School prospectus
Pompallier Catholic School has a proud history of providing an excellent education in a caring environment for children from new Entrant through to Year Eight.

Pompallier Catholic School is an integral part of St. Joseph’s Catholic Parish and the Kaitaia community.

Pompallier Catholic School is conducted by lay teaching staff, in collaboration with the Parish Priest, the Board of Trustees, the school families and parishioners.

As a Mercy School, Pompallier upholds those traditions peculiar to that order and honours the spirit of the followers of Cecilia Maher.

Our Vision
To grow Christ-centred individuals who are inspired to be passionate, connected, life-long learners:
Aroha (Love),Tika ( Integrity), Pono (Truth), Atawhai (Mercy)
It is through these words that we uphold our special character.

School Goals 2016 – 2018
To achieve ‘our vision’ for our students, Pompallier Catholic School will develop the following goals for the three years: 2015 – 2017.

1. Success for All
To provide a learning community where ‘success for all’ is promoted.

• Teaching strategies and thinking tools are promoted to encourage and motivate students to succeed
  
• Early detection of learning difficulties and support given as needed
  
• Targeted teaching assistance is used with identified groups of children

2. Community
To promote Pastoral care aspects to the wider community and to celebrate our special character at all times.

• Special Character committee is set up within the school/Parish
  
• Catholic School Days is celebrated more within our wider community
  
• PTFA are brought on board to pastoral care aspect of our school
  
  

3. Future
To provide career education and guidance to Year 7 and 8 students.

• Units are planned with Careers in mind at all times
  
• Careers week is developed where children go out of school to visit business
  
• Develop a careers information programme in the school for year 7 & 8 students
  
  

4. Culture
To provide positive cultural understandings through the involvement of the Maori community to enhance better outcomes for Maori students.

• Higher academic outcomes for Maori students
  
• There are visual signs in the school that acknowledge Maori culture
  
• Maori resource people from the parish are used regularly to support the school programme
  

5. Achievement
Student achievement information will be passed on to students, parents and the wider community and used to direct future learning steps.

• Regular assessment of core curriculum areas in the school
  
• Formative assessment practices are developed further
  
• Targeted child’s parents are informed and brought on board early on to aid learning
  
• Whanau and community are part of the learning
  
• Student agency is developed
  
• Life-long learners are encouraged
  
  

6. Core
To provide priority on student achievement in Literacy and Numeracy.

• Students will develop speed and accuracy in basic facts and mathematical operations
  
• Students will be reading at or above their age level
  
• Students will develop the accepted conventions of written language in a range of genre appropriate to their age
  
  

7. Catholic Character
To provide an emotionally and physically safe learning environment, which embraces the Catholic Character.

• Staff to have regular staff reflection to focus on theology and Catholic Character development
  
• Gospel values are evident in the way we treat each other
  
• Regular interchange of teachers and classes for Religious Education programme and Prayer time
  
  

It takes a whole school community to create a ‘Great School’.

Great Schools create ‘Great Children’ who are equipped with the necessary skills and strategies to deal with the many challenges that they will face as they grow.

Let’s make the next three years here at Pompallier Catholic School strong years where we walk together with our children supporting their faith and developing their academic abilities.

Teachers track student achievement throughout the year which is shared with parents as follows:

• Regular Parent / Teacher / Student interviews are held
  
• A written report is sent home to parents/whanau according to anniversary of the child’s birthday twice a year for our year 0 to 3 students
  
• A written report is sent home to parents/whanau at the end of Term 2 and Term 4 for our year 4 to 8 students
  
• The midyear whanau 3 way conference with the student/parent/caregiver/teacher is used as an opportunity to set goals, clarify learning and guidance.
  

Assessment tasks are varied to cover the school curriculum.

Teaching staff are available for informal discussions on student learning and well-being at any other times by request.

Learning Support
The classroom teachers are supported by a Teacher Aide and a Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour who offer learning support for students. Extension programmes are offered to cater for children with special abilities. Students are taught in a formative way so as to encourage their understanding of where they are at in their learning at all times.

Home Readers (Junior Students)
Daily reading material is sent home in Journal Bags. Families are asked to supervise the reading of this material and to encourage further reading.

Newsletters
A newsletter with events, policy changes and school happenings is sent home every second Friday ( the odd week of term) with the eldest child in the family. The newsletter is available to the church, local clubs and organizations as a means of conveying messages. The most recent newsletter can also be read and downloaded on the newsletter page of this website in PDF format. An archive of earlier newsletters can also be found on that page.

The Public Health Nurse provides Health Services to our school. The enrolment questionnaire and discussion with the New Entrant Teacher form part of an assessment of each child’s health when they start school. From time to time the school may ask the Health Nurse to see a child at school for running ears, vision checks, assessment of skin conditions, etc. please inform the school if you do not require this service for your child. You may contact our Health Nurse, through the school directly, or by phoning 408 3425. Heath 1

Routine checks on eyesight and hearing are conducted at the school during the year. Cleanliness of hair and nails is a parental responsibility and is encouraged. The school needs to be informed if children are on regular medication. Antidotes for specific allergies can be kept in the School Sick Bay. Our attention should also be drawn to any ailments your child might suffer from while at school.

The Moko Team come to school regularly each week to swab children’s throats. The results, if positive for Strep Throat (A), are given directly to whanau with the required medication. This is part of the Northland initiative to prevent Rheumatic Fever. The Moko team will also advise on Skin conditions / sores and Head Lice. A consent form for these services is sent home when students start at our school.

Dental Treatment
Inspection visits are conducted yearly, where all children on the school roll are seen. Parents whose children require treatment are contacted by the Dental Nurse. You can contact the Dental Nurse by phoning 408 0125.

