Masks not required but encouraged for schools in Level 2

Local schools are preparing to open their doors on Thursday but with contact tracing, spacing and recommended face coverings for students and staff it’s not quite back to normality.

On Monday the government announced all early learning and schools will be open and all students must attend from Thursday 9 September.

Advice from the Ministry of Health is that at Alert Level 2, all early learning services, schools, kura and tertiary education facilities are open to everyone with extra public health control measures in place.

Local schools have been awaiting further advice from the Ministry of Education on how to approach face masks and coverings in Level 2.

Nayland College, Nelson College and Nelson College for Girls have all agreed to follow recommendations from the ministry announced Tuesday, that face coverings are to be encouraged but remain optional for children aged 12 and over.

Advice from the Ministry of Education reads;

“At any alert level, children, young people or teachers who wish to wear face coverings at schools or early learning services should be supported to do so. Public Health advice is that children under the age of six should not wear face coverings in any setting”.

Nayland College principal Daniel Wilson says they will be sticking to the Ministry’s advice.

“It remains an option for individuals and a decision for the individuals and whānau. Whatever decisions students and teachers make, it is their own to make and needs to be respected,” says Daniel.

He says the school is excited to welcome students back Thursday and to reconnect with them all at a personal level.

“Our priority over coming weeks will be student and staff wellbeing, alongside ensuring learning has not been compromised too much through the lockdown period,” he says.

Principal of Nelson College Richard Dykes says the following advice has been sent out to parents and whanau.

“If students wish to wear a mask, we request that it is a mask (not a bandana or scarf) and is appropriate for school (no offensive images or words)".

Nelson College for Girls principal Cathy Ewing confirmed face coverings are strongly recommended but not mandated at the school.

“It will be a personal choice for students and staff,” she says.

The Ministry of Education also announced Tuesday that face coverings would not be required on school charted busses, but face coverings will remain a requirement for all public transport.

For younger students face coverings are not recommended by the Ministry of Health for those aged under six years old.

Schools, like workplaces, are not considered to be gatherings the Ministry of Education confirmed and for most day-to-day activities at schools, the rules for gatherings do not apply.

Under the COVID-19 Public Health Response Order, schools are exempted from physical distancing requirements when people are there to receive, provide, or support education services.

Physical distancing where practical does however apply for inter-school activities such as technology schools where more than one school is sharing the same space.

For large numbers of students congregating such as school assemblies and sporting or cultural events, schools are advised that these events should take place in well-ventilated areas or outdoors and spectators and attendees should be physically distanced.

Contact tracing will also continue though for students and staff tracing will not be a requirement for schools and early learning services.

The ministry says other systems and processes already in place to record who is onsite at all Alert Levels are sufficient to enable contract tracing. These include displaying QR code posters at entrances, school timetables, attendance registers and visitor registers.

The ministry advises that fundamental public health measures continue to apply at every alert level from physical distancing, hand washing, cough and sneeze etiquette and regularly cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces.

Students and staff who do feel sick should not come to school or leave their home, instead, those who display relevant symptoms of COVID-19 should seek medical advice.