Practical Matters
School Hours
| Day | Time | Group 1 to 4 | Group 5 to 8 | TSO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM | 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM | 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM | 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM | 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:30 AM – 12:15 PM | 8:30 AM – 12:15 PM | 8:30 AM – 12:15 PM | – |
| Thursday | 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM | 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM | 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
| Friday | 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM (groups 5 to 8) |
8:30 AM – 12:00 PM | 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
Holidays and Study Days
School Year 2024-2025
|
Holiday Schedule and Study Days |
|||
|
Holiday/Day Off |
First Day |
Last Day |
Who |
|
1st School Day |
2-9-2024 |
Groups 1 – 8 |
|
|
Study Day Lower Grades |
2-10-2024 |
Groups 1 – 4 |
|
|
Autumn Break |
28-10-2024 |
to 1-11-2024 |
Groups 1 – 8 |
|
Study Day |
4-11-2024 |
Groups 1 – 8 |
|
|
Sinterklaas Continuous until 2 PM |
5-12-2024 |
Groups 1 – 8 |
|
|
Study Day Lower Grades |
6-12-2024 |
Groups 1 – 4 |
|
|
Christmas Break |
20-12-2024 |
to 3-1-2025 |
Groups 1 – 8 |
|
Spring Break |
17-2-2025 |
to 21-2-2025 |
Groups 1 – 8 |
|
Study Day |
12-3-2025 |
Groups 1 – 8 |
|
|
Good Friday |
18-4-2025 |
Groups 1 – 8 |
|
|
May Break |
21-4-2025 |
to 5-5-2025 |
Groups 1 – 8 |
|
Ascension Day |
29-5-2025 |
to 30-5-2025 |
Groups 1 – 8 |
|
Whit Monday |
9-6-2025 |
Groups 1 – 8 |
|
|
Study Day |
18-6-2025 |
Groups 1 – 8 |
|
|
Summer Break |
11-7-2025 |
to 22-8-2025 |
Groups 1 – 8 |
Absence and Leave
For extra leave outside of school holidays, you need permission from the school principal. You can submit a request via a leave form. More information about the leave policy and compulsory education can be found under “Leave Request and Compulsory Education”.
No leave is granted for:
- Family visits abroad
- Vacations during cheaper periods
- Vacations during school time due to lack of other booking options
- Early departure or late return due to traffic congestion
- Other children in the family being off school
The school management is obliged to report unauthorized school absences to the attendance officer.
Schools are required to report unauthorized school absences to the attendance officer. Unauthorized school absence means that a student is absent from school without a valid reason, and without permission from the school or attendance officer. Sometimes a student cannot attend school and there is authorized school absence. This means that a student is absent from school with a valid reason, and with permission from the school or attendance officer. The website of the Dutch Government (www.rijksoverheid.nl) states when there is authorized absence.
Is it not possible to go on vacation during school holidays? In exceptional cases, request permission from the school administration for leave outside school holidays.
For more information, go to: https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/leerplicht/vraag-enantwoord/leerplicht-schoolvakanties.
This is how you report your child sick: Via our parent portal or by phone. This is how you request leave for your child: Request form is available at the administration.
For religious holidays other than those planned by the school (such as Hanukkah, Eid al-Fitr, etc.), one day of leave per holiday is allowed. For this, a message via the parent portal to the administration suffices.
Communication to Parents
General
Parents and school mainly keep each other informed through the parent portal. Parents download an app on their phone and can send and receive messages. The school sends most information through this portal.
Information Evening
At the beginning of the school year, an evening is scheduled where information is provided about the topics to be covered in the respective group, and an explanation is given about the working methods within the group. For the parents of new kindergartners, an additional information evening is held in February.
In the first period, we invite all parents and children for an introductory meeting with the new teacher. In the fall, you have the opportunity to request an additional 10-minute meeting. In between, the teacher can be reached via the Parent Portal for your questions.
Report Card Evening
Twice a year, you have the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress during 10-minute meetings. We expect all parents to attend after the first report card; the second meeting in June is optional. Report cards are issued in February and June.
Newsletter
Our PS is published digitally on the parent portal five times a year, containing up-to-date information.
Other
A school project is often concluded with a presentation of the children’s work. You are invited to attend.
“A few times a year, there is an open stage. The dates are available on the parent portal.
Parent Participation
General
Communication with parents is essential. The school’s small scale allows for quick and easy contact. Teachers and parents connect both during planned and spontaneous moments. Parents participate in activities and excursions, in the library, on the parent council, and in the participation council. We regularly organize coffee mornings to hear parents’ thoughts on various topics.
Parent Portal
Parents and school mainly keep each other informed through the parent portal. Parents download an app on their phone and can send and receive messages. The school sends most information through this portal.
