COVID-19 Updates

Monday, 20 September 2021

Return to Alert Level 3

Following today’s government announcement that Auckland will move to Alert Level 3 from Tuesday, 11.59pm, we would now like to provide information relevant to our Sacred Heart families.

At Alert Level 3, the government is encouraging all students that can remain at home to do so and continue with their online learning
Due to the quick-moving, contagious nature of the Delta variant, we strongly recommend you to keep your sons at home
All students in Years 11, 12 and 13 are required to continue to learn from home
We will reopen for students up to Year 10 (inclusive) on Wednesday 22 September, whose parents or carers need to go to work and have no other alternative supervision options
We will provide supervision of online teaching classes only. There will be no classes or traditional teaching onsite whilst in Alert Level 3. Also please note:
- All physical distancing and hygiene protocols will be followed
- The tuck shop will not be open
- No school buses will be operating

If there is no other alternative option available and you need to send your son (Years 7-10 only) to school from Wednesday 22 September, please email your son/s details, including the transport method he will be taking to and from school, to the following staff by 4pm Tuesday, 21 September.

Years 7 & 8 – Mr John Sullivan [email protected]
Years 9 & 10 – Mrs Tracy Purcell [email protected]

Fundamental points:

Online learning will continue for all Year 7 to Year 13 Sacred Heart students
The Ministry of Education has asked us to re-emphasise to parents that if you can, you should keep your son at home during Alert Level 3 and continue their online learning
If your son is unwell, he must remain at home. Please contact your GP or Healthline to seek advice about being tested.
Boarding families – the Hostel will remain closed during Alert Level 3.

Again, we strongly recommend where possible, all students should stay at home during Alert Level 3, and continue with their online learning. As always, we will update you if any further information comes to hand.

Wednesday, 18 August 2021

Online Learning and Support

Kia ora, Talofa lava, Mālō e lelei,

As we begin Level 4 lockdown, we would like to take this opportunity to reach out to our parents and community with a number of messages of support to you all during these challenging times.

Tips for parents to support learning from home
We know that managing online learning at home is difficult and comes with many frustrations. This is heightened when parents are also working from home, along with siblings and other family members. So how can parents help so that their son’s make the most of the online learning?

Create a space – ideally a distraction-free area where he can set up his device, books and learning equipment
Establish rules and goals – research shows that students will work hard when expectations are clear
Rely on routines and systems to get and stay organised – make sure your son sticks to his usual routine, get up, take a shower, have breakfast and be ready to start the day at the normal school time
Be active – exercise helps us think better. When we move our problem-solving, memory, and attention improve. Physical activity is a natural way to reduce stress and prevent anxiety
Be supportive – check in with your son, asking questions like: What did you accomplish today that you hoped to? What did you discover? What do you need to do today so tomorrow will be a success?

During the next few days, boys will receive emails or messages from their subject teachers and Head of Year. These will include reminders of online expectations and who to contact if they need help. All students are reminded to refer to their Google Pastoral classroom as a reference point for information. All students belong to a Year Level classroom which is updated regularly by their Head of Year.

Devices
Should your son have any issues relating to devices, please contact Ms Daria Spence at [email protected]. Please note that during Alert Level 4, loan devices are unable to be collected from the College.

Online learning and Zoom expectations
All students have been reminded of our expectations – in particular in relation to online learning and Zoom. As always, parent and guardian support at this time is very much appreciated.

Zoom rules for students:

Sign in with your full name
Turn your videos on
No sharing of Zoom links or passwords or usernames
All students are expected to use the same language and behaviour as they would when in a classroom
Students should, at all times, communicate clearly and respectfully, as they would at school.

These expectations are the same rules that apply in Zooms lessons as in normal lessons at school. Consequences are the same should these rules be broken with inappropriate behaviour.

Netsafe
Yesterday all students in Years 7 to 12 received a presentation from Netsafe regarding staying safe online, the positive and negative of social media and digital footprints. Please take this opportunity to again remind your son about appropriate online behaviour. Further information and supporting resources can be found at www.netsafe.org.nz.

