If a student continues to self-isolate during Alert Level 2, then you will need to inform the school.

Return to school

On Thursday 14 May and Friday 15 May staff at Stratford High School will be working together on site to ensure our Covid Plan is robust and ready for the return of our students. (The plan will be published on our website). We will also be discussing how best to manage student learning time for the remainder of 2020. There are quite a few issues to work through, particularly how to restructure NCEA so that all students are not disadvantaged. There will be no online lessons on these days, however students will have been set work to complete.   
 On Monday 18 May, we will welcome back all year 11-13 students. This will be a special 6 period day to enable all teachers to catch up with their students. Students are to report to form class at 8.45am. The year 11-13 students will not be at school on Tuesday and class teachers will set work for this day.  
 On Tuesday 19 May, we will welcome back all year 9-10 students. Once again, the day will start with form time, so all students are to report to their form class at 8.45am. Students should bring their books for Day 7 but the day may be modified. 
   On Wednesday 20 May all students will return to school and this will be a timetable day 8.    

Canteen

The canteen will be open from Wednesday 20 May. EFTPOS is the preferred method of payment. Canteen processes will be explained to students on their return to school. 

Increase Hygiene practices

• The following practices must be adhered to by all students and staff.
• Students will be required to sanitise or wash hands upon entering a classroom and using school equipment. We would encourage where possible students bring their own hand sanitiser to school. 
• Hand hygiene and messages regarding coughing into your elbow will continue to be enforced. Posters showing hygiene messages will be displayed in each classroom.
• Students should not touch or breathe on others.
•  Assemblies will not run initially but may resume in future weeks.
• The canteen will have strict rules regarding entering and leaving the building.
• All visitors to the school must sign in and provide a current address and phone number. They should first ring and come through the main office area and they will be directed to their destination.
• Drinking fountains can only be used to fill water bottles. Please ensure your child brings a drink bottle to school.
• Our website has two guides on returning to school. Please ensure you read these as they are an important part of our Covid Plan:
• One for students and one for parents. There are also copies on the news centre pages as well.

Bus services

We are required to have a register of all students that travel to or from school by bus. Please ensure you read these as they are an important part of our plan. Please ensure you indicate on the questionnaire which bus your child travels on. Key points from Tranzit are:

• Seat behind the driver to be closed off from passengers 
• NO public spacing required on school buses
• NO standing on school buses
• Driver to apply a pump of hand sanitiser to every students’ hands as they board the bus
• Cleaning of all hard surfaces will be done by the driver after each trip (morning and night).
• Enter only through the front door 

We understand that some families may not be comfortable with the physical distancing in this setting and you may wish to consider other modes of transport. School transport services will resume on Monday 18 May.  

Attendance

We have been advised by the Ministry of Education that it is now safe for students to return to school. However, we are aware that some parents/caregivers and students maybe concerned/anxious that they fit into the ‘vulnerable’ category for Covid-19. If you are unsure of whether your child should be attending school, our advice is to contact your local General Practitioner.   If you do make the decision to continue self-isolation can you please ensure you have filled in the questionnaire or email: absent@stratfordhigh.school.nz with the following information: 
    Full name and year level of student
    Reason for self-isolation
    Name of General Practitioner
We will work with families to dispel concerns in order for all children to return to school. For those parents who choose not to send their child(ren) back to school, we will operate an online/distance learning programme, that will complement the in-class learning focus.

Illness

If your child is unwell, please do not send them to school. Please email absent@stratfordhigh.school.nz or phone the school on 06-765 6039 to inform us of this absence. If your child is unwell when they come to school or becomes unwell during the day we will ring you and ask for them to be collected. At this time, we do not wish to have sick students at school.  

Laptops

Some of our students have received a device from the Ministry of Education and some may even arrive once school has started. This is very unfortunate, and the Ministry have apologised that they have been unable to source devices more quickly. However, these devices are the property of the school. If you receive a device once school has started please leave it in the packaging and return it to the school. If you have already received a device then this needs to be returned to the school by Friday 29 May.   We look forward to seeing all our students next week.
Regards
Philip Keenan,  Principal