Maui Tekoha 9 and Mokoia Witana 5, brothers who are in the bilingual unit at Hora Hora School have been working closely together on their home learning. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Maui Tekoha 9 and Mokoia Witana 5, brothers who are in the bilingual unit at Hora Hora School have been working closely together on their home learning. Photo / Michael Cunningham
While Northland schools are well prepared to enter the alert level 3 lockdown, it is still difficult to guess how many students will be returning.
In a recent Covid-19 bulletin forwarded to all schools in New Zealand, the Ministry of Education highlighted what teachers and students could expect as thecountry, other than Auckland, prepares to move down an alert level.
In level 3 most children and young people will continue to learn from home, but schools and early learning services are open for all children and young people in years 0-10 whose parents or carers need to go to work and there is no alternative person who can supervise them.
The guidance is very much the same as in the previous alert level 3 last year but with three differences: Each bubble should be no more than 10 students; singing should only be held outside and two metres distanced; staff who are at a higher risk from severe illness because of Covid-19 can work onsite at level 3 if they are fully vaccinated.
"The question of whether face coverings must be worn under level 3 in schools has been the subject of detailed investigation by Public Health," it read.
"They have advised against the use of face coverings for a range of reasons, most particularly because face coverings that are handled incorrectly or are moved around can present a greater risk than no covering."
Kamo High School principal Natasha Hemara appreciated that the Ministry had been very clear on what they must be able to demonstrate.
She said the previous bulletins indicated there were certain circumstances under which someone was not able to work, or in some cases was exempt from work, and she would consider these factors while making a decision on how many staff members would be working at school.
Hemara said there was no big difference in the guidance when compared to the previous lockdown.
"We did not run bubbles of more than 10 students previously.
"We are very much prepared for the changes in alert levels.
"The ministry indicated they don't actually know and are making the best assumption that it would be like last time.
Kamo High School principal Natasha Hemara.Photo / Michael Cunningham
"What we do is we send out information to the community once we receive the indication from the announcement. Any essential worker who would like their child to come to school, they'd let us know and we prepare accordingly."
With regards to the number of students attending school, Hemara said it depended on the individual families that indicated they'd like their kids to be at the school.
"We will use our best judgment on who will be working from school in alert level 3. I have gathered all the essential information from my staff, and depending on who needs to be at home to look after their own families I have made the judgment and asked people who woud want to volunteer first.
Hora Hora Primary School principal Pat Newman said it was very difficult to guess how many students would come back to school in alert level 3.
Hora Hora Primary School principal Pat Newman. Photo / Michael Cunningham
"We could end up with five kids, no kids or even a hundred.
"As we go into level 3, we will try and assert that. We have been in contact with a majority of our kids and there are some kids we haven't heard from.
"There is a lot of guesswork. As we also provide lunch, it becomes very difficult to come up with a plan as we are not sure how many students will turn up."
Schools closed in Level 4 Covid restrictions, Whangarei Girls' High School. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Nicky Witana, who is an essential worker, said she wasn't certain whether her kids – Mau Tokeha and Mokoia, who went to Hora Hora Primary School – would return in level 3.
"I really don't know how things will be in level 3, so I have no expectations. It is such a strange time and I believe everyone is just working together with the best they can."
With regards to online studies, Witana said she wasn't sure how much the kids were learning but was glad they were able to enjoy family time.
"It is very easy to get preoccupied and distracted with a lot of things when the kids are learning from home, but they are doing their best to cope and are enjoying quality family time.
"Every day we receive multiple emails from the teachers and principal and they are communicating with all the parents and students very well.
"Children aren't short of work; they have heaps of things to keep them busy."
Maui Tekoha 9 and Mokoia Witana 5, brothers who are in the bilingual unit at Hora Hora School have been working closely together on their home learning. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Whangārei Girls' High principal Anne Cooper said the school staff were well prepared to enter level 3.
She too felt the rules to be similar to last year's level 3 lockdown.
"It is quite similar to last year but we will be mindful of the need for ventilation.
"The three main differences do not make any difference for us. It is looking as though it will be a very small number of students.
"The transition from level 4 to level 3 is a smooth one."
WGH internal exams were scheduled to begin on September 13 and the school would make a decision about them early next week.
