A-Z
Omakere School Information (A-Z)
Assemblies
An assembly is held every Monday morning 9-9.15am and every 2nd Friday (odd weeks) afternoon 2.00-2.45pm. Monday assemblies include sports results and weekly event discussions. Friday sharing and success assemblies are focused on the sharing and celebrating of student learning and successes and are a great opportunity for parents, caregivers and community to come along to school and share in, and show the importance of student learning.
When students share their learning with an authentic audience we provide them with an opportunity to share their story, reflect on their growth, and engage in real dialogue with others about their learning and their futures.
Approach to Behaviour
Omakere Behaviour expectations are based on a relational approach that empowers student voice, restorative discussions, and solution-finding. A relational approach encapsulates that character is developed through their relationships with others.
The Omakere School Approach to behaviour focuses on high expectations, relational interactions and conversations, and the use of a restorative approach to explore, address and de-escalate a problem when it arises.
Bus Services
Students are transported to/from Omakere School via two bus services. Our OSCA (Town) bus transports students to and from Waipawa and Waipukurau via Pourerere Road. The Go Bus Ministry service transports students to and from Longrange, Motere, and Pourerere Roads. Trained bus leaders and bus drivers liaise with the Principal and the local community Police Officer regarding expectations of bus behaviour.
BYOD
At Omakere School becoming a digital citizen is "part of who we all are" in school. At Omakere, we provide digital devices for the students to use to enrich learning experiences and through integrating digital technologies to enhance teaching and learning.
The school has a BYOD policy enabling students to bring along their device from home if they wish. The student and their parent/caregiver must read and sign the BYOD agreement before a device is brought to school. This outlines the expectations and responsibilities of each party.
The device must be suitable for the purpose, needs to be wifi capable, have a screen size no less than 7", and come to school fully charged. Parents need to record the serial number of the device, and are responsible for its insurance, servicing, repairs, etc.
Car Park
Visitors to the school are asked to park in our carpark beside the fire station or in the carpark near the school mailbox. Visitors are asked not to park in the driveway or staff car park/disabled car park and to not drive on to the school grounds.
Contact Us
Omakere School
46 Longrange Road
RD1 Waipawa 4271
Phone: (06) 8573887
Email: office@omakere.school.nz (Click for direct link)
principal@omakere.school.nz
Cultural Activities
At Omakere School, our cultures are very important - they are who we are! Cultural inclusiveness is reflected and valued through all learning activities and opportunities. Omakere School immerses in Te Ao Maori everyday and shares our learning through the CHB Primary Schools Ngati Whai Cultural Festival.
Curriculum
At Omakere School, our curriculum is LEARNER-EMPOWERED that is visible in empowered ākonga (students) and Kaiako (Teachers) who agent successful outcomes for all. Our localised curriculum has environmental manaakitanga underpinning all learning experiences and opportunities building on a solid foundation of literacy and numeracy. Each day at Omakere School our students experience a minimum 1 hour of mathematics and 2 hours of literacy (reading, spelling and writing).
Enrolments
Parents and Caregivers may enroll their children from the date of their 5th birthday. All children must be enrolled in a school by their 6th birthday. Parents and Caregivers are asked to contact the office or junior teachers to arrange pre-school visits. The number of visits is dependent on each child’s needs and can be half and/or full days, and include time spent in the classroom, and play time and lunchtimes, in the weeks leading up to school entry to ensure a seamless transition to school.
On enrolment, our admission procedure requires that the parent/caregiver supply the child’s birth certificate and immunisation certificate so a copy may be attached to school records. This is a mandatory requirement by the Ministry of Education. The school will provide parents/caregivers with this enrolment prospectus containing relevant information.
Dental Care
The CHB Dental nurse sends appointments directly to parents/caregivers for their children to receive dental treatment in the clinic at Waipukurau Primary School.
Emergency and Evacuation Procedure
Omakere School has an emergency and evacuation plan involving the wider community. A copy of this plan is predominantly displayed throughout the school. If the school is placed under Emergency and Evacuation Procedures by Civil Defence, we are unable to release students to anyone other than parent and caregiver or a nominated parent/caregiver.
In this situation, unlike in the case of illness, it is recommended that this person lives close to you or to the school as this scenario would most likely be the result of significant disruption within the area (flood, earthquake).
Family Donation
Omakere School is part of the Ministry of Education’s Donation Scheme. This means our parents and whanau do not pay school fees with the exception of a contribution to camps.
First Aid (Incidents and Accidents)
School staff attend to minor injuries. Parents and caregivers are required to ensure an up-to-date emergency contact is on file and that the school is fully informed about medical information about their student. Staff regularly update their first aid certificates. In the case of a serious injury, parents/caregivers or emergency contact will be notified immediately.
