PRINCIPAL ’ S FOREWORD
Another year draws to a close , and as we are all abundantly aware , this year will go down as one that we are going to remember for a long time . The impact of COVID-19 , and the resultant lockdown , has had far-reaching effects for us all and continues to do so while the search for a successful vaccine continues .
Back as early as February it was evident that storm clouds were brewing when the news of a virus in Wuhan , China , causing much illness and death , emerged . International student agents were quick to inform us that the likelihood of overseas students arriving in New Zealand for the 2020 school year was highly unlikely , due to travel restrictions that were to rapidly engulf the world . The impetus grew through February , until ultimately on March 25th the announcement was made that we were going into lockdown .
Decisions were also made at this time by the Ministry of Education to change term dates for term one and two and we , along with so many other schools around the world , moved to online learning . For some students this worked well , but for the majority the inability to physically connect with their friends soon became evident .
Champions behind the scenes throughout the year have been our teachers who pivoted so adroitly to this change in pedagogy . As a school , we made the decision early on that retaining a predictable and routine work schedule for students with regular teacher contact and connection , was preferable to some of the other ways that schools approached this issue . The feedback we had from so many students ��������������������������������������������� approach for our community .
While it is easy to lament for a return to a world pre-covid , I think that we all understand that we are , in reality , extremely lucky to be living in a country far removed from the Covid hotspots of Europe and the US . For young people in these parts of the world , the opportunity to attend school has been removed for lengthy periods of time , co-curricular activities have been severely curtailed with very little grass roots sport , music lessons and certainly no production performances .
What the pandemic has done is to remind us all of the vital role schools play in society . They are essential to the economy , not just because they allow parents to work , but because they educate the workers of the future . They are a safe place for our most vulnerable kids , and they bring the community together .
Despite the restrictions imposed on us all , teaching and learning have continued throughout the year with adjustment to deadlines and some sport and cultural activities have been possible . The Yearbook attempts to record many of these activities and to everyone who has enabled us to cope with the ‘ new normal ’, I offer my thanks .
Probably the group most short changed in the whole drama of the year has been the Year ��� ������� ������ �������������� ����� ����� ���� been punctuated by one cancellation after another . The resilience , optimistic attitude and persistence shown by the group was best illustrated by the lockdown challenge , initiated by the year group leaders . To have the idea , the initiative and the determination to carry this activity through will be one of my enduring memories of your year group .
To Mrs Brebner who has been responsible for pulling the content of the Yearbook together , I offer my thanks for the many hours of work that this has required . In addition , I want to acknowledge those people who have written articles , contributed photographs and artwork to enable us to record another eventful year in the history of Havelock North High School .
Happy holidays . Good luck . Enjoy the read .
G J Fenton PRINCIPAL
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