Welcome to Waverley Park School…
Waverley Park School is a contributing school catering for the needs of new entrant to year six pupils. The school has served this community well since opening in 1954; current staff-members take pride in ensuring that the education offered to your child continues to be of the highest calibre.
This information book is intended to provide families with an understanding of the ways in which our school functions. Should you require further information, please contact the school.
Similarly, should you at any time have any concerns about your child, do not hesitate to get in contact with us. As, doubtless, you do too: we much prefer to deal issues at the “just wondering about it stage” rather than waiting until they become major problems.
Thank you for entrusting Waverley Park School with the primary education of your child. We are confident that you have made a wise decision - we look forward to working with you.
Kerry Hawkins
Principal.
Postal: 55 Eden Crescent Invercargill 9810
Telephone: 03 217 9332
Facsimile: 03 217 9359
E-mail: admin@waverleypark.school.nz
Website: www.waverleypark.school.nz
Your child’s safety and well-being is paramount. If your child is absent from school, please inform the school office (2179332) before 9.30am each day. (We are required to file a written explanation for absences).
We prefer that pupils in years one to three not to cycle to school – the safety issues for this age group are enormous. All pupils biking to school are expected to know and obey the road rules. The wearing of helmets is compulsory. Although sheltered bike stands are provided, please encourage your cyclist to bring and use a bike lock as our stands are not under surveillance.
The Board of Trustees is the school’s governing body. Trustee elections are held for the three year term on an eighteen-month staggered elections basis. Board meetings are held monthly: 7.00pm on a Monday towards the end of the month. These are open to the public and are advertised in the school newsletter a week in advance.
No canteen service is available to pupils. Daily, food sent from home can be heated (10 cents per item); and there are “bought lunch” options available on specific days of the week. Order forms are available from the office. Please try to ensure that your child has only the required amount of money for the order required.
Please ensure that your child’s clothing is clearly named. This makes the reuniting of items and owner less of a challenge. (Approximately three bags of unclaimed clothing is donated to charity at the end of each term = one a month!)
There will be times when you have concerns about aspects of your child’s education and there will be times when error or confusion arises. On these occasions, it is vital that you direct your concern to the school. We want to know about and alleviate your concerns. In short, if you like what is happening, tell your friends and neighbours. If you do not like what is happening, tell us.
Postal: 55 Eden Crescent Invercargill 9810
Telephone: 03 217 9332
Facsimile: 03 217 9359
E-mail: admin@waverleypark.school.nz
Website: www.waverleypark.school.nz
Should you change address, telephone number, or emergency contact information – even temporarily – please keep the school informed. Accurate information is vital in the event of an emergency.
Should your child require urgent treatment, contact Southern Health Dental Service 214 5774.
Waverley Park School requires every individual to take responsibility for their actions. To this end, an assertive discipline programme runs at this school. Parents and caregivers will be contacted should lingering concerns develop in relation to the behaviour of their “cherished and dearest”. Conversely, do not hesitate to contact us if you have concerns.
During morning intervals and lunchtimes, designated teachers are on playground duty – patrolling play areas and buildings. There are also staff designated to supervise detention, road patrol teams and to provide first aid for the injured, the distressed, and, on occasion, the merely upset.
Emergency procedures are practiced each term. Should you be in the school at such time, you are expected to follow staff instructions and comply with the relevant procedural practice. Please attach yourself to the nearest class or staff member. Evacuation routes are marked on plans beside exits form all rooms. The assembly point is the middle of the playing fields.
This is a relatively painless procedure and may be completed on any day up to and including your scholar’s first day at Waverley Park. Should you wish to complete the paperwork prior to the big day, contact the school office (217 9332) to arrange a time to do so. Please bring your five-year-old’s birth certificate and immunization record certificate. Parents and caregivers are welcome to tour the school at any time. Pre-school visits are encouraged for all; new entrants especially.
Our Public Health Nurse visits the school on a fortnightly basis. If you have any relevant issues addressed, please contact the school. All five year olds have their hearing and vision tested. Those who fail are then retested on a regular basis. Older pupils can also be tested should concerns arise. Contact the office if you have need of this service.
Homework should be a positive experience both for those who complete it and those who supervise it. In general it should allow existing skills and learning to be practised. Homework will include reading (by your child; with your child; and / or to your child). It may also include practising basic maths, spelling, or handwriting; completing school work or a relevant set task (e.g: finding out about a current affairs issue or a discussion with you).
Homework will not include worksheets to merely keep your scholar busy – kids already lead busy lives – and it most definitely should not generate in-home warfare. See your child’s teacher of homework is a battle at your house.
