General Information

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ABSENTEEISM

The Ministry of Education Regulations requires all absences to be satisfactorily explained. If your child is going to be away from school, please phone before 8.55am. If a student is away for more than 3 days, a medical certificate or written letter is required. We use the Skool Loop App where ever possible. 

COMPUTERS & IPADS

The school has Macbooks and iPads in Piwakawaka, Kereru and in Tui. These are incorporated into a range of learning activities throughout the day to develop digital literacy, collaboration and digital footprint learning. Internet Safety is important and each student must have a signed agreement for computer and Internet use.

ACCIDENT AND ILLNESS AT SCHOOL

Teaching staff care for all students that need medical attention during the school day. In the case of serious accidents, staff will contact the parents or a specified emergency contact person. An ambulance may be called whilst parents are being contacted if the situation demands so. All accidents and First Aid incidents are recorded and signed.

ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION AT SCHOOL

From time to time children require prescribed medicine to enable them to participate at school.
Procedures: All requests for the administration of medicine will be accompanied by a Medication Agreement Form that gives permission to administer the medication. Medicine will be kept in the school office and administered as directed by the medical practitioner’s directions. On trips, medication will be the responsibility of the teacher in charge.

ANSWER PHONE

The school has an answer phone. The messages are cleared at 8:50am, 12.40pm and 3pm.

ASSEMBLY

Class-hosted assemblies are held from 2:30 - 3:00 on Fridays. See the calendar for which class is hosting and when.

CHANGES OF ADDRESS

Please inform the school promptly of any changes in your address, phone number or emergency contacts.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES

Parents staff and community members must be aware of the procedures for handling a complaint, big or small, before it gets out of control and becomes a dispute.

Guidelines for dealing with a complaint:

1. Talk to the teacher concerned. Tell them what your concern is. Discuss the concern or ask them to get back to you with a response. The teacher will respond within two days.
   OR
2. Write a note outlining your concern and send it to the teacher.

The teacher will respond, in writing, within three days.

If you are dissatisfied with the response, talk or write to the Principal explaining the original complaint, the teachers response and why you are dissatisfied. The Principal will listen and discuss your concern with you, discuss it with the teacher and provide you with a written response within one week. If you are still dissatisfied, please write a letter to the Board of Trustees Chairperson outlining everything that has occurred to date and why you are dissatisfied. The Chairperson will raise the matter at the next Board meeting. The Board will respond to the complaint soon after the meeting.

BEHAVIOUR 

At Hedgehope School we expect the best. We believe everyone has the right to feel safe, to learn, to be heard and listened to. Positive behaviour is modelled and restorative practices implemented whenever possible. We operate a think sheet process to reflect and set goals. REACH treat and values sessions run on Friday afternoons.

LITTLE LEARNERS SESSIONS FOR PRESCHOOLERS

School familiarisation sessions for preschoolers in our area are held in Piwakawaka class. Children and their parent can join in with the normal class programme with fun, age-appropriate, educational activities also available for children to work on with help. As children get closer to starting school, extra school visits will be arranged. Please ring the school office to register your attendance and for further enquiries. 

LUNCHES

The school actively encourages all children and staff to eat nutritional meals. A food warmer is available for daily use. Students may bring food from home to be heated in the warmer and these need to be wrapped and named. We encourage water only as a drink. 

NEWSLETTERS

Our main school/community newsletter is published digitally the first week of each month, it is shared by email, Skool Loop and Facebook. Other notes from class teachers for urgent notification may be sent out during the weeks as paper copies, google forms, emails, Facebook messages and on Skool Loop. Please let your children see that you regard them as important as they are a vital means of communication between school and home. We encourage community organisations to use the newsletter as a form of district communication too.

SCHOOL BUS

The school bus service is operated by Go Bus Ltd. Our present driver is Sarah. There are regulations as to the eligibility of children using this service. If you need any information regarding eligibility, please contact the principal.

SCHOOL OFFICE

Our Office Administrator is Juanine , She is in the Office from 12:30  to 3:00 pm every day.

STATIONERY

A stationery list for each classroom is published for parents to purchase the start-of-year stationery requirements. Paper Plus Winton is operating a click and collect system to order your class stationery. This enables parents to take advantage of sales. We hold a minimum amount of stationery at school and will sell it to the children when they need it throughout the year. This stationery will be charged to family school accounts.

SCHOOL ACCOUNTS

School Accounts are sent out one week prior to end of each term. As of 2023 Hedgehope School Board of Trustees has entered into the School Donations Scheme. Camp will be charged for but otherwise all normal extension learning activities will be covered by Hedgehope School.  We ask parents to pay any accounts before the end of term and camp fees prior to camps. 

SAFETY

Children are issued with a fluorescent safety vest to wear to and from school each day and on school excursions. These are gathered in at the end of the year or if children leave Hedgehope School. We would also encourage parents/visitors to support our SunSafe procedure by wearing a sunhat. Children are issued with a Hedgehope School sunhat to wear while they are at school.

TECHNOLOGY (Manual)

The children in Year 7 and 8 attend this training at Winton Primary School. Children must wear a closed type of shoe when attending. The children are able to catch the High School bus to get to Winton. There will be some costs associated with the training for materials — these are completely independent of Hedgehope School ($30 per term). Students attend Technology for a one-week block each term.

TRANSPORT

We often ask parents to provide transport to various events and outings. We would like as many as possible to volunteer when asked, in order to share the travel arrangements as much as possible. It is this school’s policy that all children transported in private vehicles must wear a seat belt. Children who are under the age of 7 years must ride in a booster seat. For obvious reasons, all vehicles must have a current warrant of fitness and registration. Parents/caregivers are asked to sign a form annually which confirms that these safety matters are in place.