Section 3: For Students 

Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning and to do their best to fulfill their learning potential. Students are expected to work within the school policies, procedures and rules and uphold the school values at all times.

As a student of Elim Christian College Mt Albert you are required to:

• Always uphold and respect our Christian values.

• Obey and respect all staff members.

• Be where you are supposed to be at all times.

• Use appropriate manners, treating others with respect, courtesy and fairness.

• Respect the rights and property of others.

• Be responsible to care for school property.

• Always behave in a safe manner.

• Show good sportsmanship.

• Follow playground and game rules.

• Aim for your personal best, work with determination and enthusiasm and allow others to do the same.

• Take pride in your work, presenting it in an orderly and neat manner.

• Complete assigned work, on time and to the best of your ability.

• Follow up on and complete work missed during absences.

• Develop self-discipline and exercise self-control in all situations.

• Accept the consequences of your own actions.

• Wear the correct school uniform at all times, including sports uniform and footwear for P.E classes.

What to do if you...

Are unable to come to school

Parent/caregiver to fill in the absence form on the school website: https://elimmtalbert.school.nz/absence_form/

Are late to school

All students are to sign in at the office on arrival stating the reason for their lateness.  Secondary students will be required to explain their lateness to a Pastoral Lead in the foyer.

Lose something

Check the lost property boxes or ask at the office for valuables.

Have an appointment during school time

Y0 - Y8

Students need to be signed out at the office by a parent/caregiver. 

Please remember to sign in on return.

Y9 - Y13

Students will need to either:

• provide a note from their parents/caregivers when signing out OR

• have a parent/caregiver complete an online absence form stating reason 

Students will need to sign out at the office and sign in on return.

Accidents or illness

The health room is located by the office. All teaching and administration staff hold First Aid certificates and are trained to deal with emergencies.

Teachers send students to the health room if they feel unwell or have been injured. If a student becomes unwell during the day and does not improve, parents/caregivers may be contacted to collect the student. In the event of an accident at school, and the parent/caregiver cannot transport the child safely, an ambulance may be called. 

Please keep the school up to date with all your contact details. Emergency contacts should be listed on the medical information form. Please email office@elimmtalbert.school.nz with any changes to contact details or medical information.

Before and after school

• Students need to be at school by 8.30am to be ready to start at 8.40am.  Teachers are on duty from 8:10am to help supervise students once they are on the school grounds.  For Health and Safety reasons students are not to be dropped off before 8.10am.

• Students cycling or riding a scooter to school are to walk their bikes/scooter to the rack behind the junior block.  There is to be no cycling or riding of scooters on the school site.  All bikes and scooters are to be locked.  Helmets must also be worn at all times.

• Students in Year 1-6 can play on the playground, the concrete area and under the trees before school. At the 8:30am bell, students are to walk quietly to their classrooms.

• Students in Year 7-13 are to be in the playground areas outside the office admin, shade sails, lower field and turf.  

• All students are to remain in areas under teacher supervision and not move into out of bounds spaces.

• At the end of the day, students should leave the site promptly. All students must be collected before 3.30pm. For unforeseen circumstances, please ensure the office is contacted prior to 3:30pm.

Electronic Devices - laptops, iPads, Cell phones, Earbuds etc.

Between school hours devices may only be used for planned educational activities. Please refer to the links below for information on device use at school.

The school is not responsible for the loss or damage of personal devices. Each student takes responsibility for their own device. The sharing of devices is not permitted.

All contact between students and parents during school hours must be done though the office.

Y4-8 Device Agreement

Y9-13 Device Agreement

Mobile Phones

In accordance with the Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020, all state and state-integrated schools are required to ensure students do not use or access mobile phones at any point during the school day. This is designed to maximise student learning while minimising distractions and inappropriate device use.

This is a mandatory regulation under Section 22 of the Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020. We appreciate your co-operation in maintaining a focused learning environment for all students.

For Year 1-6 students, mobile phones must be kept at home.  If students require their mobile phone for use either before or after school it must be handed in to the school office for safe keeping prior to the start of the day bell, where it can be collected at the end of the school day.

Year 7-13 students are asked to regulate their own mobile phone by keeping phones switched off and stored in your bag with ear buds all day. They should not be in pockets. It is important to note that if students do make the decision to bring a mobile phone to the school grounds, they do so at their own risk. The school is not responsible for any loss or damage caused to any mobile phone. 

