Macleans College Homestay A Z

Transcription

1 Macleans College Homestay A Z Absence In the event of absence from school the homestay caregiver should report this to school by phone (09) (recorded message) at the earliest opportunity. Airport New students may be met either by homestay caregivers, a member of the International Student Team or a friend or relative, as arranged. Students returning to their homestay after holidays can be met by homestay caregivers or make their own transport arrangements, as appropriate. Attendance This is monitored by the Form Class teacher and the International Student Coordinator. Please note there is a minimum attendance requirement for International students. Behaviour Homestay caregivers and students should have a copy of the school Performance Agreement for reference. Any reasonable homestay family rules are to be respected. Students should be reasonable, courteous and helpful in the house, keeping his/her bedroom tidy, clearing the table etc. Students should be on time for all meals and not be away from the home unless prior permission has been given. Broadband homestay caregivers are required to provide basic internet access as a minimum. This is for students to do their homework and contact their parents overseas. Any extra usage is to be negotiated and agreed between the student and the caregiver and it is acceptable for students to contribute a reasonable amount towards this, if appropriate. Bullying Any concerns should be communicated to school as they will always be taken seriously. Buses For bus information see School buses run from Dannemora, Panmure and Ti Rakau to and from Macleans College in term time. Students are responsible for paying their own bus fares. Communication Homestay caregivers We expect Homestay families to keep Macleans College informed of matters concerning the students including matters relating to their health, wellbeing or safety such as accidents, behavioural concerns or absences without reasonable explanation. We would also appreciate any other information relating to the student which may be helpful or important. Students Are expected to communicate with their caregivers with regards to their whereabouts, timekeeping and other activities or social events outside the home. Parents It is appreciated if homestay caregivers support their students in maintaining regular contact with their parents overseas, for example by helping them to buy and use a phone card for cheap rate international calls. Chores Students are expected to keep their own bedroom tidy and participate in family chores such as setting the table and doing the dishes.

2 Computer Many students bring their own laptop computer for use in the homestay. Those students without their own computer will need to access a home computer for homework and keeping in contact with their family overseas. Culture It is common for International students to experience feelings of excitement and enthusiasm on arriving in New Zealand. Everything appears new and exciting. However, having settled into the routine of study, students may experience feelings of frustration, loneliness or uneasiness. These feelings are a natural part of adapting to a new culture. Homestay caregivers play a very important role in supporting students and helping them adjust to their new environment. Homestay caregivers are expected to help the student understand New Zealand customs and culturally appropriate behaviour when necessary, and try to be understanding of students own culture and background, making allowances for this. Drinking alcohol and illegal drugs Macleans College will take a very strong stand if any student is found to be using or in possession of alcohol, cigarettes or illegal drugs. Driving Macleans College does not allow International students to own or drive a car while they are enrolled at the school. Electricity is expensive in New Zealand and some types of heaters are dangerous to leave unattended. Students may feel the cold and adequate heating should be provided. Homestay families should expect their power bills to go up while they are hosting a student. Emergency In the event of an emergency out of school hours, for example if an International student is admitted to hospital or involved in a medical emergency, please call During school hours please contact the main school number (09) Enrolment of new students at school This process is managed by the International Student Team. More details are on the school website Food Homestay caregivers are not expected to cook specialty foods every day. However, it is likely that the family diet will be different to what a student is used to. Students and caregivers are expected to be reasonably accommodating wherever possible. If caregivers take their student out to lunch or dinner it should be treated as a meal at home and paid for by the homestay family. If a student chooses to go out for lunch or dinner with their own friends it is the student who pays. For students hosting students from China, there is a good recipe book which is bilingual in English & Chinese with basic Chinese recipes for students and caregivers to try. The book is called Flavourful Stir fry by Evon KOW. Friends Students are expected to agree in advance with their homestay caregivers with regard to their friends visiting the homestay. If students wish to stay overnight with friends, caregivers should ensure that they have taken all reasonable precautions with regard to safety and adult supervision, including knowing where their student is staying and how to contact them. It is a good idea for caregivers to have contact details for students friends. Students in school homestay should not invite friends of the opposite sex to the home when parents are not there, or at any time without their consent.

