Foreword
Welcome to De Hoeksteen Primary School! Our school offers a solid and child-oriented learning environment in which we prepare students for a successful future. In this study guide you will find all the important information about our educational offer from the toddler group up to and including grade 8.
1. Our Vision and Mission
Vision: We want to provide good, tailor-made education based on safety and commitment, in which we recognise, develop and deploy talents.
Mission: We offer quality education in which we stimulate knowledge, social skills and creativity. Respect, discipline and cooperation are central to our education.
At De Hoeksteen, children learn to discover their talents in a challenging and meaningful environment. The children feel seen and supported and know that the teachers are there for them. With attention to personal leadership, we teach the children to think in terms of problem solving and to work together. The teachers know what is going on in each group and what the children are concerned with. They follow all developments closely and together create a good place for each child, where he or she counts and learns to get the best out of themselves.
Basisschool De Hoeksteen is a private school for regular primary education (GLO), which combines qualitative and practical educational goals of the Netherlands and the learning and teaching programs of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (MinOWC) and uses them as a guideline for all its educational activities in order to provide our students with fundamental basic elements.
2. Educational offer
Toddler group (2 - 4 years)
The toddler group lays the foundation for the rest of the school career. Here, language development, motor skills and social skills are worked on in a playful way. Activities include:
● Playful language and arithmetic exercises
● Creative activities such as crafts and singing
● Movement activities
● Toilet training
School hours: 08:00 - 12:00
Breaks: 1 break of 30 minutes
Preschool education (4 - 6 years) – Years 1 and 2
The preschool years focus on a smooth transition to primary education. The focus is on:
● Language and arithmetic development
● Motor and creative development
● Social skills and self-reliance
School hours: 08:00 - 12:00
Breaks: 1 break of 30 minutes
Primary education (6 - 12 years) – Years 3 to 8
From the third year onwards, students start with a broad curriculum.
Core subjects:
● Dutch
● Arithmetic/Mathematics
● World orientation (Geography, History, Nature & Technology) ● Science & Biology
Creative and Movement Subjects:
● Music
● Signs
● Gymnastics (1 day per week, 2 lessons)
● Media library (1 day per week, 2 lessons)
Additional Subjects:
● ICT (provided during the media library hour)
● English (from year 3)
School hours:
● Grades 3 and 4: 08:00 - 12:30
● Grades 5 to 8: 08:00 - 13:00
Breaks: 2 x 15 minutes per day
Education for students with autism (4 to 12 years)
At our school we offer appropriate education for students with autism through two streams:
1. In a regular group – The student receives education in a regular class with extra guidance.
2. In an autism group – For students who need more structure and peace, we offer education in a separate group.
We aim for a maximum of five students for each autism group, so that we can provide optimal support. In this way we ensure a learning environment in which every child feels comfortable and can grow.
For admission to our school we use an intake procedure. In this procedure the student is followed during three observation moments. Based on these observations and collected data the school assesses whether this is the right learning environment for the student. After completion of the intake procedure a final decision is made about the placement.
Teaching materials
Our school uses MINOWC teaching materials, which are specially developed to support the development of students in various subject areas. Below is an overview of the methods we use:
● Arithmetic
We use the MINOWC arithmetic course, which focuses on developing arithmetic skills through structured and clear teaching material. The method stimulates both practical and conceptual understanding of arithmetic.
● Language
For language education we use the language methods of MINOWC, which focus on strengthening both vocabulary and grammar. The teaching material focuses on reading and writing skills, and offers many opportunities for differentiation.
● Reading
The MINOWC reading method supports students in understanding texts and developing reading pleasure. It uses varied texts and reading strategies to promote both technical reading and reading comprehension.
● Spelling
MINOWC also offers a structured approach to spelling, where students learn and apply the rules step by step. The method is practical and visual, which makes learning easier.
● World orientation
The world orientation methods (geography, history and nature) help children to understand and explore their environment. The materials are interactive and connect to the pupils' world of experience.
These methods contribute to a broad and balanced educational offering, in which we take into account the learning needs of each student.
Homework
At our school we find it important that students continue to work on their development at home. That is why we expect children to read for at least 30 minutes every day. This helps to increase vocabulary, improve reading comprehension and strengthen reading skills.
