Rotorua's Western Heights High School has asked its junior school students to stay home this week after a "significant" number of teachers tested positive for Covid-19 over the weekend.
In a letter emailed to all parents and caregivers this morning, principal James Bracefield asked Year 9 and Year 10 students to stay home from Tuesday, July 5 until Friday, July 8, the last day of the school term.
"You will be aware that there has been a surge in Covid cases across the country with new variants making an appearance. Along with a nasty strain of influenza and other viruses, this has had a significant impact on student attendance throughout June.
"Over the weekend we have had a significant number of teachers test positive for Covid and we expect this number to rise in the coming days. We also have other staff who are unwell or absent for other reasons..." Bracefield said.
"Along with other schools, we now find ourselves unable to staff all our classes."
Bracefield said teachers would provide students with work today and on Google Classroom. However, teachers would not be conducting Zoom lessons as they would be working with Year 11, 12 and 13 students, who would continue to attend school for the remainder of the week.
