Sunnynook Primary School

INFORMATION BOOKLET

SUNNYNOOK PRIMARY SCHOOL

LYFORD CRESCENT, TAKAPUNA NORTH, AUCKLAND 1310

Telephone:	Office: +64-9-410 6534
Facsimile:	Office: +64-9-410 4052
Email:	[email protected]
Answer Phone:	Office: +64-9-410 4052
	Dental Clinic: +64-9-410 0306

FOREWORD

This booklet is designed to be helpful to parents, especially those who are new to our area. It should be kept in a convenient place for quick reference and we suggest that you keep other information sent home by the school with it. For example, lunchroom menu, and prices, newsletters or Parent Teacher Association information.

We believe that it will help to bring about a better appreciation of the school which serves our community and the district in which we live.

WELCOME TO SUNNYNOOK SCHOOL

On behalf of the teachers, I would like to welcome newcomers to our district and to our school.

I am sure we would all agree that we are fortunate with the delightful setting of Sunnynook School which was opened in 1968.

Your student/s are especially welcome and we hope that their stay with us will be a profitable one, both educationally and socially. We have few rules, but we expect our students to adhere to the ones we do have.

If you are concerned about any aspect of your students development, please telephone the school to make an appointment to discuss the matter with us.

B.R. Rogers

M.A. Dip Tchg

PRINCIPAL

At Sunnynook School an Absence Answer Phone (410-4052) has been installed. The number appears on the front cover of this book and on every newsletter that comes from the school. It is vital that if for any reason your child is absent from school, or going to be late, (and you can’t tell the teacher by note, in person or by phone), that you call in on this number to let us know. Student safety is paramount in our minds and this system works well when parents use it.

If any student is unaccounted for, we implement systems in an attempt to find out where the missing student is. It is vital that all parents use the system on a regular basis.

Irregular attendance is one of the major causes of learning difficulties in students. Home and school need to work together to ensure that each student attends school as often as possible. Please send a note on every occasion that your child has been away. If a prolonged absence is expected, please phone the school. A note however is still needed on the student’s return. Parents need to be firm in this matter to ensure that students come to school when they are well and also that they stay at home when they are ill to avoid infecting other students. If your child doesn’t want to come to school, it may mean that he/she is unhappy about something in which case, do come and talk to us.

Only those students in Years 5 - 6 living more than one kilometre from school, who pass a COMPREHENSIVE ROAD SAFETY TEST taken by the Police Education Officer and have a road worthy bike, will be permitted to ride their bicycles to school.

Students passing all the tests, will be issued with a bicycle licence. This licence can be withdrawn if dangerous riding practices are observed. HELMETS ARE COMPULSORY. Parents need to check that students are using their bikes sensibly when travelling to and from school and that the bikes are kept in a safe condition.

Every 3 years a Board of Trustees is elected and is responsible for the overall governance of the school. The Board comprises seven (7) members - five (5) elected from parents, by parents, one (1) teacher representative, elected by teachers, plus the Principal who is automatically a member. Additional members may be co-opted onto the Board.

The Board meets on a regular basis, every second Monday of the month in the school staff room at 7.30pm. Parents are entitled and welcome to attend these meetings.

A Book Club is operated at the school through Scholastic Books. This provides an opportunity for parents to purchase reasonably priced paperbacks for their students about four to five times a year.

School crossing rosters are organised by a parent coordinator for Sunnynook Road and Tonkin Drive crossings. These are vital for the safety of our students. Helpers are always required and are recruited through school notices. The crossings are shown on the map in the back of this booklet.

Students need to wear clothing that is at least of a reasonable standard and is appropriate for the activities they undertake both inside and outside the classroom. FOOTWEAR SHOULD BE WORN ON ALL SCHOOL TRIPS.

The Department of Health operates a Dental Clinic in the school grounds and parents are advised to enrol their children when they turn two and a half years old.

The Dental Therapist is at the school for about 1/3 of the year and can be contacted on 410-0306 at the clinic.

Each year the Board of Trustees set the fee for each student attending the school. These fees are vital to create a better learning environment for all students. Where there are cases of genuine hardship, parents should approach the Principal. (See also Fundraising, page 6).

Students may not start school before turning five (5) and a birth certificate, passport or Plunket book needs to be produced on enrolment.

Please allow at least quarter of an hour to enable you to meet the Principal and your child’s teacher.

Parents of four (4) year olds are invited to meetings at the school to meet the Principal, Assistant Principal (and teacher) and ask any questions they may have.

Most students from the local state and private kindergartens have a series of visits to the school before they turn five (5).

There is traditionally a big gap between what the Ministry of Education provides for the school to deliver a very basic level of education in a mediocre environment and the much higher levels required by teachers and parents. This gap is bridged by fundraising, organised by the Parent Teacher Association, which includes the school fees and initiatives such as “Athons” (spellathons etc), garage sales, social events, sausage sizzles, stalls and fairs.

