Ko tēnei te Wiki o te reo Māori. We are fortunate to start our first full week back at school with the celebration of te Wiki o te reo Māori - Māori Language Week.

As we are now all aware, the Prime Minister has announced that New Zealand, with the exception of Auckland, has entered into an Alert Level 2 with the next review being Monday 20 September 11:59pm. Our central message for whānau during this period is that it is safe for students to return for their learning. Level 2 learning will require us to be mindful and safe and this is what we will encourage in our kura.

At Level 2 there is a low risk of community transmission and it offers us the ability to engage and connect with students in person again. We ask that whānau continue to monitor their health and not send children to school if they are not well (and please seek advice about getting a COVID test).

At LCŌ, all the recommended safety precautions for Alert Level 2 will be in place. This means we will regularly clean and disinfect used surfaces, encourage everyone to frequently wash their hands and continue to cough and sneeze into their elbow. While physical distancing is not a requirement in schools, we will keep spaces well-ventilated and spaced where we can.

Although face coverings are not required, the Director-General of Health has recommended that students aged 12 years and older wear a face covering at school. The decision to wear a face-covering is up to you and your whānau, whatever your decision it will be respected.

Academic

Returning back to learning will bring some significant challenges for our staff and students. One of these challenges will be evaluating the progress our senior students have made while under Alert Levels 3 and 4.

As Mr Paul Osborne, DP, has emailed to senior students and their whānau, NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority) has outlined learning recognition credits for schools that have been closed for 16 school days. We are one of these schools.

Learning Recognition Credits (LRCs)

• For every five credits a student earns, they get one extra LRC.

• Students at NCEA Level 1 are eligible for up to eight additional credits.

• Students at NCEA Levels 2 or 3 are eligible for up to six additional credits.

Endorsements

• No change to normal requirements.

University Entrance

• No change to normal requirements.

Effectively, this means that students need to gain 72 credits for NCEA level 1 and 54 for level 2 or 3.

We understand there has been a significant break from the ‘normal routine’ and appreciate that students have made varying progress during the period of online learning. Our first priority over the following week is for staff to reconnect with their students and to get back into classroom routines. It is also very important for students and teachers to discuss how their learning has gone at home and the progress they have made. Online learning has interrupted many courses, particularly in practical subjects, so the rest of the year may look different to what has been outlined by teachers earlier. Over the next few weeks, teachers are reviewing the timeframes, course structures and assessments with their respective HoLAs to ensure the best outcome for all our students. We also have our kaiārahi and deans actively looking at ways we can encourage and assist every student to meet their academic goals.

We understand that enduring another lockdown could have created a lot of uncertainty and apprehension. We have done our best to assess and assist our students during Level 4 and 3 to help wherever we can, and our staff are committed to the whanaungatanga and manaakitanga of our students. If you have any concerns or questions we encourage you to contact your children's kaiārahi or dean; their emails are listed at the end of their House report in this newsletter. Alternatively, as our Principal Richard Edmundson often reiterates, his door is always open, and you are always welcome to contact him directly on 982 0100 ext 839; en@linwoodcollege.school.nz