Adopted by the Board of Management St. Louis Community School, Kiltimagh June 2005

A. SCHOOL RULES

1. General

• Students are required to behave with courtesy and respect to staff, fellow students and all others in the school.
• Students are required to behave in an orderly fashion when on the school grounds.
• Students are required to recognise the authority of the teachers in the school and to carry out instructions without challenge.
• Bullying, harassment or intimidation of fellow students or staff is strictly prohibited and constitutes a serious breach of this Code of Conduct.
• Students must behave in an appropriate manner in school, coming to and from school and on all school outings and occasions. The Code of Conduct applies to students whether they are on school property and/or engaged in a school activity or not.
• Loitering in toilets, corridors or on the school grounds is strictly forbidden and is a serious breach of this Code of Conduct.
• Students must attend classes with all materials required for class. Failure to do so is a breach of this Code of Conduct. Borrowing of books or other materials is prohibited.
• Notes relating to sickness/homework, extracurricular activities etc. must be given to the teacher at the beginning of class.
• To answer questions or seek the teacher’s attention in class students must raise a hand and wait for permission to speak.
• Students must not support or involve themselves in the disruptive behaviour of others in the class or in the school.
• Students must apply themselves fully to class work and respect the right of their fellow students to pursue their work without disturbance or distraction. Behaviour which is inappropriate or disrupts the education of fellow students is a serious breach of this Code of Conduct.
• An immediate apology is required for an offence caused to a teacher or students in the classroom.
• Eating or drinking in classrooms is prohibited except where the drinking of water is permitted by the teacher/supervisor in charge of the room.

2. Homework

• Homework and revision are essential components of schoolwork.
• Homework assignments must be recorded by students in the official School Journal.
• Assigned homework, whether oral or written, must be completed to a satisfactory standard. Failure to complete assigned homework is a breach of this Code of Conduct.
• Parents/Guardians may be requested by a teacher to sign homework or the student’s School Journal where a student has not completed same to a satisfactory level. The school reserves the right not to permit the student concerned to attend a specific class or classes in general until this has been done, where requested. This is in addition to other sanctions which may be imposed in accordance with this Code of Conduct.

3. School Journal

• The School Journal is used as a means of communication between the School and parent/guardian and also as a means whereby students record the homework which they have been assigned.
• Parents/guardians are requested to check the School Journal daily and ensure that assigned homework has been completed and should observe any communication to parents/guardians from the school requiring their attention.
• The loss of a School Journal or defacing or removing of pages from same is a serious breach of this Code of Conduct. Where this arises students must present a written explanation for same signed by parents/guardians and may be required to purchase a replacement School Journal. Failure to comply with the rules relating to the School Journal is a breach of this Code of Conduct.

4. Attendance and Punctuality

• Attendance
  • Classes commence at 9.00 a.m. and finish at 3.45 p.m. each day.
  • Students are required to be in attendance at the school on every school day. In the case of absenteeism parents/guardians must inform the school of both the fact of the absence and the reason of the absence of a student. This also applies to absence for part of a school day.
  • The school records the fact of the absence and the reasons given for absence by students and may notify an educational welfare officer of same in accordance with section 21 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000. Official roll call is taken during Class1, Class 7, and at Daily Registration period. Each subject teacher also takes a roll call for each individual class period.
  • Unexplained absence, whether from a scheduled class or from the school, is a serious breach of this Code of Conduct.
  • Where absence of a student from school is unforeseen, the parent/guardian is required to notify the school by telephone on the morning of the absence.
  • Students returning from an absence must present a written explanation for their absence, signed by a parent/guardian, to the teacher in charge of Daily Registration, immediately on the student’s return to school.
  • The school reserves the right not to permit students returning from absence to attend class until a written explanation is furnished as described above.
  • Students may not normally leave the school grounds during school hours. Students who wish to leave the school grounds at lunch break must submit a written consent signed by a parent/guardian at the beginning of the school year. This may be done by completing the appropriate section of the Registration Form.
  • Where a student is to be withdrawn from the school during the school day, the student must present a written request from the parent/guardian to the Deputy Principal before the first class period and show this notice to the subject teacher when requesting permission to leave a class.
  • Where a student is withdrawn from school during the school day, parents/guardians (or a person nominated by them on the student’s Registration Form) must present themselves at the school and sign the ‘Attendance Record’ in the office.
  • On returning to school after an absence for part of a school day, the student must sign the ‘Attendance Record’ in the office before returning to class.
  • To be permitted to leave a classroom during teaching hours, students must have the permission of their teacher or the Principal or Deputy Principal, recorded in their school journals. Any member of the school staff may view this authority in the student’s Journal. Breach of this rule is a serious breach of this Code of Conduct.
  • Failure to comply with any of the above procedures for leaving the school grounds during school hours is a serious breach of this Code of Conduct.


