School Day

Children should arrive at school no earlier than 8.25am. The Board of Trustees supplies supervision in the school hall from 8.00am for children arriving prior to this time.

After school, any students still on the school grounds after 3.20pm will be taken to after school care, where a small fee may be incurred.

School tours are available on selected Tuesdays at 1.30 pm.  If you would like to attend one, please contact the main office to make a booking.  Please note, under current COVID settings we are unable to offer any school tours.

Parents should contact the school when their child is absent.

• Use the school’s online absentee form.
• Via the SchoolsApp
• Leave a message on the school answerphone: 07 856 6122 (ext 1).
• Send a text message to 021 859 916 stating name, room number and reason for the absence.
• Send an email to enquiries@hillcrestnormal.school.nz.
• Send advice by written note to the school office.

A text message is sent out by 9.45am to all parents/caregivers of children who are unaccounted for. This system has been established to ensure the safety of all children and to monitor attendance.

If you are planning on going away on holiday during the school term please fill in the form below and return it to the school office.

NO student is allowed to leave the school grounds without teacher permission.

Parents/caregivers who wish to collect their child for appointments, or for personal reasons, must inform the school office. Parents must first report to the school office before removing any child from the school. No parent will be able to remove a non-family member unless accompanied by a note from the non-family member’s parent/caregiver.

All children who arrive after 8.55am must check in to the school office as soon as they arrive at school.

All parents/caregivers or visitors to the school are required to sign in at the office upon arrival any time between 9.00am and 2.50pm. This is a health and safety issue for us as we need to know who is on site at all times.

We encourage families to choose safety over convenience when dropping off or collecting children from school. Walking to school, even a short distance, is a great way to start or end the school day.

Hillcrest Normal School operates two patrolled crossings on McCracken Ave and Cambridge Road. Both crossings are patrolled before school between 8.25am – 8.45am and after school between 3.00pm – 3.20pm.

All children who ride bicycles to school must wear an approved safety helmet, as they are legally required to. It is a police recommendation that children under the age of 10 years old do not ride unaccompanied. The school endorses this recommendation. We also recommend wearing a hi-vis jacket or vest and padlocking your bike at school in the stands provided.

Please share with care if you are using a scooter on the footpath. Scooters must be stored tidily in the racks provided. No scooters or bikes are to be ridden inside the school grounds.

The driveway at the front of the school is a drive through and drop off or pick up only zone between 8.40am – 9.10am and 2.30pm – 3.15pm. Vehicles should not be left unattended.

Cambridge Road outside the school is an extremely busy four-lane highway where traffic travels at speed. There is very limited parking and we advise parking on other streets around the school instead.

The school offers a lunch scheme everyday through Your Lunch Box. Our aim is to provide healthy and appetising food choices for children.  As Your Lunch Box packs contain enough food for the whole day, they will be delivered to the school office in time for morning tea. The exception to this is if you order a Friday’s Hot Lunch Box which will be delivered between 12.10 – 12.30pm. Orders can be placed up to the day before you would like your lunch order (before 8.00pm). Please click here to visit the website and read more about the delicious and healthy lunches available.

The school strongly encourages all children to wear sun hats when outside in summer. We have two styles of hats available from the school office. Sunblock is also available in every classroom for children to re-apply throughout the day.