3 Hair Students are expected to wear their hair styled in a tidy and reasonably conventional way. Unnatural colours are not permitted. Heating Most New Zealand homes do not have central heating. However, students should be warm enough in winter to sleep and study comfortably in their bedrooms. Adequate heating must be provided. Holidays Students may travel in New Zealand with the homestay caregivers. However, overseas travel or trips during term time will require prior permission. Students are not allowed to travel without their caregivers unless they have prior permission from school. Please contact the International Student Coordinator about this. Homestay payments will continue to be paid at the normal rate during the holidays at the end of Terms 1, 2 and 3. During Term 4 the Homestay Office will send out a letter to students and homestay caregivers outlining the options available for the long summer holidays. Most students will go back home. Students, who intend to return to the same homestay, leaving personal belongings in their room, will be asked to pay $50 per week retainer direct to the family (to a maximum of $300). Homework Students at Macleans College receive regular homework. They have a responsibility for completing this. However, any assistance and support caregivers are able to offer is much appreciated. Honesty - It would be fair to say that NZ is a trusting society and many aspects of daily life are based on trust, whether at home, school, work or in the community. Homestay is a key example of this as a lot of trust is placed with school, caregivers and students as a matter of course. Honesty is a key value at Macleans College. Hygiene Students are expected to maintain a good standard of personal hygiene in school and homestay. For female students, caregivers should give appropriate advice about disposal of sanitary items. Insurance All International students are required to have their own medical insurance. This may extend to cover of personal items. Students should contact the International Student Coordinator if they wish to make a claim. Homestay caregivers are advised to notify their own home insurance provider that they are hosting an International student. Internet - homestay caregivers are required to provide basic internet access as a minimum. This is for students to do their homework and contact their parents overseas. Any extra usage is to be negotiated and agreed between the student and the caregiver and it is acceptable for students to contribute a reasonable amount towards this, if appropriate. Homestay caregivers who become aware of inappropriate or excessive internet use should discuss this with their student(s) in the first instance. If such issues cannot be managed by the caregiver and are of cause for concern then they should be reported to the International Student Team.

4 Language We have members of staff who speak other languages including Chinese, Korean, Japanese, German, French and Spanish if assistance is required. Laundry Homestay caregivers are expected to assist students in washing and drying school uniform and a reasonable amount of casual and sportswear. Some students (especially girls) may prefer to wash some of their own clothing, underwear in particular. Mobile Phones Many students have mobile phones and it is important for homestay caregivers to have the number so they can keep in contact with students and know they are safe. Students should have the mobile phone numbers of their homestay caregivers. Mobile phones and other electronic devices must not be brought into school. Money Students are required to have their own funds for out of pocket expenses such as doctors /dentist visits, public transport, extra school activities etc. Students are advised not to bring large amounts of cash or expensive possessions to school. College students in New Zealand do not usually carry a lot of money in cash, as it is common to use a bank or EFTPOS card for day to day purchases. Homestay payments Students staying in school-arranged homestay will usually have their homestay payments made through school by the Finance Department. Payments are usually made two weekly, in advance. If you have any queries about your payments made through school please contact the Homestay Office in the first instance. Students who have not been placed in a particular homestay by school usually make their own payment arrangements direct with the family. Manners Acts of courtesy (for example holding a door open for someone) and pleasantries (for example friendly greetings and saying please and thank you ) are customary in New Zealand, and good manners are part of the Macleans Key Values. Macleans Key Values M Manners A Articulate C Courage L Loyalty E Effort (100%) A Authority respected N No lies S Sympathy and service

