PARENT INFO
PARENT INFO
Embedded Files
ACCESS TO KURA
If Parents/Caregivers or other adults are visiting the kura to see a child for any reason, it is important that contact is made first at the main office. All visitors are expected to sign the Visitors Book upon arrival, and departure. This is to prevent any unauthorised access and monitor who is present in our kura grounds.
ACCIDENTS OR ILLNESS
Minor accidents are treated in the kura sick bay, but parents are contacted if the accident is of a more serious nature. If children become ill while at kura, they will be cared for in the sick bay however, if deemed necessary, parents will be contacted to collect their child.
In extreme cases where the parents cannot be contacted, and when expert medical opinion is considered necessary, the Principal will make a decision. It is important that the school has up-to-date information of contact phone numbers.
Sometimes children need to have special medicines at kura for such things as asthma and bee stings. Any of these should be labelled showing the childs name and the required dosage clearly on the outside of the container. Any medication children may need in the event of an emergency must be held at the main office. We have a safety cabinet for the storage of such medicines.
ANTI-BULLYING
Te Kura o Te Pāroa promotes the W.I.T.S strategy to deal with bullying - Walk Away, Ignore, Tell Somebody, Stand up for yourself. The most important message for our children is to tell someone. The sooner we know, the sooner we can intervene.
The kura has ZERO tolerance towards bullying, fighting, swearing and violence of any kind. If a student is found to have assaulted a staff member or another student:
1. Parents/Caregivers will be contacted and a hui with the Principal arranged;
2. If serious, or repetitive in nature, the Parents/Caregivers will be contacted and asked to collect the child. A referral will then be made to the Resource Teacher of Learning Behaviour (RTLB) or Social Worker in Schools (SWIS) to provide a support plan. A meeting with the Principal and Parents/Caregivers will be arranged with the RTLB and SWIS worker to compose a support plan.
3. Should any further offence occur during the development or after the implementation of the support plan, the child will be 'stood down' from kura and remain at home for 2-3 days.
4. If a child is suspended from kura, this will result following a hui held with members of the Board of Trustees and Principal.
BEHAVIOUR
Teachers work positively with children to encourage high standards of work, genuine effort and responsible behaviour. When a misdemeanor occurs, some appropriate form of consequence will be given. Where necessary, this will include consultation with Parents/Caregivers. A Resource Teacher of Learning Behaviour (RTLB) and Social Worker in Schools (SWIS) worker are available to provide support.
BELL TIMES
08:45am 5 minute warning bell
08:55am School begins
10:40am Interval
11:00am Interval ends
12:30pm Lunch break - students go out to play
01:00pm Students return to class to have their lunch
01:15pm Afternoon lessons begin
02:35pm 1st buses bell. Poroporo, Town south, Town North students released
02:40pm School ends and 1st buses depart
03:00pm 2nd bus bell. Cutler Crescent, Taiwhakaea/Country
BUSES
The kura provides bus transport for students living within the listed areas. For confirmation of bus routes and pick-up/return times, please contact Karen in the front office on 07 308 6652 (Press 0). The bus departure times are listed under the bell times. Student bus monitors record all passengers who return home on the bus and have the responsibility of informing the kura of any misbehaviour or misdemeanour.
Bus routes are:
1. POROPORO (Poroporo)
2. TOWN SOUTH (Awatapu and James Street)
3. TOWN NORTH (Wairaka and Hillcrest)
4. COUNTRY (Taiwhakaea to Coastlands)
5. CUTLER CRES (Cutler Crescent)
Students who abuse the privilege of the bus service will be removed for a length of time. Occasionally Parents/Caregivers want children to travel on a bus on which they are not regular passengers. If this is the case, please contact the Kura as soon as possible or send a note, so we can make sure the buses are not overloaded.
CLOTHING / UNIFORM
Kura uniform is compulsory at Te Kura o Te Pāroa. All students are expected to wear the correct kura uniform daily.
Kura sun hats MUST be worn during Terms 1 and 4 and as part of the Sunsmart message - No hat, no play is enforced.
All uniforms can be purchased from NZ Uniforms, 89 The Strand, Whakatane. Pricing and catalogue can be viewed in-store or online at: http://paroa.nzuniforms.com/catalog/school-uniform-1104562.htmx
Children are expected to remove any non-uniform clothing when they get to kura.
COLLECTING CHILDREN
If you collect children early from kura, they must be signed out by the accompanying adult. The end of school bell is at 03:00pm, at which they will be released from class. Children will wait inside the school grounds. If you are going to be late from collecting your child, please contact the kura.
COMPLAINTS
Please let the school know as soon as possible if you have any concerns. Do not let things fester. Make contact with the class teacher or Principal, in that order, and hopefully we can work out any problems together.
If parents wish to lodge a formal complaint, complaint forms are held in the front office. The complaint will be dealt with by the Principal. Once the complaint has been resolved, it will then be processed and remain on file.
CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
A number of our students excel in the Performing Arts. Biannually in even years, we stage our School Extravaganza, our performing arts showcase. This includes kapa haka, drama, contemporary dance and choir.
Biannually, on even years, we also enter a senior, middle school and junior kapa into our local Rangitaiki competitions. All children have the opportunity to be selected for these competitive groups.
CURRICULUM
Ngāti Awa Tangata - Ngāti Awa Tikanga - Ngāti Awa Kōrero
The foundation and uniqueness of our curriculum includes the history, waiata and practices of Ngāti Awa. The kura curriculum includes Noho Marae and visits to landmarks of significance to Ngāti Awa.
DENTAL TREATMENT
The kura is serviced by the District Health Board's mobile dental service.
DONATION
The Board of Trustees asks each whānau to make a donation to the kura each year. This donation contributes primarily towards sports subsidies and bus transport costs. The current rate requested for donations is $30 for one child, or $50 for a whānau.
DUFFY BOOKS IN HOMES
Te Kura o Te Pāroa are a Duffy School, meaning your child will receive a book each term to keep and may also receive books as rewards. Our involvement in the Duffy Books in Homes Programme shows our commitment to raising our students literacy levels.
EDUCATION OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
Throughout the year, students will have the opportunity to take part in a number of educational opportunities off the school site. In order to attend these activities, Parental/Caregiver consent is required. Costs for trips should be fully paid prior to students attending. All overnight trips require approval from the Board of Trustees.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
The kura practices emergency procedures, in particular fire and earthquake drills regularly, so that in the unlikely event of a fire or earthquake the children and staff know what to do. We would encourage whānau to work out similar emergency procedures for the entire whānau when at home.
In the case of a civil emergency, all children will follow emergency evacuation procedures as per the kura policy. All students will remain under the supervision and care of staff until such time as Parents/Caregivers arrive to collect them.
ENROLMENTS
Enrolment forms are available at the front office. Parents/Caregivers of new entrants are expected to visit the kura and meet our new entrant teaching staff to arrange two (2) pre-school visits prior to their starting date. A mihi whakatau is arranged for our new entrants and any other new students on Mondays at 09:00am. There is usually a two (2) day wait for enrolments that transfer from another school. This allows all necessary information to be gathered prior to the commencement. All new students start school on a Monday.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
The kura have groups of students involved in environmental projects in and around the kura. We encourage environmental activities to support our role as kaitiaki of Papatuānuku and often have individuals and organisations like the Department of Conservation coming to share their skills and expertise with the students in relation to caring for the environment, pest management, recycle/reuse/reduce and permaculture.
We actively recycle paper, cardboard, plastics, cans and glass. Children are expected to take their lunch rubbish home. The main reason for this is for parents to see what their children have or haven't eaten at school and also to minimise the kura rubbish.
HEALTH PROMOTING SCHOOL
Te Kura o Te Pāroa are a Bronze accredited Health Promoting School and provide a piece of fruit to all students as part of the Fruit in Schools Programme. As part of our Healthy Schools intiative, Te Kura o Te Pāroa is a fizzy free zone. Please ensure your child does not bring fizzy drinks to kura. This is especially important to remember when bringing treats like McDonalds or fish and chips. Fizzy drinks on kura property will be confiscated./
HOME LEARNING
All students receive homework 4 times a week. It may include reading, maths, spelling or the completion of tasks and research. Homework provides a link between home and kura and fosters independent work habits as well as involves parents with their childs education. We encourage all parents/caregivers to provide children with a quiet time each night for recreational reading. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your childs home learning, please contact their class teacher.
LOST PROPERTY
Lost property is placed in the library and parents are welcome to check in lost property for any lost uniform items. We have an ongoing problem with returning lost property, so to prevent accumulation of lost property and reduce any costs to whānau to replace items, we ask that you clearly name all clothing, including shoes and hats. At the end of each term, all lost property items are placed on display.
LUNCH ORDERS
A lunch order service is provided daily. Students are able to place their orders for interval and lunch between 08:20am and 08:50am at the hall foyer. As a Health Promoting School, we endeavour to provide students with healthy alternatives. Canteen menus can be obtained from the school office OR here
MOBILE PHONES
Students are discouraged from bringing mobile phones to kura or using them during the school day. If a mobile phone is found, it will be confiscated and parents/caregivers contacted. If a mobile phone is required for communicating before or after kura, please hand the phone to the class teacher to store safely.
MONEY AT KURA
All money brought to kura should be in a sealed envelope with the childs name, room number, the amount and what it is for written clearly on the outside. The envelope should be handed to the class teacher or office as necessary. A receipt will be issued to your child. Large sums of money may be sent directly to the office. Funds can also be deposited using online banking. Please contact the office if you wish to receive the school bank account and reference details.
