Inspire and equip learners to be savvy citizens with wide horizons 1 - January 2018 - Remarkables Primary School
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Inspire and equip learners to be savvy citizens
with wide horizons...
January 2018
2
Welcome to Remarkables Primary School
Since the school opened in 2010 we have been continually reviewing our school
routines and procedures to ensure that we provide a happy, supportive and safe
environment for our school community. Our school has grown and it is important that we have in place
clear guidelines and expectations so that RPS runs smoothly and can be a ‘Truly Remarkable Learning
Environment’.
This ‘Beginners Guide to RPS’ includes a number of important procedures and routines to assist you
and your child during their RPS school journey.
From time to time we will be adding to the ‘Beginners Guide’ as things develop and grow. A key focus
to our ongoing school development is to meet the needs of our students and the community.
2018 updates are in blue, so you can see the changes.
The first step in doing this is to establish transparent and open communication. Please don’t hesitate
to contact us should you have any questions or queries.
Kind regards
Mrs Debbie Dickson (Principal) and the RPS Team
In the meantime, please read on and learn more about how things operate at RPS…………
Our Vision, Values and Student Aspirations .
Remarkables Primary School’s Vision is to:
Inspire and equip learners to be savvy citizens with wide horizons
When students leave Remarkables Primary School, we would like them to:
● have a positive sense of identity and play to their strengths
● be confident with a sense of fun
● be a thoughtful and capable citizen of local, national and global communities
● have strong literacy and mathematical skills
● use their initiative, learn from their mistakes, persevere
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● communicate effectively and accurately using a variety of tools
● be a skillful, critical, creative and reflective thinker
● learn along life's pathways to success
Our school values are: Respect, Reach Up Reach Out, Reflect and Reward.
Our 4 Peaks values are woven into all the working aspects of our school both within our learning
social and emotional environments:
As learners we are building values and skills that will support us for the future. This includes:
● Understanding the mindsets we bring to learning (Fixed and Growth Mindset)
● Process of learning (learning Powers)
● Being strong and resilient when things get tough‐ ‘The learning Pit.’
● Being an effective communicator
● Being creative and curious
● A critical thinker
● Building positive relationships ‐ a collaborator, a contributing citizen and knowing our self.
Contacting the School .
Address: 49 Lake Avenue Phone: (03) 441 4044
Frankton
Queenstown 9300
Website: http://www.remarkablesprimary.school.nz
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/remarkablesprimaryschool
Twitter: @RemarksPrim
Email: office@remarkables.school.nz
Board of Trustees .
Board Chair Vanessa van Uden
Board Members Jo Wright (Deputy Chair)
Jane Hughes, Robin Bashford, Craig Erasmus and Emily Dennison
Maria Small (Staff Rep)
The board contact is board@remarkables.school.nz.
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RPS Staff Contact Details .
Leadership Team and Learning Community Leaders
Principal ‐ Mrs Debbie Dickson ‐ principal@remarkables.school.nz
Deputy Principal (Acting) ‐ Miss Helen Reed ‐ helen.reed@remarkables.school.nz
Assistant Principal/ SENCO (Acting) ‐ Miss Bex Wills ‐ bex.wills@remarkables.school.nz
Team Leaders ‐ some of our team leaders are in acting positions during 2018
Year 1‐ Miss Nikki Langford ‐ nikkil@remarkables.school.nz
Year 2‐3‐ Miss Hannah Gardiner ‐ hannahg@remarkables.school.nz
Year 4 ‐ Miss Kate Tonks ‐ katet@remarkables.school.nz
Year 5 ‐ Mrs Jenny Browne ‐ jennyb@remarkables.school.nz
Year 6 ‐ Miss Megan Happl ‐ meganh@remarkables.school.nz
Year 7&8 ‐ Mrs Megan Ide‐Neill ‐ megani@remarkables.school.nz
Year 7&8 ‐ Mrs Kirsty Jamieson‐Gough ‐ kirstyjg@remarkables.school.nz
Specialist Teachers
Senco/ ORRS
Year 1‐8 ‐ Miss Bex Wills ‐ bexw@remarkables.school.nz
ORRS ‐ Miss Chantel Mc Brearty ‐ chantelm@remarkables.school.nz
Reading Recovery
Miss Hannah Gardiner ‐ hannahg@remarkables.school.nz
Ms Suz Little ‐ suzl@remarkables.school.nz
GATE / ELL
GATE‐ Mrs Maria Small ‐ marias@remarkables.school.nz
ELL/ ESOL‐ Mrs Cath Hudson ‐ cathh@remarkables.school.nz
Technology
Mrs Sarah Washbrooke ‐ sarahw@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Trudy Boniface ‐ trudyb@remarkables.school.nz
PE and School Sports Co‐ordinator
Mr Alex Moore ‐ alexm@remarkables.school.nz
THE ARTS
Ms Shona MacGibbon ‐ shonam@remarkables.school.nz
Miss Emily Stevens (Performing Arts) ‐ emilys@remarkables.school.nz
Te Reo Maori/ Kapa Haka
Mrs Megan Ide‐Neill ‐ megani@remarkables.school.nz
Miss Alicia Hebbend ‐ aliciah@remarkables.school.nz
Teaching Teams
Year 1
Miss Nikki Langford ‐ nikkil@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Bec Heeley ‐ rebeccah@remarkables.school.nz
Miss Alicia Hebbend ‐ aliciah@remarkables.school.nz
Year 2 and 3
Miss Hannah Gardiner ‐ hannahg@remarkables.school.nz
Ms Suz Little ‐ suzl@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Stephanie Dolphin ‐ stephanied@remarkables.school.nz
Ms Shona MacGibbon ‐ shonam@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Emma McKinney ‐ emmam@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Angela Thompson ‐ angelat@remarkables.school.nz
Year 4
Miss Kate Tonks ‐ katet@remarkables.school.nz
Miss Jess Mills ‐ jessm@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Lara Moss ‐ laram@remarkables.school.nz
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Year 5
Mrs Jenny Browne ‐ jennyb@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Kathryn McRae ‐ kathrynm@remarkables.school.nz
Mr Phil Harrison ‐ philh@remarkables.school.nz
Year 6
Miss Megan Happl ‐ meganh@remarkables.school.nz
Miss Claire Lynn ‐ clairel@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Anna van de Steeg ‐ anna.vandesteeg@remarkables.school.nz
Year 7
Mrs Kirsty Jamieson‐Gough ‐ kirstyjg@remarkables.school.nz
Mr Matt Williams ‐ mattw@remarkables.school.nz
Miss Emily Stevens ‐ emilys@remarkables.school.nz
Year 8
Mrs Megan Ide‐Neill ‐ megani@remarkables.school.nz
Mr Peter Old ‐ petero@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Trudy Boniface ‐ trudyb@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Maria Small‐ marias@remarkables.school.nz
Part Time Teaching Staff
