Dear Families
We have started into a new phase of New Zealand’s response to COVID-19 and it is very different than anything most of us have ever experienced. I wanted to reassure you that our school staff and Board of Trustees will continue to be available to support your child’s learning and wellbeing in the next weeks. You will have received a home learning code enabling your child to continue their school learning programmes from home through the Seesaw online learning journal. The code was valid for 24 hours only. After the holiday break, if you require a new code for Seesaw, please email your child’s teacher.
You will understand the importance of routine for your family. If your routine has been shaken up, like you’re now working from home, it’s good to structure your time. Routines are reassuring, and promote health and physical wellbeing. The below timetable (targeted at children) could be something your household adapts to use over the next weeks. A school holiday version will likely look a little different, but some form of routine will still be important as we go through the lockdown period.
Daily Schedule
| Before 9:00am | Wake up | Eat breakfast, make your bed, get dressed, put any dirty clothes in the laundry |
| 9:00-10:00 | Morning walk/physical activity | Family walk with the dog, bike ride, Yoga if it’s raining |
| 10:00-11:00 | Learning at home | School-led learning or Sudoku, books, flash cards, study guide, journal etc |
| 11:00-12:00 | Creative time | Legos, magnatiles, drawing, crafting, play music, cook or bake etc. |
| 12:00 pm | Lunch 🙂 | |
| 12:30 | Helping at home | # wipe all kitchen tables and chairs # wipe all door handles, light switches and desk tops # wipe both bathrooms – sinks and toilets |
| 1:00-2:30 | Quiet time | Reading, puzzles, nap, radio NZ stories, online stories |
| 2:30-4:00 | Learning at home | School-led learning or iPad games, Prodigy, Educational show |
| 4:00-5:00 | Afternoon fresh air | Bikes, walk the dog, play outside |
| 5:00-6:00 | Dinner 🙂 | |
| 6:00-8:00 | Free TV time | Kids shower time |
| 8:00 | Bedtime | All kids |
| 9:00pm | Bedtime | All kids who follow the daily schedule & don’t fight |
*Adapted from a resource developed by Jessica McHale Photography
Some good news to support you either working at home and/or studying at home – Spark, Vodafone, Vocus/Slingshot, 2Degrees and Trustpower have all advised they have removed their data caps and the possibility of any extra charges based on usage.
For our Pacific families, if you are not aware the Ministry for Pacific Peoples’ has been working to ensure useful information is available to Pacific peoples. A one-hour special will be aired on Tagata Pasifika’s segment on Saturday at 9am; and on Sunday at 7.35am, Tagata Pasifika will share messages from community leaders. The Ministry is asking you to reach out to all your family members, community groups, friends and group chats to ensure our Pacific community groups are watching the programming on both days.
For families of essential workers, the Government has agreed that three large home-based providers (Barnardos, Edubase and PORSE) will provide additional support to essential service workers, where workers are not able to make their own arrangements. Essential workers should still continue to contact one of the following three providers if they have been unable to make their own arrangements:
- Barnardos – covid19enquiries@barnardos.
org.nz - Edubase – Home Grown Kids & Kids at Home 0508 44 54 37 or [email protected]
- PORSE 0800 023 456
A big thank you to all of you for taking the lockdown so seriously. As the Prime Minister has noted staying at home will break the chain and save lives; breaking the rules could risk someone close to you and if the rules are not complied with, this could risk the lock down period being extended or could risk the virus being spread to thousands
Key dates reminder
26 March Alert Level 4 commenced
28 March School holidays begin
10 – 14 April Easter including the Tuesday after Easter
15 April Term 2 begins (through distance learning)
22 April Current date for ending of lockdown period
27 April ANZAC Day observed
Ngā mihi nui
