Holiday Dates

Honeybee is open all year round, excepting Public Holidays and a couple of weeks over the December/January holiday period.

 

What your child should wear to school

Comfortable appropriate clothing is recommended. Each child should bring a bag with a change of clothing in it for “emergencies” and for changes in the weather.

 

Outdoor Play

This is an important time for children to socialize and invent their own games.

Outdoor equipment (e.g. hula hoops and balls) is available.

Teachers and assistants supervise all outdoor activities.

It is Honeybees policy that only children who have protection against the sun may go out into the playground. Therefore, we ensure that learners have sunscreen applied and we ask all parents to ensure that they have paid for a Honeybee hat.

 

Valuables

It is preferable if little ones do not wear jewellery or bring valuables to school (toys, watches). Toys from home can create conflict in the class. There are lots of toys to play with at school. The school does not take responsibility for any valuables brought to school. For safety reasons necklaces should not be worn to school and will be removed if worn.

 

Medicine Policy

We ask that children be kept at home for 48 hours after the start of a course of anti-biotics.
Medicine may be brought to school. Parents are required to write details of the medication into the register and the medication will be administered by a designated member of staff.

Multi-vitamins are recommended and are provided by parents and administered by the class teachers.

We offer a deworming program twice a year. This is optional.

 

Smoking

No smoking is permitted on the property.

 

Parental Involvement

Remember that school is an extension of, and NOT a substitute for home. Parents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the weekly theme at school and to carry the theme through to the home environment, by talking to their children and by reading at home.

 

Communication

Each child has a small notebook, in a pouch, in their classroom. Teachers may write notes to parents in these books and parents may write notes for the teachers. Letters, leaflets and reminders are also left in these books, so parents are asked to check their child’s book every day.
Honeybee sends out a monthly newsletter and a monthly calendar of events to help parents keep abreast of activities.

We also communicate with parents via SMS and e-mail.

 

School Meals

All meals are provided and include a nutritionally balanced breakfast and lunch, with snack times in between. Cows milk is provided but baby formula must be supplied by the parents. Special diets are accommodated and must be discussed with the Principal.

 

Water Bottles

Each child has a water bottle at school. These are provided by parents. The bottles are regularly washed, sterilized and filled.

 

Absence

Parents are kindly requested to notify the office if their child is absent from school for any reason.

 

General Information

All teachers and caregivers hold current First Aid Certificates.

Babies under 12 months old are weighed fortnightly and dietary advice is offered.

An entertainment levy of R400 is charged for the year. This covers the costs of bringing in outside performers to the school. (e.g. puppeteers, farm animals, reptile shows magicians etc )

Library is every Wednesday and each child may take home a library book in a special library bag.

Professional photographs are taken once a year at the school. These are for parents to purchase if they wish.

The Teddy Trot is held annually. This gives children and parents an opportunity to raise additional funds for the school.

A speech therapist is available for free screening tests every week. Should your child require speech therapy, classes are available at parents cost.

An occupational therapist is also available on the same terms as the speech therapist.

A year end concert takes place in the last term of the school year.

Reports are issued twice a year and we encourage teacher/parent interaction at all times. Any concerns regarding your child’s progress will be raised with the parent in a parent/ teacher meeting.

Be objective, not personal in your instructions.

“Books go in this bookcase,” rather than “I want you to be sure to keep your books in the bookcase.”

 

Be positive, not negative. “Use the tricycle. It is your size.

” rather than “You are too small to ride the bicycle.”

 

Give the social reasons for rules rather than flat authority.

“Hand the coat up before the baby steps on it and wrinkles it.” rather than “Hang it up”

 

Give a solution to the problem rather than mere prohibitions.

“Please move to this side of the table John, so that Mary will be able to see,” rather than “Don’t stand in Mary’s way, John.”

 

Be Specific. Give concrete information using concrete names and commands:

“If you hold the card by the edge, it will stay clean,” rather than “Don’t mess up the cards.”

 

Match objects and actions to your words.

“”Trays (pause and show) are held in the middle” (pause and show) rather than “Do it this way.”

 

Give awareness of consequences.

“Hitting hurts Peter,” rather than “Don’t hit Peter”

 

Act as an individual to defend the common law in specific instances.

“I will not let you hurt John with the stick,” rather than “We don’t hurt people.”

 

Recognise the validity of emotions when you limit destructive actions.

“ I know you are angry but you may not hurt Mary,” rather than “Why did you hit Mary.”