Orientation

Attendance | Assemblies | Canteen | Fees | Form Teachers | Form Rooms | Health Clinic | Houses | Homework | Illness at School | Library | Lunch-time Recreation | Magazine | Passes | Personal Strategic Plans | Prefects | Reports | Report Evenings | Safe Learning Environment | Sport Policy | Stationery | Uniform & Grooming

Attendance

Students should be at school between 8.35am and 3.10 pm. (The first bell in the morning is the time expected for arrival). The usual reasons for absence from school are sickness, dental or medical appointments, bereavement or an emergency.

A note for absence should be given to form teachers, on the day of returning to school. Notes must include:
• the date of absence
• the reason for absence

Students who absent themselves from class without permission should expect to make up the time and their parents will be informed. More severe penalties such as Daily Report may also be given.

When a student is likely to be absent for a number of days, parents/caregivers may telephone the School Office.

Students leaving the school for appointments – eg. Dental, medical, etc. must sign out at the School Office. Signing in is required on return. They MUST have the appropriate pass and student ID card with them whenever they are out of the school.

Parents/caregivers who wish to remove students from school for a period of time should inform the school in advance. Students need to be aware of assessment requirements and criteria with regard to absences.

Assemblies

Each form level of the school has one assembly, fortnightly at form-time. Deans may have a form level assembly at form time on the alternate week if one is required.

Bell Times

Canteen

The canteen is open daily at 8.30am, intervals and lunchtime. It stocks a wide range of food and drinks. Some stationery items can be purchased from the canteen during the year.

Our canteen has twice been the winner of the Heartbeat Award. This represents the continued efforts to bring healthy foods to students.

Fees

Vertical Form Teachers

• All students belong to a vertical form class and have a form teacher. The form teacher is a student’s first point of reference. Form teachers:
  • take form meetings at the start of the day
  • monitor absences
  • issue lunch passes
  • co-ordinate end of module reports
  • offer academic and personal advice and guidance
  • conduct PSP and PCP interviews throughout the year
  • issue uniform variation passes
  • deal with discipline matters etc.

Form Rooms

All form classes have a form room. If they are non-specialist rooms, they are available for the use of the form class before school, during interval and at lunchtime. Students must ensure that form rooms are kept in a tidy condition with lunch rubbish placed in the bins provided. The teacher’s desk, wall displays, black/whiteboards and other equipment must not be interfered with. All seats and desks are to be left as they were originally set out.

Wet weather rooms are allocated to classes whose form room is a specialist room. These must be treated with the same respect as if they were that class’s form room.

Form teachers will check rooms after use and if they are found to be in an unsatisfactory state, the room will be locked. The form concerned will be denied a lunchroom.

Health Clinic

A health clinic is held each Monday at school, in Gray Block, beside the Senior Common Room. Students may make appointments with the Public Health Nurse via the School Office. This is a confidential service.

The Public Health Nurse will give advice on all matters of health and, where necessary, or appropriate, will refer students to other agencies, eg. The hospital.

Houses

All students in the same vertical form class are members of one of the four houses: Blue, Red, Gold and Green. House Leaders are elected at the beginning of the year and points are gained by competing in sporting and cultural events. A range of house trophies are awarded from sporting activities to classwork.

Homework

All students are expected to do some homework on a regular basis. This work complements the work of the classroom. It may take various forms, from the revision and finishing of classwork, to the completion of additional assignments. A Student Diary is provided and must be used at all form levels. The Student Diary will help record and plan homework commitments.

Illness at School

If a student becomes ill at school, they must report to the School Office. If this is during class time they should bring a note from the subject teacher. Where appropriate, students will be referred to the sickbay by the Office Staff and/or parents informed.

Library- Resource Centre

Teacher Librarian: Mrs A Thompson
Librarian: Mrs M Wallis
The library is open daily before school, at interval, at lunchtime and is open after school until 5.00pm for those wanting a quiet place to do homework. It is the resource centre of the school and as such, offers all the facilities of a modern information/resource centre.

Among its services are: high tech information retrieval systems, access to other libraries resources, internet access, up-to-date resources, well-stocked fiction section, photocopier, etc.

Lunch-time Recreation Activities (L.R.A.)

