Te Pānui o Otamatea

School Notices 27 August 2021

Acting Principal's Notes

Kia Ora Koutou,

The school had just been through one of the busiest weeks of the year with Open day and the Reporoa Sports Exchange, where Reporoa students were billeted with our own students and thus there was a huge amount of work involved for all concerned. The exchange had just finished that day when lockdown was announced. Results and photos from the day are on our website https://www.otamatea.school.nz/latest-news/Reporoa-College-v-Otamatea-High-School-Senior-Exchange

The school moved into their planned response to being locked down at Alert Level 4, although we were hampered by the speed of the lockdown and therefore not being able to get chromebooks out to students. It was not until Friday that we were allowed to have a small number of staff in school to begin the organization of the chromebook roll out to students which began on Monday. By the end of this day well over a hundred devices were now in the hands of our students to enable them to work from home. Staff have been delivering a small number to students since Monday but generally the majority of our students are now able to work online from home.

Whanau time every day is compulsory for all students to attend. This is the time that their whanau teacher checks in with their student’s wellbeing, reads out all the important notices for the day from their teachers, answers any questions to do with work and other issues. Connection to our students is vital at this time and I urge you to make sure your children attend these meetings. I am pleased to write that the large majority of our students are there every day and as a whanau teacher I always look forward to catching up with them.

We know that many find it extremely challenging during lockdown alert level 4. There are many helpful resources available online at https://www.northlandwellbeing.org.nz/

You can also find some helpful information and links to support services here Youth Mental Health Services.

It is so important, as we stay in Level 4, that our students our connected with their friends, whilst at the same time we set up routines for organised learning during the week.

As a school community we can help to look after each other. Students helping other students to learn and also helping some of your parents with the new technology! Keep in touch with friends and whanau and together we will be through this lockdown and back together with our friends at school. 

He waka eke noa

Paul Chambers

School Notices


Counselling is available online or by phone with the School Counsellors.  

Please email your request to Alexandra Smith at alexandra.smith@otamatea.school.nz
Alexandra will then contact you to arrange a time with the Counsellor you would like to talk with.


Great opportunies for Year 10’s on Work Experience Day

We are still receiving and enjoying photos of the Year 10’s on their work experience day. This is a testament to the amazing community we work in where parents are willing to organise and take students to a workplace and companies and organisations are willing to allow students to shadow them for a day. The workplaces in the photos are Mangawhai Tyres, Kiwikrane, a sheep farm and Superior Coatings.

Here are a few of the feedback comments received from parents about their child’s day.

She “definitely learned about what the different roles are within the vet surgery and which ones she would prefer. I think it also cemented her feeling that she couldn’t have a desk job. She liked the variety of work during the day.”

“Some eye-opening experiences were shared. Lots of questions were asked.”

He “came away inspired and excited about the day, with helpful information as to the path he needs to follow to get him where he wants to be.”