Warkworth School A-Z Handbook Extracts

Absence from School:
 

We operate a ‘call back’ system for absences at Warkworth School. If your child will be absent from school, please contact the school office (by telephone, fax or email) before 9.00am on that day and advise us. In other cases of absence, e.g. holidays during term time, please discuss the issue beforehand with the classroom teacher. If your child arrives at school after 9.00am they will need to report to the school office.

Access:
 

When parents visit the school to see a child for any reason, it is important contact is made first with a member of staff. This is to prevent unauthorised access.

Bicycles:
 

Children may ride their bicycles to school, provided they wear helmets. Bicycle racks are behind the senior admin block.

Behaviour:
 

Teachers at this school work positively with children, trying to encourage high standards of work, genuine effort and responsible behaviour. When a misdemeanour occurs, some appropriate consequence will be given. Where necessary, this will include consultation with parents.

Bookclub:
 

From time to time the school sells paperbacks through Scholastic Book Club. If you choose to buy any books, please send the money (cheques made payable to Scholastic NZ Ltd) and order form to the teacher in a sealed envelope. This is very important as several people handle the orders.

Buses:
 

If you have any queries about the running of the buses, please contact Katinka in the Senior Side Office, 425 8300 extn 104. Our children line up in the bus lines at 3.00pm and await instructions. The young ones are well looked after; there is usually more than one teacher to supervise them.

Buses go to:

Ahuroa	Algies Bay	Matakana/Woodcocks Road
Puhoi	Snells Beach	South Kaipara Hills
Pukapuka	Snells Beach North	Pt Wells/Omaha
Sandspit	Snells Central	Takatu
Dome Valley/Hepburn Creek

Occasionally parents want children to travel on a bus on which they are not regular passengers. If this is the case, please contact the school as soon as possible so we can make sure the buses are not overloaded.

Collecting Children:
 

The junior children are all brought to the Senior School at 3.00pm. You are asked to pick your children up from the pick up line, unless you are actually at the Junior School entrance to take them.

Library Books:
 

All children should have a library bag (cloth bags, preferably with a drawstring, approx 45cm x 45cms) so that our library books have some protection traveling to and from school.

Lost or Damaged School Property:
 

The School has a policy of requesting a payment for lost or damaged books. A charge will be made for damaged school property, such as windows, where the breakage could have been avoided by sensible behaviour.

Money:
 

When you send money to school, would you please seal it in an envelope and on the outside write:

• Child’s name and room
• What the money is for
• How much there is

This is for your own security as well as for making the money easier to handle. If you need to send money for more than one child, if possible please place these in separate envelopes and send to the appropriate office.

Parents:
 

Parents are welcome to contact the School if they have any queries. If it is to do with your children, please see the class teacher first. Please notify the School of any changes of address or telephone numbers.

PTA:
 

The Parents and Teachers Association generally meet in the Senior Staffroom at 7.30pm on Wednesday's. Please check newsletters for actual dates of meetings. All parents are welcome at the meeting which, as well as providing a forum for discussion of developments in the School, also assists the School in fundraising activities and provides a social occasion for parents of the School to meet.

Religious Instruction:
 

Lessons are conducted, for Years 3-6, each Friday morning 9.00am until 9.30am from the beginning of March until the end of November. Most pupils take the lessons. Those who are not permitted must bring a note and will either read or study in the library.

Reporting and Interviews:
 

We have written reports going home at the end of term 1 and a comprehensive one at the end of term 4. Additionally there are parent inteviews held immediately after the first report goes home.

As well as these set dates, parents and teachers often have informal meetings about children who need support in any way. Feel free to ring the school when you wish to know something, or to share a problem.

Road Patrol:
 

A teacher oversees the SH1 crossing after school. In the morning parents are asked to take their children across the highway. Teachers supervise the patrolled crossing (on Hill Street) from 8.20-9.00am and 3.00-3.10pm.

School Lunches:
 

School lunches are available on Fridays. Please place money in an envelope with the order written on the outside and drop it into the office before school. Lunches are then delivered to rooms.

Settling In:
 

Some children become overwhelmed when finally the time to start school arrives, becoming upset and clinging to Mum or Dad. We recommend a rapid exit, after handing the child over to teacher. Believe us, most have stopped crying before parents have reached the gate! Feel free to phone us at morning tea to see how the child has settled.

Sick Bay:
 

If children become ill while at school, they will be cared for in the sick bay. If it is considered desirable that a child be taken home, then parents will be contacted. In extreme cases where parents cannot be contacted and when expert medical opinion is considered necessary, then the Principal makes the decision. Sometimes children need to have special medicines at school for such things as asthma and bee stings. Any of these should be labeled showing the child’s name and the required dosage clearly on the outside of the container. We have a safety cabinet for the storage of such medicines.

Stationery Packs:
 

Back to School stationery is purchased in class packs at school at the beginning of the year. During the year, stationery items are available at the School Office.

Sun Hats:
 

We require all children to wear hats in sunny weather during Term 1 and 4. If a child forgets their hat, they must play under the shaded area during interval and lunch.

Worried or Concerned?
 

If you have any worries about your children or their schooling, please talk to the teacher first. If that doesn’t solve the problem, make an appointment to see the Senior Teacher in that area of the school. We really want your children to be happy and successful and will work with you to achieve that.