As our community and College roll into the Omicron wave over the next four to five weeks, it’s important we share our plan to ensure that our teaching and learning continues.

Our priority is to keep the College open for physical learning. This will continue unless the health and safety advice is to go entirely online temporarily.

Evidence shows that healthy routines result in better outcomes and a more positive journey for our students, teachers, family, and whanau. Good routines and in-person contact are particularly important for our teenagers. The chance to participate in the ‘real’ social network improves our overall Hauora.

The Plan
This plan is predicated upon the number of teaching staff available at school. These plans are subject to change, but currently, we’re at Waitākere College Stage Two.

Waitākere College Stage Two (About 20 teachers out on any given day)

Hybrid Learning - happening now. Students at home will participate in online learning through self-directed work relating to the subject. There will be opportunities to interact with the teacher and fellow students once per cycle in Zoom tutorials and lessons. Students at school will continue with face to face (mask to mask) learning.
Teachers at home will send online learning material (similar to Level 3 & 4 lockdowns), which will allow students at school and those at home to interact on Google Classroom. Students at school will be supervised by relievers, which could be up to two of their five lessons per day.

Waitākere College Stage Three (Above 20 to 35 teachers out per day)

In this situation, we will look at two options to keep the College open. We may shift to a shortened school day (periods one to four only). In this scenario, students would go home after period four at 1:30, with period five being cancelled. This allows us to manage staffing of classes with available teachers to supervise and teach periods one to four.
We may also have to roster year levels to stay home for two days on a rolling roster; online learning will be available for these students. This frees up teachers to teach and supervise other classes. Rostered ’at home’ year levels will be year 12 or 13 students.
Students at school will have their teachers for two of their four lessons per day, face to face. This plan, with flexibility needed, will hopefully allow us to operate an ‘open’ College for our staff and students to learn at school over these next four to five weeks.

The school will notify you via email or text regarding the rostering of ’at home’ year levels, either the day or evening before, as those calls depend on staff and reliever numbers.

With the country going into Omicron phase three (and the scaling back of close contacts), our access to Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) may mean we get through this period without going to Waitākere College Stage Three.

Now you know our plan. All that’s left is to wait and see what happens. I thank you for continuing to protect your family, whanau, and school community.

Kia Manawanui,

Mark P Shanahan
Principal