. This year cases of COVID-19 are increasing in most parts of the country, and we are also seeing high numbers of other winter illnesses.

For the start of Term 3, 2022, the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health strongly recommend that all schools and kura amend their mask policy for the first four weeks of term to require mask wearing in all indoor settings (where it will not have a significant impact on teaching and learning – see below) for students in Years 4 and above.

This recommendation does not include any situation where mask-wearing might not be practicable, such as while eating and drinking, playing certain musical instruments, indoor sport, where it will have a significant impact on teaching and learning (for example, students with particular learning needs), certain activities such as singing or drama performance on stage, and PE. In these situations, particular attention should be paid to ensuring there is good ventilation during the activity, and physical distancing where practicable.

Wearing masks can reduce new cases of the virus by as much as 53%. It works alongside other measures including vaccination, good ventilation, staying home when sick, and hand washing and other hygiene measures, to protect our students and staff.

Keep up healthy habits – Unite Against COVID-19

Adult-sized masks can generally be adjusted to fit older children by tying knots in the ear loops. Unite Against COVID-19 shows how to do this:

How to wear a face mask safely – Unite Against COVID-19

We know that that some of our tamariki/ākonga are exempt from wearing a mask. If they have an exemption card or a letter from their health provider, or we have agreed that mask wearing is not practicable for them, we will support them to not wear a mask.

Apply for a face mask exemption pass – Unite Against COVID-19

Please make sure that ākonga come to school ready to wear masks. Students should bring masks from home. If students cannot bring masks from home From Monday if students cannot bring masks there will be a limited supply of masks for students who are unable to bring one from home.

Thank you for your support in protecting our school community.

Noho ora mai
Nic Richards, Principal, Naenae College

Naenae parent caregiver update (click the link)

• Welcoming back Year 12 from rostering home Thursday 24 April 2022

• Advice of Teacher Only Day Friday 1 April 2022 – Teacher Well-being

Year 12

We will welcome back Year 12 from rostering home tomorrow as scheduled. While we have had further staff affected by COVID, we are confident that under the current circumstances we are able to ensure staffing levels that can support students at all year levels being at and returning to school.

This does signal an integration of our support for the hybrid learning model into our onsite learning – teachers facilitating learning in classrooms with students. Google Classroom will continue to be a source of learning support throughout the year and the work that students have done to support them to stay connected is vital. We do ask that devices we have loaned out are returned with students.

Teacher Only Day

This term has presented some significant challenges to our country, our community, and Naenae College. Throughout these challenges teachers, support staff, and agencies that work with us have stoically supported students and whānau to stay connected and for the school to remain safe and open. This is the third year of schools adapting and responding to the need of our communities. The team at Naenae College has done this willingly and courageously. They have gone the extra mile to support challenging circumstances by adapting, responding creatively, and giving generously to achieve the goal of getting through this together.

While there is a sense of having turned a corner in our efforts to respond to this crisis, we will remain vigilant in regard to further challenges that may arise. I am extremely thankful to our team for their dedication and courage through this recent Omicron outbreak, as I am of schools and public service organisations across our nation that have worked to support their communities.

Friday 1 April will be focused on supporting the well-being of our staff and is part of a wider Wellington educational initiative to acknowledge and manaaki our people. At the Greater Wellington Secondary Schools Principals Association meeting last week there was universal support for this acknowledgment and while schools will take a day that works for them for this purpose, ours will be on Friday 1 April.

My sincere hope is that this signals a slow and steady return to ‘normal’. I will, however, not hold my breath. We will be prepared to respond to the demands of the future but hope that a focus on quality teaching and learning and sustaining great outcomes for our students can once again be the thing that occupies our attention moving forward.

Lastly, thank you for your messages of support. We know that there is no one who remains unaffected by the trials of the past months. Your manaakitanga has provided vital encouragement for our efforts. For those still wrestling with COVID our support remains unflinching.

Kia kaka, ngā mihi manaaki.

Nicholas Richards

Tumuaki

Naenae College

Update to parents and caregivers