The Coromandel and Bay of Plenty are expected to be the worst-hit areas as Cyclone Cook makes an appearance. Image/ Metservice
Ninety four schools and 130 early childhood centres in the North Island will remain closed today with heavy rain and strong winds expected to cause havoc across much of the country.
The Ministry of Education’s deputy secretary of Sector Enablement and Support Katrina Casey says, “All 57 schools and about 80 ECEs in the Eastern Bay of Plenty have been contacted and advised to close tomorrow. Another 13 schools and 17 ECEs on Great Barrier Island, Waiheke and in the Franklin area, and a further 24 schools and 33 ECEs in Thames and Coromandel have also been contacted and advised to close tomorrow – meaning they will all be closed until the end of the school holidays.
We did not take this decision lightly but with weather conditions set to continue, concerns are centred around the ability for students to make it safely to and from school.
We are mindful that for school communities in the Eastern Bay of Plenty – those in the Whakatane, Opotiki and Kawerau districts – this is a second day of disruption for students, their parents and staff but with the information we have available we consider this to be the right call.
Our focus will now go on supporting schools to ensure they are able to effectively operate at the beginning of Term 2 and to ensure parents who are displaced from home have got appropriate schooling options available for their children.
Parents whose children go to schools in other parts of the Bay of Plenty or elsewhere in the country where there is a significant impact from the weather should check their schools websites or facebook pages,” Katrina Casey says. As at 9:00pm a further 12 schools and 2 ECE from Western Bay of Plenty have also voluntarily made the decision to close."
Schools and early learning services advised to close tomorrow:
Eastern Bay of Plenty schools: Allandale School, Apanui School, Ashbrook School, Awakeri School, Edgecumbe College, Edgecumbe School, Galatea School, James Street School, Kawerau Putauaki School, Kawerau South School, Kawerau Teen Parent Unit, Kutarere School, Maketu School, Matata School, Murupara Area School, Nukuhou North School, Ohope Beach School, Omarumutu School, Opotiki College, Opotiki School, Otakiri School, Otamarakau School, Paengaroa School, Pongakawa School, Pukehina School, Rangiuru School, St Joseph's Catholic School (Matata), St Joseph's Catholic School (Opotiki), St Joseph's Catholic School (Whakatane), Taneatua School, Tarawera High School, Tawera Bilingual School, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Orini ki Ngati Awa, Te Kura Mana Maori Maraenui, Te Kura Mana Maori o Matahi, Te Kura Mana Maori o Whangaparaoa, Te Kura Maori-a-Rohe o Waiohau, Te Kura o Te Paroa, Te Kura o Te Teko, Te Kura o Te Whanau-a-panui, Te Kura o Torere, Te Kura Toitu o Te Whaiti-nui-a-Toi, Te Mahoe School, Te Wharekura o Ruatoki, Te Whata Tau o Putauaki, Thornton School, TKK Motuhake o Tawhiuau, TKKM o Huiarau, TKKM o Waioweka, Trident High School, Waimana School, Waiotahe Valley School, Whakatane High School, Whakatane Intermediate, Whakatane S D A School, Whakatane Teen Parent Unit and Woodlands School (Opotiki).
