Friday 25th March 2022

Thank you to the boys, parents and staff who have helped to make our short burst of distance learning a success in many ways.


Our move to distance learning was based on increasing levels of student absence. All online lessons registered a significant increase in attendance. Many zoom lessons had 100% of students present, including students who were isolating at home. High levels of engagement in these lessons ensured that boys were able to continue learning through these challenging times. The staff committed to providing a range of effective learning opportunities and delivery of a programme with the necessary academic rigour. Staff also took the opportunity to change things up to maintain the boys' levels of energy. Senior music students took part in collaborative online performances from multiple living rooms within and beyond Dunedin.  Some Maths teachers reverted to starting lessons with challenging puzzles (Mrs Anderson would like to suggest to everyone that https://www.mathler.com/ is worth a look for those people who are looking for a bigger challenge than wordle). Our art students worked independently from home producing fantastically detailed pieces of work and the languages classes showed great involvement, motivation and individuality, sometimes even expressed through a particular choice of internationally influenced clothing!

Image by: Nigel Hunter

On Monday when the students return to class we will be well placed to finish the term positively. We expect that there will be a reduced level of absence in both staff and students. Please remember to continue to keep boys at home who are unwell and to inform the office of this absence. We will continue with our protocols for mask-wearing, hygiene and distancing in an effort to continue to teach in a healthy and safe environment.

Next week we have non-uniform day on Wednesday.  This weekend 10 of our rowers will compete at Maadi in Twizel, we wish them well in this competition that is the pinnacle of the rowing year.

Have an enjoyable weekend, I look forward to seeing all the boys back ready to go on Monday morning!