The Basics

We are a ‘Smoke Free” site. No Dogs are permitted on school grounds at any time.

School Hours:

                          8.30am      Children are allowed into school grounds.

                          9.00am      Classes commence.

                        10.30am      Morning recess.

                        10.50am      Close of interval.

                        12.30pm      Lunch period commences.          

                          1.25pm      Move to classes

                          1.30pm      Afternoon classes commence.

                          3.00pm      End of school day for students  

                          3.20pm      Clearance of grounds

Students who arrive at school after 9.00am must report to the school office before going to their classroom.

Notification of Absence: (This can be done via our website) Families are asked to contact the school office prior to 9.am to notify of a child’s absence.

Once the electronic roll has been taken by teachers at 9.am families who have not contacted the school previously will be rung to enquire as to their child’s whereabouts. We also offer a text stream service whereby (if we have your mobile number) you will receive a text message instead. When you respond to the text it comes as an email to the office.

Parking:

Parking is available outside the school grounds on Carlton Avenue, Churchill Crescent or Smithfield Road. There is provision for disabled parking inside the main entrance off Carlton Avenue. Other parking inside the school grounds is for staff and service vehicles only. (The exception being the families of students from Arahunga Special School which has a satellite class located at our school).

Enrolment:

Carlton School has a Zone Map in place. However we do have vacancies in some areas of the school from time to time. Out of zone enrolments are considered by the Board of Trustees (or delegated to management) on a regular basis. Initially make contact with the school office to enquire about the enrolment of your child.

Office:

The main school office is a stand-alone building located through the pedestrian entrance opposite the Murch Place intersection. Hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm

Personnel located in this building are: Mr Paul Petersen (Principal), Ms Gaye O’Connor (Deputy Principal), Mrs Dianna Benton (Office Manager) and Mrs Gay Wilson (Teacher aid).

Voluntary Contributions (School fees):

These fees are not compulsory but they are integral to our being able to offer a range of educational experiences to children at Carlton School. They  are payable at the office and can be paid off over time. (Money Matters)

Facilities:

• A covered swimming pool allows the school to conduct swimming lessons over an extended season (link Sports-Fitness)
• The school library is located adjacent to the playing field. Students borrow books, complete inquiry research and use it for recreational purposes.
• The school hall and adjacent kitchen are available for public hire. (Contact the Office)
• We have 3 adventure playgrounds (Junior, Middle, and Senior) and two sandpits for using during play breaks.

Stationery:

All stationery items are available for purchase through the school office. A stationery list is issued at the beginning of the school year. Books must be paid for before they are issued.

Students purchase stationery using the Stationery Items order slip. They may purchase items between 8.30am and 8.55am from the office.

Stationery Matters

Dress:

Although Carlton School does not have an official uniform all students are expected to dress appropriately for a school environment.

• No gang regalia and inappropriate or offensive language on clothing is permitted.
• Girls must have their shoulders completely covered i.e. no string tops (singlet type tops). Boys wear t-shirts rather than sleeveless tops.
• In terms 1 and 4 all children wear a sunhat supplied by the school. No other headwear is permitted at any time of year, with the exception of religious/cultural reasons. (Parents write to the Board of Trustees to request an exception to this rule).
• Children may not have the hoods of tops up over their heads in school grounds.

Lunches:

As a Health Promoting School we actively encourage students to eat a well-balanced, healthy diet. Children may only drink water at school, no other fizzy, soft or energy drinks are permitted. If children bring these drinks to school they are confiscated and returned at the end of the day. Lollies, rollups and other sugary treats are also actively discouraged.

Lunches can be ordered at school (supplied by the Fitzherbet Ave Bakery) in the school hall between 8:30 and 9am every day. Children are asked to have the correct money for the order. (Lunch Menu Price List)

Supervision:

The playground is fully supervised during break times. Junior students play at the front of the school and immediately behind the Junior Block with a teacher supervising this area. Senior students play on the soccer and rugby fields and along the rear of the school (including climbing trees and making huts in the bushes).

In wet or very inclement weather children remain in the classrooms  playing appropriate indoor games. Junior children have senior monitors in their rooms. All classes are patrolled by the duty teacher.

