Digital Learning and Communications

Our teaching and learning at Western Springs College – Ngā Puna o Waiōrea is complemented by digital devices and the excellent digital tools we have available to us. In our recent digital orientation we familiarised all new students with the processes for using their devices at school and the suite of Google tools/apps we use to help them learn.

Google Classroom – our online learning platform

Google Classroom is more important than ever at the moment, with students learning from home as well as at school. Google Classroom  allows teachers to set tasks, share resources, give good feedback and record student progress. Our teacher/student familiarity with Google Classroom has been invaluable during distance learning due to Covid lockdowns. It is an expectation that all learning materials and instructions will be on Google Classroom so students who are well but isolating at home can continue to learn. 

Caregivers can receive weekly Classroom progress updates via email. Teachers will invite parents to receive those updates.  You will need to accept the email invitation in order to receive the invites. If your student(s) are in Year 10-13 an invitation may have been sent already. If you haven’t received it please check email by searching ‘Google Classroom’ or look in your spam folder. In the event that you haven’t received an invitation one will come shortly, so please look out for it. The invite will be sent to the email address you have given to the school for correspondence. 

There’s more  information here about how guardian updates work and what you will be able to see on the update. 

Phones away!

We have an expectation that students put their phones in their bags during class time. If you need to urgently contact students during class please ring the school office. Otherwise students will be able to check their phones during breaks (from 10.30-11am and 1-1.40 pm)

Digital Safety

During the year students learn about digital citizenship and digital safety. Through their form class Google Classroom and the daily notices students can find out who to contact if they or someone they know have any online concerns. Here are the details.

Social Media

You can follow our Instagram & Facebook accounts here: Instagram  wscwcollege and Facebook Western Springs College – Ngā Puna o Waiōrea

Our pages are full of information about school related events and activities. We will periodically post images of students having fun and learning. If you have a special reason why a student’s photo should not be on social media please let us know. Photos including images of staff and students will always be appropriate. 

Deb Thompson – Head of Digital Learning & Communications