This page contains all information shared with parents with regard to the COVID-19 coronavirus. As the situation is changing so fast, the latest information is the most accurate.
Kia ora Year 9 & 10 parents and caregivers I hope this letter finds you and your family well.
Thank you for supporting the learning of your children through remote lessons. I understand this may have been a stressful time, particularly for those who find learning from home a challenge. Learning face-to face is the best option for students. It’s important for them to connect with their friends and teachers and helps their social, physical and emotional wellbeing. Conversations I have had with senior students have reinforced this view. I know the Government’s decision to return students to school has brought a range of responses. Some are very excited to be returning to school and others are anxious. However, the expectation is that all Year 9 & 10 students are at school. Students at home will not have the same amount of teacher support as with online learning. There may be some schoolwork posted on Google Classroom but the teachers’ priority is those students at school. If a student is absent through illness or injury please contact the Attendance Officer as per usual.
I have listed below the health and safety measures we will have in place to make it safer for students to return. Return to School PlanYear 9 &10 students will return to normal classes on Wednesday, 17 November by 9.45am (normal Wednesday late start). They are to go to their form class wearing a mask and socially distance from other students. The day will begin with an extended form period in which the students will be welcomed back and Health and Safety measures outlined. The rest of the day will have usual Day 3 classes from interval onwards. Safety measuresWe have prepared the school for students by disinfecting all of the classrooms and having hand sanitiser available in every room. All staff have had a negative Covid test and must be vaccinated before coming on campus and we know our community has a high rate of vaccination. We have also increased the daily cleaning regime. We also believe the reduced number of students on campus will help with social distancing as Year 12 and 13 students will be on NCEA study leave.
All students must wear a mask at all times unless eating and drinking. Any food consumption must take place outside for safety reasons.
Adequate ventilation has been identified as a way of minimising risk. Windows and doors will be kept open where possible to aid air flow. Students are advised to bring a school jumper or jacket if the weather looks cold. Here are some further details about school operations under Level 3: Hygiene practices · Any student or staff must stay at home if they are sick, and we will send anyone home immediately if they show any flu-like symptoms · Students will have hand sanitiser available in all classes · Masks must be worn on campus and on buses to and from school · Children at higher risk of severe illness are to remain at home. Physical distancing guidelines for schools · Students must not touch each other or be close enough to breathe on one another · At least 1m distance is recommended · Schools are exempt from bubble and mass gathering rules but we will not be holding any large gathering events such as assemblies or prizegivings. Sharing equipment · Students cannot share personal stationery · School equipment used by students will be sanitised regularly.
Food · The tuck shop will be open. Students must social distance when queuing. · Drinking fountains are closed so students must bring a drink bottle. It may be refilled from the tap below the fountain in the Quad. Visitors · Only visitors and contractors with an appointment are allowed on site. Student support The counsellors in the Guidance Department are available to support students. Students can make a booking in the usual manner. Deans are also available for more general advice related to all aspects of school life. Extracurricular Activities All extra-curricular activities remain on hold.
Important DatesThere have been some changes to the dates calendared for the rest of the year. The NCEA Change Process Teacher Only Day scheduled for Thursday, 25 November has been shifted to Friday, 26 November.
The final day for Year 9 and 10 students has also been changed due to it not being possible to run Junior Prizegiving. The final day will now be Friday, 10 December. We look forward to seeing our Year 9 and 10 students back in class on Wednesday. Getting used to school routines now will make the return in 2022 easier. We are taking all necessary measures to minimise any health risks. If your child is not vaccinated this is strongly recommended.
Ngā mihi nuiGordon Robertson (Principal)
Kia ora Year 12 & 13 Parents and Caregivers Thank you for supporting the learning of your children through remote lessons and the recent assessment week. I understand this may have been a stressful time, particularly for those who find learning from home a challenge. I know that Government’s decision to return seniors to school has brought a range of responses. Some are very excited to be returning to school and others are anxious. Having some students at school for the assessments may have made the transition back on campus easier. The expectation is that all Year 12 & 13 students are at school. Students at home will not have the same amount of teacher support as with online learning. There may be some schoolwork posted on Google Classroom but the teachers’ priority is those students at school. If a student is absent through illness or injury please contact the relevant Dean.
I have listed below the health and safety measures we will have in place to make it safer for students to return. Return to School PlanYear 12 &13 students will return to normal classes on Tuesday, 2 November by 8.45am. They are to go to their form class wearing a mask and socially distance from other students. The day will begin with an extended form period in which the students will be welcomed back and Health and Safety measures outlined. The rest of the day will follow normal Day 4. Safety MeasuresWe have prepared the school for students by disinfecting all of the classrooms and having hand sanitiser available in every room. All staff must have a negative Covid test before coming on campus and we know our community has a high rate of vaccination. We have also increased the daily cleaning regime. We also believe the reduced number of students on campus will help with social distancing.