5 STEPS - Good manners are expected at Macleans College S Sir, Ms, Miss and Mrs T Thank you E Excuse me P Please S Sorry Moving House Homestay families who are currently hosting a Macleans International student should notify the school Homestay Office if they intend to move house (whether or not their student has been placed with them by school). Moving Homestay Students who want to move to a new homestay should contact the school Homestay Office in the first instance. Wherever possible, two weeks notice and fair consideration will be given to both the student and the host family. Some changes in homestay arrangements incur an administrative charge which has to be paid to school by the students. Noise It is common in NZ for families to go to bed early and disturbance after 9pm should be avoided as a matter of consideration. For example, many households may find phone calls after 9pm disruptive. Personal Hygiene Students are expected to maintain a good standard of personal hygiene in school and homestay. Pets it is very common for NZ households to have pets, dogs and cats in particular. Police Vetting all homestay providers are required to be cleared by the NZ police vetting procedure and vetting of caregivers may be routinely updated at any time. Punctuality It is expected that students are on time for all school activities. The early bell warning is 8.25am and students must be ready to begin by 8.30am at the latest. Relatives It is appreciated if homestay caregivers support their students to maintain regular contact with their parents overseas or any family members living in NZ. Homestay families are not expected to provide accommodation for visiting relatives. However some families choose to do this and are then responsible for any arrangements made. Religion NZ is a multi-cultural society and there is an expectation that families and students are tolerant and considerate. For location of places of worship, go to and type in the worship place you re looking for e.g. Anglican Church, Howick Showers It is common in NZ for many households to have a limited supply of hot water and students may need to be mindful of this.

6 Sickness - In the event of absence from school due to sickness please report this by phone ( (recorded message) at the earliest opportunity, followed up by a signed note from the caregiver. Absence due to sickness of more than 3 days requires a doctor s certificate. Sleep Students need to get enough sleep to function well at school. If caregivers have concerns they should contact the Form teacher. If students appear overtired or sleepy at school on a regular basis this will be taken up as a matter of concern. Telephone Students can use international phone cards (available from stationers, petrol stations and other retail outlets) for cheap overseas calls. These cards can be used with a home phone, and the cost of the call does not go on the household phone bill. Timekeeping It is expected that students are on time for every class and for all other school activities. The early bell warning is 8.25am and students must be ready to begin by 8.30am at the latest. Curfews and Supervision. The Macleans Performance Agreement has suggestions of curfew times for students of different ages as follows: Under 15 Macleans International students under 15 years should have adult supervision at all times in the home. Suggested curfew times Age Sunday-Thursday Friday Saturday Under 15 years 6.00 pm Under supervision Under supervision years 6.00 pm pm pm years 6.00 pm midnight midnight Over 18 years Negotiable Negotiable - To be agreed by caregiver Negotiable - To be agreed by caregiver Tuck Shop Macleans College has a school tuck shop which opens at morning interval and lunch time. Students can purchase a variety of hot and cold snack foods and can pay by cash or EFTPOS card. Trust In New Zealand many aspects of daily life are based on trust, whether at home, school, work or in the community. Homestay is a key example of this as a lot of trust is placed with school, caregivers and students as a matter of course. Honesty is a key value at Macleans College. Understanding Every homestay family is unique and students come from a very wide range of family, ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds. Often situations may arise due to basic misunderstandings which can be overcome with time and good communications. Vehicles - Macleans College does not allow International students to own or drive a car while they are enrolled at the school. In NZ young people can obtain a restricted driving licence from the age of 15 years. However they are not allowed to carry passengers and are subject to a pm curfew. Please be aware of this and other safety issues involving young drivers.

7 Water It is not uncommon for some homes (especially holiday homes and in rural areas) to lack a mains water supply. These homes may rely on a rainwater storage tank. Mains water is treated and safe to drink. Website The school website provides valuable information about our school including term dates, key dates and examination dates.