James Street School - We Love to Learn

A quick reference to the way we do things at

 James Street School



Attendance:All children are expected to attend every day. Notifications of absence with an explanation should be phoned to the school (3086855) or sent by text (027 2604859) or notified on Skool Loop, as early as practicable. The school will ring families who do not contact.

Assemblies: A brief assembly is held on Monday mornings at 8.45am. Celebration assemblies are held each Friday at 12:15pm. Classes take turns at leading this assembly. Parents and whanau are warmly invited to attend. 

Banking: Banking opportunities  are available through Credit Union. See the office staff for an information pack.

Biking to School: Only children in years 5 and 6 are permitted to ride to school independently. Younger children may ride accompanied by an adult. All riders must wear an approved helmet. Bikes must be locked during the day. Scooters are locked in the cage beside the caretaker's shed.

Board of Trustees: Board meetings are held on the third Monday of each month in the school staffroom, at 7.00pm. These are public meetings - please consider this a personal invitation to attend Board meetings. 

Book Club: Children may purchase books at reduced rates from the Scholastic Book Club approximately six times per year. Orders must be in an envelope with the correct money and the child's name and room name written on the outside of the envelope. 

Breakfast Club: A breakfast club is available to all children who require breakfast each morning. No child at our school need go hungry and energy for learning is paramount.

Communication: Effective communication is key to positive home school interactions. Regular, positive communication is a feature of our home school relationships. We encourage parents to regularly visit, phone, text or email the school to keep communication lines open. 

Crisis Management: At least once per term the whole school practises for an emergency response. In the event of a major disaster the school will assemble on the  playing field once it has been established as a safe place. Children will remain at school until collected by a family member. Emergency plans are available for perusal at the school office. 

Curriculum: Through our James Street School curriculum all children receive instruction in the learning areas of the NZ Curriculum. We focus on developing local, national and global citizens. 

Dental Treatment: All children receive free dental care from the clinic based across the road at Whakatane Intermediate. 

Digital Technology: Our school embraces digital learning and provides opportunities for students to use a variety of devices in a variety of learning contexts. Parents are encouraged to use the school website, Class DOJO and our school facebook page to keep abreast of current learning and activities. 

Duffy Books: We are a Duffy School and so our children are recipients of Duffy Books in Schools, giving them four free books at intervals throughout the year. Our preschoolers also receive a book on their birthday and a variety of role model assemblies, drama and literacy promoting events are organised annually. Thank you to Hamertons who are our local sponsors.

Enrichment: Our students have access to enrichment opportunities;  academic, sporting and cultural using expertise from within the staff, community  and local area. 

Enrolment: Enrolment forms are available at the school office. Parents are encouraged to visit the school and arrange for pre entry visits for new entrants. We encourage you to bring learning journals, portfolios or  reports  so that we can better understand and cater for the learning needs of your child. 

Environmental Awareness: Our school promotes the themes of reuse, reduce and recycle through our environmental awareness programmes. We have our school vegetable gardens and orchard from where we produce fresh fruit and vegetables for everyone to enjoy. The worm farm and compost contribute to the health of our school environment. 

EOTC: Our curriculum has a focus on using education outside the classroom as authentic contexts for learning. Hence all classes will engage 'Beyond the Gates' of the physical boundaries of the school and the limitations of our current experiences. This includes participating in local events and being involved  at some level as active contributing citizens. The senior classes take part in an annual camp which has a 3 year rotation of city, bush and beach.

Free and Healthy Lunches: We are a part of this lunch scheme. Most dietary requirements can be accommodated by Ka Pai Kai Aotearoa, who are our lunch providers.

Fruit in Schools: We are a health promoting school and also a recipient of the Fruit in Schools programme. This enables every student to receive a piece of fresh fruit every day throughout the year. 

GATE: Gifted and Talented Education opportunities are provided in a range of disciplines both within our school and district wide for our students who show particular ability in a learning area. 

Growing Great Learners: This is our schoolwide positive approach to behavior management. Our expectations are framed in the three statements of 'We are Respectful', 'We are Proud', 'We are Safe'. Each week specific routines are explicitly taught to give consistent expectations across the school.

Health: Parents are urged not to send children to school when they are ill or infectious, for the sake of the child and to prevent the spread of infection. If children are allergic to bee stings or any other stimulus that needs immediate action, please advise the school and provide us with a sufficient quantity of antidote for emergencies. Asthmatics must provide an inhaler if required. Any other medications dispensed at school must be kept up to date and in good supply. 

Healthy Eating: We educate our students about healthy eating choices. We request that takeaway foods, chewing gum, chocolate, sweets  and fizzy drinks are not sent or brought into school as part of everyday morning tea or lunch options. 

Homework: Relevant homework can reinforce the learning completed at school and be a useful tool for informing parents of their child's current learning. We recommend 15 minutes for junior students, focusing on Reading and Spelling and 20 - 25 minutes for older students. This will focus on Reading, Spelling, Maths or Topic Studies.