Adequate ventilation has been identified as a way of minimising risk. Windows and doors will be kept open where possible to aid air flow. Students are advised to bring a school jumper or jacket. Here are some further details about school operations under Level 3: Hygiene Practices · Any student or staff must stay at home if they are sick, and we will send anyone home immediately if they show any flu-like symptoms · Students will have hand sanitiser available in all classes · Masks must be worn on campus and on buses to and from school · Children at higher risk of severe illness are to remain at home. Physical Distancing Guidelines for Schools · Students must not touch each other or be close enough to breathe on one another · At least 1m distance is recommended · Schools are exempt from bubble and mass gathering rules. Sharing Equipment · Students cannot share personal stationery · School equipment used by students will be sanitised regularly.
Food · The tuck shop will be open. Students must social distance when queuing. · Drinking fountains are closed so students must bring a drink bottle. It may be refilled from the tap below the fountain in the Quad. Visitors · Only visitors and contractors with an appointment are allowed on site. Student Support The counsellors in the Guidance Department are available to support students. Students can make a booking in the usual manner. Deans are also available for more general advice related to all aspects of school life. Extracurricular Activities All extra-curricular activities remain on hold. We look forward to seeing our Year 12 and 13 students back in class on Tuesday. There is only limited time before the NCEA exams begin so want to use the time effectively to prepare the students. We are taking all necessary measures to minimise any health risks. If your child is not vaccinated this is strongly recommended.
Kia ora Year 11 Parents and Caregivers Thank you for supporting the learning of your children through remote lessons. I understand this may have been a stressful time, particularly for those who find learning from home a challenge. I know that Wednesday’s decision to return seniors to school has brought a range of responses. Some are very excited to be returning to school and others are anxious. We are looking forward to having students back on campus. I have listed below the health and safety measures we will have in place to make it safer for students to return. Return to School PlanYear 11 students will return to school on Tuesday, 26 October by 8.45am. Year 11 students are to go to their form class wearing a mask and remain 2m apart from other students. The day will begin with an extended form period in which the students will be welcomed back and Health and Safety measures outlined. The rest of the day will follow normal Day 5.
Year 11 students taking NCEA Level 2 subjects will also receive another communication about the assessment organisation. There may be times when students will be in study rooms rather than timetabled classes. Safety MeasuresWe are preparing the school for students by disinfecting all of the classrooms and having hand sanitiser available in every room. All staff must have a negative Covid test before coming on campus and we know our community has a high rate of vaccination. We have also increased the daily cleaning regime. We also believe the reduced number of students on campus will help with social distancing.
Adequate ventilation has been identified as a way of minimising risk. Windows and doors will be kept open where possible to aid air flow. Students are advised to bring a school jumper or jacket. Here are some further details about school operations under Level 3: Hygiene Practices · Any student or staff must stay at home if they are sick, and we will send anyone home immediately if they show any flu-like symptoms · Students will have hand sanitiser available in all classes · Masks must be worn on campus and on buses to and from school · Children at higher risk of severe illness are to remain at home. Physical Distancing Guidelines for Schools · Students must not touch each other or be close enough to breathe on one another · A 1m distance is recommended · Schools are exempt from bubble and mass gathering rules. Sharing Equipment · Students cannot share personal stationery · School equipment used by students will be sanitised regularly.
Food · The tuck shop is closed · Drinking fountains are closed so students must bring a drink bottle. It may be refilled from the tap below the fountain in the Quad. Visitors · Only visitors and contractors with an appointment are allowed on site. Student Support The counsellors in the Guidance Department are available to support students. Students can make a booking in the usual manner. Deans are also available for more general advice related to all aspects of school life. Extracurricular Activities All extra-curricular activities remain on hold. We look forward to seeing our Year 11 students on Tuesday. We are taking all necessary measures to minimise any health risks. If your child is not vaccinated this is strongly recommended.
Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students
The latest government announcement that students in Year 11-13 will return to school from Tuesday, 26 October in Auckland, has come as a surprise.
The Senior Leadership Team met this afternoon and below is a summary of the intended plan for the return of Year 11, 12 and 13 students next week. While this is not complete, the purpose is to give some clarity particularly for Year 12 and 13 students undertaking assessments.
As stated above further information will be forthcoming as we have yet to receive advice from the Ministry. Normal school rules will apply to all students attending school and all students are required to be in correct school uniform. They may wish to bring a jersey or jacket because of the emphasis on adequate ventilation.
