EARTHQUAKE UPDATE

Tuesday 7 September 2010 4:30pm

In the interest of safety of children and staff, all Kidsfirst kindergartens/centres in Christchurch, Waimakariri and Selwyn Council Districts will remain closed at least until Monday 13 September 2010.

Further assessments on each kindergarten/centre will be undertaken on Friday 10 September 2010 where decisions as to which kindergartens/centres can re open will be made.  This website will be updated by noon on Friday with a list of kindergartens/centres that will be in a position to re open on Monday 13 September.

Parents and caregivers are asked to check our website regularly for updated information or contact their local kindergarten or Head Office on Friday.

Message to Kindergarten / Centre Staff   

The structural assessments that we are undertaking are taking longer than we had anticipated.  We would ask that staff do not work from the kindergartens at this stage until their kindergarten has been given the all clear.    This will happen intermittently during this week.  We would however expect that staff will make arrangements to continue working during this time and will leave this to Head Teachers to coordinate.  If you are planning to work from the kindergarten once the all clear is given, please note that it would not be appropriate to bring your children, and please ensure that you take proper precautions with regard to drinking water and personal hygiene.

We will reassess the situation on Friday on an individual kindergarten basis with a plan to contact all Head Teachers, to inform you of what will be happening for your kindergarten.  We would then like you to contact parents to have them informed of whether you will be opening on Monday, however we are regularly updating our website and you need to encourage parents to visit this site for information.

We are in the process of determining the best way to provide support to our staff and children in the wake of this disaster.  We have been advised that the Ministry is planning to run sessions to inform how teachers can assist children in their transition back to the kindergarten/centre.  These are planned for 09:30am Thursday and Friday although we haven’t received any further information at this stage.  We are also looking at coordinating something for our staff specifically.

For staff that are suffering stress or have concerns of a personal nature, could they please contact Karyn Willetts at Head Office to discuss and to ensure that we know of their situation.  All staff that were due to be at work this week will still be paid.  After this time we will work with staff on a case by case basis. 

We will talk with Head Teachers on Friday with regard to their staffing requirements for next week if they are open so we can coordinate relievers from Head Office for the short term. 

Monday 6 September 2010 3pm

Monday 6 September 2010 12 Noon

All Canterbury Kidsfirst Kindergartens and Kidsfirst Early Learning Centres will remain closed at least until Wednesday 8 September 2010.  This closure is a direct result of the earthquake experienced in the Canterbury Region in the early hours of Saturday morning.

This closure was anticipated by Kidsfirst prior to any directive to close from the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health under the Civil Defence Act 2002. 

At present we are conducting structural assessments on kindergarten/centre buildings and playgrounds to ensure that children and staff safety are not compromised in any way.  It is anticipated that kindergartens/centres will reopen on a staggered basis as each kindergarten/centre site is deemed safe for children and staff. 

As kindergartens and early learning centres reopen information will be provided below.  This information will be updated on a regular basis as changes occur.