Dear parents, caregivers, staff and students

We are two days into a new phase of New Zealand’s response to COVID-19 and it is very different from anything most of us have ever experienced.

I want to commend all staff and students as to how well you have coped with this transition. Mrs Cheyne’s Year 7 survey (published elsewhere in the newsletter) is indicative of the feedback I am receiving. Students have adapted well, settled into the new learning and living environment and done so with remarkable ingenuity. We have also had remarkably few technical glitches.

I must also thank staff. Their professionalism, support of each other as we learn to educate remotely and concern for their students has been simply amazing. As a principal, I am very fortunate to have staff of such a calibre and students are very lucky as well!

I want to reassure you all that our school staff, Board of Governors and Board of Trustees will continue to work to support your child’s learning and well-being in the next weeks. 

You will understand the importance of routine for your family. Routines are reassuring, and promote health and physical well-being. This is one reason we have kept to the routine of the school day for students in Years 7-13. I know many Junior School parents have already set their own timetable for sons and daughters in Years 0-6.

I publish below a daily schedule supplied by the Ministry of Education which may be useful as your household adapts to lockdown over the holidays and next few weeks.

A big thank you to all of you for taking the lockdown so seriously. As the Prime Minister has noted staying at home will break the chain and save lives; breaking the rules could risk someone close to you and if the rules are not complied with, this could risk the lockdown period being extended or could risk the virus being spread to thousands.

Some good news to support you either working at home and/or studying at home - Spark, Vodafone, Vocus/Slingshot, 2Degrees and Trustpower have all advised they have removed their data caps and the possibility of any extra charges based on usage. 

Term holidays begin at the end of today and school starts again on Wednesday April 15. Students will continue to follow their usual timetable from April 15, still in the virtual mode. In the meantime, I wish you all a very enjoyable (if somewhat different) holiday break and a happy Easter.

Take care and kia kaha.

Pauline Duthie