ASSEMBLIES
An assembly is held
most mornings at
Generally, every
second Thursday afternoon, the whole school gathers at
acknowledgements. Classes are timetabled to
host these assemblies.
An annual sports
assembly is held at the end of the winter season to acknowledge both children’s
achievements and coaches & managers.
ENROLMENTS
On admission of a child, parents will be issued an Enrolment Form to
complete. It is most important to fill out all details; parent contact details,
emergency contact numbers, health details and ethnic association. Please remember to sign and date the form.
Please advise the school when changes occur, whether for the short or long
term. A birth certificate
is required for all new entrant enrolments.
Parents/guardians
may arrange up to four pre enrolment visits in the month prior to their child’s
5th birthday. Visits will generally be during the morning and
suitable for the Junior Teacher. Parents may stay and observe if they wish. Parents
will need to complete
a ‘Disclaimer
Form’ if their child stays at school without them.
Pupils
must attend school regularly unless illness or special family circumstances
prevent it.
An explanation of all absences is required. A phone
call, message on the school answer phone or written note from
parents/caregivers will suffice. After a period of three days of unexplained
absences the Truancy Service is notified.
SCHOOL UNIFORM DRESS
A good
standard of dress is required for school and field studies. Refer to the School
Uniform Policy. All uniform items are to
be clearly named. Long hair must to be tied back. As part of our Shady School
Policy, school hats must be worn in Terms 1 and 4. We encourage the wearing of
the school beanies during Terms 2 & 3.
On field
trips and visits to other schools, children will wear the school uniform
unless
directed otherwise by the lead teacher or Principal. Track suits are supplied
to students
representing Norsewood and
No
jewellery is to be worn other than a wrist watch. It is currently acceptable
for studs or sleepers to be worn and blessed ponamus for Maori students. Children
are not permitted to wear their outside shoes in classrooms. Outdoor footwear
is generally stored on the verandah or in a cloak bay. Pupils may wear slippers
or other suitable indoor footwear.
EXPECTATIONS 2009
BE KIND TO OURSELVES AND OTHERS
Respect all staff and adult helpers
Listen effectively and follow instructions
carefully
Be
responsible for personal property
Avoid
touching others belongings
Bad
language and offensive behaviour is unacceptable
Speak
politely to others
Wear
the correct school uniform with pride
Give
help to those in need
Display
good manners
Avoid
boisterous play
KEEP OURSELVES SAFE
Obey the road rules for pedestrians and cyclists
Obey the bus expectations
Seek
permission before leaving the school grounds
Walk/travel with a known companion
LOOK AFTER
OUR SCHOOL AND EQUIPMENT
Put litter in bins and take all food left-overs
and wrappers home daily
Care
for gardens and plants
Respect
and care for equipment, furniture and buildings
Stay
out of classrooms unless directed and supervised by a teacher
Store
bags, coats and footwear in a tidy manner
Outside storage of footwear to be in a tidy
manner
Carry
out class or school duties responsibly
KNOW HOW TO BEHAVE IN AND AROUND BUILDINGS
Use suitable voices inside appropriate to task.
Move
quietly – avoid running inside or boisterous play
Walk
bikes in school grounds
Use toilets appropriately
On wet
days find quiet activities or games to play indoors
Walk
around corners, in hallways and on the verandah
Leave
sweets, jewellery, cellphones and precious belongings at home.
KNOW HOW TO BEHAVE IN THE PLAYGROUND
Play sensibly
Know
where to play - Out of Bound areas include:
behind the school,
Corner of field near over bridge and
Schoolhouse section
Kick
balls in areas away from buildings, (on field only)
Play
inside or outside under teacher direction (“all out” or “all in” policy)
Wear
protective gear on Skates/Board or Bike Days
Cherish the privilege of being allowed to play
fashionable/trendy games
Show common sense, respect and consideration towards
others.