• Punctuality
  • Students must be punctual. Late arrival by a student is a breach of this Code of Conduct.
  • Individual teachers will register late arrivals to class on the Class Roll.
  • Repeated lateness by a student will be notified to parent/guardian in the School Journal of that student and the parent/guardian requested to sign this note in the Journal. Repeated lateness will also be recorded on the student’s ‘Class Discipline Record’.
  • For class periods 1 and 7, students must be present in class five minutes before the start of the period (the school bell will be rung five minutes before the start of the period) or will be regarded as late.
  • Students who are late for Class 1 or Class 7 must sign the ‘Late Book’ in the office and have their School Journal stamped with a ‘Late’ stamp. Students who are late for these classes will not be admitted to class without this ‘Late’ stamp.
  • Lateness is a breach of this Code of Conduct. Frequent lateness will be communicated to parents/guardians and other sanctions may be imposed in accordance with this Code of Conduct.


• General: Attendance & Punctuality
  • Classes commence at 9.00 a.m. and end at 3.45 p.m.
  • The school does not accept liability for students arriving at the school grounds before the school opens or remaining of the school grounds after the school closes, unless such students are participating in an official school activity supervised by authorised persons.

5. School Grounds

• Littering on the school grounds is a breach of this code of Conduct.
• Students are not permitted on the school grounds except when attending school or an activity organised by the school. Students otherwise on the school grounds are trespassers within the meaning of the Occupiers Liability Act 1995 and are in breach of this Code of Conduct.
• Motor-vehicles must be used in a safe manner on the school grounds. Failure to drive safely may result in the person concerned being prohibited from using a motor-vehicle on the school grounds, in addition to other sanctions which may be imposed in accordance with this Code of Conduct.

6. School Uniform and Dress Code

• Uniform
The wearing of a school uniform has the support of the parents, teachers and the majority of the students in St Louis Community School. It is therefore the intention of the school authorities that the school’s Uniform Policy will be strictly enforced.
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  • Students must wear the complete school uniform at all times during school hours, during the holding of in-house examinations and when engaged in activities organised by the school.
  • Parents will be notified in advance of ‘non-uniform’ days or occasions on which students are not required to wear the school uniform.
  • At the start of each school year students are required to present themselves for Registration wearing the prescribed school uniform.
  • Breach of these rules as to school uniform is a breach of this Code of Conduct. Breaches of these uniform rules will be recorded in the School Journal of the student in question. This record of a breach of uniform rules must be signed by the parent/guardian and the student must present himself/herself in the correct uniform to the Registration Teacher the following day.
  • Where a student fails to comply with the above procedure or where repeated breaches of uniform rules occur, the matter will be referred to the student’s Year Head.
  • The Year Head will issue the student with a ‘Uniform Report’ which the student must present to each class teacher at the beginning of class. Class teachers will note on this ‘Uniform Report’ whether the student is/is not complying with the Uniform Rules. This ‘Uniform Report’ must be returned by the student to the Year Head at the end of the school day, as arranged by the Year Head.
  • Further breaches of the Uniform Rules will be referred to the Deputy Principal and parents/guardians will be contacted.

School Uniform
All items of the prescribed School Uniform are available from Bea Wear, Kiltimagh.

