Hybrid Learning
While COVID-19 remains active in the community, we have contingency plans to ensure students are able to learn, whether at home or school and whether school is open, partially open or closed. Our hybrid delivery means that resources are available online and can be supported by face-to-face learning as and when appropriate.
Years 7–13
The online learning platform Hāpara is used by subject teachers to distribute resources, set assignments and mark work. It is used consistently in class and is available to learners at home.
All Year 7 to 13 students are able to access their learning by going to the Hāpara workspace for each subject and checking the running record for what is happening in class. This is the same whether students are learning from home or in class. The running record will direct students at home to assignments and tasks. It is important that students at home stay in touch with their teachers; email is easiest.
If the regular timetable is operational, learners at home may be able to join a live class via Google Meet. In this instance, students would receive an invitation via email to click on a link to join the lesson. The value of a live class is hearing what is happening, interacting, connecting with other students and having the teacher check in personally; viewing is limited however, as teaching is not confined to a fixed space in the room. Students or staff may initiate the Google Meet class.
If numbers working at home (both staff and students) escalate, we may switch to the hybrid learning timetables. These would be full Google Meet classes and involve reduced hours of direct engagement with the teacher. Working under supervision at school or at home are both options.
Marsden Primary Years 1–6
It is possible over the coming weeks that some students may be learning at home while classes continue to follow the regular timetable at school. Our Year 1-5 students will be able to access their learning through Seesaw and for Year 6, Hāpara and Seesaw.
Students need to stay in touch with their teachers; email is easiest. Teachers have been going through the online process with students to ensure they know where and how to access their work. If they have any trouble locating learning materials, they need to let their teacher know. It is important that students learning at home stay in touch with their teacher.
If numbers working at home (both staff and students) escalate, there may be a point at which we switch to hybrid learning where students will access the same learning whether they are at home or are being supervised at school. There will be a ’Daily Learning Menu’ which will include whole class and small group Google Meets. In preparation, our Primary School documents ‘Tips’ and ‘Expectations’ are helpful to become familiar with.
Marsden Preschool
The online platform EDUCA is used by Preschool kaiako to deliver activities to support learning at home should you and your child be required to isolate over the next few weeks. Feedback is important during this time to ensure your child’s needs are being met and kaiako are able to support you as parents. Uploading learning stories, recording what you have been exploring at home to your child’s EDUCA profile or via email regularly is important.
Kaiako will invite you to attend a daily ‘live’ mat time via Google Meet. This contact is important to maintain connections with your child and experience a sense of belonging with the Preschool community. If numbers working at home (both staff and students) escalate, we may switch to small Google Meets and our full Preschool Online programme. Kaiako will speak to you to ascertain your needs during this time.
Pastoral care and wellbeing
Our pastoral care continues during term time. Counsellor Sarah Richards (Thurs – Fri) is available to talk to via phone and Google Meet. Please email them if you or your family needs them. You can also contact the school Nurse Janet Callaghan on 021 442 070 (for non-related COVID-19 matters) and Chaplain Sarah King via email. For COVID-19 related health matters please contact the Healthline.
Our staff are all on board during office hours. If you have any questions please touch base with your daughter's teacher (Primary), form teacher/tutor or Dean (Years 7-13), or contact Jo Sherlock Primary Administrator, Jo Burns Head of Primary or Helen McConnell Head of Preschool via email.
If your enquiry is of an urgent nature you can also contact us on (04) 476 8707.
Years 7–13 Deans
- Caroline Robertson, Dean Year 13
- Charlotte McCarthy, Dean Year 12
- Sarah Molisa, Dean Year 11
- Dianne Smith, Dean Y10
- Andrea Stockwell, Dean Year 9
- Aylana Wright, Dean Year 8
- Rebecca George, Dean Year 7
Please find our Staff Directory here.
Alert and notification procedures
Email has been an effective way to communicate with parents. We also use our e-newsletters, this website and social channels (Facebook, Instagram) to keep in touch. Parents please make sure your email address is up-to-date in the Marsden Portal which you can access using the link at the very top of this page (in the blue navigation bar). Please also check your spam folder regularly in case any of our messages turn up there.
We’d love to hear from you!
You and your children are invited to post the things you are doing or just a message of support on ‘Marsden Kind’.
If your child has a great story about their learning or the activities you are doing at home please also email them with a photo/video to news@marsden.school.nz We really want to share what and how the Marsden family is doing.