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ABSENCE
If your child is sick or unable to attend school,
parents must contact the school before 9.00am. For your child’s
safety, unexplained absences are investigated. Teachers keep a
daily Attendance Register. These are checked regularly. If there
are concerns about absences from school, the Principal will
contact families. We use The Manawatu Truancy Service to assist
us with attendance issues.
ARRIVING LATE - LEAVING EARLY
Students who
arrive late to school must check in at the school Office before
going to their classroom. Please notify the Office or your
child’s teacher if your child needs to leave school early for an
appointment. Children can be collected from the school Office.
We ask that parents not go directly to the classrooms or into
the cloak bays looking for children or to deliver lunches or
other items.
ASSEMBLY
Classes are rostered to run school
assemblies. The programme includes the presentation of class
items and student awards. Parents are welcome to attend. Dates
and times for assemblies are notified through our newsletter.
BIKES
A number of students bike to school
each day. We have the following rules: • Students must be aged 7
or older and fully aware of road rules. • Helmets must be worn.
• Bikes are parked in the bike shed and it is recommended that
they are locked during the day. • Bikes must not be ridden in
the school grounds. Students must walk their bikes to the school
gates and across the Monteith Street crossing.
BLOGS
Each of our classes has a blog which
is regularly updated. Blogs provide
an opportunity for our students and teachers to connect and
share their learning with families and friends. Blogs let us
share student artwork, photos, writing and news about all kinds
of classroom events in exciting and engaging ways. We encourage
families to view the blogs and leave comments. This interaction
is greatly valued and provides motivation and encouragement for
our students. Please click the link above for links to our
current blogs.
BOT
The Board of Trustees has the role of School Governance, with
its core focus being raising student achievement and improving
the learning outcomes for all students. Parent representatives
are elected onto the Board for a three-year term. The Board
usually meets in Weeks 3 & 8 of each term. Meeting details are
advised in the weekly newsletter.
The agenda and minutes of
each meeting are available to view at the school office. Parents
are most welcome to attend meetings to observe Board process.
Please contact the Board Chairperson (via the school Office) if there are issues you
would like the Board to discuss.
Our Board of Trustees:
Jessica
Pettersson (Chairperson)
Shane Casey
Rochelle Chase
Richard Dodunski
Andrew Managh
Diane Simpson (Staff
Representative)
Sue Simpson (Principal)
Paula Stace
(Secretary) (not a trustee).
BULLYING
Halcombe School has a “zero
tolerance” approach to bullying. Bullying of any kind - verbal
or physical - will not be tolerated. Students are encouraged to
report incidents of bullying, no matter how minor they may seem,
to their teacher, the duty teacher, or the Principal. Students
are taught strategies about how to deal with any incidents of
behaviour they do not like.
BUSES
Over 90 children use the school bus
service each day. Many more use the bus on a casual basis to
visit friends, attend sports practices etc. Managing the buses
is a major task for the school, and we need the co-operation of
families to ensure that our students travel safely and the buses
are on schedule.
CALF AND LAMB DAY see “PET DAY”
CAMPS
Rooms 4, 5 and 6 have 'Getting to Know
You' camps at the beginning of the year. These are usually for 2
nights and are often held at school. The two senior classes take
part in extended Outdoor Education Camps, usually in Term 4.
Information on each camp, including cost, will be sent home
during the year. Students are encouraged to participate in
fundraising activities for these camps. Meetings for families
are held prior to each camp. From time to time, children in
other classes may also have the opportunity to have an overnight
camp - usually at school.
CAR
PARKS
Parking is provided in the Hall car
park and on Monteith Street. Space is limited. Please take care
when entering and leaving the car-park, especially during the
afternoons. Do not “double park”. Drivers reverse into carparks
so that they have clear vision as they drive out. Children must
use the footpath around the edge of the Hall car park.
Additional parking is available at the front of the school on
Monteith Street (please keep clear of bus parks). Everyone
(children and adults) MUST use the designated road crossing at
the corner.
CELLPHONES AT SCHOOL
Students must not use
cellphones at school or on the buses. If a student needs to have
a phone at school, they must bring a note from a parent and gain
permission from the Principal. Phones must be handed in to the
Office for the day. Phones found at school without permission
will be confiscated.
