Red setting a challenge for schools

The Nelson region’s schools are exploring a ‘‘hybrid model’’ of teaching to cope with potentially large numbers of absences, as they prepare for the new academic year under the Government’s Covid-19 red setting.

Most schools start back next week, with staff and students in years 4-13 (ages 8-18) required under the setting to wear face coverings indoors and when in close contact with others, including inside classrooms.

Broadgreen Intermediate principal Pete Mitchener said ensuring that the Stoke school could provide both online and face-toface learning for its children aged 10-13 was at the forefront of its planning.

‘‘We could very easily have a huge number of students and staff away from school. We’re going to have to look at a hybrid model of some children maybe being on an online environment, while some will be at school . . . and staffing that accordingly.’’

Waimea College principal Scott Haines said the red setting introduced a ‘‘new dynamic’’ compared to lockdown, when only a small number of students were at school in alert level 3. This meant schools were facing a situation where there could be a large number of students and teachers self-isolating at home, while at the same time needing to support students learning at school.

Haines said he would be focusing on how to go about that with staff during a staff-only day next week.

‘‘I feel quite confident that the last two years’ worth of lockdowns have taught us a lot in terms of our online learning capability, and I feel that we’re reasonably agile at the moment in terms of our ability to switch between those two modes.

‘‘What hasn’t yet been tested is undertaking significant bodies of online learning whilst at the same time trying to maintain a face-to-face presence with students.’’

While the mask requirement was ‘‘uncharted territory’’, the Richmond school hadn’t received any indications of any concern about it, Haines said.

Nayland College principal Daniel Wilson said he was aware of a few students and staff who had exemptions from wearing a mask for medical reasons.

The Stoke school’s planning framework for absences included options of moving some classes online, rostering year groups to work online from home, and in the ‘‘worst case’’, moving the whole school to online learning, he said.

The school was also encouraging unvaccinated students to choose a programme other than outdoor education that offered ‘‘the same or similar standards in a different context’’, Wilson said. ‘‘Due to the number of external sites we use for our OED programme that require a vaccination pass (and no real alternative options), [unvaccinated] students will find it incredibly difficult to gain the credits they need through this course.’’

Very few students were affected, he said.

Wilson said things might become easier, as the Government had told schools that by February 4, public health orders might be in place allowing education providers outside the school to provide activities and services to schools without requiring all children to be vaccinated.

Nelson Central School principal Pip Wells said it was important that children were going back to school so they could reconnect with friends and their learning.

She anticipated that staff would have to ensure children were using masks correctly. ‘‘Children are eminently adaptable, but we need to take the time reassure and to go through processes so it becomes simple and easy for them.’’