Principal's Page

Running on the Spot:

Two weeks ago I wrote on the theme "If I Only Had Time". This week the theme is running on the spot. For the next few weeks it's going to be a bit like that - lots of running but not really getting too far ahead.

That's the reality of Covid-19, it's keeping us very busy and yet a lot of the normal things we would be doing to progress us towards our goals are a bit on hold.

Thank goodness then for our brilliant staff team. I have stated so many times how proud I am of our wonderful staff team here - amazing and inspiring every one. 

At present we have about one-third of our children attending each day and about two-thirds learning from home. Our teachers are juggling these two learning environments with passion, positivity, perseverance and copious amounts of creativity. Hybrid learning has been in place since Monday and it is working really well. 

We don't know how long Hybrid learning will run, but in general terms, we expect it to run until the Omicron wave is receding and children are returning to learning at school in good numbers.

At present we have around 30 positive student Covid-18 cases and four positive staff cases. We also have children starting to return once their isolation period has ended.

I have talked with all of our staff about managing this positively - and of course they didn't really need my advice, but I shared it anyway.

To ensure parents' possible fears around this are allayed, I'm sharing the approach we are taking as follows:

We will be upfront and open with our children and acknowledge that over the next little while there will be children returning and leaving for a wide variety of reasons - all valid and supported.

We will acknowledge there will be children returning who have

   -   been in isolation due to family cases; due to close contact cases or due to being cases         themselves

   -   been home because parents are concerned for safety and wellbeing - maybe of                     elderly family members, or new babies or other reasons

   -    been sick with a cold, flu or similar

Whatever the reason people have been away when they come back it is a cause for celebration - an important member of our family is returning to our family.

We will encourage our children to be mindful, welcoming and kind with their words and actions - this is the way we look after whānau at WHS.

Some children may want to keep things low key, some may want to share experiences. Whatever the case, as staff we will be patient, caring, understanding parents-in-place for all our children. This is who, how and why we are.

My very best regards to you all as always,

Ash Maindonald

Principal.