Parkland A-Z |
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Download a copy our Parent Information booklet Or scroll down to view the following...
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Welcome to Parkland School,
We are very proud of our school and we encourage all parents to be involved in their child's learning and contribute to the ongoing growth and development of our school culture and values. Accidents at School Every care is taken to avoid accidents in and around the playground. However they do occur and in these situations the staff take the necessary steps to attend to your child’s needs. It is very important that you keep your emergency contact details up to date. Arrival Time at School Parents are requested not to have children at school prior to 8.30am. In some circumstances, those few children who arrive prior to 8.30am are required to sit on the bench seats outside the Library, Rooms 2, 3 and 4. There is no access to classrooms until the 8.30am bell rings. Pupils should arrive at school early enough for them to prepare for a smooth start to the day. For example to bring in book bags, take down chairs, etc. School STARTS at 8.50am. Teachers check the roll at 8.50am and report absences to the office staff who follow up on every absence. After School Care We are delighted to have aPlus Out of School care operating from our hall for before and after school care. Enrol online at www.aplus.kiwi.nz . If you have any questions please phone 0800 423 400 or email [email protected] . A copy of the available times and prices can be found on the outdoor noticeboard, or pick up a copy at the Office. After School / Playing with Friends Children who wish to go and play with their friends after school should have arranged this activity with both sets of parents the day before. The school telephone cannot be used for this purpose. Please ensure that your children understand the importance of going straight home after school, before visiting or playing. If a child, or children, arrive at your house to play and this has not been prearranged please send them home or ring the parent. Attendance It is important that we keep track of the children enrolled at our school for several reasons. One is to prevent truancy and another is to protect your child from danger. If your child is away for any reason, please use the @school App to notify us. You are required to provide a clear reason. Your child's attendance and punctuality will appear on their Learner Profile. 
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Carpark
To ensure the safety of everyone using the carpark, we outline the guidelines for use below:
Cell Phones International research indicates some key challenges with cellphones at school such as being a major distraction for our students. These rules are designed to ensure that the learning of all students is maximised, while minimising any potential for distraction and cyber-bullying. Our approach is “away for the day”, meaning the device should be turned off, and handed in to the Office during the school day. We strongly recommend students do not bring these devices to school with them. If a student does bring their cellphone for emergency contact or health reasons, these must be handed to the Office before school for safe keeping, and collected after school. It is important to note that if students do make the decision to bring a cellphone to the school grounds, they do so at their own risk. The school is not responsible for any loss or damage caused to any cellphone. We understand that some parents like their children to have a phone to communicate with them after school, cellphones will be available for students during the afterschool pick up time. If a parent or caregiver needs to contact their child urgently during the day, they should call the Office. Civil Emergencies If an emergency occurs at any time while the children are at school they will be kept at school under the care of our staff. We will not send the children home, as many caregivers work. The school will provide parents with information via the school App and/or email. Communicating Learning Progress with Parents / Reporting to Parents A close relationship between parents and the school enhances learning. The staff value the chance to meet parents to talk about the progress of their children. In a school such as ours, this often happens informally on occasions such as dropping off or collecting children. Below, we outline the programme for the year so parents are aware of what to expect. Term 1:
Our reporting to parents is online - Your child's Learner Profile is available at all times via the school App and your personal access code. (Contact the Office to help you set the App up on your phone.) |
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Concerns/Complaints Policy 2.2
To ensure the best educational outcomes for students and facilitate confidence in Parkland processes, it is important that the concerns of students, staff, parents and members of our school community are recognised and resolved in an appropriate manner. Our aim is to provide a process for complaints to be addressed appropriately and promptly. Our procedures will differ depending on the seriousness of the complaint, the nature of the complaint and the people involved. Please note, serious issues should be immediately referred to the Principal. Procedure for Concerns by Parents and Students For Students Depending on the age of the child, students are encouraged to talk directly to the teacher concerned if they have an issue or are unsure of any matter. It is most important that children talk with their parents at all times and seek parental support in all school matters. For Parents Classroom Concerns / Issues
