Dear Parents

You’ll be aware that yesterday afternoon the Government announced that New Zealand is moving into Phase 3 of our response to Omicron from 11:59pm last night Thursday 24 February.

Schools remain in red level and continue with all the same procedures; no mixing groups, essential personnel on site only, students/staff stay home if showing symptoms, mask wearing.

In Phase 3, only household contacts of confirmed cases are required to self-isolate. The isolation period will be 10 days. All other contacts of COVID-positive people are not required to isolate, but they will need to monitor for symptoms. Rapid antigen tests will become the primary testing method.

This is a decision that has been made based on public health advice – the high vaccination rate across the country will do its job in protecting us from transmission during the next surge of cases. If you haven’t already, the government encourages you to get your booster.

Although New Zealand is moving to Phase 3 of our Omicron response, we are still at Red under the COVID-19 Protection Framework.

As such, the same mitigation measures to reduce spread of COVID-19 remain in place: vigilance about symptoms and staying away if unwell continue to be a priority.

Contact tracing changes for schools

This will become much easier because only household contacts of a case must isolate. All other contacts should continue to monitor for symptoms. If any arise, they should stay home from school and get a test.

All staff, students, children, parents and caregivers need to monitor for symptoms at all times.

Cases themselves are now asked to undertake their own investigation to identify close contacts. As such, staff, students, parents and caregivers should notify school (principal@sj.school.nz) if they or their child are positive while at school.

Students will continue to learn and play in their Home Groups. Home Groups will not mix. When we are notified of the first case for a Home Group, we will contact the parents of the home group informing them that there has been a case and that they monitor their child for symptoms.

Isolation period for confirmed cases and household contacts

A case will need to be isolated at home for 10 days, as will anyone else in the household.

Rapid antigen tests will now be used as a diagnostic tool

There will be a lot more rapid antigen tests (RATs) used at Phase 3.

PCR testing will be prioritised for people who are unwell and people who are more susceptible. For example, this will include those in hospital or who are immunocompromised or pregnant – people for whom it is very important to have a clinical diagnosis. It will also continue to be used for border testing.

Anyone who tests positive with a RAT will need to self-report their positive result and then isolate for 10 days. There is no longer a need to follow up with a PCR test to confirm that result.

Contact management

Cases will now receive a text notification advising they have COVID-19. The text will outline what the case and their household need to do.

Transitional arrangements for close contacts isolating prior to 25 February

People who are currently self-isolating as close contacts and are not household contacts can stop isolating and return to school from tomorrow Friday 25 February if they are asymptomatic.

They are not required to produce a negative test result.

The Principal’s Message will cover the following topics:

• Student Leaders
• Waterwise
• Ash Wednesday
• Teacher Only Day
• Health Forms / Internet / Devices / Cell Phones
• Mosquito Bites
• Parish Sacramental Programme
• Takapuna Rugby Club
• Netball North Harbour
• Unite Against COVID-19

Ka manaakitia e te Atua

Alister Bridgman
Tumuaki

Congratulations to our school leaders whose leadership roles were announced this morning. They have an important part to play in supporting students and staff in their various roles.

Powerful Spirit of God, you guide us and light our way
Bless our Year six leaders as they take on the role as leaders of our school
Bless our community as we encourage and support them in their leadership role.
We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord
Amen

Student Leaders

Thank you for your support of our Gold Coin for Tonga fundraiser. We appreciate your generous donations, as will the people of Tonga. Please keep the people of Tonga in your prayers.

This coming Wednesday 2nd March, we will be celebrating Ash Wednesday which is the beginning of the church season of Lent. Lent is the forty days preparing for Easter. As a school, we encourage students to ‘do for others’ through Lent on a constant basis. Ideas like doing the dishes each night, baking for Grandma each week, mowing the lawns. Caritas has a Lent 2022 Action Plan you can look at. You are welcome to talk to your tamariki about what they could do and encourage them to achieve their goal for Lent.

The Teacher Only Day that was planned for Friday 11 March has been postponed to Monday 2 May.

This date is dependent on what CPF level we are in.

We have noticed a rise in the number of mosquitoes and mosquito bites at school of late, due to the recent warm and humid weather. If your child is prone to mosquito bites or irritated by them, you may wish to use an insect repellent over the next couple of weeks.

Please return these forms, completed and signed, as soon as possible.

Dear Parents

After discussions with our priests, our school teachers/catechists and the parish staff,
it had been decided that the Parish Sacramental Programme for 2022 shall be put on hold.

It shall not commence until we are in a better and safer condition/situation.

The health and well-being of everyone involved is of utmost importance. We
deemed it unwise to expose them to greater and unnecessary risk. This is truer now
that the numbers or cases of those affected are surging.

We shall send a notice when the programme can eventually commence.

We have you all in our prayers. Take care and let us continue to show kindness to
each other.

God bless,

St. Joseph Sacramental Programme Team

Registrations for the 2022 Junior Rugby Season at Takapuna Rugby are now open.  If your child is keen to get into Rippa, Tackle or RipRugby this year, check out our website at www.takapunarugby.co.nz and complete the online registration form at http://www.takapunarugby.co.nz/Junior-Rugby/registrations-2.  (see the link for our school flyer below)

Primary School Flyer

Netball North Harbour is offering a pre-season, social league for all age groups. This is to give the children a chance to warm up their netball skills again after missing lots of games last year. Please note that the school will not be entering teams into this social league, however if there are any parents/caregivers that are wishing to enter a team, we can give you more information. (email sports@sj.school.nz) Or you can do this directly through Netball North Harbour on their website using the link below.

Closing date for registrations is 3 March 2022 – games start on 10 March

https://www.netballnorthharbour.co.nz/2022-pre-season-leagues/2022-primary-pre-season-league-1