ST. BENEDICT'S SCHOOL

HANDBOOK

_____________________ 50 Nicholson Road, Khandallah, Wellington 6035

Telephone: 04 479 6878 Fax: 04 479 3879

Absentee Telephone: 04 939 3878

Email: office@st-benedicts.school.nz

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SCHOOL MOTTO

MISSION STATEMENT

To provide a challenging, co-operative, supportive environment which

incorporates Roman Catholic ideals, attitudes and practices where children,

teachers, parents and community work together to continue the full

development of the child in learning for life.

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WELCOME TO ST BENEDICT’S PRIMARY SCHOOL

We welcome you to our school and hope you will have a happy time with us.

St. Benedict's School is a Roman Catholic school for boys and girls from Year 1 -

Year 8. We have 11 classrooms accommodating 240-270 children over the school year.

St. Benedict's School was integrated into the State system in April 1981, and we all work

together to maintain our ‘Special Character’ within that system.

Dates for 2015 3

rd February School begins

2nd April Term 1 ends

20th

April Term 2 begins

3rd July Term 2 ends

20th July Term 3 begins

25th

September Term 3 ends

12th

October Term 4 begins

16th

December School closes

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STAFF LIST Principal Mr David Lamont

Deputy Principal Mrs Cheryl Taylor

Director of Religious Studies Miss Elizabeth Borkin

Junior Syndicate Leader Mrs Anne Minto

Middle Syndicate Leader Ms Rachael Bolger

Classrooms Mrs Anne Minto

Mrs Sarah Wood

Mrs Fiona Barnett

Miss Gillian Higgins

Miss Davinia Penman

Mr Jim McGurk

Miss Elizabeth Borkin

Mrs Cheryl Taylor

Ms Rachael Bolger

Mr Paul Cunningham

Ms Fiona Bolger

Support Teacher Ms Pauline Rodgers

Part-time Teachers & Rhiannon Cameron

Librarian Mrs Penny Bull

Reading Recovery Teacher Ms Juliet Smith

Teacher Aides Ms Leanne Koeck & Mrs Penny Bull

Music Teacher Mrs Rhiannon Cameron

Finance Administrator Mrs Emma McCallum

Secretary Ms Coralie Wilkinson

Caretaker Mr Sokry Slayman

After School Care Supervisor Ms Tracey Page

Assistants Mrs Laurel Ferguson, Ms Leanne Koeck &

Mrs Emma McCallum

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Essentially the Board is responsible, in consultation with the Principal and staff, for

setting the direction of the school and meeting various legal and statutory requirements.

It specifically includes responsibility for implementing the School Charter, carrying out

ground and building maintenance and improvements, setting and reviewing goals (as in

the five year strategic plan) and policies, and assessing performance in relation to these,

and budget planning and control.

The Board works with specialist sub-committees covering Finance & Works, Personnel,

Communications, Education and Policy, Fundraising (HOK) and Information

Communication Technology. These committees meet once a month and report back to

the main BOT meeting. These meeting provide an excellent opportunity for parents to

become involved as they provide an important forum for discussing school issues and in

organising fundraising.

The Board of Trustee members are elected for a 3 year term at 18 month intervals.

The Board of Trustees meets on the third Wednesday of the month, at 7.30pm in the

school library.

Principal Mr David Lamont

Board Chairperson Mr Shane Dinnan

Teachers Representative Ms Fiona Bolger

Proprietors Representatives Mr John Tulloch

Mrs Vera Sullivan

Father Doug Shepherd

Parent Representatives Mr Sanjiv Jetly

Mr Richard Uerata-Jennings

Mr Shayne Nahu

Minutes of these meetings are made available from the office.

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The A-Z of St. Benedict’s

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A ABSENCES

If your child is unable to attend school through illness or another reason please telephone

our School Absence Line - 939-3878 or fax us on 479 3879 - before 8.50am and leave a

message. Any child absent without a message will be checked up on.