A wide range of activities is offered as part of the lunchtime recreation programme. Students are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities, which are advertised in the daily notices.A number of house competitions and challenges are held during L.R.A.

Magazine

The School Magazine is an important record of the year’s activities and student achievements. It is sold at the end of the year.

Passes

Whenever a student is out of school during school time, s/he will need to have a pass. There are several passes that are used.

Student ID Card.
All students should have one of these. they must be carried at all times - including times when other passes are also required.

Lunch Passes.
A student who goes home regularly for lunch should have a "Permanent Lunch Pass". This is obtained on filing an application form with the Assistant Principal. Students may not go home without a pass. some students will have a "lunch pass" indicated on their ID card. If this is the case, a further lunch pass is NOT required.

Town Passes
This is required whenever a student leaves school for an appointment, task in town, etc. the pass is acquired from the Form teacher upon receiving a note from home explaining the reason for the pass being required. When the student signs out at the Office, s/he must show the pass to one of the Office Staff. If there is a concern, the Office will contact parent/caregivers.
If a student has not received a town pass from their Form Teacher at the beginning of the day s/he must have one signed at the Office before signing out. Again, a permission note from a parent or teacher will be required before a pass is issued.

Uniform Passes
Hawera High School has a uniform for Years 9-12. It must be worn correctly at all times. If a student has items of clothing which are not uniform, s/he must report to the Deans Office in Dixon Block. If a substitute uniform item is available, the student is required to wear that item from the school until their uniform is sorted. If there are no available items, a Uniform Pass will be issued.

Vehicles and Parking Passes
Students who wish to drive a vehicle to school must obtain a Vehicle Pass from the school administration. The Assistant Principal, Mrs Foley is in charge of this. The parking area for students is the public one. Students with vehicle passes may not allow other students to be passengers in the car without a pass. Similarly, it is not acceptable for cars to be used at lunchtime to visit town.

Personal Strategic Plans (PSPs)

These aim to give students greater individual direction for their studies and their futures. They bring together student, parent/caregivers and the school to develop clearly defined goals for students. Meetings are held from time to time to evaluate progress and modify these goals.

PSPs are set for Year 9, 10, and 11 students. At Year 12 and 13  they will be called PCPs (Personal Career Plans) as the focus will be on careers.

Prefects

The Principal appoints the prefects after consultation with staff and the polling of student opinion. This group of senior students has a range of responsibilities, from the monitoring of latecomers in the morning, to the organisation of the school prom.

Students must treat the prefects with respect and co-operate with them at all times. The prefects act with the authority of the Principal.

Reports

Reports are issued to all students three times each year. Any queries concerning reports should be made to the student’s Form Teacher or Dean.

Students and/or their caregivers are advised to retain reports for future CVs, further education and training applications and job applications.

Report Evenings

Caregivers are encouraged to attend these. They are generally once a year and are a valuable opportunity for caregivers to gain greater detail on, and insight into, student’s progress at school.

Safe Learning Environment

Our policy is courtesy, consideration, and co-operation at all times.

Hawera High School Trustees and teaching staff feel a real responsibility to promote order and respect for the safety and general well-being of individual students who are in our care.

A non-violent policy helps to improve the school environment and promotes appropriate attitudes for life in the wider community. The school defines violence in the widest sense to include victimisation, inappropriate treatment of others and verbal abuse. At school assemblies, we make it very clear that violence will not be tolerated in the school environment.

Our non-violence rule is:
• no physical violence
• no verbal violence
• no violence of property (included theft)
• no violence to self (includes use of harmful and illegal substances)

Purposes:
• to provide an orderly learning environment
• to enhance the tone of the school
• to encourage respect for all in the School Community
• to value differences of opinion and encourage discussion and negotiation
• to assist all to feel safe and secure

Guidelines:
• to reinforce the non-violent rule regularly, in simple consistent language
• to provide speakers and workshops to promote non-violence
• to refer students, where appropriate, to guidance staff for anger management direction
• to take action upon the breaking of any part of the rule

The Board of Trustees and the Principal reserve the right to make and enforce such regulations as they believe are necessary for the satisfactory running of the School. These are based on consideration for others and the need for all students to gain the greatest advantage from the educational opportunities offered by the School.

Sport Policy

These are the criteria that student and caregiver sign before a student can participate in a school team.

