Grey Lynn School

When should I introduce my child to school?

Children may start school on their 5th birthday. Pre-entry visits are recommended for all Year 0 children. Visits assist children in developing a sense of belonging and happen over a period of four weeks, one visit per week before their starting date. Times and dates are arranged through the office.

Do I need to enrol my child at Grey Lynn?

Enrolment at Grey Lynn School is governed by an enrolment scheme approved by the Ministry of Education. The enrolment scheme details our home zone. All students who live within the home zone are entitled to attend Grey Lynn School.

We recommend that in the year your child turns 4, that you call at the school to complete an enrolment form. We will provide you with an information pack and further enrolment details.

We highly recommend our school for your child and offer parents a guided tour of our facilities. It is important for you to be sure that this school is the best fit for your child. You know your child best and schools have “personalities.” The only way you will know that our school is the best option for your child is by visiting other schools.

We live outside of the home zone and want our children to go to Grey Lynn School?

You can still pre enrol your child at Grey Lynn School.

Each year the Board of Trustee's will determine the number of places likely to be available in the following year for enrolment of students who live outside the home zone.

Applications for enrolment will be processed in the following order of priority:

First Priority:	To applicants enrolling in a Special Programme approved by the Secretary of Education. (Grey Lynn School does not run such a programme).
Second Priority:	To applicants who are siblings of current students
Third Priority:	To applicants who are siblings of former students
Fourth Priority:	To applications who are children of Board employees
Fifth Priority:	To all other applicants

If there are more applicants in the second, third, fourth, or fifth priority groups than there are places available, selection within the priority group will be by a ballot conducted in accordance with instructions issued by the Secretary of Education unders Section 11G (1) of the Education Act 1989.

Who do I inform if my child is going to be absent from school?

Please phone the school office on 09 376 3255 before 9.15am to inform us if your child is absent from school for any reason. If pupils arrive at school late, we ask that they check in at the school office before making their way to class.

What if my child is sick?

It is not suitable for a child who is unwell to be at school. If you have doubts about your child’s health you should keep them home for the day. If they are unwell at school we will hold them in the sick bay and contact the parents. Should a child be absent from school due to illness please ring the school and leave a message as per the instructions.

What if my child has an accident at school?

The school maintains a Medical Room to provide First Aid treatment. There are staff trained in first aid and they deal with any accident or illness. In the event of serious accident or illness, parents/caregivers will be called and if necessary the child will be taken to the doctor or to hospital. Parents of students requiring medication must check at the office so that appropriate authorisation and arrangements can be made.

Is there a health nurse?

Our school Public Health Nurse is Ann Hays. She visits our school on a Tuesday to follow up any parent or teacher concerns. If you have any concerns about the health of your child at school you may contact Ann on 09 639 0200.

When can I drop my child at school in the morning?

You are welcome to drop your child from 8:30am. Classrooms are unlocked at this time and Children are supervised in their classrooms. We do ask that children are ready to start the school day at 9am.

What if I need to pick up my child early from school?

Parents who wish to collect their children during the school day are asked to report to the office first and sign their child out before removing them from class.

What if my plans change in the day and I cannot pick up my child, but have arranged for someone else too, do I need to inform the school?

Yes for your child’s safety and the safety of the school please inform the office if someone other than your immediate family is picking your child up.

How often are assemblies held and can parents come?

Parents are more than welcome to attend our fornightly assemblies at St Columba Church Hall, Tuesdays at 9:30.

Do classes go on school trips?

Throughout the year classes will organise trips to places that enhance the programme of their classroom. These activities are important to your child’s education but have a cost associated with them. Since we ask parents to pay for these events, we make a point of restricting the number that occur during each term. If you have any difficulty in meeting the expense of a particular event, please contact the school office or discuss the matter with the class teacher.

I would like to be a parent helper, what do I need to do? Do I need training?

Parent help is welcome, especially for trips, sport, cultural activities and in the classrooms. Please contact teachers if you would like to offer your services. For some programmes that the school requires volunteers for we will provide training, otherwise you need to follow the directions of the classroom teacher.

Why does the school require donations? When do I need to pay it?

Every year all New Zealand schools seek financial support from their respective communities, to supplement the Ministry of Education’s funding. This is a voluntary payment and a receipt is issued to allow for a tax rebate. This support has a vital role in terms of enhancing the quality of education our children receive. The suggested donation structure is $250 for 1 child, $375 for 2 or more children.

Payment is flexible; please talk to the office staff for more assistance.

Where do I buy my child’s stationery?

The school office will arrange your child’s entire stationery needs for you.

Is there a hat policy at Grey Lynn?

Yes, it is compulsory for health and safety reasons for children to wear hats outside during Terms 1 & 4. Grey Lynn School hats can be purchased at the office for $10.00.