Mrs Cath Hudson ‐ cathh@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Anna van de Steeg ‐ annavds@remarkables.school.nz
On Maternity Leave
Miss Kelly Blair ‐ kellyb@remarkables.school.nz
Learning Assistants
Mrs Donna Heal ‐ donnah@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Cisca McNay ‐ ciscam@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Nadine Molloy ‐ nadinem@remarkables.school.nz (Library Coordinator and ELL/ ESOL Support)
Mrs Lorelei Morrison ‐ loreleim@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Jackie Phillips ‐ jackiep@remarkables.school.nz
Miss Kat Savage ‐ kats@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Isla Short ‐ islas@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Nikki Jackson ‐ nikkij@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Maxine Blair ‐ maxine.blair@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Dana Hamilton ‐ danah@remarkables.school.nz
Miss Bailie Downing ‐ bailied@remarkables.school.nz
Mrs Susan Molloy ‐ susanm@remarkables.school.nz
Administration Staff
Principal/Leadership PA, Enrolment Officer & Board Secretary
‐ Ms Aynslee Bell ‐ aynsleeb@remarkables.school.nz
Director of First Impressions ‐ Mrs Amy Barlow ‐ office@remarkables.school.nz
Student Accounts and Services ‐ Mrs Louise Kirkwood ‐ louisek@remarkables.school.nz
Director of Financial Management‐ Mrs Sandra Challoner ‐ sandrac@remarkables.school.nz
Novopay/ Community Liaison ‐ Mrs Tracey Pedersen ‐ traceyp@remarkables.school.nz
Director of Property Maintenance ‐ Mr Ken Palmer ‐ kenp@remarkables.school.nz
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ABC Beginners Guide to Remarkables Primary School .
Information in this guide is arranged alphabetically.
2018 updates are in blue, so you can see the changes.
Absences .
Please contact the school if your child is going to be absent.
If Your Child Is Going To Be Away
If your child is going to be away from school, you need to inform the office and class teacher via email
or phone. If you know ahead of time, please complete the absentee Google form on our website, or
email the classroom teacher and the office prior to the day of the intended absence. Otherwise,
before 8am call us on 03 441 4044 or email: office@remarkables.school.nz. Please note we ask
that you inform the office too as your class teacher may be sick or away from school.
Include in your absence message:
● your child's name
● room number
● reason for your child’s absence
By law, no child should be absent from school without an appropriate reason. Therefore, it is vital you
let us know as we are required to record this information on each student’s file. We check all
absences every day and contact parents/caregivers of children with an unexplained absence. This
helps to ensure children are safe. We do require a written note to the classroom teacher when your
child is away from school for more than 3 days.
If your child is away for more than 3 days due to illness
Students must bring a medical certificate to the Attendance Officer in the office for any illness longer
than 3 days. Their absence will then be coded as J ‐ justified absence due to illness.
If your child is late to school
Students must report to the school office on arrival with their parents to sign in via Vistab electronic
sign in. Sign in procedures are as follows:
● record your child’s name via Vistab electronic sign in
● once signed in, students will receive a late card to take to their class teacher
If you need to take your child out of school during the day
If your child needs to leave the school grounds at any time during the school day the following
procedures are to be followed:
● parents are asked to first visit the school office to complete Vistab
● parents then take a green card and show this to the class teacher on collection of their child
● if the child is returning back during the school day we ask that you please report to the school
office on return to sign them back in via Vistab
During the school day we must be able to account for everybody at all times.
Remarkables Primary School uses an electronic attendance system to record the roll and to monitor
student attendance. Based on the Ministry’s attendance guidelines children’s absence is recorded
using a number of codes. For example:
● P= Present
● L= Late
● J= Justified absence (This refers to sickness as well as any unplanned absence such as a bus
breakdown, accident or bereavement, and also planned absence such as representation in a
national sporting event)
● E= Explained but unjustified absence (This includes term time holidays, visiting relatives,
children staying at home when a sibling is sick)
Further details about the codes used can be found at the Ministry of Education’s website:
www.minedu.govt.nz
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High levels of attendance are strongly attributed to student progress and success in learning. We
monitor student attendance closely and will be in contact with parents if a child’s attendance falls
below 90%.
All schools within New Zealand are legally required under the Education Act 1989 to ensure all
students attend school when it is open. It is important to note absences due to family holidays during
term time are not considered as a justified absence.
Schools are not legally able to grant permission for non–attendance other than for medical reasons,
bereavement or extenuating family circumstances. In exceptional circumstances, the Education Act
1989 (Part 3‐ Enrolment and Attendance of Students) makes provision for the Principal to grant
permission for non‐attendance for up to five days. *For further information on Student Attendance and
the Education Act please refer to the Ministry of Education Website www.minedu.govt.nz
If you are going on a holiday or your child is to be away from school for more than 5 days a written
request for leave of absence must be made to the Principal (principal@remarkables.school.nz).
Accidents to Children / Sick Children .
Serious Accidents:
In the event of your child having an accident, staff will give First Aid but, if it is regarded as serious,
an ambulance will be called and parents advised as soon as possible.
Injuries to the head, spine, internal organs and bones will always be regarded as serious. In such
circumstances, it is preferable that your child is not moved. In each case parents/caregivers will be
notified as soon as is practicable. If we are unable to contact you, it may be necessary for us to
contact one of the emergency contacts you nominated when enrolling your child.
Health Room:
The Health Room is managed by the office staff. If you are collecting a child please sign your child out
at the office before you take them home. We have a comprehensive stock of first aid items readily
available in the Health Room. If a child has a small bump, which is not deemed too serious, the
classroom teacher will be advised to monitor the student over the remainder of the day. An email or
phone call will be made to parents outlining the injury. If the student deteriorates, the school office
staff will be notified and we will call home.
Sending Children Home:
If your child needs to go home, we will contact you and request that you collect your child. If we are
unable to contact you, we will make contact with one of the emergency contacts nominated by you.
Illness:
If your child is ill with a gastroenteritis illness causing vomiting and or diarrhoea it is advised strongly
by Public Health South that they remain away from school for a minimum of 48 hours after all
symptoms have gone. If symptoms are ongoing, please see your GP.
These types of illnesses can be spread from person to person through contact with faeces (poos) or
vomit of infected people. To stop the spread of illness, the school will take a proactive approach by
asking you to keep your children away if they are sick.
Thank you in advance for your co‐operation on this matter. Please feel free to contact Public Health
South if you have any questions ‐ phone 03 450 9156.
At the end of the ‘Beginners Guide’ we have attached an infectious diseases guide which has an
overview of common illnesses, provided by the Ministry of Health.
Soiled and Wet Clothing:
If your child has an accident at school and their clothes become wet or muddy we do have some spare
clothing available. We ask that this clothing be washed and returned to the Health Room as soon as
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possible. Please note we do not send students back to class with wet or soiled clothing ‐ if they
require a change and we don’t have something suitable in the Health room, we will contact you to
bring a change of clothes for them.
If your child has an accident and soils themselves we will contact you to come and assist in cleaning
them. The Health Room has showering facilities available.
TIP‐ we recommend a change of clothes be placed in your child’s bag just in case they require a
change during school hours.
Head Lice:
If it is identified that a child has head lice, the child will be sent to the office for the Health Room
staff to verify this in a discreet manner. Contact will be made with parents requesting that the head
lice is treated before the child returns to school.
Medication:
We have strict procedures on the administration of medication and will only assist with this if you sign
a confirmation form and provide the exact dosage in the correct container.
If your child is required to have medication at school, we ask that parents/caregivers bring the
medication to the office and complete a medication administration form. Medication (including
emergency epi‐pens) will be retained in the Health Room at the school office and will be administered
there. Students will need to come to the office to have their medication. Student medication kept at
school will be returned home at the end of each school year or each day based on needs. The school
ensures regular monitoring of expiry dates.
Children must not keep medication in their school bags, their tote trays or in the classroom.
Allergies and severe medical conditions:
Medications for specific allergies/illnesses will be kept in the Health Room with details for
administration. Details of students with significant life‐threatening conditions are held in the form of
a health plan at the school office.
Parents must inform the office of any changes in their child’s health plan/ or health needs to ensure
that correct support at school can be taken.
After/Before School Care
We have an After School Care programme provided in the Multi Purpose Room on site. The programme
is a not for profit programme called SKIDs (Safe Kids in Daily Care). SKIDs runs separately from RPS ‐
application forms and information are available from the school office and on our website
(www.remarkablesprimary.school.nz).
Direct contact details for SKIDs are: Meryl Stevens Ph: 021 143 6813
Email: remarkables@skids.co.nz
Web: www.skids.co.nz
Please note: A Before School Care service will be trialled for Term 1 from 7.20‐8.20am each day ($5
per day including breakfast). Enquiries and bookings through the school office.
office@remarkables.school.nz
Activity Contribution/ Voluntary Donation and Additional Expenses .
Each year the school receives an annual operation budget from the Ministry of Education (MOE) based
on the school’s student roll and decile rating. The funding we receive only provides the very basic
curriculum delivery.
These contributions assist with the ongoing provision of learning programmes ‐ for example:
● hands on learning experiences, engaging with the community via visiting performers and
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authors
● 4 Peaks events, sporting carnivals, community visits, bus transportation to events, water
activities
● student leadership opportunities and Wakatipu‐wide student events
● extra curricular activities ‐ for example baking
School Activity Contribution ‐ the Board has set the school activity contribution at $140 per student
for the year. This can be paid in instalments over the year ($35 per term).
Voluntary Donation – the Board of Trustees has set a suggested voluntary donation of $120 per
student for 2017 to assist with the running of the school and to provide further opportunities and
resourcing for your child. This can be paid in instalments over the year (i.e. $30 per term). The
donation will be used to support class programmes, provide learning assistants for all students and
purchase resources not provided by the Ministry of Education, i.e. library, ICT and technology
equipment. Donations can be claimed back on your tax. We thank you for considering payment of the
donation.
Additional School Learning Tools & Stationery to be purchased from the school
● RPS home communication diary, Yr 1‐8. The printing of the diary has been subsidised by our
wonderful supporters and is charged at $6 per student.
● IXL Mathematics, Reading and Writing E learning support tool, Yr 1‐8. From student and parent
feedback, for 2017 we are moving to a new IXL tool. This programme is a NZ designed curriculum
tool and links to our key specific practice skills in English and Mathematics for all year levels.
Students have been trialling this and have shared very positive feedback. $TBC per student.
● Hapara Yr 3‐8 students use the integration of e Learning, online calendar and Google Docs as part
of their school working documentation and therefore they don’t require as many exercise books.
To support the safe management of their intellectual property, the students use Hapara. This is
charged at $5 per student.
Please note these charges must be paid BEFORE items are distributed to children at the
start of the year.
Skiing and Camp Fees – students are offered the opportunity to participate in skiing and camp as part
of our Education Outside The Classroom (EOTC) programme. Please note that payment is required
BEFORE students are able to participate in these activities.
Additional Costs – RPS offers additional cultural and sporting opportunities outside of school which
your child may like to participate in, e.g. golf, rippa, touch rugby, netball etc. Any entry fees will
need to be paid BEFORE your child’s entry will be put forward.
We very much appreciate payment of all school activity contributions in a timely fashion so we are
able to provide fabulous opportunities for our students.
Assemblies .
Team Reflection Workshops and Values Assemblies will be held during the term. For dates and times,
please check our weekly newsletter.
Bag Cupboards and Senior Locker Bay .
Every classroom contains a set of cupboards for the daily storage of students’ schoolbags. This is
where your child’s school bag will be put. Your child will be expected to get out the things he/she
needs for learning at the beginning of the day to avoid having to go back into the cupboard.
With school bags stored away in the classroom, they are a lot more secure. Some senior pods (Year
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6‐8) have senior locker bays available to them. The bays are monitored and assist students in
developing self‐managing skills and preparation for High School. Students are asked not to leave any
valuable items in their school bag. Safe storage areas are available in each learning class space.
Banking .
We have a school banking programme set up with the Remarkables Park Branch of the ASB. School
banking day is Wednesday. Account application forms are available from the ASB Remarkables Park
Branch, along with Fast Deposit envelopes for your child’s money. Each Wednesday, your child simply
needs to put their Fast Deposit envelope into the banking box near Reception. We will take care of the
rest.
Behaviour Plan – Four Peaks Programme .
Our Rights
Remarkables Primary School has a Behaviour Plan based around the following set of values that we
believe are very important:
● Right 1: Everyone has the right to feel safe
● Right 2: Everyone has the right to learn and work to the best of their ability
● Right 3: Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect
Classroom Rules and Responsibilities
Each classroom has a set of rules and responsibilities to ensure that our school values are protected.
School and classroom responsibilities are set by pupils with the leadership of the classroom teacher.
We believe that having pupils involved in establishing responsibilities will help provide ownership and
understanding.
School Values
Our school values have been devised to be easily remembered and these form the basis for classroom
rules and responsibilities: Respect, Reflect, Reach Up and Reach Out, and Reward
Behaviour Steps
If a child behaves inappropriately or outside of the school values/rules, there are a series of ‘stepped
consequences’ in place to focus the child on repairing the current situation and making better
decisions in the future.
The Behaviour Steps are administered by
First ‐ the Classroom Teacher or Duty Teacher, if the behaviour is low level (parents will not be
informed as usually this is a first time warning situation)
Second ‐ the Learning Community Leader if the behaviour continues – a note will go home in either
your child’s diary (Yr 1‐3) emailed, or phone call made to you.
Third ‐ the Deputy Principal, if the behaviour is still continuing – parents will be informed
Please note if a child uses physical violence which affects a person or property e.g. hitting, punching
and kicking etc. they will immediately go onto Step 3 and the Deputy Principal will be working with
them.
More detailed information on our 4 Peaks Programme and our restorative justice process can be found
in the Remarkables Citizenship booklet. At the beginning of each year as part of our class, pod and
school orientation we go over the school values and 4 Peaks programme. If a student starts during the
school year we go over the programme as part of our Transition to School.
Bell Times .
School is not officially open until 8:20am. Therefore we do not take responsibility for student care
prior to this time. We monitor student arrivals and if we have concerns regarding students being
dropped off early, we will contact parents. Any students arriving before 8.20am will be asked to come
to the office. The da Vinci spaces are open from 8.20am. Children are not allowed in the classrooms
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before school until 8.30am and then only if their teacher is present.
At RPS
we run a split timetable to:
●support learning programmes
●create better flow and allow students more space in the playground during break times
●support the transition into Year 9. The Yr 6‐8 timetable has been based on other intermediate
and high school timetables within New Zealand
● better flow after school with traffic.
Senior Timetable Year 6‐8:
School Starts 8:50am
Teaching Block 1 9:00‐9:50am
Teaching Block 2 9:55‐10:45am
Morning Break: 10:45‐11:05am
Teaching Block 3 11:05‐11:55pm
Teaching Block 4 12:00‐12:50pm
Lunch Break 12:50‐1:45pm
Teaching Block 5 1:45‐3:10pm
School Concludes 3:10pm
Clearing Bell:Bus bell 3:40pm
Year 1‐5 timetable:
School Starts 8:50am
Teaching Block 1 9:00‐10:00am
Teaching Block 2 10:00‐11:00am
Morning Break: 11:00‐11:20am
Teaching Block 3 11:20‐11:50am
Teaching Block 4 11:50‐12:20pm
Lunch Break: 12:20‐1:20pm
Teaching Block 5 1:20‐2:20pm
Teaching Block 6 2:20‐3:00pm
School Concludes 3:00pm
Clearing Bell: Bus bell 3:40pm
Once the clearing bell is rung at 3.40pm children must leave the school grounds unless they have an
adult supervising. Our staff will be unable to supervise students after this time and therefore we do
not take responsibility for student care after this time.
Bicycles/Scooters
Students 10 years of age or older will be able to cycle to school by themselves and only if they have
passed a Safe Cycling course with a NZ Police Education Officer. Cyclists and scooter riders must wear
approved helmets. No bicycles or scooters are to be ridden within the school grounds.
Entry should be via Allan Crescent and bicycles/scooters are to be left in the bicycle stands and
securely padlocked. Helmets must be stored in the classroom’s bag cupboard with the child’s school
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bag. We ask that all helmets be named.
Board of Trustees .
Our Board of Trustees are:
● – Board Chair
● Jo Wright‐ Deputy Board Chair
● Robin Bashford
● Emily Dennison
● Craig Erasmus
● Maria Small (Staff Rep)
The Board of Trustees meets monthly at 7:30am in the Staff Lounge with meeting times and dates
notified in the school newsletter. The Board of Trustees' role is to provide governance of the school.
We encourage parents to attend our Board Meetings.
Carparking and the Kiss and Drop .
Remarkables Primary School has a number of car parks on Lake Avenue in front of the school. These
are short‐term car parks from 8:30am‐9:00am and 2:45pm‐3:40pm.
The school bus lay‐by is on McBride Street.
Please be aware of safety in and around the car park and the bus lay‐by. We ask parents and
caregivers not to beckon children across the road to meet you. Please escort your child safely.
Parking Areas for our Parent Community
The following areas have been designated as community parking spaces:
● Lake Avenue
● McBride Street
● Boyes Crescent
● Allan Crescent by the tennis court
● Lake Front near the boat ramp
● Frankton Reserve
We ask that parents please do not park in the staff car park spaces.
