Kia ora family and whanau,

Once again, thank you for the excellent response, support and care you have shown for your children, tamariki and mokopuna while we have operated at Waitakere Stage 2 for this week.
It appears that with both staff and students returning, the current wave of omicron has passed through this part of Auckland.

As indicated last week this allows us to shift back to Waitakere Stage 1 starting on Monday 28/3/22 Week 9. Day 6 of the timetable.

How this operates:

Normal 5 period timetable and bell times.
Hybrid Learning ceases on Friday 25/3/22.
In the Week Ahead teachers will post the outline of the work that staff are
intending to cover this week. (An Online Google Lesson will only be posted
for interactive learning if the teacher is self-isolating at home)
For students sick at home, there is no expectation to do work. Recover.
For students Self Isolating at home, contact your teacher and they will set some self-moderated tasks/worksheets for you to complete.

Our priority is face to face teaching and giving confidence for students to return to school.
Our goal is to have as many healthy students in the College, learning face to face, mask to mask for the last 3 weeks of Term 1. This pattern of learning and interacting with staff and fellow students improves the hauora of all.

We have modified our RED Protocol for Waitakere College to outline how the new RED works in the College.

I have outlined the bullet points from the PM’s announcement below

COVID-19 Protection Framework,

Red:

There is no change to masks in education settings from the existing
Red setting. Medical-grade masks remain a requirement for staff
working indoors with children and young people in Years 4-13.
For all New Zealanders, including school settings, masks will not be
required outdoors. Masks must be worn inside and in corridors
Capacity limits will be removed for outdoor events and activities.
Indoor capacity limits for extra-curricular activities increase to 200
people, or a maximum capacity based on the maximum number of
people who could occupy the space if each person was one metre apart (whichever is lower).

I would like to thank you for continuing to ensure that you and our students have been responding positively to all the prevention protocols in place to keep us all safe and has ensured we have had no covid spread within the College over the last 5 weeks.
As always we remain flexible and may have to pivot if circumstances change.

Nga mihi,
Mark