Merivale School

(07) 578 6900 25 Kesteven Ave, Tauranga, 3112

ALERT LEVEL 2 AT MERIVALE SCHOOL


Kia Ora Parents, Caregivers and Whanau,

Thank you to those whanau who have made contact with staff regarding whether your child will be returning to school in Level 2.  If you have not already done this, please do so ASAP.

Tomorrow, staff will be meeting to plan for next week and to ensure we have all safety measures in place before then.

In the meantime, for those students returning next Monday 18 May we have a few things that we would like to remind whanau of:
  • Please stay home if you are unwell.
  • Safe hygiene practices must be followed when at school - washing hands regularly, coughing etiquette and distancing when possible.
  • No one is permitted on to school grounds with the exception of students and staff.  ALL visitors, including parents, caregivers and whanau, must check in at the office on arrival.
  • When dropping off or collecting children, please wait in your vehicle or if on foot, waiting at the front entry of the school maintaining a safe distance from others.
  • All devices must come back to school with students.  This is important as the devices will be needed for student work.
  • If you have any concerns in regard to your child's return, we encourage you to contact the office and speak with either myself or Whaea Heather.
For those students who will not be returning until later, we will continue with distance learning with a focus on devices.  Tomorrow, staff will discuss how this will operate.  At this stage, we may only use one teacher to take care of all distance learning for those students.  Again, this will be decided tomorrow.

In preparation, there will be no new learning happening over Thursday 14 May and Friday 15 May as teachers will of course be focused on returning to school.  However, please continue to attempt current tasks and any other learning associated with your child's class during this time.

While we may be heading to Level 2, it is important that we keep up with the vigilance and safety measures we have followed during this period.
#wegotthiswhanau

Nga Mihi
Matua Tom

LEVEL 2 RETURN - Monday 18 May, 2020


Kia Ora Parents, Caregivers and Whanau,

As announced by our Prime Minister this afternoon, from tomorrow staff will begin preparing for Level 2 return next Monday 18 May.

We will continue with Level 3 practices this week for those students whose parents/caregivers are essential workers.

To help with the transition back, we are seeking numbers of students who will be returning in Level 2.  Please contact either the office or your child's teacher if you intend on sending your child next week.

Again, we wish to remind you all of the safe hygiene practices on returning to school - washing/sanitizing hands often, coughing etiquette and staying home if unwell.

More information will be coming from the MOE this week to support Merivale School on our return so please stay updated on our website or Facebook page.  

Alternatively, you can go to the Ministry Of Education website form more general information on http://www.education.govt.nz/

If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact school staff or myself.

Nga Mihi
Matua Tom

LEVEL 2 ANNOUNCEMENT

Kia Ora Parents, Caregivers and Whanau,

With the government announcement of what Level 2 will look like today, it brings a welcome relief that we will soon be able to resume school day to day life again.  However, though we may collectively breathe a sigh of relief we must still maintain our vigilance and sense of duty to eliminating COVID-19.  In doing that, it is important to note that our return to school will not be 'business as usual'.

When we return, we will be applying the safe hygienic practices we followed before Level 4.  They are thorough handwashing, coughing etiquette, staying at home if we are unwell and of course physical distancing when we can.

In preparation, staff and BOT have been working together to ensure our students successful transition back to school.  There are a number of considerations but, as our Prime Minister eluded to, Merivale School will be 'Playing It Safe' throughout Level 2.

Staff will be briefed over the coming week with specifics in Level 2 and these will be implemented, as required, on our return.  More information will be given after the government gives the go ahead to move.

We understand that there may be anxieties among whanau but if we all stick to the rules, I am confident The Vale will be able to deal with any challenges that may arise.  Afterall, we are all about being safe, being vigilant and being kind. #wegotthiswhanau

Nga Mihi
Matua Tom
Level 3 Update

Kia Ora Koutou,

Thank you to our awesome whanau and community in allowing us time and patience to prepare our hard packs and devices this week. We are very pleased that there are less than 4 packs still to be collected. There are a number of items to discuss in this notice.

