ADMINISTRATIONPOLICIES and PROCEDURES MANUAL

2013

[For the Principal’s and Teachers’ management of the school and our Parent Community’s awareness.]

FOREWORD to this Manual:

This Administration Manual is designed for the Principal and Teachers of Opua School. If you wish to examine the school’s Governance Policies and Procedures, these are contained in the BOARD of TRUSTEES POLICIES and PROCEDURES MANUAL.

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for choosing to work at Opua School.

Opua School is a highly rated, successful, full primary school. The roll remains relatively stable around 100 students. We aim to have all children achieving at high levels after attending this school. Each student enrolling here deserves to receive impressive education from the moment they enter the school grounds. We depend on all staff to deliver a friendly, courteous, professional experience to all students. We believe that if the children are learning they will want to come to school.

Opua School is one of New Zealand’s oldest educational institutions. The school was opened in 1886. The centennial was held over Labour weekend in 1996.

The school’s mission statement is:

“Our school will provide a caring environment that will help educate and equip the child for life.”

The school motto is “Manaakitanga me te Awhina” which translates as “Caring and Sharing.”

Opua School is all about teaching and learning. Our primary function is the education of Years One through to Eight in the New Zealand Primary School system. We follow the New Zealand Curriculum. Our emphases are literacy and numeracy. We make no apologies for insisting on success in these areas as a priority. We cover other areas of the NZC but because of time constraints we integrate Social Studies, Technology, Health and Science in broad-based, multi-disciplinary units. The aim is not to make less of these other areas but to do what we do well as opposed to covering everything at a minimum level.The expert teachers at this school know how to create integrated studies and a child being educated at this school receives a fully-rounded and well-balanced educational experience from creative teachers.

We believe strongly that it is important to foster and develop the children’s creative talents and this includes all of the arts. (Music creating, reading, singing, moving and the visual arts)

There is also much importance placed on developing self-confidence, self-discipline, leadership and relating well with others.

Here are some of the duties required of all staff members:

•Greeting all students and parents with a smile;

•Treating all students and parents in a courteous, friendly and helpful manner;

•Following all Opua School’s policies and procedures;

•Making sure that the school is clean and tidy and well presented.

Staff must also:

•Treat co-workers with courtesy and respect;

•Support each other and want to work as a school team;

•Work as a team with people of all ages and from different races and ethnic backgrounds;

•Report to work on time and occasionally work extra hours as needed;

•Report to work in appropriate dress/uniform;

•Maintain an enthusiasm and motivated style when working;

•Go the extra mile to ensure that the students enjoy their learning experiences;

•Lookfor ways to achieve things as opposed to finding reasons why something should not be done;

•Keep confidences. Staffroom talk/discussions/conversations and information concerning students should not be repeated outside of school. (It is an offence under the Privacy Act to disclose any personal information).

