General Information
Attendance
In New Zealand, attendance at school is compulsory from age 6. Please ring the office, by 9:00am (825-5815) if your child is going to be absent for the day. You also need to provide the reason why they are going to be absent. You are welcome to leave this information on the school absentee message line (ext 1). Late pupils need to report to the school office on arrival. We expect children to attend regularly to ensure that the continuity of their learning is not compromised. We will be pro-active in contacting families when we think that attendance has become an issue for their children. More than 12 days of absence is considered to be unsatisfactory attendance. If you need to have your child absent from school other than for health reasons, please inform the principal in writing.
Staff
2019 Staff
For staff photos and bios please click here.
Principal: Pip Mears
Deputy Principal: Bernard Butler
Teacher (juniors): Catherine Lynagh
Teacher (juniors): Scott Johnson
Teacher (juniors): Bernard Butler
Teacher (seniors): Bev Turilli
Teacher (seniors): Semonne Hogg
Teacher (Y7/8 technology): Carol Carlson
Classroom Release Teacher for teachers of Years 1 to 8: Carol Carlson
(Classroom Release Time is 2 days release from teaching each term for all fulltime teachers to complete administrative tasks and for professional learning time).
Office Administrator: Cheryl Circuit
Teacher Aide: Jo Wallis
Caretaker: Basil Turnbull
SWiS (Social Worker in Schools): Kiri Crombie
Board of Trustees
Kristi Daniel (chairperson)
Kath Parrott (parent rep)
Brenda Carter (parent rep)
Megan Wood (parent rep)
Angela Thompson (parent rep)
Pip Mears (principal)
Bernard Butler (staff rep)
Car Park
After school, we encourage parent/caregivers to wait until after 3:00pm before picking up their children to maximise the safe use of our car park. We do understand that sometimes families have to pick up children earlier, however, it is helpful when we all make the effort to give the buses priority until 3:00pm. The metal driveway is for staff and service vehicle use only. Children waiting to be picked up from school are expected to wait in the area by the senior classrooms and library. We ask that all children are collected no later than 3:15pm, unless a prior arrangement has been made.
Cell Phones
Cell phones and other IT devices are not permitted at school unless a special arrangement has been put in place with your child’s teacher. Children who have permission to bring a cell phone to school are required to hand it into the Office in the morning and collect it again at the end of the school day.
Communication
Newsletter: A digital newsletter informing you of school happenings and upcoming events is emailed home to parents every Thursday, during term time. This digital newsletter is also published on our website and facebook page. We encourage you to read this information each week to keep up to date with school news and happenings.
Contact Details: Please advise us promptly of any change in your contact details. It is important that our records are always kept up to date.
Student Achievement: At any time you are welcome to arrange a meeting with your child’s teacher to discuss your child’s learning progress. Sometimes you may prefer to communicate via a phone call, e-mail or in writing.
Student Phone Calls: Children will not be permitted to call home unless it is urgent or for a change of arrangements.
Te Uku School Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/teukuschool/
Cybersafety
The school’s computer network, internet access facilities, computers, along with other school ICT equipment, bring great benefits to the teaching and learning programmes and effective operation of our school. Our school has introduced rigorous cybersafety practices in place which include 'Cybersafety Use Agreements' for all staff and students. The overall goal of the school in this matter is to create and maintain a cybersafety culture which is in keeping with the values of the school, and legislative and professional requirements. The 'Cybersafety Use Agreement' includes information about your obligations, responsibilities, and the nature of possible consequences associated with cybersafety breaches which undermine the safety of the school environment. The staff does not engage in Social Networking with students.
All students will be issued with a 'Cybersafety Use Agreement' and once signed consent has been returned to school, students will be able to use the school IT equipment.
Donations
The Board of Trustees asks for a donation of $60 per child per year for the first child, $50 for the second and $40 for every child thereafter, payable in full in the first term or in part on a per term basis. This amount is used to support learning programmes. Donations are an optional payment for families that are gratefully received by the school.
Home Learning
It is our school’s belief that teaching and related learning should be emphasised on school days between 9:00AM and 2:45PM. After school, children can benefit from a ‘home learning’ programme that promotes involvement in a range of recreational and family oriented activities initiated by parents. Therefore, we do not provide a formal school-wide home learning programme. We do, however, encourage regular reading and spelling practice at home and will assist with the setting up of this. For interested families, we can suggest resources that you may like to purchase to use in a programme of your own. From time to time we will meet with families to set up specific home learning activities that help address a current learning need for their child.
