Dear Parents and Caregivers
I pray that this message finds you in good spirits. The last ten days have been nothing short of remarkable, so much has happened so quickly. I want to firstly thank the LAC Team for navigating last week so capably. Often we are unaware of what happens behind the scenes but I am sure that we can all recognise that a lot was required in a short and uncertain period of time.
Currently, there are still 26 international students living in the dorms (LAC House). Their bubble also includes the LAC House Deans, two of whom are from America and one from Brazil. All deans committed to staying on, through the ‘holidays’, to care for the International boarders before it was announced that the country was going into lockdown. I am hugely thankful for their dedication to service.
LAC is in the process of finalising details around what the start of Term 2 (Wednesday 15 April) is going to look like. Collectively we need to prepare for a lockdown that goes beyond four weeks as I doubt anyone knows when the country (or region) will lower it’s alert level.
Some of the things that have already happened:
- Teachers used prior learning to get prepared for online learning in a ‘Lockdown;’
- To the best of our ability LAC tried to get devices to all those students who did not have a device of their own before midnight Wednesday 25 March;
- Teachers have been asked to:
- trial their technology at home and request any technical support (Which may or may not be available);
- organise a learning opportunity for each of their classes;
- be in contact with, and available for, students in accordance with the timetable;*
- keep students informed around what is planned and what is happening to assessment (particularly for senior students);
- complete a real-time comment for each of their students before 4 May;
- accept this not going to be perfect and be open to learning;
* The school time table may have minor adjustments (yet to be fully considered)
What am I asking parents to do?
- accept that on-line learning is not going to be perfect and that all of us will simply do our best.
- have conversations with your children about the technology they use at home, in relation to school, and try to be open to learning.
- be reminded to keep an eye on your child’s activities online.
- have space set aside for on-line learning to happen, preferably not in the bedroom.
- follow the structure of the timetable.* This will create a routine which in turn will provide reassurance.
- support teachers, many of whom have limited experience in running an on-line class for any length of time.
He Waka Eke Noa. We are in this together, and if we care for one another we will get through Covid-19.
Brendan van Oostveen, Principal