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WELCOME TO SOUTHBRIDGE SCHOOL 03-324-2545 25 Hastings Street, Southbridge 7602 www.southbridge.school.nz [email protected]
WELCOME TO SOUTHBRIDGE SCHOOL
03-324-2545 25 Hastings Street, Southbridge 7602 www.southbridge.school.nz [email protected]
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Welcome to Southbridge School
We are committed to working in partnership with parents and caregivers to provide quality education for the children of Southbridge. Our underpinning beliefs and values have been developed following feedback from our community and will help children to become:
independent and self-motivated learners
effective communicators
responsible citizens
competent users of modern technologies
reflective learners
partners in the learning process
confident risk takers We believe that children learn best in an environment where they feel happy and secure and we work hard at building positive learning communities within our classrooms. As committed life-long learners ourselves we are always looking for ways to improve the quality of education at our school. Ideas and suggestions are always appreciated. We believe that your child will enjoy Southbridge School and we are delighted to welcome your family into our community of learners. Tamara Bell Principal - Tumuaki
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SEEDS OF LEARNING (SOL) PROGRAMME
Our SOL programme was established in 2014 to provide an authentic context through which our students can learn. The aim is to give our students practical opportunities to learn and develop skills while learning about what it means to be a member of a rural community such as Southbridge. In 2014 our focus was our gardens and in 2015 this moved to hens with each student in the school taking part in designing our hen house. This year we hope to introduce a kunekune pig with grazing sheep as the next stage of the roll out. Student voice is integral to the programme, with decisions about the direction and maintenance of the programme being made by our senior students. These students must also undertake the various roles required with the support of staff, parents and local community members. In 2017 our army of student SOLdiers includes the following groups:
Environment Responsible for the state of our grounds, recycling, the worm farm, composting, gardening and harvesting & selling produce
Art Responsible for student art works (eg painting / murals), creating labels for produce
Media Recording school events and storing these digitally
Library Supporting students to issue and return books and ensuring the smooth running of the library
Phys Ed Looking after our sports equipment and ensuring there is equipment available for students and teachers.
This year the teachers in charge of SOL are Bernadette Woffenden (junior roopu) and Nicole Thornton & Bonnie Edmond (senior roopu).
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Absence, illness and accidents If your child is unable to attend school due to illness, please call the office on 324-2545 before 9:00am. The office is staffed from 8:30am but there is an answer phone to record messages left earlier than that. You can also notify the office of your child’s absence via our website absence form: (www.southbridge.school.nz).
If your child becomes ill during the school day and we feel that they are not well enough to be at school, we will contact you, or your emergency contacts if we cannot reach you. It makes events like this much easier when we are kept up to date with any changes to your contacts.
If your child needs to take medication while they are at school, please contact the school office. All medications need to be prescribed by a doctor and be in the original container.
Behaviour management We operate a structured and restorative approach to behaviour that is consistently applied. We know from research that it is consistency of consequence and not severity of consequence that changes behaviour. Our approach incorporates the belief that for every right that we have, we also have a corresponding responsibility:
I have the right to be safe. I have the responsibility to keep others safe. I have the right to be respected. I have the responsibility to show respect to others. I have the right to learn. I have the responsibility to let others learn.
Through our behaviour management programme children are taught and encouraged to use ‘I-messages’, reflective listening and to make restoration when hurt / damage has been caused. The role of our staff in this process is to support children as they work through any problems encountered.
Children are encouraged to use a range of strategies to deal with an immediate situation, such as ignoring the person, walking away, going to the Safe Seat or using an I-message. If a child does not feel capable of doing this, or the person will not listen to them, then they are taught to get a staff member to support them. (There are currently six adults on duty in our playground during morning tea and lunch breaks). Every incident reported to a staff member will be followed up.
You are very welcome to contact your child’s teacher to discuss any concerns you have regarding student behaviour.
