Coronavirus Update - 19 March 2020

Dear Parents/Caregivers

As a school, we are receiving daily updates about the coronavirus situation. We will keep you informed as more information becomes available. This may be every day or two.

You may be aware a very small number of our students and staff have recently returned to school from overseas. In light of yesterday’s announcement by the Government they will now be in isolation. We also have a staff member being tested for COVID-19.

We have been in touch with the families of the students and thankfully they have informed us there are no signs of any infection. Despite this, they have opted to be in isolation as a precautionary measure.

We will be staying in contact with the families, providing them with support. We trust our wider community will also be mindful of the difficult situation our families and staff are experiencing at this time.

It is understandable that you will have questions about how this could affect your child and we have sought advice from the various agencies. The current advice is that:

"There is no need to self-isolate as a matter of course. There is a need to self-isolate if displaying the symptoms: fever, a cough, high temperature, or shortness of breath." 
"As with any school in New Zealand, if any of our students or staff test positive for COVID-19, the Ministry of Health steps in and advises the school around the process.”

In speaking with officials at the Ministry of Education today, I have been reminded that at this time closing the school is not an option as that decision sits with the Ministry of Health. Therefore, at this time, school remains open and classes are operating.

However, if your child is displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19, we urge you to seek medical advice.

Our focus remains on keeping you and your family well. The current advice includes the following:
• Regularly washing hands (for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap, and dry thoroughly)
• Covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze
• Staying home if you are sick
• Avoiding close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms
• If you feel unwell you should avoid public gatherings, schools, and events

Please be assured the College will be watching the situation very closely. We are reviewing our cleaning practices daily and have confirmed we are using appropriate products.

We will inform you if there is any update.

In the meantime, if you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or you may want to seek more information at www.healthy.org.nz or www.govt.nz/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/.  

Yours sincerely,
Gary Yeatman
Principal