CHARGES
We make a small compulsory charge to
all families, currently $15. The school charge helps us to
provide a full range of resources and activities, including
classroom essentials, such as tissues, sunblock and the weekly
newsletter. If families do not pay the charge, they must provide
their children with tissues and sunblock, and no hard copy of
the newsletter will be sent home. Regular fundraising helps us
to keep these charges to a minimum. We also collect fees for
Technology for Year 7 & 8 students. Charges are collected in
Term 1 and at Enrolment.
CHARTER AND SCHOOL POLICIES
The Charter is
an important document that outlines the direction for Halcombe
School. It is developed by the Board of Trustees in consultation
with our school community and is regularly reviewed. Policies on
all aspects of school management are also developed and reviewed
by the Board. Copies of these documents can be viewed at the
Office.
CLOTHING & HAIR GUIDELINES
While Halcombe
School encourages individuality, some styles of clothing and
accessories are unsuitable and inappropriate for school. Hair
should be tied back with simple hair clips and ties, and worn in
a natural style/colour. Hair should not be hanging in front of
eyes. No mohawks or rats' tails. No fluffy or sparkly head bands
or hair products. Shoes should have flat soles, for example
sports shoes, sneakers or sandals. Heeled shoes are not
appropriate for school. Gumboots are not suitable for sport.
Jackets are to be worn outside, not in the classroom. Halter
neck tops, 'boob tubes', and shoe string singlets are not
appropriate. Underwear should not be visible. Shorts and jeans
should stay up without having to be held. Extremes of fashion
are not appropriate. If in doubt, please ask the Principal.
CODE
OF BEHAVIOUR
Our Code
of Behaviour sets out our expectations for students, staff
and families, as we strive to achieve our Vision and be a
successful school.
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
The Board of Trustees
is committed to building and maintaining a strong partnership
with the whole community. From time to time you will have the
opportunity to respond to surveys from te Board. Community
meetings, forums and surveys are held periodically where parents
have the opportunity to share their ideas on a range of issues.
CONCERNS, COMPLAINTS or QUERIES
If there are
problems at school or you are unhappy about something, please
talk to your child's teacher or contact the office as soon as
possible. We are always happy to help and want to put things
right.
CONTACT DETAILS
It is important that the
information we have about your child is up to date. Please let
us know of any changes, especially telephone contact numbers,
health issues and guardianship. From time to time we will need
to contact families if a child is unwell or we have a serious
incident. It can be very difficult and time-consuming for us,
and stressful for your child, if we cannot contact you quickly.
We update all contact information for students at the start of
each school year. Remember that the KIT Book is also available
as a way to communicate with teachers.
CROSS COUNTRY
The school holds a Cross
Country event for all students in Term 4. All children
participate over distances appropriate for their age. An
inter-school Cross Country event is held at Hunterville in late
October. Students are selected to represent our school in
various age groups.
CURRICULUM
The Curriculum is "what our
children are learning." Halcombe School is guided by The New
Zealand Curriculum and develops its own curriculum that meets
the learning needs and aspirations of our students. There
are eight learning areas in The New Zealand Curriculum:
English, The Arts, Health and Physical Education, Learning
Languages, Mathematics and Statistics, Science, Social Sciences,
and Technology. The Key Competencies, which sit alongside the
learning areas, are designed to encourage enjoyment of learning,
the ability to think critically, manage self, set goals to
overcome obstacles and get along with others – the attributes
children need to succeed as adults. Each term we have a
school-wide theme - a range of topics and a process of inquiry -
that helps us to link these curriculum areas in meaningful
ways. Our curriculum is developed by our Principal and
teachers. Our Board of Trustees is required to make sure that a
quality programme of teaching and learning is in place.
We regularly assess all students and report on their progress to
their families and, in broad groups, to the Board or Trustees
and Ministry of Education. See also
"Reporting to Parents" below.
DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
Every year, and at
enrolment, families must complete the Digital Citizenship
Agreement for each student before that child can use devices.
The Agreement ouline's the school's policy and rules for the
acceptable use of the internet and all areas of ICT at school.
We will request permission at enrolment for the school to
publish a child's image and/or school work online. It is
important that parents understand these issues. If you have any
questions, please ask. The school may use "The Harmful Digital
Communications Act" (2015) in cases of inappropriate use of
social media including, for example Facebook.