Contact Information
Please find below a summary of contact information and details so that you too know who to contact if the need arises:
Subject Teachers – Students should let their subject or class teacher know if they need help with or are unsure about course work. College Staff contact details can be found here.
Head of Year – Heads of Year will continue to work with both students and parents. They are available to support in a number of areas. They are a point of contact for parents and students, particularly if there are things happening inside or outside of school that are preventing your son from completing work. This could include things like timetable or Zoom issues, problems at home, difficulty balancing academic studies and commitments during lockdown or self-organisation. Head of Year contact list can be found here.
Learning Support Services – Ms Spence and her team in the Learning Support Centre will continue to work and support students online, whose classes they attend and work with within the school environment.
Guidance Counsellors – During school hours, Mrs Silipa and Mr Loulanting will continue to be available to support students during lockdown. They can be contacted at [email protected] or [email protected] if one of the above people (eg subject teacher or Head of Year) are unable to assist.
Outside of school hours, should you or a member of your family need someone to talk to, there are a number of other support options, please see the list of details below:
Support Lines
Ministry of Health FREE Help Line: “Need to talk? 1737 is free to call or text from any landline or mobile phone, 24 hours a day 7 days a week and allows callers to gain support from a trained counsellor. Visit their website
Youthline: Text 234 or call 0800 376 633. Or visit their website
The Lowdown Text 5626, or call 0800 111 757 if you need to talk visit www.thelowdown.co.nz for useful resources
Healthline: Call free on 0800 611 116 for health advice and information. Or visit their website
Kari Centre Crisis Line: emergency line 0800 800 717
Whirinaki Crisis Line: (09) 265 4000 after hours 0800 775 222
Parenting Place: (09) 524 0025 or 0800 535 659
Pasifika Health Services: (09) 828 4307
Chinese Lifeline: 0800 888 880
Domestic Violence Centre: (24-hour line) (09) 303 3939
Sexual Abuse Help: (24 hours) (09) 623 1700
For immediate help: CALL 111
Covid Information
Latest information and updates in relation to Covid can be found on the government website covid19.govt.nz, including translations into multiple languages.

Lastly, we thank you, as parents, for your ongoing support in our current environment. We acknowledge the difficulty that it places on students and families. Please keep in mind that we’re all part of a team. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from College staff, your family members, or other parents when you need support.

Nga mihi

Tracy Purcell
Deputy Headmaster – Pastoral Care

Wednesday, 18 August 2021

Year 13 Academic Tracking Evening

As a result of the Level 4 lockdown, the Year 13 Academic Tracking evening has been postponed. We will monitor how the situation evolves over the coming days before making a decision about rescheduling or cancelling.

Obviously, this is a very important time of the year for all students, but particularly those in Year 13 as they work towards achieving their academic goals. If you have specific concerns about your son over the coming days, please contact either Mr Nick Croxford (Head of Year 13) or Mr Grant van Ansem (Year 13 Academic Tracker).

Regards,

Jason Cornford
Deputy Headmaster – Academics

Tuesday, 17 August 2021

Announcement of Alert Level 4 tonight, 11.59pm

You will most likely be aware of the recent government announcement that New Zealand will move from Alert Level 1 to Alert Level 4, starting at 11.59pm Tuesday 17 August, for a minimum of three days, likely to be for seven days for Auckland and Coromandel.

We’ve been at Level 4 before and here are some key points for Sacred Heart and our boys.

To enable members of our community to prepare for the transition from school to online, we will commence online learning from Thursday, 19 August. Please note for Wednesday your son will already have homework and some classwork that he should complete.

After a review of previous lockdowns, we have made one significant change to online learning. Students will no longer receive multiple emails from their teachers. Instead all work and expectations will be posted and monitored through Google classroom. All students have access to Google classroom and use it regularly.

Zoom lessons:
Links to your son’s Zoom lessons are also found in the Google Classroom.
Please see attached full Online Learning – New and ongoing systems from our Deputy Headmaster of Academics, Jason Cornford.

Finally, we are acutely aware that lockdowns can be a stressful time for some families. We will be sending out a Pastoral Care update tomorrow to emphasise key support links for your son and practical advice for families during Alert Level 4.

We will continue to update you all as further information comes to hand.

In the Heart of St Marcellin

Steve Dooley
Headmaster

Wednesday, 23 June 2021

Wellington moves to Alert Level 2 tonight, 6pm

It has been confirmed that a visitor from Sydney who travelled to Wellington for the weekend and on return to Sydney has tested positive for COVID-19.