Kiss and Drop
The Kiss and Drop is not a short term parking area. It has been designed for quick pickup and drop
off only. Parents parking during peak times before and after school, will be asked to move on.
Please refer to the diagram on the next page, on how our Kiss and Drop area has been designed for
effective and safe pick up and drop off of students.
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Cell phones .
We ask that children in Years 1‐4 do not bring cell phones to school, unless by special arrangement
with the Principal or Deputy Principal, in which case parental permission will be sought and they will
be handed in to the office for the school day. Year 5 to Year 8 students are able to bring phones to
school and pass them to their home teacher to care for during the school day. Our expectation is that
all cell phones will be switched to silent mode during the hours of 8:20am to 3:10pm.
Change of Address, Mobile or Phone .
Many communications will be distributed using our electronic database. To ensure you continue to
receive the necessary communication, please contact the School Office if your address, telephone
number, email or emergency contact details change.
Children With Special Abilities and/or Needs: Learning Development .
There will be ongoing consultation with parents in the identification of children with special abilities
or needs and planning of extension and support programmes.
Children with special abilities will initially be discussed at Learning Curriculum Meetings. Learning
Curriculum Leaders, in conjunction with the Learning Development Coordinator, will be responsible for
coordinating early identification and provision of programmes. In the first instance classroom
programmes should cater for the needs of these students. The school may organise special withdrawal
programmes as appropriate to meet learning needs.
For children with special needs, where possible and in the best interests of the student, special
assistance may be provided in the child’s own classroom. Groups of students with identified common
needs may also receive extra assistance in the class. Special needs programmes will supplement the
normal class programme and will be determined by the needs of the child.
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Child Safety .
Please help the school to promote child safety by encouraging them:
● to go to and from school in groups. We encourage an informal buddy system.
● to have and know strategies to deal with approaches by strangers, e.g.
○ say ‘no’
○ note car numbers and colour etc
○ report incidents etc
○ ensure children know the arrangements for going home especially if changed from
the usual (a note in the school diary for younger students can be helpful)
We all have a responsibility towards child safety in our community.
Class Placement .
Confirmation of class placements is made at the beginning of each year as we do have a number of
enrolments during December and early January. Once confirmation of your child’s class placement has
been made, we do not make any class placement changes until students have had at least 6 weeks in
the class. This allows time for the student and teacher to get to know each other and the working
operations of the classroom. After that time considerations can be made on a case‐by‐case basis, in
relation to each individual child’s needs.
At the end of each year the school is structured on the best use of the staffing allocation provided by
the Ministry of Education based on the school’s roll number. At RPS we look at how we can provide the
best structure to all students. We consider: class size and year group roll numbers, while working
within the teacher allocation for the year.
This can mean we have some year groups working in composite classes and other year groups working
in single year levels.
Having composite classes is a mechanism to support student learning by:
● Reducing class sizes when numbers within one year group are not easy to distribute. For 2018 this
means if we had single Yr 2 and Yr 3 class groups the class size for our Yr 2 groups would be 34+
students per class and the Yr 3 classes would be around 20.
● Ensuring we can provide the right environment for our students using the staffing allocation provided
by the MOE. Each year the MOE provide teachers to schools based on the roll forecasts the previous
July.
○ The staffing allocation for schools is based on the following MOE staffing structure: Yr 1‐3
staffing is based on a 1 teacher to 25 children allocation and Yr 5‐8 staffing allocations are
based on 1 teacher to 32 students
○ We are not provided additional staffing if our groups are too high for certain age groups, we as a
school and Board need to allocate staffing based on provided teaching numbers
● To find out more about composite classes and the latest research please click on the following link
Composite Class Information.
At the beginning of each year (just before school starts) we hold a ‘Meet My Class’ time. This is an
opportunity for students to meet their class teacher and new class friends before commencing school.
The RPA plans to hold family events during the year to support community connectiveness. Please look
out for details in the RPA Beginning of Year Newsletter, and for community gathering dates in the
School newsletter and on our school Facebook page.
Class Placements for students who turn five
● All children who have turned 6 during their first year at school will be classified as Year 2 the
following year
● All children who have had a birthday between January and April and turned 5 are Year 1 that
year and will be classified as a Year 2 the following year
● All children who have had a birthday between June and December and turned 5 will be classified
as our RPS Little Trekkers (instead of the MOE classification of Year 0) that year and will be a
Year 1 the following year.
January 201815
● For children who have a birthday in May and have turned 5, teachers will contact parents to
discuss class placement for the following year, as they could be placed in either Year 1 or Year
2. At the meeting the school and class teacher will give their professional recommendation
based on academic, social and emotional development as well as how the student has
transitioned into school. The parent must make the final decision.
Class Trips – Including Education Outside the Classroom .
Trip Planning
From time to time your child’s class might go on a trip or have an outdoor learning experience. Prior
to going, all activities are planned carefully by staff with attention to regulations, safety and
suitability for all age groups. A Safety Action Plan is completed and submitted for approval to the
Principal or Board prior to the trip.
All trips and outdoor experiences are relevant to the school curriculum and classroom activities.
For activities that are high risk as outlined in our Education Outside the Classroom information, a
permission slip will be sent home which parents or guardians will be required to sign. This information
is usually sent home via the student diary or emailed.
As part of the new Health and Safety regulations and Vulnerable Children’s Act, parent helpers will be
asked to complete a Declaration – Vulnerable Children Act form.
If parents are transporting students in private vehicles, they will be asked to complete a Volunteer
Private Vehicle form and must show their driver’s license ‐ school staff will also inspect the vehicle’s
warrant of fitness and car registration.
Camps
Our camping programme continues to evolve as our school grows and over the next few years we will
be able to cement set camps for specific year groups. Detailed camp information will be sent home at
least 6‐8 weeks prior to camp. Camp payments will need to be made in full prior to a student going on
camp.
As part of the new Health and Safety regulations and Vulnerable Children’s Act, camp parent helpers
will be asked to complete a Police Clearance form and Declaration – Vulnerable Children Act form.