The School Uniform is as follows:
Boys
- Blue uniform shirt worn with collar turned down
- Dark grey uniform trousers
- Navy uniform round-neck jumper with school crest
- Flat black shoes
- Optional item: Navy uniform fleece with school crest

Girls
- Bottle-green uniform v-neck jumper with school crest
- Uniform check, pleated, knee-length skirt or uniform navy trousers
- Cream uniform blouse worn with collar turned down
- Navy tights or navy knee socks
- Flat black shoes
- Optional item: Green uniform fleece with school crest


• Clarifications
  • A high standard of personal hygiene, cleanliness and neatness is expected of all students attending St Louis Community School.
  • The wearing of jewellery except a watch is not permitted.
  • Wearing of frayed trouser edges or slit trousers is not permitted.
  • Jeans or denim garments are not permitted.
  • T-shirts worn under shirts or blouses must not be visible.
  • Sweatshirts, polo-neck or hooded garments are not permitted.
  • Only the prescribed uniform fleeces may be worn in the classroom. The wearing of caps, hats, scarves, gloves or jackets in class is not permitted.
  • Boots are not permitted.


• General
  • Failure to comply with the above rules concerning the School Uniform and students’ appearance is a breach of this Code of Conduct.
  • The school reserves the right to decide whether any aspect of a student’s appearance is in compliance with this Code of Conduct.
  • Students who do not comply with the above rules concerning students’ appearance may be suspended until the rules are observed to the school’s satisfaction or placed in a supervised area and not permitted to attend class, at the discretion of the school.

7. Property

• General
  • Each student is responsible for his or her own property. Students’ property should be clearly marked with students’ names.
  • Interference of any kind with another person’s property, including property belonging to the school, is a serious breach of this Code of Conduct. Interference includes (but is not limited to) theft.
  • Students should not bring valuable items or large sums of money to school except where absolutely necessary. The school does not accept liability for property or money lost, stolen or damaged while on the school grounds.
  • Parents/guardians may be required by the school to pay for the repair or replacement of property damaged by students.
  • Deliberate damage to property or vandalism is a serious breach of this Code of Conduct, whether occurring on school grounds and during school hours or not. Parents/guardians of students responsible will be required to pay for the repair/replacement of property damaged deliberately or vandalised. This is in addition to other sanctions which may be imposed on students in accordance with this Code of Conduct.
  • Stealing is a serious breach of this Code of Conduct, whether the incident of theft occurs on school grounds and during school hours or not. Parents/guardians of students responsible will be required to pay for the replacement of stolen property, in addition to other sanctions which may be imposed on students in accordance with this Code of Conduct.
  • Incidents of vandalism and theft may be reported to the Garda Siochana.
  • Mobile phones are not permitted in the school. Mobile phones used in breach of this rule will be confiscated and returned by the Principal/Deputy Principal, in person, to a parent/guardian of the student concerned. Use of a mobile phone in breach of this rule is a breach of this Code of Conduct.
  • Chewing gum is strictly prohibited throughout the school and the school grounds.


• Lockers
  • Students will have access to their lockers during the following times:
    • Before Class 1
    • During morning break
    • During lunch break
    • After Class 9
  
  
• Students should report damage to lockers immediately. Failure to do so will result in the student concerned being held responsible for the damage.
• Students to whom a locker has been assigned will be issued one locker key which must be returned at the end of the school year. Duplicating a locker key, whether by the person to whom the locker is assigned or by any other person, is a serious breach of this Code of Conduct.
• Students are responsible for all items left in their lockers whether such items belong to the students or not. Students should report lost locker keys immediately.
• In the interests of maintaining safety and discipline in the school, students may be required to open and empty their lockers in accordance with the following procedure:
  • The student will be requested to open and empty the locker in the presence of the Principal/Deputy Principal, another adult nominated by the Principal/Deputy Principal and, if the student requests, another member of the school staff or a student nominated by the student whose locker is to be opened and emptied.
  • If the student agrees, the locker will be opened by the student and its contents examined in the presence of the student and the other persons described above.
  • If the student refuses to permit the locker to be opened, the parent/guardian of the student concerned will be contacted and asked to come to the school. Pending arrival of a parent or guardian the student’s locker key will be confiscated.
  • On arriving at school, the parent/guardian will be requested to consent to the student’s locker being opened and emptied in the presence of the Principal/Deputy Principal, another adult nominated by the Principal/Deputy Principal, the parent/guardian of the student.
  • If the parent/guardian consents to the procedure described above, the locker will be opened and its contents examined in the presence of the parent/guardian and the student concerned.
  • If the parent/guardian refuses to permit the locker to be opened or unable to attend the school, the school may contact the Garda Siocana. The student’s locker key will remain confiscated pending a search of the locker by members of the Garda Siocana.
  • Failure to comply with a request to open a locker and empty its contents in accordance with the procedure described above is a serious breach of this Code of Conduct by the student concerned.
  • Where it is not practical to operate this procedure (e.g. where the student concerned is absent from school, the Principal/Deputy Principal accompanied by another member of the school staff may open a locker and examine its contents. Prior to doing so the Principal/Deputy Principal will make reasonable efforts to contact the student concerned and his/her parents/guardians in order to enable them to attend the school should they so wish, in which case the procedure described above will apply.

