Supervisor plan put in place if Covid hits Ellesmere College

Ellesmere College. Photo: Star Media
Ellesmere College. Photo: Star Media
Ellesmere College has been inundated with applications from community members keen to supervise classrooms in the case of teachers being struck down with Covid-19.

It comes as Covid-19 cases are confirmed at multiple schools across Christchurch and North Canterbury as the extent of community spread becomes more clear. On Monday, there were 105 new cases in Canterbury and one in South Canterbury.

Ellesmere College recently advertised classroom supervisor positions, as it prepares for potential teacher shortages as Omicron circulates in New Zealand. Overseas, huge numbers of teachers have had to isolate, either because they have the virus or are a close contact. 

The casual positions at Ellesmere College offer up to 10 days’ work at a “paid teacher relief rate” but would be just a supervisory role, with support from on-site school staff. It’s likely in many cases the teacher could continue to teach remotely.

Without a teaching qualification, an individual can day-relieve at a school for a maximum of 10 days per year, according to the PPTA website.

Ronan Bass. Photo: Supplied
Ronan Bass. Photo: Supplied
Principal Ronan Bass said he had had an “astounding number of fantastic applicants.” The school was now in the process of reference checking and police vetting.

“Community members have expressed how they think it is a fantastic idea and how they have felt confident and reassured with the college’s business continuity planning should large numbers of the community need to self-isolate with some students still needing to be able to access schooling on-site,” Bass said.

“Having taken a proactive approach to our planning, we are confident that we will be in a strong position to ensure that our kura remains open, while students learn online, in spite of what Omicron may throw at us.”

The classroom supervisor role would be for health and safety purposes, and a senior staff member in turn would also be supervising the supervisor.

Pay rates would be decided by Novopay, he said, based on the person’s qualifications.

“It would be the equivalent of someone who’s on a limited authority to teach doing some relief work.”

He said when teachers were away for professional development last year, it had proven difficult to keep the school staffed as there was only a small pool of relievers.

“We’re trying to be pre-emptive and put a plan in place well in advance so that we can ensure that we can keep the school open, despite potentially having large numbers of teachers self-isolating at home.”

Having the plan was reassuring for families, who would be put under pressure if school closed. Bass said his biggest concern was that staff would be burnt out by the end of term one.

Prior to the two years of the pandemic, there had been a “traumatic year” with multiple deaths in the community.

“We have a long year ahead of us so this is all about how to reduce the pressures on staff if they are self-isolating, and they are teaching from home - so that we can look after their well-being and also keep the school functioning and keeping an eye out for our community.”

Other high schools in the district said last week they are not following a similar planning strategy at this stage. 

Rolleston College principal Racel Skelton said the school had a solid pool of relievers, while Lincoln High School principal Kathy Paterson said the school had not factored such a strategy into its Covid planning.