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Whakapau kaha – to be better than before.

It is our goal to establish clear and open communication lines between school and home.

We communicate with our community on a regular basis and in addition to this we urge you to contact us at any time should you have any concerns, no matter how big or small, as it is easier to deal with a minor issue before it becomes a bigger problem. Some things can be fixed by a quick talk with the teacher, before or after school, however, sometimes a longer meeting may be required and these can be arranged at a mutually convenient time, either by face to face or by email.  All details can be found on the staff page.

The Leadership Team of Janine and Dawn are always open to meeting with families about any topic.  Please either simply drop into the office when you are in the school to see if we are free there and then, or if you prefer make an appointment through the office via email or phone.

Parent and Teacher Communication at Cornwall Park District School

Our school believes in fostering a strong partnership between home and school to ensure students receive the best educational opportunities possible while at CPDS.  The school has an “Open Door” policy that encourages parents to work alongside us, and to raise any questions or issues that they may have.

All parents have different expectations of how often a teacher should be available to talk about their child, therefore the school needs to ensure our parent’s needs are met as well as ensuring the demands on our teachers are not unreasonable.

The guidelines below outline what CPDS feels are acceptable levels of communication, especially considering the number of potential meetings a teacher could have for each of their pupils.

EXPECTATIONS

  • Teachers to meet with parents when parents have concerns or questions at a time that is mutually suitable to both parties.
  • This will be done in a timely manner.
  • It is reasonable for teachers to request reasonable preparation time for any meeting that involves issues that may need more information/ and or supporting evidence provided.

DAILY CASUAL DISCUSSIONS BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL

Teachers welcome the chance to catch up with parents before and after school.  However please be mindful that many parents may want to do the same and therefore we may ask you to make a time to meet with the teacher at another time.

Before and after school is ideal for:

  • Greetings
  • General conversation about anything current that may impact on your child’s day.
  • Very quick catch up to see all has been OK for the day.
  • Celebrations
  • Concerns.  Depending on the nature of these a more formal meeting may be arranged.
  • Seeking general clarification around procedures, homework set etc

MEETINGS THAT MAY TAKE LONGER

  • General goal setting
  • Special needs considerations
  • Progress
  • Development of strategies between home and school
  • Addressing any patterns of behaviour/ socialisation/or work habits that are of concern

As these meetings will involve more in-depth discussions the meeting may take between 15 and 20 mins at a time mutually agreeable to both parties. Occasionally matters of a more serious nature may take longer than this. For the majority of parents one or two meetings of this nature may be all that is required over and above the Parent/ teacher discussions times provided around reporting periods. If parents require more than one meeting of this type within a month then it may be indicative of a wider issue and therefore the teacher will forward this concern on to their Team Leader who will speak to the parents regarding this

If at any stage you feel the meetings you are having with the teacher are not meeting your needs or you would like to raise a concern regarding the programme your child is receiving and/or issues related to the Teacher, you are requested to take these concerns to the Team Leader, Associate Principal or Principal, who will discuss these further with you.

Occasionally parents may face an issue that is very emotional and upsetting for them. If this happens to you, we ask you to come to the office immediately where we can listen in private and discuss what steps we will take to work through the issue presented.  It is our aim to ensure that matters like these can be dealt with quickly and efficiently while maintaining the dignity of all those involved.  It is vital that children do not see angry or emotional exchanges between teachers and parents.

COMMUNITY CONDUCT EXPECTATIONS

Cornwall Park District School is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for students, staff, and visitors.

Our Code of Conduct serves as a reminder to all parents, caregivers, and school visitors that their conduct must support everyone’s emotional and physical wellbeing, and not harm it in any way. The school’s board has set this Code of Conduct as a condition of entry.

The Code of Conduct applies:

  • to all conduct, speech, and action, and includes emails, texts, phone calls, social media, or other communication
  • while on school grounds or at another venue where students and/or staff are assembled for school purposes (such as a camp or sports match).