Appointments, such as doctor or dentist, should be notified in advance by a note to the

class teacher or email the school on office@st-benedicts.school.nz

ACTIVITY FEES Activity fees are charged to fund class activities requiring additional payments, i.e.

outings, performances, school visitors, etc. An account for these is issued at the

beginning of each year.

AFTERSCHOOL CARE On site After School Care is available from 2.50-6pm with afternoon tea provided.

Further information and enrolment forms are available from the school office.

ASSEMBLY A full school assembly is held in the Library every Monday at 11am. Classes take turns

at organising assemblies each week. Parents are welcome to join us.

ATTENDANCE FEES Attendance Fees are charged direct to parents by the Catholic Education Management

Board to cover administration and other related costs. St. Benedict's School does not

invoice or collect these fees.

No child will be deprived of a Catholic Education because parents cannot afford fees. If

parents have financial difficulties please discuss this with your Parish Priest.

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B BELL TIME

8.30am Classrooms open for students

8.50am Classes commence

10.30am Morning tea interval commences

11.00am Morning tea interval ends

12.45pm Lunchtime commences

1.30pm Lunchtime ends

2.50pm School finishes

BICYCLES

Children are welcome to bring bicycles to school but they must walk them up and down

the drive. We recommend that bicycles are parked in the rack provided. This will

minimise any risk of interference.

BOOK CLUB

Orders for the Scholastic New Zealand book club are taken approximately 6 times per

year. Books available cover age groups from 5 to 14 years. Order forms are sent home

with all children - money and orders should be returned, in clearly marked envelopes, to

the school office.

BUSES Buses leave from the Everest Street bus stop nearest the school at:- 2.55pm - for pupils

travelling to Broadmeadows, and 3pm - for pupils travelling to Ngaio.

C CARETAKER

The Caretaker, Mr Slayman, is at school from 8.30am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday.

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CARPARKING There is absolutely no parking in the school grounds at any time, except in cases of

emergency.

Cars must park in the roads below the school. Please do not park on yellow lines or over

drive ways as you do risk having your car towed away.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS & CONTACT DETAILS Should any of your contact details change, i.e. address, home or work phone numbers,

please advise the school, in writing, as soon as possible. It is essential for safety and

health reasons that we can contact a child’s caregiver at all times.

CHARITIES AND WORTHY CAUSES St. Benedict's support various worthy causes during the year. This may vary from year to

year but has included a sponsored child, Alan Duff’s Books in Homes Kosovo, Caratas

and the Cancer Society.

CHOIR The school choir is voluntary for all pupils in years 4-8. They practice for approximately

45 minutes each week. Every opportunity is taken to participate in outside performances,

for example - Artsplash, World Vision, Music Festival, etc.

CLASSROOM ORGANISATION St. Benedict's is a full primary school catering for children from 5-13 years of age. Our

classes for the next year are advised through the school newsletter and on your child’s

school report.

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CLASS TRIPS Class trips form an important part of our education curriculum. Parents are requested to

complete a permission slip at the start of school year allowing pupils to participate in

these educational visits within the greater Wellington area. Full details on where and

when are provided in writing before each trip. Costs are generally included in the activity

fees. Our “Education Outside the Classroom” policy specifically requires further

permission should the destination be near water or involve water based activity.

COMPUTERS Most classes have 3-4 computers.

The library is fully computerised.

St. Benedict's has an active technology committee dedicated to ensuring computer

equipment is regularly updated and that our teachers are up-skilled in their computer

knowledge and skills.

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D DENTAL CLINIC

All pupils are enrolled at the local clinic and receive yearly treatment. Notice is given of

visits in advance should parents wish to attend. Parents are given the option of taking

their children to private dentists.

DOGS For health reasons the school has a ‘No Dogs’ policy on school property. This applies to

both members of the school community and the outside community. Anyone seen

walking their dogs on the school property should be reported to the office.

DONATIONS A yearly request for a voluntary donation is made to all families. Unfortunately the

government's operating grant does not cover all the necessary expenses and therefore the

school is reliant on fundraising and community donations. This is voluntary and it is tax

deductible.

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DRAMA Extracurricular classes for both Speech and Drama are available from specialist teachers

outside of school hours at times arranged individually by parents. Payment for these

lessons is to be arranged between the specialist teacher and parents.

