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Witherlea School deputy principal Phil Funnell welcomed the students as they were dropped off at the gate.
“I don’t really mind wearing a mask, it’s not the best, but I know that it will keep us safe,” says Kate Morrison.
The year 6 pupil epitomised the mood and make-do attitude at the Witherlea School gates on Tuesday morning.
She, like it was any other school year, was just excited to see her friends again after the summer break.
Meanwhile, year 4 pupil Margarita Gonzalez – with hat on and mask up – was feeling “great” despite the new Covid rules in place.
JOHN BISSET/STUFF
It was back to school on Monday for Pleasant Point Primary school with senior pupils wearing masks for the first time under the red light settings.
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* Covid-19: Children as young as 8 will have to wear masks at school under red light setting
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Under the red traffic light setting, all teachers and students from year 4 and up, must wear masks when inside schools.
“I know that we have to wear a mask because of Covid-19,” Margarita said. “What I look forward to the most is marking my books.”
Scott Hammond/Stuff
Year 4 pupil Margarita Gonzalez and her mum Maria are happy the school can stay open.
Her mother Maria said she had no concerns about Omicron and the safety of children at school. She was happy schools could stay open, and didn’t want any more lockdowns.
Witherlea School deputy principal Phil Funnell was at the school gate on Tuesday morning greeting the hundreds of students by name.
Funnell said parents and children had been well-informed about the red light Covid-19 safety measures before school returned.
“We are really lucky to have a supportive community, so they are just going along with that [safety measures] and see what happens.
Scott Hammond/Stuff
Maisie Tinker, 10, was back to school on Tuesday, with pupils wearing masks for the first time under the red light settings.
“We are just in troubled times, aren’t we? We have to make it work. We are as ready as anybody can be.
“We have plans in place. We know what to do, but we don’t know what is going to happen, I don’t think anybody knows,” Funnell said.
Witherlea School principal Andrea Harnett said they would devote time to this new reality at school.
“We’re going to do a bit of teaching around how to wear your mask, why we wear them, how to take them off.
“It will also be part of the artwork and everyone is going to be able to design their own mask,” she said.
Teachers would make sure to allow regular breaks and do more outdoor classes.
“That’s great, because our first topic is ‘belonging’, and it’s getting to know our local environment,” Harnett said.
“So we are next to Harling Park, and we’ve got the Wither Hills, we’ve got a little forest that’s in our school … So we are lucky, we can utilise those outdoor learning spaces.”
Scott Hammond/Stuff
Witherlea School principal Andrea Harnett said they were willing to do whatever it takes to keep Omicron away.
Harnett, who is also president of the Marlborough Principals’ Association, said the Ministry of Education had done a fantastic job keeping schools informed.
“We’ve had amazing communication from our ministry, I can fire an email and have an answer back in five minutes from my senior advisor.
“So all the gaps that aren’t filled, by the vagueness, you’ve got someone to go to.
“We are very much in alliance with our Ministry of Education now,” Harnett said.
Harnett said they were willing to do whatever it takes to keep Omicron away.
“We plan for the worst and hope for the best.”
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