Eastern Bay of Plenty ECEs: Seedlings Preschool, Ngā Ririki Early Learning Centre, Kawerau Preschool Learning Centre (Incorporated), Te Manaaki Educational Pre-School Trust, Maketu EduCare, Matatā Early Learning Centre, Murupara Educare Centre, Te Pou Oranga ō Whakatohea ECE Centre Ki Buchanan Street, Opotiki Community Childcare Centre, Opotiki Rose Garden Preschool, Te Whare Kohungahunga o Nga Whetu Tiaho Shining Stars Preschool, Te Pou Oranga ō Whakatohea ECE Centre Ki Richard Street, Happy Feet Preschool, Pukehina EduCare, Little Orchard Preschool - Douglas St, Little Orchard Preschool Douglas St 2, Waiapu Kids - St Georges, Matariki Early Childhood Centre, Coastlands Preschool
Little Orchard Preschool - Douglas Street 3, Little Sprouts Montessori Pre-School, The Tree House, Little Orchard Preschool Alexander Street, Little Orchard Preschool - McGarvey Road 2, Little Orchard Preschool - McGarvey Road 1, Ohope Beach Montessori Preschool, Te Waipuna Ariki o Matangireia, Pohutukawa Preschool, A Kidz World Home Based Childcare & Education Service, Nga Rito Homebased Childcare, Waiapu Kids - Homebased Bay of Plenty, Bizzy Buddyz Ltd, Bizzy Buddyz (2), Waiapu Kids - Homebased Bay of Plenty, Edubase In-home Childcare, Bizzy Buddyz (3), Play Homebased Early Childhood Education, and all Kohanga Reo and kindergartens in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
Thames and Coromandel schools: Coromandel Area School, Colville School, Coroglen School, Hikuai, Hikutaia, Karangahake, Mercury Bay Area, Opoutere, Te Rerenga, Whenuakite, Waikino, Whangamata Area, Tairua, Moanatairi, Parawai, Tapu, Matatoki, Thames South School, Puriri School, St Francis Catholic School, Thames High School, Te Puru, Te Wharekura o Manaia and TKKM o Harataunga.
Thames and Coromandel ECEs: A Fun Place To Be Childcare, Barnardos KidStart Childcare - Turua/Hauraki Early Learning Centre, Colville Bay Early Learning Centre Inc, Coromandel Community Preschool, First Steps Whangamata, Kauri Learners Early Education, Kuaotunu Kindergarten, Mercury Bay Preschool, Milly's Educare Limited, Peanuts Childcare & Education Centre, Pukekos Educare Thames, Rainbow Connection Childcare, Rainbow Cottage, Riverlee Early Learning Centre, Rose's Montessori, Sealey Street Childcare, Thames Coast Community Kindergarten Inc, Thames Early Childhood Education Centre, Whenuakite Country Kids, Central Kids Kindergartens – Tairua, Central Kids Kindergartens – Thames, Central Kids Kindergartens - Mercury Bay, Coromandel Playcentre, Tairua Playcentre, Thames/Parawai Playcentre, Turua Playcentre, Whangamata Playcentre, Whitianga Playcentre, Te Kōhanga Reo o Kapanga, Te Kōhanga Reo o Matai Whetu,
Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Tonga o Hoterini, Puriri Playgroup and Thames Baptist Churches Ministries Playgroup.
Frankin area, Great Barrier and Waiheke schools: Clevedon School, Brookby School, Orere Point School, Kaiaua School, Maraetai Beach School, Beachlands School, Hunua School, Kaitoke School, Okiwa School, Mulberry Grove School, Waiheke Primary School, Waiheke High School and Te Huruhi School.
Franklin area, Great Barrier and Waiheke ECEs: Fossil Bay Kindergarten, Kawakawa Bay Kindergarten, Tots on The Rock, Clevedon Kidz Early Childhood Centre, Clevedon Kindergarten, Aotea Island Playcentre, Kaiwaka Playcentre, Small Pukeko's Early Learning Centre, Kawakawa Playcentre, Te Kōhanga Reo o Kawakawa, Te Mirumiru Early Childhood Education Centre, Waiheke Community Childcare Centre, Beginnings Early Learning Centre, Piritahi Childcare, Waiheke Island Kindergarten, Waiheke Island Playcentre and Hunua Playcentre.
Voluntary Closures - Western Bay of Plenty
Western Bay of Plenty: Te Kura O Matapihi, Greenpark School, Greerton Village School, Kaimai School, Oropi School, Pongakawa School, Selwyn Ridge, Tauranga Primary School, Tauranga Waldorf School,Te Puna School, Tauriko School, Welcome Bay School, Greerton Early Childhood Centre (Infants and Toddlers), Greerton Early Childhood Centre (Toddlers and Young Children)