Proposed 2018 camping programme includes:
Year 4 End Term 1 ‐ Te Rau Aroha Marae and Adventure Southland
Year 5 March ‐ Camp Columba
Year 6 & 7 Term 3 ‐ Snow Farm *
Year 8 Term 4 ‐ Deep Cove
*Please note due to growing demand with all school camping destinations, they are subject to
availability. Over the course of the the next 24 months we will be continuning to review our
camping programme and venues as some sites are unable to meet growing year group numbers.
Travel
On the majority of trips a bus will be used, but if there is the need to transport children in private
vehicles, written permission will be obtained from parents and road safety regulations will be
observed at all times. This will include the provision of seat belts for all children and those under 8
not travelling in front seats. In accordance with new regulations, all children 7 years of age and under
require a booster seat. Vehicles will be required to have a current WOF and up to date car registration
and the driver must hold a full NZ Driver’s License. These things will be checked.
Supervision
A ratio of adults/children for day activities will be 1:8, but 1:4 for activities involving water or in an
alpine setting, unless another ratio is dictated by the venue or the Principal.
As part of our Safety Action Plan, prior to the event or activity we hold a parent helpers’ briefing and
information session. This meeting outlines the activities, hazards and parent helper roles during the
activities.For all our outdoor activities and school trips to be successful as well as meet the health and
January 201816
safety requirements, we do require parents to assist.
Communication .
Communication updates will be sent weekly on a Monday via our school newsletter.
● An event calendar is available on the school website with key dates updated regularly for
your information. www.remarkablesprimary.school.nz
Other communication is via the school Facebook page, Twitter and MessageMyWay.
Paper copies of the school newsletter are available from the school office. If you don’t have an email,
please let Amy Barlow know in the office and we will send a paper copy home with your child.
If you have a suggestion or item for the newsletter, please let us know at the office or email it to
office@remarkables.school.nz by Friday afternoon. Urgent newsletters and notices will be advised via
email, the school website, school Facebook and MessageMyWay.
Teacher ‐ Parent Communication
We encourage regular and meaningful dialogue with your child’s teacher. Positive face‐to‐face
exchanges between class teachers and home are strongly encouraged, as are regular emails between
home and school. If you would like to make an appointment to see the class teacher, please pop a
note in your child’s diary and the teacher will make contact with you. The teacher views diary
messages and checks emails regularly during non‐contact time.
Please refer to the staff list at the beginning of this guide for all staff email addresses.
Complaints or Concerns .
We recognise that we’re all human; that we will sometimes make mistakes and that it’s very difficult
to please everybody all the time.
If you have a complaint or concern we encourage that, in the first instance, you express it to your
child’s classroom teacher (if appropriate).
Staff are encouraged to listen carefully, clarify the complaint/concern, take time to investigate
further when required, and respond to you in a professional manner.
Should either party continue to be dissatisfied with the outcome, then the learning community
leader’s input should be sought. The learning community leaders are:
● Year 1 Miss Nikki Langford
● Year 2 and 3 Miss Hannah Gardiner
● Year 4 Miss Kate Tonks
● Year 5 Mrs Jenny Browne
● Year 6 Miss Megan Happl
● Year 7&8 Mrs Megan Ide‐Neill & Mrs Kirsty Jamieson‐Gough
Should a resolution still not be achieved, the matter should be brought to the attention of the Deputy
Principal and/or Principal. If a resolution is still not forthcoming or to your satisfaction, then a letter
to the Board of Trustees may be appropriate. Please find a copy of the complaints procedure and
policy in the appendix at the back of the guide.
Handy Hints
● Approach a teacher with your concerns before or after school when they are not teaching or just
about to teach
● Problems should not be discussed in front of children – either at school or at home
● We ask that staff show respect for you and ask that you show respect for RPS staff
● If your concern is about another child, you must approach the school and not the child or their
parent
● Remember, there are usually two sides to a situation. With all decisions we need to look at the
best solution and interests of the majority. We will be understanding of different points of view
but do need to look at issues on a wider level i.e. we always need to cater for groups of students
and not 1‐2 individuals
We will only know your concerns if you tell us.
January 201817
Counselling .
RPS is part of a Counselling Support service for Students and Families provided by the Queenstown
Lakes Family Centre. One of the counsellors is assigned to RPS and they have a set clinic day. To make
an appointment or to find out more information about the service please pop into the school office or,
alternatively, see Debbie Dickson, Helen Reed or Bex Wills.Contact details for the Queenstown Lakes
Family Centre are info@qlfc.co.nz / phone 441 4331.
Court Order Regarding Access and Custody Arrangements .
Please provide all documentation to the office. We cannot deny access to a parent based on a verbal
request.
Cybersafety Agreements .
The safe use of our computer network and internet access is extremely important to us. All staff and
students are required to sign a comprehensive Cybersafety Agreement. This agreement clearly outlines
rules and expectations for use of our systems. In the first few weeks of Term 1, teachers will be taking
students through the RPS procedures and processes for using ICT tools at school in an appropriate
manner for learning. A copy of this agreement will be given to students to take home as part of the
yearly class induction.
da Vinci Spaces .
Remarkables Primary School has been designed with a ‘da Vinci’ space or shared area in each pod of
four classrooms. The ‘da Vinci’ space has been named after Leonardo da Vinci the famous inventor,
mathematician, painter and creator.
These spaces are the shared responsibility of everyone in that area. The da Vinci spaces are used as a
communal area, extending the learning space of classrooms and group work. Art lessons, learning
community assemblies, learning centres, etc. will take place in each area.
Please play your part in keeping the area tidy. If you are waiting for your child after school, please
respect that the da Vinci space is part of the classrooms, and wait outside in the verandah area.
Students are required to remove their shoes at the entrance to the da Vinci spaces and store them on
the shoe stands provided. Students are welcome to bring slippers to wear inside classrooms on colder
days.
Dental Care .
The dental care service for Remarkables Primary School is provided at Wakatipu Oral Health Clinic,
19A Douglas Street, Frankton, Queenstown. The dental therapist will make contact with parents to
arrange suitable appointment times for students’ teeth to be checked. The Wakatipu Oral Health
Clinic can be contacted on 03 450 9370.
Diaries .
Students will receive a ‘Home School Communication Diary’ as part of their stationery pack. The diary
is a vehicle between home and school to assist in making sure that there is regular contact.
