Covid-19 Update - Change to COVID Alert Levels for New Zealand from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
You will have heard the announcement this afternoon that outside of the Auckland region we will be returning to Alert Level 2 from Tuesday night 7 September 11.59pm with students able to return to school from Thursday 9 September. This will be a big relief for all – boys, staff and parents.
As a result of our region going to Alert Level 2, we will:
- Prepare to have all boys back at School on Thursday morning 9 September for Squads at 8.05am.
- Boarders may return to the Boarding House from Wednesday evening from 6.30pm. There will be no dinner provided.
- The Science Roadshow for Years 4 - 8 on Wednesday 8 September is cancelled.
- Postpone the Huntley Prep Fixtures for those boys involved in Years 5, 6, 7 & 8 scheduled for Thursday 9 September.
- Inform parents about school buses that will be running once we receive confirmation.
- Cancel the Years 0-3 excursion to the Chamber Music NZ Concert in Napier on Friday 10 September.
- Postpone Pet Day at Woodford House for Years 0 -3 on Friday 10 September.
- Have our School Assembly on Friday 10 September for boys and staff, but with no parents in attendance.
- Recommence our Chapel Services from Thursday 9 September but as smaller groups: Year 7 on Thursday morning and Year 8 on Friday morning; there will be no Whole School Chapel on Friday morning.
- Conduct all classes, Chapel services and sports practices under Alert Level 2 guidelines.
- Cancel the Les Jeunes Choristes practice that would have normally taken place on Thursday evening 9 September.
- Resume rehearsals for Pirates of Penzance from Sunday 12 September 2.00 - 5.00pm. The cast required for Act 1 will be confirmed over the next few days.
The full COVID-19 Hereworth School Safety Plan will be uploaded on the School website once the new Alert Level 2 Guidelines have been published.
Other important considerations:
- Parents are encouraged to drop off and pick up only and not enter classrooms.
- Boys are encouraged to bring their own water bottles to school each day.
- At Level 2 there will not be showers after sport for Day Boys, once sport resumes.
Boarding Conditions:
- Parents coming into the Boarding House will be required to sign in or scan for contact tracing purposes. Parents are encouraged to drop off only and not enter the Boarding House.
- While at Level 2, it is preferred that boarders do not leave Hereworth’s premises during the course of the week.
- If a boarder is sick he will be isolated in the sick bay. Parents will be required to collect their son to take him home.
The full COVID-19 Hereworth School Boarding Safety Plan will be placed on the School website once the new Alert Level 2 Guidelines have been published.
At Alert Level 2 we will adhere to key health measures including:
- Good hand hygiene and cough and sneeze etiquette.
- Staying away if sick.
- Keeping the appropriate physical distance from others.
- Cleaning and disinfecting our high touch surfaces daily.
- Continuing to display QR code posters at our entrances and encouraging all of our community to download the NZ COVID Tracer App and use it if they come onsite.
- Keeping a visitor register for anyone who cannot use the app and for other visitors who come onsite for a period of time.
If there are parents who have sons who should not attend school, for example, they need to self-isolate, then please contact your son’s teacher to discuss distance learning options.
Our key focus for the boys will be to keep them safe whilst at the same time trying to have as great a degree of normalcy as possible.
Given that the status of alert levels will be reviewed next week, we shall continue to keep you updated. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact the school if you require further information or support.
In closing, I express my sincere thanks to all teaching staff for their efforts with our on-line teaching programme and for connecting with the boys via Google Meets or See-Saw for instruction and encouraging participation, providing guidance and continuing to do the very best they can for every boy. Thank you also to admin and support staff who have also been working at school or at home, or have graciously undertaken alternative duties. Staff have demonstrated flexibility and innovation in their approaches in responding to this situation.
We are also very grateful to parents and caregivers for working alongside us as teachers, helping to monitor, and engage the boys in the learning process, especially when trying to balance work and family.
It has been heartening to see how well our entire community has come together to support one another – Hereworth is a special place.
Trevor Barman
Headmaster
