Other Information
Addressing Concerns
A school has thousands of personal interactions each day and there will always be misunderstandings and mistakes.
If you have a concern we need to know. Always in the first instance talk with the person who has immediate influence.
If it is about your child’s welfare or learning then the class teacher is the person to contact. If it is about a school wide issue then please make an appointment with the principal.
Assembly
Every second Friday a student lead assembly is held. Parents are welcome. It is held at 2:15pm. Watch the newsletter for special assemblies. We also host visiting performers. Team assemblies are also held regularly.
Attendances and Absences
Irregular attendance is a major cause of learning difficulty. Home and school must work together to ensure that each child attends school as often as possible.
Attendance requirements permit absence only if a child is ill. Children may not be kept away for any other reason. If a child is absent please phone 478 8424 (24 hours) or complete a Report an Absence form on this website. You will need to state you child’s name, room number and reason for absence.
If a prolonged absence is expected you can inform us of when your child is expected to return and then not have to phone/email daily.
Please be firm in the matter of attendance to ensure that children attend school when they are well and also that they stay at home when they are ill to avoid infecting other children.
If a child is continually reluctant to come to school it may mean unhappiness about some situation. Please talk to the class teacher, a member of the Senior Management team and/or Principal if this should occur.
Camp
School camp is often a highlight for senior students. Our school employs instructors for any higher risk activities and enforces strict adult child ratios. Information is sent to parents and a meeting for parents is held before camp to ensure everyone is fully informed and that a parent team is established to help make the experience a success.
Damage to School Property
Where damage to school property is caused through willful destruction, undue carelessness, or disregard for rules, it is school policy to inform parents of this and seek their co-operation in overcoming the problem. Individual circumstances determine the action taken but restitution is expected preferably with the student/s concerned paying towards cost of replacement or repair.
Discipline
From time to time individual children do present problems for themselves and others. We are a PB4L school which means the students are explicitly taught pro-social behaviours. Students co-construct (where appropriate) the behaviour expectations needed for success in a variety of environments. Each classroom will have a Mairangi Bay Behaviour Matrix on display so students, teachers and guest teachers can remind themselves of the standards of behaviour expected and agreed to. Students can earn acknowledgements (tokens) for their good behaviour and put the tokens earned towards an activity f their choice twice a term. Consultation with parents will be instituted if problems become long term or more serious.
E-Learning
Mairangi Bay School is a Google Apps for Education (GAFE) school. This means that we use gmail and Google Drive and Docs as collaborative tools for teaching and learning.
In the junior school we use iPads, singly and for group work, to help as assistive technology for those learners with extra learning challenges, as maintenance activities for literacy and numeracy. Many of our junior teachers use their class blogs as a way to engage with their parent community. In the middle and senior levels of the school there are 8 Chromebooks and 2/3 stand alone PCs in every classroom. Students in the middle school can use their Chromebooks for Inquiry as well as literacy and numeracy activities through Google Docs. The senior students each have their own gmail address, and through class blogs and Google Classroom, the teachers facilitate authentic. collaborative learning experiences in workshops and inquiry learning. Our professional development in Learning with Digital Technologies throughout 2016 has meant greater understanding of innovative learning environments and apps that can lead to positive outcomes for all learners, and create learner agency.
Grounds
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the care and upkeep of the school property and has controlling rights over the use of the grounds outside school hours.
Organisations wishing to use the grounds must apply in writing to the Board with specific proposals. For children and individuals, use of the grounds is a privilege and as a safeguard to all, the following requirements must be observed.
- Use of skateboards is prohibited
- Bike riding, roller blading and other activities are permitted by current school families as long as the children are under direct supervision by adults. Bicycles are not to be ridden on grass areas
- No play near buildings
- Damage must be reported to the Board or school staff as soon as possible.
Parents of children causing damage to school property or grounds will be held financially responsible.
School Charter
Click below to view the Mairangi Bay School’s 2021 Charter and Strategic Planning Document
Student Reports and Parent Interviews
Both formal and informal reporting is important in the establishment of good relationships between home and school.
Formal reporting is carried out through:
| Start of the Year | Mid Year | End of Year |
|---|---|---|
| A parent teacher appointment to check on the start to the year, review goals and strengthen the home school partnership. | A brief report to gauge progress against the New Zealand Curriculum levels. | A summative written report |
| Mid year parent teacher interview to discuss report progress and achievement and further needs. | ||
| A student conference for children to share and show their learning with their parents | ||
Informal reporting is carried out through day to day school contact in conjunction with parent help, visits etc. This should be of short duration on general matters. For specific matters or matters requiring longer discussion an appointment is required.
The Principal is available by appointment at any time throughout the year.
Sunsafe
The school has a ‘Sunsafe’ policy to:
Ensure that children accept responsibility to protect themselves from the sun.
Provide shade areas for children and staff.
Encourage the use of sunscreen, wearing of hats and protective clothing during outdoor activities.
Sun protection awareness is emphasised in school programmes. Shade areas are available for lunch eating, outdoor teaching and quiet activities.
Note: For Terms 1 and 4 children are required to wear a hat during any outdoor activity.
Community Events for Parents
Parent Information Seminars | More Parent Information Seminars