When is the dental clinic open?

The dental clinic operates all year providing free dental service. The Dental Nurse is shared between us and other schools in the area. For appointments the telephone number is 09 376 2675.

When is the Swimming Pool in use?

The pool is used for swimming instruction and lunchtime recreational swimming during Terms 1&4. Swimming is a compulsory curriculum activity and children require their swimming gear each day. Please provide a suitable bag.

There are two playgrounds. Which children are allowed on which playground?

The Junior Playground situated by the library by the upper quad. This playground is for the Junior children, Year 1 & 2. The senior Playground is on the far side of the field. This playground is for Year 3-6.

Is there equipment (balls, skipping ropes etc) available for kids to use at lunchtime?

Yes. When children are not on the playground they can obtain sports gear from their classroom.

Are there any items that children should not take to school?

For the general safety of our pupils we request the following items are not brought to school: Glass containers, sweets, gum, jewellery, expensive toys, money, walkmans, mobile phones and matches.

Where is the lost property located?

All lost property is kept in the cloakroom by Room 6 and Room 12. Items not collected by the end of each term are placed in the clothing bin at the big gate on Surrey Crescent or recycled to use in our sick bay. Please try to ensure that all clothing and other items are named.

When is the Road Patrol on duty?

School pupils are on crossing duty from 8.30 to 9.55am and 2.55pm to 3.10pm with either a teacher or parent supervising.

Is there parking for parents at the school?

Parking is available on the streets around the school. For safety we ask that you keep out of the staff carpark and off the yellow lines.

What is the role of the Board of Trustees?

The Board of Trustees is the governing body of our school. They set the strategic direction in consultation with its community and provide and review school policies.

How often does the Board of Trustees meet and can I attend the meetings?

The Board of Trustees meets in the last Monday of every month at 7pm in the staffroom. This is a public meeting so anyone from the community can attend. Minutes are available in the office for public record and can be viewed during office hours.

Who are the Friends of Grey Lynn and how do I join them?

They are an enthusiastic group of parents who lead a programme of parent support for the school. They are the equivalent of the “PTA”. They are involved in such activities as fundraising, social gatherings and supporting educational programmes. New parent participation is welcomed. They meet the last Monday in every month, in the staff room at 7.00pm. Contact the school office or the Chairperson for more details.

If I have concerns about my child’s progress when is the best time to talk with the teacher?

We encourage parents/caregivers to contact the school if they are concerned about their child’s progress and wish to discuss matters with the teacher. An interview time should be arranged either directly with the teacher or through the school office.

How does the school report to parents on their child’s progress?

The school regularly reports to parents on their children’s progress and achievements. This is done formally through parent interviews during term 2. A formal report is written and given to parents at the end of term 4.

How much homework should my child be doing in the evening?

All children are encouraged to be involved in regular reading activities at home using books from school, home or the local library. Home reading is for practice and enjoyment rather than instruction. School readers go home each night except Friday. Homework for Year 1-6 would generally be related to their reading programme. In addition to this, children in Years 3 – 6 may be required to do a variety of tasks that could involve basic skill practice (e.g. spelling, grammar, basic number facts, word study, etc.). Children are asked to work hard at school and homework should not be onerous.

Is there after school care at Grey Lynn?

Yes. SKIDS (Safe Kids in Daily Supervision) operate an after school care programme at Grey Lynn School. If you are interested in the SKIDS proramme for your child you can contact Lusi Atiga at her office: Ph 021 753359

Does my child have access to the Internet at School?

Learning and administration functions at Grey Lynn School are supported by a networked computer system. All classrooms have access to the Internet and email facilities.

We have clear policies and agreements for students and their parents to sign and ensure acceptable safe use of school computer and facilities at school. These are sent home to all students and any new students joining the school. The acceptable use agreement must be signed by the children and their parents before they are given supervised access to school computers.

Are there after school activities that students can enrol in?

Yes, Please phone the School office on 09 376 3255 to find out more information on what activities are available and for enrolment details.

ACCEPTABLE INTERNET USE - PROCEDURES & STAFF AGREEMENT

Use of the Internet facilities at Grey Lynn School by staff or students is at all times solely for educational purposes. This includes personal use and use for professional development of staff. Staff need to be aware that any incident involving material which is deemed “objectionable” under the Films, Videos and Publications Act 1993 could constitute criminal misconduct necessitating police action. As well, involvement with any material which while not illegal under the Act, is nonetheless detrimental to the safety of the school environment, may constitute professional misconduct serious enough to require disciplinary response by the school.

POLICY STATEMENT

It is the expectation of the Board of Trustees that all students will use the internet and email as part of their learning so that they have up to date accurate knowledge; they learn how to verify information and using inquiry learning methods, they learn to assess what and how much information they need, to carry out the directed learning experience. It is policy that before use of the internet and email facilities, that all children and parents agree to the school’s acceptable use guidelines and that all parents will be asked to provide permission for children’s work, photographs and names to be used on the school web site.

