Absences / Attendance
– Please notify the school of your child’s absence by phone, website, email or via the school app by 9.15am.
– For absences that are not reported by 9:15am the school will contact parents by text message. If no response is recieved the child will be marked as truant.
– A medical certificate is required for absences of 3 days or more.
– It is essential that students arrive at school between 8:30-9am to enable them to be organised for the school day.
– If a student will be absent for holiday, travel, or similar reasons during term time, please seek permission in writing (via email) from the Principal.
Addresses and Telephone Numbers
– Please ensure that the school is advised of any change of address, telephone number or email address.
Accidents / Illness
– In the event of any accident/illness requiring medical attention, parents or the alternative emergency contact will be contacted.
Allergies
– We have children at school with life threatening food allergies. Staff are trained to deal with an emergency but we do ask for your help in reducing the risks.
– All students are asked not to bring sandwiches or bars containing nuts or nut snacks to school.
– Students are asked to be careful with their food and not share their food with other students.
– Cakes or treats for sharing are not to be brought into school on birthdays.
Assemblies
– Assemblies are held fortnightly on Fridays at 2.15pm with classes rostered to lead. Assemblies provide an opportunity for the school to pray together and provide classes an opportunity to share their learning with the school community.
After School Care Programmes
– MAP (Marist Afterschool Programme) operates after school care from the Marist Catholic School Hall.
– MAP provides quality childcare in a safe and fun surroundings. The friendly staff are passionate about working with children and are trained in behaviour management techniques, first aid and activity planning/delivery.
– The programmes are focused around sports, cooking, art and craft activities; as well as structured ‘free-time’ after a busy day at school.
– If you would like to know more about MAP’s programme contact the school office.
Board of Trustees
– The Board meets 2 or 3 times each term at 6.30pm in the staffroom. Dates of meetings are advertised in the School Newsletter and the Week Ahead, you are welcome to attend.
Bicycles & Scooters
– Students from Year 4 – 6 may independently ride bicycles/scooters to school. Year 0-3 students may ride bicycles/scooters to school with an adult. Safety helmets must be worn. Bicycles and scooters are to be left in the bicycle rack for the duration of the school day. Students must not ride on school grounds.
Building Names
– Austin – Sister Austin (Veronica Pearl Woodbury) was born on April 28th, 1904. Was one of the first Marist Sisters to set foot in New Zealand. She was one of the pioneer sisters who started our school.
– Bernard – Mother Bernard was born in County Sligo, Ireland, on May 13th, 1883. In 1927 Sr Bernard, together with Sister Austin were sent to begin the first house in New Zealand. She was one of the pioneer sisters who started our school and our school’s first principal.
– Kostka – Sister Kostka was born 9 July 1897 in Sydney. In September 1928 she moved to NZ to begin Marist Catholic School, Herne Bay with Sr Austin and Mother Bernard.
– Cleary – Father Henry William Cleary born 15 January 1859 in County Wexford, Ireland. First Parish Priest at Marist Catholic School and sixth Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland from 1910 to 1929.
– Chavoin – Sister Jeanne-Marie Chavoin born on 29 August 1786 in the village of Coutouvre, France. The founder of the Marist Sisters order.
– Cronin – Msgr Paul Cronin was born in Ponsonby on September 9, 1929. Msgr Cronin was educated at Trinity Street School, Herne Bay, and Marist Brothers in Vermont Street before moving to Wellington for his secondary education at St. Patrick’s College, Silverstream. He was a long standing Parish Priest in Ponsonby and died peacefully 19 December 2010 in his armchair at Ponsonby presbytery, watching or dozing in front of TV, after a full Sunday’s ministry.
Communication of Issues or Queries
Following the below procedures for addressing issues or queries will ensure that matters are dealt with in a
timely, and fair way.
1. Parents/caregivers are encouraged to discuss any concerns they may have with their class teacher after making an appointment for a mutually acceptable time outside of normal class hours.
2. If a parent needs to discuss an issue further, their next port of call is their child’s team leader.
3. Should an issue or concern require further investigation, support or follow up, parents then can discuss this with the Deputy Principal.
4. The Principal is informed at all stages through this process and will work towards a solution should the above processes need further investigation.
– All written complaints received by the school will be acknowledged, investigated and the findings reported back to those concerned.