Students are encouraged to wear a suitable sunhat when outside during the summer months.

Homework could well consist of revision or practice exercises in mathematics, (particularly learning basic facts and number combinations), spelling and handwriting as well as the completion of unfinished work.

Many students are willing to complete assignments, continue individual research in many areas, or even originate some line of study of particular interest to the student. Daily reading at home for pleasure is recommended for all students.

Every care is taken to minimise the possibility of accidents occurring to students during their daily attendance at school. Minor injuries and sickness are treated in the Medical Room.

Parents may need to be advised of a student’s injury or illness. Collection of the student from school needs to be as soon as possible after notification, as the school does not have the staff nor the facilities to care for sick or injured students for long periods of time.

Sometimes it may be necessary for students to bring medicines to school. These should be given to the teacher accompanied by a note and the medicines clearly marked with the student’s name, room number and dosage rate. Medicines must NOT be kept in desks or bags.

It is always our aim at school to provide as far as possible for the individual needs of students. Normally this is done within the classroom, but sometimes it is more appropriate to withdraw children for individual or group tuition. Staff/student ratios will ultimately determine the types and duration of programmes to be offered.

Sunnynook School has students from New Entrants to Year 6. Most Year 7 and 8 students in the area attend Wairau Intermediate School in Becroft Drive.

In the last term of their Year Four year, the students are taken for an induction afternoon at the Intermediate and attend major theatrical productions. There are also opportunities for parents to visit the Intermediate School on Orientation Day.

We have a fully computerised and well resourced library. All classes have regular periods at the library and students are able to withdraw books. All students are encouraged to feel welcome at any time. Please ensure that books are returned promptly and that they are well cared for. There will be an appropriate charge for students who lose books during the term.

The Lunchroom Convenor/s arrange a roster of parents so that lunches can be prepared and sold to the students each day. A menu showing prices is available from the office. A copy is also sent home with each student at the beginning of the year and an update sent out if and when the menu changes. Additional helpers as required, are recruited through the School Newsletters.

The school does not accept responsibility for the loss of student’s clothing and/or articles left at school, but it does take appropriate measures to minimise the problem. Most trouble occurs because personal property is NOT CLEARLY NAMED. It is essential that ALL articles of clothing, stationery and other personal effects are clearly named.

School Newsletters are sent home to parents about every two to three weeks, keeping them informed about current and forthcoming school events and on the direction and purpose of the school. A file containing previous newsletters is kept in the foyer and parents are welcome to peruse this.

Parents or organisations who wish to have items included in the newsletters should contact the Principal. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA), send home newsletters on specific topics.

We value and appreciate the much needed assistance parents offer to the school. Requests for parent helpers are made through the school notices.

A meet the teacher evening for junior and senior school syndicates is held in mid March. Parent teacher interviews are held towards the end of Term 2 and parents are provided with the opportunity to meet with the teacher to discuss their child’s progress. Written reports are sent home in mid June and at the end of the year. Either the parent or the teacher may initiate other interviews at times that they consider appropriate. It is often found that keeping in touch informally can be very productive.

Class photos and some sports photos are taken each year. Individual student photos are taken every other year.

The PTA comprises a group of parents who in conjunction with teaching staff, strive to further school and community relations, encourage parent involvement in education, organise social and educational functions and assist the Board of Trustees with fundraising.

Membership is free and all parents and guardians of Sunnynook School students and school staff are automatically members. Parents of pre-school students and other interested adults within the school district are welcome to become members.

In the area of physical well-being, the main emphasis at this school is on fitness, skill development, a knowledge of a variety of games and developing physical education lessons and fitness work.

In addition, Year 5 - 6 children have a regular sporting contact with students from other schools. It is important that suitable clothing is worn:

Swimming is an essential part of the school curriculum and all students are required to participate. Most classes swim daily during the season. Students are also taught aspects of Water and Boat Safety by instructors from the Water Safety Council. A note must be brought to school when a parent wishes a student to be excused for medical reasons.

The Special Education Service is based in Takapuna. From time to time, teachers may wish to refer students to the Special Education Service. When parents consent to this, they are given the opportunity to discuss matters arising with the psychologist. The psychologist can often help with a student’s home / school behaviour management relationships as well as related learning needs. Parents may also refer their child to the Special Education Service independently of the school. Phone 489-9433.

The School has regular contact with the Public Health Nurse and can arrange for sight and hearing tests to be done at the school. If a student has medical tests elsewhere, we like to be told of the results. A student’s state of health is of importance to teachers. Please share such information with us. If sight and hearing tests carried out at the school show up defects requiring treatment, parents are always advised by the Public Health Nurse.

