To help your child and family we have made the following list of some of the things we do and also have available for the children.

Stationery Costs 2025

Room 1 - $53.00

Room 2 - $45.00

Room 3 - $35.00

Room 4 - $35.00

Room 5 - $21.00

The account for payment is - Westpac - St James -   03-0855-0334786-00.

Attendance Dues 2025 - 2026

Attendance Dues for 2025 and 2026 will be $158.75 per child, per term, $635 per child, per year . These are paid directly to the Catholic Diocese.

Absence

If your child is absent from school, please contact school through text - 027 419 0245, or the Skool Loop app (Instructions below) or phone (03)982.0009 to leave a message.

After School Care

There is a van that will collect children to take them to after school care. The latest contact information is available through the office.

Books in Homes

We are a Books in Homes School. Each term the children get to choose a book or books that is given to them at a special assembly. These are for the children to keep.

Breakfast in Schools:

St James School is part of the Breakfast in Schools programme. Between 8.30am and 8.55am, children are able to get Weet-bix in the breakout room between Rooms 4 and 5.

Buildings:

St James School has five classrooms. The Community room was donated by Bishop Meeking in 1990. The original buildings were opened in 1965 with three classrooms and the fourth classroom was built by voluntary labour in 1967 with the fifth was opened and ready to begin in 2010. This classroom was opened and blessed by Bishop Barry Jones.  In 2017 the main block of four classrooms was demolished and the current classrooms built including an administration block. School started in the new rooms at the beginning of Term 4 2017. The opening was acknowledged by a special community opening ceremony on 26th November, 2017, led by Fr Bryan Parish.

Clothing:

Parents are responsible for the naming of children’s uniforms. Please let the teacher or office know if a child is not wearing correct uniform. Teachers will check from time to time that cardigans, jerseys and jackets are named. There is a permanent pen for clothing available from the Office. We have a supply of second hand uniforms that we are happy to pass on. Please ask at the Office.

Enrolment:

We welcome enquiries and are happy to show families around our school and explain the special character preference requirements. We encourage early enrolment to ensure a place and are happy to enrol your child from three years old.

At the time of enrolment you will need to provide the following...

• birth certificate (we will copy and return)
  

• preference certificate. A meeting with a parish representative for signing the certificate can be arranged. Preference criteria is set out under Special Character information.

• immunisation records (we will copy and return)

• baptism certificate

• copy of passport and visa if applicable

(A child can not start school unless we have a copy of their birth certificate and preference form).                       

Jewellery:

Cultural necklaces to be tucked under school uniform. Stud earrings and watches only.

Kids Can:

The Kids Can team support school with shoes, raincoats, food, tissues and the provision of shampoo and combs for headlice treatment.  If you notice headlice please let the office know so that we can distribute a notice to let other families know.

Lunch: Fruit in Schools: Milk in Schools:

10 am is Fruit break time. Each child is given a piece of seasonal fruit through the Fruit in Schools programme.

11am Morning break. Play, Eat (11.20) Learn

12.30pm Lunch break. Play, Eat, Learn

St James is a water only school. This includes any drinks in drink bottles.

Please provide a lunch that will help your child with learning. Some ideas are available in our New Entrant pack or from the Office.

Money:

All money is collected at the Office.

Parking: Kiss and Drop / Collect:

When your child starts you are provided with two name cards, one to place on the passenger sun-visor of your car and the other for another car or a spare. As you drive into the zone outside school on Rowan Ave, you make sure the visor is down so that the teacher on duty can read who needs to get in the car. The sign is large enough that it is legible up to five cars in the queue. This enables children to be ready as soon their car drives up.

Our ‘pick-up’ procedure works like this:

· Cars drive into the zone and form a queue, moving forward each time the front car drives out

· The children wait safely inside the gate

· The front one or two cars are loaded

· The teacher on duty calls the child/ren up once their car is at the head of the queue

· The teacher on duty helps the child/ren into the car. The children carry, not wear, their backpacks

· The teacher on duty reminds or helps the child/ren to ‘belt up’

· The teacher on duty will, if needed, shut the car door

On wet or extremely cold days, the children who are being ‘picked up’ wait in the school classroom or community room. The school has a system that allows only the teacher on duty to have to be in the pick up zone. As cars drive up, the teacher on duty reads out the name on each car’s passenger visor into the phone and the child/ren are allowed to exit from the room into the waiting car.

There is still parking further along Rowan Ave or on the other side of the road, or at the back gate in Sandown Crescent, for those who wish to park and come in.

Policies:

St James School uses SchoolDocs to maintain a comprehensive, up-to-date, set of policies and procedures. These policies and procedures follow guidelines and legislation and best practice, and have been tailored for our school.

Schooldocs site:  stjames.schooldocs.co.nz

Community username:  stjames

Community password: school

Skool loop:

The Skool Loop App – St James

We have an app for your phones you can download for free. Go to Google Play store or the App Store (iPhone) search SKOOL LOOP, once installed choose our school. If you have any problems, see Corina at the Office, she will be able to help.

Sunsmart:

St James is a Sunsmart school. Every child is provided with a sun hat when they start at school. Children and staff are required to wear hats and suitable clothing during outdoor activities from October to March.

Uniforms:

The uniforms can be purchased from The Warehouse, Eastgate.

Girls Uniform

Summer:

Green and black tartan Pinafore or Green and black tartan culottes - summer and winter

White short sleeve blouse or polo shirt.

Black or white socks.

Black or brown shoes / sandals.

Winter:

White skivvie.

Bottle green polar fleece, sweatshirt or woollen cardigan / jersey.

Green / Navy tights or Black or white socks.

Black or brown shoes

Boys Uniform

Summer:

Grey shorts.

Grey short sleeved shirt or grey polo shirt.

Black or brown shoes / sandals.

Winter:

Grey shorts - Summer or Winter weight.

Bottle green skivvie.

Bottle green polar fleece, sweatshirt or woollen jersey.

Black or grey socks.