SCHOOL
HOURS
The expected arrival
time at school is
8.30 am – 8.50am Teachers
in classroom to greet children and make final preparation
for
the day
8.50am
Assembly
Fitness/Singing/House
or School /Class activities
SCHOOL
TERMS AND HOLIDAYS – 2009
Term 1 Monday 2nd February – Thursday 9th April [96 half days]
Term 2 Monday 27th April
- Friday 3rd July [96
half days]
Term 3 Monday 20th
July -
Friday 25th September
[100 half days]
Term 4 Monday 12th October – Wednesday 16th December [92 half days]
PUBLIC
HOLIDAYS
Waitangi
Day - 6th February
Good Friday – 10th April – Easter becomes part of the Term 1
holiday
Queen’s Birthday – Monday 1st June
HB Anniversary – Friday 23rd October
LOST PROPERTY
There is a
“FOUND PROPERTY” box situated outside Room 1 & 2’s bay window area.
Students are encouraged to check the box at any interval time and parents may
check during these times or after school also.
The Norsewood & Districts Heath Centre is open two
mornings a week from
SICKNESS
Most
parents are considerate and co-operative in keeping their children at home if
they are ill. It is not advisable to send children to school if they are
clearly unwell.
If
infectious diseases or sores are involved your doctor will advise as to when a
child is able to return to school. Often once a treatment has started,
spreading by contact is no longer a problem but please check with your doctor.
DENTAL CARE
The mobile
dental clinic generally visits once a year. The dental nurse can be reached at
other times if required at Dannevirke South School Dental Clinic, Stairs Street
Dannevirke,
telephone 374-7361.
HEADLICE
Headlice
can be a recurring problem. Please check
your children’s hair regularly. Your chemist or doctor will advise if treatment
is required. Pamphlets are available
and we often home or reminders in newsletters to check
regularly. Remember that regular brushing is the best cure.
MEDICAL ATTENTION
FOR PUPILS
The responsibility for seeking medical
attention for a sick or injured child is the
parent/caregiver. However there are occasions
when parents cannot be contacted, in which case the Office Manager will contact
a trained first aid person within the school or
if
necessary your family doctor for bad cuts, possible fractures, and concussion.
The nearest
emergency clinic or hospital will also be contacted if need be.
OUT OF GROUNDS DURING SCHOOL HOURS
Pupils,
except for those who regularly or produce a parent/caregiver’s request to go
home for lunch or have been assigned a lunch collection duty, may not leave the
grounds for any reason unless prior arrangements have been made and consented
to by teaching staff. This is in the interest of safety.
USE OF PHONE &
CELL PHONES
The school
telephone lines are not for children’s use. On occasions and only with
teacher’s permission, will children be able to ring home using the office bench
phone. Cellphones are not permitted at
school.
We often
call on parents/caregivers to help with a variety of activities including
sport, library maintenance, educational trips, fund raising and programmes of
work. Please help out whenever you can and let the school know of any talents,
skills or interests you are willing to share with children and teachers. We
appreciate the assistance we readily get on
Please ensure that your child has a
nutritious lunch and that it is something that your child is going to eat. Lunch
eating time will be for 15 minutes and all children sit down during
this time. Drinks must be provided in a
plastic container – no glass. Drinking water
is encouraged and we have three water
fountains suitable for filling water bottles.
If
ordering lunches please do so by arrangement with Café Norsewood (3740749),
Scandi Superette (3740786) or Crown Hotel (3740760). Ordered lunches will be
collected each day by monitors.
Children
may bring food (e.g. pies, savouries, toasted sandwiches) to be heated in the
school oven. Please ensure food is wrapped appropriately usually in tin foil
and clearly named with a permanent marker.
Occasionally younger
children may bring toys to school to talk about in class or to
show friends.
Teachers cannot accept responsibility for them.
It would be unwise to
allow expensive or
fragile toys to be brought to school.
Children
are not encouraged to bring money to school, unless it is required for
school
purposes.
We believe that the availability of
transport to and from school and for some staff-approved curriculum activities
is important to maximize the convenience to families especially those living
outside the village boundary.
The rules and regulations for bus transport
assistance are set by the Education Act 1997.
