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Lessons learned from previous lockdowns have made for a smoother, quicker activation of distance learning and other protocols at local schools, with Auckland now in Alert Level 3.
Schools are open for the children of essential workers, with safety precautions in place.
Kingsway College principal Graeme Budler says his team is spending today preparing for online learning for Years 7-13, and this should be fully operational tomorrow. Kingsway Primary’s Year 1-6 students are being issued learning packs.
“Our community knows the drill and it is much easier than navigating the disruption in 2020,” he says.
Wentworth College and Primary will resume full lessons online tomorrow morning using a combination of live Zoom lessons and Google classroom.
At Whangaparaoa College, principal James Thomas says there is a very small number at school today – around five – who are the children of essential workers.
He says staff are connecting with students who are at home, checking in to see how they are and giving them work to go on with. He says naturally the first priority is to look after yourself and your whanau. However, the school ideally wants students to be engaged with some learning via various online platforms – “the lockdown is not a five-day weekend!”
The college has postponed this week’s Year 7 and Year 13 camps but hopes to still run these.
“We are just pushing pause. We will get through this,” James says.
Orewa College’s new principal, Greg Pierce, says the school is well set up for online learning.
“This is round three, in effect, and staff, students and parents have a good understanding of the requirements,” he says.
Silverdale School is typical of local Primary schools, getting its distance learning site quickly up and running.
Schools are making it clear that their online programmes are a guide, with no pressure, as many parents and caregivers are likely to be working from home.