Staff meetings are 3:15 p.m. Tuesday afternoons

All staff are invited but meetings are mainly focused on teaching matters

CONTENTS

Policy / Procedure / Page No. / Policy / Procedure / Page No.
THE CHARTER: Our Number 1 Policy / 6
1. RESPONSIBILITIES OF PRINCIPAL / 9 / Sports Uniforms / 53
2. DISCIPLINARY OF PRINCIPALPROCESS / 11 / Student Houses / 54
Student Special Certificates and Awards / 55
3.PRINCIPAL PROF. EXPENSES / 12
4. REPORTING TO THE BOARD / 13 / Student Stationery Requirements / 56
5. CURRICULUM DELIVERY / 15
Admissions and Withdrawals of Students / 17 / Swimming Pool and Swimming Lessons / 57
Attendance / 19 / Treaty of Waitangi / 58
Assemblies / 21 / Uniforms / 59
Behaviour Management / 22 / 6. PERSONNEL / 60
Bells / 23 / Beginning Teachers / 61
Classification of Children / 24 / Caretakers and Cleaners / 62
Classroom Environment / 26 / Classroom Release Time / Non-Contact Time / 63
Classroom / Team Treats / 27
Consultation with our Maori Community / 28 / Communication with Parents / 64
Education Outside the Classroom [EOTC] / 29 / Communication with Staff / 65
Complaints / 67
Exemption of Students from Class / 30 / Confidentiality / 70
Discretionary Leave / 71
Homework / 31 / Gifts and Acknowledgements / 72
International Students / 32
Internet Use / 34 / Hours of Work / 73
Learning at Opua School / 36 / Kaumatua / 74
Maori Language and Culture / 39 / M. U. [s] Allocation / 75
On-Line and Media Publication of Students’ Work / 40 / NZEI Code of Ethics / 76
Parent Helpers / 41 / Performance Management and Appraisal / 78
Promotion of Students / 42 / Personnel Files / 79
Planning and Preparation of Work / 43 / Registered Teachers’ Code of Ethics / 80
Record Keeping / 46 / Relief Teachers / 83
Report Writing / 47 / School Administration / Main Office Staff / 84
Religious Instruction / 49
School Mission, Values and Tone / 50 / Staff Private Property / 85
Special Education / 51 / Staff ProfessionalLearning and Development / 86
Policy / Procedure / Page No. / Policy / Procedure / Page No.
Staff Trustee / 87 / Children Inside the School Buildings / 131
Teacher’s Leaving / Exiting / 88
Telephones and Cellphones / 89 / Crossing Supervision / 132
7. APPOINTMENTS / 90 / Custody Cases, Access to Students and Matrimonial Disputes / 133
Equal Employment Opportunities / 93
8. FINANCIAL PLANNING / 94 / Duty Roster and Playground Supervision / 136
Accounting for Money / 95 / Electrical AppliancesSafety / 137
Financial Controls / 96 / Emergency Management / 138
Financial Responsibilities and Delegations / 98 / Food Healthiness / 145
9. FINANCIAL CONDITION / 100 / Harassment Prevention / 146
Banking Staffing / 101 / Hazards / 148
Theft and Fraud / 102 / Head lice / 149
10. ASSET PROTECTION / 105 / Health at School / 150
Classroom Inventories / 106 / Helmets for Cycles etc. / 151
Classroom Supplies / 107 / HIV / Blood-borne Diseases / 152
Computers / 108 / Interviewing Child Offenders / 154
Photocopier / 110 / Security of School / 155
End of the School Day / 111 / Smoking / 156
End of School Term / 112 / Sun Protection / Sun Hats / 157
Furniture / 113 / Transportation of Students using Private Cars / 158
Lost Property / 114 / Visitors to the School / 159
Staff Use of School Equipment / 115 / Waste / 160
Vandalism / 116 / 12.LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES / 161
11. HEALTH and SAFETY / 117 / Police Vetting / 162
Abuse / 118 / Privacy ActCompliance / 164
Access to Children by External Agencies [such as Lawyers] / 120 / Protected Disclosures / 166
Accessto Children by the Police / 121 / Videos, television and Film Copyright / 168
Accidents and Sick Children / 122
Animal Welfare / 124
Arrival at school by children / 125
Bicycles / 126
Boundaries of the School / 127
Carpet Cleaning / 128
Child Protection / 129
Children Coming to and from School / 130

Part 1

The Charter

Our number 1 policy

Our Charter outlines this school’s Mission, Vision, Values, Strategic Goals and Annual Targets. Everything we do and decide upon should have direction from this document. Also, we should be aware of all of its contents when we plan lessons and engage with our students, parents and community and with each other as employees of the Board of Trustees of this school. The Charter is updated annually.

The Charter is reproduced in the Board of Trustees Policy and Procedures manual. Copies are also reproduced and made available in the Staffroom and Main Office areas.

Any new employee should receive a copy of the latest Charter. If you have not, it is an oversight. Please ask for one as soon as possible after your employment is confirmed. If you have any questions related to the latest Charter, please feel free to discuss these with the Principal and / or the Board of Trustees Chairperson.

The Charter, especially its Annual Targets, will form a central part of staff discussions at staff meetings and be integral to any planning for and decisions made about Professional Leaning and Development each year.

Opua SchoolPage 1

Part 2

Operational Policies

and related Procedures

FOREWORD to this SECTION:

The principal is the professional leader of the school and works in partnership with the Board of Trustees. As the Board’s chief executive the principal shall not cause or allow any practice, activity or decision that is unethical, unlawful, and imprudent or which violates the Board’s Charter or expressed values or commonly held professional ethic.

The principal’s key contribution is day-to-day management of the school as per the management definition in the introduction to the Board of Trustees Policies and Procedures Manual.

