ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL
- on the first and every other day your child is absent, the parent / caregiver must ring the school, before 8.50am if possible, to explain why the child is away.

- if your child is absent from school and his/her vertical form teacher does not know the reason why, the teacher will ask the Attendance Officer to telephone the child's home to ask why he/she is not at school.

LATE TO SCHOOL
The student must "sign in" on the clipboard in the office when he/she arrives at school. If a parent/caregiver is with them, then they should put their signature on the sheet also. If the student has a note, it should be left on the clipboard and a parent/caregiver signature is therefore not necessary.

If a parent/caregiver wants to ring the school to say their child is going to be late, then they may do so - but it is not compulsory.

DEPARTURE DURING THE DAY
The student's parent / caregiver should provide a note addressed to the Assistant Principal, Mrs Perry explaining why the student must leave during the school day. The student should bring that note to Mrs Perry for her to sign, straight after they have been marked present and heard the daily notices during morning vertical form time.

When the student goes to leave, he/she must "sign out" on the clipboard in the school office. The note must be left on the clipboard. (Mrs Perry passes the note on to the student's vertical form teacher the next day.)

If the student does not have a note, the parent/caregiver or adult who is collecting the student from school must put their signature on the sheet also.

It would be appreciated if a note could also be sent to the vertical form teacher the next day.

Year 13 students do not need a note. They must, however, sign in and out and must seek permission from Mrs Perry or Mr Fletcher.

SCHOOL BUSES
Generally, because the buses are full, parents are unable to request permission that their child travel on another bus other than their own. An approach seeking permission must be made to Mr Hutching at least 3 days prior so that you can make alternative transport arrangements if your request is refused.

ATTENDANCE OFFICER
Otamatea High School is part of the Otamatea District Truancy Service. If a student has a number of days and/or a regular pattern of particular days away from school, then their name, address, phone number and absence details will be referred to the Attendance Officer who will make personal or written contact with the parents/caregivers.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS / TELEPHONE NUMBER
If a family moves, changes phone number or gets a number when they did not have one before, then it is important that the school is notified - particularly for emergency reasons.

LEAVING SCHOOL
If a student is leaving school, then the parent is required to ring the school and / or provide a signed note at least a week prior to the student's last day.

The student must collect from the office a Leaver's Clearance Sheet, take it home for their parent/caregiver to sign, bring it back and go around all their teachers before their last day at school. The teachers will sign this form and fill in any outstanding fees / books that need to be returned. Everything needs to be settled up before the student's last day.

A Leaving Certificate can be provided to students who want one - but they are not issued unless the student has fully completed the leaving process. They cannot be issued to students who have left during/because of suspension, or who have been expelled.

CELLPHONES
Cellphones are banned from school. If a student is seen with a cellphone it may well be confiscated. Parents must come in person to the school office and it will be returned to them.