The Government has given a clear indication that senior students need to be back at school and preparing for the NCEA exams. Like you, we want our students to be as well prepared as possible and to be safe in their return to school. If your child has not been vaccinated can you please make this a priority so that the risks to all the school community are minimised.
Ngā mihi nui
Gordon Robertson (Principal)
Kia ora,
The Government has kept with their cautious approach when responding to COVID-19, and as a result, we will stay at Alert Level 3 for a bit longer.
This means that we will be continuing with online learning using the same structure as last term.
On-line Learning
Year 12 and 13 Exams
The delay and uncertainty in returning to school this term has impacted on the planned Year 12 and 13 exams scheduled for Friday, 22 October to Friday, 29 October. These will no longer take place. However, as these exams were being used in some subjects / standards for derived grade purposes in case the NCEA external exams can not take place there will be assessments for those specific standards / subjects. Subject teachers will inform the classes affected early next week of the nature of the assessment. In the meantime, Year 12 and 13 students should continue studying in the expectation that the external NCEA exams will take place as scheduled.
This uncertainty can be stressful especially when academic qualifications are involved. Be assured staff are working hard to ensure students will not be disadvantaged. As this is an Auckland-wide problem NZQA are engaged in finding a workable solution.
Students at School in Level 3
At full Alert Level 3 you legally must stay within your household bubble unless for essential personal movement, including going to work and going to school. We are therefore open once more on Monday for only the small number of children who need to attend. All our usual safety precautions for Alert Level 3 will be in place which include all the recommendations from the public health experts.
While we know how difficult it is trying to work from home as well as support your child’s learning, please keep your child at home if there is an appropriate carer available or if your child is unwell. For those of you with no other option, we will look forward to seeing your child at school.
Please note that face coverings are now required to be worn on school transport for students in years 9 – 13 in addition to being worn when at school.
Vaccination Requirements
Our staff on-site will have been tested for COVID-19 before they get back to work and we are moving toward having 100 percent of our staff vaccinated – so we are all playing our part in keeping our community safe.
It is now legally required that we hold a COVID-19 vaccination register for all eligible students and staff.
If we were to have a case of COVID-19 in our school, public health authorities will want to know if we are a school with a high vaccination rate. This information will then be used as part of the local health authority’s risk assessment. The more highly vaccinated we are (staff and eligible students), the less likely it will be that we will have to close down for a long period of time, or we might not need to close at all.
We will therefore need to know if your child has had their first or second vaccine dose or is exempted from being vaccinated. This information will be held by us in accordance with the Privacy Act and will only be shared with public health authorities.
We are therefore getting our data collection system in place and will get in touch with you again very soon.
Please continue to follow all the alert level requirements including staying at home and getting tested for COVID-19 if you are feeling unwell, and for your own sake and for the health of your whānau, please get vaccinated. I have included some information about vaccinations to support decision making.
Thank you for your consideration and support. We have the same goal which is to educate our children while keeping them safe.
Ngā mihi,
Tips for students transitioning back to school after lockdown may be downloaded here.
We have heard that many parents and whānau are feeling anxious about their children’s behaviour and routine changes through alert level changes and extended alert level restrictions.
The quick move to Alert Level 4, high volumes of testing for COVID in the community, extensive wastewater testing, huge numbers of New Zealanders being vaccinated (more than 2.8 million people have now received their first dose) and an amazing response by Aucklanders to follow the rules at Alert level 4, has given Government confidence that we might move to Alert Level 3 on Wednesday. Until then, we remain at Alert Level 4.
When we do move to Alert Level 3, you legally must stay within your household bubble unless for essential personal movement, including going to work and going to school.
All going well, we will be open on Wednesday, for only the small number of children who need to attend. As you imagine, it will not be school as we know it under Alert Level 2 or 1. All our usual safety precautions for Alert Level 3 will be in place which include following all the recommendations from the public health experts.
This means we will regularly clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces, encourage everyone to frequently wash their hands and cover their coughs and sneezes, and keep everyone physically distanced from others as much as possible (one metre inside and two metres outside). We will also keep school bubbles to no more than 10 students. These bubbles will not mix with other bubbles.
Our contact tracing systems will be in place, which includes our attendance register and visitor register, and we will be limiting staff onsite with the majority of our team working from home. You can also assist everyone’s safety by keeping your child at home if they are feeling unwell and please do contact your GP or Healthline, to seek advice about getting tested.
We will continue to support all children who remain learning from home, through our distance learning programme.
While we know how difficult it is trying to work from home as well as support your child’s learning, please keep your child at home if there is an appropriate carer available. For those of you with no other option, we will look forward to seeing your child at school.