The following points must be noted:

  • All Policy reviews are conducted at Board level and are not the responsibility of the staff of Opua School;
  • All staff members will be involved in a review of all the Procedures on any operational or procedural matters via cyclical review at Staff Meetings;
  • All staff members are expected to abide by the policies laid down in the Board of Trustees Policy and Procedures Manual and by the Operational Policies and Procedures as outlined below.

Below, the appropriate policy, as reviewed and sanctioned at Board level, is given a main number of between 1 and 12. Following the particular policy comes any related operational procedures which, in alphabetical sequence, are given the same main number and a sub-ordinate number to illustrate its relationship to the main policy.

1. RESPONSIBILITIES of the PRINCIPAL POLICY

Rationale:The principal is responsible for overseeing the implementation of Board policy including the Charter. Reference in documentation to the school, management and staff is to be read as “principal” for responsibility for implementation. From time to time the chairperson of the Board, acting within delegated authority, may issue discretions in policies of the school, in minutes of the Board or by written delegation.

Purpose:Therefore, the responsibilities of the principal are to:

  1. Meet the requirements of the current job description;
  2. Meet the requirements of the Principals’ Professional Standards;
  3. Act as the educational leader and day to day manager of the school within the law and in line with Board policies;
  4. Develop an Annual Plan that is aligned with the Board’s Strategic Plan and meets both legislative requirements and any MoE expectations;
  5. Seek approval from the Board each year for the Annual Plan so that MoE expected dates can be met;
  6. Implement the Annual Plan and give priority to the school’s annual targets;
  7. Use resources efficiently and effectively;
  8. Implement the school’s Curriculum as per the Curriculum Delivery Policy and the New Zealand Curriculum document;
  9. Ensure that all Health and Safety procedures are compliant and support the Board’s role in affirming safeguards for staff and students whilst at their place of employment and work;
  10. Put good employer policies into effect and ensure that there are effective procedures/guidelines in place as per Personnel and Appointments Policies;
  11. Approve staff attestation for salary increments;
  12. Allocate pay units for management positions;
  13. Oversee staff appraisals and staff professional learning and development;
  14. Hire, deploy and terminate relieving and auxiliary staff positions;
  15. Hire teaching staff as per the Appointments Policy;
  16. Manage the school’s finances, in conjunction with the Board’s Finance Committee, in an efficient, honest, open and prudent manner as per the Financial Planning, Financial Condition and Professional Expenses Policies;
  17. Preserve assets (financial and property) as per Asset Protection Policy;
  18. Communicate with the community on operational matters where appropriate;
  19. Limit public statements about the official position of the Board on controversial social, political, and/or educational issues to what the Board has formally adopted as positions of record;
  20. Keep the Board informed of information important to its role;
  21. Report to the board on the compliance or lack of with their policies as per Reporting to the Board policy;
  22. Organise operations within the boundaries of prudence and ethics established in Board policies on operations and the Charter;
  23. Act as Protected Disclosures Officer and ensure procedures are in place to meet the requirements of the Protected Disclosures Act 2000.” [see STA Link 2001/01] as per Protected Disclosures Procedure;
  24. Appoint, on behalf of the board, the Privacy Officer and EEO Officer and ensure that all the school’s legal responsibilities are met as per the Legal Responsibilities policy.

Note:Only decisions made by the Board acting as a Board are binding on the principal. Decisions or instructions by individual Board members, committee chairs, or committees are not binding on the principal except in rare circumstances when the Board has specifically authorised it.

The relationship is one of trust and support with expectations documented in the Relationship between the Board and the Principal policy. Both parties work to ensure “no-surprises”.

The principal is not restricted from using the expert knowledge of individual Board members acting as volunteers.

Review schedule: Trienniallyby the Board of Trustees

2. DISCIPLINARY PROCESS in RELATION to the PRINCIPAL POLICY

Rationale:In the event the Board receives a complaint regarding the principal or determines that policy violation(s) has (have) occurred and the Board judges the degree and seriousness of the concern or violation(s) to warrant initiating a disciplinary process, the Board shall seek free advice, in the first instance, from an NZSTA industrial adviser and follow due process.

Purpose:Therefore, the Board shall not fail to:

  1. Follow due process and the advice given by NZSTA at all times ;
  2. Inform the Principal and his / her representatives of the proceedings;
  3. Be sensitive to the rights of the Principal as an employee of the school at all times;
  4. Be focussed on finding a constructive, positive and workable solution that all parties find acceptable and fair.

