Students are legally required to attend school on all days that the school is open. It is very important that students arrive on time for school with enough time to prepare for the day. In the event of your son/daughter not coming to school for any reason, please ring or text the bus driver before 7.45 a.m. in the first instance and then ring the school on 036893856, or alternatively text 0277140409 and let us know before 9.00 am. We take the register every morning and will ring you if your son/daughter is absent without prior notification.
If your child is absent from school, for any reason, on return, please send a note giving the reason for the absence.
If different arrangements have been made for your child at the end of the day, please send a written note explaining the changes or ring the school with the details.
Glenavy School has the highest expectations of its students. We have a clear and simple behaviour management programme that ensures fair treatment of students and a positive focus on resolving the behaviour concerned.
9.00 a.m. School Begins
10.00-10.15 a.m. Feed & Read
11.10-11.30 a.m. Morning Tea
12.30 – 1.30 p.m. Lunch
1.30-3:00 p.m. Afternoon Session
3.00 p.m. School Ends
Cell phones and other electronic devices are not allowed in school unless they are specifically required by a pupil staying away from home either overnight or over the weekend. Then the cell phone or electronic device must be checked into the principal’s office at the beginning of the day and can reclaimed at the end of the day.
This is not permitted on the school grounds or school trips.
● Please mark everything that is possible for your child to take off (even shoes) clearly with your child’s name.
● It is almost impossible to trace lost articles if this request is not followed. Please do not send valuable toys or articles to school.
● Please teach your child to put shoes on and do them up. Consider buying shoes with buckles or Velcro fasteners until shoelaces can be tied firmly.
● Please teach your child to take off and put on outer clothing.
● Lost Property is placed on the ‘lost property’ room. Please check the room for any missing items.
● During wet weather, gumboots are suitable as muddy footwear has to be discarded at the door. Many children have adopted the use of bringing slippers, sneakers etc. for indoor use.
Hopefully there will be few causes for complaint. However, from time to time these arise. Our school has a comprehensive flowchart that helps parents resolve any concerns they may have.
In the event of concerns arising parents need to determine the appropriate person to deal with the issue. This may be the class teacher, or the principal. Everyone strives to work in the best interests of all pupils. The following role descriptions indicate the different responsibilities of staff and school community members.
Concerns and complaints by parents/caregivers should be referred directly to the staff member involved in the first instance. Please contact the teacher involved to arrange a suitable appointment. Most issues can be resolved by the class teacher. For more serious complaints please make a time to meet with the principal.
Children needing dental treatment travel to the Dental Clinic in Waimate. Pre-school children in the Glenavy area are welcome to enrol from the age of six months onwards. Any problems or queries please phone (03) 437 2354. If the clinic is unattended the phone will be diverted to the Dental Therapist in the Waimate area. If you choose to visit Oamaru Dental Clinic, unfortunately your child will not be able to visit the dental caravan when it arrives at school.
Long hair should be tied back. Head lice can infest anyone. If you find lice or nits (eggs) you must inform the school who will advise on treatment. Student must be excluded from school until the infestation has been treated.
If your child becomes unwell at school you or your child’s carer will be contacted to collect your child from school. Please keep all emergency contact details current by notifying the office promptly or by updating your details Here
At Glenavy School we run a house system whereby the students in family groups are allocated a house. Our three house names reflect feature of the local area, Tawai, Waitaki and Waikakahi. Your child will be informed of his/her house shortly after starting at the school. House competition is encouraged and specific house events held throughout the year ranging from our swimming gala to a speech and poetry competition.
Infectious Diseases- Please advise the Teacher/Office of any outbreaks.
Children shall be excluded from school:
An Immunisation History Statement, obtainable from the National Immunisation Register must be held by the school at enrolment.
Should an outbreak of measles, diphtheria or polio occur, children who have not been immunised will be excluded from school.
The Public Health Nurse, Kate Balfour, visits the school on a regular basis and attends to any health matters raised by the school. Kate is available to discuss any health concerns you might have.
