Filter Content
Tēnā koutou katoa
We live in a very different world at present. This is a time that few of us would have contemplated as we enjoyed the heat of summer. In lockdown we work with the Government to eliminate this virus and value the lives of everyone in our communities by saving lives.Our prayers and support to Raechelle Taulu and all the staff, students and parents at Marist College, Auckland, for the journey they have had and for the great witness they have given in managing the virus.
I want to thank the principals and teachers of our network who have navigated this time with great leadership and courage. No one is trained for these challenges but our reports show that you have responded to the times well. I have been heartened to hear of the schools that are completly operating on line and the way teachers and students continue to get the best possible support in these times. What really gives me heart is the story of McAuley High School which was able to ensure that all students had devices to use at home and were supported with finding neighbourhood connectivity. We have some great leadership in our sector and there will be many stories to tell once we are through this period.
We hope that you will have the opportunity to rest a little during the Easter period and celebrate the religious festivals that give hope to our communities even though these celebrations will vary from our norm. I am sure the church never planned virtual communities of prayer or services but it is wonderful to see how we have prioritised these responses and reached out to all. Comedians Flanders and Swan in the 1950s were commenting on the pace of change to audiences and said that, ‘If God had meant us to fly he would never have given us the railway!” In his goodness we have internet and we are connected.
As you work through your challenges APIS and NZCEO would value any pictures of students and teachers working remotely from across our network. Also include any outreach your school has undertaken as a way of caring for the community. Please feel free to share these with us so that we can publish a record of some of the innovation you have responded with during this time.
Stay strong, stay safe and be kind. Remember the way we live our Special Character is the way our Character is understood.
Ngā mihi nui
Paul Ferris
Chief Executive
Minecraft: Education Edition
Minecraft: Education Edition is a game that allows your students to create and collaborate in immersive worlds.
It is available to all state and integrated schools under the Microsoft 365 A3 licensing. For non-state and integrated schools, Minecraft: Education Edition is available to purchase for roughly $5 (USD) per user, per year. However, with the current global concerns, Microsoft has announced Minecraft: Education Edition is now available through June 2020 for all educators and learners who have a valid Office 365 Education account. Please fill out this form to verify your account and request access to Minecraft.
At this time, Minecraft: Education Edition is supported on the newest operating systems for PC, iPad and Mac. On PC, it is supported for Windows 10 version 1607 and up. On macOS it is supported for Sierra and High Sierra systems. On iOS it is supported on iOS 9 or higher.
There is a great online resource where teachers can download the game plus access lesson plans across the curriculum. Some of the great educational features include:
- In-game coding using Microsoft Makecode or Tynker - Code with Minecraft
- Chemistry world for virtual experiments - Chemistry in Minecraft
- Te reo Māori world to teach te ao Māori, te reo Māori and tikanga - Nga Motu
Get started today and download Minecraft: Education Edition here.
Check out the resources created by our Microsoft Education Manager, Morgan McKeen, on Minecraft: Education Edition:
Video Tips and Tricks on Getting Started with Minecraft: EE
Minecraft: EE Introduction Webinar
Minecraft: Education Edition Blog Post
To book in a time with Morgan to talk through how you can implement Minecraft: Education Edition in your classroom, email - morgan.mckeen@nlg.co.nz
Amazon has cancelled the subscription of books and audio stories for children and students of all ages as long as schools are closed, children everywhere can instantly stream an incredible collection of stories, including titles across six different languages, that will help them continue dreaming, learning, and just being children.
All stories are free to stream on your desktop, laptop, phone or tablet using the following link https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
A Poem by Brother Richard Hendrick, a Capuchin Franciscan living in Ireland that has gone viral around the world.
Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But, They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighbourhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing, Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.