COVID-19

Kia ora Koutou,

The Prime Minister advised today that we are moving to Alert Level 2 this Thursday and that schools will be safe environments for all children and staff to return to next week.

Methven Primary School will re-open to all students on Monday 18^th May and classes will start at 9am as usual. Buses will resume and you will be notified by the Bus Controller if there are any changes to normal bus runs or times.

Over the next week we will be preparing to welcome all students and staff back to our school site.  We will assume that all students are returning to school under Level 2. For families of students who have reason not to return to school, please email Sue Furndorfler at . Please also make contact if you have any concerns around your child returning to school.

As we have done in Alert Level 3, you can be assured that in Alert Level 2 under the direction of the Ministry of Education, we will know who is at school, who our staff and students have been in close contact with and take appropriate measures to keep everyone safe.

Our Wednesday Newsletter will contain important ‘Play it Safe’ Information that will support our move to Alert Level 2. Could all borrowed school devices please be dropped off at school on Thursday 14^th or Friday 15^th May to be cleaned and returned to rooms.

We look forward to welcoming your children back to Methven Primary School next week and supporting their transition back to school based learning.

Ngā mihi

Sue Furndorfler
Acting Principal

Tēnā koutou whanau,

I just want to update you with some information relating to Covid-19 Alert Level 3.  As you know, New Zealand is moving to Alert Level 3 at 11.59pm on Monday 27^th April for at least two weeks.

• Schools are open from April 29^th. At MPS we look forward to welcoming back a small group of our students who we have confirmed need to be based at school. This group will work in the Library.
• If your child is returning to school on April 29^th, we need some information from you so we are well prepared for when they arrive.  I will be in contact with these families over the weekend.
• Our students not returning to school will continue their learning programme remotely, just as they have during the Level 4 lockdown. All homeroom teachers will carry on working closely with their students based at home.
• Just a reminder that you can increase your bubble slightly at Alert Level 3 – to bring in close family, isolated people or caregivers but, if you do, please continue to keep your bubble small.
• Tuesday 28^th is a Teacher Only Day and staff will be actively involved in meetings throughout the day.  The learning programme for Week 3 will start on Wednesday 29^th April.

The MPS staff would like thank you for your continued support of our school and your care for those in our school and wider community.

We also ask you as a family to take the time to commemorate Anzac Day, and to remember our past and present generations of service personnel as well as those who have made sacrifices for us.

Lest we forget.

My very best wishes.

Sue Furndorfler
Acting Principal

Protect against COVID-19

Kia ora Koutou,

We hope that Week 2 of our home based learning programme has started out well for you and your whanau. We know there will have been any number of challenges for you to deal with but we have been getting some great feedback about the learning that is happening and thank you for all your support.

Today the Government decided that we will move into Alert Level 3 on 28th April. That means we will be open to receive students from the 29th April. We will start to prepare our site to open this week.

The key message for you is that if you can, you should keep your child at home. We strongly advise that you only send your child to school if you are returning to work and there is no one available to care for your child in your bubble. If your child has an underlying health condition that means they are at a greater risk of a severe illness you must keep them at home. If your child is sick please also ensure you keep them at home.

In order to ensure the safety of those children and our staff who do come to school, we will be operating with strict enforcement of health and safety measures. We anticipate that the children and staff based at school will work in small groups with varied breaktimes and there will be restricted access to the playground and other school equipment. Please be aware that your child may not have their usual home class teacher and learning opportunities will be similar to the home based learning programmes that are already in place.

For those children remaining at home, we want to assure you that we will continue to fully support your child’s learning at home. There will be staff dedicated to this role.

We will contact you via an online form (survey) attached to our Wednesday Newsletter to find out whether you can keep your child learning from home, or need your child to attend in person. It is likely that for contact tracing purposes, we will be required to keep a track of information around who is in your bubble. It is important that you respond to this survey if you require your child to return to school next week.

The Ministry of Education has advised that they are working closely with health professionals to develop clear guidance that will support schools to safely re-open their premises to students and staff. This will help us work through the public health requirements that we all need to meet. As you will be doing, we want to be sure that what we do will keep our community as safe as possible.

