25th August 2021

Lockdown Alert Level 4 has now been extended until Friday 17th August at 11.59 pm.  This means that our staff will start to send out via email, Seesaw, Facebook, Google Classroom more distant learning information ready to start on Wednesday 25th August when the current packs finish.

Please refer to the information below as it might answer any questions that you have about how it will work.

Teachers and I are available by email if you need assistance.

Thanks

Patrice O’Connor

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Below are two sections:

1. Remote Learning
   1. Family Wellbeing
   2. Pastoral Care Groups for kids
   3. School Hard copy Packs
2. Digital Learning
   1. Digital Learning
   2. Parent Help Website and Links
   3. Cyber Safety …This includes a Safety Filter the Ministry have available for homes.

Remote Learning during Level 4

FAMILY WELLBEING

Please remember at all times the biggest priority during this time is the happiness, wellbeing and safety of you and your family.  

Here are some important points to remember:

• Learning will look different for you and your family.    We understand that for many of you there are other things impacting on your daily schedules and your own well being eg: work, multiple children learning, under 5’s running around, household activities etc….This will be the same for our staff too. Remember instead…Every day is different, be kind to yourself and your kids.  Achieve or do what you realistically can.
• The learning that we prepare and roll out next week is there for you and the kids….however, if it is too much please do not feel pressured to complete it all!  Do what is achievable for you and your kids.  We will try to include fun things that the kids can do that doesn’t involve screen time.
• Your kids will keep learning and will be okay.  Learning can happen within your daily activities…. not just with the things that we have prepared!  Kids learn lots from family time, playing, cooking, cleaning (yes you can tell them I said that! lol!), building, going outside etc….. Take time to keep enjoying and valuing those things too as they help to shape the wonderful kids that you already have.
• Parents and kids will want different things.  Some parents and older kids might enjoy the challenge of having more learning online….others may not.  That is ok. We will try to provide options, ideas etc… however again do what is achievable for you and your kids.
• As a teaching team, it will be a learning curve for us as well as you.  We all have different skill levels with digital learning and learning remotely.  Hopefully, together we can find our own unique “Remote/Distance Learning style for Greytown School”.  Please remember we are not recreating “normal” school.
• Remember we are here to help.  Send us an email.

There are links below to more wellbeing information to support your family during the lockdown.

• The Ministry of Education has developed a resource for parents, caregivers, whānau and family – http://education.govt.nz/school/health-safety-and-wellbeing/pastoral-care-and-wellbeing/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-coronavirus/.
• The Ministry of Health’s website includes Top ways to look after your mental wellbeing during the Covid-19 lockdown.
• I AM HOPE is the youth and community-focused support group run by The Key to Life Charitable Trust, started by Mike King – https://www.iamhope.org.nz/
• Nathan Wallis has some helpful videos on his Facebook page for parents and whānau – https://www.facebook.com/nathanwallisxfactoreducation/ –
• Tips on looking after mental health and wellbeing during COVID-19 from the Mental Health Foundation https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/get-help/covid-19/
• a website by the Health Promotion Agency to help New Zealanders recognise and understand depression and anxiety – https://depression.org.nz/covid-19/

Although overseas-based this is a good list and highlights some things particularly important for children. Remember the rules of New Zealand’s level 4 lockdown still apply –  25 Mental Health Wellness Tips during Quarantine from Eileen M Feliciano, Psy.D.

PASTORAL CARE 

Teachers will be in contact, however, if you need any further support please feel free to contact your child’s teacher by email.

If you need support with community services please do not hesitate to contact Patrice or Rachel Burt and they will try their best to get you in touch with the right people.  

HARD COPY PACKS

Hard copy packs delivered by school.

We have dropped out new hardpacks to families that requested them on Monday 23rd August.  The names of these families have already been sent away to receive additional hard packs from the Ministry if lockdown continues, however, if these do not arrive we will try our best to arrange another drop off on Tuesday 31st August. 

In the pack, there may be activities that are too easy or too hard.  Adjust these to your child’s level and if you need help you can contact your teacher by email.  Remember to do as much as you feel is right…ie:  Make it achievable and enjoyable for you and your child.  It is not compulsory to do it all!

