John McGlashan College is coming back to life. Property Supervisor, Tony Beck and Groundsman, Duncan McBeth have been on site picking up the last of the leaves, trimming hedges and mowing lawns. As expected, the infrastructure is ready to go and cleaning is underway in readiness for classes, depending on the Government’s calls.
As we move to Level 2, Drew Campbell, Director of Boarding, will contact you directly regarding the opening of the boarding facility for parents to collect equipment and clothing left after the sudden move to Level 4 in late March.
Year 7-10 students who need to be at school have been accommodated in the Edgar Learning Centre over the last two days. Nationally, student attendance is low with 16% of schools having zero uptake. Two boys of parents who are essential workers are attending John McGlashan College under strict Level 3 protocols:
registration of people on-site, for contact tracing
handwashing and sanitising
physical distancing
A number of national and regional meetings have been held with the New Zealand Boarding School Association and the Ministry of Education to develop plans for facilitating a safe return to the college.
In the meantime, let’s make the best of things. It is impossible to predict what might happen over the next few weeks and months. We will continue to keep you informed as we receive new information.
At 8 am on Thursday, our Pastoral Care and Learning Support team, which is made up of twelve key staff, met and considered the needs of our boys. These meetings have continued every week since lockdown. Most students are engaging well in their on-line schooling. We are communicating with parents, tracking and supporting boys in their learning and assisting them to cope in an uncertain, challenging and changeable environment.
If you have any concerns or require reassurance, please contact us through our normal lines of communication. We are here to help.
Kindest regards,
Neil Garry
Principal
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