House Groups
Students are allocated to one of the following house groups:
Motere (Red) House
Longrange (Green) House
Pourerere (Blue) House
Homework
At Omakere School, we believe the focus for homework is a time for students to develop a love of learning, a love of whanau togetherness, and to provide students the time for develop key competencies, and to enable parents and caregivers an opportunity to be involved in their child’s learning and growth as confident, happy, and capable young people. Homework for all Omakere students will consist of: Reading together every night and spelling word practice work then focus on spending quality time with whanau - having responsibilities (feeding pets, dishes, making lunches, etc.) and experiences (e.g. swimming, bike riding, dance) alongside their families. Some students may wish to continue work on a classroom task, or practice their learning - we are happy for students to work on their learning at home, but our focus for learning at home is reading together and spending quality time with our whanau and friends.
Library
We are fortunate to have a mobile school library. Classes utilise library books for learning. We encourage all families to belong to the Central Hawkes Bay Library who have branches in both Waipawa and Waipukurau.
Lost Property
The lost property basket is located in the First Aid room. Named articles can be returned quickly to their owners. Parents are encouraged to check the lost property when at school. Articles unclaimed at the end of each holiday period are offered to charity shops.
Lunches
The school promotes ‘Healthy Eating’ and encourages ‘rubbish free lunches’. Students are encouraged to bring plenty of fruit/raw vegetables for brain food break and to have food in reusable containers or reusable wraps. Children take all lunch rubbish home. Each Friday the school sells hot lunches which are ordered via an emailed Google Form. Students may only bring water to school.
Newsletters
A digital school newsletter is shared weekly on a Friday. The newsletter is emailed out to all school families and community members. The school newsletter is also shared on our school facebook page, and on your Skool Loop phone app. Current and previous newsletters are also able to be viewed on the school website www.omakere.school.nz ‘Newsletters’.
OSCA (Omakere School Community Association)
OSCA has been formed to be a vital link to enhance the spirit of the school and community. The group works together organising fundraising events and social activities for the benefit of the children and community groups in the Omakere District. Any enquiries can be directed to: omakere.osca@gmail.com or phone Chloe Hill 021 0559002.
Outdoor Education (EOTC)
As an Enviroschool, outdoor education opportunities are a priority in our localised curriculum. Overnight camps and day experiences provide students with a range of real-life hands-on learning and life-long memories. Our Kōwhai and Pōhutukawa tamariki take part in an annual 3-day camp and our Kahikatea tamariki in an annual 5-day camp. Parents/Caregivers are required to complete appropriate consent forms prior to their child/children taking part in EOTC. Collaborative fundraising minimises the costs to parents and caregivers. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to accompany classes on camps to provide transport, skills, and meet adult:child supervision safety ratios.
Parent/Caregivers and Community Member Involvement in School
We encourage our parents/caregivers and community members to be actively involved in school events and student learning. There will be times when we require support to offer experiences/activities to students through transport, supervision, working bees, and organisation support. We value this support from our school and wider whanau and friends.
Pepeha
Omakere School has our very own Pepeha that tells people who we are by sharing our connections with the people and places that are important to us.
Ko Omakere te maunga
Ko Omakere te awa
Ko Omakere tō tātou kura
Omakere is the mountain
Omakere is the stream
Omakere is our school
Phones
The school does not allow students to have cell phones during school hours (Includes in class or in the playground). Phones (if parents deem necessary to bring to school) must be handed into the office on arrival at school then picked up at the end of the day. On school buses phones cannot be used and must be kept in school bags at all times.
Photocopying/Laminating
The school office provides a photocopying and laminating service to members of the school and wider community for a nominal fee.
Playcentre
The Omakere Playcentre group is an active and fun group of caregivers who get together at 9.30am every Tuesday at the Omakere Community Hall. If you would like to join Omakere Playcentre for a session please get in touch with Mrs Nimon (In Kōwhai) at school or head over to our Facebook page to send a message.
Policies and Procedures
Omakere School uses School Docs for policies and procedures. Any member of the school community can access policies on the school docs site:
http://omakere.schooldocs.co.nz/
Whanau/Community login information:
Login: omakere Password: ruralkids
Questions/Queries
Omakere School has a genuine open door policy. Parents and Caregivers are always welcome to visit the school. Having regular communication with the school is an important part of being actively involved in your child’s learning. Concerns should be addressed to the classroom teacher in the first instance, then to the Principal. After this, written formal communication can be made with the Omakere School Board.
Reporting to Parents/Caregivers
Omakere School reports to parents and whanau in a number of ways - informally and formally. Informal reporting takes the form of sharing learning through Seesaw, Newsletters, Assemblies, Facebook Page, and on our Website, Formal reporting is completed through beginning of year and mid year whanau-teacher discussions and an end of year written report. For students in the first three years at school, these written reports are completed after each 12 months at school - 6 weeks, 40, 80, and 120 weeks.
