"It could be as low as an average of 200 cases a day or it could be significantly higher than that."
"They're not only kaiako, they're our whānau - that's how it is at kura."
Papatoetoe High School principal Vaughan Couillault says at this point it's hard to keep even the most motivated students well-motivated.
The car protest will take place in the Auckland CBD on Saturday.
Some Auckland schools are battling virtual truancy with more than 50 percent of students dropping off the radar.
The lockdown is dragging on into its ninth week.
"I think it isn't a surprise the Government has mandated vaccinations - the devil really is in the detail though."
School principals are confident their staff will comply with the Government's order to get vaccinated before January 1.
They say a premature return to school could lead to further transmission of COVID-19 with "devastating" effects.
But they don't think it's necessary as they suspect many are already jabbed.
"We simply do not feel safe to return to normal business at the moment."
From Wednesday the city's early learning services can accept any children, so long as they are in bubbles of no more than 10.
Unvaccinated teachers across the country could soon face tougher COVID-19 restrictions.
"Students have been more disadvantaged."
Auckland secondary school principals are worried they will not be able to find enough teachers.
"It could take up to 10 years for student numbers to recover."
Chinese language week is a time when growth in those speaking Mandarin is celebrated. But not this year.
Nearly one in five low decile students didn't have a device at home.
They say schools are not offering remote learning as other students are back.
The extended alert level 4 lockdown has left many feeling anxious about their results.
