TOPOLINO POLICIES

1. Discipline regarding yourself

You must always look neat when dressed in your school uniform! You are an advert for the school even when you leave the school grounds! The rules when you are at school also apply when you are out in the eye of the public. Children with good manners make their school proud!

General

short, clean nails [colourless nail polish for the girls only]
no make-up
only girls may wear studs or small sleepers in their ears [1 in each ear]; no coloured gemstones
uniforms must be in a good condition, not faded, untidy, to big or to small
only 1 Christian arm band may be worn around the wrist
hands may never be in pockets
chewing gum is banned
sturdy navy, brown or black suitcases that can be carried by hand or on the back
suitcases are not allowed to be drawn on wheels
no graffiti on suitcases, space cases, etc.

Please note: Clothing must be marked clearly.

Hair

Boys:
• may not touch ears or brows
• minimum gel
• no coloured hair or highlights
• short and very neat
• no strange hairstyles
• no hairstyles with distinct “steps”

Girls:
• fringe may not touch brows
• if hair touches collar it must be tied up
• no coloured hair or highlights
• navy accessories – red/navy hair ribbons
• alicebands/headbands: may not have flowers or other decorations on
• no excessive use of hair accessories
Summer uniforms for both sexes

o skorts (skirt-shorts) and shorts must be approximately four fingers from knee
o bottom button of school shirt must be tied
o tracksuit top may be worn – zip must always be closed and shirt collar must be over top. The string should always be fastened.
o bare feet/navy crocs/white running shoes, or with blue stripes
o white socks must always be visible, no secret socks
o wear sport shirts to school on sports days

Please note: Wearing of a school cap as well as sun block is recommended.

Winter uniforms for both sexes

school tracksuit with the school shirt, with a collar, or round-necked navy long- sleeved top
white socks and trainers as for the summer uniform
a navy rain/windbreaker may be worn over the tracksuit, as well as, a navy scarf
navy gloves and beanies may be worn before school, but must be taken off during school hours

2. Discipline regarding the teaching staff

God appoints people in positions of authority

o greet the staff and use words like please, thank you and excuse me
o always be obedient
o be of service – offer to carry books, etc.
o body language when talking to adults must always be respectful
o disruption of lessons will not be tolerated
o children may not be in a school building without permission or supervision
o when any adult enters your classroom you should stand and greet as a sign of respect

3. Discipline regarding the school grounds

The school grounds, buildings, tables, books, readers, etc. are private property.
Learners will have to pay for damages, or replace anything that is damaged.

General

no dangerous objects, unappropriate reading materials, banned substances or electronic games may be brought to school
use of cell phones and psp’s is banned at school, or at any school event
no learner, who has entered the school grounds may leave again without permission
no learner may cross the road in front of the school without assistance; learners wait for their parents inside the school grounds
trees and walls are not to be climbed
play safely on the jungle gym – no pushing or shoving – take shoes off first
obey the prefects and follow their lead
keep the playgrounds, classrooms and cloakrooms neat
littering is taboo
don’t throw forbidden things into the animal pen – don’t hurt them
no swearing will be tolerated
no discrimination, teasing or bullying will be tolerated
no graffiti on any school property, eg. desks, walls, etc.

Please note: Report anything that is damaged. Report anything that seems dangerous, or wrong to the teacher who is on duty.

Cloakrooms

1. Gr. 1 – 3 learners use the Junior cloakrooms

2. Gr. 4 – 7 learners use the Senior cloakrooms

Cloakrooms may be used before school and during breaks.
The cloakrooms are cleaned daily. Flowers, soap and clean towels add to the hygienic atmosphere.
Learners are discouraged from taking their food into the cloakrooms.
They may not play there, nor may more than 1 child be in a cubicle at one time.
Vandalism is considered a crime!

Playgrounds

• Members of staff are on duty from 7:30 am.
• Learners come to school from 7:00
• At the start of the day learners line-up under the shade-cloth.
• During breaks staff members, as well as the prefects and monitors, supervise.
• Learners are encouraged to keep to the paths when swapping classes.