In addition, homework can consist of practice assignments for math, language or other subjects, depending on the learning needs of the student. Our goal is to stimulate students in their learning process without homework being too much of a burden. We ask parents to play a supporting role in this.
3. Facilities
De Hoeksteen Primary School has:
● A media library
● Well-equipped classrooms
● Playgrounds for the younger students
● Child psychologist
● Speech therapist
● School doctor
4. Special Programs
● Reading school: Managed by the O'Nanny Suriname Foundation and open to all students.
● After-school care: For both students of the school and external children. The care includes bathing, eating, sleeping and playing and takes place from 13:00 - 17:00.
● After-school activities: Various creative and sports workshops.
5. School Organization and Policy
Protocols:
● Dyslexia protocol
● Anti-bullying protocol
● Medication protocol
● Autism protocol
● Suspend and delete protocol
● Reporting code for domestic violence and child abuse
These protocols can be read on the school website.
Annual plan
Every school year we work with an annual plan, in which we record our goals and spearheads. This plan focuses on the further development of our education, the guidance of students and the professionalization of our team. The annual plan is drawn up on the basis of evaluations, new insights and policy developments.
During the school year we monitor and evaluate the progress of the goals. Parents and other stakeholders are informed, where relevant, about important developments. In this way we work together on the continuous improvement of our education.
Core objectives
The law stipulates that primary schools must teach children certain things, so that all children know and can apply a number of things at the end of primary school, so that further education can connect well with primary school education. To achieve this, there are the so-called core objectives. These objectives indicate what the school must teach your child in the areas of, for example, language, arithmetic, orientation to yourself and the world and physical education.
Education Inspectorate
Our school is supervised by the Education Inspectorate, part of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (MINOWC). The inspectorate assesses whether schools meet the educational standards and guidelines.
In November 2024, the inspectorate visited our school. We are proud to report that this resulted in a positive assessment. This confirms that we
are on the right track in providing quality education and a safe learning environment for our students.
Quality assurance
In addition to external quality assurance (education inspectorate), our school also has a number of instruments in the field of internal quality assurance:
- Employee satisfaction survey
- Parent satisfaction survey
- General student satisfaction survey, bullying reporting and well-being
- There are internal protocols and a pedagogical policy plan to monitor and map the education and learning process
6. School targets
● Maximum 15 students per class.
● An attendance rate of at least 92%.
● Performance at or above average in reading, writing, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and arithmetic.
7. Registration, costs and cancellation
Requirements for registration:
● Copy of vaccination book
● Copy of Family Book
● 2 passport photos of the child
● Report + school statement from the school of origin
School contributions:
● Registration: USD 200 (October 2025 + September 2026)
● Registration fee: USD 10
● Material costs: USD 25 per year
● School Fee: USD 100 per month
● School fees for students with autism: USD 150 per month ● After-school care: USD 50 per month
● Uniform (T-shirt): USD 10 or SRD 350 per piece
● Swimming lessons (not compulsory): USD 18 or SRD 500 per month
Tuition fees and payment terms
The costs of education at our private school are determined annually
by the board and recorded in the payment conditions. These conditions are provided to all parents and can be requested from the administration.
Tuition fees can be paid in one go, quarterly or monthly:
● One-time payment before September 15 (including tuition fees and (re)registration fee) gives a 7.5% discount.
● Quarterly payment before October 1, 2024, January 1, 2025, April 1, 2025 and July 1, 2025.
● Family discount: If you register three children from the same family, you will receive a 5% discount per child on the school fees.
Late payment will incur a $50 per month surcharge, in accordance with De Hoeksteen's current payment terms.
Cancellation:
Parents must submit a written notice of termination of the contract to the principal two months in advance, with an explanation. If this is not done, parents must pay a fine equal to two months of school fees.
Payment options:
● Cash
● POS payment
● Bank transfer
8. Practical information
School uniform
The colours of the uniform are green, yellow and red, symbolising the Surinamese flag, with the logo of De Hoeksteen.
School uniform during gym class
A white or blue t-shirt (without logo) with blue shorts, gym shoes and a towel.
School supplies
All students need the following basic supplies:
● School bag
● Writing materials (pens, (coloured) pencils, broom, sharpener)
● Scriptures
● Pencil case
● Ruler
● Scissors
● Glue
● Lunch and water bottle
At the start and/or transition to a new school year, you will receive a specific list of additional supplies that match the curriculum and activities of that school year.
In addition, we advise you to leave valuables at home. The school is not responsible for the loss or damage of valuables such as mobile phones, digital games, jewelry, tablets, etc. We kindly request that you ensure that your child does not bring these items to school.
Take with you every day in your school bag
- Drinking: a drinking bottle with water.
- Food: fruit and a sandwich.
- School supplies.
Birthdays
Of course, for children their birthday is one of the most important days of the year. We make a big party of it. Treating at school is part of that, but this is not necessary. The choice of the treat is free, but we do hope for a healthy, modest treat. Treating with sweets does not have our
preference, because this is bad for the teeth. Dangerous sweets, such as lollipops, may also not be given as a treat. In the case of a birthday, in principle, treats are only given to the children who are present at that time of day.
Mobile phones
We have noticed in recent years that children have access to a mobile phone at a young age. This is partly due to the digitalisation of society as a whole. However, the use of a mobile phone by children at school is not permitted. If a phone is brought to school anyway, it must be handed in to the teacher. The school is not liable for damage and/or theft.
At school we pay attention to media literacy. We urge you to also guide your child yourself when using a computer, tablet or mobile phone. The use of e.g. Whatsapp (legally from 16 years), social media and internet require personal attention and protection of your child(ren).
Parking and dropping off/picking up your child
There is no parking for parents on our school grounds. We do have a Drive-Thru in front of the school, supervised by two teachers and a security guard. Do you still want to park? This is possible in the area, but not on the school grounds or at SURgoed. Please make sure that other traffic is not hindered. Together we ensure a safe and smooth flow around the school. Thank you for your cooperation!
School holidays - students off
|
Christmas holiday |
Saturday 21 Dec 2024 to 5 Jan 2025 |
|
Easter holiday |
Wednesday April 16 to May 4, 2025 |
|
Pentecost holiday |
Saturday June 7 to June 15, 2025 |
|
Summer vacation |
Saturday August 16 to September 30, 2025 |
Teacher training days - students free
|
Training day 1 |
November 23, 2024 |
|
Training day 2 |
February 22, 2025 |
|
Training day 3 |
March 27, 2025 from 12 noon students free |
|
Training day 4 |
National holidays - students off
|
Maroons Day |
Thursday, October 10, 2024 |
|
Diwali |
Thursday, October 31, 2024 |
|
Independence Day |
Monday, November 25, 2024 |
|
Chinese New Year |
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 |
|
Holi Phagwa |
Friday March 14, 2025 |
|
Eid Ul Fitra |
Monday, March 31, 2025 |
|
Javanese New Year |
Thursday June 26, 2025* |
|
Day of Freedoms |
Tuesday, July 1, 2025 |
9. Care
Within our school, we strive to organize care at three levels within the groups: basic care, extra care, and intensive care. This means that we tailor the curriculum and support to the needs of each student. Basic care is aimed at the entire group, extra care is aimed at students who need more challenge or support, and intensive care is for children who require specific guidance. In this way, we ensure that each student is supported at the right level and can develop optimally.
Speech therapist
The speech therapist helps children with speech, language, voice and swallowing problems. If the teacher or parents notice that a child has difficulty communicating, a referral can be discussed. The guidance takes place in consultation with parents and, if possible, at school or externally at a speech therapy practice.
School doctor
The school doctor monitors the health and development of students by means of periodic checks. Growth, motor skills, hearing, vision and general health are examined. Parents are informed about this and can always contact the school doctor with questions or concerns for advice or further examination.
Child psychologist
Sometimes a child needs extra support with social-emotional development, behavior or learning problems. In consultation with parents, the school can call in a child psychologist. This person offers guidance and advice to promote the child's well-being, with the aim of optimal development at school and at home.
Duplicate
At our school, repeating a year is avoided as much as possible. It only happens when the learning results and development of a child are noticeably behind those of most classmates and the school sees opportunities to provide additional support to the development of a pupil in a broad sense by having them repeat a year. The parents are informed of our decision at an early stage and are given the opportunity to exchange ideas with us about it. A plan will be drawn up by the teacher in consultation with the director, about the approach to be followed in the year to be repeated.
