| Attendance and Absence
Your child should be a regular and punctual attendee, and reasons for absence should be valid ones such as sickness, doctor’s appointment, dental visit, family bereavement, etc. There will be other times too when an absence is unavoidable. We understand that is the case, but it is not acceptable for children to have the day off to go shopping with Mum, to visit Nana, and so on, unless it is a very special reason. Children will be marked absent in the class register unless they are receiving dental treatment.
If your child is to be absent on any day, we would like to know by telephone, before school. Please give us a call, and leave a message stating the child’s name and the fact that he/she will be away. We appreciate knowing in advance of any absence, and it acts as a safety check - we know for sure that any absent child is safely at home, not lost somewhere between home and school. However remote this possibility seems, it is worth guarding against.
A note or a telephone call in advance regarding an appointment that the child has to keep would also be appreciated.
Bible in Schools
Every Wednesday at 1:30pm the school is closed for the purpose of holding classes in religious instruction. Volunteer teachers come into all the classes and work with the children for half an hour. Your child’s inclusion in this programme is up to you. If you don’t want your child to participate let us know and we will make some other provision for him/her for that half hour.
Buses
Three bus runs service the school. One comes from the Taniwha end of the district, another goes around the Keith Road/Falls Road end, while the other one services Stannard, Waerenga and Kopuku Roads. Check with the teacher as to where the nearest bus runs, and where the nearest stop is for your child.
Children's Clothing
Please make sure your child is appropriately clad, especially in the winter. A spare set of old clothes to play rugby in is a good idea, especially for the older children.
Please NAME everything, especially all the items which children tend to discard during the day - socks, sweatshirts, jerseys, longs - also footwear. We keep all lost items in a box outside
Room 2, and display them at Friday assembly.
Mrs Gunson is in charge of all lost property, and any unclaimed items still left at the end of term are disposed of to a needy organisation.
Parents are welcome to come along and hunt through the box at any time of day.
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Classes and Teachers
As our roll fluctuates in the 80 to 95 pupil range we have 4 classrooms in full-time operation.
There are four classrooms, computer suite, resource room and library on the school site. All teaching spaces are air-conditioned. The junior class is situated in Room 2 that is on the right hand (when looking from the road) classroom of the double block. Children in Room 2 will be Year 0 to Year 2 or aged 5 and 6. Mrs Lyn Gunson is their teacher.
Room 4 is taught by Mrs Denise Arnold. She has a Year 1 to 3 class.
The middle class has mainly Year 3 and 4 children. Children would be aged mostly from 7 - 9 years. Their teacher is Mrs Gina Rosendaal, and their room, designated Room 5, is the classroom adjoined to Room 4.
The senior class of mainly Year 5 and 6 students is situated in the main block just to the right of the main entrance, and is known as Room 1. These children are aged from about 9 to 11 years. Their teacher is Mr Willie Rosendaal who is also the Principal. Mrs Howells covers Principal Release time in this room for 9 hours per week.
Should you wish to discuss any matters regarding your child you are most welcome to do so, but it is advisable to have a prearranged time in order to avoid interruptions. You are also welcome to come along and observe the work of the class. Once again it is advisable to make prior arrangements in order to avoid coming when an ‘out of class’ event such as sports, film time etc., is on.
Head Lice
This nuisance often rears its head in schools, and is not a stigma, just an annoyance and a trouble. Any nurse or chemist can give you sound advice on what to do to combat the problem. Attached is a sheet that may assist you.
Please make regular head checks a matter of course with your children, and we would like to know if any nits are noticed. Please get in touch with your child’s teacher, and we can warn other parents to be extra vigilant.
Health and other Services
There are several back-up services available to schools that teachers and parents can call upon to provide help to children who need it.
There is a Public Health Nurse who will help and advise on all aspects of child health.
There is the Dental Nurse, Rita Adams, based at the South Tuakau Mobile Dental Clinic. The clinic visits the school once a year to check on all children’s teeth. Nurse Adams also takes annual dental health lessons in the classrooms.
