General Information
After School Routine Policy
The Kurrajong gates on South Terrace are unlocked at 3.20 pm for dismissal
Students may be collected from outside their classrooms or from the gates on South Terrace where a teacher is on duty from 3.20 pm until 3.40 pm.
Students who are still waiting at the gate at 3.40 pm will be taken to After School Care and must be collected from there.
It is important for you to be punctual as children are often upset by lateness. If you are running late, please telephone the school so that we are able to assure your child of your safety and to ensure the safety of your child.
Please inform your child's teacher if someone other than you will be collecting your child on any nominated day.
Please note: Children must not play on the play equipment after school.
Behaviour Management Policy
Each class sets a small number of classroom rules together in a democratic fashion which are in place to ensure a harmonious learning environment and the safety of your child.
The consequences of choosing not to behave in an acceptable manner are:
Step 1 — One warning and a redirection.
Step 2 — Time out in the classroom.
Step 3 — After 3 'in-class' time out periods, the child will spend a fourth time-out with the Director of Kurrajong.
Step 4 — Time-out with the Assistant Principal.
Naturally, parents will be informed of appropriate as well as inappropriate behaviour.
If a child reaches steps 3 and 4 (as outlined above), parents will be involved in collaboratively forming a positive action plan with the child and the teacher.
We have playground rules which are set at the beginning of each year in assembly and the consequences for choosing to behave in an unacceptable manner in the playground are:
Step 1 — One warning and redirection.
Step 2 — Time-out in the playground.
Step 3 — After repeatedly breaking playground rules and 3 playground time-out periods the child will have time-out with the Director of Kurrajong.
Step 4 — Time-out with the Assistant Principal.
Everyone has the right to feel safe and happy while at school. Any form of harassment is abhorrent and unacceptable. The school is committed to minimising it. Pulteney has a harassment policy which is distributed to students and parents each year.
Birthday Party Invitation Policy
We ask that you post birthday invitations to children at their homes rather than giving them out at school; an uninvited child can be distressed by this experience.
Communication
Students are assessed on an ongoing basis and all teachers have an open-door communication policy. The school and the home can communicate in many ways and throughout the year you will have the opportunity to discuss your child's progress at formal and informal meetings.
Should you wish to discuss any issue regarding your child's development, please make an appointment with the teacher and/or director out of school hours.
Excursions
Children will see quality performances from visiting artists as well as going on excursions to complement classroom themes.
Hair Policy
Girls: Must be neatly and conventionally styled, and retain its natural colour. Long hair must be tied back with a navy blue ribbon or "scrunchie". |
Boys: Must be neatly and conventionally styled, remain its natural colour and be of reasonable length.
Hot Weather Policy
If the weather forecast for the day is 37 degrees or more, children may be collected from their classrooms at 12.45 pm.
Messages
If your child is unwell or will not be attending school for other reasons, please telephone and leave a message with the Kurrajong Secretary, Kiri Marshall on 8216 5570 after 8.15 am.
Notices
A class note called the What's On will be sent home each Friday to outline what the children have been doing at school during the week and will include any pertinent notices for the week ahead.
The weekly whole school newsletter is emailed on Thursday of each week or it can be viewed on the school website.
Out Of Hours School Care
Before School Care - limited spaces are availble beween 7.45 and 8.20am each school day.
After School Care is available from 2.45 pm to 6.00 pm each school day.
Vacation Care operates Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 6.00 pm during school holiday periods.
Reports
Formal assessments take place on a term basis in the following forms:
ELC:
Term 1 - Wk 8 — Parent/Teacher Interviews
Term 2 - Wk 8 — Parent/Teacher Interviews
Term 3 - Wk 8 — Parent/Teacher Interviews
R-2:
Term 1 - Wk 8 — Parent/Teacher Interviews
Term 2 - Wk 10 — Written reports
Term 3 - Wk 8 — Parent/Teacher Interviews
Term 4 - Wk 9 — Written reports
Sun Protection Policy
Students are required to wear hats to and from school and during playtimes as we encourage all students to protect themselves from the harmful effects of UV exposure.
During outdoor times Kurrajong has a "WEAR A HAT TO PLAY" policy.
The School Day
ELC: from 8.30 am to 2.45 pm.
(Please note that for the first two weeks of Term 1 the children conclude the day at 12.30 pm.)
R - 2: from 8.40 am to 3.20 pm.
8.20 am — Classrooms are open for children to organise tuck orders, home reading folders and other morning jobs. Please encourage your child to carry out these tasks independently.
8.40 am — School Commences. Roll call takes place
10.40 am — Recess - eating time
10.45 am — Recess - play time
11.10 am — Classes resume
12.30 pm — Lunch - eating time
12.50 pm — Lunch - play time
1.30 pm — Classes resume
3.20 pm — Students dismissed from classrooms
Toy Policy
We discourage children from bringing special toys to school as it causes great distress when they are lost or broken. Toy guns and other toy weapons are not permitted at the school.
Tuck Shop
Children are able to order their recess and/or lunch from the Tuck Shop. We ask that you fill in the bags and include the money at home, placing the order in the tuck tray on arrival at the school.
Tuck Shop price lists are distributed at the beginning of each term.
Current Tuck Shop price list.
Parent Participation
At Pulteney, we believe that a child's overall development is best achieved when parents, children and teachers work together in harmony and close cooperation. In this way, your child will develop socially, intellectually, physically and emotionally in a warm and caring environment.
You will be welcome in your child's classroom and we encourage you to contribute and share in your child's education and we hope that you will be able to make time to participate in School activities.
Outlined below are a few ways in which you can become involved in the Pulteney community.
