Useful Information

School Hours

School Day begins : 8.55am Paramanawa (morning tea): 10:20am – 10:40am
Tina (lunch): 12:00pm – 12:45pm
Wa iti(afternoon break) 1:45pm – 2.00pm
School ends 3:00pm

Contact Information

Office hours: 8:30-4:00 Monday-Friday
Phone Office/Absence line: 04 384 2860
Email: office@tearo.school.nz
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TeAroSchool/
Principal: principal@tearo.school.nz
Deputies: annam@tearo.school.nz, rteahen@tearo.school.nz
Board of Trustees Chair: kateb@tearo.school.nz

Start of the day

Te Aro School does not provide teacher supervision before 8.30am so children are encouraged to arrive from 8.30am onwards. It is really important that children are at school by 8.45am so that they can settle in and be ready for the start of the school day.

Absences

Please notify us if your child will not be at school for any reason. You can do this by phoning the absence line ( 04 384 2860) or emailing office@tearo.school.nz. All unexplained absences will be followed up by the office if we have not heard from you. This is to ensure that all of our students are safe and accounted for each day.

Illness

Please keep your child at home if they are unwell in any way. If your child has had vomiting or diarrhoea they must stay home for 48 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea. This is so that the illness does not spread to other children. If this happens during their term of swimming lessons, they will be unable to attend swimming lessons that week. Contagious illnesses such as measles, mumps, chicken pox, rubella, whooping cough must be advised to the school office.

Contact Details and Emergency Contacts

It is very important that we have your correct contact and emergency contact details to ensure we can contact you easily If your child becomes unwell or is injured at school, or if there is an emergency. Please notify us if these details change so that we can update our system.

Getting to School

We encourage families wherever possible to walk or scooter to school. Scooter racks are available at school but please clearly label your child’s scooter and helmet. Parking can be very difficult in this area. For our students’ safety, parents and visitors are asked to use the parking area at the top of the back drive, or the gravel car park halfway up the main drive. The driveway up to the main block is closed to all private vehicles from 8.30am – 9.30am and when the children are leaving after school 2.45pm – 3.30pm. Please respect the barriers placed on the driveway at these times. We have a ‘quick drop-off’ area on the lower driveway opposite the Movenpick Hotel. Please do not park in this area.

Open-door Policy

We have an open-door policy. Parents are welcome to join in with school and classroom activities. You can also help with class trips, making equipment, providing recyclable materials for construction, demonstrating a special skill, working with small groups of children, fundraising etc. Please talk to your child’s teacher if you would like to help in any way.

Lost Property

Please clearly name your child/ren’s clothing and personal property. We are trying to reduce the amount of clothing left behind and it is much easier to return an item to students when it is named. Items found in the school are displayed in the main block by the office until the end of each school term. Unclaimed property is then sent to a local charitable organisation.

Lunches

It is important for students to bring food for lunch every day. This will ensure that children have energy to focus and participate in learning. We do not have facilities for heating students’ lunches. We have a water only policy at school. It is a good idea for your child to have a named water bottle that they can take home at the end of each day or week. We have taps in the classrooms to refill drink bottles, and water fountains in the playground.

Allergies or Health Issues

Please ensure we know of any allergies or health issues your child may have and any actions or medications that may be required.

Nut Policy – Severe Allergy

We have children with severe allergies to hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans and brazil nuts. We ask our school families to ensure that you do not send these nuts to school. This means nothing that contains these nuts including Nutella, and certain types of muesli bars.

Newsletters and See Saw

One way we communicate with our school whānau is via Seesaw. You will receive an invitation from the class teacher to join Seesaw. If you do not receive this invitation please let the office know. Newsletters about school activities and information for parents are emailed fortnightly. Class newsletters will be sent home once a term.

Road Patrols and Wardens

The crossing on The Terrace is patrolled by our senior school student volunteers from 8.30am – 9.00am and 3.00pm – 3.15pm. We also require assistance from parent volunteers on the driveway crossing. If you are able to help with one of the crossing duties each week of the term, please contact the office.

Sunsmart

We are a sunsmart school and require all students and staff to wear a sunhat and sunscreen when going outside during Terms 1 and 4. Please ensure your child has a named sunhat so that they can play outside during these terms. If they do not have a hat they will be limited to playing in the shaded and sheltered areas of the school. We have sunscreen available in classrooms and outside the office.

Friends of Te Aro – Fundraising Group

A group of dedicated parents and caregivers help co-ordinate fundraising and social events for the school. If you are interested in joining this group or have fundraising ideas to share please contact Jo Brett – jobiwan9@gmail.com . This group is very informal and meets once or twice a term.

Y-Kids After School Care and Holiday Programmes

Y-Kids After School Care offers supervised activities at the school from: 3:00pm – 6:00pm on school days. Holiday programmes are also offered. Bookings and information, including fees, can be obtained from https://ycentral.nz/portfolio-items/te-aro-school/ . For absences or casual bookings contact the supervisor at 027 703 5705.

Contacting Teachers

Class teachers are best reached by email. Please don’t hesitate to email the teachers or call the school (04 384 2860) about any matter which concerns you or if you would like more information.