Media Release

12 April 2017

Cyclone Cook closes 94 schools and 129 North Island early learning centres

With heavy rain forecast to continue, all schools and early learning centres in the Eastern Bay of Plenty will be advised to remain closed, and there will be further closures in the Franklin area, Great Barrier Island, Waiheke Island, Thames and Coromandel.

In total 94 schools and 129 early childhood centres (ECEs) have been advised to close tomorrow, says the Ministry of Education’s deputy secretary of Sector Enablement and Support Katrina Casey.

“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 16 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.

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: all ECEs, Kohanga Reo and home-based services (full list not yet available).

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 and Waiheke Island Playcentre.

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