Dear parents, caregivers, staff and students

Many of you were probably listening yesterday, like me, to the Prime Minister’s announcement of what Level 3 might look like for New Zealand. In particular, I was interested in information about schools.

If I was honest and with my 'educationalist' hat on, I had expected that senior students would be returning to school first as they would be better able to manage physical distancing and naturally would be worried about NCEA assessments and the impact of remote delivery on their learning.

With an 'economy' hat on, it is clear that Years 1-10 students need to return first so that adults can return to workplace employment, reduce stresses that the current situation may be causing and not face the worry of finding child-care or extending bubbles for children under 14.

We are still waiting for specific communication from the Ministry of Education about what Level 3 will look like for schools and I should be in a better position to communicate this next week.

However, below is what we do know about Covid Alert Level 3 in relation to Columba College:

• Students in Years 11-13 will be at home receiving remote learning as they are now.
• Students in Years 1-10 should stay at home, if at all possible, and continue with remote learning.
• Whether at home or at school, the same curriculum will be delivered to all students.
• At Covid Alert Level 3 students in Years 1-10 can attend school. We will ensure the school is cleaned and put in place any measures that are necessary to keep students safe when they are at school including, for example, physical distancing protocols including playground/interval, lunch and locker-bay protocols.
• Staff will be on site unless they are over 70, have medical conditions, are undergoing a treatment for cancer and blood conditions, are pregnant or do not have easy access to healthcare.
• The Boarding House will not be open at Level 3, except for the existing bubble. More information about the status of boarding will be communicated as soon as the Ministries of Health and Education have made their intentions clear in this sphere.
• After school-care will not be operating at Level 3.

So that we can better prepare for Covid 19 Alert Level 3 could you please inform Dawn Hope, Office Manager, by email dhope@columbacollege.school.nz if you intend for your child in Year 1-10 to return to school once we are at this level.

If you intend to stay remote learning, then please do not respond.

On a different note, having explored an alternative career pathway in baking, I can now show the results of my foray into yet another avenue - that of hair colourist. While I was very pleased with the result (nicely even I thought), my daughter kindly suggested that I didn’t give up my day job!