E EDUCATION IN FAITH

The Religious Education programme is used with Years 0-8. This programme is

provided by the Catholic Primary Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand.

EFTPOS Available for school purchases, donations, and school fees.

EMERGENCY DRILL Teachers take Earthquake and fire drills with their classes at least once a term.

A CONTINUOUS BELL is the emergency signal.

PLEASE NOTE - IT IS IMPORTANT PARENTS ENSURE THEIR ADDRESS AND

CONTACT DETAILS ARE KEPT UP TO DATE AT ALL TIMES.

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F FIRST AID - ILLNESS & ACCIDENT

Children with minor playground injuries are attended to in the playground or in the sick

bay, situated opposite the office, by the First Aid teacher. If a child is sick and in

emergencies, a staff member will contact parents at home or work. A doctor or hospital

may be called immediately.

AGAIN - IT IS IMPORTANT PARENTS ENSURE THEIR ADDRESS AND

CONTACT DETAILS ARE KEPT UP TO DATE AT ALL TIMES.

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FUNDRAISING The provision of adequate funds to ensure consistent, high quality educational

opportunities for our children is one of the most important functions of the Board of

Trustees through its fundraising committee - HOK (Help Our Kids). HOK’s success

depends on ongoing co-operation from the school community whether through support of

fundraising ventures or as active members on the committee. New members are always

welcome and it’s a great way to get involved in your child’s school activities.

G GROUNDS AND BUILDINGS

We take pride in our school grounds and buildings. Each class is rostered for their turn to

keep the playground clean and tidy, but we expect each and every individual to do their

bit.

The school is protected by a monitored security system outside school hours.

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H HATS

No Hat - No Play!

Wearing hats when playing outside in Summer is compulsory. Any child without a hat

has to sit in the shade on benches outside Rooms 3 and 4 for the entire morning tea and

lunch breaks.

HOMEWORK Our Homework Guidelines state that each teacher is responsible for setting homework

which should reflect current work in the classroom. Homework time is as follows:

Junior School - no more than 15 minutes per day (this is usually an opportunity to share

new skills with parents

Middle School - normally 4 nights a week and covers a wide range of subjects

Senior School - also normally 4 nights a week but no more than 1 hour a night.

If a child is unable to complete set homework for any reason, a note from the parents is

always appreciated.

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L LIBRARY

St. Benedict's is very proud of our modern, well stocked and computerised library. Our

Librarian has assistance from parent librarians every morning Tuesday to Friday, and all

classes have regular times for library programmes and book exchanges. Volunteers are

often sought for a range of tasks. Families are asked to ensure all library books are

returned by their due dates and that all books are treated with care.

LOST PROPERTY All lost property is stored in the end window seat outside Rooms 4 & 5. You will be

advised when unclaimed items are displayed for collection. PLEASE ENSURE THAT

ALL YOUR CHILD’S PROPERTY IS CLEARLY NAMED.

LUNCHES Lunches are eaten outside (dependent on weather) in specifically designated areas under

supervision from the class teacher until 12.45pm. Children are not permitted to leave the

school grounds at lunchtime without a parent accompanying them. It is each child’s

responsibility to clear up their rubbish and scraps.

We encourage healthy eating and drinking and request drinks are not provided in glass

bottles as a safety precaution.

Children can buy lunches at school every Thursday and Sushi every Tuesday. A

comprehensive menu is provided for ordering and prices.

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M MEDICATION

The school must be advised of any children with special medication requirements and

suitable arrangements put in place.

MONEY TO SCHOOL Please send any money (preferably cheques) to school in an envelope with your child’s

name, room number, what it’s for, and the amount clearly marked on the outside. There

is a post slot at the office for children to place envelopes in. We strongly discourage

parents sending large amounts of cash.

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MUSIC St. Benedict's offer group keyboard lessons as an extra curricular extension. These are

voluntary and are held by a trained teacher from The Music Academy during the school

day in the library resource room.

If your child has private music lessons please ensure these are outside school time.