We need to keep our children safe when using the school’s computers. Please read the following rules and sign and return to your child’s teacher for filing.

A. STAFF USE

All staff wishing to access the Internet on school facilities will be provided with an individual Login User Name and Password, and a password to connect to the WWW. This password is to safeguard you and the school from the accidental use or abuse of the WWW by children. This needs to be kept confidential and not shared with anyone else; any illegal and/or inappropriate use of the Grey Lynn computer facilities will be able to be traced to the perpetrator by means of this login information.
Staff will be provided with individual Internet e-mail accounts.
Websites can be placed on the school web pages (home pages for the browsers) to provide quick access to particular sites.
If a staff member ever wishes his/her own child to make use of the school Internet facilities, the same regulations apply as itemised below for student use. In particular, note that the parent must be present at all times.
Staff are able to access email from home using the school website and personal passwords.
The placing of information on the school website must first be approved by the principal.
The school reserves the right to examine or delete any files that may be held on its computer system or to monitor any Internet sites visited.
Internet activity should be appropriate to staff professional activity or the students’ education. Reasonable personal use for recreation, pursuing an interest or furthering one’s education is permitted.
Use for personal financial gain, gambling, political purposes or advertising is forbidden.
Copyright of materials must be respected.
Posing anonymous messages and forwarding chain letters is forbidden.
Use of the network to access inappropriate materials such as pornographic, racist or offensive material is forbidden.
Suitable sites to support classroom programmes will be book-marked and previewed by staff prior to student use.
Student emails are to be checked by staff members prior to sending.

B. STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN USING THE COMPUTER FACILITIES WITH STUDENTS

Student Internet access is currently restricted to educational sites only, unless prior permission is obtained from the school’ s Internet Safety Officer (Karen Parr). Internet use must be planned for in units of work.
Before ANY student can make use of the Internet:-

· A Grey Lynn School Internet Permission Form (obtainable from the Office) must be filled in and signed by both student and caregivers.

· This form should be returned to the school office where it is processed and recorded on Pupil Files.

· As this permission form needs to be completed only once, the office staff will on request print off a class list for staff so that it is clear which students do not have permission to use the Internet.

· UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES may a staff member permit a student to use the Internet unless that staff member has sighted official proof that the school has care-giver permission on record.

· It is the staff member’ s responsibility to ensure that this condition is met.

· Classroom teacher must ensure that rules for responsible internet use are displayed above their class computer.

· Teachers record any inappropriate site visited in a school record book held in the office.

3. Staff may supervise student use of the Internet only if confident they have basic Internet Safety skills.

Only one Window is to be used with the Browser at any one time.
The staff member must be in the room, remain there and actively supervise while the students are using the Internet. No students may be sent to a computer room unsupervised to use the Internet, in or out of class time.
Students should be regularly reminded that they have signed an agreement restricting use of the school Internet facilities to educational purposes only, and that there are severe penalties (including possible involvement of the Police) for breaking this agreement.
Students need to be directed to places on the net, rather than permitted to surf. The teacher will need to have gained experience using the net before letting students use it.
Students may access the Internet only during a staff supervised activity; this will usually occur in class time.
Inappropriate use of the Internet by a student must be reported immediately to the Principal or Internet Safety Officer. If the ISO is absent, then another senior member of staff should be notified.

C. SCHOOL WEB SITE

This will be an on-going project. A number of important reasons exist for having a web site, including providing information about the school and publishing student work. See the principal for further information.

D. MONITORING

Staff and students need to be aware that with the current systems set up to access the Internet, a record is kept of which sites are visited, how often and from which terminal.
Filtering software will be deployed where appropriate to restrict access to certain sites.
If deemed necessary, auditing of the school computer system could include all aspects of its use e.g. personal network storage folders and Group-wise e-mail.

E. SECURITY

Security and anti-virus software will be regularly up-dated.

F. STAFF INTERNET-USE AGREEMENT

Please fill in and sign below regarding Student Safety, Professional Development, and your agreement to the school’ s Policy and return it to the Principal to be filled in Personal Files.

The present ISO is: Otalani Meleisea

GREY LYNN SCHOOL STAFF INTERNET-USE AGREEMENT

Student Safety (tick one)

I have the appropriate knowledge to safely supervise student Internet use.

I need training in basic Internet Safety issues before I supervise student Internet use.

Staff Professional Development (tick one)

No professional development on Internet use is required at present.

I would like additional training in Internet use.

I have read and understood the attached Internet-use Procedures as they apply to Internet use by staff, and by students under the direction of staff.

Name:

Date: Signature: