Accidents and Sick Bay

Any accidents occurring at school will be dealt with promptly and recorded in the accident register. The hurt child will be taken to the sick bay and assessed. Minor accidents and sickness will be dealt with at school. Parents will be contacted immediately if their child needs medical attention. In an emergency the child’s doctor will be contacted or the child taken to the A & E clinic at Ascot Hospital.





After School Care

An after school care programme operates at the school out of the library. Hours of operation are 3.00 – 6.00pm. During this time children are served afternoon tea and homework is supervised. Parents wishing to use this facility should contact Linda Hetherington on 021 172 1781.





Assemblies

Assemblies are an important feature of St Michael’s. It is a time to come together to share school communication, share ideas, receive awards and to be entertained by fellow students. Full school assemblies are held each Tuesday at 1.30pm in the Parish Centre. Each week a different class hosts the assembly; this is noted on the term Calendar. Parents of the hosting class are invited to attend.





Bag Hooks

Each child in the school has a named bag hook. In the Junior block this will be in their cloakroom, in the Senior block it will be in the hallway outside their classroom.





Becoming Church Programme

Children in Year 4 are invited to take part in the Becoming Church Programme, which prepares them for Reconciliation, Confirmation and First Holy Communion. This programme helps parents to prepare their children for further initiation into the church. The lessons begin at the start of each school year and finish at the Feast of Corpus Christi in June.





Bicycles

Year 5 and 6 only are permitted to ride bicycles to school. Helmets are compulsory and a parental permission form needs to be signed. Bike permission forms are available at the school office. The bike rack can be found on the asphalt adjacent to Room 9. Riding of bicycles or skateboards is not permitted on school grounds with the exception of a fund raising activity or ‘Bike Day’.





Book Week

Book Week is generally held in Term 3 of each year. During this week a variety of activities take place celebrating children’s reading, culminating in the very popular book parade.





Collecting Children from the School Grounds

When collecting your child from the school grounds please ensure you do not stand outside the classrooms and disrupt the end of day routine. This is the time when teachers need the children to be focused as they impart important information for the next day and hand out notices.





Contact Information

At the beginning of the school year a Student Information Sheet is sent home with each child to ensure the school holds accurate contact details for everyone. Please contact the school during the year if your details change. It is essential that the school be able to contact parents in the event of an illness, accident or emergency.





Daffodil Day

Each year our school supports the Cancer Foundation’s Daffodil Day Appeal. Children are asked to bring a gold coin donation and may wear yellow mufti clothes to school for the day.





Damage to School Property

Vandalism is unacceptable and parents will be notified immediately.





Dental Care

When a child starts at St Michael’s, parents are asked to complete a Dental Services Enrolment Form. Parents that wish to use this service will have their children seen by a Dental Nurse annually. A dental report is sent home following an examination with recommendations for dental work to be carried out. The work will be undertaken by Newmarket Dental Clinic, unless parents advise otherwise.





Enrolments

Children may attend school when they have reached the age of five. In New Zealand it is compulsory for children to attend school from the age of six. The Principal is available by appointment to discuss and meet enrolling families to the school. For further information on this matter please contact the school office to request an enrolment pack.





Fire/ Earthquake Drills

These drills are held on a regular basis. Evacuation drill procedures are located in the school office, staffroom and every classroom.





Grandparents Day

Grandparents Day is held each year on the Feast of the Assumption on August 15th to celebrate the important role that Grandparents play in children’s lives.





Hearing and Vision Testing

When a child starts at St Michael’s, parents are asked to complete a consent form to allow screening tests for their child’s hearing and vision. These tests are carried out by Hearing and Vision technicians for each new entrant and children that require further testing. An audiology report is sent home following an examination.





Information Evenings

A meet the teacher evening is held early in Term 1. This is a chance for parents to meet their child’s teacher and ask questions regarding curriculum. This meeting introduces school wide and syndicate information.





Internet Access and ICT

At the beginning of each year all children and staff are required to sign a Computer and Internet Use Agreement. By signing this children and staff understand and accept responsibility for the use of PC’s and the internet at school.





Junior Citizenship Award

Each year the Remuera Lions Club present a Junior Citizenship Award to a girl and boy in Year 6 from each school in Remuera. Children are chosen that best exemplify the ideals of the Code which are; honesty, friendliness and helpfulness, generosity, courtesy, respectfulness, willingness, sympathy, carefulness, determination and loyalty.





