Cashmere Ave School - A-Z Information

After School Care
Cashmere Avenue school offers a quality before and after school care programme. It is has good staff ratios, and operates from dedicated premises on the school grounds. Hours are 7.30am-8.30am and 3.00pm – 6.00pm. Supervised indoor and outdoor games are offered, as well as time and quiet space for children to complete homework. Afternoon tea is provided. Permanent bookings are offered on a full-time or part-time basis. Casual spaces are occasionally available. Bookings can be made through the Programme Manager on the After School Care phone number 4795500.

Assemblies
Fortnightly school assemblies, organised by the students, offer an opportunity for staff and students to meet as a whole school group and celebrate their skills and achievements. Assemblies are an integral part of how we build a school community “family” – so parents are most welcome.

Attendance
Attendance is compulsory each day the school is open. Our staff and administration have effective systems in place to ensure that your child’s attendance, or non-attendance, is duly noted.

Behaviour Management
Our school operates a successful behaviour management programme whereby children are encouraged to be responsible for their own actions, behaviour and property and to respect the rights of others. Clear expectations and consequences are conveyed regularly to both children and parents. On-going communication between home and school is actively encouraged to ensure that any concerns are addressed at an early stage.

Board of Trustees
The Board of trustees are community representatives elected every three years. The Principal and a Staff representative make up the remainder of the Board. Members of the Board can be contacted through the school office on 04 939 4700.

Children’s Safety
Every effort is made to ensure children’s safety at school. Staff are rostered on to playground duty daily. Safety programmes are a feature of our Health syllabus and Police liaison.

We ask all parents to warn their children about:
- loitering to and from school
- visiting friends without your permission
- going anywhere with, or accepting sweets, rides etc from strangers.

Road patrols are rostered on duty from 8.30am-9.05am and 2.45pm – 3.10pm daily. An adult supervisor is at the crossing every day. Children and parents are reminded for their own safety to use the crossing at all times. Parents are also reminded to park legally so they do not endanger children crossing road.

Choir
Cashmere Avenue School is proud of its choir. Children from Year 4 upwards are free to join. Our school is also a member of the biennial Northern Zone School Festival group.

Civil Emergency
The school has a planned procedure to put into operation in case of a civil emergency, such as a major earthquake. The school will keep all children at school under supervision until they are collected by parents or another adult specifically nominated by you in writing. Our school is a Community Emergency centre in cooperation with the local Community Emergency Centre.

Dental Clinic
The dental therapist can be contacted on 04 479 3087. Children can be enrolled from the age of two, or when enrolling your child at school. Our children are examined here at school although the dental therapist is based at Khandallah School.

Educational Visits
We endeavour to take the children out into the community at least once a term, making use of the facilities and expertise around the Wellington region. School trips are linked to curriculum studies, and parent permission and notification is always sought prior to the visit.
We also encourage visiting groups to the school at least once a term to enrich and support the learning programmes in the classroom.

Funding
Families contribute to the school in a variety of ways, but the most vital of these is the financial donation. The suggested amount per years is set by the Board of trustees who endeavour to keep it as low as possible without compromising the quality of educational resources that they provide. At the beginning of each year, the suggested donation is published in the school newsletter. Payments can be made as a lumps sum, or by instalments spread through the year.

Fundraising
See the Home and School Association for ways you can help Cashmere Avenue School.

Health and Hygiene
All of our staff are trained in first aid and we have good first aid facilities at school.
If a child becomes ill or is injured at school, every attempt to contact the parents will be made so the child may be collected and taken home. It is important that we have updated phone numbers and emergency contact numbers.
Vision and hearing checks are carried out regularly by the Public Health Nurse, with your permission.

Home and School Association
An enthusiastic Home and School Association meets regularly to provide a parent vehicle for school community involvement. The Home and School organises fundraising and social events and is a valued asset to the school. See here for more information or contact through the school office or by email homeandschool@cashmere-ave.school.nz.

