Kia ora koutou
Thank you again for your support as we all navigate COVID-19 in our community. Given the increasing numbers of cases in our community we have decided to move to Distance / At-home Learning from Monday 28 February for all year levels. We will review this decision on a week-by-week basis depending on case numbers in the community and I will communicate with you on Thursday each week about a possible return to at-school learning.
Please find below some additional information about the week ahead. At Edgewater College our first priority in any situation such as this is to ensure that all students are well and safe and able to access at-home learning when and how works best for them and you as a family.
Please know we are here to help so please do not hesitate to get in touch with your child’s Mentor, their Dean, or myself as Principal if you need any more information or support. I know that there will be a very wide range of emotions for students, parents and staff – if we keep a kindness first approach then I know we will get through these uncertain times as we have in the past.
At-home Learning
All students can access their learning via the google classroom for each class. The following spreadsheet gives the link and access code for all classes at all levels.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ah7qhQBrhzDkld3WKOcCuWuD6b-oQbU-d1WIAU6axV4/edit#gid=0
Alternatively, your child can log in to the school portal to access the links for your specific classes, further information on how to do this is given at the end of this message.
Session times
Your teachers will be available as per the usual school timetable during the times below:
- 9.30 – 10.00 am – Session 1
- 10.30 – 11.00 am – Session 2
- 11.30 – 12.00 pm – Session 3
Afternoons are for you to support and help your whānau and complete independent learning and/or assessment tasks.
Devices
Devices will be issued to all students on Friday (tomorrow) during morning Mentor time. Students will be required to complete and sign a form about taking care of their device and agreeing to return it as soon as we are back on-site. A reminder that school does finish at 1.10 pm on Friday for our staff to participate in a Paid Union Meeting.
If students experience an issue with their school device during the learning from home period:
- If there is a technical issue, contact [email protected] or 021 088 11086.
- If damage does occur, report it as soon as possible to [email protected].
- If the device is lost or stolen, report it as soon as possible to [email protected]. If requested please also report its loss or theft to the police.
Students in Years 9 and 10 – Learn at home packs
We do have limited numbers of ‘learn at home packs’ for students who do not have internet access at home. These will be given to students who request them via their Mentor teacher tomorrow morning. Students who received a hard pack during lockdown last year could also re-use these to continue with their learning this time.
Practical senior subjects
We are currently putting together an afternoon timetable for senior students taking practical subjects to be on-site from 1 pm to 3 pm each day. We will be in touch with those students directly about when they may come in for these practical sessions. A reminder that if your child is unwell or required to self-isolate they must not come onsite at any time.
EOTC / School Sport / Gateway / MIT
Some school trips and school sport will still be able to take place with appropriate Covid precautions. Your teacher / Ms Benjamin will be in contact with your directly to arrange this.
Students under 14 that need supervision onsite.
Only students under 14 and without any suitable supervision at home will be eligible to attend school next week. Please email [email protected] to register your child to attend. Students should then report to the main office at 9 am each morning in correct school uniform. A reminder again, that if your child is unwell or required to self-isolate they must not come onsite at any time.
For additional support during this time please email: .
- Your Mentor teacher or Dean for general support
- Your Subject teacher for learning support
- One of our guidance and counselling team for specific wellbeing support
- Our nurses for any health matters or health advice
With a pre-arranged appointment students may be allowed on site to access counselling or health services. Please note this does not include students with covid symptoms – in this case please contact Healthline / your GP and get tested.
Counselling
Helen McNaughton - [email protected]
Youth Workers
Sarah Whitaker - [email protected]
Nurses
Jules Holmes - [email protected]
Anna Ginn - [email protected]
You can also access additional wellbeing resources via the google classroom: https://classroom.google.com/u/0/c/NjQxMTQwNDQzNDda
Class code: eleq3ll
Positive COVID-19 cases
Please continue to notify the school [email protected] if your son or daughter tests positive for COVID. If possible please let us know:
- Date symptoms started
- Date of test
- Type of test (PCR or RAT)
- Date of positive result.
We will be monitoring this information to determine when it will be possible to resume on-site learning.
My sincere thanks again for all you are doing to keep your families and our community safe and well.
Ngā mihi maioha
Louise