DELIVERIES TO SCHOOL
If you need to bring in
items to your children during the school day, for example
forgotten books, lunches, or sports gear, please come to the
Office and we will deliver items for you. We ask that parents
not go directly to the classrooms or cloak-bays.
DENTAL SERVICE
Dental therapists will treat
preschoolers and school children using the Mobile Dental
Service. You will be notified through the newsletter when the
dental therapists are next at school. You are welcome to contact
the dental therapists at any time if you have concerns about
your child’s oral health. Please phone 06 322 8791 or 0800 825
583.
DISCIPLINE
At Halcombe School, we encourage
children to be responsible for their own actions and to treat
others as they would like to be treated. We find that
attention-seeking behaviour, both in classrooms and the
playground, is often best dealt with by removing the child from
the ‘audience’. We encourage an atmosphere where children feel
comfortable speaking out about bullying and unacceptable
behaviour. Parents will be called if behaviour is causing
concern, so that the home and school can work through the issues
together. Recurrent disruptive, abusive or aggressive behaviour
and wilful damage are very serious matters.
DOGS
IN THE SCHOOL GROUNDS
Dogs are not permitted
in the school grounds unless part of the school programme.
Please inform us if you see a dog in the school grounds out of
school hours.
ENROLMENT
Prospective students and their
families are encouraged to visit the school, prior to enrolling,
to meet the Principal, our friendly teachers and support staff,
and take a tour of the school and classrooms. Please contact the
Office 06 328 8845 for more information and to make an
appointment. Our Board of Trustees has implemented an Enrolment
Scheme (see below) for Halcombe School.
Before-School Visits: Preschoolers will visit for a
number of sessions before officially starting school. Our new
entrant teacher will arrange these visits with you. During these
visits, you can collect your enrolment forms, Information Book
and student stationery from the Office.
Start
Dates: New entrant children will start school on
the Monday following their 5th birthday: If Monday is a public
holiday, then children will start on Tuesday. If their birthday
is a Monday, they can start that day, or the following week.
Children will not be able to attend school until all
paperwork has been completed and returned to the Office.
Enrolment Process - to enrol a student we will require:
A copy of your child’s birth certificate or passport (to confirm
date of birth and NZ citizenship or residency)*
A copy of
your child’s immunisation record (if applicable)
A copy of
any court documents relating to access or custody (if
applicable)
*A separate process is required for
international students - please contact the school.
You will
complete enrolment forms for the school, as well as for the
WDHB Dental Service, and you will complete a Digital Citizenship
Agreement for your child (regarding the safe and responsible use
of computers, other IT devices and the internet). All enrolment
forms are available at the school Office.
Please
note: Children will not be able to attend school until all
paperwork has been completed and returned to the Office. For
children transferring from another school in New Zealand, we
will contact that school to confirm that students have enrolled
at a new school and request their academic information for our
teachers.
You will be given your own copy of the Halcombe
School Information Book as well as your student stationery
requirements.
Halcombe School Enrolment Scheme
Halcombe
School has an Enrolment Scheme to manage its growing roll. The
Enrolment Scheme determines who can enrol at the school each
year. A
description and map of
the Halcombe School "Home Zone" are available to download and
copies are also available at the Office. All students who live
within the home zone are entitled to enrol at the school.
Out of Zone Enrolments:
Each year the Board will determine the number of
places which are likely to be available in the following year
for the enrolment of students who live outside the home zone.
This will be notified in a daily or community newspaper
circulating in the area served by the school. The notice will
indicate how applications are to be made and will specify a date
by which all applications must be received. Priority is given in
the following order to applicants who:
* are a sibling of a
current student
* are a sibling of a former student
*
are the child of a former student
* are the child of an
employee of the school or the child of a member of the Board
* all others.
FACEBOOK
Halcombe School has a popular Facebook
page. Regular posts keep everyone up-to-date with school
news, photos and important daily notices about events e.g.
sports cancellations. Find and Like us today!
HEAD
LICE
Head lice are a recurring problem in
all schools and we appreciate families doing their best to
control outbreaks. We will check children’s hair if we suspect
head lice are present.