10. School Management and Security
The day-to-day management is in the hands of the director, supported by:
● Director
● Deputy Director
● Education Manager
● Facility manager
● HR manager
● Financial manager
● Speech therapist
● Child psychologist
● School doctor
●Teaching team
● Cleaning and maintenance team
Furthermore, there is 24/7 security for the safety of children and staff.
11. Communication with parents
At our school we believe in the power of the golden triangle : parents, child and teacher. Good cooperation and open communication between school and home contribute to the well-being and development of every child. We value an involved and respectful dialogue, so that together we can ensure a safe and stimulating learning environment. We find it important to communicate well with parents. We do this in various ways:
School guide
Our school guide is published every year. In it you can read how our education is organised, what you can expect from us and what we expect from you.
Newsletter
Every month you will receive a newsletter with information about school activities and other important matters. Sometimes we send a short newsflash when there is news quickly.
Class app
Through the class app, you will receive messages from the teacher about learning material, tests and other information about your child's group.
Personal contact
● Introductory meeting – At the beginning of the school year, you will discuss the most important matters about your child with the teacher for 15 minutes.
● Report meeting – Your child will receive a report three times a year. In this report, the teacher describes your child's progress and development. If the results are insufficient, a report meeting will follow.
● By appointment – You can always request a meeting if you or the teacher would like to discuss something.
● Broad consultation – Sometimes additional support is needed. In that case, we consult with you, the teacher, the director and an external expert to properly coordinate the help and guidance of your child.
Care or emergency:
At our school, the agreement is that in the event of a concern or calamity, you first talk to your child's teacher. You first discuss your questions, comments or concerns with her. If necessary, make a follow-up appointment with the teacher at the end of a conversation to monitor the development. If you cannot reach an agreement with the teacher, you can contact the deputy director. If that does not provide sufficient results, you make an appointment with the director.
12. Insurance and liability
Insurances
Primary school de Hoeksteen has a Surinamese Accident Regulation (SOR). This insures students, staff and volunteers.
Responsibility
Parents and teachers are expected to act in the best interests of the child. We therefore feel responsible together with you for the education and upbringing of your child. That is why we find good cooperation very important. For good communication between you and us it is important that we trust each other and have understanding and respect for each other. At school, the teachers are primarily responsible for the children. The director has the final responsibility.
The school is not liable for lost or damaged jewelry and/or mobile phones.
Accident at school
If a child becomes ill or has an accident during school hours, we will contact one of the parents or guardians as soon as possible. If this is not possible, we will check whether you have provided another telephone number in case of absence. You will then be requested to pick up your child from school and, if necessary, take them to the doctor. If we cannot reach anyone, we will assess the situation and make our own assessment. In urgent cases, we will take your son or daughter directly to the first aid. Of course, everything will be done to contact you.
13. Medication and allergies
Medication
The leaders of De Hoeksteen Primary School are allowed to give the children medication such as antibiotics, nose drops, chamodent, etc. However, it is important that the parents give clear permission and information about this. It is therefore mandatory to fill in the agreement "use of medication", so we can prevent possible problems. The parents and the leader of the group both sign the form. Without the completed form, no medication will be administered at the daycare center. If the child has a fever, the leader will give him/her extra to drink and try to cool him/her down by removing warm clothing.
Allergies
Parents provide a list at registration in which they can indicate whether school activities require consideration of certain medications, certain circumstances or special nutrition for the children. The parents of the activities committee and the teachers of the children receive these lists,
so that when organizing school activities we do not lose sight of these important matters regarding nutrition and diet.
14. Privacy and data protection
At De Hoeksteen primary school we handle the privacy of students, parents and employees with care. We only process necessary data, such as name, date of birth and school performance. These are treated confidentially and only shared with directly involved parties, such as teachers and external supervisors.
Personal data will not be stored longer than legally required, in accordance with our privacy policy. Parents and students have the right to view, correct or delete data. For this purpose, please contact the administration.
The school takes photos and videos of students for use on social media and other communication media. If you object to this for privacy reasons or other reasons, you can indicate this to the school.