We insist on sensible bus behaviour. All
students are issued with a ‘Sensible Bus
Behaviour/Bus User Expectations’ sheet. The
bus controller, currently the Principal
will follow up on any reports from drivers
or Go Bus supervisor. If deemed necessary the bus controller will either issue
warnings or enforce a withdrawal period. The general procedure is as follows:
If the behaviour is severe then a
withdrawal period may be instant.
Step 1. Two verbal warnings - recorded
Step 2 Withdrawal period of 5 days
Step 3 Withdrawal period of 10 days
Step 4 Withdrawal period of five weeks
Step 5 Withdrawal period of one school term
and/or withdrawal indefinitely.
Please bear in mind that the use of service provided is a privilege not a
right.
The three bus routes
are under ministry contract.
Parents
are asked to provide transport to and from various events and activities
throughout the year. Please assist wherever possible to share the load and at
the same time experience learning activities with your own and other children.
The pupils
at school are put into one of five Houses (Hovding, Viking, Thor, Odin and
Erik). All family members are kept in
the same house team. House leaders are
selected by members of their house or teachers in charge of that house. A
points system is used in classrooms for general activities and points are
awarded on a regular basis. At Merit
Assemblies house
points are
awarded for merit certificates and Star of the Week. A house treat is given to
the winning house each term.
Playgroup
meets at
The
building is located by the ramp heading out onto the field. Look for the
brightly coloured sign on Room 4.
SKATEBOARDS, ROLLER BLADES OR SCOOTERS
On
occasions students are allowed to bring skateboards, roller blades or scooters
to school. They must wear the necessary
protective clothing of helmet, elbow and kneepads
to
participate.
Scandinavian
countries in costume on special occasions e.g. Constitution Day
and
occasions or requests by outside groups.
We endeavour
to preserve the special heritage of the district by observing dates
of
significance to the Norwegian Settlers. National Scandinavian flags are usually
flown
on these
days.
Emergency
fire evacuation of the buildings is practiced at regular intervals, generally
once per
term. Teachers are encouraged to practice an earthquake drill once per term.
In the
event of a serious emergency, such as a severe earthquake, we will hold the
children at school until they are able to be collected by a responsible family
member. The school is the local Civil Defence Centre and local volunteer fire
brigade are always on the ready to aid if necessary.
WET DAYS
Inside
games and activities are provided for pupils during wet morning tea and
lunchtimes.
Classroom
teachers supervise their own classes for the first 15 minutes of the lunch
hour. Occasionally for various reasons the lunch period may be shortened and
such occasions school will still remain open until
Our Sun
Smart Policy requires the children to wear their uniform hats and sun block lotion
during Terms 1 & 4. We encourage the
children to eat and play in the shade and to
understand
the effects of overexposure to the sun. Although the school has a supply of sun
block, children are encouraged to be responsible for their own sun lotion.
If children
misplace their hats they will be required to stay in a shaded area.
CYCLE
SAFETY
We
recommend that parents/caregivers teach their children to ride safely and
ensure that they can: • control their bicycle wel
before
they allow their children to bike to school. We request a letter from
parents/guardians
stating permission for their child to cycle to and from school.
Children
are required by law to wear a NZ Standard’s Approved cycle helmet at all times
when riding their bikes.
Cycles
should be maintained in good order and checked thoroughly on a regular basis.
Approximately
twice a term Book Club order forms are distributed to children. There is no
obligation to buy these books although the school does benefit from purchases
made. The selections are generally selected for appeal and literary value, and
are very competitively priced.
SCHOOL PHOTOS
Individual,
class, family and school photos are arranged usually on an annual basis.
STATIONERY PURCHASES
For your
convenience school packs are purchased in bulk at the start of each school
year.
The packs
are very competitively priced and ensures children have the correct books
requested
by their teacher. Other stationery requirements throughout the year can be
purchased through the school office.
SCHOOL ACCOUNTS
School
accounts are computerised sent home in an envelope generally once as term. If
you need a replacement account or have any queries, please contact Mrs
If sending
money to school, please ensure that it is in an envelope clearly labelled.
Families may pay a sum in advance if they wish keeping their account in credit.
If any
hardship is experienced with payment, please contact the office manager
immediately.
Arrangements can be made to pay regular
instalments or direct debits.