Kia ora koutou
As we settle into school life, several people have pointed out to me some details of our daily routines that new parents may not be aware of, and that others may need reminding about .
Student Drop offs: As a matter of safety we ask that parents do not drop students off at our front office in the morning or come in to collect them in the afternoon. Our carpark area and front door get very busy with deliveries and visitors which is why it is an out of bounds zone for students. This is particularly important in this era of an increasing number of very quiet electric vehicles, which can be a hazard to preoccupied teens and adults too. Please do not drive students to the front door. Even if it is raining, there is only a short distance to run. Raincoats are good too. Students should be dropped off after the golf course entrance, or in the carpark across the road from the school. The bus bays need to be kept clear during bus times – approximately between 7:50 – 8:30 am and 2:20 – 3:15 in the afternoon, while buses arrive and leave. At other times, you can park and drop students off from there.
Vehicle Parking: Our carpark is too small for our needs for our staff, so we have negotiated extra space with the golf course. There are a few visitor carparks reserved in front of the admin building which you can use if you are visiting for a meeting. This is not a drop off point for students. There is also a 5 kmph speed limit in our driveway. If you do need to drive in, please observe this. Our students are too precious to put at risk from cars while at school.
Visiting classes: College is a little different to Primary School. We have different safety protocols for our older students. Hence we are not such an open zone for visitors to classes. Visitors must sign in at the reception, and students not accompanied to classes. Teenagers will very quickly let you know that they do not want that! Visits can be arranged with the teacher, but it must be in advance.
Uniform: There has been a rush on uniforms at the start of the year. We do understand that the expense of this can be a challenge, and we are happy to accommodate this for the first few weeks as the suppliers catch up with the demand, but students do flourish better when they can all feel that they belong and look smart in their uniforms. Please be patient and follow the process of communicating with the mentor teacher or Deans so that passes can be issued to those who need them. We are not a mufti school though, and do not let your child persuade you that anything other than the correct uniform will do long term. Please ask if in doubt rather than purchasing the wrong items.
Jewellery at school: Items of cultural significance (taonga) are permitted but permission should be sought by letter or email to the dean who will consult with the Leadership team. Once permission is granted to a student who can explain the importance of their particular taonga, it is noted on our SMS to keep teachers informed. Other than taonga, our uniform rules around jewellery are based on safety – of the student and of the item. We cannot be responsible for any loss of valuable items, so they are best left at home. Hoop earrings are a safety hazard in many learning and play situations, as are dangly earrings, bracelets, necklaces etc, so are not permitted. Though ears can have more than one small stud.
Our staff are being challenged at the start of the year, by students who do know better, wearing excessive amounts of, or inappropriate jewellery. These will be confiscated, locked in the office and returned at the end of the day. Repeat offenders will have to have a parent collect the item, so please support us to focus on the building of positive relationships with our students and on their learning progressions rather than on uniform enforcement. The uniform protocols are clear on our website for your reference.
Phones and devices: We have been a cellphone free school for a number of years. It is of course now illegal for students to use a cell phone or other smart device while at school. All cell phones should be switched off between 8:30am – 3:00pm, and stored safely at the bottom of the student’s bag if they are required for before and after school safety reasons. During the day please do not ring or text your child. It puts them in a very difficult position, as they cannot resist answering, but their phones should not be on. If you do need to get a message to a student please contact the school office staff who will do this for you. Similarly, when a student does need to call you, they are always supported to do so, from the school office.
Attendance: A reminder that we at the school are held accountable for student attendance. There are protocols that we have to follow when students are not in school so do not be offended if you are asked to provide explanations etc. Every student is expected to be at school every day, and attend every class. The attendance rate for this region is not what it should be. MOE expects students to be present for a minimum of 90 % of the time because academic achievement is hampered by anything less. Congratulations to those who do manage to be here for 90% or more of the time.
The new MOE approved STAR Attendance Management System can be found on our website . As part of the upgrades, the Student Management System (KAMAR) will be sending automatic emails each week keeping you updated about your student’s attendance. If the attendance rate drops to orange or red, you will get an additional email. Please let us know how we can support you in these cases.
Seniors: Currently many of our senior students have some bad habits. Too many have already shown up on our ‘below 80%’ list. Too many also are late in arriving at school. Any student walking in the gate after 8:30am is already late and at a disadvantage academically. Senior Deans will be reinforcing the message that we need to start the year the way we mean to continue. Learning opportunities lost now are hard to make up as the year progresses and assessments begin to pile up. Regular and punctual attendance is not only forming the habits needed in the workforce but is the first step to managing the stress of studying and to realising academic potential.
We are all looking forward to working together to make 2026 even better than 2025.
Ngaa mihi
Deborah Hohneck
Principal