After school

• Learners wait for parents at the “the waiting class”.
• Learners who ride to school by bicycle, fetch their bicycles from the bicycle-rack and push them through the gate.
• Bicycle riders need to wear a helmet
• Grade 1 and 2 learners who have to wait for a bus, or older brothers and sisters, wait at “the waiting class”.
• Parents may telephone the school secretary if they would like their child to attend the Aftercare for that particular day. She will let the learner know.
• Parents may drive into the schoolyard to drop off or collect learners, but may not park there.
• Children who ride by bus, and aftercare learners, are transported by bus to sport.

4. Discipline regarding friends

Every learner is special and has the right to be happy.

no discrimination
no verbal or physical bullying
no teasing
no swearing
no stealing
no fighting of any kind
copying another’s work is banned

5. Discipline at home

Parents need to lay down these rules at home

homework must be completed, checked and the homework book signed
newsletters must be signed
be at school on time i.o.w. be punctual
parent must support the school’s code of conduct at home
discipline at school must flow over into the home: Topolino expects children to rise in the presence of adults, and to greet them. Boys are expected to stand aside at doorways for their sister and mother.

Absenteeism

• Please contact the office if your child is absent.
• Please send a doctor’s note to school the next day.
• Please keep your child at home if he/she has a contagious disease.
• If a child has had a contagious disease, he/she is only allowed back with a doctor’s clearance certificate.
• Work that Grade 1 to 3 learners miss will be given to their parents so that it can be done at home.
• Grade 4 to 7 learners who are absent are expected to make the necessary arrangements to get the work themselves from fellow learners. Learners are responsible to get the work they missed in 5 days after returning to school.

In closing, we believe that emotional growth and intelligence should ultimately lead to self-respect, self-discipline and good manners as a way of life. Policing children’s every move may make them feel insecure and sceptical. We spend much time guiding children to behave in a more acceptable manner with discussion and constantly accentuating positive behaviour.

You, no doubt, will want to be informed when your child’s behaviour isn’t in step with the school’s code of conduct so that the situation can be remedied. The nature, and degree of seriousness of the bad behaviour, will determine what steps are taken.
Disciplinary Steps of Topolino Private School:
1. Written notice to parents after offence
2. Three offences – detention on Friday after school
3. If a serious offence occurs again, the problem will be discussed with the parents
4. Temporary suspension
5. Permanent suspension depending on seriousness of offence.
6. Offences by prefects will result in temporary/permanent removal of badge.

The grade 4-7 learners will be writing their first proper exams for 2017. This document is to provide guidelines and to rule out uncertainties so that learners may see it as a real opportunity to show what they remember and have mastered.

A test series is written in Term 1 & 3 and formal exams are written in term 2 & 4.

CASS = Continuous assessment                   FA = formal assessment

1. How are the test series and exams alike?
2. A test series and exams take place in formal settings, where learners:

• are arranged into alphabetical order ,
• are not allowed to take their suitcases into the venue
• may only take a pencil, pen, ruler, sharpener and eraser in with them
• are all allowed to visit the cloakrooms before they start writing.

2. Learners write in the morning straight after Bible reading and prayer.
3. Learners may not go home after the FA, unless they are ill and have a doctor’s certificate, or the teachers agree that the learner is ill.
4. If a learner is unable to write the question paper on the particular day, it will not be allowed to be written on another day or at another time. Alternative formulas will be used to calculate their final results by looking at their CASS marks.
5. Learners receive notification before the FA that stipulates exactly what is being written about.
6. Departmental recommendations state that the FA should be over the period of 9 days.
7. School closes at 12h30 for gr. 1-3 and 13h00 for gr. 4-7 learners.
8. All the learners have 2 breaks during FA:

10h00 to 10h30 and 11h50 to 12h00

9. Grade 4’s write on their question papers whereas the other grades write on folio paper.
10. The teachers go through the answer sheets with the learners after the FA. They are put into a file and are allowed to be taken home with the reports. No answer sheets, however, are allowed to be taken home after the November exams. Parents may peruse these at the school at a specified time. Likewise, no question papers for gr. 5-7 will be sent home throughout the year, but parents are welcome to make an appointment with the specific teacher to peruse the question paper at school.

1. How do Test series and Exams differ from one another?

1. Formal assessment tips:

FAs are divided into 3 sections: Vocabulary, Knowledge and Skills.

