Starting school after Easter online: Wednesday the 15th (Read carefully)

After Easter we begin learning again, but in a way that is new to all of us. It is going to take awhile for us to get there but I know that during the holidays the staff have been getting ready for a completely new way of doing things.

Zoom and Google Classroom

The two main things we all are going to get our heads around are the two products Zoom and Google Classroom. Zoom is the programme that lets us use video with all of the kids and Google Classroom is where the kids are going to access their learning. Don't be afraid to go in and join the kids. I had to run my first zoom staff meeting today and the teachers were very helpful.

Logging in ahead of Wednesday

In many cases you will have already received your child's email address and starting password. The child's email address is the login. The initial password will need to be changed when you login with your child. Please write this down so it doesn't get lost. Staff will guide you in setting an easy password so that your child does not forget.

Please login today if you can to test our Google Classroom systems. If you leave it until Wednesday we may run into more problems than we can initially sort out. Please check your emails every day.

Staggered starting times

On Wednesday we have staggered the starting times as best we can to try and help families who either have internet problems or not enough devices. Children will not be at school the full day. Lessons will take place in the morning with some tasks being set for children. The afternoon will be spent on planning, making sure teachers know how to use the software and possibly giving feedback. We will integrate aspects of our programme with educational television. However, apart from knowing that Suzy Cato is delivering the programmes we do not know what the content is going to cover.

You will probably begin the day with a zoom conference and your child will receive an email link to follow.

Room four, five and two will start at 8.00 am

Room three and nine will start at 8.30 am

Room eight, seven and six will start at 9.00 am

Special programmes and challenges

A specialist maths group is being run by Rechelle Rendall and parents of children in the group have been notified. If you don't know your child isn't in the group. This group will work in conjunction with class teachers timetables.

Also we have several small groups in the senior rooms taking part in programmes with the VLN primary school. The children in this group must manage their own logins and participation.

In addition Mrs Claire Nankivell is running a kitchen challenge. Claire will provide more information on this in the next few days. This sounds very exciting.

As part of this blog I would like to collect photos taken by students and parents that capture the history as we are experiencing lockdown in Thames. I think Mr Howes may be doing something like it in his room but I would like to extend in out to entire community. Any photos that you have already taken count when you submit them to principal@moana.school.nz. We will also put some of these photos on Facebook. We will provide five $20.00 book vouchers that illustrate the time we are living in.

Te Reo Māori

Finally, there will Te Reo classes every day with Mrs Dines.

Room four, five and two will start at 10.45 to 11.15 am

Room three and nine will start at 11.30 to 12.00 midday

Room eight, seven and six will start at 1.00 pm to 1.30 pm