We request consent at Enrolment for
this to be done. In the case of persistent infestation, a child
with headlice may be asked to stay home until the lice are
treated.
HEALTH
Please keep us informed of any heath
issues that may affect your child at school or impact on their
ability to learn. We update student health records and contact
details at the start of each school year.
HOMEWORK - HOME LEARNING
"Homework" is a
topic that can cause much tension in families. At Halcombe
School, we have given this issue much consideration and have
produced our own philosophy on "Home Learning".
Our
expectations around Home Learning:
• Apart from
reading, basic maths facts and a little spelling, no homework
will be ‘set’. If your child needs help with learning their
basic facts or spelling, teachers will send activities home. It
would be fantastic if you could help them with this.
•
Children from home learning environments where reading is
valued, new ideas are seen as exciting, and simple fun
activities are provided, will enjoy learning.
• Please read
to your child and/or listen to them read each night, and for
older children, encourage them to read – every night. This
should be a relaxed time for enjoying books. Show children that
reading is valued in your family, by reading too, even if it’s
just the newspaper. There is overwhelming evidence to show that
reading is the most important skill for children to develop and
leads to success in all other areas of learning. Reading to your
child, with your child and alongside your child is clearly
crucial to success at school. It’s important for our boys that
they see male role models reading too.
• Play games with
your children which involve counting and maths ideas, such as
‘Ludo’ and cards, and talk about numbers in everyday life, for
example on number plates and phone numbers. Involve your
children in activities which involve measuring and have problems
to solve.
• From time to time, older students may choose to
complete a task at home. That is their decision.
HOUSES
A ‘House’ system operates throughout
the school for inter-house sport and other competitions held at
during the year. When your child enrols they will be placed in
one of four houses: Kauri, Matai, Rimu, or Totara. If you are a
former pupil, please let us know, as we follow family traditions
when placing your children in a House. Senior students act as
‘House Leaders’.
ILLNESS, ACCIDENTS & EMERGENCIES
Children do
occasionally become ill or hurt themselves at school. We have a
well-equipped sick-bay and a staff member has designated
responsibility for this area. All staff have experience and
training in first aid. Unless injuries or health concerns are
minor, we will consult with families and may send children home.
If we cannot contact you directly, we will use your emergency
contacts. In emergencies, we may contact your GP for further
advice or call an ambulance. Families give permission at
Enrolment for emergency medical care to be sought on their
behalf. Please keep your contact details up-to-date and let us
know if you have any concerns about your child’s health. We
update student health records and contact details at the start
of each school year. See also
“Medication at School” below.
INTERNET BANKING - ONLINE PAYMENTS
We accept
online or internet banking payments for most school events or
activities, including stationery purchases, camp fees, bus
tickets and the school charge. Our bank account details are: 01
0625 0106729 00 (ANZ Feilding). Please use student or family
name, event and/or invoice number as a reference. Make sure
online payments are received by the school by the due date.
KIT
BOOK
The KIT Book is a "Keeping in Touch"
book that is issued to all students. It will contain important
class notices and provides a chance for families and teachers to
communicate about students and their learning. Students should
be bringing their KIT Books home every day.
LIBRARY
Our school has a very well-resourced
library. All children are able to borrow books each week.
LOST
PROPERTY
The lost property box is under the
Room 1-4 veranda. The school requests that you name your child’s
clothing.
LUNCHES – SCHOOL
Good nutrition maximises
your child’s ability to stay alert and focussed on their
learning. You are encouraged to provide simple, nutritious
healthy lunches for your children; for example sandwiches,
fruit, plain biscuits and water. Please do not pack sweets or
chocolate bars. Halcombe School is a “water only” school. This
means juice, canned or bottled drinks are not permitted. Milk is
available through the Milk for Schools programme.
During the winter months, students can bring food wrapped in
tinfoil which we will heat for them in the pie-warmers. Popular
choices are: toasted sandwiches, savouries, pies, sausages,
lasagne and mac & cheese. Make sure these items are named!
Students take any left-over food and all lunch rubbish HOME.
This reduces the amount of rubbish that our school has to deal
with, and helps students and their families to monitor the
amount of food that may be wasted.
LUNCHES - BOUGHT
Pies and Subway meals are
sometimes available. Details will be in the newsletter.
