Kia Ora PBS Community,

I wish to reassure you that we are taking COVID-19 very seriously and have a pandemic plan in place. A copy of this plan is presented below. 

Like me, I guess that you have never experienced a situation which has impacted so heavily on education, daily life, finances, travel and the like. As a School Leader I am trying my best not to get swept away by the panic of others and the multitude of information online. I am extremely mindful that children take their cue from the way that adults act in situations like this, and therefore ask all parents, staff and adults in our school community to do their best to keep calm and act with common sense.

The Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education are doing a magnificent job of keeping schools informed via regular emails and bulletins. The Medical Officer of Health would be in contact with us as soon as a case is notified (in any NZ school). In the meantime, our school pandemic plan has been activated, enabling us to help minimise the risks to our students and staff when attending school.

However we also need parent and community support.  Below are some steps we need you to take responsibility for. The best measures for prevention of infection or spreading of the infection are regularly and thoroughly washing hands with soap, covering mouth and nose when sneezing, staying home if you are feeling unwell.

Take heart in the fact that our School Community is a great TEAM; together using common sense and the information provided by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, we will stay well, stay calm and navigate these unknown waters.

Take care
Jess Ward

We request that Parents/Caregives take responsibility for:

1. Talking to your children about Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Obviously, the Covid-19 response by the New Zealand Government is evolving but is being taken extremely seriously.  With that, discussions at home may cause some students to feel distressed and anxious. There is excellent information on the Ministry of Education’s website, including videos, to help parents and caregivers talk to  children.

2. Following the “One Sick – All Sick” strategy
This well-being strategy means that we would like you to keep all your children at home if anyone in your household is unwell and away from work or school with flu like symptoms, even if they are not displaying symptoms themselves. 

3. Adhering to the Travel Restrictions and Self Isolation Requirements that came into effect on 16 March 2020.
On 14 March, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced wide ranging travel travel restrictions which mean that as of 16 March, anyone coming into New Zealand will have to self-isolate for 14 days.
The only exception (at this stage) is for people coming from the Pacific islands, but New Zealanders returning from overseas will not be exempt. These measures will be reviewed in 16 days
Therefore, if anyone in your family has recently returned from overseas from a destination with travel restrictions and is in self-isolation then please keep all of your children at home as a part of this self-isolation.

The Ministry of Health provides information on Self Isolation Guidelines.

4. Contacting our School Office, if the following applies to you and your family:

• If any member of your household has been in close contact with any persons, now testing positive for COVID–19.
• If any member of your household has recently returned from overseas, within the last 14 Days.
• If any member of your household is in self isolation.
• If you or any family member living in the same household are planning to travel overseas within the next 16 days.

Please, if any of the above statements are applicable to you or any members of your household, then please get in touch with the school office on either office@pbs.school.nz  or mbarfoote@pbs.school.nz or by phone (04) 2985775.  Our Principal, Jess Ward, is also available for emails or phone calls on this matter (jward@pbs.school.nz).