Pompallier Catholic School Cybersafety Programme

The Catholic values and special character promoted by Pompallier Catholic School include respect for self and all others in the school community and commitment to enabling everyone to achieve their personal best in an environment which is physically and emotionally safe. The measures to ensure the cybersafety of the school environment which are outlined in our Cybersafety Use Agreement documents and are based on these core values.

Information on the internet is uncensored. Thes documents will ensure that material retrieved will be in accordance with Catholic and special character of Pompallier Catholic School and will be used to aid learning within the curriculum.

The school’s computer network, internet access facilities, computers and other School ICT equipment / devices bring great benefits to the teaching and learning programmes at Pompallier Catholic School and to the effective operation of the school.

However it is essential that the school endeavours to ensure the safe use of ICT within the school community.

Thus Pompallier Catholic School has rigorous cyber safety practices in place, which include the Cybersafety Use Agreement for all school staff and students.

Our Cybersafety Use Agreement documents include information about obligations and responsibilities, and the nature of possible consequences associated with breaches of the use agreement which undermine the safety of the school environment. The cybersafety education supplied by the school to its learning community is designed to complement and support the use agreement initiative. The overall goal of the school in this matter is to help keep the school community cybersafe, be creating and maintaining a cybersafety culture which is in keeping with the values of the school, as well as legislative, and professional, obligations. All members of the school community benefit from being party to the use agreement initiative and other aspects of the school cybersafety programme.

Parent Help
We rely on and encourage family support and parent help to assist us with School activities. We are grateful for the support we receive from families in transporting students and the like. Please feel welcome to support your child and the school to provide the best possible education for all.

Involvement in Parish Worship
There is a family/school Mass at least once a term on a Sunday, where children and parents are involved. The whole school attends Mass on Holy Days of Obligation. The school also provides and serves morning tea on the 4th Sunday of the month, thus encouraging a strong school / Parish relationship. Classes attend Friday Mass at 9.15 on a programme outlined by the Director of Religious Studies Team at the beginning of each term.

School Assemblies
A prayer assembly is held each Monday morning from 9.00 – 9.15 am. A School assembly is held fortnightly on Friday at 2.00 pm. Family, friends and the community are encouraged to join us.

• Attendance Dues: $107.50 per child per term($430.00 per year) including GST. (As a condition of enrolment in an Integrated School, there is a legal requirement for families to pay Attendance Dues, which helps to maintain the school, this is sent to the Auckland Catholic Diocese)
• Special Catholic Character Contributions: The Catholic Special Character contribution is a voluntary donation of $12.50 per term ($50.00 per annum) per student.
  This contribution provides the main source of funding for all services provided to Pompallier Catholic School by the Catholic Education Services Board.
  No contributions are made by the Government for these services.
  The Catholic Education Services Board assists schools to provide a Catholic education for your child through the preservation and enhancement of the Catholic Special Character in our schools.
• Voluntary Activity Donation: $13.00 per child per term (This assists your children and the school)
  
  

Students wear the following school uniform with pride:

Year 1 to 6 students

Girls

• Culottes
  
• Green polo shirt
  
• Green sweat shirt (optional)
  
• Green jacket (optional)
  
• Black sandals (summer – term 1 and 4)
  
• Black leather school shoes (winter – term 2 and 3)
  
• Black socks
  
• Green or black hair tie if hair longer than shoulder-length
  
  

Boys

• Grey shorts
  
• Green polo shirt
  
• Green sweat shirt (optional)
  
• Green jacket (optional)
  
• Black leather sandals (summer – term 1 and 4)
  
• Black leather school shoes (winter – term 2 and 3)
  
• Grey socks with green band
  
  

Year 7 and 8 students

Girls

• Culottes
  
• White polo shirt
  
• Green sweat shirt (optional)
  
• Green jackets (optional)
  
• Black leather sandals (summer – term 1 and 4)
  
• Black leather school shoes (winter – term 2 and 3)
  
• Black socks

Boys

• Grey shorts
  
• White polo shirt
  
• Green sweat shirt (optional)
  
• Green jackets (optional)
  
• Black leather sandals (summer – term 1 and 4)
  
• Black leather school shoes (winter – term 2 and 3)
  
• Grey socks with green band
  
  

This is compulsory for Year 0 through to Year 8.

• PE gear: black shorts and house coloured t-shirt.
  
• A green hat is compulsory for all students during the summer months. (Term 1 and Term 4)
  
• Hair is to be tidy.
  
• No jewellery
  
• One small stud for earring
  
  

Please ensure that you clearly name all uniform items.

• 8.45 am: School commences (Line up bell – 8.45am)
• 11.00 – 11.30 am: Morning tea interval
• 1.00 pm – 1.45 pm: Lunch break
• 2.45 pm: School concludes
  

Please be careful when driving through our school carpark, as the children are walking through and around vehicles.

Please notify the school with the exit point that your child/ren will be taking  or the bus that they are travelling on.  Safety of our children is paramount.

PTFA
Pompallier School has strong PTFA which is always looking for new members. This vital school group raises money and supports the school in many different projects and ventures. The group meets regularly throughout the term.

Board of Trustees
Pompallier Catholic School is governed by a skilled and dedicated Board of Trustees who meet once a month to ensure that the school is effectively governed.

Chairperson: Chris Maskell
Bishop’s Representatives: Father Carlo Cruz, Bill Pomare, Bonnie Greenall and Anu Paulose
Secretary:  Miranda Dickenson
Treasurer: Rose Baker
Property and Maintenance: Abe Wells and Bill Pomare
Equal Employment Officer: Hazely Windelborn
Staff Representative: Stacey Cutler
Principal: Kathryn Carey