If your child brings home an outline for a week’s home learning, it will be optional. It may include:
* Specific and generic tasks set by the teacher (some of which may be accessed from website).
* Student self-selected learning tasks to practice learning.
* Student self-selected learning tasks to complete.
Library
We encourage children to use the school library and to take books home to read (in their Book Bag). We also expect children and families to take responsibility for the books and ensure that they are returned to the school on or before the return date given. The school will seek payment from families for lost or damaged books.
Lost Property
Please label your child’s property clearly. All unclaimed, unnamed items will be donated to charity two to three times a year.
Lunches
Lunches may be ordered from the Office before 9:00AM. Lunches will be distributed at lunch time. The following items can be ordered: (Prices are subject to change throughout the year):
Pies - $3.00, Sausage Roll - $2.00, Cookie - $0.80, Doritos - $1.60, Chips - $1.60, Calciyum - $1.70, Just Juice - $2.50.
Wednesday is Sushi Day.
Sushi can be ordered from the office on Wednesdays before 9.00am. It is then delivered to the school from Aloha Market Place in Raglan. The following is available:
Teriyaki Chicken 12pc - $7.00, 6pc - $4.00; Avocado 12pc - $6.00, 6pc - $4.00; Tofu Musubi - $5.00; Spam Musubi - $5.00.
Medication
All medication (except inhalers) that students need to take during a school day must be sent to the office. Please ensure medicines are in their original container with full written instructions on the label. Parents/caregivers will need to complete the form "Administering Medication & Consent Form". Please notify the school if your child is allergic to bee stings or anything else.
Newsletter
Newsletters are sent home electronically every Thursday via parent/caregiver emails. You can also access the newsletter online via our school facebook page or website. Hard copies are available each week from the school office. From time to time, special newsletters are sent out with detailed information about a school event.
Payments to School
When sending cash or cheques to school, please place in a sealed envelope/sealed plastic bag clearly labelled with child’s name, amount enclosed and its purpose. If making payments by the internet, please specify what the payment is for. Our account details are as follows: Acc Name. Te Uku School Acc No. 03 1558 0009543 00.
New Enrolments
We welcome new enrolments to our school at any time during the year. Please ring the Office (8255815) to talk to or arrange a time to meet with Pip and to be shown around the school.
Recycling
We have a recycling system in place. We encourage families to use re-usable rather than disposable containers. We are continuing with our approach of asking children to take home their lunchbox waste.
Smoke Free Zone
All of Te Uku School is a smoke-free zone.
Social Worker in Schools
Social Workers (SWiS) is a service provided at Te Uku School by Family Works Northern. The aim of SWiS is to provide support to children and their families/whanau before problems at home or school become more serious and difficult to overcome. SWiS can be accessed by anyone who has an interest in the welfare of a child at the school and can be contacted via the school office or on 027-2494197.
Stationery
Please remember to get your children's stationery BEFORE the term starts on Feb 7th. We have an ONLINE option through Office Max – https://www.myschool.co.nz . Items the children require are listed on the site and you may either purchase them from an Office Max store, or order them online and have them delivered to your home. Alternatively, you may use the list and purchase the items yourself from another stationery outlet. If you are enrolling part way through the year, please discuss with your child's classroom teacher what stationary purchases will be required.
Sun Safety
Children are required to wear a sunhat for protection during all outside activities, sporting events and school trips during Terms One and Four. There is sunscreen available in classrooms for children who require it. Parents and teachers are encouraged to act as role models and wear a sunhat at school events.
Swimming
Swimming is an integral part of the Health and Physical Education Curriculum. All children should take part unless they have open cuts or school sores/impetigo, which are contagious. A written note from parents/caregivers is required to excuse your child from swimming.
Sweets, Chewing Gum and Fizzy Drinks
Please do not allow your children to bring sweets, chewing gum or fizzy drinks to school. Water is available from drinking fountains.
Toys and Skateboards
Please do not allow your children to bring toys, collectors cards and/or skateboards to school. At times, we organise a fun 'Wheels Weeks' - during this time students are allowed to bike, skate or scooter in the break times at school. When we do this, children wanting to take part will bring home a permission form for parents/caregivers to sign.
Visitors to the School
In order to help keep staff and students safe, all visitors to the school must sign in at the office before going elsewhere. Visits to classrooms are usually arranged with teachers. The visit is usually in connection with some aspect of the classroom programme.