Kia ora parents, caregivers and whānau

There are two weeks to go of school – juniors are busy counting down and continuing with their learning and seniors are busily engaged in their NZQA examinations. Staff are planning for next year’s curriculum and progressively bringing our vision to life.

Yesterday, we had a government mandated teacher only day for the changes to NCEA. If you notice an increase in teacher only days next year, eight of these days are mandated, with three of these scheduled for 2021 (dates can be found HERE). There are quite significant changes underway, including a reduction of the number of total credits a student can undertake, fewer standards with more significant numbers of credits, resubmission opportunities reduced, the introduction of literacy and numeracy standards, a strengthening of te ao Māori in the curriculum, and a focus on meaningful vocational pathways. Key principles in the NCEA system shifts are wellbeing, inclusion and equity, coherence, pathways and credibility. There will be more to come as we begin to see what the new standards in the learning areas will look like. Teachers report the day was very positive and they found discussions around the changes meaningful.

You will have received communication around online learning for Year 10 on Wednesday next week. New COVID based rules for the NZQA examinations require 1.5m spacing for each student, so that examinations can run at Alert Levels 1-3. This means that a far greater allocation of rooms and space is needed in school. We can manage most days, however Wednesday next week is a pressure point, with a very large uptake of senior examinations on. On this day we do not have space to accommodate the space requirements as well as all Year 9's and 10's on site. We are adjusting for  this with alternative activities for Year 9 and asking Year 10 to learn online with their teachers from home just as they did in the lockdown. As advised should any students be unable to stay at home due being to aged under 14, or another reason, they can work in the library at school.

As we head into Christmas and the inevitable commercialisation which accompanies it, it would be good for us all to balance supporting the local economy with prioritising kindness, generosity of time, gratitude and family time as key components of the Christmas spirit rather than material goods. Watching the news and situations elsewhere with COVID I think we can all be grateful that it looks like a long hot summer is coming, our beaches, rivers and mountains are waiting, and we can gather as families and friends to celebrate. All this is so dependent on all of us using the COVID QR Code tracer app for contact tracing, washing hands and taking normal hygiene precautions as we relax into the summer holiday season.

Ngā mihi nui

Christine O’Neill