Every year the hearing and vision technician from the Health Department comes to school and tests all New Entrants, and also rechecks any teacher referrals among the older children. Parents may also request a referral.
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Homework
In the junior classes this consists of a reader that the child will bring home each night. Do NOT expect word perfection, but read along with the child, encouraging left to right movement and talking about pictures and words. Remember to always give lots of praise! Most nights the children will bring home a different library book that is for another older family member to read to the child as a bed-time story or just for a cuddle-up time on the couch - reading is to be enjoyed. Room 3 students may have spelling words or questions to be answered.
In the middle class children are given a list of 10 spelling words on Monday which they practise each night in readiness for a small test on Friday. All children should have a reader every night with a worksheet that should be completed if not done so in class time. Year 3 children will also have tables to learn regularly.
In the senior room children are given a list of 10 - 12 spelling words on Monday that they practice daily for a level test once every 3 weeks. Each Monday students are given a worksheet consisting of mathematics, language and research, to be completed by Friday. Tables are to be learnt daily and are tested at school regularly. Some children will have a home reader each night by mutual agreement. Unfinished schoolwork may become homework from time to time.
Hours
We keep normal regular school hours at Waerenga School.
9:00 am - School Starts
10am - Break
10:15 am - School resumes
11:15 am - Break
11:30 am - School resumes
12:30 pm - Lunchtime
1:30 pm - Afternoon school begins
3:00 pm - End of school
If for any reason your child is going to be absent from school please send us a note, if you have prior knowledge, or give us a call at school to let us know - our telephone number is Waerenga (07) 826 7871. It is in everyone’s best interests that we are able to account for all the pupils’ whereabouts at all times.
Buses run at 3 different times from 3:00pm onwards. There is a section on buses later in these notes.
Lunches and Lunchtime
Children sit down, usually outside, during lunch eating time from 12:30 to 12:45.
Often this time is longer than 15 minutes to allow children to finish eating. Little ones especially don’t like to remain seated after the bell has gone, and frequently they leave most of their lunch uneaten. You could help by explaining to your child that he/she should remain seated until such time as they have had sufficient to eat.
We encourage children to eat what they have been given, but ask them to take home what they can’t finish so you can discuss it with them, and make any alterations you feel necessary.
Every Monday, or the first school day of each week, children may purchase their lunches through the school. Our current menu and prices are as follows:
Mince Pie $2.50
Mince & Cheese Pie $2.50
Mince Savoury $1.50
Hot Volcano $2.50
Pizza $2.50
Muffin $1.50
Juicies $1.00
Moosies $1.50
When ordering lunches parents and children are asked to follow some very basic procedures:
Please write the order on the OUTSIDE of an envelope and SEAL the money inside - right change whenever possible please.
The envelope should look something like this:
SMITH FAMILY LUNCHES
Bill: 1 Mince Pie, 1 Juicie $3.50
June: 1 S/R, 1 Muffin $3.50
John: 2 S/R, 1 Muffin $5.50
TOTAL (enclosed) $12.50
Children are required to ‘post’ their order in the marked box in the foyer of the administration area before the 9am bell, as the goods are frozen and the orders need to be processed early to allow time for thawing then heating.
All proceeds from this `bought lunches’ scheme go to the P.T.A., and back into the school in one form or another, thus benefiting all our children.
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Newsletters
News and notices about school are sent home on a regular basis by way of newsletters.
These are approximately weekly, usually on a Friday, and contain all sorts of things to do with school. Children often forget they have been given them, so it pays to have a look in their schoolbags regularly.
Playground Supervision
Teachers are rostered to supervise the children from 8:15am, when the first bus arrives, till 3:30pm when the last bus departs. Children are watched during their lunch eating time, and while they are at play before school, playtime, lunchtime and after school. Teachers cannot be everywhere at once, but a presence is maintained to let children know they are being supervised, and that help is at hand, especially the very young ones, if they need it.