Most classroom issues can be managed through direct face to face contact with your child’s teacher out of class contact time. If a personal visit is not possible, parents are advised to phone the School (06 358 1469) and ask for the teacher, or e-mail the teacher (e.g. [email protected]). (This should be done out of class contact time.) Teachers will respond to messages or emails within 2 school working days. Please remember that during those days when the school is closed the teacher may not be available through these channels and it may be better to wait until the School re-opens. (Teachers are not required to respond to emails or phone requests during these periods.) 2. If the response provided via this method does not fully address your concerns, you may wish to meet with the Team Leader, Deputy Principal or Principal. (Whichever is the most appropriate.) Other Concerns If you have a concern about a matter which does not involve a particular teacher, you should make contact with the Principal. Again, it is suggested that you visit in person, in the first instance. School Support Staff If you have a concern with a member of the Administration or Support Staff, this should be discussed with them in the first instance. Should the concern not be rectified to your satisfaction, or you feel the matter is of a more serious nature, then your first point of contact is the principal. Procedure for Making a Formal Complaint If you have raised your concern through the above channels but are not satisfied with the School’s initial response, or there is a serious matter you wish to discuss, you can make a formal complaint as set out below: 1. Detail your complaint in writing (e-mail is fine). Include details of efforts that have been made to resolve the matter, along with your name and contact phone number. 2. Address your written complaint to the Principal. It may be that the principal delegates an investigation to another staff member or an external investigator, depending on the circumstances. 3. If the complaint is about the Principal, it should be raised with that person first and then directed to the Parkland Board Chair. 4. When the complaint is received, you will be contacted by the appropriate person (as above) to discuss the matter. If the matter requires a meeting, you may bring another person with you when you discuss the complaint, if you wish. 5. The complaint will be appropriately investigated by the principal or chairperson talking to the person about whom the complaint has been made and interviewing anybody else who may have an involvement or important input. Written statements will normally be taken. 6. A written record must be kept of any interviews or information that comes to hand. 7. You will be informed of the outcome of the investigation and in order to respect the privacy of those involved, not all details will necessarily be disclosed. 8. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the Principal may refer the matter to the School Board but this is at his discretion. Complaints can not be referred directly to the Board by any other person without approaching the principal in the first instance. 9. Your complaint will be treated in confidence. However, in the interests of natural justice any persons included in a complaint must have the opportunity to hear all details about the complaint and reply to it. They may be accompanied by a support person during discussions of the complaint if they wish. In addition, there may be circumstances where disclosure of information is required by law. Parents should note that under no circumstances should complaints or any interactions with school staff be abusive or threatening. Parents should not use social media in any way to deal with any issue that may arise. Dental Treatment
Dental treatment is provided by a mobile clinic which spends approximately one term at the school. The phone number for the mobile clinic is 027 244 4159. When the mobile clinic is not on site, a dental therapist can be contacted at Ross Intermediate Clinic to make an appointment for your child. Phone 3584572. |
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Enrolment of Pupils
Pupils within our Home Zone (see details below) have automatic right of enrolment at all levels of the school. Pupils may not start school prior to their 5th birthday. It is very helpful if children are placed on our pre-enrolment list well before their birthday. The admission procedure requires the child’s birth certificate (not a copy) to be sighted and copied, and for a health card and an enrolment form to be completed. We are also required to sight and copy the vaccination certificate. The following is the enrolment process if your child is in the Home Zone or is accepted as an out of zone enrolment. Parent Meeting : In the last week of each term (usually Monday evening), a meeting for parents/whanau is held in the New Entrant room. Parents of children turning five the following term will receive an invitation about two weeks prior to the meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to give you information that can help you support your child as they start school. There is also an opportunity to ask questions. At the meeting you will meet the Junior Team Leader and the New Entrant teachers. Children turning five after 30 November will start in Term 1 the following year and parents will receive an invitation to the Term 4 meeting. Children start school on the Monday following their fifth birthday. Smart Start - School Visits: Give your future five year old a "Smart Start" at Parkland School! Smart Start is a programme offered to all future five year-olds and their parents, who are enrolled to start at Parkland School. Smart Start will give you and your child an informative, hands-on, fun-filled introduction to Parkland School, to ensure a smooth transition for your child. Smart Start will give you both an opportunity to: · Become familiar with school routines; · Take part in activities and learning; · Become familiar with the school grounds and the classroom setting; · Meet other five year olds in the classroom; · Build relationships with the classroom teacher/s. The Smart Start Programme consists of four school visits where your child will participate in a range of activities and experiences within the classroom environment. You and your child will have an idea of what to expect when they begin school, and also to prepare them for the learning that takes place in a New Entrant Classroom, including Foundation Skills and Structured Literacy. You are invited to stay with your child for the first school visit and then they will attend the other three by themselves. Enrolment Pack: Approximately 6 weeks before your child’s fifth birthday an enrolment pack will be posted to you or sent via an older sibling. If you have not received this by four weeks prior to your child’s birthday, please contact the office. Enrolment Procedure: Included in the enrolment pack is an enrolment form and a pre-school education form. These should be returned to the office 2-3 weeks before your child starts. Please bring a birth certificate so we can verify the date of birth. This is a legal requirement on enrolment and needs to be presented before your child can start school. We are also required to collect information from your child’s immunisation certificate. Please hand this in with the enrolment form so a copy can be taken. The certificate is in your child’s Well Child - Tamariki Ora Health Book. Stationery: A pack containing all the requirements your child needs to start is issued from the office. This pack will be in the classroom when your child starts school and be all ready to go for them. Prices are included with the enrolment pack and it includes the child’s book bag. We understand that the process of starting school can be a mix of emotions for both children and parents and we aim to make the transition to school as smooth as possible for you all. If you would like further information please feel free to call in to the office or phone 358 1469. We look forward to having you and your child as members of the Parkland School community. Enrolment Scheme An Enrolment Scheme operates at Parkland School with strict enrolment guidelines. Applications are currently considered using the following Ministry of Education. Priority 2 Siblings of current students Priority 3 Siblings of former students Priority 4 Child of a former student Priority 5 Child of a staff or Board of Trustee member Priority 6 All other applicants Home Zone All students who live within the home zone described below (and shown on the map) shall be entitled to enrol at the school. The home zone is defined as all homes in the area enclosed by:
Proof of residence within the home zone will be required. For enrolments dates, please see the Enrolments Information under the Parent Info tab. ERO Report Simply go to the Education Review Office /Home Page and search for "Parkland School ERO Report |
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Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills guide our teaching and learning in the Junior classrooms at Parkland School. They are skills your child needs to have to be “ready” for formal learning. Foundation Skills include: Speaking, Hearing, Moving, Seeing and Print. These skills are needed before children are truly ready to read and write. Think of your child’s brain as a ‘bucket’ with holes in it – if these holes are not plugged then formal learning can be lost. The plugs are the Foundation Skills for Formal Learning. Therefore these skills are the ‘plugs’ that fill the holes in the bucket! In our bucket we have Reading, Writing and Maths at the top. However, if we focus entirely on these skills at the top of the bucket the holes in the lower areas will undermine our efforts. The New Entrant teachers will provide you with information about what you can do to help develop your child's Foundation Skills, or feel free to ask the class teacher. Finance The school currently participates in the Ministry of Education's 'School Donation Scheme'. This means there are no donation requirements for parents. The school will cover the costs of: Swimming, Visiting Performers, Small trips related to the school curriculum, Life Education Trust, Plant to Plate, GATE costs, Mathletics. You will still need to pay for your child's stationery, school uniform and sports fees that you may opt into that are played out of school hours. You will also be asked to make a donation towards school camp. |
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Health and Safety
When using the school grounds at any time - no actions by you should cause harm to yourself, others or school property. Anyone found climbing on the school roof or any building will be reported to Police. The school grounds are locked at 4:30pm daily and during weekends and holidays. CCTV cameras operate at all times. “Homework” We no longer have onerous lists of homework to be completed at home. We do value however children reading and discussing ideas at home with family/whanau. Junior Team - up to 10-15 minutes per night (as a guide only)
Middle Team - 20 minutes per night (as a guide only)
Senior Team - up to 30 minutes per night (as a guide only)
House System Parkland School has four Houses. The House names were chosen by our school community and are based on local street names. Brightwater - Blue Manson - Green Limbrick - Yellow Snowdon – Red Each child is placed in a House when they enrol. Siblings are placed in the same House. Student House Leaders are appointed each year to help organise inter-House events. |
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Illness at School
If your child becomes ill at school, we take steps to inform you, or the person you’ve elected as your ‘emergency contact’. If we’re unable to locate either you, or your emergency contact, we will ensure that your child is cared for until such contact can be made. Each year parents are required to update emergency and medical information. |
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Library
We have a terrific Library right in the heart of the school. It is supervised at break times and means that children can get maximum use of it all year round. Each class has a weekly Library time that they use to return and reissue books for personal use. We have Student Librarians, from the Senior Team, who support the Library staff. Lost and Found Please note that any item of school uniform that is named will be returned to the owner. Parents - Your task is to make sure every item that comes to school is named. A white pen, to write inside black shoes, is available for your to borrow from the office. The 'Lost Property Rack' can be found outside the red double doors to the administration block. (Near the Library) Lunches - Parkland School places a huge importance on healthy eating habits. We prefer that every child’s lunch-box is packed with healthy fruits/vegetables, yoghurt and sandwiches. A water bottle filled with WATER ONLY will help keep your child going throughout the day. (See also 'Brain Food') |