Parents/Caregivers can contact teachers at any time to discuss student progress. Email addresses are included with staff information.
School Hours
9.00 - 10.30am Learning Block One Hui & Maths
10.30-10.50am Morning Tea (Play then Eat)
10.50-1pm Learning Block Two Structured Literacy - Reading, Spelling, Writing
1.00-1.50pm Lunch (Play then Eat)
1.50-2.50pm Learning Block Three Inquiry, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, Health, Writing etc.
Skool Loop
Omakere School uses the Skool Loop app for Whanau. Skool Loop has the feature for whanau to view notices, complete permissions, view the newsletter and advise absences. Add the free Skool Loop app to your phone and search Omakere School then add your child’s class.
Sport
Omakere School values involving students in a wide range of sporting opportunities. We endeavour to have students involved in most sporting codes either through Omakere sports teams or by combining with another school to create a joint team.
Stationery
Purchase of stationery is available through the school office. We endeavour to keep stationery accounts to an absolute minimum by ensuring students utilise stationery from previous years whenever possible and to supply stationery at the lowest possible cost. Accounts are sent home termly. .
Strategic Plan
A copy of the School Strategic Plan is available in the school office and on our website for parents, caregivers, and members of the community to view. Comments and suggestions are welcomed by the Board and can be directed to the Principal or Board members.
Student Absences
Parents/Caregivers are required to advise the school of any student absences and the reason the child/ren is absent BEFORE 9am via Skool Loop absentee tool. The school will make every measure to contact parents/caregivers of a student whose absence has not been notified by 9.30am. Absences are recorded electronically for attendance requirements and monitoring. Unacceptable or concerning attendance is followed up with a letter and a phone call by the Principal. If attendance does not improve, attendance is then followed up by the Attendance Services Officer.
Sunsmart
We are a registered sunsmart school. The school provides free sunscreen for students to use in terms 1 and 4. All students during Terms 1 and 4 are required to wear a school sunhat when outside and on school trips. Sunhats are provided free when a child starts at Omakere School. Replacement hats are charged to the student’s account.
Swimming Pool
Omakere School has its own swimming pool. All students are expected to have suitable swimming gear at school and receive daily swimming instruction during the swimming season. Pool keys can be hired during the summer holidays for a small fee.
Technology
Senior students (Years 7 and 8) travel to the CHB Technology Centre at Waipawa Primary School on a regular basis for specialised technology curriculum experiences. Other year levels experience technology at school through science, and creating and building.
Uniform
All students are required to wear the correct Omakere School uniform. A blue and white shirt with black shorts for boys, or black skort or shorts for girls. In Winter black pants or tights/stockings and skort. Skorts and black track pants can be purchased from the Warehouse or Postie Plus. The Omakere blue and white shirts $27 and black and white polar fleece $40 can be purchased from the school office. All students will be issued with a free school sunhat. Any additional sunhats will be charged to student’s school account. Every Wednesday we have a mufti day (at no cost) to enable washing of uniform mid week. Parents and caregivers are requested to NAME ALL CLOTHING.
Valuables
The school accepts no responsibility for valuable items which students bring to school. Jewellery worn by students should be kept minimal to ensure personal safety and safety to others. No toys from home are to be brought to school.
Values
At Omakere School we encourage and model the values, principles and intent of the New Zealand Curriculum with special emphasis on:
Hauora/Wellbeing - Spiritual, Emotional, Physical, and Social Wellness - Whare Tapu Whā Model
Environmental Awareness - Localised Rural Environment, Global Environment, and Sustainability.
Whanaungatanga - Sense of Belonging and Being Stronger Together through Relationships, Whanau, Culture and Community.
Manaakitanga - Reciprocity of Kindness, Caring and Respect for Each Other and our Environment.
Reflective C’s - Curiosity, Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Communication.
Working Bees
School working bees are traditional features of parent and caregiver involvement with the school and a great social gathering for the community. Working bees are normally held during the holidays when a number of tasks are required to be done. Working bees will be advertised in the school newsletter and facebook page.
Website
The school website is your first place to look for up to date information about Omakere School. Our site is organised into pages:
Home and History
A-Z of Information
Our People - Principal Voice, Staff, Student Leaders, School Board, Sponsors
Calendar of events on at school
Contact Us
Enviroschool - Localised Curriculum, Curriculum Documentation
Documentation - Strategic Plan, ERO Report, Annual Report
Newsletters
Photo Galleries
Policies and Procedures
Where is Omakere School - Links to pages about nearby places
Community Groups - OSCA, COTT