Scholastic NZ Book Club
From time to time Scholastic New Zealand sends us leaflets and order forms for reasonably priced soft-bound books which children and teachers can buy. They are good quality stories, and we recommend them, but it is up to you whether you want to buy them or not.
School Functions
Each term there are things that involve the whole school.
Term One
School Picnic /Bifunathon
Swimming Sports
Term Two
Reports
Term Three
Gymnastics
Speeches
Cross Country
Term Four
Calf Club
Athletics
Flower and Cooking Show
Break-up and Presentations
Group Day
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Sickness and Injuries
If a child falls sick during the day we have a Sick-Bay where he/she can be put to lie down. Young children will be put down to rest in the classroom where they can be watched more regularly.
Should the child appear to be very unwell we will contact the home as soon as possible. It is in cases of this nature, where we are unable to contact home, then we will make use of the emergency contact you supply when you enrol your child.
Should the child be injured while at school, and the injury is sufficient to warrant medical attention we will contact you so that you can collect the child and take her/him to the doctor. If the injury is a serious one, you will be contacted, but we will also phone the doctor in
Te Kauwhata and arrange transport to the surgery.
Special Education Services
We have access to a number of skilled, trained and experienced people for all sorts of free information, advice, assessments, support and advocacy. Special Education works in partnership with parents and the child, where possible to match needs with services, and can help in the following areas:
Advise on Deaf Children - Guidance and support with hearing
impairment.
Early Intervention - Support for infants with developmental delays, and
their families.
Itinerant Teachers - Support for children, families, whanau and staff in
playcentres, kindergartens, kohanga reo and childcare centres.
Psychologists - Assess educational problems and offer practical advice
on learning difficulties, behavioural problems and emotional needs.
Speech and Language Therapy - Help for children who have problems speaking, understanding language or expressing ideas.
Visiting Teachers - Work with parents and the school to assist where there are concerns about a child’s social, educational or emotional welfare.
Stationery
Your child will be given a list of stationery requirements to bring home. At the early stage of a child’s schooling there are very few things required. Please pay for the items mentioned on this list as the child will, in most cases, have already been issued with the items.
Children transferring from other schools will be asked to purchase items only as they become necessary. Generally the books they have brought from their previous school can be used or adapted to use in their new class.
Some children in Y3 to Y6 find felt-tip pens useful for making their work more attractive, diagrams, etc., but we specifically ask that children in the junior classroom (Y0 - Y2), do not bring these to school. It is much more preferable that they be supplied with a set of colouring pencils instead.
Term Dates
School terms are generally 10 weeks long, with two weeks holiday between them.
TERM DATES FOR 2012
Term 1 - Wednesday Feb 1, 2012 to
Thursday April 5, 2012
Term 2 - Monday April 23, 2012 to
Friday June 29, 2012
Term 3 - Monday July 16, 2012
Friday September 28, 2012
Term 4 - Monday October 15, 2012 to
Friday December 14, 2012
Toilets
Young children sometimes find it hard adjusting to using school toilets. Please reinforce the fact that they may go whenever they find it necessary, and they don’t have to ask. Accidents occur when children are too shy or diffident to check with the teacher. The “no asking” rule helps to remove this pressure from the child. However, accidents do occur, and a supply of emergency clothing is kept here at school. If necessary we will contact you. If your child comes home in ‘borrowed’ clothing we would appreciate it being returned in a clean state for future use.
Trips
Every so often there are worthwhile visits to make or travelling groups to see. If we feel it is worthwhile for the children to take part we will let you know, and there will usually be a charge of some sort. Often there is some sports coaching available, and that costs nothing unless the use of some facility is involved. Most trips are voluntary, but we always hope that every child can join in and enjoy the experience.
A permission slip will be sent home for each event. This must be signed and returned before the student can go.
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