Pupils are not permitted in the grounds before 8.20am and they must have vacated the grounds by 3.40pm. (They are most welcome to return to play after they have checked in at home).
The rest of the day is organized as follows:
08.50 – 09.10 aerobic activity and administration
09.10 – 10.40 instruction - ninety minutes
10.40 – 11.00 interval - twenty minutes
11.00 – 12.30 instruction - ninety minutes
12.30 – 13.30 lunch – sixty minutes
13.30 – 15.00 instruction - ninety minutes
Lost property is stored until the end of each term. Generally, items are unnamed. You are encouraged to fossick in our lost property store for your beloved’s missing wardrobe items.
All money sent to school should be the correct amount and in a sealed and clearly labelled envelope which should be placed in the “money box” attached to the wall in the office.
Except for when the principal has had a particularly harrowing week, newsletters are written and provided to each family every Friday of the school year. The newsletter is intended to keep families informed of all aspects of school life. Please make sure you read them. You are welcome to use the newsletter to advertise events etc. Any notices you wish to insert need to be provided to the school office by noon on Thursdays.
One of our most valuable resources is the parent body of the school. Apart from providing us with the pupils upon whom we practise our profession, parents provide vital assistance on trips and camps; with sports teams; in the library; in the classroom; on the Board of Trustees and in the Waverley Park Parents Association. All volunteers are gleefully welcomed.
The Board of Trustees is committed to providing a safe, enjoyable and interesting playground environment. Consequently, our grounds are open to the public outside of school hours. However, after school, we do insist that all pupils “report in” at home before returning to use the playground after school. This helps ensure families’ knowledge of pupil whereabouts and safety.
We do ask that everyone using the grounds respects the work undertaken by the Board and its staff and helps us to maintain this first class environment. Use of the grounds out of school hours is a privilege and we reserve the right to exclude individuals who do not treat school property with respect.
Schools are obliged to report on pupil progress to parents twice a year. Waverley Park reports to parents three times during the year.
Term 1
Wednesday 11 February: classroom programme information parents night
Wednesday 25 March : goal-setting interviews
Term 2 BOT curriculum report: science / technology
Week 9: mid-year reporting interviews
Term 3 BOT curriculum report: music / visual arts
Term 4 BOT curriculum report: Maori / health
Monday 7 December: end of year reports sent home
However, we do encourage you to keep in touch with your child’s teacher during the year. We continually monitor and assess your child and we are happy to share our information at any time. Don’t wait for the next formal report if you need to know something now.
The paying of school fees cannot be made compulsory by any state primary school. Nevertheless, it is a sad fact of fiscal life that the requesting of fees (in actual fact, a donation) is a necessity for most schools; we are no exception. Fees are set annually and requested initially by way of the school newsletter. We attempt to keep ours as low as possible and we have a two step scale, requesting an amount for your one child; or slightly more for a family.
The idea is that the greater the number of families paying this donation, the lower the amount per family we need to seek. Please play your part and pay your part.
The school has a uniform which is compulsory for all new entrants from the start of the 2007 school year. The uniform is available from Postie Plus in Tay St. A range of options are available at reasonable cost. Shorts and polo short are compulsory for all students representing the school in sports.
The school willingly fields teams in a variety of sports. Whether enter a team or not depends on two simple factors: are their enough players? Is there a coach? In today’s schools, most teachers do simply not have the time or freedom to coach a team over an extended block of time. Consequently, we are dependent on parents, caregivers and friends of the school to take up the coaching role. If you are willing and available, watch the school newsletters for our cries of help - and then promptly come to our rescue.
The school does not stock stationery for resale. Next year’s stationery list is included with the end of year reports in December. Families can then take advantage of the best deals available.
The wearing of appropriate sun protection is strongly encouraged at this school. Please equip your offspring with suitable clothing, sun block, sun glasses etc. Heavily subsidized by the Friends of Waverley, school uniform sunhats (Cancer Society approved) are available from the office: definitely the cheapest option in town.
This group of friendly and supportive parents meets approximately once each term. The group undertakes a variety of tasks – including running functions for pupils, informal gatherings for parents, and the odd bout of fundraising. Families new to the school are especially welcome. Contact numbers for the WPPA are published annually. All parents are encouraged (mightily!) to join and / or support this aspect of our school life.
Yes - we do occasionally have them! Pupils are permitted to play outside on wet days (it is a personal responsibility thing) as long as they have appropriate wet weather clothing. If your offspring is something of a mud-lark or aquanaut, please ensure that you send along a suitable change of clothing – not a lot of sympathy is extended to the soggy should they complain that they are wet and cold after playing outside in Arctic conditions.