Health authorities are working quickly to identify places of interest and follow up with any close contacts. It was reassuring to hear that two close contacts have already tested negative and two others have been isolating since last night. There are locations of interest listed on the Health website which will be updated if further sites are identified.

Minister Hipkins announced this afternoon, out of caution, Wellington is moving to Alert Level 2 at 6pm tonight until 11.59pm on Sunday. This includes Wairarapa and the Kāpiti Coast to north of Ōtaki. The rest of New Zealand will remain at Alert Level 1.

Alert Level 1 – all of New Zealand excluding Wellington region
If you or anyone in your household was at one of the locations of interest and at the times specified on the Ministry of Health website, they will need to follow the relevant instructions which will include staying at home and getting tested for COVID-19 (five days after last exposure to the confirmed case).

For those people in a household with someone identified as a contact or close contact, they should follow the advice provided by health authorities for that individual. If unsure what to do, contact Healthline (0800 358 5453) for guidance.

Everyone else will need to continue to follow the public health requirements we are very familiar with, at all alert levels:

Stay home (or go home) if you are unwell.
If you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms, stay home and call your doctor or Healthline on 0800 358 5453 to see if you need a test.
Wear face coverings on public transport and domestic flights, and you are encouraged to do the same when travelling by taxi or similar.
Keep up your good hygiene practices (washing hands, cough/sneeze etiquette).
Keep track of where you have been.

Tuesday, 13 April 2021

Locations of Interest

With the news of the worker at the Grand Millennium testing positive for COVID-19, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has updated the list of Locations of Interest on their website.

This list clearly indicates the Contact Category (Close contact/Casual contact) and relevant actions to take. It is important to know that sometimes the category status may change along with the instructions. If you are unsure of what is required, please visit the website link to help identify what it means to you and your family and/or call HEALTHLINE.

Please also view here for Case definition and clinical testing guidelines for COVID-19 provided by MOH. This clearly outlines in the primary health care and community setting to TEST if respiratory symptoms are present and stay home until the test is received, even if you don’t meet the higher indication of risk index. It also states to stay home for 24 hours after symptoms have resolved.

Sunday, 7 March 2021

Following the Government announcement on Friday, the College is open for all students Years 7-13 from tomorrow, Monday 8 March at the normal start time. Please note, a number of College events have been rescheduled. Please refer to the College Newsletter from Friday for a full list of events and new dates. Some event dates still need to be confirmed, and can only be done so once we are in Alert Level 1.

Alert Level 2 – Returning to school

The College, Hostel and Health Centre continue to work closely, ensuring we have a safe and well-prepared environment for our students and staff when we return onsite. We will continue to review and implement the most up-to-date recommendations, as outlined by the Ministry of Health.

We ask our school community for your collective and full support, to assist us in maintaining the safest environment possible. For this to be effective in protecting everyone, key measures and practices must be strictly adhered to by everyone.

Again, we must reiterate, the most important and effective measure that we expect everyone to follow is to stay at home if you are sick. This is still the best thing we can do to stop any future spread of COVID-19. No student or staff member should enter the school grounds unwell, with any of the following symptoms – sore throat, runny nose, fever, head cold symptoms, cough, breathing difficulty or loss of smell.

Please, it is absolutely imperative that you keep your son home if he is unwell. Call Healthline or your GP who will provide guidance regarding the requirement for COVID testing. (A reminder that Healthline is free to call – 0800 611 116 and they have people who speak many different languages).

Usual processes should be followed by caregivers to notify the school of student absences in this instance.

Should a student present to school or develop once at school, even a singular symptom as above, they will be assessed at the Health Centre, isolated and the caregiver will be contacted, requesting immediate collection.

In addition to this, we will continue to remind students and staff regarding the key hygiene measures which include:

Safe social distancing (staying out of the breath zone and not touching each other)
Hand hygiene upon entrance to each class and prior to eating, after blowing your nose, after visiting a public space including public transport and facilities
Increased cleaning of desks/chairs and high touch points
Cough and sneeze etiquette (containment in the elbow)

Masks

The current information from the Ministry of Health is that masks are not required to be worn by students or teachers within the school setting. There will be students and staff who choose to wear masks upon return to school and that is fully supported.

