Board of Trustees

The school is governed by a Board of Trustees, which is elected every three years by people who have children at the school.  The Board appoints staff, manages the finances, draws up the School Charter, Policies and annual plan and sees that the school is meeting its legal requirements.
Meetings are open to the public and are held monthly.  The Principal and one staff member are members of the Board.  The DP and AP also attend all Board meetings in their capacities as curriculum leaders and have full speaking rights.  The Principal is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school.

Parental Involvement

We welcome parent involvement in our school.  Many teachers have parent helpers in their classrooms, others help in our library and parents are fully involved in class trips, sports and school camps.
Greenpark School has an active Parent Teacher Association (PTA), which meets monthly.  All parents are welcome at these meetings.  You can be involved as much as you wish.

Transport to School and Child Safety

Parents support user pays bus and taxi services to bring their children to school.  Further information regarding these can be obtained from the School office. We do not encourage children to ride bicycles to school as we feel they are too young at this age.  However if you wish your child to ride, please provide a named safety helmet.

If you collect your child by car at Cameron Road, please park on the same side as the school.  Cameron Road is highly dangerous to cross.
Please do not use the school carpark while waiting to collect children.  Please keep the turning circle in Lumsden Street clear.  Feeling among drivers runs high if this area is blocked at 3:00pm. 
There is a drop-off zone at the Sinclair Street entrance, which we encourage you to use.

Pupil Security

• Absence from School – Children who are not at school by 9:00am without a phoned message from a parent, cause concern.  We telephone parents, or emergency numbers, to make sure that the child’s whereabouts is known.  A written note stating the reason for the absence is required on return.  Co-operation in the interests of child safety would be appreciated.  Unexplained absences will be followed up and may require us to use the Truancy service.
• Should you require an early release from class for your child then please report to the office for an early release form.
• Addresses and Telephone Numbers – It is vital that the School has up-to-date records of home addresses and home and work numbers for both mother and father or caregivers.  The School office needs to be advised promptly of any changes.  This includes any changes in custody arrangements.
• If both parents or caregivers are temporarily away from home and children are staying with or being looked after by others the school would appreciate being informed.
• At the conclusion of the school day, no child is to go to another child’s place without prior consent of both parents.
• Emergency contact number – We often need to contact parents/caregivers urgently for the sake of your child’s health, welfare or maybe behaviour.  If however, caregivers cannot be contacted, an emergency contact name and telephone number should be given to the school. Should the number alter during the year, please let the office know!
• Code of Conduct – We take a firm stand on disciplinary matters.  We feel that children who display inappropriate behaviour do not have the right to disrupt other children’s education and welfare at Greenpark School.
• We endeavour to work with parents and the disruptive children to modify unacceptable behaviour.  At times this will involve the use of outside agencies.
• We believe in providing a safe environment with equal opportunity for all children.  To help us in this quest we have reward systems for children who behave well, or give positive support to others.  We also have a “cool off” room should any child’s behaviour be of an unacceptable nature.
• Medication and First Aid – The school has trained First Aid personnel on hand to administer general First Aid. A written record is kept.
• Medication to treat a medical condition will be administered on the written request of parents.  Parents (or their nominated emergency contact person) will be contacted if a child needs more attention than the First Aid offered by the school.
• It is vital that the school be informed of any allergies or other relevant medical problems that your child may have or may develop.  This is especially important if your child is carrying a blood-borne virus. There are occasions when the school may have to seek medical help and are unable to contact parents and at times like these this knowledge is most necessary.  Teachers also need to know of any medication, eg inhalers, antihistamine that is kept and/or used at school.

Code of Conduct

To ensure all at Greenpark School work in a safe and positive environment, we all observe the following rules:

Our Treatment Rule

• We are polite to others.
• We are responsible for our own actions and respect the rights of others.

Our Communication Rule

• We communicate positively and politely to all in our school.  This means no putdowns, swearing, teasing, hand gestures or threatening others.

Our Problem Solving Rule

• We settle problems in a peaceful way.  We may use staff members, House Captains and Outstanding Citizens to help work through the problem.

Our Safety Rules

• People’s safety comes first.
• We use equipment safely and only for the purpose that it is designed for.

Our Learning Rule

• We actively listen, co-operate and are ready to learn in all situations.

Our Movement Rule

• We move around the school quietly and safely at all times.
• We respect each others own space.

Expectations

• Be kind, caring and friendly to one another.
• Look after younger children and help them to play safely.
• Stay inside the school boundaries.
• Stay off trees.
• Keep away from the front of the staff room and office area unless entering and leaving the school grounds.
• Stay away from the car park area.
• Treat others and their property with respect.  Leave toys at home.
• Keep our hands and feet to ourselves.
• See a duty teacher if you have a serious problem that you cannot solve.
• Use encouraging language to others.
• Be a tidy person, place rubbish in bins.
• Wear tidy clothes and be clean.  Leave jewellery at home.
• Play outside on fine days.
• Senior pupils set good examples for junior pupils.
• All team and ball games are to be played away from the buildings.
• Stay out of cloak bays.
• Be sensible on wet days and play a quiet game.
• Walk while inside buildings, on ramps, around classrooms and on all concrete areas.

