What Alert Level 2 Schooling Looks Like at Silverdale School
I have attached our “Alert Level Two Health and Safety Procedures” that outline what alert level 2 schooling will look like at Silverdale School. Our school procedures are following the guidelines set out by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health. These procedures will be reviewed daily and changes will be made if needed.
Here are the main points for schools:
- We are expecting all staff and students back at school in Level Two, starting on Monday 18 May.
- The only exception to this is those who are sick, if you are sick – please stay home!
- Our school will be closed on Thursday 14 May (except for those children who attend school during alert level 3) and Friday 15 May, so we can get the school prepared to open on Monday 18 May.
- There will not be strict physical distancing, rather it is encouraged to distance where possible and we will focus on good hygiene practices, regular cleaning, and giving everyone “breathing space”.
- PPE is not required for staff or students on site.
The most important things you can do are keep washing your hands, cough and sneeze safely, and keep surfaces clean, just as you have been at Alert Levels 3 and 4.
The significant changes for schools and early learning services are:
Physical Distancing – Physical distancing is a good precaution to prevent the spread of disease. In an Alert level 2 school environment, this means children, young people, and staff maintaining a physical distance so that they are not breathing on or touching each other, coupled with good hygiene practices (coughing into your elbow, handwashing and drying) and regular cleaning of commonly touched surfaces. There are situations where physical distancing is not possible. In these situations extra emphasis on handwashing and drying (or cleansing with hand sanitiser) before and after activities and regular cleaning of equipment is very important.
Mass gatherings – educational facilities, and school transport are not considered mass gatherings because they are managed environments. This means there are no restrictions on numbers of people indoors or outside at schools and early learning services other than what other public health or health and safety measures require.
The exception is where people from outside the school may be attending, eg for a school production or school ball. In these examples and if a school is hiring out their hall or allowing community groups to use school facilities, the mass gathering rules will apply.
Sports and playgrounds – school playgrounds, sports equipment use and activities can resume. Contact sports can resume. This relies on being able to contact trace who is on site during school hours and at school team training and competitions. Any inter school events that recommence will need to have a contact tracing register in place to record those playing for and against teams.
There are no restrictions on groups of children and students mixing with others on site. Where practicable where groups/classes do mix – attendance should be recorded as it should if the composition of groups and classes change during the day.
Teachers/staff are not restricted to one group.
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