Schools reopen after lockdown
Classes largely empty
Schools have reopened, but classrooms are largely deserted as teachers, parents and pupils stay connected online.
New Zealand moved to alert level three this week, so schools can open for children who can’t stay at home unsupervised.
In Palmerston North schools, only a handful of children are back in the classroom, sometimes fewer than 10, with the rest still working at home. Many teachers also remain at home because they or someone in their bubble has health conditions.
Takaro School has had about 12 pupils each day since reopening, with four children to a classroom. Desks are spread out and regular sanitising takes place.
Principal Helena Baker said some families were anxious about sending children back to school and extending their bubble, so she did everything possible to mitigate the risk.
She said the school worked hard to set up its learning programme and ensure it stayed in touch with wha¯nau. ‘‘Some of the comments from families have been beautiful because they now understand some of the learning [children] do and see how capable their children are. They have never seen them work in that capacity before.’’
The school worked to get online learning running. Baker said it wasn’t perfect, but it was working.
‘‘We’ve been through some very rapid learning curves and basically making sure we keep in mind this is home, this is not school, and the expectations, even around wha¯nau, of what they should be doing need to be tempered.’’
For some families, using technology for online learning is new.
Terrace End School principal Sue Allomes had eight pupils back at school and said staff were happy to see the children again.
‘‘We’re following lots of health and safety procedures. Many children are still at home working at home.
‘‘We’re building ways to develop relationships with them and keep them feeling like they are learning and that they are connected.’’
Allomes said the most important thing was focusing on connecting with wha¯nau.
Some of the school’s families were awaiting education packs from the Education Ministry, but Allomes said the ministry had done a good job providing the school with information.
High schools are open for supervision of year 9 and 10 students if the parents can’t stay at home. Students aged over 14 are allowed to be at home unsupervised.
Palmerston North’s Awatapu College had only three students on the first two days, but principal Gary Yeatman expected that to grow.
Staff volunteered to help prepare the school for students returning, but most staff are still at home.
Yeatman said most students were doing well, but face-to-face interaction couldn’t be replaced.
He was regularly emailing everyone in the school and staff had phoned people without the internet. The school guidance counsellor is also available.
‘‘We’ve continued during the lockdown to run some of our house competitions. We’ve had inter-house baking and had a guess-the-staffmember-baby-photo competition to try and keep some engagement.
‘‘Some of our staff have used Google Hangouts and Zoom and run online systems, and teachers have contacted homes to see what people need.’’
Yeatman said the whole school community had worked together and shown patience and understanding.
On Thursday, some of the junior school students were still waiting on devices from the ministry. The school has sent out devices where it could.
Yeatman said he wasn’t sure what would happen on May 11, when New Zealand could move to alert level two, but he hoped the Government had a plan for schools beforehand.