College cancels assemblies

The biggest school in the top of the South Island has called off assemblies as part of efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

In a letter to parents yesterday, Waimea College principal Scott Haines said the school of more than 1600 students had decided not to hold assemblies or ‘‘other whole-school events’’, as New Zealand steps up its Covid-19 pandemic response plans.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins said yesterday there was no scientific reason for school closures at the moment, but schools had been asked to ‘‘consider their practices’’ by choosing not to have gatherings like assemblies.

Haines said Waimea College was closely monitoring the Government’s guidelines for public events and mass gatherings.

‘‘Waimea College is receiving regular information from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, and we are following their guidelines.

‘‘Our own pandemic plans mean that we have systems in place to help us cope if anything changes, and we are working through what we can do in our school environment, including continuing to focus on good hygiene practices.’’

The school would intensify its cleaning routine, Haines said. ‘‘High-use areas’’, like door handles, railings, light fittings and shared keyboards, would be regularly treated with disinfectant, and hand sanitiser made available ‘‘in heavy traffic areas’’.

He urged parents to not send students to school if they were unwell. Students who ‘‘appeared to be displaying symptoms of being unwell’’ could be sent home.

Top of the South Secondary

Waimea College principal

Principals Association president, Garin College principal John Maguire, said updates and guidance from the Ministry of Education were helping principals plan for continuity of learning, and to make decisions around the safety of students, staff and their communities.

The ministry phoned schools nationwide on Monday and yesterday to discuss plans should schools have to close because of coronavirus. It asked principals if their teachers would be able to provide online learning, and how many children did not have their own devices or a home internet connection.

Relieving principal at Birchwood School in Nelson, Tony Draaijer, said about 5 per cent of its pupils did not have access. He was confident that the primary school would be able to ‘‘provide an online structure’’. It had devices to lend to families who did not have suitable resources of their own.

Principal of St Paul’s School Richmond, Maureen Phillips, said online platforms already being used in the school would allow it to stay in touch with its children and ‘‘provide a level of learning’’.

While a ‘‘high percentage’’ of its families would have some access to online platforms, these would often be shared within a family, Phillips said. The school had sent a survey to parents to clarify the situation.

Tahunanui School principal Barbara Bowen said all schools would be able to provide an online learning environment for their pupils in some form or other, but there was uncertainty around children’s ability to access it at home or elsewhere.

‘‘We can overcome some issues of inequity around access to devices and other resources, but some families may have other economic, social and health priorities which limits their ability to support their children’s learning online.’’

The school was ready for a ‘‘wide range of possibilities’’, however, which might not include complete closure, Bowen said.

‘‘Our own pandemic plans mean that we have systems in place to help us cope if anything changes.’’

Scott Haines,