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Schools reopen after Cyclone Gabrielle

After a few false starts to the year, schools in Northland, Auckland and Waikato are one again gearing up for Term 1; Hawke's Bay and Tairāwhiti schools are still affected by communication issues.

<h2><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Many schools in Northland are reopening this week after closures due to Cyclone Gabrielle&period;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">In Northland Te Tai Tokerau&comma; 93 of the 152 schools decided to close last week due to fears of flooding&period; Pat Newman&comma; president of Te Tai Tokerau Principals’ Association&comma; told the <&sol;span><i><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Advocate<&sol;span><&sol;i><span data-contrast&equals;"auto"> that safety would remain the priority&comma; especially for students and staff in rural areas&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>Read our latest print issue <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;latest-print-issue&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"noopener">here<&sol;a>&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">In contrast to the directive issued by the Ministry of Education during the Auckland floods&comma; the decision over closures has remained with school boards during the cyclone event&period; The Ministry of Education has advised parents and wh&amacr;nau to communicate directly with schools to keep up to date with the situation&period;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">In an update posted on Facebook on 12 February&comma; the MoE stated that Boards&comma; Principals&comma; Early Learning Services and Tertiary Education Providers are in the best position to decide when it is safe for on-site teaching and learning to continue and to communicate that to you and your community&period;”<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">There are still limited communications with schools in Hawke’s Bay and Tair&amacr;whiti&period; The Ministry of Education has noted that for the region&comma; &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Unless parents and caregivers hear otherwise they should assume their school&comma; kura or early learning service is closed”&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">The Ministry of Education is advising schools and kura impacted by the cylone to contact their Emergency Response Coordinators to report any damage&comma; though minimal damage can be self-assessed&period;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Post-emergency procedures that schools or kura are obligated to follow have been provided on the <&sol;span><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;education&period;govt&period;nz&sol;school&sol;property-and-transport&sol;property-emergencies&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank"><span data-contrast&equals;"none">Ministry of Education’s website<&sol;span><&sol;a><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">MoE has also provided guidance for schools around &amacr;konga and staff wellbeing following the traumatic incidents of recent weeks&period; The advice can be found <&sol;span><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;education&period;govt&period;nz&sol;news&sol;tips-for-schools-and-kura-after-the-cyclone&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank"><span data-contrast&equals;"none">here<&sol;span><&sol;a><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;

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Naomii Seah

Naomii Seah is a writer and journalist from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. She has been covering education in New Zealand since 2022.

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