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Board of Trustees The members of our board are as follows:
Chairperson Mr Richard Hall Parent representative Mrs Rochelle Ealam Parent representative Mr Carl Bowden Parent representative Dr Jason Trethewey Parent representative Mrs Tracey Chynoweth Parent representative Mrs Carey Barnett Principal Mrs Tamara Bell Deputy Principal Mrs Wendy Huriwai Minute secretary Mrs Rowan Clibborn
The role of the Board of Trustees is to govern the school. Parents are welcome to attend meetings, which are held at 7:00pm in Com 3. Speaking rights for members of the public at the meeting are at the discretion of the chairperson.
Book Club From time to time your child will bring home a Scholastic Book Club brochure. Items from this brochure can be ordered through school. If paying by cheque, please make this out to Scholastic Book Club. Orders need to be handed into the school office prior to the advertised closing date. The school earns loyalty points through the scheme and these are used to purchase book resources.
Book Week We hold a Book Week annually to encourage a love of reading. The week includes activities that support literacy programmes and the highlight of the week is the book character dress up parade.
Buses Students living more than 3.2km from their nearest school are eligible for school transport assistance. Information about eligibility and transport options can be obtained through the school office. Students living more than 2.4km from a bus route may also be entitled to a conveyance allowance for travel between home and the nearest pick-up point.
Classes and classrooms At Southbridge School we consider our classes to be communities of learning. As such they are named ‘Coms’ rather than ‘Rooms’, eg Com 5, Com 1.
Our classrooms are equipped with a variety of technological devices in addition to regular classroom items such as age-appropriate furniture. Each class has five iPads and at least one MacBook (laptop). In addition to this we have three COWs (Computers on Wheels) with 20 MacBooks, 10 Netbooks and 12 Chrome Books.
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Classroom helpers Parents, caregivers and family members are welcome in the school at all times. Please sign the visitors’ book in the school office on arrival and departure. Teachers welcome helpers in the classroom and on school trips, and will advise you of suitable times when support is needed. Regular parent helpers are required to sign a confidentiality agreement before beginning their work in the classroom.
Communication School Links We use a service called School Links to keep in touch with our parents via text thus providing the ability to text all parents in the event of an emergency.
Facebook Southbridge School has a Facebook page, which all parents and supporters are encouraged to “like”. We use this as another means of communication between school and home.
Email Teachers’ school email addresses are shared with families. Parents are encouraged to use email for regular communication with school.
Newsletters A newsletter is emailed to all parents every Thursday. Hard copies are sent home each week to families who request this and spares are available via the office.
EAST Club EAST Club is the Ellesmere Science and Technology event where during Term 3 students from three Ellesmere schools meet at Leeston A&P Showgrounds to showcase their Science and Technology projects and to show their pets. This popular and well-attended event is supported by a number of local groups in addition to the schools.
Enrolment procedures Parents wishing to enrol their child at Southbridge School should contact Sonya Price at the school office. An enrolment pack will be provided and a time made to meet the principal and have a tour of the school. Parents of pre-schoolers can pre-enrol their child at any time.
Once we have pre-enrolment details for a child, the new entrant teacher will add them to their information and will contact the family close to the child’s fifth birthday to arrange pre-entry visits. See also the note on Pre-school programme.
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Headlice Every school in the country has this problem and, as a parent, there are only two things you can do: 1. Minimise the chance of your child catching headlice by keeping their hair regularly
checked and tied back if it is shoulder length. 2. When your child has headlice, treat it with medicated shampoo and comb the hair to
remove ALL eggs. This needs to be repeated for several weeks.
As a school we play our part by regularly promoting prevention. If a staff member observes headlice on a child, the child is immediately and discretely removed from class and their parents are contacted to pick them up.
If your child is having problems with headlice regularly reappearing, we can put you in touch with our school’s Public Health Nurse, Ange Harris, who will be able to support you on an individual basis.
Hearing and vision tests Hearing and Vision testers visit our school on a regular schedule. All new entrants are screened and children who may have a hearing or vision problem are monitored regularly. Parents can request the hearing and vision tester to re-assess their children at any time. Please speak with your child’s class teacher about this.
