Locals in the Hibiscus Coast are being advised of a looming staffing challenge at Orewa College as the national shortage of relief teachers reaches critical levels.

In a recent message from Principal Wiri Warriner, the school outlined the steps they’ve already taken to keep classes running, but warned that these measures may not be enough to sustain daily operations.

“We’ve implemented several strategies, including splitting Year 7 and 8 classes, combining other classes, and allowing Year 13 students to work independently,” Warriner explained.

Despite these efforts, the college’s pool of relievers is nearly exhausted, and the increasing number of staff absences is making it harder to manage the situation.

Warriner noted that if the shortage continues, the college may have no choice but to follow the lead of neighbouring schools and begin rostering certain year levels to stay home for online learning.

“We will do our best to provide parents with as much notice as possible,” he assured parents, asking them to monitor their emails in the morning and to look for alerts through the school’s app.

Orewa College Principal, Wiri Warriner

Orewa College has indicated that Year 11 students would likely be the first to transition to online learning if necessary.

However, the school remains committed to keeping students in the classroom for as long as possible while balancing the ongoing staff shortages.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to stay informed and keep up to date with any announcements as the situation develops.