At present the Ministry of Health has advised that masks are not required at schools. However, masks or face coverings are mandatory for use on all public transport. This does not apply to any child who is under 12 years of age. Acceptable options are a disposable or reusable mask or a College scarf but not a bandana or suchlike.

The Ministry of Health continues to review research on mask use in schools and we will be following closely any developments. Please visit covid19.govt.nz website for more information about face coverings. There is also useful information on the Ministry of Education website for parents and carers.

Further points to note:

Measures are in place for having hand sanitiser available.
Although students are not required to wear a mask, boys are welcome to bring their own masks as well as their own personal wipes and hand sanitiser to school
Boys are encouraged to wear a mask on a school bus
Boys should bring their own NAMED water bottle
Boys are strongly encouraged to bring their own morning tea and lunch. The tuck shop will be operating but it is very likely that the time to deal with requests will be much longer than usual
Boys are encouraged to clean their computer device at home every day
We are continuing contact tracing by having QR code posters at our entrances, please check in every time you come onsite. If you haven’t already downloaded the NZ COVID Tracer app, the Ministry of Health’s website has information to help you. We’ll also keep a visitor register for anyone who doesn’t have the app. This will help us with contact tracing in the unlikely case it is needed.
For more information about public health measures at Alert Level 2 you can visit the COVID-19 website.

Transport, drop off and pick up

In Alert Level 2, a mask or face covering is mandatory for those over 12 years old, when using public transport (buses, trains and commuter ferries). Dedicated school buses is not included in this requirement, however, many of our boys who catch a school bus may also catch another form of public transport. If this is the case, please remember a face covering or mask WILL be required to be worn when transferring to the other service.

Other transport information:

Parents are not to drop off or pick up their boys in the school grounds. Any person who comes on-site must be recorded. Please drop off and pick up in the surrounding streets.
Auckland Transport school bus services will be operating as usual, without the limited capacity.
Regular fares apply. Please note that bus drivers won’t accept cash. Instead, you’ll need to use a registered AT HOP card to tag on and off.
Hand sanitiser will be made available for students boarding and departing the bus, in addition to the bus being cleaned in accordance with government guidance.
Kiwi Coaches school bus services will be operating with their system NO CARD – NO RIDE. They operate their own unique ID CARD SWIPE (TAP & TAG system) which allows tracking of every passenger.

Monday, 1 March 2021

College Calendar Events

Based on the information we currently have, the following College events have been postponed and in some cases rescheduled to an alternative day. All events that include parents or visitors to the College will not go ahead unless Auckland is at Alert Level 1 or less.

Year 7 Outdoor Education week – postponed until Term 2
Years 12 & 13 Parents Evening – rescheduled to Thursday, 18 March
Year 12 Retreat 1 – postponed until further notice
Quick Fire Mufti day – rescheduled to Friday, 12 March
Fair drop off – was Saturday, 6 March – cancelled
Year 8 Parents Evening – rescheduled to Monday, 15 March
Year 9 Parents Evening – rescheduled to Tuesday, 16 March
Year 11 Parents Evening – rescheduled to Thursday, 18 March

College Sport have announced that all College Sport Auckland competitions are currently on hold until at least Monday 8 March.

We appreciate this can create some confusion around what events are going ahead or what is being postponed. We are trying to keep as many events as possible in our calendar, however as these lockdowns occur we may find we will need to look at alternative options. We endeavour to keep you as informed as possible through this process.

We will continue to update the College calendar on our website and the SHC App. Please note, there can be a time delay in updates feeding through to the SHC App. If you need clarification, please contact [email protected].

Locations of Interest and Healthline Information

With the Government’s decision to move Auckland back into Alert Level 3 as of 6am yesterday morning, we wanted to draw specific attention to some of the COVID information that was in our newsletter on Friday.

With the new community positive cases this week and the growing number of Locations of Interest, it is understandable that we have received inquiries regarding the process to follow when a student or staff member of the College has been to any of the listed locations, or they are living with someone who has.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) keeps an updated list of Locations of Interest on their website. This list changes and additional locations added as we see more community positive cases who have not been in isolation while symptomatic and potentially infectious.

This list clearly indicates the Contact Category (Close contact/Casual contact) and relevant actions to take. It is important to know that as more information comes to light for the MOH, sometimes the category status may change along with the instructions. If you are unsure of what is required, please visit the website link to help identify what it means to you and your family and/or call HEALTHLINE.