NEWSLETTER
Every second Friday, a newsletter is sent home to all Parents/Caregivers via all students. The newsletter is a key means of communicating with Parents/Caregivers about kura events, and programmes. Our newsletters are an important feature of Te Kura o Te Pāroa and innovative input is invited.
If you wish to have our newsletter emailed, please contact the kura office or send an email request to kraureti@paroa.school.nz.
The newsletter can also be viewed on our school website www.paroa.school.nz, Skool Loop and our school FaceBook page.
OFFICE HOURS
The kura office is open between 08:00am and 03:30pm, Monday to Friday.
An appointment to see your childs teacher or the Principal may be made by contacting the kura office.
The kura accepts supervision responsibility for children from 08:00am to 03:30pm. If any changes are made to the kura hours, you will be notified by newsletter.
REPORTING
We have an extensive and formal programme of reporting to parents. An information newsletter is sent by all teachers to all parents/caregivers at the beginning of each term. This letter outlines the term's classroom programme in some details. We also undertake the following throughout the year:
TERM 1: Whakawhanaungatanga hui - meet the teacher. Hui "Taumata tiketike" - student led conferences
TERM 2: All parents receive a school report and have the opportunity to discuss student achievement over an interview with the teacher.
TERM 4: Student reports are issued. Junior Syndicate (years 1-4) also report on your childs 6 month anniversary.
Feel free to ring the school and make contact with the class teacher or Principal at any time. We welcome and encourage parental input.
SPECIALIST ART TEACHER
Our school is fortunate to have a specialist art teacher for our Y7 and Y8 students. The high quality work our students produce can be attributed to the tuition of Tony Ogilvy.
SPORTS
Throughout the year we enter teams from the following codes into local competitions: rugby, touch, basketball, swimming and netball.
Teams may also be selected to compete in the NZ AIMS games which are held annually in Tauranga.
If any parents/caregivers have time or special skills in coaching or managing teams, please do not be shy to become involved.
STAFF
Te Kura o Te Pāroa only employ the best staff. At the end of the previous year parents/caregivers are advised as to the placement of their children.
All teaching staff are expected to behave professionally and in accordance with the NZ Teachers Council Code of Ethics. The four (4) fundamental principles being:
1. AUTONOMY: to treat people with rights that are to be honoured and defended;
2. JUSTICE: to share power and prevent the abuse of power;
3. RESPONSIBLE: care to do good and minimise harm to others;
4. TRUTH: to be honest with others and self.
If you have any questions about staff, please make an appointment to see the Principal.
STATIONERY PACKS
Back to School stationery can be purchased either at school or at Office Products. During the year, stationery items are available at the school office.
SUN SMART
Te Kura o Te Pāroa is a Sun Smart school. We expect all children to wear the official school bucket hats in sunny weather during Terms 1 and 4. If a child forgets their hat, they must play under the shaded area during interval and lunch. Additionally, we ask that each student bring a water bottle. Sunscreen is available in all classrooms. Students will have the opportunity to "slop" before outdoor activities.
SWIMMING
Our school pool is open throughout Term 1. Swimming is considered an important life-skill and is taught at all age levels. All students are required to have appropriate togs (no shorts) and towel at school throughout Term 1. If your child is unable to participate due to medical reasons, please provide a note to their class teacher.
TE REO MĀORI
Kua whakatūhia he ara ako i te reo rangatira mai i te Y0 - Y8. E waru ngā akoranga rūmaki. Ko te reo rangatira, ko te reo ako, ko te reo Māori. Ko te nuinga o ngā tamariki kua noho ki raro i te maru o ngā Kōhanga Reo. Te Reo Māori me ōna Tikanga is an integral part of our school cutlure and context for learning.
VALUES
MAURI TŪ Confidence, standing tall, respect for themselves, leadership, having a positive self-image, pride, standing proud of who they are, Tū Pakari, He Whānau Kōtahi, Ko au, ko koe, ko ia, kakano
MAURI MĀTAURANGA Knowledge is KEY, Ko te mana e kai ana i te miro nona te ngahere. Ko te tangata e kai ana i te Mātauranga nōna te Ao. Mātauranga Mātaatuatanga
MAURI TANGATA Mauri Whānau, Hāpu, Iwi Kura, Ko wai koe, No hea koe, Relationships, Connections, te Ao whānui, links to the outside world.
MAURI ORA Hauora, well-being of the person, holistic approach, balanced, vibrant, ALIVE! Tihei Mauri ora, the breath of LIFE.
WEBSITE
Te Kura o Te Pāroas website www.paroa.school.nz contains useful information for tamariki, parents/caregivers and whānau. Visit our website to find details of upcoming events, copies of school pānui and class newsletters.
WORRIED OR CONCERNED
If you have any worries about your child/ren or their schooling, please talk to the teacher first. If that doesn't solve the problem, then make an appointment to see the Senior Teacher in the area of the school. We really want your child/ren to be happy and successful and will work with you to achieve that. Alternatively, please make contact with the Principal.
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