Where it is appropriate, 5 year old students, in conjunction with their parents, have a health check and discussion shortly after their fifth birthday.

The decision to offer religious instruction is a matter for the Board of Trustees. The number of classes is dependent on the number of adult volunteers available. Currently, Years 5 and 6 classes take part. Religious instruction is, however, voluntary and parents not wishing their children to participate, should contact the Principal. The lessons are non-denominational and follow a plan set out by the New Zealand Christian Council of Churches.

Sunnynook School operates a Safety House programme in affiliation with the Safety House Association of New Zealand Inc.

Safety Houses are private homes and business premises which have been approved by the Safety House Committee. They are located throughout the local community to provide safe places for students to go if they are hurt or frightened for any reason. Information about the programme and a list of our Safety Houses may be obtained from the school.

Normal school hours are from 8.50am to 3.00pm daily. Morning interval is at 10.40am. Lunch is from 12.30 to 1.30pm. On the last day of each term, school may finish at 2.00pm on all other days, school closes at 3.00pm.

If there should be a change in custody of a student, health matters or emergency contact numbers, it is imperative that this information be given to the office immediately. This information is vital should we need to contact a parent / guardian urgently.

Current educational practices support the contention that students learn by doing and seeing. Direct experiences are more valuable than second-hand ones. Many aspects of the curriculum are better understood when students gain knowledge and experience away from the classroom.

Regulations insist that on all visits, there will be a predetermined ratio of adults to students, the ratio depending on the type of visit and the duration. Trips will be cancelled if the correct ratio is not met. Forthcoming trips are advised to parents by way of the School Newsletter and or separate notices issued by the class teacher

The Speech Language Therapy servicing team based at Takapuna Primary, is part of the Special Education Services. Teaching staff refer children they consider require assessment. Parents can also refer their student to the Speech Clinic independent of the school. The phone number for the Speech Clinic is 489-6339.

During the first week of the school year, each student will bring home a statement of the stationery requirements and the cost. During the year, stationery may be purchased from the office before school each day from 8.30 - 8.45am only. Parents purchasing stationery independently are asked to purchase the same type of exercise books and pads selected by the school for use by the students.

The school can be justly proud of its fine swimming pool. The Board of Trustees assists with the upkeep and maintenance and arranges for out of school use of the pool. Families who assist in a volunteer capacity at the school, may purchase a key and use the pool after school hours, during weekends and holidays.

A roster of parents is arranged to service the pool on a daily basis during the Christmas school holidays.

From time to time individual students do present problems for themselves and others and this is normally dealt with through discussion and reasoning. If this is not successful, other strategies, including lunch time detentions, may be necessary to protect the rights and safety of others.

Some rules are considered by the Board of Trustees and staff to be needed if we are to prevent vandalism.

Please let your student know that playing in the school grounds after school hours is a privilege and that they must observe the following rules:

5. Report as soon as possible, any damage observed, to a member of the staff and or parents so that appropriate measures can be taken

NOTE: Play in the school grounds is supervised only during school hours; therefore, parents must accept full responsibility for their own child/ren when they are on school property outside of school hours.

On some occasions, the school allows parts of the grounds to be used by outside clubs and teams. At these times, the teams have preference over individuals using the grounds.

The school receives an annual grant from the Ministry to help defray the cost of repairing damage to buildings, furniture or fittings by students. The grant is relatively small, so that it is impossible to pay all expenses from it. The money that is available, is used to pay for damage which is proved to be caused entirely by accident.

Where a student deliberately causes damage, it is Board of Trustee policy to inform parents of this fact and to seek their cooperation in rectifying the problem. The method to be used of course, depends on the circumstances, but an effective one is to require the student concerned to pay a proportion of the cost of replacement or repair.

It is neither desirable nor practical to formulate a set of written rules for the guidance of parents or for the direction of students. At times, these rules need to be altered to meet changed circumstances. There are however, a few rules which never change and to make parents aware of them, they are stated here:

1. Students may NOT leave the school grounds at any time during school hours, interval or lunchtime, except with the permission of the Principal or class teacher, who will inform the Principal.

3. Students may not wear jewellery or cosmetics to school. For safety reasons, students with pierced ears, may wear ONLY studs.

4. Valuable articles and personal effects, toys, etc, MUST NOT be brought to school. The school does not accept responsibility for the safety of such articles.

5. ALL CLOTHING MUST BE CLEARLY AND PERMANENTLY LABELED with the owner’s name. Initials only are inadequate. The school does not accept responsibility for unmarked clothing.

RULES ARE MADE FOR THE SECURITY AND SAFETY OF STUDENTS AND THE MAINTENANCE OF HIGH STANDARDS AT THE SCHOOL

Voluntary summer and winter school uniforms in four colours and a range of styles are available for purchase at set times during the year.