Both are close to Mt Albert Primary School, where a student was tested last week because family members had caught the virus.

The test found that the child did not have the virus.

Marist College principal Raechelle Taulu, who caught the virus herself in March, has contacted the neighbouring schools.

"As a school, we have reached out to our colleagues to offer our support," she said.

"We understand that they will be working through their school processes and communicating closely with the Auckland Regional Public Health Service, the Ministry of Education and their communities.

We wish those that are unwell a speedy recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time."

The first known case at Marist College was a teacher who tested positive on March 22.

The college immediately closed for three days so that all close contacts of the teacher could be tested.

By the time the three days were up, the whole country was in lockdown, and the school was unable to open again until May 18.

Two Auckland schools and a preschool have shut their doors due to confirmed coronavirus cases linked to the facilities.

On Thursday evening the Auckland Regional Public Health Service said Glamorgan School on the North Shore and the Southern Cross Campus in south Auckland were closed to a confirmed Covid-19 case at each facility.

Taeaofou | Puaseisei Preschool is also shut because of a coronavirus case.

Southern Cross and the preschool are both in Mangere East in south Auckland - Southern Cross takes pupils from years one to 13.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• nzherald.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

Principal Raechelle Taulu said the Diocese, who own Marist, will mediate a meeting with those who have raised issues.

She said, at a meeting of the Board of Trustees and senior management last night, they agreed students have every right to be heard. Read more

Vouchers that will enable them to get a test will be given out this week.

The decision was made over the weekend, school principal Raechelle Taulu, the board of trustees chairman Stephen Dallow and Dr Julia Peters of the Auckland Regional Public Health Service said in a letter to parents on Monday.

The Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield supports the initiative.

Taulu said ensuring a safe school environment and providing peace of mind was a top priority.

"Testing is voluntary, but we strongly encourage everyone at our school to be tested for Covid-19, regardless of whether they have any symptoms or have been tested before," she said.

"Testing all staff and students will give them extra confidence that when we do open the school gates, every precaution has been taken to protect their safety."

The school would not be told the names of anyone who tested positive - privacy would be respected at all times, the letter to parents said.

While only half of the 94 cases in the Marist cluster were directly associated with the College, it was important that the wider school community is given the opportunity to be tested, the Auckland DHB said.

"This round of testing will help give students, parents and school staff reassurance and inform planning for the re-opening of the College," said Auckland Regional Public Health Service Director Dr William Rainger.

"When that moment arrives, the College can be confident that there is no higher risk of a student or staff member being infectious at Marist College than at any other school in New Zealand."

The school has been professionally cleaned, and discussions are continuing on a potential date for re-opening.

Source

• rnz.co.nz
• nzherald.co.nz
• Image: Facebook

Stephen Dallow, Marist Girls College board of trustees chairman, said seven of the cases were teachers, including the school's principal, Raechelle Taulu, while the other four were students.

"We believe we will have more cases tomorrow and ask our school community to stand together and follow the Ministry of Health instructions to isolate," Dallow said.

The Mt Albert school has been closed all week after a teacher tested positive for the virus on Sunday.

An earlier letter from the Ministry of Health to parents said it was "likely your child has been near one or more of the cases."

"While you will be worried about your child, the chances of he or she developing the illness are small."

Children and young people were very unlikely to catch the virus, it said, and if infected they would probably have only mild illness.

Marist College sent parents a letter Monday to tell them about the latest cases and the fact they were close contacts.

"This means that families need to assume that their daughter has been in contact with a teacher or student that has Covid-19," it said.

"This does not mean that your daughter will get the virus, yet we have a duty of care to inform you."

The letter said that the school, "has been planning for this in terms of being prepared for students to work remotely from home."

"Marist is an amazing community so I know that at the end of the day we will all look out for each other."

On Tuesday, board member and parent Mihingarangi Forbes said parents were trying to work out the best way to isolate their children while the rest of the family was in lockdown.

She had space for her daughter to have her own room and bathroom but was conscious it would be a lot tougher for some.

"They should be in self-isolation within your house but some families are not going to be able to do this so just do your best," she said.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• rnz.co.nz
• nzherald.co.nz
• nzherald.co.nz
• www.stuff.co.nz
• newshub.co.nz
• Image: facebook

It wants the students to have the confidence to select the areas in which their interests lie; and with the skills required to take their learning further in these areas.

So three years ago the school employed a digital technology teacher.

Since then Rebecca Ronald has put in place an innovative programme for her students.

She has also been supporting other teachers in their use of digital technology.

"I can't possibly teach the girls everything they need to know about technology - it would be out of date the following day."

"Instead we work on developing skills such as confidence to experiment and problem-solve, enjoying the process of learning and welcoming mistakes or false starts."

In an interview published last year Ronald said despite an increase in computing at primary level, a large chunk of secondary school students have missed out.

In 2016, her year 12 computing class had 12 students. "The idea that it is a career option and what it looks like for many of these kids is just way off in the distance," Ronald says.

"Most have no idea of what a job in IT would look like."

"Computing would just open so many more doors to options in a future that right now we have no idea will look like."

At Marist College the students are introduced to role models in the tech industry, and it is made very clear becoming a programmer or designer are achievable goals.

"By showing the girls these role models are learners just like themselves, and by encouraging students to ‘be the teacher' and to share their discoveries with others in the school community (including teachers), we allow them to develop a sense of self-efficacy and confidence we hope will stay with them throughout their lives."

Source

• nz.educationhq.com
• mediadesignschool.com
• Image: stuff.co.nz

It's the second year in a row the school has visited.

While there, as part of their of their community service work, they ran activities for the children.

The Campus of Hope is the temporary home of 70 children survivors of violence currently under the care of Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG).

The president of SVSG, Siliniu Lina Chang is an former student of Marist College. Some have called her the "Mother Teresa" of Samoa.

In March of this year, SVSG celebrated its 10^th anniversary as an advocate for victims and children.

Over these last ten years much has been accomplished at the benefit of the victims and children that SVSG serves.

Through donations, SVSG has realized the building of the House of Hope, a sanctuary for children who have suffered under the hand of abuse or who have been abandoned.

The School of Hope followed as a school for the children residing at SVSG and to ensure their privacy.

The students, parents, and teachers from Marist College paid for their trip to Samoa so they could spend their school break with the children of hope.

They also put together some educational resources and various goods that were donated to SVSG

A pallet full of donations was presented on their last day, together with monetary donation of $10,000.00.

Chang said she was humbled by the school's willingness to lend a helping hand.

"Thank you so much to the Principal and the Board of Trustee for allowing the continued fellowship between the Marist College New Zealand and the School of Hope, through the annual Marist College Malaga," she said.

Source

• mljadoptions.com
• samoavictimsupport.org
• Image samoavictimsupport.org

The 8-year-old braved the heat of flames to create the image but it was something she was excited to do.

"Dad had a couple of goes at it first but I wanted to do it as well," she says.

"It was scary and I was screaming the whole way through but it was really cool."

The competition was run as part of the International Year of Light.

The 2015 Primary Science Week aimed to run a series of experiments and workshops to celebrate the role light and its applications plays in everyday life. Continue reading