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Medication
If your child requires specific medication for asthma, bee stings etc, this can be held in the sick bay. Medications must be clearly labelled and replaced each year. If the school is required to administer any form of medication to a pupil, a form must be completed and signed at the office. |
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Newsletters
Newsletters are published on the first Thursday of each term and then each alternate Thursday to keep families informed of what is going on in the school (odd weeks). A full colour version is emailed to all of our families, saved on the school website, and linked via our Facebook page. Extended family members and supporters of our school may register with the Office to be added to our additional mailing list in order to have the newsletter emailed automatically. We keep spare copies of the printed newsletter at the Office, and displayed in our outside noticeboard. The Newsletter is also available via the @school App. Community members are welcome to include items in the Community Notices section. To maintain the quality of our newsletter we do not include advertising flyers unless they are directly related to the operation of the school. Outdoor Education Camps
These are held on a two year cycle, involving Senior pupils in Year 5 & 6. This ensures that all pupils will have one overnight camping experience during their time at Parkland. We ask parents for a donation to go towards the costs of camp. |
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Parent Help
We encourage the help of parents in our school. If you have a special interest or strength that you could share with the children, we would love to hear about it. We also look for parents to help out with the fortnightly Pizza / BBQ Lunch, as well as help with maintaining the school vegetable gardens. Let the office know if you can help in any way. All regular volunteer helpers who work directly with children will need to be Police Vetted. Parent Teacher Association (PTA) The PTA supports Parkland children's education through fundraising for resources and bringing the school community together through various events. You have probably seen us doing Friday lunches, school discos, and helping at different school events. The PTA realise that fundraising can be an ongoing challenge so we try to limit the impact on families by focusing on a few projects spread throughout the year. We are a small group of parents and staff who meet on the second Monday of every term. Everyone pitches in which makes projects fun and easy to organise. We love seeing new faces and getting fresh perspectives. Why don't you come and check us out? Public Health Nurse The Public Health Nurse works in the school by networking with social and health agencies in our community. Their tasks include the following:
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Scholastic Book Club
Twice each term, forms for these are sent home with children. These are now only available to order online – the school does not order on your behalf. Books are still delivered to the school. Sport As part of our school curriculum, all children are involved in our swimming programme, athletic sports and cross country, etc. We endeavour to give children the opportunity to participate in as wide a range of sports as possible rather than specialise. Out of School Sport: This covers both winter and summer sport. Recent years have seen a huge increase in the number of pupils playing sport. Teams representing the school may play T-ball, basketball, cricket, hockey, netball, touch and summer soccer. Sometimes not all sports are available. Pupils have the option of playing other sports through clubs, eg soccer, rugby. Parent support is essential to the smooth operation of these programmes. Enrolments are called for at the start of each season through the newsletter. Children and parents are required to sign an agreement on enrolment. A set charge per sport per season is charged to cover registration fees and uniform hire. This fee must be paid prior to the first game. Stationery Stationery is made available to children on the first school day each year to ensure a prompt start to programmes of work. Parents are then invoiced for these. Stationery can be purchased at the school office each morning between 8.30am and 8.50am at competitive prices, both at the beginning of the year and also throughout the remainder of the year. New entrants will be provided with requirements on enrolment. Student Leaders There are many opportunities for our senior students to take on leadership opportunities within the school. These roles include, but are not limited to, Prefects, House Leaders and Sports Ambassadors. Sun Smart Policy Parkland is a 'SunSmart Accredited School' Parkland School was one of the first schools in New Zealand to require sunhats for all pupils to be worn during summer months. Each child is required to have their own named hat. The Parkland, bottle green, bucket style hat is available for purchase from Academy Apparel. The use of broad spectrum SPF 50+ sunscreen by pupils is encouraged. Sunscreen will be made available by the school on trips and sports events. Hats are compulsory in Terms 1 & 4 as per our Sunsmart Policy. Support for Learning - LSC (Learning Support Coordinator ) The LSC's job is to advocate for children who need extra help to access the school curriculum. This may involve testing, helping teachers by providing Professional Development or requesting assistance from outside agencies. The school's LSC is part of a group of 9 other LSCs in our Kahui Ako who work together to provide guidance for each other and expertise in different fields. You will find the LSC in the Te Awe Awe offices by Room 1. Learning Support Programmes at Parkland and agencies we work closely with: Our teachers and teacher aides support our learners on various programmes to provide for their individual and specific learning needs.