N NEWSLETTERS/NOTICES

The school newsletter is emailed out every Tuesday. This carries important information

so if it doesn’t arrive please ring the office for a copy. If you want to put any school

related items in the newsletter the deadline is 12 noon, Monday.

Children may bring home class notices at other times. If there is a reply slip, please make

sure you fill it out and return it as soon as possible.

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O ORCHESTRA

From time to time a school orchestra is created to support major school celebrations,

such as a school performance. Other orchestral activities take place in class curriculum

studies.

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P PARENT HELP

It is an extremely important part of our school policy that parents are invited to be

involved in a number of aspects of school life. You can volunteer your help in many

ways:

library assistance

in classrooms

supervision of PE at Nairnville (Years

4-8 only)

talking with children about your

interests

offering a special skill - such as arts,

crafts, cultural knowledge, drama, etc.

helping with supervision or providing

transport on class visits

during elective activities

fundraising

as a member of the Board or the HOK

committee

with sports training

Please leave your name at the office if you can help or talk to your class teacher. We very

much appreciate and welcome this extra assistance.

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PARENT/TEACHER CONTACT We plan regular occasions for parents and their child’s teacher to meet. These include the

Parent/Teacher introduction in February and Parent/Teacher interviews during Term Two.

Should problems arise, either social or scholastic, please contact your class teacher in the

first instance to arrange a meeting.

PE Regular PE lessons are held for each class. All classes participate in a special programme

organised by specialist teacher at the Nairnville Recreation Centre.

Pupils from Year 4 up should wear the school PE uniform (see Uniform) for these

activities.

Children will only be excused from participating in PE classes if they have a note from

home.

POLICY School policies are constantly being reviewed and revised by staff and Board of Trustee

members. New and draft policy is displayed in the foyer for comment. Any member of

the school community is welcome to attend the Board’s Education and Policy Committee

meetings and have your ‘say’ in policy formation.

PRAYERS Each class prays together every morning as a time of peace and serenity, offering the day

to God before starting lessons. Individual prayers are encouraged and parents are

welcome to be present. Grace is said before lunchtime. Classes pray together again at the

end of each day and on other occasions as they arise.

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R READING RECOVERY

The school operates the Reading Recovery programme and provides

places for children who need some extra help after their first year at school.

Each child on the programme receives a daily ½ hour lesson until they are able to work at

the average level for their class.

REPORTS TO PARENTS Written reports for each child from Year 1 upwards are prepared twice a year.

Parent interviews follow soon after each report.

ROAD PATROL/SAFETY/CONGESTION Fully trained senior students along with a parent helper keep our Nicholson Road crossing

safe for children from 8.30-9am and 2.45-3.10pm every school day. Every school family

is expected to help with this vital safety role. The names of the parent helpers for each

week are published in the school newsletter. If you cannot make your scheduled day

please arrange another parent to cover for you.

To prevent crowding on the footpath do not congregate on the Nicholson Road/Everest

Street corner to wait for your child.

Do not park on yellow lines or over driveways.

OUR DRIVEWAY IS OUT OF BOUNDS TO ALL UNAUTHORISED CARS. Do

not drive your car up or down the school driveway at all from 8-30-9.30am or 2.30-

3.30pm, and at any other time unless it is absolutely necessary.

RULES Our rules are based on commonsense and thoughtfulness for others. Any aggressive or

unreasonable behaviour is not acceptable at the school.

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S SAINT BENEDICT’S DAY

St. Benedict's Day is on 11 July. A special Mass and a fun sports day are held on the

nearest Friday during term time.

SCHOOL CHARTER The School Charter:

is an agreement between the Board of Trustees and the Minister of Education

sets out the National Education and National Administration Guidelines.

A copy of the Charter is available from the school office.

SCHOOL OFFICE The School Secretary, Ms Coralie Wilkinson, is in attendance in the Office from 8.30am

– 3.30pm, Monday to Friday.

SMOKING We have a Smoke Free policy.

SPECIALIST ASSISTANCE: Public Health Nurse - Our public health nurse visits the school as required. Checks are

made on all 5 year olds.

