Most primary and secondary schools reopen this week, although the start of this school year will look a little different to previous years.
Since the country is in the Red traffic light setting, pupils in year 4 and above are required to wear masks while in the classroom and on public and Ministry of Education-funded transport.
It is the first time schools have operated in Red, so principals were making decisions based on what is best for their school, staff and pupils.
Green Island School pupils Iris Telfer and Reko Fallows-McFadyen were back in the classroom on Tuesday.
Reko, who is in year 7, was nervous for his first day back but was feeling "all right" by the end of it.
He said wearing a mask all day was "kind of annoying".
Iris, a year 8 pupil, agreed.
Masks sometimes made her glasses fog up if the top was not tight enough around her nose, she said.
Otherwise, she was excited to be back at school.
Otago Primary Principals’ Association president and Port Chalmers School principal Vicki Nicolson said schools were working to the guidelines given by the ministry and Government to best keep their pupils and communities safe.
She had received mixed feedback from parents about children wearing masks — some were nervous about it while others were happy.
Most schools would take an educational approach when getting pupils to wear their masks by reinforcing the notion that masks kept themselves and the people around them safe, she said.
Port Chalmers School teachers planned to do more outdoor activities with their pupils, as they did not have to wear masks while outside.
"Thank goodness it’s February and not July."
Ms Nicolson suggested parents and families put a positive spin on mask-wearing when talking to their children.
The children she had seen were excited about going back to school, so it was important to capture that, she said.
The school opened for term 1 on Wednesday.
"The first day the kids are back is my favourite day of the year.
"We’re just ready for whatever the year’s going to bring."
St Clair School principal Jen Rodgers was at the school gate to welcome pupils back to school.
She said staff were positive despite the unpredictability of the situation.
"We’re going to have to think really carefully about how we provide learning that makes it genuine and relevant, regardless of where the child is," Whaea Jen said.
The school encouraged all pupils to wear masks, although understood if some found them to be distressing.
"We will support them through that."
Like many other schools, St Clair had classes with a mixture of year levels so it was at the school’s discretion whether masks would be mandatory in those classes, she said.
She expected some pupils in years 1, 2 and 3 might opt to wear a mask, too.
"We want them to be safe.
"However, I have to say having 400 kids on site wearing masks is going to be bonkers," she said, laughing.
