Schools positive about reopening

While South Canterbury educators are unsure of all the details of reopening at level 2, they feel positive about children returning to schools and kindergartens.

With public safety measures in place such as regular hand washing, cleaning and physical distancing, schools would be able to open at the beginning of the following week once the country moves down to level 2. Distance learning would still be available for students who may be self-isolating.

Some schools and early learning centres have been open since April 29 for students who could not learn from home because their parents had to return to work.

South Canterbury Kindergartens general manager Dave Hawkey said they would continue operating the way they have since reopening last month, and just accommodate more children.

‘‘We have good practices in place already,’’ he said.

South Canterbury Primary Schools’ Principals’ Association chair and Gleniti School principal Steve Zonneyville said yesterday’s announcement looked positive for schools but he could not really comment.

‘‘The next step is to wait for Ministry of Education guidelines and what it means,’’ he said.

During level 3 teaching online and in the home had been challenging for teachers, parents and children. His school now had 24 pupils in attendance, he said. ‘‘Everyone stepped up.’’

The school had allowed families to pick and choose which educational areas they wanted to be involved in to relieve pressure on families, Zonneyville said.

Aoraki Secondary Principals’ Association chair and Craighead Diocesan School principal Lindy Graham said schools could not plan for staff and students to come back under alert level 2 until they knew the ministry’s expectations. She anticipated most students would return, apart from those who have health considerations.

‘‘There is not much point in me commenting until we know the parameters under which we must operate, but the health and wellbeing of staff and students will be our priority as we transition back from fully remote learning to mostly on-site learning.’’

She said they expected a transitional phase.

‘‘Not only to manage health and wellbeing, but also gather up our students as learners – they will be at different stages with their learning depending on their home circumstances and their ability to self-manage or their levels of motivation.’’

Graham thought teaching staff at all high schools had done an ‘‘incredible job’’ in a very short time.