Parent Council
A group of parents, together with two teachers, forms the parent council. This group is responsible for organizing various activities that enhance our education. They play a role during celebrations for children and their parents. The parent council also manages the contributions from the voluntary parental contribution, which is €60 per year per child. This is partly used to fund the school trip, as well as parts of the Sinterklaas, Christmas, and Easter celebrations.
Participation Council
Parents who are interested in school policy can, after being democratically elected by other parents, join the Participation Council for a number of years. In this council, they work alongside staff members. The Participation Council questions, informs, and advises the school leadership. On certain matters, the council has the right of consent. Parents and staff keep the school leadership sharp and serve as valuable discussion partners.
Language Café
In collaboration with the neighborhood center Participe, we organize a weekly Language Café every Friday morning in our school library. Here, non-Dutch speaking and Dutch-speaking parents meet in an informal setting over a cup of coffee/tea. It’s relaxed, yet effective in lowering the barrier to learning and confidently speaking Dutch. This also increases parental involvement.
Care Partners
Our TSO partner is Woest Zuid. Parents pay a contribution to support the supervision during the lunch break.
After-school care is arranged by parents themselves. Organizations that children from our school go to include: Kinderrijk, Partou, KindZijn.
Complaints Procedure
STEP 1 – Discuss the Problem
Do you have a complaint about the school? First discuss this with the person involved, possibly together with one of our internal confidential advisors of the school.
Marlene de Jong m.dejong@ogamstelland.nl
Lilian Roos l.roos@ogamstelland.nl
STEP 2 – Discuss it with the Management
Doesn’t the first conversation help? Then discuss it with the school management, possibly (again) with the help of the internal confidential advisor.
STEP 3 – Seek External Help
Still haven’t found a solution? Then contact the external confidential advisor for a listening ear and advice on the further route to follow:
External Confidential Advisor Pepita David 06-55 32 65 39 p.david@dtconnect.nl
After that, you can file a complaint with the board of Onderwijsgroep Amstelland. There will be a conversation (hearing both sides), and a decision from the board. This decision will be fed back to the school management.
Onderwijsgroep Amstelland
Kalkbranderij 2, 1185 ZX Amstelveen
klachten@ogamstelland.nl
STEP 4 – Disputes Committee for Special Education (GCBO)
Is it still not resolved? Or do you want to send the complaint directly to the complaints committee? Then you can file a complaint with: A. The Disputes Committee for general complaints, or B. The Confidential Inspector for matters such as sexual intimidation, radicalization, or serious bullying.
Disputes Committee for Special Education (GCBO)
The Confidential Inspector 0900-1113111
STEP 5 Civil Court
Still unable to reach a solution together? Then, as a final step, you can involve the civil court
You can find the complete complaints procedure under Important Documents.
Important Documents
Here you will find various important documents that you can consult for more information, insight into the rules and procedures of Het Palet.
School Plan
Currently, we are working on a new school plan for 2025-2026. The guiding document in this process is the strategic course plan of Onderwijsgroep Amstelland.
The values from which we all work are:
- Craftsmanship
- Connection
- Looking Further
The themes that all OGA schools will focus on in the coming years are:
- Basic Skills and Knowledge: Citizenship, Language, Mathematics, and Digital Literacy
- Equal Opportunities in an Inclusive Society
- A Learning and Professional Organization
In the school plan that will be published soon, you can read about our specific focus as a school for the next four years and what we will be working on concretely.
School Guide
In addition to an extensive school description, the school guide also contains as much current and practical information about the school as possible. It is intended for parents and other stakeholders of our school.
Social Safety Plan (Anti-Bullying Protocol)
This plan outlines how we work to ensure the physical and social safety of students and staff. It includes a description of our approach to addressing bullying behavior and our code of conduct.
School Support Profile (SOP)
Our school has described how we have organized our support to make education as appropriate as possible for our students.
GDPR and Privacy Regulations
This document outlines how we, as a school, handle student and parent data securely.
The Data Protection Officer for Onderwijsgroep Amstelland is Wilma van Drunen. She can be reached via w.vandrunen@ogamstelland.nl
Protocol for Suspension and Removal
Fortunately, suspensions or expulsions are rare. In this protocol, you can read the procedure we follow if, for any reason, we are unable to provide education to a child.
Complaints Procedure
Sometimes schools and parents cannot come to a solution for a problem. Parents can then turn to the Complaints Committee for Christian Education.
Complaints Procedure
If you are dissatisfied with an aspect of the school, the teacher is the first point of contact. If you cannot resolve it together, you can contact the management or one of our confidential advisors:
Marlene de Jong – m.dejong@ogamstelland.nl
Lilian Roos – l.roos@ogamstelland.nl
If the above is not sufficient, you can follow the complaints procedure.
Reporting Code and Duty to Report
Every employee of an educational institution is legally obliged to follow a step-by-step plan in case of signals and/or suspicions of domestic violence or child abuse.