Home & School committee The Home & School committee is a group of dedicated and enthusiastic parents who plan and organise a range of activities to fundraise for the students of Southbridge School. Fundraising ventures range from our monthly sausage sizzles to quiz nights and discos. The committee’s goal is to help fund worthwhile projects for the school that benefit the students.
The committee meets on the second Wednesday of every month is and always looking for new members with great ideas. You don’t have to join the committee to be involved. If you have skills that you would like to contribute (e.g., manning a BBQ) you can be involved on an informal basis. If you are interested in the Home & School please contact Chairperson, Vicky Joyce on 021-183-9215.
Home learning Home learning expectations are reinforced at the beginning of each school year and children are expected to complete all tasks set. Weekly home learning tasks are posted on class pages on the website or sent home in hard copy. If at any time your child is unable to complete a task, please let their class teacher know. In early years of schooling, the nightly Reading book is an essential part of children learning to read.
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Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) Providing students with access to up to date technologies such as computers, the internet, audio conferences and web-based learning is a key focus of our school. All classes have wireless internet access and computers for children’s use. We have interactive whiteboards in all of our classrooms.
Kapa haka The school runs a kapa haka group that regularly performs at events such as the Cultural Festival and Ellesmere’s Po Whakangahau. The group also performs at mihi whakatau to welcome guests and new staff and at farewells.
Library
The library is open during morning tea and lunchtimes for children to read, carry out research and exchange books. Additionally, all classes visit the library at least once a week with their teacher. During these lessons children are encouraged to select recreational reading books and are taught information literacy skills.
The Selwyn District Council Mobile Library also visits the school every second Wednesday. Mrs Wendy Huriwai is the teacher in charge of the library and she is happy to answer any questions you may have.
We have a team of senior students who are trained as librarians and assist with the selection and issuing of books in the library.
Lost property Please name all items of clothing that your child wears to school! From time to time things go missing. It has been our experience that things that are named are quickly re-united with their owners. There is a lost property box located in the office that is distributed weekly. Any items that are unclaimed from this box are sent to the larger lost property box in the library. Once property has been there for some time, it is sent to the uniform shop for re-sale.
Lunch orders
Lunches may be ordered on Fridays from Southbridge Café & Dairy. To order, write what your child would like on the outside of an envelope, place the correct money inside and have your child deliver it to the school office before the 9:00am bell. Lunches will be delivered to your child by senior students.
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New entrants Our local early childhood centres supply us with the names of children intending to enrol at Southbridge School. Approximately six weeks before a child turns five the new entrant teacher will contact families to arrange pre-school visits. Please note that parents / caregivers are required to stay during pre-entry visits. Parents are also welcome to contact us to discuss their child’s specific needs regarding transition.
Portfolios reports and conferences Portfolios showcasing each child’s learning are created in a folder which is sent home twice during the year at the same time as written reports.
Written reports for children in Years 4-6 are sent home in July and December. Written reports for children in Years 1-3 are sent home every six months following a child’s starting school; this means that you will either receive a report at the end of Terms 1&3 or Terms 2&4 depending on your child’s birth month.
Three-way learning conferences (parent-teacher-child) are held in February to set learning goals for the first two terms and in July to report on these goals and set new ones. Additional interviews can be arranged at the request of the teacher or parent.
Pre-school programme In addition to the three regular new entrant transition visits mentioned above, we run a pre-school programme for parents and children in the new entrant classroom. This is designed for children who will be attending Southbridge School in 2017. Please contact the school for more information regarding the programme.
Resource Teachers of Learning and Behaviour RTLB teachers are teachers who work with a cluster of schools and are trained to support the class teachers of students experiencing learning or behavioural difficulties. All referrals to this service are made with parents’ consent and can only occur following an unsuccessful intervention programme at school designed to overcome the problem. If you have a concern about your child’s learning, behaviour or development, please talk to their classroom teacher and we will arrange a referral if appropriate.
School hours School hours are officially 9.00am - 3.00pm. Outside of these hours the safety of children is the responsibility of parents. We encourage students to arrive by 8.45am so they can put their bags away, be organised for the day and touch base with their classmates.
