Otago Polytechnic English Language Centre

As-salamu alaykum.

Today we take a quiet moment to remember the terror attack in Christchurch three years ago on our Muslim Aotearoa community.

I took this photo of the sunrise the day after the attack, and wondered then, as I do now, at a world that can be so devestatingly horrific and filled with beauty at the same time.

Today Temel finishes his walk for peace from Dunedin to Christchurch; I hope he feels a warm wave of support with Christchurch folk walking right there by his side to the mosques.

With some of our friends and classmates testing positive for COVID and the numbers in Dunedin increasing, the time has come for us as a school to put our health and safety first. That’s why we’ve decided to take classes online, on Teams, for two weeks, starting Monday 14 March. This is following the lead of Otago Polytechnic’s degree programmes, 2nd year and up, who have been already been online for two weeks. We will review this in our time apart but intend on resuming in class lessons on Monday 28 March.

Your teachers will be talking to you tomorrow, and through Teams, about preparing for your first online classes on Monday. This includes asking about the books and computers you have at home. I know online learning is hard, but being sick is harder. We will do this now so we don’t have to do it for longer, later.

We are really proud of how you have started your learning in the three weeks of face to face (kanohi ki te kanohi) classes. Please talk to your teachers if you have any questions.

Hi everyone at the English Language Centre, as Covid starts to affect more and more of our students, please be aware that there is support out there. Any students isolating or with Covid are contacted by OP to see how we can help.

There is also this help below! Please call if you need it. Remember, people are not the problem, the virus is.⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

⚠️ Need extra support while self-isolating because of COVID-19?⚠️ The Ministry of Social Development NZ maybe be able to help.

👉 ANYONE can request help. You do not need to be on a benefit or getting Studylink payments.

There is help available for immediate and essential things if you need it.
You may be able to get:
ℹ️ Money for urgent costs, like food and groceries, essential items, medicine or bills that are higher than usual, like power
ℹ️ Deliveries of things you need
ℹ️ Help from community, iwi or Pacific organisations to get things done.

It's ok to fill in a form if you:
ℹ️ just need help with deliveries
ℹ️ can work from home while self-isolating
ℹ️ are not getting a benefit right now
ℹ️ are not currently a New Zealand citizen or resident
ℹ️ are in New Zealand but don't usually live here

✅ You must be 16 years old or over and be in New Zealand to fill in the form.

Learn more here 👉 https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/covid-19/self-isolation-forms/index.html

Or 📞 Call 0800 512 337 from 8 am to 8 pm.

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OPSA - Otago Polytechnic Students' Association

As COVID becomes more common in our student community, Otago Polytechnic have put together a web page to answer all your questions, and to direct you to help.

https://www.op.ac.nz/hub/student/coronavirus-information/covid-19-student-support/

UPDATED: 14 MARCH 2022

If you test positive for COVID-19:
✅Stay home and isolate for 7 days.
✅Record your result through My COVID Record: https://mycovidrecord.health.nz/
✅Tell us as soon as you can by filling in this form: https://forms.office.com/r/WJbQtFJwuh
✅After 7 days, if you still have symptoms, stay home until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours.
✅After 7 days, if you don’t have symptoms, you can leave isolation (no test required).

If you are a Household Contact (when you live with someone who tests positive for COVID-19):
✅Tell us as soon as you can by filling in this form: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx...
✅Isolate for 7 days (whether fully-vaccinated or not).
✅Get a test on day 3 and day 7 (if you develop symptoms earlier than day 3, get a test).
✅You can leave isolation if your day 7 test was negative AND you have no new or worsening symptoms.
✅Record these results through My COVID Record (even if they’re negative): https://mycovidrecord.health.nz/
✅If you test positive, you need to isolate for 7 days from when you get your positive result.

If you're a Close Contact or have been to a location of interest:
👉 you do not need to self isolate
👉 you do not need to tell Otago Polytechnic
👉 you do need to monitor your symptoms and get a test if unwell

ℹ️ If you need support, head to www.op.ac.nz/covid-support
ℹ️ Keep checking your OP emails for updates

Hello to all students of the English Language Centre!

We are ready to welcome you back, or welcome you for the first time in Semester 1, 2022. Let’s hope life returns to “normal” sometime this year!

We will meet in the carpark on Harbour Terrace (behind the main Hub building) at 9.00am next Monday, 21 February. (Please see photo in comments.)

Please bring your vaccine pass with you. You will not be able to enter Otago Polytechnic buildings without this. If possible, please send Suzanne a photo of your pass THIS WEEK.

If you are a new student in 2022, please also bring your passport or Certificate of Identity.

Some of you will need to sign a study contract on Monday for 2022 to get fully enrolled.

Lara will explain how the semester will work, and you will meet your classmates and teachers.

Post any questions below!

See you on Monday😊

Here's a great initiative on Saturday 19 February. Would you like some help getting digitally literate? Are you from an ethnic community in Dunedin? Please read the flyer for information on this FREE workshop.

Welcome back to staff and students at Otago Polytechnic English Language Centre! We are refreshed and ready to go.

Classes begin on Monday 21st February. If you are a returning student (coming back from last year) can you please contact Suzanne at [email protected] to confirm enrolment and details? THANK YOU! This will help us planning for your classes.

We hope you had an awesome break and look forward to seeing you soon.

Lara

Happy kiwi New Year everyone! OPELC is back into it with our RB Youth Summer Programme until the end of January. It looks like yesterday was great fun on Kamau Taurua/Quarantine Island! Normal classes begin in February and we will post dates closer to that time.

And that's a wrap from ELC this year! There are two announcements from us before heading off: firstly, we have our RB Youth Summer Programme going on right now! It launched on Monday last week and will finish at the end of January. See below for an awesome picture of last year's crew!

Secondly, we have a new Head of the English Language Centre for 2022: Lara Liesbeth. You'll know Lara from her work as Academic Coordinator at ELC in years past. Aaron is working for Te Pūkenga as Implementation Lead for a year's secondment.

Otherwise, all other teachers and students are on a holiday break. We look forward to welcoming you back in February 2022.