Swimming Programme Swimming lessons will be undertaken by trained instructors at the Freyberg Pool and/or the Lido. Classes will travel by bus for a series of 10 lessons in Term 3. Full details will be provided beforehand. This is funded by the school. |
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Travel to/from School
The Police, School Board and staff strongly recommend that only pupils in Years 5 and 6 ride bicycles to school. By law, cycle helmets must be worn by all cyclists. Parents collecting pupils at 2.55pm are asked to be very considerate to ensure the safety of our pupils. When you are parking outside the school (Balmoral Drive or Parkland Crescent) please leave access to resident's properties clear. Children using bicycles and scooters must walk these into and out of the school grounds. We strongly advise that they are locked when placed in the racks provided. Uniform Parkland School has a compulsory school uniform. The Uniform tab on our website shows children modelling the range of uniform items that can be worn. We do not have a specific summer or winter uniform but parents can choose what their children wear to suit the weather conditions each day. Further information and a pricelist can be found in the enrolment pack, or obtained from the School Office. We provide a school Kapa Haka uniform for our children to wear when they are performing for significant events. |
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Values
We have a set of 'living values' that are visible throughout the school and in the behaviours and standards our students are expected to exhibit. Children know what we mean by each of the values at their level and will be able to provide examples of the things we do in our classrooms, playground and daily loves to demonstrate each of the values. CONSIDERATION - For Ourselves CONSIDERATION - For Others CONSIDERATION - For the Environment RESPECT HONESTY EXCELLENCE Vision - Every child will….’Rise to the Challenge’ Parkland students will face daily challenges based on identified, evidence based learning needs. A variety of challenges will also include sporting/physical, cultural and social needs. A key focus for individual challenges is grounded in the Parkland Key Competencies, which sit alongside our core school values. Students will be explicitly taught, develop and understand strategies and skills that can be used to overcome the challenges they might face. Students will have an understanding of the challenges they face and what their next steps are in order to achieve those challenges. A strong component of our vision are the learning partnerships we value and deliberately promote. |
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Water Only
We ask that every child have a (named) water bottle filled with WATER ONLY. Website Parkland Online at www.parkland.school.nz is your ‘window’ into the school. All basic information about enrolment, uniforms, sports etc is available online. Copies of all Newsletters are available from the website as well. Weekly Wellbeing Each week there is an activity to help promote our wellbeing here at Parkland School. This is shared via our Daily Notices and tips are often included in our fortnightly newsletter. We follow the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ approach explained here: Research shows there are five simple things you can do as part of your daily life – at work and at home – to build resilience, boost your wellbeing and lower your risk of developing mental health problems. These simple actions are known internationally as the Five Ways to Wellbeing. They include: Connect, Give, Take Notice, Get Active and Keep Learning. |
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Open hours8.30am Office opens
8.50am School starts 10.40am – 10.50am Read & feed 10.50 – 11.20am Morning Interval 12.50pm – 1.00pm Lunch in class 1.00 – 1.40pm Lunch Interval 2.55pm School ends |
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Contact UsParkland School
41 Parkland Crescent Palmerston North Phone: (06)358 1469 Absences: Use the App [email protected] Website design by Bridging the Gap
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