Ard Scoil na nDéise Convent Road, Dungarvan County Waterford, Ireland Tel: (058) 41464 E-mail: [email protected] "Reaching our Potential with Respect, Care and Friendship"

CODE OF BEHAVIOUR 2016-2017

The education of all our students in an environment which is safe, caring, clean and conducive to teaching and learning, is the primary aim of Ard Scoil na nDéise.  In this context and with due regard to the rights of all, we believe that the achievement of this aim is the responsibility of all the members of the school community.  Adherence to our Code of Behaviour is vital to ensure that all those who work towards this aim can pursue it to the best of their ability at all times.  We rely on the support of parents/guardians for the successful implementation of our Code of Behaviour.

REMINDERS TO PARENTS/GUARDIANS

• Ensure that your daughter has the correct books and materials necessary for class.
• Ensure that your daughter wears the full school uniform to school every day.  Parents/guardians of students who refuse to wear full uniform on a regular basis may be asked to bring the uniform to the school or to take their daughter home for her uniform.
• All belongings should be clearly labelled with your daughter’s name.
• We encourage parents/guardians to check their daughter’s homework journal regularly.
• Please do not text or ring your daughter’s mobile phone during school hours.  If you need to contact her please ring the general office 41464.  Should the need arise your daughter may contact home through the school offices.
• Parents are expected to support the school in maintaining an atmosphere which is respectful of others and aims to prevent bullying.

School Rules apply at all times in the school and during every school related activity.

PUNCTUALITY

8.55 a.m and 1.25 p.m.

• All students are required to be in their classrooms by 8.55 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. each day.

PROCEDURES BETWEEN CLASSES AND AT BREAK TIMES:

Between Classes

• Between classes, all students must remain quietly seated in their classrooms unless they are required to change rooms for subject options.
• Those who must change should do so quickly and quietly.  Keep to the right on all corridors and stairs in single file.

Breaktime (10.55 – 11.10 a.m.)

• Students whose base class is in the Junior Building must remain or return to the Junior School/Yard at breaktime and likewise Senior students must return to Senior Building. 
• Students are not permitted to cross from one campus to the other without permission.
• Students are not permitted to leave the school buildings and grounds during breaktime.

 Lunchtime

All First Year and Second Year students must stay in school at lunchtime.  Second Year students will be allowed leave at lunch time on one day each week, chosen by the Principal.  Students who are staying in school for lunch must go to the Assembly Hall (Junior students) or the lunch room (Senior students) in the Senior School building at 12.55 p.m., unless otherwise directed.  They should remain either in the school buildings or grounds until 1.25 p.m., when they are to go to their classrooms.

STANDARDS OF GENERAL BEHAVIOUR

Students must

• obey all instructions given by staff members.
• sit where directed by teachers.
• always obtain a Pass Out from the Principal or Deputy Principal if they must leave the school grounds during the school day.
• always bring their locker key to school and never leave their lockers unlocked.  (A spare key should be kept at home.  There is a charge of €5 for having the lock removed.)

• always be in time for class, with homework done and have all necessary books, (including Homework Journal which is compulsory) copies and equipment.
• follow all the Health and Safety rules and procedures of the school.
• keep the school campus and buildings neat and tidy at all times for reasons of health and safety.
• refrain from chewing gum on school grounds or on school premises.

• refrain from eating and drinking during class
• refrain from eating in the Junior Hall.

Students should always behave in a courteous and responsible way both in and out of school.  This applies particularly while students are wearing the school uniform.

Students are not permitted to:

• engage in behaviour which disrupts the work of either their teachers or their fellow students.
• verbally/physically assault or threaten any staff member, student or any other person.
• engage in bullying, including cyber bullying and identity based bullying.
• use offensive language.
• back answer a member of staff or refuse to follow his/her instructions.
• engage in boisterous or discourteous behaviour in school, on the road between the two school buildings or in any school-based activity.
• interfere with or vandalise the property of another person or of the school.