We should be proud of how we have responded to this outbreak, but the mahi isn’t yet done. As you have been doing, please continue to follow all the alert level requirements at Alert Level 4 and stay at home. It is the best tool we have to keep our whānau and community safe.
Because being in COVID-19 lockdown has affected learning and assessment, changes have been made to NCEA, NZ Scholarship and University Entrance. These changes help give students a fair opportunity to gain the qualification they are aiming for.
These changes affect all schools that are in Alert Level 3 or 4 for a total of 20 or more school days this year.
What does this mean for students?
The more credits you achieve the more you are entitled to.
Endorsements are still achievable.
University Entrance has been adjusted.
You’ve got more time to study.
What do I need to do?
Keep working to make sure that you achieve as many standards as you can. Your teachers will help you to track your progress.
You don’t need to do anything else to get your LRCs. NZQA will do the calculations before you get your results.
Make sure that you know when your portfolios are due, and double check the new exam timetable.
If you need any more information, talk to your Dean or Mr Worsnop or ring NZQA on 0800 697 296.
Online learning will commence from Thursday, 19 August. The online learning plan may be downloaded here.
Dear Parents/Caregivers
You should have heard that Auckland has gone into Level 4 lockdown, so students are expected to stay home from school. Online learning will commence from Thursday, 19 August. A document will be sent out tomorrow which outlines how this will be organised. The website will also provide the latest information.
Briefly the following is planned:
If there are any concerns about access to online learning, please contact your child's Dean. The document tomorrow has a list of contacts for other concerns.
Look after yourselves.
I assure you we will continue to follow all appropriate health measures at school including maintaining cleaning and disinfecting practices and encouraging good hygiene standards. We will also continue to remind people to stay home if they are unwell and to seek medical advice.
Students are expected to be at school on Monday. Monday will be Day 2. We will inform students of the requirements to minimise any risk of infection and also of any changes to routines.
The remainder of this message has been provided by the Ministry of Education. It provides clarification about different levels of contact as well as ways to keep ourselves safe.
Kia ora koutou, Talofa lava With further cases confirmed yesterday, the Government announced that the whole of Auckland will move from Alert Level 1 to Alert Level 3 for 7 days hours from 6am this morning.
This decision was taken for two reasons – first it is not immediately clear how the latest person to test positive got infected and second, that person has visited several large sites while potentially infectious and it will take some time to identify and track down what could be a large number of people.
Level 3 means stay home to protect your household bubble and if you do have to go out, keep a 2-metre distance from people you don’t know. Where possible you should keep your children home from school for this period. The lockdown has meant that Year 9 camps haven't been able to go ahead at this time. I know this will be disappointing but we will look at what can be undertaken at a future date. All students will be provided lessons on Google Classroom by 9.00am tomorrow. We will be open for those of you who have no other options but to send your children to school and we will have safety precautions in place to look after them. We will activate our online learning plan, please click here to download this. Our priority is to stay connected to you and your children. We will do everything we need to for your children and your whānau.
For all of our community, we need to keep ourselves, family and whānau safe. It’s important we follow the rules.
If you aren’t sure if you have been to a place where someone with COVID has visited – please go to the Ministry of Health website for the ‘Locations of Interest’. Check the date and time of each location listed in the table and if you were there at the same time, go to the right column on the right to see what you need to do.
Look after yourselves. We will endeavour to keep you updated through this medium.
As you may have heard in the 4.30pm announcement the Covid response level will be reduced in Auckland to Level 2 from midnight tonight and schools will be open for all students from tomorrow (Thursday 18th February). Thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to unite against COVID-19.
Our move down alert levels provides all of us with certainty that it is safe for all children and young people to physically attend school. Your children’s learning, health and wellbeing is important to us – it will be good for them to get back into the school routine.
Students are expected to be at school tomorrow. We will inform them of the requirements to minimise any risk of infection and also of any changes to routines.
For your information, tomorrow (Thursday) will be Day 4. Friday will also be Day 4 because Athletic Sports has had to be postponed. The college will follow non-Thursday bell times tomorrow as we will not run assemblies. Parent/Form Teacher/Student conferencing and the Year 9 Parent Evening have been postponed. We will let you know when alternative meetings will take place.
Hopefully disruption to learning has been minimised through online learning. We look forward to the students returning.
Mōrena
As the college is informed of changes to lockdown levels at the same time as the general public we are unable to clarify when students will be able to return to school. We will post information about either returning to school or the organisation for continued online learning as soon as practicable after the 4.30pm briefing today. If the alert level is reduced to Level 2 the college will be open from the first day advised in the announcement.
