Dear Parents and Whanau

Welcome to Week 6 Term 3.

This Principal’s Message will cover the following topics:

• Rest In Peace
• Prime Minister’s Announcement
• Alert Level 2
• Ministry of Health – Clarity Around COVID-19 Test and Treatment
• Ministry of Education – COVID-19 Information Parent Website
• Ministry of Education – Using Home Learning TV and Mauri Reo Mauri Ora to support your students
• COVID-19 Wellbeing Guides
• Ministry of Education – Dangerous Rumour
• School Attendance Dues Covid-19 Financial Assistance

Rest in Peace

Please keep in your prayers Tom Gerard and Sandra Fernandes.

Tom Gerard, former principal for Rosmini College for 39 years passed away on August 13. He has been retired for the last six years. Our sympathies are extended to the staff and community of Rosmini College. 

Sandra Fernandes, a former teacher here at St Joseph’s, died last week. Our prayers are with her husband Ashley and their daughters Mary and Christine.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them

Prime Minister’s Announcement

This afternoon the Prime Minister has announced that we will be staying in Alert Level 3 until Sunday 30 August. This means that schools continue to be closed. Students of essential workers can attend school, where they will be supervised as they work on their online programme of learning. If you are an essential worker and wish to send your child to school, please email me at principal@sj.school.nz and inform me of the dates your child will be attending. Please record their name, home group number and teacher.

Alert Level 2

The Leadership Team have begun reviewing the procedures we had in place for the first Alert Level 2 period. They are being reviewed in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s current health and safety guidelines for Alert level 2.

Ministry of Health – Clarity Around COVID-19 Test and Treatment

COVID-19 related care – including diagnosis, testing and treatment – is provided free of charge to anyone who requires it, who has symptoms. This is irrespective of citizenship, visa status, nationality or level of medical insurance coverage. The only time a person should be charged is when they ask for a test in order to enter another country.

Ministry of Education COVID-19 Information Parent Website

The Ministry of Education parent website has information about COVID-19 alert levels for parents and whānau. It will be regularly updated as we get new information. 

Ministry of Education – Using Home Learning TV and Mauri Reo Mauri Ora to support your students

Home Learning TV | Papa Kāinga TV is back on air with new lessons to support learning for students at home or at school.
HLTV lessons are taught by New Zealand teachers and educators, and include:

• Junior Health
• Early Literacy and Language
• Junior Maths and Science
• Junior Project
• Junior Te Reo
• Mid Literacy and Language
• Mid Science

Mauri Reo Mauri Ora is also back broadcasting on Te Reo Māori Channel via SkyTV, Vodafone channel 82 and Freeview Channel 15 from 9am to 3pm on week days. Te Korou Whangataua, Juneea Silbery and Ani-Piki Tuari will host these interactive sessions focused on kōhungahunga in the morning through to wharekura in the afternoon.

More information, schedules and previous sessions are available here. Content will be available for catch up viewing on Māori Television where you can also catch all the earlier episodes of Mauri Reo Mauri Ora.

COVID-19 Wellbeing Guides

There is advice for parents on looking after their wellbeing, and the wellbeing of others, on the learning from home website. There are also three COVID-19 Wellbeing Guides available providing further advice to parents and teachers.

Ministry of Education – Dangerous Rumour

We continue to see misinformation circulating on social media and other forms of media regarding medical testing in schools.

One particular rumour from May has re-surfaced stating that children will be taken away from families if they or their family test positive for COVID-19. As noted by the Minister of Education and of Health, Oranga Tamariki will not be taking away children of those people who are tested positive for COVID-19.

If a child or their parent or caregiver gets COVID-19 and needs to go into quarantine, it is a priority that the child remains safely in the care of their parent or caregiver.

Rumours such as these damage our response to COVID-19 as people become fearful of getting tested. As always, seeking medical advice and getting tested when recommended to do so remain fundamental to keeping communities as safe as possible.

School Attendance Dues Covid-19 Financial Assistance

Financial assistance is available to assist families who may need financial support as a result of the Covid-19 Virus with the payment of 2020 Attendance Dues for students attending Catholic schools in the Auckland Diocese, both primary and secondary. Families facing financial difficulties can contact their school office or the Revenue Manager on 09-360-3069 at the Catholic Diocese of Auckland for further information.

Application forms for this assistance are available from school and parish offices, or can be down-loaded from the Catholic Diocese of Auckland Website: Link 

Ka Manaakitia e te Atua

Alister Bridgman

Tumuaki