MEDICATION AT SCHOOL
Unless specifically
requested by a GP or medical specialist, medication will NOT be
administered by school staff to students at school. Exception
is only made for students who regularly use asthma relievers or
who need emergency medicines to be kept on-hand (e.g. “Epipen”
for severe allergy). Please contact the Office if you require
more information. Special arrangements will be made for students
on overnight camps/trips. We will not administer short-term
prescription medication (such as antibiotics), cough mixture,
antihistamines or headache treatments (paracetamol, ibuprofen,
etc). We will not hold supplies of medicines “just in case” they
are required. Please DO NOT send cough lozenges, hay-fever
tablets or other non-prescription medicines to school for
students to administer themselves.
MILK
FOR SCHOOLS
Halcombe School participates in
the Fonterra Milk for Schools programme. Fonterra provides free
UHT milk for those who want it, every day.
NEWSLETTERS
Weekly newsletters are sent home
with every Tuesday to keep you informed of events at school. The
newsletter is also available from the School
Newsletter page of this website and a link can be
e-mailed to you. Please contact the Office with your e-mail
address. Check KIT Books for class notices.
OFFICE HOURS
The School Office is open from
8.30am until 3.30pm Monday – Friday, during term. The School
Secretary, Mrs Paula Stace, will be happy to assist you.
PARENT-HELPING AT SCHOOL
There are often
opportunities for parents/caregivers to assist in the classroom
or to help with special projects such as ‘art days’ or sports
practices. If you are available to act as a parent-help, whether
on a regular basis or for a short period only, please talk with
your child’s teacher or contact the Office. Please note that it
may not always be suitable for preschoolers to accompany you
while you are parent-helping.
PASTORAL CARE
The staff at Halcombe School
are responsible for the social and emotional well-being and
safety of all our students. The school has a genuine concern for
the pastoral care of our students. If there are personal or
confidential matters affecting your child that may impact on
their learning or behaviour, we hope you will feel comfortable
talking to us.
PET
DAY
Halcombe School holds a Pet Day early in
Term 4, in conjunction with the 'Manawatu Oroua Boys and Girls
Agricultural Club'. Pet Day is very much a whole-school and
community day. Pet Day includes calf, lamb and kid (goat)
competitions, dogs and other pets. Horses may be entered in the
pet section, but may not be ridden at school. Children are also
involved in fun classroom activities, for example sand saucers,
vege creations, miniature gardens etc. Details are given in
class. Information and entry forms will be available in Term 3.
PLAYCENTRE
Halcombe Playcentre is a
family-based co-operative Early Childhood Education Service.
Please phone Halcombe Playcentre (06 328 8693) for more
information.
PRESCHOOL VISITS
Preschoolers visit for a
number of sessions before officially starting school. Our new
entrant teacher will arrange this with families. Please contact
the school Office to discuss enrolment, to meet with our New
Entrant teacher and to arrange visits. See "Enrolment" above.
PRIZEGIVING
The Junior Christmas Party and
Senior Prizegiving are held during the final weeks of the school
year. The Junior Christmas Party is usually an afternoon
function and celebrates the efforts and achievements of all our
junior students. The Senior Prizegiving is an important occasion
as we farewell our Year 8 students and recognise the efforts and
achievements of all senior students. It is a formal evening
function.
PRIVACY ISSUES
Information that is collected
by the school about your child becomes part of their essential
school records. Your child's records may be viewed on request at
the school. Families give permission at Enrolment for pupil
information to be forwarded to appropriate health and
educational authorities, within the limitations of the Privacy
Act. The school has a designated Privacy Officer to discuss
enquiries about students’ privacy. The school’s Privacy Officer
is: Sue Simpson (Principal).
PTA
The PTA is very active at Halcombe School and organises a
variety of activities to support our school and encourage parent
participation. The PTA undertakes fundraising, provides meetings
for parent education, and supports school functions in a variety
of ways. The PTA meets throughout the year, with meeting dates
and times advertised in the weekly newsletter. PTA-run events
such as the Gala and Quiz Night bring in valuable funds for
school resources such as the environmental area, computers and
ICT equipment, library resources and technology resources.
