Welcome back to Kindergarten

Kia ora koutou

As most of you will be aware, all children will be able to attend our kindergartens from this Thursday 14 May, once NZ has moved from Level 3 to Level 2 for all.  We are looking forward to welcoming all our families back.

As guided by the Ministries of Health and Education, HCK has developed plans around additional health and safety practices. Since reopening our kindergartens on 29 April our teachers have had time to get everything ready on site and put in place these extra health measures to keep everyone safe.  They have had the opportunity to provide feedback to HCK around the effectiveness of these practices and we will continue to seek their feedback and make changes where appropriate.

During Level 2 the kindergarten session and routines will look a little different to ensure we can keep your child and teachers safe.  Your teachers will provide more information on the changes to their usual routine and practices.

Here are some things parents and whānau need to know:

1. The session will start and end at the normal times for your kindergarten.  When you arrive please make sure you follow the physical distancing rule of 1 metre when waiting to sign in your child. To ensure large groups of families don’t arrive at the same time you may wish to consider leaving home later.
2. As you come into the kindergarten hand sanitizer will be available for you to use.  The ‘Sign-In/Out’ area may have changed to make it easier for you to keep physical distancing and the teachers will show you where it is.  You will also need to complete the ‘CONTACT TRACING’ form each day and at the first session your child attends you will also be asked to complete an ‘ADDITION TO ENROLMENT AGREEMENT DURING COVID19 LEVEL 2’ form.
3. Where possible please send the same parent/caregiver/whānau to drop off and collect your child and keep the 1 metre physical distancing whilst waiting to collect and not congregate inside the kindergarten.
4. Please ensure your child brings their own food and drink for the session.
5. At the end of the session we will again ask parents and whānau to maintain physical distancing of 1 meter when picking up your child.
6. The kindergarten will be thoroughly cleaned before, during and after sessions.
7. Please remember that if your child is sick, keep them at home. even if they just have a runny nose.
8. Under Level 2 there will be:

• no excursions, group fundraisers, working bees etc. 
• children’s birthday parties will not be able to be celebrated with shared food nor will there be any other kinds of celebrations involving shared food
• the kindergarten will not be available for hire

We want to again reassure you that we are getting the best advice and we are confident in that advice.  What we would ask from you is that you help prepare your child for returning to kindergarten and have a conversation about what that might be like.

Things you might like to talk through at home:

• Handwashing and good hygiene and why we need to keep doing this.
• Trying not to touch you face.
• That it will be fun being back at kindergarten and exciting to see their teachers again.
• Not sharing your food with your friends

For those children who cannot return under Level 2 for health or other reasons some form of online learning will be available, where numbers permit.

Thanks for your help.  We want to be able to support our community through this time and are looking forward to seeing your children.  Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns:

• Charmaine – 021 566 3338
• Norma – 027 449 2955

We are all in this together.  He waka eke noa.

Kia Kaha

Charmaine and Norma
HCK General Managers