Admin Bits and Pieces | Waitohu School

Admin Bits and Pieces

Enrolment

Parents of pre-schoolers or children new to Ōtaki are encouraged to come and meet with Maine Curtis (our principal) to look around and to learn about Waitohu School. It's the combination of meeting staff, looking around the school, talking to parents who currently have, or have had children at Waitohu School, that the fullest impression of our school will be gained. By ringing the school (06 364 8272) or emailing office@waitohu.school.nz a time to meet can be easily arranged.

Pre-school Visits

A pre-school visit programme operates on Friday mornings from 9am-11am, 3-4 weeks before your child is due to start school. Parents wishing to enrol children at Waitohu School are encouraged to bring their children to these sessions. Alternative arrangements can be made if this day is not suitable.

School Hours

The official school hours are 9.00am to 3.00pm

Kai time is between 10.45am - 11.00am.

First play break is between 11.00am - 11.20

Second play break is between 12.45pm - 1.30pm.

If for any reason your child is late arriving at school, they need to sign in at the office. If leaving the school early, an adult is required to sign them out at the office.

Breakfast Club | Afterschool Care

FunZone provide a Breakfast Club (free of charge) and Afterschool Care service (costs apply) in our school hall. Don't hesitate to contact them. Their contact information can be found on www.funzone.co.nz/

Buses

We have a public bus stop outside the school on Te Manuao Road. Students can catch a public bus, both to and from school. Payment is by Snapper card. For more information go to www.metlink.org.nz/service/290/timetable to check the 290 bus route.

Students who catch this bus afterschool are supervised until the bus arrives.

Attendance

If your child is going to be absent or late, please telephone 06 364 8272 or text 027 545 0530 the school before 9.00am, on the day of absence.

It is a Ministry of Education aim that by 2030 80% of students attend school 90% of the time. To provide you with absolute clarity, we email you updates of your child’s attendance, twice a term (mid and end of term). Celebrating great attendance with your child or noting improvement is needed, is the aim of these emails. If improvement is needed, we are here to support.

Newsletters

Parents will be kept informed about school activities through a weekly newsletter. This is emailed to parents every Thursday afternoon.

Lunches

Free, healthy school lunches are delivered to classrooms every day for our 10.45am kai time. These are prepared by Te Puna Oranga o Ōtaki. Please let us know if your child has any dietary requirements that need to be considered, as these can be catered to.

Your child may also want some additional kai to snack on at other times of the day.

Lunches are available for all students, though of course not compulsory. You decide if you would like to use this service.

Assemblies

School assemblies are held fortnightly on Friday afternoons at 2.00pm. We come together to learn about our Language of Leaning words and the inspiring people on our Inspiration Wall, to celebrate students' achievements, to enjoy birthday milestones, to welcome new students, to sing and to just enjoy being Waitohu whānau.

Everyone is welcome to join us. Just check our newsletter for dates of upcoming assemblies.

School Stationery

Children are given a stationery list when they enrol or in December for the following year. We have stationery packs for all classes available for sale from the office. EFTPOS is available.

Chromebooks, iPads, Internet and Digital Citizenship

We think technology is a useful tool, when used specifically for limited periods of time. We know and believe nothing will ever replace the absolute importance of running, talking face to face, playing, kicking a ball, kapa haka, being in nature, day dreaming ..... happy and balanced students are our priority.

To support their learning our students have access to the use of iPads and Chromebooks. The use of these tools are teacher directed. We take internet safety extremely seriously and use the services of N4L, Linewize and Hapara to set and monitor student internet use. We teach students to be digital citizens based around keeping oneself safe in an online environment, with an emphasis on personal responsibility when using digital technology.

Special Learning or Health Needs

Shelly Matheson, our Special Needs Education Coordinator (SENCO) is a specialist at supporting whānau whose students may require additional support. We are known for and very proud of the special programmes and supports we use to complement the classroom teaching and learning programme.

Some of the additional ways we support students are:

● SWIS (Social Worker in Schools): Enables us to work with families to address social and learning issues.

● RTLBs (Resource Teachers of Learning and Behaviour): Provide expertise in addressing specific children’s learning or behavioural needs.

● Teacher Aides work in classrooms to assist learning and/or behaviour.

● Technology Assisted Learning in all classrooms.

● Neuroscience and Choice Theory taught to support student regulation and positive problem solving.

Sun Safe

We have magnificent trees that provide wonderful shade and have large outdoor spaces under shade structures. Alongside this, during Term 1 and Term 4 all students are given a school sunhat to wear during break times and when working outside. Students are required to wear their school sunhat during these times.

We ask that whānau have students put on some sunscreen before coming to school. All classrooms have sunscreen available for students to apply additional sunscreen from.

Working together we aim help us keep 'our' children sunsafe.

Cell Phones

It is government policy that students may not use cell phones at school unless there are special circumstances. If you need to get a message to your child during the day please just contact the office.

Dress

We have no official uniform but we encourage children to wear appropriate clothing and take pride in their appearance.

When we take part in interschool activities, school tee-shirts and shorts will be provided. Netball skirts are provided for competing teams.

All clothing, as well as togs and towels, need to be clearly and durably named, as we invariably have a large amount of lost clothing at the end of each term. The responsibility for clothing and footwear lies with the children and their parents. A lost property cupboard is in the the hall. Clothing left at the end of each term is donated to charity.