Loss/Damage of School Property:

In instances of deliberate vandalism of school property the responsible person/persons will be charged the full cost of the repair or replacement. Where school property has been damaged by a child (this includes books) they can be charged for full or part replacement costs depending upon the circumstances around the incident. (e.g. playing netball and the ball breaks a window, the child may be let off.  Kicking a ball and the ball breaks the window, the responsible person will pay as balls are not allowed to be kicked on the concrete areas).

Families are always charged a fee for lost or damaged library books.

House System:

Students are assigned to one of four houses when they enrol at school.(Kauri, Kowhai, Totara and Puriri). In class they are rewarded with house points for good work and behaviour, winning mini-competitions against peers etc. As a school we have regular house competitions where houses compete against each other (e.g. tug-of-war), as well as competing for house points at sports events (athletics, swimming, cross-country).

House points are tallied in each class every week and a winning house identified at school assembly. Each term the winning house for the term receives a treat.

School Spirit:

School spirit and culture are regularly fostered through ‘spirit days’ (so-called to keep our spirits high). On these days children and staff may be asked to:- come in their pyjamas, wear their clothes backwards, have a wacky hairdo, dress as their favourite book character, dress as their favourite hero, dress in their house colour etc etc  

In addition there is a fun activity planned for the whole school one afternoon per term. E.g. water fight, tug of war, wheel relays.

Communication:

• School newsletters are produced fortnightly on the even weeks of the school term (Week 2, 4, 6 etc). They are given to the eldest, or only, child in the family at school. These contain important dates, notices and reminders, and parents should remind their children regularly to bring them home. (Copies are also kept in the office and are on our website).
• Team newsletters are published once a term. These inform families of happenings and notices relevant to that area of the school (Junior/Senior). Every child is given one.
• We report formally twice a year in writing to parents/caregivers; this takes place in June and December. These reports indicate: - student progress/achievement against National Standards in Literacy and Numeracy, values and skills development, and effort.
• In March informal parent interviews are held where parents/caregivers meet with the class teacher to share information and establish a relationship that has the learner/child at its centre.
• Parents are welcome into the school at any time. Teachers are usually available before and after school (except when they have professional commitments) for a casual chat.
• When there is something more significant to discuss you are advised to make an appointment to guarantee uninterrupted, and private, time with the teacher. The Principal and Deputy Principal are also available to meet with parents/caregivers to issues or concerns.

Health and Welfare

• A dental clinic is located on the school premises and is staffed by a dental therapist on Mondays and Tuesdays. Outside those times she can be contacted at either Rutherford or Wanganui Intermediates.
• A public health nurse is allocated to the school and visits fortnightly on Mondays. She can assist families with referrals and support to deal with any medical or social-emotional issues.
• If your child becomes unwell at school they are sent to the sickbay in the office area. They are assessed and the parent/caregiver is contacted. (It is important that we have current contact numbers, and an emergency contact as well, for instances like these).
• If your child is injured at school parents/caregivers are contacted immediately. In the event of the school being unable to make contact a staff member will take the child directly to the Accident and Emergency Department. (In extreme emergencies emergency services will be called).
• Occasionally a child might soil themselves at school. We keep spare clothing to change them into. This must be washed and returned to the school.

Transport:

• Ensure your child is very clear about their transport arrangements – who may pick them up, where they are going after school etc. If these need to be changed contact the school office.
• Children who travel to school by car must use the pedestrian crossing on Carlton Avenue if they need to cross over to the school. (likewise on leaving after school). Parents cannot drive in to the school grounds to drop children off.
• Children may cycle to school at the discretion of their parents (the police traffic safety officers recommend 9+years to be a more suitable age). Bikes are placed in the bike racks by the Art Shed. Their security is the responsibility of the owner.

Valuables:

• The wearing of jewellery by students is restricted to watches, plain ear sleepers/studs, and culturally significant items. All jewellery is worn on the understanding that it is at the students’/families own risk.
• Teachers can use their discretion if they have any safety or security concerns regarding any item and may ask students to remove items that do not comply with the standards.
• Students may bring mobile phones to school if requested by a parent/caregiver for communication purposes. These are handed in at the office at the beginning of the day for safe keeping and will be given back at the end of the day.
• Students may not bring money to school except for ordering lunch, buying stationery or paying for a show. Any change is kept by the teacher for safe keeping.
• From time to time students bring toys or personal items to play with or to show their classmates. Families must be aware that the school takes no responsibility for the safety or care of these items.