Kia ora Parents and Caregivers,

Another two weeks have rolled by, and I know we are all eagerly anticipating a move to Level 3 next week if the numbers keep moving in the right direction.

Once an announcement is made, I will send you an email outlining how WGHS will operate at Level 3. For most students, it will still be remote learning from home.

The Government announcement that the school holidays won’t be moved forward allows certainty for us around Term 4 planning so we can maximise in-class learning before NCEA and Junior Exams. Like you, we are very much looking forward to having our students return to school at Level 2.

During this extended Level 4, there has been some great feedback about our students, and the innovative and creative ways they have found to balance schoolwork, homelife and social connections. Motivation is challenging the longer lockdown goes on, and I’m sure we’ve all had days that we were happy to just get through!

Despite the fact we haven’t been at school for more than four weeks, this edition of Te Reo o Te Roto still features some great success stories, including Year 9 student Julia Wilkins who has had her story The Ocean’s Treasure accepted into the prestigious Toitoi book Jillion 2. You’ll also find an interview with Lisa Carrington by Year 13 Prefect Shella Dabbach, undertaken for her PE Scholarship report.

I hope you are able to enjoy some quality family time this weekend, away from laptops and devices. The weather looks like it will be on our side for some outdoor activities. With Daylight Savings starting next week, we can at least look forward to longer days once we are out of lockdown.

Kindest regards

Jane Stanley
Principal