In order to provide reassurance to our school community about how we are taking action to maintain the health of all at Pigeon Mountain School, we would like to provide a further update about some steps we are taking at the start of the academic year.
At the start of each new year, our teachers put a great deal of effort into building good hygiene practices with our students, and growing responsibility in our children. We will be adding guidance posters in classrooms this year, and teachers will be educating children on good routines of handwashing, sanitising, and covering coughs and sneezes. As a school, we are also ensuring that sanitisation of tables, door handles and light switches is completed to a high standard. Although we have sanitiser dispensers in every learning space, if you wish to send your child to school with their own sanitiser, this is also permitted.
We have a very high level of attendance at PMPS- last year, it was 93%, and measures such as these ensure it remains above Ministry expectations.
We recommend that parents support us in this by keeping unwell children at home, and we in turn will be contacting parents of children who are demonstrating symptoms of illness such as sore throats, high temperatures, coughs and respiratory issues.
It is existing school procedure for children demonstrating symptoms of illness to be taken home by parents. We are happy for children to wear masks as a preventative measure if parents wish, but these must not be used as a substitute if children are ill. Sick children must be kept at home.
Finally, we are also aware that a number of our community will be travelling back to NZ from China. We request that anyone who has returned from China in recent weeks to remain away from school for a period of 2 weeks from the date of their arrival in NZ.
Whilst we are required to follow the directions of the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health, we will be monitoring the ongoing situation and will provide further updates in the run up to the start of the new term.
Many thanks, PMPS
Chinese Translation
鸽子山小学关于新型冠状病毒的卫生管理通知 （2020年1月26日）：
为确保我们整个学校社区的卫生和健康的学习环境，鸽子山小学校方现做出如下卫生管理的决定和通知：
1） 作为新西兰的公立小学，所有学校停课的相关决定，必须遵守教育部和卫生部相关的规定。目前，我们在紧密关注疫情的发展和新西兰政府的相关决定和通知。
2） 我们要求所有从中国返回新西兰的人士包括学员和家长，在到达新西兰的前两周隔离。据我们了解，学校有很多学员和家长刚刚从中国返回，我们需要您的合作。学校要求您隔离两周，请在您入境两周后再返回学校。如果您符合这个情况需要隔离，请按照正常请假程序，通知学校办公室。
3） 所有生病学员必须留在家中休养。为确保学校大环境的卫生和健康，请家长协助我们把身体不适的学员留在家中休养。如果在校期间发现学员有任何不适症状，比如喉咙痛，发热，咳嗽，呼吸道感染等问题，按照我们的规章制度，校方会联系家长将孩子接回家里休养。
4） 学校允许学员戴口罩作为保护措施。但如果学生身体不适，不可以戴口罩上学，必须留在家里休养。
5） 关于学校的日常卫生管理：除了现有的卫生，健康和安全管理措施以外，校方已经安排了如下措施进一步增强卫生安全管理：
– 我们已经安排清洁公司对校园进行定期消毒。
– 学校会准备消毒液，并鼓励学员自己随身携带洗手消毒液，定期消毒。
– 老师们会更进一步培养学员的卫生习惯和相关责任心。
– 每个班级会根据卫生部指南张贴相关卫生海报：勤洗手，消毒，打喷嚏和咳嗽时要遮盖等。
– 我们的卫生管理条例也会根据新西兰教育部和卫生部相关通知及时更新。
鸽子山小学致力于专业用心的教学。通过更新的卫生管理政策，我们确保学员在卫生和安全的环境中学习。为方便大家沟通，学校办公室从周二1月28日起每天上午9时至下午3时开放。校方将在新学期开始前给大家做进一步更新通知。感谢各位家长的支持和合作，希望通过我们的团结协作，共渡难关！