The wearing of jewellery, except for religious purposes is not allowed as it can pose a safety risk. Necklaces can get caught on playground equipment or hit your own child or another child as they run and play. Earrings should be the stud type definitely not loops or long earrings. Bracelets and bangles are another possible hazard and one that can easily be avoided if your child doesn’t wear them. No piercings aloud other than in ears.
● The students eat their lunch (indoors or outdoors) under the teacher’s supervision.
● At 12.45pm the students go to play. There is one teacher supervising the area during each break and lunch break.
● Please supply your child with a packed lunch packed in a clearly named lunchbox. Please name the lid also! Make sure your child can open and close his/her lunch box easily.
● Children are expected to eat fresh fruit or vegetables at read & feed time.
● Explain a good order for eating to your child – starting with sandwiches, followed by fruit.
● Only water can be used at school as per our policy. The water needs to be clearly named, in unbreakable containers. (NO glass or cans please)
The Glenavy Mobile Kindergarten is held on the school site every Friday morning from 9am to 1pm. For further information regarding the mobile kindergarten, please contact the school office. The kindergarten plays a very important role in our school. The kindy visit the school for a story during this time. This helps transition into the school.
School Account Details: Glenavy School
Bank Account Number: 38 9000 0529538 00
The school newsletter is emailed every Friday. It is also uploaded onto the Skool Loop site every Friday. Notices will be on Facebook and Skool loops and also paper copy.
Glenavy School NZ. The school also publishes a community newsletter twice a term, which is distributed to rural delivery boxes on both sides of the Waitaki River.
Our office is manned from 8.30 until 12.30 each day. Please try to make your contact during this time. Otherwise please leave a message on the answer machine or in an emergency text a message or ring 0277140409.
Pet Day happens in October and the pupils are encouraged to make a poster/project showing how they look after their pet and then perhaps bring a pet along to pet day where it will be judged and ribbons awarded to the winners.
During the year a variety of opportunities are provided by the school to inform parents of school and teacher expectations, programmes and student progress.
● Class newsletters are sent home at the start of each term outlining class learning, expectations and upcoming events.
● Weekly Newsletters are sent home every Friday.
● Parent/teacher interviews are held at the end of term one.
● New entrants receive a “settling in” report after six weeks at school.
● Reports are sent home twice a year for all students. Mid and end of year reports.
Please remember that if you have concerns or worries, please contact the school directly. Our school has an “Open Door Policy” through which we encourage you, the parents of our students to keep us informed and share with us, as partners in your children’s education.
In the event of the school having to close for bad weather or any other reason the following will happen:
Before and During school:
● A decision will be made as soon as possible. In winter, with dark mornings this will be as soon as we can make a visual assessment of the conditions
● The school skool loops and Facebook page Glenavy School will be updated as soon as a decision has been made.
● A message will be sent home via email and skool loop and Facebook
Glenavy School is a smoke free school and parents and visitors are to refrain from smoking in and around the school.
Just prior to our Interschool speech competition we hold our own competition within each room. Parents are more than welcome to come along and listen to the poems, readings and speeches.
Glenavy is proud to be a SunSmart accredited school. During term 1 and term 4 all pupils and staff are expected to wear our Glenavy School wide brimmed hat whilst outside. Sunblock is available in each classroom and all pupils are encouraged to use it.
Swimming takes place in term 1 and term 4 and is part of the school curriculum. Parent help will be sought to assist the junior students getting in & out of their togs if needed. As part of our school leadership programme the senior pupils are often in the water with the less confident children.
Tent City takes place early in term 1 every year. All pupils participate in a supervised camp overnight on the school field and then school finishes about lunchtime the next day. This is the highlight of the year for most pupils. When possible this is the time when we use the vegetables from the edible garden for dinner.
Our school belongs to a group of North Otago rural schools. This group provides our children with a full range of opportunities each year. Every year we can participate in sporting, cultural or academic programmes with this group. The Year 8 pupils from these schools meet once per term to establish extended friendships before they all go on to high school.
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