Parent Guide

SCHOOL LIFE

RIGHTS The school is a community where fundamental rights apply to all parents, students, staff through the entire school day, including travel to and from home. These are: The right to education. The right to develop one’s own personality. The right to be treated respectfully, and freedom from physical and mental abuse. The right to privacy. Freedom from being set apart or mocked because of race, sex, religion, nationality etc. The right to have personal and school property respected and safeguarded.

PROCEDURES AND REGULATIONS Specific procedures and regulations are distributed and explained by coordinators and teachers. Students are expected to understand their meaning and purpose, and abide by them. They are expected to: Endeavor to keep up the high standard and reputation of the school by excelling themselves in fine manners and deportment. Be polite and courteous, and greet teachers, other members of staff and all visitors with due respect. Maintain self-discipline. Respect rights of the others and cooperate with teachers and staff. Avoid disturbing and interrupting classes. Avoid vandalism and show full respect for school property and property of others. Obtain teachers’ permission before asking questions, moving or addressing other students. Wait for the teacher’s signal to leave class at the end of the period. Walk slowly and quietly, avoid running, pushing or shouting in corridors. Avoid rough play on the playground. Avoid chewing gum. Avoid bringing electronic gadgets to school as mobile phones, stereo etc. Leave the school premises with the written permission of the Principal or the concerned coordinator.

DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE

The school has formed a Discipline Committee and outlined rules of discipline in the Pupil’s Diary too. All the cases of indiscipline will be handled by the Discipline Committee as per the rules and in consultation with the parents and counsellor. Each student’s discipline record will be kept in a discipline file. The following procedure of disciplinary actions will be followed:

TYPES OF INDISCIPLINE & CONSEQUENCES

1. Out of Uniform

a) Any student is out of uniform (without a letter from the parent).

The student will be sent home by school bus and the parent will be informed.

b) Keeping long hair (for boys) elaborate hairdos (for girls), wearing pinafore above knees, wearing jeans and shorts, t-shirts, hats, sweat bands, sunglasses, ornaments and make up which attracts undue attention of others.

Parents will be contacted for the first time and if repeated, one day suspension.

c) Military haircut/step cutting/punk style (for boys). Colouring of hair (for both boys and girls).

The student will be sent home by school bus and the parent will be informed. The student will be allowed to attend the class only when he comes with a proper haircut.

2. Late coming to school a) In the morning up to 8 a.m. Parents will be contacted.

b) After 8 a.m. Student may not be allowed to attend the class. The parent may be contacted.

c) Repeated lateness. First time – oral warning and parental contact by the coordinator; and second time – written warning and parental contact by the coordinator; third time – suitable disciplinary action.

d) Absence from the school and coming next day without a note from the parent. Student will not be allowed to attend the class/parental contact/student will be sent home.

3. Truancy a) Leaving the campus without proper permission. Suspension and parental contact. If repeated, expulsion.

b) Leaving the class without proper permission. A warning letter to the student. If repeated, suspension.

c) Any interaction accounted for by forged note or signature. Suspension and parental contact.

d) Coming late to class after recess/break/PT periods/ECCA periods etc. A warning letter to the student. If repeated, suspension.

4. Damaging School Property Parental contact and suspension. Cost will be recovered. If repeated, expulsion cost & fine will be imposed.

5. Misbehaviour a) In the classroom with the teacher. Parental contact and suspension.

b) Disturbing the class. Conference.

c) Using abusive language in the class. Conference.

d) Disobeying the teacher either in the class or on the campus. Parental contact and suspension.

e) Disobeying the teacher in the bus. Conference and parental contact. If repeated, bus facility will be withdrawn.

f) Shouting loudly and behaving rudely in the corridors, water points, near library, near canteens and near administrative building. Conference.

g) Any reported or observed objectionable conduct outside the school, which may bring disrepute to the school. Liable for disciplinary action.

6. Fighting a) Fighting in the bus with other students. Parental contact, withdrawal of the bus facility and suspension for all the students involved.

b) Forming gang or inciting the students in the campus. Parental contact and suspension for all the students involved.

7. Substance Abuse a) Tobacco or lighters in a student’s possession on the campus. Parental contact and confiscation of such materials and suspension.

b) Drugs or alcohol or other mood changing substances in student’s possession on the campus. Parental contact and sending such materials to CID for checking and if proved, expulsion.

8. Possessing Prohibited Materials - Examples: Radio, tape recorder, walkman, weapons, skate-boards, bleepers, mobile phones, audio and video cassettes, objectionable literature etc. Confiscation of such materials, parental contact and conference. If repeated second time, suspension. Students in possession of weapons may be referred to public security.

9. Girls and boys meeting privately in secluded places on the campus Parental contact and suspension of both the students.

10. Dishonesty a) Cheating in the examination or using another person’s work as his or her own. No credit for such work and undertaking from the parent for necessary action/advice.

b) Changing the marks or grade either in the answer scripts or report cards; forging the parents signature on the report card. Parental contact and conference.

c) Possession of items known to be stolen or known not to belong to the person in whose possession they are found. Parental contact and conference.

DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE

Discipline is a consequence and not a cause.

We would like the “Discipline” in the school to be based on and controlled by love and not by fear. Discipline should be positive and constructive. It ensures equal justice for all, respect for the right and dignity of all the students and teachers. It should allow successful functioning of various teaching programmes in the school.

Truancy: When a child avoids the school or has poor scholastic achievement, the school authorities will try to eliminate conditions responsible for truancy (e.g. inconsistent handling, strict control or too much leniency).

At times students are afraid of comparison, or afraid of being degraded in the eyes of peers. In such instances teachers may reduce emphasis on test.

THE DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES ARE PRIMARILY PREVENTATIVE, SECONDAIRILY CORRECTIVE AND NEVER RETRIBUTIVE.

DISCIPLINARY PROBATION

A continued pattern of inappropriate behaviour and/or major offences may lead to place a student under probation for a period of time. This will be the last warning prior to suspension or expulsion.

At the end of the probation period, the Discipline Committee may remove or renew the probation depending on the improvement. Disciplinary Probation is extended to maximum of two consecutive periods. If there is no significant improvement, the student may be asked to leave the school.

The student will be given a D.P. Card to wear during the D.P. period.

NOTES: In all cases parents will be informed and record will be kept by the coordinator. In the case of suspension, the decision of the Discipline Committee will be final and binding. In suitable cases student will be told to meet the counsellor. The concerned coordinator and class teacher will be taken into confidence while deciding the punishment. If the parents do not turn up either for the conference or for any other discussion, in spite of repeated reminders, the decision taken by the school, shall be final and binding. In the case of grave infraction, immediate expulsion can be considered.

STUDENTS ATTENDANCE Students expected to be in the school during school hours and to follow their assigned schedule. Effective attendance is a condition for fulfilling credit requirement, course completion and general academic progress at the school.

Students are not allowed to leave the school campus during the day. A student who leaves without permission will be liable for disciplinary action. In case of absence, parents are requested to notify the school by filling in the leave pro-forma given the pupil’s diary. A minimum of 75% attendance is required for a student to write the Second Term Examination.

SHORT LEAVE Students in very urgent cases are permitted to leave school but they have to submit a written request from parents, duly approved by the administration, to the coordinator. Students will be allowed to leave only at the end or beginning of the period to avoid disruption in classrooms.