Contents of page:

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Board of Trustees Members
Staff
Attendance
Bell Times
Bus Times
Bicycles
Class Visits
Clothing
Dental Nurse
Fitness/phys ed
Handwriting
Health
Home and school
Homework
Library
Lucky/Arrow Book Club
Lunch orders
Maori Language
Newsletters
Outdoor Education
Picking your child up after school
Parent Teacher Association
Punctuality
Reading Recovery
Reporting to parents
School reports
School Donation
School rule
School Stationery
Sickness and accidents
Smoke free policy
Speech Language Therapist
Sweets
Swimming

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Parent Teacher Association and the Staff of the School we welcome you as a parents and your child(ren) as pupils to Dargaville Primary School.

We hope that your child(ren) enjoy our school and find learning a pleasure.

If at any time you have any worries about your child(ren), please contact the school and we will try and help.

The school will endeavour to keep you informed of your child(ren)'s progress. At regular intervals the school runs various checks on your child's progress. If at any time we think it necessary to contact you after these checks then we will either telephone you or write to you.

It is expected that all children will return home after school. Most parents have common sense rules concerning where their children play and what time they return home, but it is important that children are reminded of these rules. Road rules and safety are taught to all children and we would hope that these are reinforced by everyone.

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBERS

CHAIRPERSON: Penny Smart

SECRETARY: Claudia Guthrie

HEALTH & SAFETY OFFICER: Liz Humm

STAFF REP:

PROPERTY: Darren Jones

MAORI LIAISON: Sharon Pomare

TREASURER: Kathryn de Bruin

PTA REP: Carlrine Gillespie

PRINCIPAL, STA REP:
POLICY: John Houston

MEETING: 3rd Tuesday of the Month
5.00 pm.
School Staffroom
Parents are most welcome to attend.

MINUTES: of the B.O.T. meetings are available for parents at school.

CHARTER & POLICIES
A copy of the Charter and School Policies are available at the school office.

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STAFF

PRINCIPAL John Houston

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL Melanie Chick

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

SENIOR TEACHERS Jennie Vallance
Merilyn Marsden
Janice McLean
ICT Facilitator Trish Castle

Reception Class:
This class is specifically for new entrants during approximately their first 6 weeks of school. Children are then moved on to a junior class, where they will spend the rest of the year.

Resource Teacher Learning and Behaviour
Alison Nathan

Children With Special Abilities and Reading Recovery
Joan Hartle

TEACHER AIDES
Cathy Stevens
Rosemary Hume
Lyn Nash
Lorraine Munn
Bronwyn Kelliher
Rebecca Pomare
Denise Morrison
Kathy MacDonald
Tania Phelan

ADMINSTRATION
Rosie Sanford
Louise Pocklington

LIBRARY ASSISTANT
Anita Kavalinovich

MAORI LANGUAGE
Kath Bennett-Galo

CARETAKER
Wayne Stringer

CLEANER
Carol Glover

DENTAL NURSE
Anne Guest

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ATTENDANCE
Although the law does not compel enrolment until the age of six, once the child is enrolled regular attendance is expected. Recent research has shown that in many cases of teenage delinquency, there has been evidence of a poor start in the infants due to parents not insisting on regular attendance. If your child is absent from school please phone the office 439-7255 to advise their absence.

BELL TIMES:
Punctuality is required. Please have your child/ren here on time ready to start regular programmes.
8.50am Class programme begins
10.30am Play
10.50am Mid morning till lunch
12.35pm Lunch
1.25pm Afternoon class begins
2.55pm Pack up
3.00pm Home Bell

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BUS TIMES
Dargaville Primary School is controller of the Baylys Beach bus. All other buses are controlled by Ritches (ph 4394902). Should you have any enquires regarding buses please approach the appropriate controller. Baylys Beach bus transport DPS and St Josephs children only, and travels directly from DPS to the Coast. All other routes leave from the High School with children from our school being conveyed there by a feeder service which picks children up at DPS between 3.05 and 3.15 in the afternoon.
For the safety of everyone it is important that all children listen to the bus drivers. If children are not going home by bus on any day the duty teacher/bus monitor must be informed. Only regular students are eligible to travel on buses.

BICYCLES
Safety helmets for children with bicycles are required by law for children who ride bikes to school.

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CLASS VISITS
Occasionally a visit outside the school is made as part of the current classroom topic. The main object is to extend the child's learning experience in language, social studies, science and health. Adequate supervision is arranged before any such trip. Parent help is appreciated when called for.
If transport to an event is required then every child must be restrained by their own diagonal seat belt. Lap-belts are NOT suitable where vehicles will reach Open Road speeds. All vehicles must be registered, and have a current WOF, and all drivers should have a full current driver’s licence.
Parents should familiarise themselves with the school policies on Education Outside The Classroom, a copy of which is available from the office.

CLOTHING
We have a lost property box in the cleaners room. All clothing should be named. From time to time the clothing will be displayed and clothing not claimed will be sent to a charitable institute.

DENTAL NURSE
The Dental Team attend clinics at our school approx twice a year. If you have problems with your child’s teeth, phone the school to find out where their current clinic is.

FITNESS/PHYS ED
This is taken daily by all classes. Children should be suitably dressed for this. If your child at any time is unable to take part in fitness or Phys Ed a note to the teacher is required.

