Kia Ora Whanau 

I want to acknowledge those of you who have been doing double duty over the last couple of weeks. Like a lot of our teaching staff, many of you have had to do your jobs alongside parenting duties – which is no mean feat! 

Well done if this is you, make sure you are looking after yourself too!

At this time, particularly if you are working from home, it can be challenging to keep on top of what your child is doing. Some ideas below might be useful, encourage your children to:

• Keep to a routine – time on lock down at home should have a balance – allocate and agree time spent on school work and how much time on other activities (like online gaming etc). Get your children to write up their routine and ensure it includes time for school work, relaxing, activity and connecting with friends. 
• Check in with your children – each day make time to ask them what they are doing, get them to explain things to you. Check in with their school Learning Coach, subject teacher or Dean if you have any issues around the school work they are doing.
• Make sure your children are doing things that do not involve a screen . This can be something as simple as going for a walk, doing some physical work out around the house or reading a book.
• Do let your children interact with their friends online; lockdown can be very isolating for our young people. Allow them time to connect with others. This can be part of the daily routine. 
• Encourage your children to reach out to our school health services if required, our Nurses, Counsellors, Youth Worker and Pastoral team are all here for them, and you for that matter!

This Friday the 3rd of September, I have asked that teaching staff take a well earned mid term break, therefore, they will be off line tomorrow and back on deck Monday 6th September. Like you many of them have been doing dual roles at home and need a bit of space collect their thoughts and plan for the remaining weeks ahead.

Remember the 4 F’s! Faith, family, friends and fun – with these words and thoughts in mind, we will all get through this! It is a good time to consider the situation ‘half glass full’ as opposed to ‘glass half empty’ approach –  we can stay strong to  our faith, family, friends and we can still have fun!

Ministry of Education resources:
Safe TV viewing for students in Alert Levels 3 and 4

More time at home can see young people watching more TV, and potentially watching outside their normal viewing hours – which can increase the risk they will encounter unsuitable viewing. Tools are available to help parents protect students from TV content that may harm them.

A practical guide to the latest tools (including parental locks, classifications, advisories, warnings and timebands) plus an informative video from Jordan ‘How to DAD’ Watson is available at safeviewing.co.nz.

The Learning From Home website provides a range of information and resources to assist with distance learning. 

The Home Learning TV is back up and running and provides a range of programming. This is also available On Demand.

Important messages from Counties Manukau DHB:

Need to talk?
The Ministry of Health website can direct you to a range of support networks that are operating at alert level 4, if you need support, including ‘Need to talk’ phone or text 1737. 

Wellness Apps 
Melon is a free health navigator app with a variety of programmes. It can help you identify and understand your habits while giving you the support you need so that you can achieve your health goals. 

Mentemia app has a range of tools and ideas to help you learn how to be well and stay well throughout the current COVID-19 lockdown. It helps you deal with common stressors (such as poor sleep, anxiety and stress) and there are a variety of videos, articles and audios that are aimed to support your wellbeing. 

Staying safe online
During lockdown our whaanau often spend more time online, Netsafe has useful information for parents to monitor whaanau online habits.  

Access to food or essential items 
The Covid-19 website has information and a fact sheet on access to food or essential items, as well as how to access financial support, especially for those households who are isolating.

Ngā mihi nui
Dr Brian Evans
ONZM
BA, Dip Tch, MEd, PhD
Principal