Local schools are adapting well to reopening under the restrictions of alert level three with only a few students returning to schools and most choosing to continue to learn online.

Four schools responded to the Wanaka App’s questions regarding the first week of reopening under level three.

Mount Aspiring College (MAC) reported 18 Year 7-10 students on each of the first two days of school, and it is contacting families to confirm numbers for next week. 

“We have three bubbles and three staff working with each bubble as well as myself, the property team and two support staff in the office on site each day,” MAC principal Wayne Bosley said.

“We are very pleased with our procedures and staff, students and parents are respecting the systems which has resulted in no surprises and everyone feeling safe.”

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Hawea Flat School principal Tania Pringle said five pupils attended on the first day back and seven on the second day but she is anticipating a few more students next week when more parents return to work. They are operating as one bubble with children of all ages being supported by three teachers.

“It’s been delightful to see the children so enthusiastic about returning to school; they’ve missed it and have been craving the routine,” Tania said. “Even with only a few here, they’re enjoying the opportunity to interact with the other kids.”

The Holy Family School’s students all chose to continue to learn from home.

Wanaka Primary School (WPS) usually has a roll of around 600 pupils but since it reopened to students last Wednesday (April 29) it has hosted a small number of students each day.

“There are 27 today but 34 altogether who will be at school over the next two weeks,” WPS principal Wendy Bamford said.

The school is operating six small bubbles: the smallest has only three pupils and the largest has eight. Most pupils are in Years 4-6. Working at school each day are between seven and ten teachers, plus a couple of office staff as well as the principal and deputy principal.

“It’s all going smoothly here,” Wendy said. “The children and staff are very good at hand washing and sanitising as well as distancing. I'm a bit of a hugger and one wee man, when he was getting off the school bus, said “ah ah Wendy...remember two metres' ....and I was still the bus length away!”

“Teachers are enjoying having some children back and our children seem very happy. They are mainly working on the online learning set up for children at home but also doing a bit of art, PE, drama, dance, etc in between set activities.”

She said the school had given out more laptops for students at home and teachers were excited about the online sessions they’re having with children, their virtual teaching and workshop sessions, as well as just hooking in and connecting with their children.  

“We are really pleased with the uptake by parents with our digital remote learning and amazed at the work home learners are doing,” Wendy said. “Well done to everyone who has made remote learning work for them.”  

They were looking forward to alert level two “when we can get to see all our students again,” she said.

Not all local schools have reopened under level three. Wanaka’s Holy Family Catholic School principal Jo McKay said no pupils have enrolled to return to school this week or next but that could change in the future.

“It is great that our families are managing within their own bubbles at this stage,” she said. 

PHOTOS: Wanaka App