Inappropriate use

In circumstances where usage has breached the school mobile phone rules the result will be confiscation of the device for the rest of the school day. The device will then be retrieved by the student after school and the inappropriate use recorded. 

Breaches of the cell phone rules include (but not limited to): 

• using the device when not permitted

• any sort of bullying, including online bullying

• taking photos or videos of other people without their permission

• forwarding inappropriate messages or content.

If a student continues to inappropriately use their mobile phone it will be confiscated and will need to be picked up by a parent from the office. Please refer to Device agreements for more details.

Mobile phones ‘away for the day’ exemptions 

Learning activities 

If phones/earphones are used for a learning activity, this will be at the teacher's discretion and the phone's use will be supervised by the staff member. Guidelines on appropriate usage still apply. 

Health and emergency situations 

Students with additional learning needs who use mobile phones/earphones in class to increase or improve their ability to participate and learn will be granted an exemption. In matters related to a student's immediate health and safety concerns, a parent/caregiver can apply at any time to the principal for a period of exemption (e.g. medical conditions or protection issues). 

Emergency Drills

Each term we conduct emergency drills. Staff and students follow well-documented instructions based on best practice models. Following each drill, a review is held by the Health and Safety team.  The school uses an external provider to ensure best practice.  

In the unlikely event there is a lockdown situation, parents and caregivers will receive a text from the school to inform them. There will also be regular updates on the school website. Please do not attempt to contact the school or your child during a lockdown. 

Enviro.

• Year 1–8: No-Waste Policy – Students are required to take home all waste generated from their lunch boxes. Any litter found around the school grounds should be sorted and placed in the appropriate bins: soft plastics, recycling, food scraps (fruit and vegetable scraps only), or general rubbish.

• Year 9-13: All students are asked to take their own waste home and process it there. However, there are four bins located outside the hall and outside the middle school entrance in case they are needed. Organic food scraps can be placed in the green food scraps bin. Clean, recyclable items can be placed in the yellow recycling bin. Clean soft plastics can be placed in the blue soft plastics bin. Any other waste can be placed in the red landfill bin. Please refer to the pictures above the bins for information about what goes in each one.

• Let's all take responsibility for keeping our God’s creation and our school beautiful. Duty teachers will check junior eating areas before students are released. Confectionery must not be brought to school (except cough lozenges for Y7-13 students). Food must not be eaten in classrooms, except on wet days when a wet lunch-hour has been signalled.

Lunches

• We strive to be an environmentally conscious, waste free school. Please see details above about how this pertains to lunches.

• Healthy eating is encouraged. Please try to limit the amount of ‘snack foods’ you provide.  

• Students cannot order uber eats or pizza to be delivered to school.

• Students are not allowed to share food or drink. This includes bringing birthday treats or cakes.

• Only water should be brought in drink bottles to school.

• Sushi can be ordered through our Kindo app for Wednesday and Friday lunch. 

• The vending machine in the hall has snack food and is available for students in Year 7-13 only. 

• Currently, Year 13s have the privilege of walking to BP service station during lunch time only.  Students must go straight there and back and must sign out/in at the office. They may not use phones during this time or purchase food on behalf of others.

Playground rules and behaviour

Allocated playground areas:

• Year 1-6: Can play on the top field with the boundary ending at the footpath at the top carpark. Students can play on the playground, on the two painted four squares closest to the Junior fence, and under the trees. Climbing the large Pohutukawa tree is currently not allowed. 

• Year 7-13: Can play on the lower field and turf.  

Also:

• Ball games are encouraged. Care must be taken when other groups of students are playing. 

• Trees may be climbed up to the lowest branches no higher than 2 metres.

• Students are not permitted to talk to outside visitors over the perimeter fence.

Kotahitanga - Positive behaviour for learning

Our Kotahitanga values are: Maia - Courage, Manaakitanga - Respect, Aroha - Kindness and Pukuahuwhenua - Diligence.

Christian living is expressed in respect for others, respect for the possessions of others, loyalty to one another and above all, loyalty to God.

• Respect for others includes honesty, kindness, consideration, and caring for others, and towards those who are weaker, younger, quieter, or less able.

• Respect for possessions of others means articles will not be interfered with, damaged, or borrowed without the owner’s permission.

• Loyalty to God and obedience to His will means that there will be a dedication to work towards what is worthy and pleasing to Him.