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HEALTH
Children's health of course, is important, and parents are generally well informed about this. Sometimes, however, they don't realise that a good night's sleep better equips a child for school the next day. Tired children switch off and they cannot put effort into their tasks.

It is important that we are notified of any disorder, allergies, e.g stings and of necessary procedures to be followed.

All children are tested for sight and hearing defects within the first two years of school, by North Health, who notifies parents in writing of any mild or serious defects.

A Public Health Nurse is on call through the school for assistance where children have health problems associated with the school situation. Parents may contact the Nurse direct by ringing 439-8163 but the Nurse will initiate calls for parents of new entrants and the school may call in the Public Health Nurse for specific problems.

HOME AND SCHOOL
We believe that the early school years are ones in which basic patterns of learning are laid. Good patterns depend on good attitudes to learning. Take an interest in your child's school life. Talk, listen, read to your child to develop his/her reading readiness. When he/she brings home books please show an interest.

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HOMEWORK
From time to time your child may have homework. This may be spelling, mathematics, written language, research, or a book to be read, or for you to read to your children. It is important that all reading books are returned to school promptly.

LIBRARY
Children are allowed to take books home from the school library, which has a large stock of books available for all age groups. Care of school books is essential if we are to maintain this high standard. Parents will be charged for damaged or lost books.

LUCKY/ARROW BOOK CLUB
Catalogues are sent home twice a term for parents who wish to purchase any of these high interest paper backs. The main purpose is for the child to enjoy his/her very own book, thus motivating him/her to read.

LUNCH ORDERS
Empire Luncheonette are catering lunches this year. These are available on Monday’s each week. Orders will be taken between 8.30 and 9.00. Orders are taken in the Hall for all children. If there is a long weekend holiday then lunches can be ordered the first day back.

MAORI LANGUAGE
The Maori Language programme runs throughout the school on a daily basis.

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NEWSLETTERS
These are sent home regularly to keep you informed of the various school activities.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION
This school has an outdoor education programme. This involves some over night camps and other trips. Parents should familiarise themselves with the school policy on Education Outside The Classroom, a copy of which is available from the office.

PICKING YOUR CHILD UP AFTER SCHOOL
If parents pick up their children from school strict observation of traffic and safety rules must be observed.
Please do not call little children across the busy road while sitting in your car. Although no child at this school has been killed on controlled crossings many near misses have been recorded nearby. These occurred on wet days when parents, some of them double parked, called their children across the road.

If it is desperately urgent for your child to reach the car, please lead him/her across the road yourself.

Our traffic wardens, trained by Traffic Officers, allow children to cross only when there is no moving traffic.

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PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION
The P.T.A meets regularly at school and is involved in fund raising, school activities and the welfare of our children.
PTA PRESIDENT: Paula Powell
SECRETARY: Carlrine Gillespie
TREASURER: Sharon Leabourne

PUNCTUALITY
Children are required to be at school in time to commence the days programme when the bell goes at 8.50am.

READING RECOVERY
We provide a Reading Recovery programme. This is a second wave of instruction in reading and writing for 6 year olds. It is delivered by specially trained teachers. The most needy children enter this national early intervention programme. They receive intensive, daily, individual help with reading and writing. Most of those who find it difficult can be helped to learn to operate in the same way and reach the same levels of independence as proficient readers.

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REPORTING TO PARENTS
Parents are invited to the school at least twice a year to discuss their children's progress with classroom teachers.
Open afternoons, sports days, class excursions are all further opportunities to see the children in a working environment.
At any other time parents may ring the Office for an appointment to see the teacher. Please do not hesitate to contact the teacher on any matter of concern.
Written reports are issued at the end of each year.

SCHOOL FEES
School fees are set at $35.00 per year per student. This allows for the purchase and maintenance of equipment not able to be provided under the Ministry funding allocation. It also pays for the paper used by each child when they are using photocopied sheets (not covered on the Booklist) for class work or music sheets.

SCHOOL RULE
Self discipline. "Is my behaviour sensible? Will it hurt anyone?"

SCHOOL STATIONERY
Exercise books and school stationery may be purchased through the office. Class lists of stationery requirements is sent home each year and parents return this with the money for the items required.

SICKNESS AND ACCIDENTS
Are attended to by staff members. If a child is not well enough to continue school programmes the parents will be notified by phone and asked to collect the child. Accident cases in need of further attention will be taken to the medical Centre and parents will be notified.
Please keep your current addresses and telephone numbers up to date and notify the school of any changes.

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SMOKE FREE POLICY
The Board has instituted a Smoke Free policy for the school. Please respect this and do not smoke within the school grounds or buildings.

SPEECH LANGUAGE THERAPIST
The school is served by a part-time speech language therapist, early intervention teacher (who works with pre school children) and has available, by appointment, a special needs adviser.

SWEETS
Fizzy drinks, chewing gum, bubble gum and other forms of sweets are prohibited at school.

SWIMMING
We have our own swimming pool. Swimming lessons and water safety are taken by all Junior and Standard 2 classes from November to March. S3 and 4 children use the town pool. All children must wear swimming caps.
Health and Safety issues regarding to the new NZ Pool Water Quality Standards state that if your child has had diarrhea
recently they are unable to swim for a period of 2 weeks. You will need to advise their teacher of the office if they have been affected by this illness.
School sores: children are unable to swim until these have completely healed.

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