Learners’ knowledge cannot be tested merely by questioning your child orally.  Help your child to study by setting up question papers for your child.  Learners must then read the questions themselves, determine the key words, recognise the total amount of marks out of which the question consists and then answer the question themselves in full sentences.  Variations on types of questioning as follows:

Vocabulary:

1. Give one word for the following description / definition.
2. Terminology: Describe the following word…
3. Give the definition for…
4. Match column B to the correct answer in column A
5. Give a synonym (a word with a similar meaning) for…
6. Circle or underline the correct answer.

Knowledge:

1. Answer the following questions: What, who, where, why, etc.
2. Fill in the missing words: An animal that gives birth to live young is a ____.
3. Say whether the following is true or false. If the statement is false, correct it to make it true, for example,

Mammals have feathers.  False, birds have feathers.

4. Comprehension questions: Explain what condensation is. [4]
5. Long questions: Name 5 characteristics of mammals. [5]; or Describe the process of the water cycle.  [4]

Skills: the application of knowledge and skills

1. Tabulate: compare the characteristics of mammals and birds by referring to their hide, food, habitat, etc.
2. Time line: Fill in the events on the timeline according to dates.
3. Sketch with labels.
4. Make your own conclusion

Die volgende inligting het betrekking tot die wintersportsoorte soos deur Topolino aangebied.

Ons wens is dat Topolino leerders ten minste een wintersport sal doen, maar u kind kan meer as een sportsoort aanpak.

Rugby:

Beheerliggaam vir skole rugby is SARU. Rugby is as sportsoort geaffilieër en volg die volgende stappe t.o.v. proewe: Dorpsproewe, Weskusproewe, Wes- Bolandproewe en Boland. Alle afrigters moet BOKSMART geakkrediteer wees.

Lle. wat in hierdie jaar sewe  word, sal  0/7 speel. Leerders wat in hierdie jaar agt word- sal 0/8 speel. Leerders wat hierdie jaar nege word- sal 0/9 speel. Tien jariges en elfjariges speel 0/11. Twaalf- en dertienjariges speel 0/13. 0/14 leerders moet by hoërskole speel.

Rugbytruie is die eiendom van die skool en moet na wedstryde aan die afrigter besorg word.

Alle spelers moet ‘n wit of navy mondskerm dra.

Indien speler ‘n skrumpet dra moet dit wit/swart/navy wees.

Alle spelers  speel in navy rugbybroekies. Slegs 0/13 moet ‘n navy en wit broekie hê. Spelers mag nie in ‘n skoolbroekie speel nie.

Geen “second skins” en” tights” mag by hul sportdrag uitsteek nie.

Seuns moet ‘n Topolino toksak hê om hul benodigdhede langs die veld daarin te bêre, klere kan nie net langs die veld gelos word nie.

Netbal:

Beheerliggaam van netbal is SASN. Netbal  is as sportsoort geaffilieer en volg die volgende stappe t.o.v. proewe:  Dorpsproewe, Saldanhaproewe, Weskusproewe, Wes- Bolandproewe en Boland.

Lle. wat in hierdie jaar sewe  word sal 0/7 speel. Leerders wat in hierdie jaar agt word sal 0/8 speel. Leerders wat hierdie jaar nege word sal 0/9 speel. Ons het ook 0/10, 0/11, 0/12, 0/13 spanne. 0/14 leerders moet by hoërskole speel.

• Leerders speel in Topolino netbaldrag soos by Eldorina beskikbaar.
• Leerders dra navy “hotpants” broekie onder rompie, wat nie langer as die rompie is nie.
• Geen oorbelle, horlosies of ringe is toelaatbaar nie.
• Spelers se naels moet kort wees.
• Spelers dra Topolino netbal-rugsak na wedstryde, sodat klere nie rondlê en verlore raak nie.

Hokkie:

Ons speel hokkie van 0/9 af. Dus moet alle leerders wat in die huidige jaar 9 word by die oefengroepie aansluit. 0/9 speel mini-hokkie en seuns en dogters speel apart [6/8 per span]Ons het twee gekombineerde 0/10 en 0/11 spanne van 11 spelers – seuns en dogters apart. Ons het ‘n 0/12 en 0/13 span van 11 spelers – seuns en dogters apart.