Standards of conduct
Cornwall Park District School expects parents, caregivers, and visitors to:

  • treat everyone with respect
  • work together in partnership with staff for the benefit of students
  • respect and adhere to our school values
  • set a good example for students at all times
  • follow school procedures to handle any complaints
  • adhere to school policies and procedures (such as those listed below), and any legal requirements.

Examples of unsuitable conduct include:

  • threats, bullying, harassment
  • profanity/offensive language
  • insulting, abusing, or intimidating behaviour
  • discrimination (e.g. based on ethnicity, religion)
  • physical aggression
  • deception/fraud
  • damaging school property
  • smoking, possessing or using alcohol/drugs/other harmful substances on school premises or at another venue where students and/or staff are assembled for school purposes (except possession or use of alcohol in accordance with school policy)
  • placing unreasonable and excessive expectations on staff time or resources
  • pursuing a complaint or campaign, or making defamatory, offensive, or derogatory comments, regarding the school, its board, or any staff or students on social media or other public forums
  • wearing gang insignia on the school grounds. (This is not allowed under the Prohibition of Gang Insignia legislation, and anyone wearing it will be asked to leave.)

Dealing with breaches of the Code of Conduct
How Cornwall Park District School deals with breaches of our Code of Conduct depends on the nature of the incident and its seriousness, and the process any witness or victim of the behaviour feels most comfortable with. Examples include:

  • documenting each instance of behaviour, including the date, time, place, who was present, what was said (verbatim if possible), how any witness or victim felt and/or responded
  • holding a meeting with the relevant person, the principal, and/or board chair (or their delegate) or appropriate staff member to discuss the problem and possible resolution
  • issuing a warning letter that outlines the problem and required resolution, and reminds them of the possible outcomes of repeated conduct
  • arranging a meeting, which may include restorative practices, as an alternative or in addition to the processes above.

Outcomes of breaching the Code of Conduct
If a parent, caregiver, or visitor acts or speaks in a way that contravenes the Code of Conduct, possible outcomes may include:

  • The school (principal, board member, or staff member) may ask a person to leave the school premises by revoking their permission to be on the school grounds, then asking them to leave under section 3 of the Trespass Act 1980.
  • Unacceptable behaviour of a criminal nature may result in the police being informed. For example, under section 139C of the Education Act 1989, it is a criminal offence to assault, abuse, or intimidate a staff member within the presence or hearing of any student while on school premises or in any other place where students are assembled for school purposes. Other instances of criminal offending may occur where drugs are involved, an assault has occurred, or a person persists after being trespassed off school grounds.
  • In the case of behaviour amounting to harassment, a restraining order may be sought.
  • In some instances, it may be appropriate to refer behaviour to a third party for resolution. For example, a Facebook comment that contravenes this policy may result in a report to Facebook. If unacceptable behaviour occurs at a sports event or sports venue, then it may be appropriate to involve the governing body of that sport, event, or venue.

COMMUNITY SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINES

This policy applies to anyone using school-related social media.

Expectations
Administrators and users of all Cornwall Park District School social media accounts must use their best judgement when using school social media.

Posts and comments must be:

  • polite and represent the school in a good light
  • relevant to the school community
  • consistent with relevant school policies (e.g. Privacy, Digital Technology and Cybersafety, Harassment, Bullying).

Posts and comments must not contain or link to:

  • abusive content, bad language, personal attacks, spam
  • advertising (unless this is thanking a business for their support)
  • identifiable images of a student’s face (unless with relevant permission).

If users breach the conditions above, the post/comment may be deleted and the user may be blocked.

Also see Sharing Images of Students and Publishing Student Information.

Administrators
Administrators of social media accounts must be currently associated with the school. If an administrator’s association with the school ends, they must be removed as an administrator. A senior staff member will always be an administrator on the account.

Anyone setting up a Facebook/ WeChat page that is associated with the school must seek permission from the principal/board of trustees. The School name must never be used without permission from the school.

Administrators are responsible for:

  • monitoring posts/comments regularly
  • removing inappropriate posts/comments (and blocking users if necessary)
  • documenting harmful content with a screenshot and removing it as soon as possible
  • reporting inappropriate content to senior staff.
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