24th August 2021
Kia ora koutou,

I think we had all anticipated a further extension of Alert Level 4, and the Prime Minister has confirmed this. The Alert Level will be reviewed on Friday afternoon, but for now Alert Level 4 will remain in place until 12:59pm Friday 27 August.

And so our distance learning programme will continue! Classroom timetables can be found here. Please, do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher with any queries. Teacher emails can be found in our Whanau A-Z Guide.

I’d like to welcome two staff members to our school. They join us under very unusual circumstances! Pip Smith ([email protected]) will be working with Room 7 until the end of this term as our new entrant teacher whilst Ms Douglas is on sick leave and Aimee Snelgrove ([email protected]) will be covering Mr Frost’s Physical Education classes during his refreshment leave until mid-November. I know you will all make them feel welcome.

The Ministry of Education have made contact with me today regarding priority internet connections for any family who cannot connect. If you, or anyone you know is in this situation, please email me ([email protected]). We will work with the Ministry of Education and their providers to get you connected. Usually, this is a free service.

School Sport NZ have made contact with all schools to let us know that all events have been cancelled through to at least 6th September. Their position for future events will be reviewed on 1st September. Early indications from South Canterbury Sport point to potential cancellations until at least the end of Term 3. Unfortunately, this directly affects the upcoming tournament, in which some of our students were involved.

There is a lot we can all do to protect our whānau and community from COVID-19 including:
  • Everyone must continue to stay home in their bubble
  • Do not mix with other household bubbles – if they have COVID-19, it can easily spread to your household, and every other household they and you are connecting with
  • As new cases are identified, new locations of interest are added to the Ministry of Health website – please keep checking this. You can search by your location and they are sorted by date, so you only need to check the locations which have been added when you last checked
  • Wash your hands regularly, especially when you have been out in public
  • Stay home if you are feeling unwell and seek advice about whether you need to get a test
  • Wear a face covering when out and about, and you MUST wear a face covering in any businesses or services which are open at Alert Level 4 (unless you have specifically been exempted from doing so, which includes anyone aged under 12)
  • Keep a two-metre distance from people outside your household bubble
Check in using the NZ COVID Tracer App wherever you go or keep a manual record (a reminder the App only stores information on your own phone – no one else will know who it is that checked in, or when)

You can go to the COVID19.govt.nz website if you would like more information on Alert Level 4 requirements.

We can also make sure we are passing on good information. There is a very helpful article by Dr Siouxsie Wiles and Toby Morris in The Spinoff regarding misinformation and disinformation.

Their red flags for how to spot bad information are particularly well-summarised. Bad information will:
  • downplay COVID-19 and the pandemic
  • focus on survival rate
  • ignore long COVID
  • emphasise individual freedom
  • try to sell you something
  • push simple cures/treatments
  • make you feel fearful or angry.

“Good information put out to help you make an informed choice won’t make you feel scared or angry. It’ll make you feel empowered.”

A reminder that the school and its grounds remain closed to onsite users (including staff) during Alert 4 unless very specific Ministry of Health conditions are met. Please do not come to school unless you have been individually contacted by us to do so. Otherwise, you will be in breach of the COVID-19 Health Response Order.

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 to food or essential items summarises the supports that are available, including financial help to buy food. When I read this document, it did seem very city-centric and included services we cannot access in Twizel. However, it does contain generic information that some families may find useful.

Please do take care and let us know how we can best support you and your whanau.

Kia kaha!


Kate Staniford
Tumuaki | Principal


Golden Rules Level 4