For now, we will continue to support your child’s learning by distance while we progress our planning for what Alert Level 3 will mean for you and for our school. We will be in touch again soon with more information. As you have been doing, please keep connecting with your homeroom teachers with any questions you might have.

Ngā mihi
Sue Furndorfler
Acting Principal

Kia ora Koutou Whanau,

You may be like us and have lost track of the days, but it is Friday, and together we have completed three days of Term 2 with a whole new approach to learning!

Firstly, we want to say a massive thank you to all of our families who have supported their children in navigating their way to find the online learning  provided, or have created their own home learning structure.  We know that keeping children engaged and productive over the length of the day takes a lot of creativity and energy!

It was impressive to see so many students join our Video Chats this week.  This was a great opportunity for the students to catch up and connect with their teacher and each other.  For the families who have patchy internet or limited devices, we hope you have enjoyed having a teacher ring and touch base with you.

Please let us know if we can help you in any other way next week.  Here is a quick survey for you to complete around how you felt the week went for your family. We would appreciate any feedback: https://bit.ly/3cqNGSY

Thank you also to the staff for the massive effort they put into preparing for our online learning. There have been a number of challenges to overcome, but this has been approached with a real ‘can do’ attitude!  ‘Keep learning’ has been our motto!

Lastly, please discuss with your child(ren) our Term 2 MPS Star Value: Trustworthy.  Our current focus is: Do the right thing at all times (with technology)

For our students, this includes:

• Video calling with your teacher for learning purposes only (not random others)
• Using the correct chat areas and only sharing sensible and kind comments/pictures – think before you post!
• Checking with an adult before using the internet
• Looking after your devices and storing them in a safe place when not being used
• Remembering our ‘Video Chat’ expectations (Thank you Mrs Hooker)

To help students stay safer online from home, try a free filter for all at home devices.  You will find clear instructions on how to do this at www.switchonsafety.co.nz

The one thing that we have learnt over these last few weeks is to take one day at a time.  With this in mind, we will be in touch again next week with further updates from the Ministry of Education.

Kia kaha

Sue & Rosie

Senior Leadership Team

MPS Teams Meeting

Tena Koutou Whanau,

Welcome back to Term 2! We hope that our MPS families have all managed to celebrate Easter this year in a unique and enjoyable way.

We are excited to start the term with a whole new approach to learning. Methven Primary is well placed to support home-based learning as our Office 365 suite of tools will enable us to communicate and collaborate with families in a number of ways. We have been learning about and trialling the easiest ways across the school to use the technology we have, so please be patient with us as we explore these with you this week. You will receive the relevant information and links from teachers tomorrow.

We understand that home-based learning might be a stressful time for some families. We encourage you to work closely with classroom teachers to support your child through this change in their schooling. The well-being of your child and family is our first priority, so please ensure that you let us know how we can best support this.

Home-based Learning Information

• Home Class Teachers are your first contact for all learning.
• Prior to the school week ahead, teachers will share a timetable of learning for that week. This will be emailed to families and available on your child’s Class OneNote.
• Learning will be aligned to our school wide learner qualities – our CHICS (Communication, Haoura, Innovation, Collaboration and Self-Regulation). There will be suggested Must Dos (highly recommended) and Can Dos (extra choices).
• Proposed durations for activities are provided. You can schedule most of the learning tasks to suit what works for your family. We recommend that you create a timetable with your child to help them establish routine in their day.
• Each teacher will be using Microsoft Teams to schedule some Class Chats (video calls) to support the learning. We have staggered ‘Video Chats’ across the day as we are aware that children in families are sharing devices. If you are having issues accessing this technology please contact Sue:

• Teachers may set up extra communication with individuals or small groups through Teams Chats, Emails, or phone calls where required. Our students receiving Learning Support funding will have a Teacher Aide checking in with them also.
• We have applied to the Ministry of Education for a hard copy pack for families without internet access and some families have requested devices. We will be in contact with these families to confirm how these will be delivered.
• The Ministry of Education has also announced that there will be a television channel dedicated to supporting the New Zealand curriculum. This will provide learning activities for different levels throughout the day and supplement the learning opportunities that teachers will provide.

Attendance

• All students actively engaging with some or all of the weekly learning will be marked as present daily.