- Student will display good sportsmanship at all times.
- Student will abide by the school rules at all times when representing the school.
- Any student on DAILY REPORT or STEPS shall be stood down from play the week/s following the issuance of the report.
- School work shall take priority and no assessments shall be missed without prior written consent and agreement with the teacher/s concerned.
- Students who fail to submit assessments and who have any unexplained absences are likely to be withdrawn from future sporting events.
- Student will attend all practices and games, if unable to then they will contact the coach/manager prior to the practice/game.
- Accept that if a practice is missed then you should expect to stand down from the competition game but you must still attend as a reserve.
- It will be at the coaches’ discretion whether you play or not.
- Student accepts that if they have excused themselves from PE lessons for any reason, they cannot expect to attend practice that day or play in a competition game the next day.
- Student will respect team mates, coach, manager, officials and opposition and refrain from using inappropriate language on and off the court/field.
- Student will wear correct sports uniform to all games.
- Student will return all uniforms issued to them by the school in good clean condition or a cleaning fee will apply (this may be deducted from any bond that has been paid).
- If the uniform is not returned by the given time we understand we will be sent an account for its replacement.
- Student will contribute to school sport by paying sports fee, including any bond, prior to competition commencing.(Automatic payments can be set up through the school office). No payment no play.
- Payment of subs will be taken as intention to play. Refunds will not be given if students withdraw.
- I/we understand that my son’s/daughter’s contact details may be given to coaches and managers as well as any medical/health details that are kept on the school records.
- We will ensure the school office is kept up-to-date with all medical/medication details.
- If I/we are unable to provide transport for my child I/we give permission for him/her to travel with a fully licensed driver in either the school van or a private vehicle that is registered and has met with the New Zealand Road Worthy standards. (WOF). (This could be driven by a fully licensed student).
- If my son/daughter holds a restricted licence then I permit him/her to drive themselves to and from the event. - If he/she holds a full licence then I permit him/her to carry passengers.
- If transport is provided for the student to travel to sporting venues then petrol money shall be paid.
- I /we understand that if I fail to comply with the above policy then I can expect to be withdrawn from the team after consultation with my coach, parents/caregiver and school sports co-ordinator.

Stationery

Stationery lists are issued at the end of the year for the following year. Students are responsible for purchasing their stationery prior to the start of the year.
Some texts (workbooks/homework books etc) are sold through Departments at school. Students are notified of these.
The school canteen keeps a small supply of basic stationery items.

Uniform and Grooming

Hawera High School has a uniform for years 9-12. It must be worn correctly at all times.

For Girls

Summer Uniform

Winter Uniform

For Boys

Summer Uniform
Shirt Grey polo shirt with long or short sleeves.
Shorts Grey regulation
Footwear Plain black, brown or navy sandals to be worn without socks or plain black leather lace-up shoes.
Jersey/Coat As for girls uniform.

Winter Uniform

For Boys and Girls

Students representing the School on interschool sports, cultural or field trips wear the regulation school uniform, unless weather or field conditions dictate otherwise. Groups may opt to wear dress uniform, which is winter uniform with a white shirt and school tie. School ties can be purchased from the uniform shop.

Year 13
Year 13 may wear mufti to school, if they wish. This recognises their leadership role in the school and the transition to the wider world. There are guidelines for this mufti, which must be adhered to.

Workshops
Students working in the technology wing workshops must wear leather shoes for protection. Long hair must be secured so that it is not a hazard when working with machines.

Purchase of Uniform
Items of uniform are available from local retailers. The School operates a very efficient uniform shop in Dixon Block where uniforms can be sold or purchased. The Deputy Principal oversees this operation. Uniform sales are held during the year – generally around uniform changeover dates. Check with the school office for weekly operating times.

Notes on Grooming
Students must wear a complete uniform at all times and ensure that it is clean and tidy. Attention must be paid to personal cleanliness. Students wearing non-regulation items without a pass risk having the garment confiscated for a period of time.
Boys should be shaven at all times and their hair should be a tidy length. Unusual styling is not accepted.
Girls must not wear make-up or coloured nail polish. The only jewellery which may be worn is a flat ring and plain gold or silver studs in ears. Students may not wear any other visible jewellery other than that noted above. Medic alert bracelets may be worn. Hair is to be acceptably styled and a natural colour.

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