What does Alert Level 1 look like at Raglan Area School?

Teenaa koutou e te whaanau o te Kura a Rohe o Whaingaroa

I am sure you were as pleased as I was to hear the Prime Minister’s announcement about moving to Alert Level 1.  For us, there will be no major changes to what we are doing and our school continues to be safe to attend, including any staff and children who are considered more vulnerable to COVID. We have a good cleaning routine in place, people who are sick are staying at home and we continue to encourage good hygiene practices.

Specific points to note include:

• Physical distancing is not a requirement but where possible or practicable it will continue to be encouraged – especially when we are around people we don’t know.
• There are no restrictions on personal movement so all students and staff continue to be safe to go to school.
• All students are now expected to be at school. Please notify the school using our normal protocols if students are absent from school.
• There are no restrictions on numbers at gatherings or on physical activities including cultural and sporting activities, practices and events.
• If people are sick, they should stay home (phone Healthline or their GP and get tested if they have cold or flu symptoms
• We will continue to expect and encourage our staff and students to regularly wash and dry hands and to sneeze and cough into elbows.
• Soap, and paper towels will continue to be provided in our toilet facilities and in classrooms.
• We will continue to regularly disinfect shared surfaces.

We are no longer required to keep a contact tracing register but we will continue with the usual practice of having a visitor and an attendance register (and we will need to work with local health authorities to identify close contacts, should there be a case connected with the school). We will also continue to support contact tracing by having QR code posters at our entrances – so if you haven’t already downloaded the NZ COVID Tracer app the Ministry of Health’s NZ-COVID Tracer app page has information to help you do that.

We can now look forward to being able to participate again in inter-school and community sport, cultural events and performances and to welcoming all of our school community on site for these activities.

We will keep you updated on all coming events.

Ngaa mihi nui – Louisa Barham (Tumuaki / Principal)