Schools have not yet reopened for the year and already they are having to plan for an emergency shut down.
Principals say the latest Covid-19 cases have reminded them just how important it is to be prepared for a regional or national lockdown that closes classrooms and sends the nation's 800,000 school children home.
They say preparations for remote learning have been raised at staff meetings up and down the country this week.
Here's RNZ education correspondent, John Gerritsen.
