General Info

School hours

School starts at 8.55am and finishes at 2.55pm
Morning Tea starts at 10.45am and finishes at 11.05am
Lunch starts at 12.45pm and finishes at 1.30pm

Policies & Procedures

Click here for our policies and procedures on School Docs.

Term Dates - 2019
Term 1: 4th February - 12th April
Term 2: 29th April - 5th July
Term 3: 22nd July - 27th September
Term 4: Begins 15th October and the last day of Term 4 will be finalised during the year after we have determined any teacher only day

Attendance

The school is legally required to account to the Board and the Ministry of Education for student attendance, lateness and reasons for absence.

Parents are asked to advise absences before school by leaving a message on the school answer phone 094256878
If the above is not done, it is necessary to provide a note from a parent explaining the absence which should include the date/s and reason for the absence and it must be brought to the class teacher on the first day of a student’s return to school.
Students who arrive after the bell has gone must report to the office for a late slip before going to class. Records are kept of attendance and lateness and you will be notified in the school report.

Holidays and Trips During School Time

All enrolled students are required to attend school whenever it is officially open unless prevented by illness or for compassionate reasons.

Requests for special leave should be directed to the Principal in writing (via email). Parents require formal permission from the Principal. Please note that
when a student is on a New Zealand, or, overseas holiday during the school term, the absence code for this is "Unjustified" on the MOE attendance register; a parent's note does not provide justification.

You need to provide an explanation to the Principal if you are planning to collect your child early from school via email, unless it is to attend a doctors, dentists, orthodontist or hospital appointment.

See MOE link to Attendance Register: Attendance codes.

Birthdays

Learners may attend school in mufti on their birthdays, or the nearest school day to their birthdays.
Birthday treats may be shared with the class if parents discuss with teachers in advance to check health requirements and to discuss the best time of day to deliver the treat.

Our Expectation of Parents

Our Expectations of Parents
Parents who send their children to Horizon School do so as a matter of personal choice. In so doing, they commit to supporting the philosophy of the school and agree to abide by the policies and procedures established for our school in order to facilitate a community of learning to benefit all our learners.
We expect that parents will:

Take a strong interest in their child’s learning, supporting school-initiated events and opportunities to share in the setting of appropriate learning goals, engage with their children about the progress towards, and achievement of, their learning goals.
Send children to school on time, with lunch, clean, neat and adhering to the dress code, and that they will pick them up after school on time.
Review homework books or class websites as outlined by the class teacher to support their children in the achievement of homework goals, and sign any papers on which the teacher requires a parent’s signature, ensuring that these are received, with money, prior to any trips and camps.
Be prepared to discuss any concerns immediately with the appropriate people. See below
Please feel part of the team to support teachers to make the best possible decisions for the benefit of all our learners.

We appreciate it when parents can:

become a parent helper or volunteer teacher aide. Please speak to your child’s teacher or to the principal
visit the school during the day. Feel free to come and observe the children learning, play a game at lunchtime with the children, offer a class for a few child in an area of special interest or skill. Please check with the principal or teacher first and sign in at the office on arrival
participate in parent prayer meetings - and/or pray for our school regularly

What to do with any concerns you have as a parent

If any problem arises concerning your child’s welfare or progress at school then you are encouraged to first discuss this with the student’s teacher. If, following discussion, you feel the situation has not been satisfactorily resolved, make an appointment to see the Principal. Please arrange a suitable time through the Office Manager.
Parents are welcome to contact the Board of Trustees through David Townsend, Chairman (david.townsend@huhus.com) if they have a concern/issue that has not been resolved through the above process.

What to do if your child has a disagreement with another child and reports it to you

If your child has a disagreement with another child at school:

Please do not go straight to the child or his/her parents to discuss what happened.
Please understand that all children (including yours) make mistakes, disobey a rule or hurt others at some point in their school lives, and that it is through these challenges that they grow and learn to become more understanding of themselves and others, and more resilient.
Please discuss it with the class teacher, who will be able to ensure a fair and appropriate response.
Please continue to encourage a safe community that responds with grace rather than, as sometimes happens in schools, react with blame and attack.

Meeting as a School Community

1.          Assemblies
We warmly welcome parents and members of the community to our assemblies. These are held at 9.10 on Friday mornings in the auditorium off the Goodall Rd entrance to Create Campus. Please park at the end of the driveway by the tennis courts. Morning tea is provided to follow.
2.          Parent meetings
We have a parent meeting or a teacher/learner-led conference each term. Please make it a priority to attend these.
3.          End of Term Celebration Assemblies
Our Celebration Assemblies at the conclusion of each term are designed to honour learners who have achieved according to a predetermined criteria. This may be “Most Progress or Improvement” These assemblies form a conclusion to a term’s work. Please make it a priority to attend these.
4.          Honouring Assemblies
Honouring Assemblies are often held at the end of the year for each class. At these, each learner is told the things their peers and teachers appreciate about them, and parents are asked to also express publicly what they value about their child. This is a powerful way of reinforcing to our learners our love and support for their developing character and skill. Please ensure that you attend the Honouring Assembly for your child as it is a personally significant time for each child.
4.          Honouring Assemblies for Volunteers
At the conclusion of the year we hold an Honouring Assembly for those who have volunteered in the school during the year. Please attend to show your support and appreciation for those who help build our school community and keep our school fees down.
5.          Prizegiving
At the conclusion of the year we hold a Prizegiving. Please attend to show your support for our learners.
6.           Social Events
Our PTA occasionally arranges a social event. These are great opportunities to help you and your child feel a part of the school community.

Learners’ Lost Property

It is school policy that all clothing is clearly named.

Items lost by students should be reported to the Office – if theft is suspected then a report should be made to the principal.
The Lost Property box is located in Room 3. The named items will be returned to the owner.
Unclaimed items are redistributed at the end of each term.

Headlice

Headlice have reached epidemic proportions in preschools and schools today and it is a good idea to check your child regularly in order to avoid being asked to remove your child for treatment.

How do I get rid of them?
There are several ways to get rid of head lice.

Simply using the detection combing method every two or three days (until you don’t find head lice for ten days) is an easy and effective method, particularly for short or fine hair. It is also cheap, and doesn’t involve any chemicals.
You can buy head lice shampoos and lotions from pharmacies. These contain insecticides to kill the head lice. It is important to follow the instructions for using these products, and to only use them if you are sure you have head lice. Do not use them “just in case”. Head lice can become resistant to insecticides. You must check that the chemical treatment has worked. If detection combing 24 hours after the treatment detects large, living head lice, the treatment may have failed. Talk to your pharmacist, doctor, or Public Health nurse and try a treatment with a different insecticide in it, or try using the detection combing method every few days instead of a chemical preparation.
Pharmacies also sell “natural” head lice treatments. Some are effective because they contain an insecticide. Others contain ingredients which stun the head lice, or make the hair slippery, so that combing removes the lice and eggs. Whichever treatment you use, continue detection combing regularly to detect and remove any newly hatched head lice. Never use insecticides such as fly spray, or pet flea sprays to treat head lice. These could cause serious harm! How do I keep them away?
If one person in the house has head lice, it is a good idea to check everyone for them. Use the detection combing method.
Brush hair regularly. Brushing or combing can remove head lice before they have the chance to lay many eggs.
Tie up long hair to help prevent head lice spreading.
Avoid sharing hair ties, hats and helmets, or bedding. Head lice do not live very long away from a head however, so are not often transferred from one person to another this way.
Notify the school if you have head lice, so that parents can be reminded to check for them.
Use the detection combing technique regularly.