Homework
Junior School children will be given reading books to share with you. We encourage parents to read with their children and to listen to them on a regular basis.
Older children will be given homework regularly. The work is usually a reinforcement of skills and individual study habits. It is important that children learn to organise and manage their time, and that the links between home and school and regularly maintained.

Hours
8.55 am - School begins
10.30am - Morning interval begins
10.50am - Morning interval ends
12.30 am - Lunchtime
1.30 pm - Afternoon classes begin
3.00 pm - School day ends

Note:
Children should not arrive at school before 8.30 am and should clear the grounds by 3.30pm.

Individual Education Programme (IEP)
We endeavour to provide the best educational opportunities for your child at Cashmere Avenue School. At times it is necessary to formalise specific goals and objectives through an IEP, so that the classroom teacher and yourself work in partnership to assist your child to achieve the objectives set. This is usually for a defined period of time and is reviewed regularly.

Interviews
Parent/teacher interviews are held regularly to inform parents of:
- programmes
- expectations
- class routines
- their child’s progress

Interviews may be requested at any other time during the year by teachers or parents.

Library
The school library is an essential resource used by all children either during class times or lunchtimes. Books may be borrowed and taken home to read. Parent helpers are welcome and most appreciated.

Lost Property
It is recommended all clothing be named. All lost property is put in the bin at the bottom of the stairs in the administration block. From time to time lost property will be displayed. Unclaimed clothing will be disposed of.

Lunches
We are fortunate to be able to provide the children with bought lunches each Friday. This service is organised by the Home and School Association. Any offers of parent help are always appreciated. The order sheet is sent home on a Wednesday, for return on Thursday.

Messages
Messages to children of an urgent nature will be passed on. Teachers can be contacted before and after school or during breaks.

Newsletters
Weekly school newsletters are a vital communication link between home and school. They are aimed at keeping parents and community fully informed of student successes, events and the regular business of the school administration.
There is also a monthly newsletter from the Board of Trustees.

Office Hours
Our school office staff are available 8.30 am to 3.15 pm daily.

PTA (Parent Teacher Association)
See the Home and School Association.

Special Needs
Our school is able to offer Teacher Aide support to those children requiring this assistance.
We expect and encourage all children to achieve to the best of their ability. Staff are skilled in the development of Individual Education programmes and are able to call on the expertise of outside agencies as required.
We offer an Enrichment programme throughout the year focusing on different topics and varying class levels.

Sport
All children will be expected to participate in sport throughout the year. Opportunities are given to each child within the sports programme to develop and gain experience in a wide range of sports. Major inter-school sporting activities include:
- athletics
- cross country
- flippaball
- netball
- swimming

Extra-curricular mini-ball and water polo are also offered after school. These activities are reliant on having willing parents to manage, coach and transport children.
Saturday morning sport involves a large number of our children and is organised by local clubs and teachers. Information regarding sports groups is sent out with the school newsletters.

Stationery
A list of your child’s stationery requirements is sent home at the beginning of each year. Supplies are also available from the school office throughout the year. We encourage children to purchase their stationery through the school office as this assists with consistency in the quality of products being used in the classroom.

Sun Sense
In keeping with the national campaigns about sun awareness, Cashmere Avenue School’s sun protection policy encourages children to wear sun screen and a suitable sun hat during PE lessons and other outdoor activities. Teachers educate children to be “Sun Smart”.

Technology
The Board of Trustees is committed to ongoing development and purchases to ensure that children have access to as wide a range of information technology as possible. Computers in all the classrooms are networked.
Children are encouraged to take advantage of the various technologies that are available to them both at school and at home. This includes contributing to the school’s website.
Cashmere Avenue School is a member of the Northern Technology Association, a group of local schools that have pooled their technological equipment (other than computers) to ensure access to a wider range of resources for use during Technology units. The storage of equipment, purchasing and administration of the Association is based at Cashmere Avenue School.