Well-being

• The most important thing over the weeks ahead is ensuring that everyone is happy and healthy in your family – focus on what makes this happen first.
• We appreciate that keeping a routine and completing some of the learning tasks will be challenging for families. Try and maintain a positive attitude and remember that the classroom can be simply learning in your everyday environment. Adapt what you are doing to suit your child’s interests.
• If your child needs it, take lots of “brain breaks.” If they start to lose focus, send them for a snack, a drink of water, a run around the yard or do ten star jumps.
• Please see the Mana Ake Website for advice if your child is experiencing heightened anxiety, or you need support: https://manaake.health.nz/
• This Ministry of Education page around helping children while they are learning at home may be of interest to you: http://education.govt.nz/school/health-safety-and-wellbeing/pastoral-care-and-wellbeing/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-coronavirus/

If your whanau require any extra assistance over this time, please contact Rosie: and she will co-ordinate further support for you. We have extra staff available and very willing to assist. This could include phoning for a chat, reading your child a story or accessing external agencies.

Thank you for your ongoing support. We will continue to provide regular updates via Hero and Email.

Our very best wishes!

Sue & Team

MPS Learning at Home Pathway

URGENT INFORMATION REQUIRED

Tena Koutou Whanau,

An urgent message has come through from the Ministry of Education requesting up-to-date information on your child’s lockdown physical address, and the resources your child may need to help make sure they can keep up with their learning at home.

Resources such as devices and printed material are limited and it will take time to get them to learners who most need them, so the sooner we are able to get this information to the Ministry the better.

We have created a short Microsoft Form (survey) for all families to fill in to gather accurate information around your current family situation.  If required, we will request resources for you.  Please note that you may be contacted to check the details we have provided are correct.

All families please fill in this form by midday Monday 6th April:

https://bit.ly/347krlg

Thank you for your support with this request.

Sue & Rosie

Tena koutou whanau

Our thoughts are with our students and the wider school community at this time.

Please see important dates below:

• 28 March – 14 April – School holidays
• 10 – 14 April – Easter including Easter Tuesday
• 15 April – Term 2 begins through home-based schooling
• 27 April – ANZAC Day observed

Teachers will be having a break over the next week, then will be ready for learning programmes to begin after Easter.

Over this holiday period please look after yourselves and enjoy getting out as a family in the fresh air.

Please look out for further weekly updates next week.

Kia Kaha

Sue and Rosie

Kia ora everyone,

Methven Primary School will be shut from 3pm on Wednesday 25th March, as New Zealand moves into COVID-19 Alert Level 4. Please do not leave messages on our school phone. All general enquiries need to be emailed to

The Leadership Team have met today and have made a plan for the weeks ahead. Home Class Teachers will be making contact with each family over the next couple of days. Please remember that your Home Class Teacher is your first point of contact.

The Ministry of Education confirmed yesterday that the holidays have been moved forward and will now be from Monday 30th March to Tuesday 14th April (includes Easter).

From Wednesday 15th April, we will be providing students with further Home-based Schooling options. This will be communicated to families by Home Class Teachers. We are planning a number of different options to suit the needs of children across the school. If your child will be unable to access online learning options, please be in touch with your Home Class Teacher.

Our children will be looking to us for guidance at this time. Parents, caregivers, whānau and teachers will have a particularly important part to play in reassuring children. If you haven’t already done so, you may wish to read the information put together by the Ministry of Education to support your conversations with your children – Talking to children about COVID-19. As noted by the Prime Minister, these restrictions are our best chance to slow the virus in New Zealand and to save lives. We all have a clear role here to slow the spread of COVID-19. Over the following month it is critical for us to stay positive, keep connected and make the most of what we have. We encourage all whānau to consider the 5 Ways to Wellbeing and how these might be integrated into your day to day activities.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our school staff and school community throughout this unsettling time. We have a fantastic community, let’s look after each other over the next month.

Ngā mihi

Sue Furndorfler
Acting Principal
Methven Primary School

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

Further to the Prime Minister’s announcement, school will be closed from the conclusion of today.  Children of essential workers will have the option of attending school on Tuesday and Wednesday while alternative arrangements are made.  Essential workers include but are not limited to Doctors, Nurse, Ambulance Officers and Police.  More information around who represents an essential worker will be available through the media this afternoon.  If you are an essential worker and need your child to attend school, please feel free to contact the school via: 

No buses will run tomorrow.

