SCHOOL INFORMATION

KEEPING IN TOUCH

NEWSLETTERS, NOTICES AND TERM EVENTS

Newsletters will be issued fortnightly on a Wednesday. Extra copies are available at the Office. We are happy to e-mail you a copy please send your e-mail address to the Office. A variety of notices will be issued throughout the year, from the Board of Trustees (BOT), Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and Teaching Staff.

PARENT INTERVIEWS, REPORTS, PORTFOLIOS

Parent/Caregiver Meet the Teacher evening held in Term One.

Teacher/Pupil/Parent three-way conferences are held in Term Two and student–led conferences are held in Term Four.

Preliminary reports are issued after the first six weeks of Term One - this informs you about how our child has settled in at school and also gives you an opportunity to share your child's strengths and interests with us.

Annual written reports are issued at the end of the year.

All interviews are conducted at school in a confidential manner.

Informal day-to-day chats with teachers are great, however, appointments are encouraged if you wish to discuss a matter with the teacher without interruption and in private.

SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES

Parents, caregivers, friends and relatives are welcomed to our weekly assemblies in the Hall on Fridays as soon as possible after 9.00am This is a chance for the classes to share classroom programmes and to celebrate success.

GENERAL INFORMATION

SUN SAFETY

Our school has Sunsmart Accreditation and we have a "No hat, no play" policy. All children are required to wear wide-brimmed sunhats whilst outside in Terms 1 and 4. School sunhats remain at school. We encourage children to apply SPF+ 30 sunscreen prior to break times.

ROAD SAFETY

The school crossings (Farrington Avenue and Isleworth Road) are patrolled from 8.30am to 8.55 am each school day. The school car-park is used by staff and service vehicles only. To ensure child safety, please DO NOT use the school drive on Farrington Avenue to drop off and collect children — park on the road.

There is a scooter park located behind the senior block, which is locked during school hours for security reasons. Bike stands are located behind the senior block and behind the middle block. Children riding their bikes to school must wear a helmet and follow the road rules. The school recommends the locking of bikes and scooters. The riding of bicycles and scooters is not permitted on school grounds during school hours.

HEALTH NURSE, VISION/HEARING

A registered public health nurse is assigned to our school. The nurse is a point of call with Community Health and Services. Parents and school can contact the public nurse on 383 6877. Please complete the Healthy at Five yellow card before your child starts at school and return it to the Office. Three times a year a vision and hearing tester comes to school to test the New Entrants.

DENTAL CLINIC

Free dental care is provided to pre-schoolers and primary school children. The School Dental Clinic is open from 8.30am to 4.15pm several months of the year. All children that are enrolled will be examined yearly. You can contact the Dental Clinic on 359 8340; if the clinic is closed, calls will be diverted to where the Dental Therapist is currently working.

CHOIR

The school choir is made up of Years 5 and 6 pupils, practices weekly and regularly participates at school and at outside events. Each year at the beginning of Term 2 children can nominate themselves if they wish to join the choir.

SWIMMING

We have a recently upgraded heated swimming pool on site and all pupils have access to the pool as part of the curriculum in Terms 1 and 4. Please ensure that your child brings a towel and togs to school daily during the swimming season.

We are happy for families to use the pool both after school and in the holidays. Keys may be hired from the Office in Term 4 for $75.00 – these must be returned when the pool closes in Term 1, as notified in the newsletter.

KAPA HAKA

We have a strong Kapa Haka group of over 70 children. They practice regularly with specialist Maori teachers and perform both within the school and at cultural events.

SCHOOL STATIONERY

All stationery requirements are available from the Office.

CAMP

Years 5 and 6 children attend overnight camps in Term 1 of the school year. Trained instructors are provided at camp and parent helpers are also required. Advance details are provided to parents prior to the end of the previous year. There is a separate camp fee, which is charged in Term 1.

SCHOOL FEES

School donation is currently $40.00 per family. A compulsory Resource Fee $60.00 per student is charged, this pays for all trips and activities during the year as well as pens, pencils and other equipment used in class. We offer the children a wide variety of out–of–school visits and groups which visit the school for drama and music performances as well as an annual visit from Life Education.

We are happy to accept weekly automatic payments or payments through internet banking. Please enquire at the Office and we will provide you with the relevant form to take to your bank.

SPECIAL PROGRAMMES

A strength of our school is our Learning Centre which is staffed by a specialist teacher and teacher aides trained in deliverig programmes to support or extend children's learning. Our assessment data is carefully analysed so that we are able to identify children who would benefit from these programmes soon after they enroll at our school.

FUNDRAISING/PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION

The PTA meets monthly, usually on the second Tuesday of the month as advertised in the school newsletter. All parents and caregivers are most welcome to attend. Various fundraisers, usually organised by the PTA, such as sausage sizzles and discos, will be held during the year.

CASPA

The Creative After School Programme Activities operates from a classroom at Isleworth School, and offers both after-school and holiday programmes for primary and intermediate aged children. It is a member of the OSCAR network in Christchurch and WINZ subsidies may be available to your family. Pick up a programme from the School Office or look at www.caspa.org.nz for further details