MOBILE PHONES

• Students will have their mobile phones and all electronic devices powered off during class (i.e. 9.00 a.m. – 10.55 a.m., 11.10 a.m. – 12.55 p.m. & 1.30 p.m. – 3.35 p.m.) and during supervised study.  The penalty for having a mobile phone powered on or its alarm ringing during these times is confiscation of the phone, including the SIM card, for two weeks (first offence), for one calendar month (subsequent offences). 
• Students may not use mobile phones to take pictures at any time in school time or during lunch time, breaks etc without the permission of the teacher(s) and student(s) involved in the class or activity.  Such use may constitute a serious invasion of privacy.  Students who are found to have taken photographs without permission will have their phone and SIM card confiscated for one calendar month.  Further sanctions may also be deemed necessary.
• Unauthorised use of I-pods, MP3 players and any other electronic devices is not permitted in class or during supervised study. The same penalty applies as for mobile phones.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

In keeping with the Health and Safety Policy and the Drugs Awareness Policy of our school the following regulations apply:

• Cuts and piercings must be covered at all times.  Students may be required to remove piercings for Health and Safety reasons.
• So that the lift is available when required, student use is confined to those pupils who need to use it because of incapacity.
• Students are asked not to bring items of value or large sums of money to school.  (School authorities cannot accept responsibility for loss of or damage to such items.)

• Students must not behave in any way that might endanger the Health and Safety of any person in the school.
• Smoking of cigarettes or e-cigarettes on the school campus, (i.e. within the buildings or in the surrounds) is illegal and must be reported to the Principal.  Parents will be notified and sanctions will apply.
• Smoking, possession, consumption, inhalation or otherwise taking of drugs or alcohol or any harmful substances and/or any attempt to encourage or involve others in such activities is strictly forbidden.  Parents will be notified and sanctions will apply.  Please refer to the Drugs Policy of Ard Scoil na nDéise.
• Students should take reasonable care to ensure their own safety and the safety of others.
• Students should familiarise themselves with emergency exit routes for each room that they use.
• Students should obey all safety instructions given by staff.
• Students must not interfere with any safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, alarm bells or fire hose reels.
• In the interests of health and safety each classroom must be kept clean and tidy at all times.

BULLYING

Bullying is unwanted negative behaviour, verbal, psychological or physical conducted by an individual or group against another person (or persons) and which is repeated over time.  Please refer to school’s Anti-Bullying Policy.

ATTENDANCE AND ABSENTEEISM

Full attendance and participation in school are very important and the school will actively encourage both.

• Students must bring a note in their School Journal signed and dated by a parent or guardian to explain absence.  Phone calls to the school are not sufficient.
• A Medical Cert. issued by a recognised practitioner must be provided for pupils who are to be excused from P.E. for more than two weeks.

Criteria for students to be accepted on school outings

• Good disciplinary record in school, indicating ability to obey school rules.
• Capacity to obey instructions.
• Ability to work as part of a team.

DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

Ard Scoil na nDéise has a Board of Discipline which consists of two staff members.  The purpose of the Board of Discipline is to meet with students whose behaviour falls short of the standards expected, to encourage improvement and to impose sanctions where appropriate.

Very serious breaches of the School Rules will be referred to the Principal.

A Record Copy for each class will be kept in the staff room. Breaches of the Code of Behaviour will be recorded in it, including minor offences which occur repeatedly.

For example:   

      1.  No homework

2. Late for school
3. Late for class
4. Forgetting locker keys
5. Forgetting books or PE gear or Home Economics ingredients.
6. Not wearing full correct uniform
7. Chewing gum.

Class teachers may inform parents of such offences by writing a note in the Student Journal or sending a letter of concern to parents/guardians.  Parents will be asked to read and sign such notes and to take appropriate action. If a student’s name appears three times in a school year in the Record Copy, it will merit a Reprimand Slip.

Teachers will inform students on each occasion of entry in the Record Copy and will explain the reason.  A student who is mentioned in the Record Copy may be interviewed by the Board of Discipline.

