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Our strengths

Practical arrangements

A full document of the schoolrules is available in the SCHOOLBROCHURE GBS De Letterberg juni 2017 (in Dutch only).

Below is a number of FAQs and answers.

What is the contact info and how do I enroll my child?

We are reachable at +3216 394161 and by mail any time. The school is located at 81 Dorpsstraat, 3050 Oud-Heverlee. See map below. If you seek to enroll, either come to school to see the headmaster to see the school or download the inschrijvingsdocumenten and fill them out if you do not need any assistance.

Unsure what date your toddler might start kindergarten school? This will be the first school entry day after your child reached the age of 30 months. Check our entry dates chart.

What does the school do for international children without command of Dutch?

Quite a lot. We offer a warm and functional welcome to newcomers. We have a tradition of building friendships across languages and cultures. Our team has the tools to screen the language skills of newcomers, and we may introduce a language course to children whom we deem in need of it. For kindergarten school it is of the essence that newcomers keep coming every day and participate, which the best possible immersion into Dutch. For newcomers in primary education we offer a combination of individual language lessons tailored by the care coordinator and some language buddies appointed in the group. They will not only provide language support by exemplifying what the teacher says, but also will they work toward the social wellbeing of newcomers.

What can you tell me about special learning needs?

GBS De Letterberg is a caring school where all teacher also have remediating duties. When children need structural support in courses or for certain lessons or topics, the support is tailor made for your child. Our care coordinator manages the files, the remedy and discusses the steps taken with the parents and, if needed with the external therapists.

Our school works closely together with Kirsten Coremans from the Centrum voor leerlingbegeleiding (VCLB), which is located at 5, Karel Van Lotharingenstraat, 3000 Leuven. Tel: +3216 282400; email : info@vclbleuven.be. Obvisouly, parents have every right to accept or reject the assistance of this centre. Remedial care is not restricted to primary school. Starting every year and at the middle of every year the 5 qnd 6 years olds that prepare for primary school will be tested in preperatory math and language skills. There is special needs remedy in this group so that actions can be undertaken if needed.

Some children stand out in a reversed way: if the average learning process is not enough of a challenge, this too is a matter of special needs. The staff, the child and the parents will work out apt trajectories in the fields of interest. With lots of extra materials and activities, bored is the one thing no child must ever be at De Letterberg.

What are school hours and what before and after school time?

Monday – Tuesday – Thursday and Friday school is open from 8:30 till 15:45, and Wednesday till 12:00, with a schedule as follows

Before 8:30 and after 15u45 childcare initiative Stekelbees will take over the children present in the building, using its own facilities, the play yard, the sporting hall as places where children do their activities

• Stekelbees childcare is possible from as early as 07.00 AM (till 8.30 when school starts) and from 15:45 (when school ends) till as late 18.30
• Stekelbees childcare is possible on Wednesday afternoon, on staff study days and on holidays.

You need to register on www.landelijkekinderopvang.be as Stekelbees is another organisation, not a part of our school. Stekelbees will stimulate doing homework after school, and provide silent working space that pupils need, but they will not supervise the content of the homework process or answer questions about the content. What Stekelbees will provide is supervision in sports, play, games, fun, snacks, friendship and the like. Stekelbees is coordinated by Suzanne Reynaerts, reachable by phone +3216 408412 and by email. Below are the fees (2016 -2017).

		half hour	third of a day	half day	day
(base fee)		1,12	4,65	7,00	14,00
(two children or more)		0,85	3,49	5,25	10,50
(social fee)		0,56	2,33	3,50	7,00

There is also an administrative cost when you register. These are the bylaws of Stekelbees.

Do I need a doctor’s note to legitimize the absence of my child?

All children from age six up are of school age and so they are required to be present at school. The exceptions are summerized below. More details are found in the school brochure or to be explained by the headmaster.

1. If your child is ill for up to three consecutive calendar days, a statement of the parents suffices (an email will do). This way of legitimizing abcense can be done up to four times per school, where no doctor needs to be involved. If your child is ill for more than three consecutive calendar days, a medical notification is necessary. The weeks before and after holiday are are treated the same way (but see point 4). From the fifth time your child is ill onward (counting in one school year) a medical note is required from a doctor, or, as the case may be, a dentist, an orthodontist, some specialist, a hospital or laboratory.
2. There are legitimate absences for joining an official sports contest, funerals or weddings within a home family or religious holidays.
3. The headmaster may authorize leave for further good reasons. You should see the headmaster if you believe your situation applies.
4. No school can permit that a child be kept from school earlier than the established holidays or returns from it later than the end of the holidays just to go on holiday. Parents who ignore this rule break Flemish decrees on school attendance and schools have a duty to report such things.

What should I do if my child’s condition is contagious?

Contagious illnesses (lice too) require immediate contacting of the school so that other parents can be notified. When in doubt, call the VCLB Physician (016-28 24 00). The VCLB provides vaccinations included in our current vaccination schedule. Parents will be informed at all times and their consent is obviously needed on beforehand.

Can my child receive medication at school if sick?

Our staff will not normally administer medication to children, and we will not allow children to take meds at school themselves, unless by a doctor’s prescription. Parents may ask the school to make exceptions (1) provided that the meds are prescribed by a doctor and (2) provided that the meds must be taken during school hours. In all other cases, medication is illegal for children at school.

When a child falls ill at school, we call a parent or a contact that the parents have mentioned (eg grandmother). Please, never bring your child to school after administering fever reducing meds. Symptom management is not a cure and a sick child simply does not belong in school. The health of other children and of the teacher are at risk if you do this.

Could I get school grants by the Flemish government for my child?

You just might. About one in four families is entitled to the Flemish school goers’ allowance. The grant’s allocation is based on family income. The school management has brochures for you if you’re interested. The amounts are adjusted annually. Go to www.schooltoelagen.be to find out about it.

When is swimming class, and how much does it cost?

Our 6th graders enjoy swimming classes at the expense of Oud-Heverlee city. Grades 1 through 5 pay a fee of € 1.50 for pool entrance, while the transport is always paid for by Oud-Heverlee city. Swimming classes are held every other Thursday morning in Sportoase, Leuven, while they leave at school and busses will take the class group there. Swimwear, to be provided by parents, includes: Swimsuit / swimsuit, bathing cap, two towels, a comb. All should be neatly stored in a swimming bag.

My child misplaced something,where I can find it back?

All school materials have their fixed place, but children may forget about that. The school is not liable for theft or loss of personal equipment (clothing, school supplies, bicycles, jewelry, …). We do keep a lost and found area.

Does the school provide traffic safety?

The staff takes turns being the authorized supervisor on the pedestrian crossing just in front of the school. We do so every schoolday fifteen minutes before and after school. We always encourage wearing fluorescent jackets and helmets and we offer a variety of theme actions (traffic week,…).  The school arranges for children on a bike to leave together because it is safer than individually.

Parents should discuss with their children the safest route to school and make sure that children have a bike that is technically sound and well equipped. Note that the Dorpsstraat is a relatively quiet street and is composed of two opposing one way streets as of 2018. This strongly reduces motorized vehicles in our street.

What do I bring to school for the birthday of my son or daughter?

At school, birthdays are celebrated in class. The pupil can bring a cake or waffles. In elementary school this is a free choice of the student. We encourage to limit sweets or chocolate cake and to offer a healthier treat instead.