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY
Parents are invited to assist in the Library. If you are able to offer any time please see the Junior School Librarians, or your child’s class teacher.
TUCK SHOP
Mrs Carol Foster is always glad to see happy faces and busy hands to assist in the tuck shop on a monthly basis.
If you are able to assist one day per month, please visit or telephone Mrs Foster in the tuckshop on 8216 5525 for more information.
CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Each class needs a class representative to assist with organising of social events such as picnics, class dinners etc, and this representative will need to attend a 'Friends of Pulteney' meeting each term.
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Each teacher will involve parents in the education of their children in slightly different ways. For example, some may involve parents in Mathematics groups, excursions, as guest speakers, sewing, organising special lunches, gardening and so on.
Health
Precautions against the spreading of colds, viral infections and contagious diseases are very necessary in Kurrajong.
Parents should keep children home if they are running a temperature or showing any signs of being unwell.
Children who have had vomiting or diarrhoea should be kept at home for at least 24 hours after the last episode.
MEDICATION
Medication should be scheduled out of school hours wherever possible. If medication is required during school hours please complete a medication administration form, available from the School Nurse or Class Teacher.
Medication must be in original container and clearly labelled with Student’s name and instructions for administration.
Please note that aspirin should not be given to children under 12 years of age unless specifically recommended by a doctor.
Please notify the school if your child contracts an infectious disease.
Some common infectious diseases include the following:
Chicken pox
Incubation: 2 – 3 weeks
Infectious: from 2 days before the rash appears, until all blisters have dried
Spread: through droplets, eg coughing, sneezing or contact with fluid from blisters
Exclusion: for at least 5 days after rash first appears, and after all blisters have dried
Conjunctivitis
Incubation: 24 – 72 hours
Infectious: while eye discharge is present
Spread: contact with any object that has been contaminated with eye secretions
Exclusion: until discharge from eyes has ceased
Gastroenteritis
Incubation: 24 – 72 hours
Infectious: during illness and for at least 48 hours after symptoms have disappeared
Spread: contaminated hands, object or food, or through coughing and sneezing
Exclusion: until vomiting and diarrhoea has ceased for at least 48 hours
Giardia
Incubation: 3 – 25 days
Infectious: as long as organism is present, whether symptomatic or not
Spread: person to person through contaminated hands, objects or food
Exclusion: until diarrhoea has stopped and appropriate antibiotics have commenced
Hand, Foot and Mouth
Incubation: 3 – 5 days
Infectious: while fluid is still in blisters – faeces can remain infectious for several weeks
Spread: contact with blisters, coughing or talking
Exclusion: until all blisters have dried – do not intentionally pierce or break
Head Lice
Infectious: as long as the eggs or lice are alive
Spread: direct head to head contact, rarely through combs, hats or pillowcases
Exclusion: may return to school the day after appropriate treatment has commenced
Herpes Simplex (cold sores)
Spread: through infected saliva and moist blisters
Exclusion: while cold sore is weeping
Measles
Incubation: 10 – 14 days
Infectious: 5 days before rash appears until 4 days after rash appears
Spread: through infected droplets – directly, on articles, or can remain in a room for up to 2 hours
Exclusion: until 4 days after onset of rash
Mumps
Incubation: 14 – 25 days
Infectious: from 6 days before swelling until 9 days after swelling begins
Spread: airborne droplets or soiled articles
Exclusion: for 9 days after onset of symptoms or until swelling goes down
Ringworm
Spread: direct contact or from contaminated articles
Exclusion: until day after appropriate treatment has commenced
Rotavirus
this is the most common cause of severe diarrhoea
Incubation: 24 – 72 hours
Infectious: while ill with fever and diarrhoea
Spread: through airborne droplets, or contaminated hands, objects or food
Exclusion: until diarrhoea and vomiting has ceased
Rubella (German Measles)
Incubation: 14 – 23 days
Infectious: from 7 days before until 4 days after appearance of rash
Spread: airborne droplets and contact with articles or hands soiled by nose and throat discharge
Exclusion: until at least 4 days after appearance of rash, and until fully recovered
NOTE: All pregnant women with suspected exposure to Rubella should seek expert obstetric advice
School Sores (Impetigo)
Incubation: 4 – 10 days
Infectious: extremely contagious – as long as there is discharge from sores
Spread: direct contact with sores or contact with contaminated clothes
Exclusion: until 24 hours after appropriate antibiotic treatment is started
Any sores on exposed surfaces should be covered with a watertight dressing
Slapped Face / Cheek
Incubation: 4 – 14 days
Infectious: not once rash appears
Spread: direct or indirect connection with airborne droplets
Exclusion: not necessary
Whooping Cough
Incubation: 6 – 20 days
Infectious: highly infectious
Without treatment, the first 3 weeks of coughing
With treatment – until 5 days after antibiotics commenced
Spread: through respiratory droplets
Exclusion: while infectious – see above
Immunisation schedules change approximately every 2 years. The schedule followed by your child will be determined by their date of birth. The use of immunisations is recommended by the government and supported by Pulteney.
These are a guide to immunisations. Please consult your own schedule to confirm specific recommendations for your child.
Birth Hep B
2 months Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis
Poliomyelitis
Hib
Hep B
4 months Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis
Poliomyelitis
Hib
Hep B
6 months Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis
Poliomyelitis
Hep B
12 months Measles, mumps and rubella
Hib
18 months Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis
4 years Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis
Poliomyelitis
MMR
Children born November 1996 to 1 May 2000 may not receive the Hep B immunisations.
Children born 2003 to 2005 may also receive Meningococcal C at 12 months, and may not receive DTP at 18 months.