Our 2018 PTA Committee:
President:
Lucinda Dodunski
Vice President: Richard Waugh
Secretary:
Michela Fox
Treasurer: Gary Dundass
Other Committee
Members: Cameron Waugh, Chris Monk and Rachel Lane.
“Friends of the PTA”
We have a
“Friends of the PTA” group of parents that we can call on for
extra help. This might involve providing afternoon tea for a
school event, helping with classroom tasks, providing support
for families in need, or collecting things from town. Please
come join us! Contact the Office for details. We’d love to know
that we can call on you.
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES
Public Health nurses
work with our school to provide health information for teachers
and families, and to carry out routine vision and hearing tests
and vaccination programmes. Individual children can be referred
to the Public Health Service for assistance with health or
welfare issues. Public Health nurses carry out routine
immunisations at the school
(e.g. HPV or Year 7 dTaP
vaccinations). Information packs and consent forms are sent home
prior to any vaccination programme. The school is required to
maintain an Immunisation Register with data on all students. We
collect this information at Enrolment.
ROAD PATROL
A
Road Patrol system operates on the Monteith Street crossing
every afternoon from 3.00pm until 3.10pm. All students who are
crossing Monteith Street to walk home or to meet waiting cars
MUST use this crossing. We ask that adults use this crossing
too.
REPORTING TO PARENTS
For students Year 1 –
3, reports are written after your child has been at school for
10 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, 18 months, 2 years, 30 months and
after 3 years at school. Conferences, which always include
children, are held at 10 weeks, 6 months, and after 1 year, 2
years and 3 years.
For students Year 4 and above,
conferences are held mid-year to share progress towards learning
goals and to work on the next steps in learning. Families
receive a written report, prior to their conference, that will
show the student's level of achievement in reading, writing and
maths as well as other areas of the curriculum. Written reports
are also sent home at the end of the school year.
Families can meet with teachers at any time if they want to know
more about their child's learning, if they want guidance on how
to best support their learning at home, or if they have any
concerns or problems.
SCHOOL RULES
School rules are kept to a
minimum and are based on common sense, safety, fairness and
consistency. Our aim is to provide an environment where pupils
learn to respect opinions, property and people, while building
on the foundations of self -discipline. The school
encourages and maintains accepted social moral standards and
values and provides guidelines for acceptable behaviour.
1.
Out of bounds areas: carpark, behind the hall, gardens, behind
the bike shed, PE room, and in the pool area. A flag system will
be used when grass is too wet.
2. Children will not be
inside at break times, unless supervised by a teacher.
3. No
lollies or chewing gum.
4. No swearing or abusive language.
5. No kicking balls on the front court.
6. No biking in
the school grounds.
7. No jewellery apart from a wristwatch
and plain earring studs. Should any exemption be requested, for
example, wearing a taonga or medic alert
bracelet, application should be made in writing to the
Principal.
8. Fingernails must be kept short. No nail
polish.
9. Hats are not worn inside.
10. Students remain
seated in the designated area at lunchtime until dismissed by
the duty teacher. If lunch is inside, class teachers will
supervise their own classes until 12.45pm.
11. Clothing is
kept in the cloakrooms. Shoes can be lined up under verandahs or
kept in cloakbays.
12. Children are not allowed out of the
school grounds without permission. This includes retrieving a
ball and going home for lunch.
13. No balls on the adventure
playground.
14. Senior students (Room 5, 6, 7 and 8) are not on
the adventure playground at interval and lunchtime.
15. The
sandpit is for Room 1, 2, 3 and 4.
16.
Brimmed sunhats are to be worn in Terms 1 and 4.
SENIOR SOCIAL
A social for the senior
students in Years 7 - 8 is usually held near the end of Term 3.
SKATEBOARDS / SKATES
These are not permitted
at school during school hours. We have special 'Wheels Days'
when studens can bring these.
SMOKE FREE
ALL of the school property is
smoke-free at all times, including the carpark.
SPORT
Students at all levels will take part
in a wide range of sport and fitness activities as part of our
physical education programme. The programme includes athletics,
swimming, cross-country, ball skills, skipping, aerobics, dance,
and a winter sports programme that includes netball, rugby,
soccer and gymnastics.