Review schedule: Trienniallyby the Board of Trustees

3. PRINCIPAL PROFESSIONAL EXPENSES POLICY

Rationale:A budget for professional expenses and for professional development will be established annually and be included in the budget. All overseas trips for professional learning and development must be approved first by the Board of Trustees at least one term in advance of the event.

Purpose:Therefore, the Principal may not fail to:

  1. Spend within the allocated budget at his / her own discretion;
  2. Seek approval of the Board if considering overseas professional learning and development.

Further Guidelines:

  1. Professional learning and development expenses may include but are not confined to: continuing education, books and periodicals, mentoring and attendance at professional conferences.
  2. The Principal will also, as a staff member, be able to access the costs of these from normal budget areas specified as such.
  3. Itis also recognised by the Board that, due to the nature of the role of Principal, there will occur at times other costs with regards to hospitality, etc. These costs will be covered via expense claim procedures in the usual manner and require ‘signing off’ by the Deputy Principal and Finance Administrator, as a minimum.

Review schedule: Trienniallyby the Board of Trustees

4. REPORTING to the BOARD POLICY

Rationale:The principal reports to the Board as a whole and keeps it informed of the true and accurate position of the outcomes of curriculum; teaching and learning; financial position; and all matters having real or potential legal considerations and risk for Opua School. Thus the Board is supported in its strategic decision-making and risk management.

Purpose:Therefore, the principal may not fail to:

  1. inform the Board of significant trends, implications of board decisions, issues arising from policy matters or changes in the basic assumptions upon which the board’s strategic aims are based;
  2. submit written reports at Board meetings covering the following management areas and following the Board’s triennial self-review plan:
  3. Strategic Aims and Annual Plan Progress Reports, when required;
  4. Personnel Report;
  5. Finance Report;
  6. Variance Report, when required;
  7. Student Progress and Achievement Report;
  8. Curriculum Report;
  9. inform the Board in a timely manner of any significant changes in staffing, programmes, plans or processes that are under consideration;
  10. seek board approval for any requests for discretionary staff leave of longer than 5 days;
  11. advise the board of any staff absences longer than 5 school days;
  12. submit any monitoring data required in a timely, accurate and understandable fashion;
  13. report and explain financial variance against the budget [usually of 10%+] in line with the board’s expectations;
  14. report on the number of stand-downs, suspensions, exclusions and expulsions on a per meeting basis;
  15. report and explain roll variance against year levels and reasons on a per meeting basis;
  16. inform the board when, for any reason, there is non-compliance of a board policy;
  17. recommend changes in board policies when the need for them becomes known;
  18. highlight areas of possible bad publicity or community dissatisfaction;
  19. regularly report on the implementation of the annual plan and progress towards meeting student achievement targets;
  20. reporton any matter requested by the Board and within the specified timeframe.

Review schedule: Trienniallyby the Board of Trustees

5. CURRICULUM DELIVERY POLICY

Rationale:Delivery of the curriculum shall foster student progress and achievement and meet all legislative requirements and Ministry and Board expectations.

Purpose:Therefore the principal may not fail to:

  1. provide opportunities for success for all students (in years 1-8) in all essential learning areas and skill areas of the New Zealand Curriculum;
  2. give priority to student achievement in literacy and numeracy;
  3. give priority to regular quality physical activity that develops movement skills for all students;
  4. report on progress and achievement of all students, including information in relation to National Standards, as per the Board’s agreed reporting schedule;
  5. identify students at risk of not achieving, including those gifted and talented students, and implement teaching and learning strategies to address needs;
  6. ensure there is a focus on the national priority groups of Maori, Pasifika and students with special learning needs in school planning and reporting;
  7. consult with the school’s Maori community about the policies/plans for improving the achievement of Maori students;
  8. provide career information and guidance for year 7 students and above;
  9. seek Board approval before changes to the school curriculum requiring increased expenditure or significant changes to programmes or staffing are made;
  10. focus on the achievement of the Charter aims and targets;
  11. create curriculum balance. Within the school week of 25 hours it is expected that each class will experience a reasonable balance across the curriculum. A very general guide to an approximate analysis would be:

Language 8 hours