Library

Each class visits the library once a week giving the children the opportunity to change books. We urge children to be responsible for the returning of library books at all times and for parents to encourage home reading.





Lost Property

The lost property cupboards are located in the Senior block opposite the Sick Bay. Any unclaimed items of clothing, P.E uniform, lunch boxes and miscellaneous items will be placed in this cupboard. Please name all your child’s clothing and personal property to avoid loss.





Lunch Boxes

At St Michael’s we encourage healthy eating and ask that you do not send sweets and fizzy drinks to school in your child’s lunch box.





Lunch Orders

In 2009 St Michael's will be providing two different lunch order options. 'Subway' will be available on a Tuesday and fresh sushi on a Thursday. Orders must be placed by 8.50am in the box in the reception area. Your child’s name, room number and items requested must be stated clearly on the outside of an envelope, with the correct change placed inside the envelope. Copies of the Lunch order menu can be obtained from the senior noticeboard or the website under the 'Events & Notices' page





Medication

Any medication your child may need for allergies or asthma must be clearly labeled and sent to the school office.





Messages for Students

Messages for students may be left with the Secretary who will endeavour to deliver them as soon as possible.





Mission Day

In October an annual mission day is held by the students to raise monies to assist the Missions and those in need. Children may wear Mufti clothes to school on Mission Day.





Music Lessons

Music lessons are available through the Lewis Eady Music School run each Friday at St Michael’s. Group lessons are available in a range of instruments depending on numbers. For further information contact Lewis Eady on 524 4119.





Parent Help

If you are able to help in your child’s class on a regular or one off basis, please contact your child’s class teacher. Parent helpers are a hugely valuable resource in a variety of ways. Parent helpers are needed on sports days and for transporting children to out of school activities.





Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent Teacher interviews are conducted early in Term 1 and the beginning of Term 3 following Term 2 reports. Parents are allocated a 10 minute time slot for each child at the school. This is an opportunity for parents to discuss their child’s progress.





Patrol and Duty Teachers

The pedestrian crossing at the Bassett Road entrance is patrolled from 8.30am to 8.50am and 2.55pm to 3.10pm each day by the Year 6 children and supervised by a duty teacher. The parking area at the Beatrice Road entrance is supervised by a duty teacher from 2.55pm to 3.10pm each day. At 3.15pm a bell will ring, and any children not picked up from school must report to the school office for collection.





Playgrounds

There are two playgrounds at St Michael’s. The top playground is available to Year 2 children and above. The bottom playground is for children in Years 0 and 1 only. Please do not allow pre schoolers to play on the top playground unsupervised at the end of the school day.





Prohibited

The following are prohibited from the school grounds: Toys, knives, valuables, glass bottles, jewellery (refer to School Uniform) sweets (except for special occasions)





Reports

Reports are sent home twice a year at the end of Terms 2 and 4.





Road Safety and Parking

Please observe the yellow lines on Bassett and Beatrice Roads and do not park over them. Please do not use private driveways either side of the pedestrian crossing at Bassett Road for dropping off children. These rules are enforced by the school and local Police to ensure road safety for all children, and that a clear line of vision is possible either side of the pedestrian crossing.

All classes participate in Road Safety programmes run by the local Police.





School Phones

The school phone may be used in cases of emergency only. Permission is needed from the office manager before the phone is used. The school phone is not to be used to arrange after school play. Mobile phones are not permitted in the classrooms.





School Photos

Individual, class and sports team photos are taken annually in Term 3. Photo packs are then sent home for parents to place orders.





Swimming Pool

The swimming pool is available for use in Term 1 only. Senior School classes will have three swimming classes per week, and Junior School classes will have two. At no other times will the pool be available for use. Swimming caps are compulsory for every child, and are available for sale from the school office.





Release Time for Class Teachers

All teachers are entitled to 10 hours release time each term to be used for the preparation of lessons, marking, assessment and Professional Development.





Travel Consent

At the beginning of each year parents are asked to complete a travel consent form that gives permission for students to leave the school grounds for trips during that year.





Year Six

In year 6 children are entitled to extra responsibilities, activities and privileges. These are:

• Leadership Camp, held in Term 1
• House Leaders
• St Francis Friary Retreat, held in Term 2
• School Patrol
• Wet Day monitoring
• Bell duties
• Overhead Projector
• Rainbow’s End trip, held in Term 4
• Leavers Dinner, held in Term 4
• Leavers Mass, held in Term 4
• Junior Citizenship Award, presented in Term 4