Kia ora koutou e te Whanau
Please take the time to read the entire email and refer back to this as required.
We have started into a new phase of New Zealand’s response to COVID-19 and it is very different from 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 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 few weeks. The school holiday version for the next two and a bit weeks, will likely look a little different as students will not be checking in with their teachers, but some form of routine will still be important as we go through the lockdown period.
This schedule is one that has been heavily based on one suggested by the Ministry of Education.
Daily Schedule:
*Adapted from a resource developed by Jessica McHale Photography
From 15 April (start of Term 2), teachers will be supplying a suggested programme, for two days at a time. This will include:
- A targeted Reading, Maths and Writing activity for each day
- Some extra optional activities e.g. STEAM, ART, PE, MUSIC, WELLBEING that you are able to complete if you wish after the above core activities are completed
Any further activities you want your children to do will need to be sourced and marked by you.
Teachers will not be providing extra to the programme they post.
If you or your child are at a loss and unable to understand the work set, you’re welcome to contact your classroom teacher via email. They will endeavour to get back to during the yellow time slots above. Please appreciate many are also parents themselves (and overseeing their own child(ren)’s work, so there may be a delay in their responses. Their email addresses can be found on our school website.
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 Pasifika 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 Pasifika community groups are watching the programming on both days.
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
If you need to contact the school for further support (non learning) during the holidays please email me at
principal@cpds.school.nz
Information and resources to support wellbeing and support learning at home
- The Ministry of Education has developed a resource for parents, caregivers, whānau and family – http://education.govt.nz/school/health-safety-and-wellbeing/pastoral-care-and-wellbeing/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-coronavirus/.
- The Ministry of Health’s website includes Top ways to look after your mental wellbeing during the Covid-19 lockdown.
- I AM HOPE is the youth and community focused support group run by The Key to Life Charitable Trust, started by Mike King – https://www.iamhope.org.nz/
- Nathan Wallis has some helpful videos on his Facebook page for parents and whānau – https://www.facebook.com/nathanwallisxfactoreducation/ –
- Tips on looking after mental health and wellbeing during COVID-19 from the Mental Health foundation https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/get-help/covid-19/
- a website by the Health Promotion Agency to help New Zealanders recognise and understand depression and anxiety – https://depression.org.nz/covid-19/
- Although overseas-based this is a good list and highlights some things particularly important for children. Remember the rules of New Zealand’s level 4 lockdown still apply – 25 Mental Health Wellness Tips during Quarantine from Eileen M Feliciano, Psy.D.
Keep safe and look after each other! Happy holidays!
Ngā mihi
Janine