Resources and Facilities

• The Curriculum

At Greenpark School we teach the National Curriculum as required by the Ministry of Education.  Strength of the school is that we have a system of planning that is consistent throughout the school.  By using this system we avoid overlaps and repetition so that work is fresh and challenging for our children.

• Cultural Studies

Greenpark School teaches the Maori Curriculum (‘Tihe Mauri Ora’) in line with the National Guidelines.
The school has a very strong Kapa Haka group with all year groups being suitably catered for with both internal and external tuition provided as part of our extra curricular activities.
The senior members of the Kapa Haka take part in Ra Whakangahau (Tauranga Primary Schools’ Cultural Festival), on an annual basis

• The Arts

The school stages a major musical production and Art Exhibition on alternate years which involve a large number of our children.  We also take part in the Tauranga Music Festival on alternate years. Keyboard, guitar, recorder, flute, and drum lessons are also available on a user pays basis.

• Information Communication Technology

The school has two computer suites which are extensively used as part of our class programmes.  In addition to the computer suites, each classroom has a computer which is used for publishing work and as an
educational teaching tool.  The children access the computers themselves under the supervision of the classroom teacher.
We are linked to the internet and have educational interchanges with other schools, both overseas and within New Zealand.  Telephone conferencing also takes place. All classrooms have access to video television, digital cameras and video cameras.

• Sport

We provide organised sport within our weekly timetable and link with our surrounding schools for interschool sports to provide competition.
On Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, we enter teams into local competitions.  These sports include miniball, netball, hockey, volleyball, flippaball and summer soccer.  Local clubs take cricket, soccer and rugby.

Earthquakes and Fires

Regular drills are held at school to ensure that the children are aware of the steps to be followed in an emergency.  These have been worked out to ensure that the children are at all times under the control of a teacher and that child safety is of paramount importance.  The nature of the emergency will determine the follow-up steps to be taken, although where possible normal routines will be adhered to.
In the case of an earthquake where a Civil Defence has been declared, children will be kept under supervision at school until collected by a parent or person acting for them.  In such cases they MUST inform a staff member of the names of the children they are taking.

Uniform

High standards are important.  Children are expected to wear the correct uniform when attending school, to and from school and at school functions with pride.
A list of the school uniform on sale and prices are available from the school office.
Please ensure that all clothing is well named.

Jewellery

The wearing of jewellery is discouraged, as is the use of nail polish.  Should children wish to have their ears pierced then no more than one stud may be worn in each ear.

Hair

 Pupil’s hair is expected to be neat and tidy.  Hair that hangs below the eyes is a hindrance when pupils are working and we ask that parents/caregivers ensure that fringes do not go below the eyes.  Hair tattooing or inscription is also not an accepted practice at Greenpark School.

School Lunches

 Bought lunches can be ordered at the school each morning.  These are delivered to the school at 12:30 each day for distribution. A list of lunch items and prices is available from the school office.
Children may also go home for lunch.
The PTA provides a Hot Dog Day periodically as a fund-raising exercise.

School Donations

Our Board of Trustees sets the level of the School donations annually.  The money is used to support the curriculum delivery within the school and is not compulsory.  Donations are tax deductible and a receipt will be issued.

Office Hours

The School office is open from 8am to 4pm every weekday.  An answer phone is available outside of these hours.

School Hours

Please Note: The School does NOT close early on wet days.

Newsletters 

School Newsletters and Sports Newsletters are sent out on the 2nd Thursday of the month via email.  Hard copies are available from the school office should you not receive one.  Our school newsletter is also available on the school internet site at www.greenparkschool.co.nz  A Board of Trustees Newsletter is sent home twice a term via email following Board of Trustees meetings.

Homework

Homework may sometimes be a desirable feature and extension of the school day and may include reading, learning of basic facts, extension and simple research work.  It is not intended to cause difficulties or be unduly long, but to promote interest and support.  Parents are welcome to visit school to discuss homework problems or successes.

Home Reading

From the beginning of their schooling all children are encouraged to take home written material that they will be able to read, SHARE and ENJOY at home.  This may be their own work, charts, cards or books.  Senior children will bring home journals and library books.

Enrolment and Withdrawal of Pupils

Parents wishing to enrol their children are asked to complete the enrolment forms and make an appointment with a member of the Senior Management Team prior to the date of commencement.
Children may be enrolled to commence school on their fifth birthday and must be enrolled by their sixth birthday.
At the initial enrolment a birth certificate must be sighted along with proof of residential address.  Parents will be asked to complete several consents on the enrolment form and Dental.  Immunisation information will also be required.

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