Devices
If you are having difficulties please contact your child’s teacher as first port of call for assistance. Our staff are eager to help out where they can. Arrangements can be made to replace chargers or devices but these cannot take place unless teachers are contacted first.

Hard Packs
With devices issued, you would notice that hard packs have less numeracy and literacy tasks. However there are enough to suffice for those that need them. The MOE is also sending out further hard packs. Again, these are not issued by the school so we do not accept any responsibility for their subject matter or appropriateness. However, we do encourage you to contact your child’s teacher to discuss any learning issues or needs just as you would at school. A reminder that we are still in lockdown so please have realistic expectations of staff.

At School Platform
A message from the MOE today reports that less than 2% of the country’s student population are at school. We have a small
number of dedicated staff who risk their own family bubbles to assist essential workers during Level 3.  We please ask if your child does not need to be at school on a specific day,  please keep them at home for the safety of all.

Looking forward to when Level 3 drops to Level 2 but until then: be safe, be kind, be vigilant.
#wegotthiswhanau

Nga Mihi
Matua Tom

Kia Ora Parents, Caregivers and Whanau,

As we countdown to the switch to Alert Level 3, Merivale School staff have been extremely busy.  Not only have we been preparing for online learning  for the next two weeks, we have also been ensuring we meet all health and safety requirements for those students who must be at school.  

Therefore, school operations have been divided into two platforms.

ONLINE AND HARD PACK PLATFORM
Staff will be providing online learning and support for students at home.  Hard packs will also be provided.  A learning bag containing devices and hard packs can be collected from school between 2pm and 4pm on Tuesday 28 April.  A detailed plan for online learning will be included in the bag as well.  For those whanau who have indicated that they would like internet support, these details have been sent to the Ministry.  Hopefully this will be provided by next week.

AT SCHOOL PLATFORM
Students of essential workers will be operating with some of our staff at school throughout Alert Level 3.  These whanau have been contacted regarding protocol at school during this time.  The first day of school for these students is Wednesday 29 April.  This means that students attending school will not need to collect learning bags on Tuesday.

Nga Mihi
Tom
Tom Paekau Principal
Merivale School
25 Kesteven Ave            p: 07 578 6900
TAURANGA                 mb: 027 494 7850

Kia Ora Koutou,

We have had some discussion today and clarity from MOE around our start date in Level 3 which will now be Wednesday 29 April as set by the government.


The school will be open for children of those essential workers who are at their place of work during school time and do not have a trusted adult to provide care for their child while they are at work.  Otherwise all children must stay home.


Merivale School operates differently during Alert Level 3 and the rules must be strictly followed.   


Essential worker's children must be accompanied by an adult and dropped off no earlier than 9am and collected no later than 2.50pm daily.


Merivale School staff who are not working from home will provide a learning programme similar to that for those students working at home.  Students will also be working in family bubbles should they attend with siblings.


If you have not yet contacted your child's teacher or the school to inform us of your child's attendance, please do so ASAP.  This will help staff to 

accomodate for numbers both at school and at home.


If you need further clarification, please contact your child's teacher, Whaea Heather or myself.


School devices will also be given out next week for those that require them.  Further details will be provided on Friday.  Teachers are also taking a list of whanau who require connectivity to the internet.  All names must be in by this Friday 24 April by 12pm.


Nga Mihi,

Matua Tom

Tom Paekau 

Principal


Merivale School

25 Kesteven Ave            p: 07 578 6900

TAURANGA                 mb: 027 494 7850

Kia Ora Koutou,


Learning packs have been issued this week by the Ministry Of Education.  These are in addition to our Merivale School learning packs which were given out before the lockdown.  Both packs are to assist your child's learning at this time.  We do not expect students to complete all tasks nor is there any obligation to do so. At this time, our priority is student and whanau hauora (wellbeing). 


Some whanau who have received MOE packs already have expressed that they may not be at the right level for their child.  Remember, the MOE does not have the in-depth knowledge of your child's learning as your child's teacher does.  Therefore please only do what your child can comfortably manage. We can look at adjusting packs to suit once the initial mail out has been completed.  However, we encourage whanau to join your child's class Facebook page as they can also access learning activities there if needed.


