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ST. MARY'S COLLEGE, ARKLOW.
CODE OF POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR 2011/12
St. Mary's is committed to educating the whole person to her full potential in a caring, supportive and joyful environment. Each student is directed and helped to become the best person she is capable of becoming. In order to undertake this task, the teachers need the help and co-operation of the parents at all times.
The following code has been formulated so that parents, teachers and students can work together for the spiritual, intellectual, cultural and physical education of the young person.
As a student at St. Mary's College, you are expected to:
1. Respect yourself.
- If I respect myself, I will show respect to other people.
2. Respect the authority of all staff.
- Follow instructions immediately.
- Speak in an appropriate and respectful manner.
3. Respect other students.
- Use appropriate language.
- Be courteous and polite.
4. Work and play in a safe responsible manner.
- Follow classroom and school rules.
5. Respect property.
- Use school equipment and materials properly.
- Treat other student's possessions with respect.
6. Display a positive attitude.
- Attend school on time.
- Attend each class on time.
- Have a journal for each class.
- Follow the guidelines for classroom behaviour.
- Follow the guidelines for homework.
- Wear the complete school uniform.
- Bring a note of explanation to your Year Head when absent from class(es), late for classes.
UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOURS.
1. Defiance of authority or deliberate disruption.
2. Harassment or intimidation of students or staff, like name-calling, writing/passing notes, body actions or bullying behaviour of any kind.
3. Fighting - verbal or physical threat or action against another person.
4. Theft.
5. Vandalism - deliberate destruction of or damage to property - Graffiti.
6. Foul language - offensive or coarse language.
7. Mitching.
8. Use of mobile phone, use of I Pod etc.
9. Smoking/use of illegal substances in school, on school grounds, while in school uniform or on school outings/trips.
10. Eating, drinking, chewing gum in class.
11. Littering.
12. Unusual hair colour, facial piercings, visible tattoos.
The appearance of the students should be in keeping with school uniform and the ethos, therefore no extremes in terms of dress or hairstyle.
Students who consistently display positive behaviour are recognised by teachers with verbal and non-verbal praise; personal recognition from the Principal, Deputy Principal, Year Heads, Tutors and Teachers; awards, which will include: - no homework night, video, trip to the cinema and other organised trips etc. They are also eligible for Student of the Year, Student of the Class, Merit Awards and Full Attendance Awards at the end of the Year.
Students who consistently display negative behaviour are encouraged by teachers to adopt more positive behaviour patterns. Negative behaviour has a number of clearly defined consequences.
CONSEQUENCES
When students do not observe the school's Positive Behaviour Code one or more of the sanctions may be carried out:
- Verbal warning.
- Communication with parent/guardian through journal or by phone.
- Referral to Year Head, Deputy Principal or Principal depending on the gravity of the situation.
- Removal from class or activity.
- Lunchtime Detention.
- Behaviour Contract (Report), which a student will carry from class to class and which will be given to Year Head for inspection.
- In-school suspension.
- Suspension from school.
- Referral for evaluation of suspected behavioural, learning or emotional problem.
- Referral to Social Services or Gardaí.
- Referral to School Board.
- Restitution of damage to property.
- If you are caught bullying:
- These sanctions will be documented on the student's school record and kept on file.
This list is not comprehensive and the school reserves the right to impose sanctions for other violations, which it considers serious.
N.B. The Principal reserves the right to suspend a student for a single, serious breach of discipline.
Parents and students are asked to note that it is not possible to detail every rule and regulation governing one's behaviour at school. Attendance here is conditional upon acceptance of the above code and the Board of Management reserves the right to make the final decision in this interpretation.
SUSPENSION:
Suspension is defined in the NEWB guidelines as "requiring the student to absent herself from the school for a specified, limited period of school days".
During a period of suspension, the pupil retains their place in the school.
The school Board of Management has the authority to suspend a pupil. The Board of management has also delegated to the Principal (or in her absence, the Deputy Principal) the authority to suspend a pupil.
The decision to suspend a pupil requires serious grounds such as that:
A single incident of serious misconduct or continual breaches of the school's code of behaviour may be grounds for suspension.
Fair procedures will be followed both in the investigation of serious misbehaviour and in the decision to be taken as a result of such misbehaviour.
The decision to suspend a pupil will be communicated directly in writing to the pupil's parents or guardians. On returning from suspension, the pupil may be asked to sign a guarantee of good behaviour.
A decision to suspend made by the Principal, may be appealed to the Board of Management.
Where the total number of days for which a pupil has been suspended in a school year reaches 20 days, the parents may appeal the suspension under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 to the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science.
EXPULSION:
"A student is expelled from a school when a Board of Management makes a decision to permanently exclude her from the school, having complied with the provisions of Section 24 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000." NEWB guidelines, Section 12.
The Board of Management has the authority to expel a pupil.
Expulsion of a student is a very serious step, and one that will only be considered by the Board of Management in extreme cases of unacceptable behaviour.
The following are examples of serious grounds which would be considered by the Board as consideration for expulsion:
" the student's behaviour is a permanent cause of significant disruption to the learning of others or to the teaching process
" the student's continued presence in the school constitutes a real and significant threat to safety
" the student is responsible for serious damage to property
There may be exceptional circumstances where the Board of Management forms the opinion that a student should be expelled for a first offence.
The following are examples of behaviour that may result in a proposal to expel on the basis of a single breach of the code of behaviour:
" a serious threat of violence against another student or staff member
" actual violence or physical assault
" supplying illegal drugs to other students in the school
" sexual assault
As in the case of proposed suspension, fair procedures will be applied both in the investigation of behaviour which may lead to expulsion and in the decision making process.
Procedural steps in relation to proposed expulsion will include:
" A detailed investigation carried out under the direction of the Principal
" A recommendation to the Board of Management by the Principal
" Consideration by the Board of Management of the Principal's recommendation, and the holding of a hearing
" Board of Management deliberations and actions following the hearing
" Consultations with the Educational Welfare Officer
" Confirmation of the decision to expel
Appeal: A decision to appeal against expulsion may be brought to the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998.