Your child will record their reading and homework activities in the diary. There is also space for
teachers/parents/caregivers and students to make comments and add notices. Each morning the
classroom teacher will check the diary. We thank our wonderful community supporters for sponsoring
the student diaries. For our Yr 4‐8 students the diary has been designed to assist students to develop
their self‐management skills, so they can timetable priorities and when learning assignments are due.
Digital Devices .
The school has a variety of information communication technology (ICT) devices that students can
access and use as part of their learning. Each pod has a set of laptops, ipads, a camera, and Apple TV.
From Year 4 to Year 8, students are able to ‘Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD). Before students can bring
their device to school, they must complete a Cybersafety test ensuring they understand how to use
the devices respectfully. At the beginning of the year students in these year levels will bring home
January 201818
more information about BYOD. It is not compulsory for students to have their own device.
Duty Teachers .
Duty Coverage
The purpose of having a staff member on playground duty is to maintain a pleasant and safe
environment for all children. There is a duty roster for the continuous supervision of the grounds and
buildings. Staff on duty carry walkie talkies and wear a fluoro vest so that children can easily identify
them.
Lunch Eating
Your child will be supervised during eating time in the watering hole shade area on fine days. This will
be the first 15 minutes of lunchtime.
On wet or cold days Year 1‐3 students eat their lunch in the hall and Year 4‐8 students eat their lunch
in their pod ‘da Vinci’ space and then move to their classes where there are wet day activities
organised. Our Year 5 students will assist in the junior classes as ‘Rainy Day Rangers’.
Emergency Procedures .
If you are in the school in the event of an emergency please follow the teacher instructions and
procedures below.
Signal: Continuous ringing of the school bell or announcement for fire, earthquake, chemical
spill, or lock down.
Action: Children and visitors follow teacher direction in a quick and orderly manner. The
evacuation point is at the rear of the netball courts.
The Principal or DP’s will give the command to re‐enter the building when it is safe.
In the Event of an Earthquake:
Staff will order students under their desks. If outside, students will ‘Stop and Drop’ in a clear, open
space if possible. When the ALL CLEAR is given via the PA System or via a hand bell, the school will
evacuate as per the Fire Drill.
Notification to Parents:
In the event that children need to be sent home, the school will contact parents. The school will take
responsibility for your child until you are able to collect them. If unsure please listen to the local radio
station, or check the school website or your email as we will try to the best of our ability to
communicate via these means.
Food at School .
Nut and Egg Allergies
Some students at RPS have a life‐threatening allergy to nuts and eggs (raw and cooked). This means
that if they get the smallest amount of nut or egg in their mouth, they will have a severe allergic
reaction resulting in a serious medical emergency. To assist us in supporting these students, we ask
that you consider not packing items that contain nuts, nut oil or eggs in your child’s lunchbox – for
example peanut butter, Nutella or egg sandwiches. This also applies to any food brought to school for
a class or learning community event.
While we acknowledge we cannot have a “nut and egg free” school as many packaged food items
today have traces of nuts or eggs, we would like to make RPS as “nut and egg friendly” as possible to
those with life‐threatening allergies.
Celebrating Birthdays and Special Events
We love to celebrate people’s birthdays and special events here at RPS. To ensure equity and fairness
and that each event is held in a similar manner, we ask that the following procedures are followed:
For students celebrating a birthday or special event they are most welcome to share a cake or
some small treats with the class. Please check with the class teacher re allergies.
For students leaving our school, the same will apply and classes will not be asked to organise
parties.
January 201819
Hats .
Remarkables Primary School is a ‘Sun Safe School’. All students must wear the school uniform
wide‐brimmed sunhat at intervals and lunchtime during Term 1 and Term 4, and when outside for
sport etc. Please ensure your child’s hat is named. Sun hats can be purchased from the school office
or via the NZ Uniforms website. NO CAPS to be worn as they do not provide sufficient protection.
Students need to wear their hat and vest to and from school.
We also encourage the use of sunscreen and have a supply of sunscreen in each pod. Please apply it
before your child leaves home for the school day. A copy of our sun safe policy has been provided in
the appendix at the back of this guide.
Home Practice (Transfer of skills into real world experiences… .
Home Practice encourages connections between what is being learnt at school and how it relates to
the world outside the school grounds.
Home practice will be given, but in a reasoned and considered way, taking into account your child’s
learning needs and other family commitments. Home practice given at Remarkables Primary School
will be relevant and supportive of classroom learning programmes. Learning Beyond the Classroom
activities will be noted in your child’s student diary. This is a great medium for communication
between home and school. Each classroom has a class page on our school website and homework
activities are also assigned from the class page, including IXL Mathematics and English challenges.
The minimum expectation is for daily home reading and Maths challenges for all students. A more
detailed outline of year level expectations is in the front of the student diary. Year level expectations
will be set at the beginning of each year. We ask that you please put a note in the student diary for
any reason that homework cannot be completed e.g. busy afternoon with out of school activities.
Helpful hints on how to support your child when completing their home reading can be found in the
front of the student diary.
Jewellery .
We ask that common sense prevails in the wearing of jewellery to school. It can be lost or damaged,
or worse still can cause damage to the wearer e.g. earrings getting caught and ripped out during P.E.
If your child has to wear earrings to school, please ensure that they only wear studs.
Library .
Classes visit the school library on a timetable basis. The library is also open during lunchtimes. Our
‘LIBRARY OPEN’ sign will be placed at the entrance when it is open.
Your child will be expected to carry library books in a book bag (provided with school stationery) and
must return the books in excellent condition by the due date. If books are lost or damaged, we will
send out an account to recover the cost of replacement.
Lost Property .
Lost Property is kept in a Lost Property cupboard in the hallway between the school hall and multi
purpose room. You are welcome to check it regularly. Lost property items will be displayed and
cleared frequently. Please make sure all of your child’s clothing is clearly named. At the end of
each term all unclaimed property will be donated to a local charity.
Lunches .
We ask that families provide enough lunch for their child and that children are able to open any
wrappings or containers independently. Water is recommended and there are a number of filling
stations around the school. Students will be able to bring their water bottles inside and are
encouraged to drink from them regularly.
