Covid-19 and may 2020 graduation

As we have shared on Monday, at the moment we proceed under “business as usual” – schools and universities are remaining open, though there are now restrictions on mass gatherings of 500+ people and advice against ‘handshakes, hugs and hongi’. We know that the situation could change rapidly and advice today could be obsolete tomorrow.
 
We also hope and pray that the very worst of Covid-19 doesn’t come to New Zealand as we commit to God those around the world for whom this is a period of great anxiety and suffering.
 
But we also want to act wisely, carefully and in the interests of the health and safety of each other, our students and their whanau.
 
For now, we are planning for graduation on May 2nd to continue. However, we will make a final decision about whether it will go ahead on or about April 9th, by which stage the ongoing impacts of Covid-19 on our way of work, life and being together will be clearer. That also gives us time to notify graduands, families and suppliers. Even if that ceremony weren’t to go ahead, all the academic processes currently underway to approve graduands would continue and they would still be awarded their qualifications and sent their certificates.
 
And because a graduation ceremony is an important occasion of fun and celebration of the hard work of our students, their whanau, friends and each other, we have set in motion planning to hold a graduation ceremony in September instead, should that be needed. We have already confirmed that Holy Trinity would be available for our use at that time.
 
We will obviously be in touch with you all and our graduands whichever way this goes. And we know that God is bigger than this, is present with us, guides and leads us, and is our “peace in my troubled sea”.