• Hokkiesokkies by skool te koop.
• “Shinpads” en navy of wit mondskerm ‘n vereiste
• Eie heuplengte hokkiestok en gemerkte hokkiebal.
• Hokkiedrag net soos netbaldrag – slegs sokkies verskil.
• Doelwagter dra spesiale uitrusting deur skool verskaf.
• Topolino rugsakke /toksakke is gepas.

Sokker:

Topolino sal hierdie jaar poog om ‘n graad 0/7,8,9 gekombineerde span in die veld te stuur; asook ‘n gekombineerde 0/10 en 0/11 span; asook ‘n gekombineerde 0/12 en 0/13 span.

• “Shinpads” en navy of wit mondskerm ‘n vereiste
• Netbalhempies en rompies word gedra
• Navy PT broekies en sporthemde word gedra
• Hokkiesokkies sal by die skool te koop wees.

Topolino se visie is om leerders in totaliteit te onderrig. Die leerders se emosionele welstand bly die eerste punt van oorweging met sport besluite. Daarmee saam is die kind se sportvaardighede en liggaamlike ontwikkeling ‘n bepalende faktor.

Hiermee die somer sportbeleid t.o.v atletiek, krieket en tennis.

Net soos met ons winter sportbeleid, speel die ouderdom van die kind ‘n groot rol in die bogenoemde sportsoorte. Indien die leerder in Graad: 3 is en 10 jaar oud word in daardie jaar, mag hy nie saam sy graadgroep deelneem nie. Hy of sy moet dus saam die Graad: 4 groep deelneem.

In tennis sal die leerder se vaardighede bepaal of hy in die senior tennisspan is of in die ontwikkelingsgroepe.  Kleredrag vir tennis is as volg: Topolino sporthempie, wit sokkies, wit tekkies,  Topolino sportbroek en Topolino pet.

In atletiek sal die leerders deelneem in ouderdomsgroepe en nie klasverband nie. Kleredrag vir atletiek is as volg: Topolino sporthempie, Topolino sportbroek/skoolbroekie en Topolino pet.

In krieket sal die grondslagfase leerders aan mini-krieket deelneem. Die 0/11 krieket span speel met ‘n 113g bal en die 0/13 span speel met 135g. Die skool verskaf die nodige krieket toerusting, maar leerders word aangemoedig om hul eie ook te kry. Elke spelers moet sy eie “ballbox” hê. Kleredrag vir krieket is as volg: Topolino sporthempie, Topolino pet en skoolbroekie met die Topolino blou hokkiesokkies [0/11 en 0/13]en wit tekkies. Sokkies is by kantoor beskikbaar teen R65

Indien ‘n individu in krieket bo die res van sy ouderdomsgroep presteer, sal so ‘n speler na ‘n 0/11 of 0/13 span opgetrek word.

The following documents are required, for enroling at our school:

• Admission form
• Copy of birth certificate
• Copy of both parents’ IDs
• Copy of clinic card
• Latest report
• Agreement for payment of school fees
• Transfer document from previous school
• Financial clearance from previous school

After an assessment by Topolino and consultation with the previous school, the parents will be notified.

In the case of a positive notification, the learner will only be admitted after proof of payment  of the enrolment fee and the first month of school fees.

The enrolment fee is non-refundable.

Topolino Private School follows an anti-bullying policy. Every junior learner has a senior learner as a buddy.
Together they identify bullying behaviour, that needs to be addressed.
We have a red post box, where learners can post a letter to make the staff aware of bullying behaviour.
We also have a yellow post box, where children can compliment fellow learners on outstanding behaviour.
We not only focus on the learner who has been bullied, but also on rectifying the bullying behaviour in consultation with parents and a therapist if needed.

Topolino Private School is a parallel medium school. We offer Afrikaans classes from Gr. 00 – Gr. 7 and separate English classes from Gr. 00 – Gr. 7.

Afrikaans and English are offered as a Home Language and First Additional Language.

Topolino Privaatskool is ‘n Christenskool. Ons het bybelperiodes 4 dae van die week. Al ons byeenkomste word met skriflesing en gebed begin. Ons bybelonderrig ondersteun ons karakterontwikkeling van die kwartaal of is gebasseer op Christelike gedenkdae soos Paasfees en Hemelvaart.