– All complaints will be treated seriously, sensitively and confidentially and every endeavour will be made to find a satisfactory resolution.
– Parents and caregivers are not to approach or confront other children about any issues or concerns they have – this is always to be dealt with through the teaching staff.
Health and Safety
The school is conscious of its responsibility for the Health and Safety of all members of our school community while they are on the school premises. We ask that parents:
– Report hazards to the school office.
– Respect the concern about the sharing of food which may cause allergic reactions and be harmful to others.
– Ensure your children bring hats with the Marist logo to school each day in Terms 1 and 4.
– Drive carefully into the lower car park when dropping off or picking up children and escort children across the car park.
Homework
– Homework is relevant to the students’ needs. Homework may include – reading with or to a parent, spelling and maths.
– Yr 3 – Yr 6 students are invited to take part in the Marist Values Challenge.
o These Values Challenges give opportunities for students to engage in a wide range of activities catering for different learning styles and passions with a focus on service and outreach.
o Although optional, parents find these challenges a great way to engage with their children in out-of-school learning activities.
o Children work towards handing in one challenge a term.
o Those who complete the four challenges across the year will receive an achievers badge at the end of the year.
o The Values Challenge booklets are given out early in Term 1.
– The Values Challenge will see us (students, parents, school) living our Mission, ‘Quality learning opportunities, with Jesus Christ as our guide’.
Jewellery
– No jewellery may be worn other than plain ear studs (one in each ear), a watch and small religious or cultural necklace under the school uniform. Hair adornments such as fancy clips, beads etc, are not part of the uniform. Girls may wear ribbons or bands in the school colours.
o Smart watches can be used as watches as long as the other abilities of this watch are disarmed.
Jump Jam
– Weekly Jump Jam (exercise to music) sessions are held on the turf every Friday morning at 9am. Jump Jam leaders learn and lead the school in these sessions.
Lunches
– Lunches can be purchased/ordered via the Ezlunch link on our website
Newsletter
– The school newsletter is published fortnightly on a Wednesday and emailed out.
Our Pepeha
Ko Maungakiekie te maunga
Ko Waitematā te moana
Ko Ngāti Whātua te iwi
Ko Õrakei te marae
Ko Katorika Marist te kura
Tihei mauri ora
Punctuality
– Children need to be at school between 8:30-9.00am, this enables them to prepare for the school day.
– Latecomers disrupt classes and this is often during prayer time or when instructions for the day are being given.
Reporting to Parents
Term 1 – Parent/Student/Teacher Goal Setting Conferences
Term 2 – Mid-Year Report sent home
Term 3 – Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences
Term 4 – Written Summative Report
School Trips
– The Junior and Senior teams will organise relevant school-trips related to topics of inquiry across the year. The cost of these is paid for through the ‘Activities’ component of your school account.
– A permission slip giving consent for all such trips will be sent home at the beginning of the year and needs to be signed by a parent.
School/Parish Mass
– School/Parish Masses are held early in Terms 1 and 3 at Sacred Heart Church, Vermont Street, Ponsonby.
– School Masses during the week are at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Herne Bay at 9.30am.
– End of Year Mass is held at Vermont Street on an evening in late Term 4.
– Details will be advertised in the School Newsletter.
– Students attend all masses wearing school uniforms.
Sneaky Snack
– At around 10am each day all students across the school have ‘Sneaky Snack’ which is a mini break to eat a small snack which should be a piece of fruit or a vegetable cut up.
– Please ensure your child comes with this small snack either in their lunchbox or a separate small container.
Sport
– Students’ sport and fitness is part of our curriculum.
– Year 5 and 6 students participate in Inner City School sports events usually twice each term. Students have the opportunity to participate in external competitions such as touch, basketball and netball.
Uniform
– Uniform supplier, Elizabeth Michael situated 65 New North Rd, Eden Terrace. – Students must wear the correct uniform at all times.
– Uniforms should be clean and tidy and well presented.
– No jewellery permitted. Only stud earrings are allowed to be worn.
– Hair is to be a natural colour only.
– Long hair is to be kept tied back by the wearing of a blue or black hair tie.
– Nail polish is NOT allowed.
– Any under garments (e.g. singlets) should not be seen under the uniform.
– Sports uniform is to be worn by all students for physical education sessions.