Reprimand Slips may also be given for more serious offences. On receipt of three slips, a student will be detained and her parents will be notified. (See note on Detention).When a student’s behaviour continues to be unacceptable parents/guardians will be warned that she may be suspended.

A student will also be called before the Board of Discipline for other offences including the following:

• Mitching from school or absenting herself from class without permission
• Forgery of notes from parents, re. absenteeism, homework, etc.
• Failure to produce a note signed by a parent/guardian to explain an absence.
• Vandalism
• Back answering a member of staff or refusing to follow his/her instructions.
• Breaches of Health and Safety rules and procedures.
• Smoking on the school campus. 
• Bullying, if appearance before the Board of Discipline is deemed appropriate after an investigation.  (See Anti-Bullying policy)

On Report

If a student’s work or behaviour is unsatisfactory she may be placed “On Report” by the Year Head, the Class Tutor, the Board of Discipline, the Principal or the Deputy Principal.  This means that each subject teacher will comment on the student’s behaviour and/or work for a given period.  The parents will be required to sign the report sheet each day. A student may also be put on Homework Report.

Detention

Detention takes place under teachers’ supervision. 

Detention times are: lunchtime, break time, during school hours on days of staff meetings, parent/teacher meetings etc. and in the evening after school.

Other Disciplinary Procedures

• Students who are disruptive may be withdrawn from a lesson and placed temporarily with another teacher.
• This procedure may also be used with students who fail to bring the equipment necessary to participate in a lesson.
• Students may be withdrawn from their own class and placed in the care of a teacher whom they will accompany to class for the day. 
• In exceptional circumstances it may be necessary to place a student on a contract of good behaviour.  If the student breaks the contract the parent/guardian may be required to remove her from the school premises for part of the school day.
• Where a student openly defies school rules or school authority, parents may be asked by the Principal to remove the student from the school until such time as the student undertakes to behave properly.

SUSPENSION & EXPULSION

The following offences may merit suspension from the school, or expulsion in extreme cases.

The Principal will contact the parents as soon as possible for offences such as:

• Verbal/Physical assault or threats to a member of staff, another student or any other person.
• Bullying, including school related cyber bullying and identity based bullying
• An accumulation of appearances before the Board of Discipline
• Interfering with another’s property or school property
• Interfering with any safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, alarm bells or fire hose reels.
• Acts of vandalism.
• Breach of the substance abuse rule will be considered to constitute serious misconduct.

The above list is not exhaustive and other serious breaches of the Code of Behaviour could lead to suspension or expulsion as appropriate, in accordance with the Ard Scoil na nDéise Suspension and Expulsion Policy.

All parents/guardians are required to sign the current Code of Behaviour and the Personal Commitment Statement on the enrolment of a student.  The Code of Behaviour is the subject of ongoing review by the Board of Management and it is possible that it may be amended from time to time.  The Board of Management will endeavour to notify parent and guardians of any changes thereto.  It is presumed that on signing the Code of Behaviour that parents are agreeing to be bound by the Code and any subsequent amendments.

This Code of Behaviour should be read in conjunction with the Anti-Bullying Policy, the Acceptable Internet Use Policy and the Drugs Awareness Policy.

This Code of Behaviour was adopted by the Board of Management on 10^th November 2015.

Signed: _________________________                     Date:   10^th November 2015

            Angela Conway,

Chairperson Board of Management.

APPENDIX I

We have discussed this Code of Behaviour with our daughter and have made her aware of the necessity for it and the implications of it.

Personal Commitment

Students have a right to learn and teachers have a right to teach in an environment that is secure, safe and calm.

Everyone in Ard Scoil na nDéise has a right to be treated with respect and dignity.

I will treat everyone in Ard Scoil na nDéise with respect and dignity.

We, the undersigned, accept this

Code of Behaviour and Personal Commitment Statement:

Signature:__________________________Parent/Guardian

Name: ____________________________ (Block Capitals)

Signature: _________________________Student.

Name: ____________________________(Block Capitals)

Student’s Date of Birth: _____________________

`           Today’s date: _________________________

Please return this page, signed by you and your daughter.