A - Z

+ Absences

Please advise the school either before or on the morning of your child’s absence. Students who are absent without the school being informed will receive an absence alert by text.

You can report an absence by: Text to the school office, School App, using the ‘Report an Absence’ button on the school website, phoning or emailing the school office

Please remember to state your child’s name, Community name (e.g. Puriri) and guardian teacher’s name.

+ Assemblies

School assemblies are held every second Friday at 2:10pm in the senior hall. (Dates are recorded on the school calendar.)

If your child is receiving an award, parents and caregivers are notified via the School App.

All parents, caregivers, whanau and families are warmly invited to attend any of our assemblies.

+ Before and After School Care OSCAR

YMCA run a before and after school care programme. To make a booking or discuss your care needs further, please contact the programme manager (027 386 1025) or see the supervisor in the senior school hall during session times if you prefer a face-to-face meeting.

+ Behaviour Management

From time to time, conflict arises. We use the principles of restorative justice to resolve such matters. This practice helps develop skills of self-management and self-esteem. It increases students’ efficacy and sense of empowerment.

Depending on the seriousness of the conflict and harm caused, a consequence may be the outcome of the restorative chat. Where this is the case, parents are notified and follow up meetings are arranged as required.

+ Buses

Mahurangi Transport Group Network (TNG) oversee the provision of bus transport for those students who are eligible according to the Ministry of Education guidelines. Currently, there are four bus routes that serve Warkworth School. Bus transport is only available to eligible students unless an exemption has been approved by the TNG and authorised by the relevant Board of Trustees.

+ Communication

Our school uses a variety of communication methods to distribute information to our parents and caregivers as well as the wider community including: School App, Website, Email, and Text.

Our preferred method of communication is via the School App. Please down load this free app to your phone, tablet, computer of mobile device.

You will also be able to submit student absences and permission slips via the app, electronically signed straight onto the screen with your finger.

+ Dental Service

A free dental service is provided for all children under the age of 16. Students are screened annually when the screening van comes on a scheduled visit to the school and dental work takes place in the Mobile Dental Clinic which is currently stationed at our school (via Kaspar Street). Please phone 0800 TALK TEETH or 0800 825 583 for urgent appointments or general enquiries.

+ Health and Medication

Office staff are trained in First Aid and are able to attend to minor injuries and health concerns that require a short stay in the sickbay. For injuries and illnesses that are more than minor, you will be notified and asked to collect your child for further medical attention.

Should your child require prescription medication administered during the school day, an authorisation form must be completed so that office staff can do this on your behalf. Please speak to the office staff to complete a form and make arrangements for the medication to be stored appropriately.

+ Holiday Programme

YMCA run a Holiday Programme throughout each of the school holiday breaks. Please phone 021 962 295 or visit their website for further information.

+ Home Learning

Home learning is voluntary and we encourage you to support your child to read daily, learn to spell high frequency words and practice basic mathematics facts. The following is a guide to the amount of time you should spend on home learning:

• Years 1 – 2 10 – 15 minutes • Years 3 – 4 15 – 40 minutes • Years 5 – 6 30 – 40 minutes

+ Leaving the School Grounds

Students are not permitted to leave the school grounds during the school day. Should a parent or caregiver require their child to leave school during the day, they must report to the office and sign them out on the electronic VisTab register. Upon completion, VisTab will print a label to hand to the teacher. Teachers are advised that students may not leave school without first sighting the authorised VisTab label.

+ Library

The school library is situated on the senior campus. Teachers take their learners to the library at least once a week when they may select one or two books to read. We recommend at least one fiction book to be selected for home reading to encourage listening to or reading longer narrative texts. The library is also open at lunchtime, Monday – Thursday, for senior students.

+ Lost Property

All items of clothing and property, e.g. lunch boxes, drink bottles, togs, towels, raincoats, must be named clearly so that it can be returned. School leaders take responsibility for this. Any unnamed items are sorted by category and placed in labelled bins in the senior hall kitchen foyer. If items have not been claimed after several weeks, they are recycled.

+ Money

Any money brought to school for school activities or events should be taken to the office upon arrival at school. Money should be placed in an envelope with your child’s name, teacher’s name and Community, the reason for the money and the amount enclosed clearly marked on the envelope.

Money can also be paid directly to the school account by internet banking.

+ Parent Support

From time to time, parents seek advice about additional support for their child on account of learning, behaviour or emotional challenges. The school works with a range of outside specialist agencies who can assist parents who request this.

Please contact our Special Education Needs Coordinator (Senco), Mrs Fleur Leabourn, for further information.

+ Playground Supervision

Teachers and learning assistants are on duty at morning tea and lunch time. They wear a fluorescent vest for easy identification so that help can be found when needed. Staff carry a small first aid kit so they can attend to very minor injuries.

