A CLEAN START
Schoolchildren stepped out of their family bubbles into school bubbles yesterday, as 800,000 children and pupils returned to post-lockdown schools across the country.
At St Mark’s School in Wellington’s Mt Victoria, the children were welcomed back with a small party, complete with lateral bubbles.
Hygiene will be high on the agenda as schools battle to stop the spread of Covid-19 and parents have been told to keep children home if they display any signs of illness.
Jimin Kim, a year 13 student at Wellington College, returned to school able to sum up the last seven weeks in three words: ‘‘It was boring.’’
St Patrick’s year 12 student Daniel Keller was eager to return and had no qualms about the virus.
Learning from home had been tough, he said. ‘‘It is not as easy as learning in class – you don’t get the same interaction with teachers.’’
At Berhampore School, there were some new systems in place to ensure the children’s safety, and they were taking to them with gusto.
Principal Mark Potter said it was great to see the kids back in the classrooms. ‘‘Some just arrived like little bundles of energy.’’
Classrooms were set up with desks further apart, fewer chairs, and adults were encouraged to stay off the grounds or in their cars during drop off.
Children were told to follow the ‘‘warm breath’’ rule: if you can smell or feel their breath, you’re too close, something the cold air of the morning made very apparent that morning.
A register was kept as students came through the now-reduced three points of entry into the grounds.
‘‘We had a few [parents] come in, probably more for the parents’ sake,’’ Potter said.
One mum had been given a chair just outside the classroom, and after 10 minutes her child forgot their anxiety, and didn’t even notice as she left.
In the Montessori senior classroom, in which children directed their own learning, the students were cleaning equipment after use.
Rachel Craig, 12, said her dad had put up a makeshift ballet barre for her at home, so she could practice while her classes were on hold. She had missed her friends and the classroom equipment, and was pleased to be back.
The school had been sure to stay in contact with parents and students online, and for the few families that didn’t have internet, through their mailboxes.
Nearly 40 staff had returned, and were taking their breaks in breakout zones across the school.
A few students had brought projects they had completed over the lockdown, including a model grandstand, and a wooden battle axe to go with a dwarf costume.
Francis King, 11, had brought his battle axe and specially-sewn dwarf gown in to show his class, something his teacher had encouraged.
There were no assemblies but playground equipment was able to be used at break time, as long as children washed their hands before and after.
The school pets were still in isolation, with two guinea pigs being cared for in Levin, and the various birds and fish tanks at the school sitting empty.