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9:00am School begins 10:30am Morning tea
10:50am Class time 11:50am First lunch – eat for 20mins, then play
12:20pm Class time 1:20pm Second lunch – play
1:50pm Class time 3:00pm School ends
School donation Each family is asked to pay a school donation to help us provide quality education for our students. At present the rate is $50 per child up to a maximum of $125 per family. We accept payment at any time of the year and reminder notices will be sent out. Please note that this donation is tax deductible.
All school payments may be made by cash or cheque at the office or by direct debit to the school bank account ASB 12-3153-0125430-00. Families are encouraged to set up a regular automatic payment to cover stationery, donation, school trips and other expenses. Enquire at the office if you are interested in this payment option.
Staff Principal Tamara Bell [email protected]
Deputy Principal Wendy Huriwai [email protected]
Assistant Principal Nicole Thornton [email protected]
Teachers Bonnie Edmond [email protected]
Nikki McCartin [email protected]
Sarah-May Forrest [email protected]
Nicole Greenwood [email protected]
Bernadette Woffenden [email protected]
R Recovery teacher Lesley Stoliker [email protected]
Teacher Aides Carol Twiss [email protected]
Carrie Jones-Dakers [email protected]
Anna Forward [email protected]
Rowan Clibborn [email protected]
Student buddies
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Executive Officer Sonya Price [email protected]
Office Assistant Louise Christey [email protected]
Cleaners Heather Rudolph
Maggie Weaver
Caretaker Sam Lilley
Sport Southbridge School competes in a number of sporting events and fixtures throughout the year and our teams achieve excellent results. The Ellesmere Zone Athletics competition is held at our school annually, making use of our extensive grounds.
Student buddies Every year junior children are paired with an older ‘buddy’. Buddy classes do activities together and buddies sit together at assembly. If we walk to the Town Hall for a celebration assembly, buddies walk together. We also have buddy lunches where buddies sit together and events such as Book Week and Jump Rope for Heart also see senior students supporting their buddy on the day.
Support Services Our Public Health Nurse, Ange Harris, can be contacted directly by parents on 325-6218 or 025-336-526. She is available to give help with any health problem you may be experiencing.
Dental nurses visit our school regularly. If you require their assistance at a time when they are not at Southbridge, phone 0800 846 983.
Our CMM (CHC Methodist Mission) response worker, Tracey Chynoweth, works at school on Mondays and is available for 1:1 chats with children, parent support and referrals to other agencies. He can be contacted via the school office.
Uniform You may choose from: Sky blue short-sleeved or long-sleeved polo shirt
Navy shorts with no visible logo. Navy track pants either fleece or taslon with no visible logo Royal blue sweatshirt with school logo School polar fleece Girls may also choose navy skorts White, navy or black socks (ankle or under-knee length only)
Please note that the only logo acceptable on school clothing is the school crest.
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All uniform is available through the school uniform shop that is run by the Home & School committee. Certain items can also be purchased from The Warehouse in Hornby. Secondhand uniforms are available from the uniform shop which is open on Tuesdays 8:30am-9:15am and Thursdays 2:45pm – 3:15pm. Earrings The only earrings permitted to be worn at school are plain studs.
Footwear Children may wear sport shoes, black leather shoes or sandals. Plastic shoes, high heels and jandals are not to be worn. To protect our carpets shoes are not to be worn indoors; there is storage for shoes in all cloakrooms.
Nail polish Nail polish is not allowed at school.
Safety vest Safety vests are a compulsory part of the school uniform. A vest is provided free of charge for each student when they enrol; if it is lost parents are required to replace it. These are available via the uniform shop. All children are required to wear safety vests travelling to and from school.
Sunhats Sunhats are provided free for all students by the Home & School committee and are compulsory for all students during Terms 1 & 4.
Website Up-to-date information about our school is available through our website. Please make this your first port of call if you’re unsure whether or not school is open during snow or bad weather. The url is www.southbridge.school.nz
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