“The Valley of Life Long Learners”

Our school values represent what we believe to be the most important behaviours that our school community should uphold. These values underpin our day-to-day life, the curriculum, and the culture of our school. We take care to ensure that students understand our values, and that teachers, staff, and other workers model them appropriately.

Twice per term we hold a whole school assembly where we reinforce the rules and expectations of our children and reward those who continuously show our school core values.

Respect
As a Te Akau Learner we believe that showing respect includes being courteous, using your manners and being considerate of people, property and the environment. Respecting ourselves and each other also includes being honest with ourselves and others.

Resilience
As a Te Akau Learner we believe that showing resilience includes having a positive self-image and confidence in all life and learning experiences. It also includes having the ability to “bounce back” from setback.

Risk Taker
As a Te Akau Learner we believe that being a risk taker means that we are curious, critical, and reflective about information and experience and that we look to “have a crack” at all types of experiences and challenges.

Responsible
Make wise choices, be able to give opinions and justify them. Take charge of their learning and be reflective about making changes and taking care of others around them and being reliable. Set goals and pathways to achievement.

Recognition and reward
We recognise students who demonstrate our school values through their behaviour and actions, which may include:

• using good manners

• working hard and achieving highly

• respecting other people's opinions

• supporting classmates in their work and interests

• being helpful, cooperative, and sometimes going the extra mile.

Students are acknowledged for individual achievement, and contributing positively to our school community. Acknowledgement may include verbal praise, certificates and awards, and communication with parents.

Managing challenging behaviour
At Te Akau School we aim to create an environment in which students feel supported to communicate with their peers and to staff appropriately through our behaviour management strategies. Students who display challenging behaviour (e.g. disrupting others, swearing, being defiant) may be:

• encouraged to reflect on their behaviour away from other students until they can more effectively communicate their needs

• given a warning if they continue with disruptive behaviour

• withdrawn from the activity/class for a period of time

• responded to through our behaviour management strategies.

Serious behaviour and/or actions (e.g. violence, damage to property, theft) result in immediate referral to a senior staff member and may be recorded in our student management system.