School Notifications - Waikato Diocesan School for Girls

Staff Only Day Friday 21 September

posted 19 Sep 2018, 13:52 by Debbie Stevens

A reminder that as communicated in the DioNews and online calendar, tomorrow (Friday 21 September) is a Staff Only Day.

All boarders must be collected by 5:00 pm this afternoon.

Enjoy your long weekend, girls.

Term 4 Sports Sign-up

posted 19 Sep 2018, 13:31 by Debbie Stevens

Sign-up for Term 4 Sports is now available online by clicking here.

A new feature for sports sign-up is that we will be taking credit card payments when you sign-up. This means students will be required to sign-up with parental permission and credit card authorisation. This feature will be rolled out for all sports next year.

Any queries should be directed to the Sports Department.

School-to-School Exchange Information Evening - Change of Venue

posted 18 Sep 2018, 19:15 by Debbie Stevens

To those of you who have registered to attend the school-to-school Exchange Information Evening tomorrow night (Thursday 20 September) from 5:30 pm, please note that due to larger than anticipated numbers, the venue has changed to the school Lecture Theatre.

Please park on the school Netball Courts (follow directions from Gate 3 Martin Street entrance) and follow the directional signs to the Lecture Theatre.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Important Information Regarding Canteen Purchases from Term 4

posted 16 Sep 2018, 19:30 by Debbie Stevens [ updated 16 Sep 2018, 19:30 ]

From the start of term 4, the Monitor system will be used by students purchasing food from the school canteen. Monitor allows parents to load funds on to their daughter’s student identity card, which can then be used to pay for certain items at school. Each identity card will hold a canteen account and a photocopying account.

What is My Monitor?

My Monitor is the website through which parents can:

instantly add value to their daughter's Monitor accounts by credit card or bank to bank transfer
transfer value between accounts (from one daughter to another, or from the canteen to copying)
view transaction reports
manage their accounts and enable regular reporting and reminders.

The My Monitor website will be activated in early October. At that time you will be sent detailed instructions on how to access and use My Monitor. Students will have their own My Monitor screen through which they will be able to view their account balances, but they will not be able to add value to the accounts.

Canteen Accounts

In the past students have purchased food from the canteen by swiping their student identity card. The purchases were charged to the family’s school account each month.

Problems with the current system include:

Detailed printouts are not available unless requested
Overspending by students at the canteen
No transparency or control for the parents

From the start of next term, canteen purchases will no longer be charged to family’s school accounts. Parents will need to top up their daughter’s canteen account with at least $20.00 (and up to $500.00) before any canteen purchases can be made. This can be done online using My Monitor.

Monitor places control in the hands of parents, who can tailor it to suit their family needs:

At any time you can log in to My Monitor and view a detailed report of your daughter’s canteen spending
You can set daily or weekly limits for your daughter’s canteen spending
You can arrange for reports on your daughter’s canteen spending to be sent to you daily, weekly or monthly if you wish
You can arrange for automated emails to remind you to top up the account when a balance falls to a certain level.

If there is a balance remaining on the account at the end of the year:

Balances for returning students will be transferred to their new identity card for the following year
Balances of more than $10.00 for leaving students will be transferred to the family account. Family accounts with credit balances will be paid out in February of the following year.
Balances of less than $10.00 will be retained and donated to the school charity unless a refund is requested by February of the following year.

Photocopying Accounts

Monitor has already been in use for some time for printing and copying. Every student has a $40.00 copying quota loaded on to her ID card at the start of the school year. There is no charge for this. Students draw down on their quota by swiping their card each time they need to use a school printer or copier. Most girls do not exceed their quota during the year. Those who do need to receive a top up so that they can continue to use school printers and copiers. In the past, this has been done by charging the family’s school account. From the start of term 4, parents will be able to top up their daughter’s copying account instantly by using My Monitor.

*Please note that because we are starting to use Monitor in Term 4, your daughter’s initial copying quota will be less than the $40.00 she received at the start of the year.

School Contacts

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Rae Francis or Mrs Sara Kimpton in the school finance office - phone (07) 855 2038 or email rfrancis@wdsg.school.nz

Resignation of Dio Chaplain

posted 29 Aug 2018, 20:45 by Debbie Stevens

It is with much sadness that I have received the resignation of Dio Chaplain, Reverend Jacqui Paterson, effective 14 October.

Reverend Jacqui has been living away from home during her 18 months in the role and has decided, after much prayer and thought, to settle back permanently in New Plymouth with her family.

We thank Reverend Jacqui for her spiritual leadership and wish her all the very best in her future endeavours.

Mary Curran
Principal

Bus Driver Industrial Action

posted 27 Aug 2018, 14:37 by Debbie Stevens [ updated 27 Aug 2018, 17:26 ]

We’ve been notified that bus drivers will be taking further industrial action TOMORROW Wednesday 29 August.

BusitWaikato apologises for this disruption and is working closely with the bus company to keep as many services operating as possible.

All ORBITER AND REGIONAL (Northern Connector, Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Raglan and Morrinsville/Paeroa) buses WILL OPERATE AS NORMAL.

There will be NO SERVICE on 29 Hamilton Gardens bus. All other HAMILTON BUSES will run to a reduced timetable.

If you travel to school by bus, we recommend you check if your route is affected. Updates will be posted on the Busit Facebook page and on their Website. The call centre is open 24 hours: 0800 205 305.

Exchange Programme Information Evening

posted 26 Aug 2018, 20:36 by Debbie Stevens

Anglican Special Character Review

posted 22 Aug 2018, 19:48 by Debbie Stevens

The Director of Anglican Schools, the Rev Dr Anne Van Gend, and the Director of Presbyterian Schools, the Rev Sharon Ross Ensor, will be at Dio between Wednesday 5 and Friday 7 September in order to conduct a review of our Anglican Special Character, based on the 'Five Marks of Mission' of the Anglican Church.

If you would like to know more about what this review entails, a booklet is available from reception for your information.

If you would like to contribute to the review, there are areas in the booklet for your written feedback. There is a space in reception for you to place your completed booklet, which will be given to the Reviewers to add to their understanding and subsequent recommendations.

If you have any queries, please contact Chaplain, Jacqui Paterson.

September Worship Opportunity

posted 14 Aug 2018, 14:30 by Debbie Stevens

Bus Driver Industrial Action

posted 12 Aug 2018, 20:07 by Debbie Stevens

We’ve been notified that bus drivers will be taking industrial action TOMORROW Tuesday 14 August.

BusitWaikato apologises for this disruption and is working closely with the bus company to keep as many services operating as possible.

If you travel to school by bus, we recommend you check if your route is affected. Updates will be posted on the Busit Facebook page and on their Website. The call centre is open 24 hours: 0800 205 305.