Digital Learning

DIGITAL LEARNING AT HOME (Start date 25th August)

Each syndicate will send out a letter with detailed and specific information to their team and parents so you know what to do and expect.  From here teachers will send out weekly work… the start date will be determined by the sequence of timing the Lockdown is activated.

Teachers will also use Zoom or Seesaw for face to face contact ie: hold reading groups, pastoral care conversations etc.

DIGITAL LEARNING LINKS, HELP SHEETS, VIDEOS etc FOR PARENTS

Here is a site that we have developed to support parents and kids with this digital transition.  Digital Online learning help sheets/videos

It includes written and video instructions to access digital tools (Seesaw, Google Classroom, popular apps etc).

It also includes a page with additional links for recommended websites across the curriculum that children can use.

Additionally, if you or your child needs tutorials to use different digital tools (ie: Google Docs, Google Sheets, iPads, Chromebooks etc) you might want to check out these links Digital Tools Tutorials

CYBER SAFETY and N4L Safety filter

It is incredibly important to note the following

Our children (like us) take for granted a few things that are important systems at school when using the computer for learning.  These are

• Extensive firewalls/cyber protections – At school, we have a Network that significantly limits searches and access to content that could be inappropriate, harmful or too “open” eg: Inappropriate content, chat rooms etc
• Active supervision – At school teachers are present to actively supervise computer use during learning times.  This means we can limit or stop kids who may “pop” into their favourite game or do a random google search for interest.  
• Cybersafety reminders – At school we give constant reminders of how to stay safe and what to do if something out of your control happens.

Unfortunately, the first point is critical for you to be aware of at home.  The internet access at your house will not have the exact same  firewalls/cyber protections as school, therefore we are encouraging parents to:

• Join on to the Network for Learning Switch on Safety system.

Switch_on_Safety_A5_2020

In addition, you can also do the following:

• Keep screens visible to adults – use them in high traffic flow areas.
• Take a few minutes to make sure your children are able to access the learning they need for the day.  Any issues email your teacher and they can help.
• Parents (or older siblings with permission) – do random “history” checks on children to see where they have been.  At school, we make it clear that history can only be deleted by supervised adults. No history can be more suspicious than a long list of history.  To check this….

  • Step 1 Click on the web/internet browser that you have installed on your computer. Many people use Chrome, Internet Explorer or Mozilla. The browser will open.

  • Step 2 Click the button for “History.” Depending on your browser, it may be located in a different place. For Chrome it is on the top tab of the screen fourth option along, Mozilla, it is the middle tab on the top of your screen, Internet Explorer, it is on the lefthand side.

  • Step 3 Click on the option that you would like to view. You can view all history at once, see the sites that have most recently been visited, or view a list of tabs that have been open.

• Remind children that to have fun on a device you need to keep yourself safe.  Here are some ways to stay safe on the internet and to monitor it.
  • Remember that you still need to be S.H.A.R.P (Safe, Honest, Achieve,Respect and Pride) on devices at home just like school.

• • Stay on approved internet places (ie: avoid public chat areas or programmes that give access that is not extremely well controlled).  Teachers may use Zoom and Seesaw, however, we have controlled these.

• • Never interact with or send information/photos with a person they do not know unless you have permission prior from your parents or teacher.

• • All online interactions need to be respectful ie: Even with your friends!

• • Keep your full name, passwords, addresses, phone numbers etc private and confidential…even from your friends!

• • Report any strange behaviour or content to adults immediately.

• • Behave online like your teacher and parents are always watching over your shoulder….as they may see what you are doing and there is a record left behind!
• Take regular breaks.  Too much screen time is not good either.
• Remember learning online is not about getting the answer first pop…you may need to have paper and pens beside you to do some planning, maths “working out”, take notes etc…. Learning online still requires good old fashioned thinking, problem-solving and writing too.

 Cyber safety information:

• Netsafe  www.netsafe.co.nz – they offer assistance and resources to parents including filters/blocking material, apps to avoid etc
• Hector’s World  www.hectorsworld.com – online activities and games to teach children about cyber safety.