Concerns | Questions

If you ever have a concern or question about anything related to Waitohu School please don't hesitate to, in the first instance approach the person involved. At anytime you may contact the principal.

Student Information

All students have information about family, health and other general administrative matters entered in the student management system. This information is readily available for families to check and is confidential to the school.

Emergency Drills

Drills are held each term to practice what we would do in an emergency (fire, earthquake or lockdown).

Road Safety

Our Te Manuao Road pedestrian crossing has students operating patrols between 8.35am - 9.00am and 3.00pm - 3.10pm daily. An adult supervises these patrols.

Car Parking

Parents are requested not to double park outside the school, park over neighbouring driveways, or park in the 'Keep Clear' areas. Parents picking up or delivering children are asked to use the curbside doors of their cars and co-operate with the duty teacher and children on traffic patrol. Parents using the Waitohu Valley Road entrance are requested not to drive into the school.

Smokefree | Vapefree

All grounds and buildings are smoke and vape free for all staff, visitors, passers-by and students.

Use of the School Grounds

We encourage maximum and responsible use of the school grounds by the community.

We expect people using the grounds to respect property and equipment, especially the many shrubs, gardens and trees that help make this school so attractive.

Signs within the school let people know, that smoking, drinking alcohol and use of skateboards are not allowed.

Between 8.30am - 3.20pm during term times dogs are not allowed in the school grounds and bicycles are not to be ridden.

Our scooter track is available for use at anytime. Scooters are to only be used on the scooter track.

Everyone feeling comfortable and safe are our priorities.

Health

On enrolment please inform us of any health matters related to your child. If there are any changes to medical circumstances please let us know. Good health is essential for school progress and in partnership with parents, we address any health issues.

Health services available through the school include:

Social Worker In Schools

Lisa Seath is our school based Social Worker who works between Ōtaki, St Peter Chanel and Waitohu Primary Schools. Lisa is available to support individuals and families to help with issues that may be affecting the well- being of children or adults who are part of these school communities. Practically this may involve: - assisting changes in a child's behaviour, mood or school performance – helping with peer or whānau relationships – liaising support from other agencies – simply being a listening and impartial ear to current struggles and concerns.

There is no charge for working with Lisa and this service can be accessed by speaking with one of the staff or ringing Lisa yourself on 027 244 9479. Please don't hesitate to see the principal if you would like more information.

Public Health Nurse

The Public Health Nurse works in close association with the teachers, to ascertain whether children are up to date with the immunisation programme the Health Service offers. From time to time the nurse is also called upon to check children with other health issues. Referral forms are available at the office.

Dental Health

A Dental Therapist treats children's teeth each year, at the school, in a mobile Dental Clinic. If you need to make contact with the Dental Therapist please phone the school office for the current contact number.

Hearing and Vision

Hearing and sight checks of all new entrants and children who have shown any problems in the past, are made annually by a visiting audiometrist. Any children suspected of having a problem are referred to a clinic or specialist. Teachers are constantly on the alert for signs of any newly developed problems. Any parent who suspects their child may have a hearing or sight problem can contact the school, phone 364 8272.

Is Your Child Too Sick For School?

Some Useful Guidelines

Each day many parents are faced with a decision… should they keep their sick child at home or send them to school? Often the way the child looks and acts can make the decision an obvious one. Please consider these guidelines.

Cold/Persistent Cough ~ Minor sniffles are not enough to keep a child at home, but if they are lethargic, irritable or taking over-the-counter medicine for a cough or congestion, they probably won’t function well at school.

Diarrhoea ~ An episode of watery diarrhoea warrants a day at home. Keep your child off school for 48 hours, after diarrhoea stops.

Vomiting ~ After vomiting, children should be kept home for 48 hours.

Fever ~ If a child’s temperature is more than 38 degrees, keep him/her at home. They should have maintained a normal temperature of 37.2 degrees for 24 hours before returning to school.

Flu ~ Keep children at home until all symptoms – body aches, high fever, chills, congestion, sore throat, and/or vomiting have gone – usually 5 – 7 days.

Rash ~ Children with a widespread rash, an unusual looking rash or a rash accompanied with a fever, should be kept home until the rash has been diagnosed as not contagious.

Chicken Pox ~ Chicken pox develops about 2 weeks after exposure to the virus. Children are infectious for 5 days BEFORE the first blisters appear until the last blister has dried. Children can return to school when the last blister has scabbed over – usually 7 -10 days.

Headlice ~ Children who have headlice / nits (small white egg cases) should be kept home and treated, returning to school when they are nit free.

Conjunctivitis ~ Symptoms are tears, irritation and redness of the eye lining and a discharge from one or both eyes. Children are infectious while there is any discharge. Do not send your child to school until they have been on an anti-biotic treatment (available from the chemist) for at least 24 hours or until the eye is clear.

Impetigo/School Sores ~ These appear quickly, as scabby sores with a golden ooze or crust on exposed parts of the body. Children are infectious until they have been on anti-biotics for at least 24 hours. They must be kept home for at least this long. When they return to school, all sores must be covered.

Mumps: - Until 9 days after swelling develops

Ringworm: - Treatment is required. Restrict contact activities gym and swimming until lesions clear

A sick child does not learn effectively and is unable to participate in class in a meaningful way. Keeping a sick child at home prevents the spread of illness in the school community and gives the child an opportunity to rest and recover.