General Information
Absences/Late
Please remember to ring/txt the school before 9 am if your child is absent or going to be late, as we take a roll call at this time and need to account for every child. There is a sign in book in the office if your child/children arrive late to school. Please come into the office and sign the book.
Phone absence line 5787077 or txt cellphone 0223118789 (Txt only). Please state reason for absence.
After School Pickup
Junior children that are being picked up from school will wait for parents to collect them.
Team teina wait outside their classrooms.
Team tuakana to Riverlands Hall.
Pick up time is 3pm
To relieve congestion we allow children from year 4 and up to walk down to the Riverlands Hall car park and wait on the path for their car pickups. Year 6, 7 and 8 children can take younger siblings down to Riverlands Hall to meet their parents.
A formal school crossing is available across School Road and school road patrols are posted there at the
appropriate time each afternoon. Any children crossing the road are required to cross at the approved road crossing. Parents are requested that they ensure their children follow these procedures.
For parents collecting their children by motor vehicle, please:
-- Do not call your child across the road – please cross the road and collect them.
-- Use the turn-around area rather than executing a U-turn in School Road.
-- Please do not park in the turn-around area
-- Please do not park on the yellow lines by the school crossing, the school bus stop or outside the front steps.
Appointments / Leaving School Early
If you are removing your child for an appointment during school hours you are required to sign them out and back in again on their return.
Childrens Property
Please check that all items of children’s clothing are named and encourage your child to return home with all their clothing. It is imperative that you name all your children’s clothing before they wear it to school.
Dental Clinic
Riverlands School children receive dental care from the Blenheim Community Oral Health Clinic. An appointment will be sent out twice per year. If the appointment is not kept (or you have not communicated with the Dental Clinic), another appointment will not be made for another six months.
Phone 520 9922 Your children’s dental health is important, please keep appointments.
Dogs
Dogs are not allowed in the school grounds at any time. With the exception of guide dogs and companion dogs.
Lollies & Toys
Lollies and fizzy drinks are not allowed at school. We also discourage children from bringing expensive toys to school. The school will take no responsibility for lost or damaged toys if they are brought to school. Skateboards and skates are only allowed at school when there are special skate days where supervision is provided.
Lost Property
Lost Property is displayed in the Resource Room. Named items are returned to the classrooms on a regular basis.
Lunch Orders
Available to order for your child’s lunch:
Subway -Fridays, order online at www.subwayexpress.co.nz.
Sushi - Thursday, order at the school office.
Parent Helpers
The teachers appreciate the help that is given by parents throughout the year. Please contact the school administration if you can help in the following areas:School Clubs. Sports and outdoor recreation. Parent classroom help as required. Shelving Junior Reading books. Library book maintenance. Helping make, maintain or store resources as required. Grandparents helping children with reading.
Road and Cycle Saftey
Because of our location, the school has a number of responsibilities and rules that must be adhered to.
These include:
Children under 10 years of age may only ride their bicycle to school if accompanied by a responsible adult.
Children biking from Town using SH1 need to use the safe crossing point marked on the road before Butter Factory Corner.
All school cyclists are encouraged to use the Riverlands Cycle Way
Cyclists must:
Be over 10 years of age
Have a safe, road worthy bicycle
Wear an approved cycle helmet
Ride in single file on the road
Scholastic Books
A selection of children’s books at reasonable prices are made available for purchase from Scholastic Books. There will be two offers per term where an order form will be sent home. Parents wanting books will return the order form with money in an envelope to the school office. Online ordering can be done at scholastic.co.nz/Loop or using the LOOP app.
School Hours
School starts at 8:55am and finishes at 3:00 pm
> Morning Tea Break is 10:30 am - 10:50 am
> Lunch Break is 12:30 am - 1:25 pm
Children will not be allowed past the front gate into the school before the bell rings at 8.30am as this is teacher preparation time.
Please ensure your children are at school at least by 8.45am as teaching commences at 8.55am sharp.
If you need to speak to a teacher before school, please come between 8.30 and 8.45am as teachers need to be available to help their children prepare to start school at 8.55am.
Sickness / Accidents
If child/ren is/are unwell, parents will be notified. Parents are required to uplift their children asap from the school on such occasions. Please do not send your child to school if they are unwell.
Please ensure that the school administration has your correct home, work and emergency contact details, and notify the school office immediately if these change
Smoking/Vaping
Riverlands School is TOTALLY SMOKE/VAP FREE. No smoking or vaping is permitted inside the school grounds. Smoking or vaping in front of children during school camps, class trips and in cars where transport is being provide is unacceptable and not permitted.
Sunsmart
Riverlands School follows the national Sun Smart Policy. To comply with this, the following will apply during the summer months:
> All pupils to bring a brimmed hat to school every day. A NO HAT - NO PLAY policy will be enforced for students without a suitably brimmed sunhat. They will be required to remain within a designated shade area.
> Sport will be timetabled outside of peak UV times (wherever possible)
> Lunch will be eaten in the shade of the trees.
> Children are also encouraged to bring their own sun screen and use when necessary.
Vandalism
While vandalism at Riverlands School is very rare, children responsible for damage to school property through deliberate acts of vandalism will be expected to reimburse the school for any costs involved.
Stationery
Stationery Lists are circulated to all pupils at the end of the year for parents to purchase the correct stationery pack through Paper Plus in town during January or order online from www.myschool.co.nz . The online shop offers free delivery and a percentage of the order comes back to school. Paper Plus have stationery packs already made and a percentage of the sale is returned to school.
Children are strongly encouraged to have their books covered and ready for school work on the first day of school.
New Entrants will purchase a prepared stationery pack in a Zippit from the school office for Ruma 6, when they come for their pre-school visit.
Each child in Ruma 6,7,8,9, 10 and 11 requires a Zippit - these can be purchased from school. Extra stationery will be available for sale to pupils at school, before school commences, between the hours of 8.30-9.00am ONLY, throughout the year at competitive prices.