Our information is as follows:
If the NZ COVID Tracer App has been used at any of the locations of interest during the days/times specified, a notification would have been sent to you with instructions regarding isolation and testing and additionally, what the household contacts need to do.
If the NZ COVID Tracer App has NOT been used, but you/your household member were at the locations of interest at the specified days/times, please check the website link, follow the instructions and/or contact HEALTHLINE for further guidance.

HEALTHLINE number is 0800 358 5453
You can also text INFO to 5353 and a message will be sent to your mobile with COVID website links

HEALTHLINE and the COVID-19 website with locations of interest are the best way for you to find out the relevant information for you and your family/household. If you are unsure, please speak to HEALTHLINE first.

While we are hopeful of returning to Level 2 at the 7 day mark or prior, it is important to note that some student’s/families may need to isolate for 14 days total, if that has been outlined as a required process to follow. This is likely to be related to you having been at a location of interest on the specified days and times.

To enable us to best support any students who are required to isolate as a precaution once we are at Level 2 or Level 1, please advise the College a soon as possible by contacting Deputy Headmaster, Mrs Tracy Purcell.

We strongly encourage all families and students to use the NZ COVID Tracer App, everywhere you go. It is the fastest, most effective way to trace those people who are deemed as contacts and minimise the impact of any cluster outbreaks.

Once we return to either Level 2 and/or Level 1, please continue to keep your son/s home if they are showing ANY respiratory symptoms, even if it is mild. You will need to contact your GP for advice regarding COVID testing. By doing this it will hugely assist in protecting our students, staff and community.

Devices

If any student doesn’t have their own device to use during lockdown, please contact Mrs Daria Spence to arrange picking up a loan one from school, [email protected].

Tips for Parents to Support Learning from Home

We know that managing online learning at home is difficult and comes with many frustrations. This is heightened when parents are also working from home, along with siblings and other family members. So how can parents help so that their son’s make the most of the online learning?

Create a space – ideally a distraction-free area where he can set up his device, books and learning equipment
Establish rules and goals – research shows that students will work hard when expectations are clear
Rely on routines and systems to get and stay organised – make sure your son sticks to his usual routine, get up, take a shower, have breakfast and be ready to start the day at the normal school time
Be active – exercise helps us think better. When we move our problem-solving, memory, and attention improve. Physical activity is a natural way to reduce stress and prevent anxiety
Be supportive – check in with your son, asking questions like: What did you accomplish today that you hoped to? What did you discover? What do you need to do today so tomorrow will be a success?

If your son needs any additional support at this time, please contact any of the following:

Subject Teachers – Students should let their subject or class teacher know if they need help with or are unsure about course work.
Head of Year – Heads of Year will continue to work with both students and parents. They are available to support in a number of areas and if there are things happening inside or outside of school that are preventing you from completing your work. This could include things like timetable or Zoom issues, problems in your home life, difficulty in balancing your academic studies and commitments during Lockdown or self-organisation.
Learning Support Services – Ms Spence and her team in the Learning Support Centre will continue to work and support online students whose classes they attend and work with within the school environment.
College Staff Contact Details are found on our website.
Guidance Counsellor – Mrs Silipa is available to support students who are facing personal issues during lockdown. Please contact her at [email protected] if one of the above people are unable to assist.

Outside of school hours, should you or a member of your family need someone to talk to, there are a number of other support options, please see the list of numbers below:
Support Line Phone Numbers

Ministry of Health Help Line: “Need to talk? 1737 is free to call or text from any landline or mobile phone, 24 hours a day 7 days a week and allows callers to gain support from a trained counsellor. Visit their website
Youthline: Text 234 or call 0800 376 633. Or visit youthline.co.nz
Healthline: Call free on 0800 611 116 for health advice and information. Or visit their website
Kari Centre Crisis Line: emergency line 0800 800 717
Whirinaki Crisis Line: 09 265 4000 after hours 0800 775 222
Parenting Place: (09) 524 0025 or 0800 535 659
Pasifika Health Services: (09) 828 4307
Chinese Lifeline: 0800 888 880
Domestic Violence Centre: (24-hour line) (09) 303 3939
Sexual Abuse Help: (24 hours) (09) 623 1700
For immediate help: CALL 111