+ Reporting to Parents

We use Seesaw as our online, real-time reporting system which allows parents to monitor their child’s learning and progress at any time throughout the school year. Each term, your child selects items of learning from a range of curriculum areas to upload for you to view.

In terms one and three, Learning Conversations are held. Parents and whanau get a glimpse of how learning in an innovative learning environment is organised and learners can showcase their learning. Parents, caregivers and whanau have an opportunity to speak to their child’s guardian teacher.

Parents are welcome to contact the school at any time of the year to make an appointment to discuss their child’s learning. Please email the teacher directly or phone the school office to make an appointment.

This combination of reporting methods, together with direct contact between school and home, and vice versa, ensures that parents and caregivers receive comprehensive information about their child’s learning and progress.

+ Road Safety

The school pedestrian crossing is patrolled by a teacher and student wardens from 8:20 – 8:55am and again at 3:00 – 3:10pm. All students must use the pedestrian crossing before and after school.

At the end of the day, a teacher walks students to the Hill Street intersection and supervises their safe crossing of this busy main highway.

We strongly recommend that parents and whanau set a good example for their children by using the pedestrian crossing too.

The caretaker, Mr Mills, supervises the school drop off zone in the bus bay which can be used mornings only. Please park in the designated area so that the bus has right of way and offload your child from the left-hand side of the car and onto the footpath.

+ School Hours

Students are asked to arrive at school no earlier than 8:30am. Students arriving prior to this time are required to wait on the senior hall steps. This is to provide time for teachers to attend meetings and complete their preparation for the day. Students arriving earlier than 8:15am are encouraged to attend the YMCA Before and After School Care programme.

+ Daily Routine

We run our daily programme as three sessions of Play – Eat – Learn.

Session 1 8:30am Play 8:50 Eat – morning snack: e.g. raw vegetables, fresh fruit, boiled egg 9:00 Learn ** Session 2** 10:30 Play 10:50 Eat – morning tea: e.g. crackers, cheese, ham, pretzels, fresh or dried fruit 11:00 Learn ** Session 3** 12:30 Play 1:05 Eat – lunch: e.g. sandwiches, filled roll, wrap with salad vegetables and protein (meat, fish, cheese, egg), yoghurt, fresh or dried fruit 1:25 Learn 3:00 Home Time

End of the Day Routine All students, except bus students, are taken to Shoesmith Domain by their teacher where they are to be collected by a parent or caregiver. We expect all students to be collected promptly at 3:00pm so teachers can attend meetings and begin preparation for the next day.

Bus children assemble outside the library and wait to be escorted to the buses by the Bus Controller, Mrs Tania Natana-Weller.

+ School Lunches

School Lunches can be ordered online through The Lunch Club. Lunches are delivered to the junior and senior office accordingly. Children who have ordered lunch should collect it from the office.

+ Stationery

Stationery can be purchased from the school office between 8:30am and 8:50am daily. Should your child need stationery urgently, they will be issued with what is required and a message sent to you to forward payment.

At the beginning of each year, stationery can be purchased online from Qizzle School Supplies via our website. Stationery lists are available from that link.

+ Sunsmart School Policy

We are a sunsmart school and our sun protection policy states that a sunsmart hat must be worn in terms one and four whenever outdoors for physical activity, physical education, sport or for recreational play.

A sunsmart hat is one with a wide brim that covers the face, ears and back of the neck, e.g. a legionnaires hat or a bucket hat. Regulation hats can be purchased from the school office. Alternatively, a sunsmart hat of any plain colour, without logos, may be worn.

+ Teacher Contact

If you have any concerns or queries regarding your child’s progress, please do not hesitate to contact their guardian teacher to make an appointment to discuss these matters. The guardian teacher should be the first person you contact and it is advisable to make an appointment so that the teacher can organise their time to talk with you. The staff list has each teacher’s email contact.

+ Toys

Students are not encouraged to bring toys to school.

+ Trips

Learning can be enhanced when it is complemented by making use of local and regional environmental resources. Education outside the classroom (EOTC) trips are a regular part of the learning programme. You will be notified when a trip is planned. If the trip is outside the town boundary or transport in a private vehicle is required, you will be informed and permission sought. Parents providing private transport must confirm they have a current Warrant of Fitness and present their driver licence to the office for confirmation.

+ Uniforms

It is compulsory to wear our school uniform and items can be purchased online from Argyle via our website. Limited stock is held in the office on the senior campus should you need to try on an item for sizing purposes. Please see Mrs Kim Adams.

A small amount of second-hand uniform is available for purchase from the office on the junior campus. Please see Mrs Pat Gormly.

If your child requires additional warmth during the winter months, a plain, dark coloured top, either black or navy in colour, may be worn underneath the school uniform. Girls may wear black or navy tights, or knee-high socks.