General

Absences/Sickness:

Please phone, email, or use HERO to notify the office by 8:50am if your child is to be absent from or late to school. If we have not been notified contact will be made with parents. Schools are required by law to maintain a daily attendance register and to follow up on any unexplained absences from school.

The school operates a First Aid policy and parents/caregivers are notified if there are any concerns about your child’s health, either through sickness or injury. In case of serious accidents at school, parents will be contacted immediately and appropriate agencies contacted e.g. ambulances, doctor etc. The school has trained personnel in First Aid.

Children Leaving the School:

If you are collecting your child during the school day, please notify their class teacher or the office, and sign out using the VisTab tablet in the office.

Address:

To ensure our records are kept up to date, please inform the school if you have changes of address and/or telephone numbers.

Bikes/Scooters:

Bike stands are available behind the PE shed. Children must walk their bikes into the school grounds. Police recommendations are that only children 10 years and older bike unsupervised. Scooters are to be kept in specific areas and away from classroom entrances. No scooters or bikes are to be ridden on school grounds from 8:00am until 3:30pm (this includes the carpark). Hi-viz vests must be worn when biking or scootering to and from school.

Email:

The school email address is: etaieri@east-taieri.school.nz. Teachers have their own e-mail addresses and these can be found on the STAFF page.

Sun Safety Practices:

We have a sun safe practice and all children must wear hats (wide brimmed) when sunny. The East Taieri wide brimmed sun hat can be purchased from the school office. These must be worn during Terms 1 and 4.

School Contributions Information Update for Whanau:

As East Taieri School is not a Decile 1 to 7 school, we are unable to opt in to the donation scheme that schools within these deciles can. East Taieri School is a Decile 9 school.

As we are ineligible for this scheme we continue with our present system where there is an expectation that families/whanau continue to contribute to their children’s educational activities that form part of the basic curriculum or those activities that we at East Taieri believe that enhance and enrich your children’s experiences within our school community. Without these parental contributions we believe that the full ‘East Taieri experience’ that all of our children benefit from, may be more limited. We are fully committed to providing the highest level of ‘all round’ education for the children in our community at the lowest possible financial cost to our families. Costs charged are very carefully set at the lowest possible amount with these goals in mind. 

Without parents’ contributions East Taieri School would not break even and cost-cutting in important areas would have to occur. While not wanting to put any additional pressure on families, we feel that the community of East Taieri School should understand the reasons for having to ask for contributions to activities.

We believe in ensuring that all East Taieri students have the opportunity to participate in all areas of interest to them with the ongoing support of their families. To help make this easier for families, we have developed a ‘pay as you go’ system which spreads school costs over the school terms. You will be notified of the term’s activities via the school newsletter.

A reminder that you can claim your contributions back at tax time.

School Donations: $110 per child per year 

Contribution to Activity Donations: Invoices sent out each term depending on activities

Health Nurse/Vision and Hearing:

The public Health Nurse calls at the school regularly and she may be contacted through the school office. Also our Vision and Hearing Technician visits the school throughout the year.

Medication:

Medication can only be given at school where prior written permission is given from parents/caregivers.

Homework:

Early in the year, each classroom teacher should inform parents of the class homework requirements. It is hoped that parents will adopt a supportive role in respect of home learning. Homework should always be work that is based on the classroom programme. If your child experiences difficulty meeting requirements, and is spending excessive time on work set, please discuss the issue with the classroom teacher.

Library:

We have excellent library facilities available. Please encourage your child to return library books promptly and in good condition. A library bag may be purchased from the school office.

Lost Property:

Lost property is stored in the office foyer. Please clearly name all items of clothing, drink bottles, lunch boxes etc to ensure they can be returned to the owner.

Bookclub:

The school operates Scholastic New Zealand Ltd Bookclub once a term and children benefit from discounted prices. The school also earns valuable bonus points which we use to purchase further resources for our school.

Newsletters:

Newsletters are sent out weekly via Hail and can be accessed on the school website in the NEWSLETTER section.

Launch Pad:

Parent Help:

Throughout the year we may ask for parent help for things such as sports trips, field trips, camp, and classroom activities.

School Hours:

8:50am – 11:00am (Teaching) – with a 5-10 minute snack break at around 10am

11:00am – 11:20am (Interval)

11:20am – 12:40pm (Teaching)

12:40pm – 1:30pm (Lunch)

1:30pm – 3:00pm (Teaching)

We ask that children do not arrive at school prior to 8:30am as teachers are busy preparing for the school day.

Ensuring that your child arrives at school by 8:45am is a good general rule and avoids disruption of a class and stress for your child. Parents are responsible for a child’s safety if she/he is in the playground outside school hours.

A before/after school road patrol is provided at the Cemetery Road entrance and on Gladstone Road. While we appreciate that parking is difficult for a short time after school we appreciate your support in keeping your children safe.

Safe Practices when arriving and leaving school:

It is expected that all parents/caregivers drop off and pick up their children from the East Taieri School carpark. By the bus shelter there is a pick up and drop off zone. Please ensure that you do not park over the bus zones or block the car park for others.

Please do not park in front of the church gates or on the footpath.

School Terms and Holidays:

School term dates and holidays are set by the Ministry of Education and will vary from year to year. The school year is divided into four terms with holidays (for the children) of two weeks each in April, July and September/October, with the main Christmas holidays in late December/January. Parents will be informed of term dates and statutory holidays through the newsletter.

Sports Uniforms:

The jade polo shirt with navy monogram forms part of the sports uniform and can be worn with blue track pants/shorts. It is a basic requirement for students Year 4-6. Shirts can be purchased from the office. Younger children may purchase sports tops, if they wish.

Stationery:

Parents are issued with a list of stationery requirements at the beginning of each year (this can also be accessed online), in preparation for the new year class. Most ongoing requirements can then be purchased through the school office. A new entrant stationery pack is available for purchase at enrolment time.

Student Behaviour Management:

East Taieri School expects that students will display high standards of acceptable behaviour at all times.

A school wide behaviour management plan provides the basis for teachers to develop classroom behaviour plans and procedures for addressing inappropriate behaviour both in the classroom and playground. Parents will be advised and involved whenever a child’s inappropriate behaviour causes concern at school. Ensuring that children behave appropriately at school of regarded as a shared responsibility between home and school.

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