The RPA organises a sausage sizzle every Friday and Subway (Term 1 and 4) and Pizza (Term 2 and 3)
every Wednesday throughout the year. Orders are made through your child’s classroom on the day.
Please ensure your child’s order is clearly named with their room number and their order on the
outside of a secure envelope. Please check the newsletter as to which days optional lunches are
January 201820
available.
Money .
Money is collected from families for a variety of reasons. If the school requests money i.e. for a trip or
activity please send it to the school office in a clearly named envelope including the child’s name,
classroom and what the money is for. Receipts will be provided on request.
New Entrants: RPS TREKKERS / TRANSITION TO SCHOOL .
If your child starts during the school year, three transition to school visits will be arranged for
parents/caregivers together with their RPS Trekker. An invitation is posted out at least 4 weeks prior
to them starting school.
Transition visits are held on a Friday and this is an opportunity for the student to meet their classroom
teacher and fellow class students. Each visit is from 8:45am until 1:30pm. Students are asked to bring
their morning tea, water bottle and lunch on each visit.
The school also runs a Little Explorers programme for children aged 4½–5 years old who are
pre‐enrolled at RPS. This programme is held 3 or 4 times a term on a Friday from 1:30pm‐2:15pm.
Information is displayed on our school website and at the local early childhood centres. This is an
opportunity for children to experience and get to know the RPS learning environment and staff prior to
commencing their transition to school visits.
RPS works very closely with the local Early Childhood Centres in the Frankton area. Students and staff
from the local centres regularly visit the school.
Out of Bounds Areas .
We are very fortunate that the majority of our school has naturally formed ridges and banks that form
our school boundaries. We have a fenced area on the lakeside and children may not go beyond the
fences and banks.
Parent Helpers .
Truly Remarkable People
We encourage parents/caregivers to be involved in the school supporting students and teachers. We
actively promote involvement in the learning programme at Remarkables Primary School, and provide
training for parents/caregivers so that their assistance in the classroom is effective and professional.
Under the new Health and Safety legislation, April 2016, we will be required to conduct Police
checks/and or Volunteer Declarations for parents helping with sports coaching and camping events.
If you are interested in being part of our Family Helpers programme, please contact your child’s Team
Leader.
Family Helpers Handbook
Family helpers will receive a copy of a Family Helpers Handbook and will also be required to sign a
Confidentiality Agreement.
Signing In and Out
All family helpers are required to sign in and out at the school office and wear a visitor's badge so that
we know you are on site. This is particularly important in the event of an emergency evacuation.
Privacy Act .
All information relating to students and their families is confidential. From time to time parents
request information such as addresses and phone numbers for staff and other parents. Under the
Privacy Act this information cannot be given out.
Remarkables Parents Association (RPA) .
As a parent you are encouraged to take part in our ‘Remarkables Parents Association’. This is a group
of parent volunteers who participate and support school activities and fundraising events. This is an
excellent opportunity to meet other parents and become involved in the school community.
Please contact the office if you are keen to be part of this team or email
January 201821
rpa@remarkablesprimary.school.nz.
Each year we will be asking parents to complete a ‘Give Me Five’ volunteer signup form. We greatly
appreciate you volunteering five hours of your time towards ensuring that Remarkables Primary School
is a fun and stimulating place.
Reporting to Parents .
Due to the change in Government and National Standards being abolished and new legislation, our
2018 reporting schedule is currently under review. Please contact your classroom teacher for further
information.
Rubbish – Reduce! Reuse! Recycle! .
Remarkables Primary School is operating a system of being mostly ‘rubbish free’ and we promote
reduce, reuse, recycle. We will not be completely rubbish free as there are some things that we
consider will be unsafe or unhealthy for pupils to transport back home in their school bags. In 2012 we
were awarded our Bronze Enviroschool medal for this initiative. However, most rubbish from your
child’s lunch will be sent back home in their lunchboxes for disposal. Food scraps will go into the
school worm farm and dairy food containers will be washed out and popped into our recycling bins.
We encourage parents to use recyclable containers and to avoid using plastic wrap. Every classroom
has a recycling bin for paper and cardboard products. Recycling bins are available around the school
for students to use. 4MyEarth offer an eco‐friendly alternative to plastic wrap with 20% of each order
donated to the school. Please see details at the back of this guide.
School Bus Service .
The Ministry of Education provide a School Bus service through Go Bus, for families living in and around
the following areas: Lake Hayes Estate, Quail Rise, Tuckers Beach, Kelvin Heights and Jacks Point.
This service is only for designated students who live in these areas. The buses cannot unfortunately
take students’ friends home for play dates.
BUS RUNS:
The Bus timetable is as follows, as outlined by Go Bus and the designated route set by the MOE TEZ
(Transport Entitlement Zone). #9208 RPS/Kingsview ‐ Lake Hayes Estate/Quail Rise/Tucker Beach.
#9078 RPS/Kingsview ‐ Lakeside/Jacks Point/Kelvin Heights .We do encourage families to use this
service. If you have any questions regarding the bus runs and stops please contact Go Bus directly
Phone (451 0090). Currently being reviewed….
Lake Hayes, Quail Rise, Tucker Beach Jacks Point and Kelvin Heights
Morning Run Morning Run
Start Time: 7:55am Start Time:
● #50 Onslo Road 7:50am Boyd Road(drive around dirt road on corner)
● #7 Sylvan Street Rapid 3 cluster 281,283,285,287 ( near
● #49 Sylvan Street Remarks turnoff)
● #15 Erskine Street 495 Kingston Highway
● #36 Erskine Street 7.55am Lakeside Estate ( stop on Lake Side)
● #18 Hope Avenue 8:00am
● Route only no stop ‐ Myles Way and Stalker Rd ● Maori Jack Rd ‐ Morrison Dr
8:10am ● Maori Jack Rd ‐ McAdam Dr
● Quail Rise Bus Stop ● Jacks Point Rise (lower) ( near Reserve)
● Tucker Beach Road ● Jacks Point Rise (upper) ( Public Bus stop)
8:45am 8:20am
● Approximate arrival at Remarkables Primary ● Poplar Dr (uses 4 views/Cedar Drive Circuit)
School ● Peninsula Rd (all public stops)
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