We are have organised extra Library Books and school books to go home today.  If your child was not at school today these can be collected from the school office tomorrow (unless other arrangements have been made). Our teaching staff will spend tomorrow preparing home based learning programmes for each Team and further options will become available and communicated to each Team by the end of the week.

Over the next few days we recommend that you follow the below suggestions from our last Covid-19 Update (posted on Hero 22.3.20):

• Reading: keep up daily reading of any books you have at home
• Writing: write a daily diary
• Maths: baking, board games or practising basic facts (addition and subtraction, multiplication and division)
• Homework Sheet – available on Hero and the School Website for Y3-6
• Digital Options: Matific & Epic (Y3-6), Reading Eggs & Topmarks (Year Y1-2)

Our staff remain committed to supporting our learners and families through what we know are uncertain times.  Take care of each other and please be in touch if you have any questions or concerns.

Methven Primary School Staff and Board of Trustees thank you for your ongoing support.

Sue Furndorfler
Acting Principal
Methven Primary School

Please find below links to two documents for our parent community.

Ways you can help us during these uncertain times for us all:

• keep your children at home if they are unwell (email: )
• drop your children at school as close to 9am as possible (we won’t be encouraging playground play before or after school)
• drop your children at the gate (we will limit parent access to classrooms)
• maintain ongoing communication with us

We thank you for your communication and your support!

• COVID-19 Update 22.03.2020
• COVID-19 Alert Levels

Over the last 24 hours there have been updates to the guidelines around self-isolation for those returning to New Zealand from overseas.

These guidelines now stipulate:

• That anyone who has returned to New Zealand from overseas in the last 14 days should self-isolate from the day of departure. The only exception to this is Pacific Island countries listed in Category 2. Click here for a list of category 2 countries.
• People who share a household with people who have returned overseas in the last 14 days should also consider self-isolating if the person who has returned exhibits symptoms of COVID-19. Click here for more information on the symptoms.
• If you have been in close contact with somebody who has tested positive for COVID-19 then you should self-isolate for 14 days. For more information on what constitutes close contact please click here.

How does this impact our schools?

• From today any staff member or student who has returned from overseas in the last two weeks, with the exception of Category 2 Pacific Island countries, will be directed to self-isolate for 14 days from their date of departure.
• Any person who has been in close contact with somebody who has tested positive for COVID 19 should self isolate for 14 days.
• Any student or staff member who lives in a household with somebody who has returned from overseas in the last 14 days and is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 should self isolate.

Communication is critical!

• Through these uncertain times it is critical that we maintain strong communication with each other.
• If you have made the decision to self-isolate based on the guidelines please contact  the school and relay this to us. Please keep the school in the loop as more information becomes available.
• Similarly, we will ensure that we pass on information and updates as they become available from this end.

Key information:

• Up to date information can be found at https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus
• Whole School Assemblies and school sports tournaments are postponed until further notice
• Personal hygiene is a priority
• Follow self-isolation rules if in close contact to people who have travelled to New Zealand recently (refer to further information inside Newsletter)
• It will be business as usual for us until further advice is provided

Preventing Risk

• Avoid close contact with people with cold or flu-like illnesses
• Cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing
• Wash hands for at least 20 seconds with water and soap and dry them thoroughly:
− before eating or handling food
− after using the toilet
− after coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose or wiping children’s noses
− after caring for sick people.
Please note that facemasks are not recommended as an effective means of preventing the spread of infection. They play an important role in clinical settings, such as hospitals, but there is very little evidence of benefit from their use outside of these setting.

Self-Isolation

Once again please check for current information at the following link: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-health-advice-general-public/covid-19-self-isolation
Currently the advice is:
If you are in a home where the others who live with you have travelled or been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, you should minimise close contact with them by avoiding situations where you have face-to-face contact closer than 2 metres for more than 15 minutes.
You should not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, pillows or other items with other people in your home. After using these items, you should wash them thoroughly with soap and water, place them in the dishwasher for cleaning or wash them in your washing machine.