SPORT – WINTER
Students in the middle and senior school take part in a winter
sport programme which includes soccer, netball, basketball and
rugby during terms 2 and 3. Students will experience all sports
during a rotation, then select their chosen sport for our winter
programme. Please remind your children to bring correct gear,
which will be notified in a newsletter or KIT books. Children
without the correct gear may not be able to take part in sport's
practices.
SPORT – INTER SCHOOL Sporting
exchanges (usually for children in Year 4 upward) are held
regularly with other similar-sized schools in the district.
Students will be given information about these events in class
and in the school newsletters.
SPORT – AFTER SCHOOL
Children will have the opportunity to be involved in various
sports teams in after-school competition. These include Netball,
Flippaball, Touch Rugby, ‘Miniball’ (junior basketball) and
Basketball. Full information is available at the beginning of
each sport’s season.
STATIONERY
At Enrolment, and at the
beginning of each school year, students are issued with a
stationery list for their class. All requirements can be
purchased at the school, or families can make their own
arrangements. Children can purchase additional stationery during
the year from the Office. We ask that books are covered. Books
that are covered look better and last longer. Please make sure
your child always has the correct books and equipment at school.
Your child’s teacher will notify you if additional stationery is
required. We will provide stationery labels.
STUDENT COUNCIL
Selected senior students
form the Student Council which organises a number of projects,
giving Council members experience in fundraising, running events
such as discos, leadership and communicating effectively with
their fellow students. The Student Council runs the school
assemblies and puts on a number of events through the school
year.
SUNSAFE POLICY
The school has a 'no hat
means no play policy. Students must wear sunhats during Terms 1
and 4. The hat must have a brim, which shades the face, ears and
neck. It must not have any inappropriate language, symbols,
advertising or a draw string. A “legionnaire” style hat with the
flaps down is fine. Each class has sunscreen to use during the
summer months.
SWIMMING
During Term 1, all students take
part in a daily swimming programme. They need to bring togs and
towel in a waterproof bag every day. Guidelines for appropriate
swimwear for school are included in the printed Information
Book. Girls 2-piece costumes should cover the midriff. We
recommend that students also wear sunscreen in the pool. If your
child is unable to participate on a particular day, they should
bring a note. Junior and Senior Swimming Sports are held in
March. The Junior Sports are held in the school pool and the
Senior Sports at the Makino Aquatic Centre Pool in Feilding.
SWIMMING POOL - COMMUNITY USE
The community
may use the school pool outside of school hours, for 6 weeks
during Term 1. Pool keys can be purchased at the start of the
year. An agreement regarding Conditions of Use must be signed
before keys are issued. See the newsletter for details.
TECHNOLOGY
Teaching in technology subjects
for Year 7 and 8 students is provided at the school. Technology
includes a range of topics such as electronics, soft materials
(sewing & textiles) food technology (cooking), hard materials
(woodwork) and ICT. An annual fee is charged and an invoice will
be issued. Full details of the programme will be given in class.
TOYS
AND PERSONAL BELONGINGS
Students should not
bring toys to school unless permission is given by the teacher
(e.g. for sharing days). No responsibility can be accepted by
the school for loss or damage to these items. Devices such as
mp3 players, ipods, cell-phones and hand-held games, should not
be brought to school. Collectable cards or trading cards are not
appropriate for school.
TRIPS
We really appreciate
parents/caregivers being able to provide transport for school
trips and sporting events. However, we must insist that:
•
ALL children are fitted with their own seat belt, with approved
child restraints for children up to 7 years of age.
• ALL
adults are fitted with their own seat belt.
• Vehicles must
have a current WOF and be insured.
• Vehicles must be
registered and the driver must be licensed.
Unfortunately we
will not be able to accept offers of transport if the vehicle
does not comply with these safety requirements. On some trips it
may not be appropriate for pre-schoolers to attend with families
that are providing transport. Full information and permission
slips will be given out prior to each trip.
VISION AND HEARING
Routine Vision and
Hearing tests are carried out at the school by Public Health
technicians. Families give consent at enrolment for their
children to be tested. Any student that may have a hearing or
vision problem can be referred for testing at any time. Please
speak to your classroom teacher or Office staff if you have any
concerns. The Public Health Service also runs regular free
vision & hearing clinics. Please phone (06) 350 4560 or 0800 153
042 for more information and to make an appointment.
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