Hours: The grounds are open for children to arrive from 8:20am. School commences at 8:45am, morning tea from 10:30am to 10:50am, lunch 12:45pm - 1:45pm, closure at 2:50pm. Students may enter classrooms from 8:20am onwards. We do not close early on wet days. 

Library: Our well equipped library is a hub of learning in our school. All students require a book bag to carry library books to and from school. The library is open during lunch time each day. 

Lost Property: A lost property box is situated in the cloak bay by Puriri. Parents are welcome to look through this at any time. Lost property is regularly displayed for children to claim their items before any unclaimed items are donated at the end of each term. Please name all your child's belongings.

Newsletters: A newsletter is produced each Tuesday and sent home with the youngest child in each family. You may opt to receive yours by e-mail. Contact the school and we will arrange for this. This can also be viewed on the Skool Loop app and on our website.

Parent and Community Helpers: It is very much a part of our school culture that parents are involved in many aspects of school life. We know how proud the children feel when someone from their family helps out at school. You may like to assist by way of helping teachers prepare classroom materials, accompanying classes on sports or educational trips, playing alongside children at lunchtime, coaching sport, hearing children read or reading to them or assisting in the library. Whatever way you are willing to assist will be welcomed.

Pastoral Care: We have an extensive Pastoral Support initiative that involves Senior Management, RTLB, Public Health Nurse and Social Worker in Schools along with personnel from other relevant agencies on an 'as needs' basis. Meetings are held fortnightly to ensure children and their families receive the support they require. 

Phones: Children are permitted to bring a mobile phone to school. Unless being used in a learning situation, these are to be handed in at the office in the morning and collected after school. This reduces the opportunities for distractions during class times and text bullying. 

Photos: Class, individual and family photos are taken each year. A code is sent to each family with ordering and payment details. 

Public Health Nurse: We are fortunate to receive regular visits from the Public Health Nurse. If you have any concerns over matters relating to the health of your child, you may contact the school and arrangements will be made for the nurse to see your child. 

Reporting to Parents / Caregivers: Parents are encouraged to contact the school to discuss their children's progress or matters of interest or concern at any time. A phone call to make an appointment is appreciated. Children are more likely to reach their learning potential when home and school work harmoniously together. 

We use the following methods of reporting: Informal contact, Korero Mai - talk to me about your child, formal parent teacher interviews, student-led conferences, written reports and sharing on Class DOJO. 

Road Patrol: Students from Year 6, under the supervision of staff, provide a road patrol service before and after school: 8:20am - 8:45am and 2:50pm - 3:00pm. Parents and older children are urged to set a good example by using the patrolled crossing. 

School Chaplaincy: We welcome the contribution of our school chaplain, Pam Eatwell, who is available for children or adults to meet with to discuss issues or to be a listening ear on Wednesdays at 12.50pm. Our chaplain is trained by the Churches Education Commission and their work is supervised by them. 

School Leaders: Year 6 students who show leadership potential are selected by peers and staff to participate in a leadership programme to develop and exercise these skills. These students meet regularly with the Principal / Deputy Principal to discuss school wide issues as well as taking leadership in the breakfast club,  welcoming visitors, leading assemblies etc 

Smoking: Our entire school site is a designated smoke free and vape free area. 

Special Help and Services: Many specialist services are available to support children and their families with special education, learning or behaviour needs.  Our school has a comprehensive programme of support for students for whom English is an additional language, students who require additional assistance in Literacy or Maths as well as for students who are identified as Gifted or Talented (GATE) . We have access to a Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour (RTLB)  as well as the services of our local Ministry of Education Special Education Office. 

Sport: Our students take part in numerous interschool sporting events through our participation in the Whakatane Schools' Sports Association. 

Swimming: We have our own swimming pool with lessons each day in term one. All students are expected to participate as this is the major element of our summer Physical Education programme. 

Stationery: Students are provided with a stationery list at the beginning of the year. Stationery packs at competitive prices can be purchased from the school office. 

Uniform: We have a compulsory school uniform which is available for purchase at the school office. The school colours are black and bottle green. The wearing of the uniform identifies our pupils and promotes the positive perception of the school in the community. Sun hats must be worn in the summer and jewellery is to be kept to a minimum. 

Use of the School Grounds: We encourage our local community to make use of the school grounds after hours, respecting the facilities and being vigilant in their observations to protect us from expensive vandalism. You and your family are very welcome to use the grounds. Sports teams must check for prior bookings.

Vandalism: While there is minimal vandalism in our school, families will be responsible for any deliberate acts of vandalism or misuse of school property by their child. 

Ways of Entering the School: The children have entry gates on James Street and Henderson Street. There are designated walkways at both these entrances. We ask that you share our concern for their safety by ensuring they do not shortcut through the car park areas.  For the safety of the children please do not use the car parks for delivering or collecting children and keep the yellow lines at the front of the school clear at all times so as not to impede the view of the road patrollers. 

The school has had safety fencing installed. Please ensure that you close gates if you open them. The gates on Henderson Street are locked between 9:00am and 2:45pm.