Audiometrist – Students’ eyes and ears are checked at 5 years of age and again at Year 7

level. Parents and staff can request checks at any other time.

Dental Clinic – Visits are organised by the local dental clinician and parents are

informed in writing before each visit and you are welcome to attend.

Special Education Service - Advice from experts is requested should there be concerns

with a child’s progress or behaviour.

Speech Therapist - Children with suspected speech defects are referred by the Principal

to Special Education Services. Free corrective treatment may be given.

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SPEECH Extracurricular classes for both Speech and Drama (see Drama) are available from a

specialist teacher on school premises outside of school hours at times arranged

individually by parents. Payment for these lessons is to be arranged between the

specialist teacher and parents.

SPONSORSHIP There are several organisations that provide sponsorship assistance to St. Benedict's.

PHILIP REEVE – Remax Property Sales / M.S.R. Air Conditioning for your home /

JAMIE REID – Professionally designed & built gardens / MARINA SCOBLE – Just

Patterson Real Estate Ltd .

Remember to mention St Benedict’s School HOK if dealing with these business.

SPORT

St. Benedict's teams compete in Netball, Miniball and Basketball. These teams are

dependent on the support of parents and ample notice is provided for your child to enrol

in their chosen sport.

STATIONERY All classes have a list provided by their class teacher at the end of the school year so

parents can purchase stationery in time for the new school year.

The school office has a small supply of regular items for sale during the year.

SWIMMING

Swimming lessons are an important part of the school curriculum. Lessons are held over

a 6-8 week period during a school term at the Kilbirnie Aquatic Centre. Children are

taken by bus to the venue. Costs are included in the activity fee.

PLEASE ENSURE ALL SWIMWEAR AND TOWELS ARE NAMED.

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SUN WISE Hats are compulsory during summer - no hat - no play (see under Hats). The use of

sunblock is also recommended.

TTECHNOLOGY FEES

The Ministry of Education fund part of the cost of sending our Year 7 & 8 students to

Technology at Mt Cook School. However there is still a charge of $70 per student.

U UNIFORM Summer School Uniform Girls: Cost

Years 0 -6 Summer Dress $101.00

Years 7 – 8 Skirt $80.00

White short sleeve blouse $28 -$35.00

School Jersey (depending on size) $61- $88.00

White ankle socks (pack of three) $15.50

Black shoes or

Sandals

Boys:

Year 0-6 Elastic shorts (Option for juniors) $25.50

Blue polo tee shirt $33-$39.00

Navy strap waist shorts $29.00

School Jersey (depending on size) $61-$88.00

Year 7-8 Short sleeved poly-cotton shirt in pale blue $36-$38.00 Cotton long navy socks with maroon band $12.50

Black shoes or

Sandals

Summer: bucket hats for all $17-$23.00

Winter: beanies for all $23.00

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Sports Uniform - From Year 4

Available from our suppliers showroom at New Zealand Uniforms, 167 Thorndon Quay. To

order online http://stbenedicts.nzteamwear.com.

Winter School Uniform

Girls: Cost

Years 1-6 – Current tunic $85.00

Years 7-8 – Current winter skirt $85.00

Winter school blouse $31-$38.00

School jersey (depending on size) $61-$88.00

Navy tights or white ankle socks $17.50

Black leather shoes

Boys:

Years 1-6 – Navy winter weight strap waist shorts, (Elastic option for juniors). $39.50

Maroon long sleeved polo shirt $37-$42.00

Navy / maroon long socks $12.50

School jersey (depending on size) $60-$88.00

Years 7-8 – Navy longs $40.00

Long sleeved poly-cotton shirt in pale blue $37-$38.00

Ankle socks in a dark colour

V VALUABLES

Children should not bring valuables or precious toys to school. No responsibility for loss

can be accepted.

VOLUNTEER SUPPORT

A volunteer support form is provided to all families. This register provides a network of

parents willing to assist with various activities throughout the year. The more volunteers

- the easier the load. This doesn’t tie you into anything. If a specific request is

inconvenient at the time, you can always say no.