Message to Staff COVID- 19 update

Mairehau High School

440 Hills Road. Mairehau, Christchurch 8052, ph 385 3145, fax 385 3143, e-mail admin@mairehau.school.nz 

21 April 2020

Kia ora koutou

RE: Mairehau High School staff update in Alert Level 3.

I trust after your weeks in ‘isolation’ that you and whānau are all well, safe and still smiling. Remember to be kind, and use nice words to others, be patient, we are in this together.

I hope that Term 2 and our Online programme has been a success for you so far. I wish to thank you for your commitment and passion for providing our students with an Online programme. We thank you for engaging our students in an online environment. It seems that we have moved quickly and far in a short period. Thank you to our support staff that helped our whānau with device connectivity.

The school is committed to following all Health and Safety guidelines set by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education.

The Principles for Alert Level 3:

1.      Stay home. If you are not at work, school, exercising or getting essentials, then you must be at home, the same as Level 4.

2.      Work and learn from home if you can. We still want the vast majority of people working from home, and children and young people learning from home. At-risk students and staff should also stay at home, and they will be supported to do so. Early learning centres and schools will physically be open for up to Year 10 for families that need them.

Mairehau High School site access:

The Secretary for Education has agreed that the work we need to undertake to ready our school for Alert Level 3 can commence provided distancing and hygiene measures are adhered to. This means school access can occur from today, Tuesday 21 April.

However, all Mairehau High School staff require the permission of the Principal to enter the school site.

We know there will have been any number of challenges for you to deal with, but we have been getting some great feedback about the learning that is happening and thank you for all your support.

Yesterday, the Government decided that we will move into Alert Level 3 on 28 April.  That means we will be open to receive students from the 29 April.  We will start to prepare the school from today.

What’s happening from Tuesday 21 April?

Property:

Our school caretaker, Steve, is onsite to conduct a property checklist. He will organise cleaners and contractors to repair, fix, and attend to any property issues that need to be addressed. 

School Planning:  

SLT has decided on an Alert 3 Teaching and Learning model. We are sending a survey to our parents to seek the number of students that may return onsite because their parents are essential workers. A staff survey will be available today.

For any students (dependent on numbers) that return to school will be allocated to a bubble (max ten students), with a rotation of teachers (at least 3), located in A block. The student bubbles will be composite Y9 and Y10 students. Archer block will be used for all Alert Level 3 onsite learning.

School Attendance:

Only Year 9 and Year 10 on the school site.

We are following the MOE guidelines in marking school attendance. Siobhan has created a separate spreadsheet to collate and analyse student engagement.

Learning:

We plan to advise our community that all onsite learning will be the same as our current Online programme. Students and whānau need to access our school website.

Thursday  23rd -  28th April:

A professional cleaning company will give our school a deep clean. Please note MOE advise there are no specific requirements for cleaning concerning COVID-19.

Tuesday 28 April:

Teacher Only Day Hangout

Wednesday 29 April

Staff and students will be onsite.

Staffing:

The following are staffing  guidelines from the Secretary for Education

Under Alert Level 3, school staff are expected to be available to return to work onsite if required with some exceptions, as follows:

• No staff member who is sick with COVID-19, caring for someone who is sick with COVID-19, or who has had close contact with a case of COVID-19 and is required to self-isolate, may be at work in any circumstances.
• Those at higher-risk of severe illness from COVID-19 (eg those with underlying medical conditions and the elderly) may work onsite if they wish to and if their employer (which is usually the Board) agrees they can do so safely.
• If a staff member lives with someone who is at higher-risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and it cannot be agreed that they can work onsite safely.

The following takes you to the staff- Return to work under L3 form:  Mairehau High School staff form Link

Summary:

Tuesday 21 April

Caretaker, contractors, and cleaners can access the school.

Tuesday 21 April to Tuesday 28 April.

Site preparation, including cleaning, maintenance, floorplans and logistical management of health and safety requirements. A deep clean of the school will commence.

Tuesday 28 April

First day at Alert Level 3

Teacher/Staff Only Day Hangout

Wednesday 29 April

First Day that some students can attend.

Closing

People matter, your hauora (wellbeing) and whānau always come first.

Stay safe, keep well, and be kind to others. Look after self and whānau.

Take CARE. 

Nāku noa

Harry Romana

Principal