Tātai ki te Rangi Parent / Family / Whanau Handbook 2017 ‘Inspiring Future Stars’ Page 1 ‘Inspiring Future Stars’ Page 2 ‘Inspiring Future Stars’ Page 3 CONTENTS CONTENTS..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 OUR SCHOOL ................................................................................................................................................................ 5 GENERAL ....................................................................................................................................................................... 5 SCHOOL ORGANISATION .............................................................................................................................................. 6 ENROLMENTS ............................................................................................................................................................... 6 ABOUT KHANDALLAH SCHOOL ..................................................................................................................................... 7 BOARD OF TRUSTEES .................................................................................................................................................... 7 LEARNING PROGRAMMES ............................................................................................................................................ 8 SCHOOL OPERATION................................................................................................................................................... 10 HEALTH AND SAFETY A - Z .......................................................................................................................................... 15 Kauri planted in 1940 to commemorate the centenary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. ‘Inspiring Future Stars’ Page 4 OUR SCHOOL Our Vision: Inspiring Future Stars Future Stars are: Ready for the future, inspired, prepared, confident and resilient. Good citizens, valuing community, respecting other people, cultures and the environment. Whakatauki: Tātai ki te Rangi (Reach for the Stars). Our Mission: To work together to inspire and nurture learning. Our Values and Beliefs At Khandallah school we strive to inspire and engage all learners. We value creativity in all our learning. We encourage collaboration between teachers, students, and other interested people. We believe in a flexible curriculum which encourages differentiated learning. We want to have a caring school culture which helps build resiliency. We believe in the value of individual agency and personal ownership of learning. We value the multi-cultural nature of our school and the special place of Tikanga Maori and te Reo Maori. We believe in ecological sustainability and particularly the special environment in and around our school. Aligned with these are the values of the Khandallah School Whanau Support Group: Manaakitanga (aroha, hospitality, generosity, respect), Rangatiratanga (self-determination), Whanaungatanga (valuing the dynamics of the family), Kotahitanga (unity), Kaitiakitanga (guardianship), Mana Whenua (recognition of Tangata Whenua as Kaitiaki). GENERAL Khandallah School caters for children from New Entrants to Year 6. The school facilities now include 18 teaching spaces, Hall, Library, covered heated swimming pool, playgrounds and fields. Our school is not zoned. Most children from our school go on to Raroa Normal Intermediate School. ‘Inspiring Future Stars’ Page 5 To facilitate planning for optimum learning the school is divided into a Junior Syndicate made up of Team Kowhai (Years 0/1/2), Team Matai (Years 2/3) and a Senior Syndicate made Team Kauri (Year 4) and Team Rimu (Year 5/6). The school caters for 380 – 450 students. Our staff include Teachers, Principal, Deputy Principal, Asisitant Principal, Executive Officer and Support Staff (Office Administration, Librarian, Caretaker and Teachers Aides). SCHOOL ORGANISATION SCHOOL YEAR The school year is divided into four school terms, generally 10 weeks long. There are minor variations in dates of holidays and terms from year to year. Students will have access to their classroom from 8.30am. There are no staff surpervising children before 8.30am so we ask that they do not arrive at school before then. SCHOOL HOURS Junior School Timetable Senior School Timetable 08.55am School day begins 8.55am School day begins 10.10am Morning Interval 10.30am Morning Interval 10.30am Morning Interval ends 10.55am Morning Interval ends 11.40pm Lunch Hour begins 12.30pm Lunch Hour begins 12.20pm Lunch Hour ends 1.25pm Lunch Hour ends 1.30pm Afternoon Break begins 2.55pm School Day ends 1.50pm Afternoon Break ends 02.55pm School day ends SCHOOL TERM DATES 2017 Term 1 Tuesday 7 February – Thursday 13 April (Easter Friday 14 April to Monday 17 April) Term 2 Monday 1 May – Friday 7 July Term 3 Monday 24 July – Friday 29 September Term 4 Monday 9 October – Wednesday 20 December It is important for children to be at school before the first bell at 8.55am to prepare for the day and talk with their teacher and fellow classmates. ENROLMENTS NEW ENTRANT CHILDREN Legislation permits children to enrol and attend school from their fifth birthday. Enrolment and attendance is compulsory from the age of 6 years. Once children are enrolled at school, parents are required by law to send them to school every day unless there is a justifiable reason not to do so (for example genuine illness). ‘Inspiring Future Stars’ Page 6 There is certain information required to enrol each child; Birth Certificate, child's full name, parents’ initials, address, telephone number for home and place of work, alternative phone numbers for emergencies, medical information, inoculation history, medications, allergies etc., custody arrangements and permission to contact Doctor if parents cannot readily be contacted in an emergency. Families from overseas will require passports showing entry criteria into New Zealand. Tranistion to school can be unsettling. It is not uncommon for students tBefore children can begin to learn, they must feel comfortable in their new surroundings. Any information which you can give us to assist in this settling in period is appreciated. Parents and children coming from outside New Zealand may find distinct differences between the education systems operating in their country and New Zealand. We will place your child with their peer group. New Zealand teachers teach to children’s needs and strengths within the appropriate class level for their age. Please do not hesitate to discuss any matters which may concern you at any time. SCHOOL VISITS Familiarity with the school environment makes it easier for children to settle. Prior to your child starting school you will receive an email regarding school visits. We recommend that your child has two visits and that you pack morning tea for your child. Please ring the office to confirm that you will be coming for a school visit. We look forward to this next step on your child’s learning journey and welcome you in partnership at Khandallah School. ABOUT KHANDALLAH SCHOOL Khandallah means camp or resting place of God. The name is said to come from a homestead built in 1884 by Captain James Andrew who had recently returned from duty in India. Khandallah is named after Khandela Rajasthan. For this reason the suburb and those surrounding it have many place names connected with the Indian Subcontinent. However, Edward Battersbee, who lived in Khandallah 20 years earlier than Andrew, had worked for the East India Company making him the more likely originator of our suburb’s name. The school opened in 1893 in a small public hall at the bottom of what is now Simla Crescent. The present site was first occupied in April 1894 when 40 children attended. There was one large room divided by a folding partition to separate the Junior School from the Senior School. The first building and subsequent buildings were destroyed by fire in December 1972. The oldest building on site is the Junior block which was built in 1940. BOARD OF TRUSTEES The Board of Trustees is responsible for the Governance of the school. Its functions include: . ensuring enhanced student achievement remains the focus for all decisions . establishing the purpose of the school as set out in the charter . allocating money and resources enabling the staff to implement the charter goals, strategic plan, objectives and procedures . employing Principal and staff ‘Inspiring Future Stars’ Page 7 . establishing the school’s identity in the community and ensuring that consultation takes place . reporting to both the government and the school community. Our Board of Trustees comprises of 5 parent representatives the school Principal and a staff representative, elected on a 3 year cycle the school. Meetings dates are advertised on the school calendar and are held in the school staffroom. These are open to the community and everyone is welcome to observe at the meetings. BOARD OF TRUSTEE MEMBERS Chair: Esther Praill Principal: Louise Green Parent Shaun Twaddle Representatives: Anthony Rachel Winter Tanya Dunlop Staff Representative: Sarah Parkes A Finance Committee, and Property Committee and Community Relations Committee support the Board. LEARNING PROGRAMMES INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICT) Learning supported by and facilitated through ICT, has considerable potential to support teaching approaches. It