Aquinas’ new mobile phone-free policy impacts parents’ ability to pick up their child(ren) early from school. Without a phone, how do you tell your child to come to the office? Here’s how…

As of 2023, students are not permitted to use their mobile phones during school time, except Year 11-13 students who can use them during break. Otherwise, phones must be turned off and in the student’s bag.

This means if parents arrive at the office to collect a student they can no longer text or call them to come. Our helpful office staff are busy, and while a runner is sometimes available to fetch students, this cannot be relied upon. Our current and upcoming building work exacerbates this situation. Office staff are not able to personally retrieve every student leaving early.

To help the system run smoothly, we urge parents to arrange pickup times with their child(ren) at home before school. Then email this information to the Office at admin@aquinas.school.nz and the student’s teacher. Alternatively, a message can be left on the Absence Line 24 hours a day (07 543 2400 Extension 1). The student then leaves class at the appointed time and signs out via the office.

We understand this isn’t always possible. Unanticipated events or appointments occur without time to notify your child. But, where possible, if you notify the school and your child before pick-up, then the faster we can sign them out and the less likely you will be kept waiting.

Aquinas’ new mobile phone policy can be viewed here