School's out for lockdown across Northland as part of the level 4 restrictions. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Northland schools did not have enough time to hand out devices to students so they could study from home, but have asked them to enjoy some family time during the Covid-19 alert level 4 lockdown and not worry so much about learning.
Kiwis have been tucked in their bubbles from 11.59 pm on Tuesday after the Government announced the alert level 4 lockdown for seven days in Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula, and three days elsewhere following a community case in Auckland.
Northland school students have been given online learning activities, Facebook posts have been put up and emails sent out to parents and students, but the key message is to not panic.
The schools were well prepared for a lockdown but did not have enough time to distribute devices to the students and parents, as Tuesday's announcement came after 6pm.
Whangārei's Hora Hora Primary School principal Pat Newman said they had sent out emails and text messages to parents asking them to spend the lockdown days doing family things.
"To make things together, to play and talk together, and not worry about teaching kids how to do maths or reading or writing. Just be together, have fun and stay safe.
"That is the tactic we are taking. We have also put up activities on our Facebook pages if they want to use them.
"I am not one of the people that subscribes to the idea the only place students learn is at school. This time we are suggesting our students and parents to spend the time doing family things that they are usually too busy to do. Those kids might benefit more out of it."
Newman said the important thing to remember was that we were all stuck in our homes and we should take the opportunity to make something good out of it.
The school did not believe in the concept of children sitting in front of a computer screen and having lessons delivered to them, said Newman.
This time it is following on from insights gained last year - to look at lockdown time as activity-based learning and provide resources to parents to help them find things to do so kids learn from it.
"Often the parents learn from it and benefits everyone out of it.
"Let's be realistic, the amount of learning they will miss out from a maths class in a week is not going to affect them in their lives.
"Unfortunately, at times like this, families do feel stressed and we have communicated it to them that if they need any help, we can arrange it too.
"We have always worked out something in the past, but if people contact us about being under severe stress, we can help them out. We have the contacts and will cater to their needs."
Whangārei Girls' High principal Anne Cooper, who was in a Resource teacher learning and behaviour conference in Wellington when the lockdown was announced, said the staff and students were prepared for the fact lockdown could come at any time, with little or no warning.
"They will be mostly doing online learning, although some already had work they will be working on over the next few days and there will be others who did not take devices home or do not have access to online learning.
"They may have work they can carry on with, revise or read.
"Most impact will be on those students and on practical classes – three days is manageable – we will just have to wait and see whether the lockdown is extended."
The school was going to reschedule its Options Expo afternoon and other events would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Cooper said any students feeling stressed or anxious could contact guidance counsellors or other staff who could provide some support for them.
"We will be able to manage an extended lockdown and we are well supported by the Ministry of Education – both on a local and national basis."
Kaitaia Primary School principal Brendon Morrissey was also at the conference in Wellington and said the school would benefit from the processes and plans put up last year.
"It was actually quite easy to put them into action. The trick with horrible situations such as this one is to stay calm. Nobody's going to benefit from anything other than calmness.
"We went straight into alert level 4 procedures we already had in place. We had developed those processes over time and we are working in the online space, it was easy to just activate Google Drive and follow the process.
"We have our online learning platform, so we informed the students and parents to make the most of it from home if they can because we did not get a chance to give out the devices. What we can do is remind everyone online learning for each class is available for those who wish to access it."
As soon as there was a drop in alert levels, the school would reactivate the processes they had for those alert levels, Morrissey said.
"Once we start sliding down the levels, we can also start sending the devices home to the students and parents to help for their online learning.
"We can also look at learning pacts. A number of schools made hard-copy learning pacts, so we can send them out too."
Kamo High School principal Natasha Hemara was worried about the possible cancellation of the Tournament Week, which was scheduled to take place in three weeks' time, and said many students would be disappointed if it was cancelled again this year.
The sports event was canned last year due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
Hemara said online classes were available for those wishing to take part.
"We have sent out emails with a list of activities to the parents and students. Not all students have the devices available and this is a time where they need to sit back and relax.
"We had a draft plan ready for a long time, so it was nothing to panic about.
"The students can get in touch with their whānau leader or adviser if they need any help. We also have guidance counsellors available, who will be giving online counselling sessions to the students who are feeling stressed and need it."
Internal tests were scheduled for the coming weeks but it wasn't something that could not be taken care of, Hemare said.
Kaitaia Primary School principal Brendon Morrissey and Whangārei Girls' High principal Anne Cooper were attending the two-day Resource teacher learning and behaviour conference for Cluster Manager and Lead School Principals forum in Wellington.
Morrissey was the host principal for cluster 1, with 40 clusters in total throughout New Zealand.
The RTLB's job was to travel out to the schools to share skills, resources, and knowledge with teachers who were in need of extra guidance.
The annual conference addressed about the same aspects but was cancelled last year due to Covid-19 alert level restrictions.
Morrissey said the first day was a very compact day, with speakers from the Ministry of Education.
"This was the first chance to get together with everyone in two years but it was cut short."
He said a number of his colleagues managed to reschedule their flights for an earlier one, but he decided to wait for the departure of the planned flight.
"The travel agents were booked up with many inquiries, so I thought it was best to wait another day.
"I cannot wait to get home to my wife and kids.
"I try and find some calmness for myself, because you cannot be a calm leader if you cannot put yourself there and manage the situation.
"As principals, our main responsibility is to stay as calm as and get clear communication out in the community.
"I am away from my community and cannot wait to actually get to my own family."
Cooper, on the other hand, said she was lucky as she was to return home anyway on the evening lockdown was announced.
"It was harder for those who were not due to return until the forum finished mid-afternoon on Wednesday.
"I was relieved more than stressed.
"I was rapidly running out of charge on my phone though. A few minutes of worry over the announcement that the flight to Whangārei was delayed due to engineering problems – did not want the 'dreaded shuttle' but all was good and we boarded soon after.
"I have a good team behind me and knew the school was in good hands. I was in contact with them and with my hostel manager."
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