We expect that the MOE packs should all arrive by the end of the week.  If you have not received your child's pack by next Monday 20 April, please contact the school via email, facebook message or text.


Nga Mihi

Matua Tom


Tom Paekau 

Principal


Merivale School

25 Kesteven Ave            p: 07 578 6900

TAURANGA                 mb: 027 494 7850

Kia Ora Koutou,


Tomorrow, Wednesday 15 April, is officially the start of Term 2.  As previously mentioned, although we are in lockdown there are Merivale learning packs and some online aids to assist whanau who would like work for their child.  To those whanau who did not receive these before the lockdown, we have also indicated to the MOE that we would like their hardcopy packs to be sent to whanau as well.  As yet, there has been no communication from MOE to let us know when these might be available but we will keep you updated on when they are. 


I wish to stress that learning during a lockdown needs to be taken into consideration through a calm and measured approach.  While schools primarily focus on literacy and numeracy, Merivale School's priority at this time is mental and physical health and well being.  One of the best ways to support this initiative is to remain in communication with one another.  As you will be aware, teachers have established Facebook group pages for their classes for this exact reason.  If your child is not yet engaged with their class page, I urge you to do so.  We will also make pages available by link on our school website this week.  In line with privacy and confidential regulations only students, parents or caregivers and Merivale Staff will have access to these domains. 


Staff are meeting online daily from tomorrow to discuss other avenues of communication between home and school as well.  During these meetings we will also be reviewing current updates from the MOE should they signal any proposed changes to our existing day to day operations.


If you have any queries or concerns please contact me directly via call or text on 0274947850 or my email address tom@merivale.school.nz 


Looking forward to a swift return to our normal operations but until then - be safe, be vigilant, be kind.  #wegothiswhanau


Nga Mihi

Matua Tom

Kia Ora Whanau. 

The school holidays are coming to an end.  

Term 2 begins on Wednesday the 15th of April. 

When Term 2 begins you will continue to be in lock down with your whanau. When we went into lock down each student received a learning pack that was at their level with readers and ideas for writing, mathematics and lego challenges. The learning packs that we distributed at the end of Term 1 were designed to be used for the beginning of Term 2 while we waited for the Ministry of Education to set up alternative learning platforms. 

The Ministry of Education has been working with all schools to make sure that your child's education is able to be continued in these very unusual times.  

Merivale School has given your address and the year level of your child to the Ministry of Education so that a hard copy learning pack can be delivered to your doorstep.  

At this point in time the Ministry is prioritising which students will receive hard copy learning packs and or digital devices. This is a huge undertaking by the Ministry of Education so please be patient, use the Merivale Learning pack first and await for the Ministry one to arrive. 

When the Ministry Learning Packs are delivered and you have any questions please make contact with your child's classroom teacher, Matua Tom  tom@merivale.school.nz or Whaea Heather heather@merivale.school.nz. 

We are all here to help. 

Be safe, be vigilant, be kind. #wegotthiswhanau

COVID-19 Update – Monday 23 March, 2020


Kia Ora Koutou

 

As per the Prime Minister’s update today,  we are now at Alert Level 3 and heading to Alert Level 4.  This means from tomorrow, Tuesday 24 March, Merivale School will be closed until further notice.  No person, including students, staff and community are permitted on school grounds.


Today, staff have been preparing for this possible scenario.  Each child has a home pack which can be used throughout the school’s closure.


For those who did not attend today, we will make these packs available from 8.30am to 10am tomorrow from the staffroom.  For those that miss out, unfortunately they will not be made available after this time. 


Please keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for further updates. 


We realise that this is a whole new situation for everyone but we want to remind you all to be safe as well as kind.  Please, for the sake of our community, our city and our country, stay strong and determined to rid our nation of this pandemic.  We are all in this together – E waka eke noa!


Ngā Mihi


Tom Paekau

PRINCIPAL