8. Bullying

• Bullying in any form is a serious breach of this Code of Conduct.
• Where an incident of bullying comes to the School’s attention the following measures will be taken:
  • A preliminary investigation will be carried out by the teacher becoming aware of the incident. The incident will be reported to the Year Head of the student(s) concerned or to the Deputy Principal.
  • A full written report will be compiled as soon as possible after the event.
  • The student(s) concerned and any witnesses will be interviewed and will be asked to write an account of the incident.
  • Written reports and accounts of alleged bullying are kept on file by the Deputy Principal.
  • The Deputy Principal will keep the Principal informed of alleged bullying incidents and the outcome of investigations.
  • The parents/guardians of students concerned will be informed of the School’s concern.
  • If it is established that bullying has taken place disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with this Code of Conduct.
• The School has a comprehensive Anti-Bullying Policy in place. It is the responsibility of all students and their parents/guardians to familiarise themselves with the provisions of the School’s Anti-Bullying Policy.
• The School’s Anti-Bullying Policy applies to any incident of bullying of which the School becomes aware, whether it occurs on school property and/or during a school activity or not.

9. Substance Use

• Smoking is forbidden on the school grounds. Smoking on the school grounds at any time is a serious breach of this Code of Conduct.
• The school has a zero-tolerance approach to incidents of substance abuse. Possession, use or distribution of harmful or illegal substances, including alcohol and tobacco, will not be tolerated at any time and under any circumstances and may lead to suspension or expulsion in accordance with this Code of Conduct. This applies whether students are on school property and/or engaged in a school activity or not.
• The school has a comprehensive Substance Use Policy in place. Copies of this policy can be obtained by application to the school. It is the responsibility of all students and their parents/guardians to familiarise themselves with the provisions of the Substance Use Policy.

DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE

• Where the Code of Behaviour has been breached some or all of the following strategies may be used, as the school considers appropriate:
Sanctions Available to Teachers:
• • Verbal reprimand
  • Entry in ‘Class Discipline Record’ signed by student
  • Subject-related written assignment
  • Change of seating arrangement in the classroom
  • Removal to another class for a class period by arrangement with the other teacher involved
  • Confiscation of items which are inappropriate, dangerous or the cause of distraction
  • Entry in the School Journal of a student for the attention of the parents/guardians of the student. Parents/guardians will be asked to sign such entries in School Journals.
  • Detention – to be arranged by the teacher who gives the detention.
  • Referral of student to Year Head. Year Head will be provided with a written report of behaviour/incidents or/and a copy of the student’s ‘Class Discipline Record’ by the teacher making the referral.

Sanctions Available to Year Head
In addition to sanctions available to teachers:
• • Lunch time Detention
  • Assignment of written task related to behaviour/incident
  • Issue of ‘Discipline Report Form’ to the student. This ‘Report Form’ must be presented by the student to the teacher at the beginning of every class. The teachers’ comments and signatures will be recorded at the end of each class period and the student will return it the Year Head at the end of the school day. The student will remain ‘on report’ at the discretion of the Year Head.
  • Temporary withdrawal of a student from class and assignment of that student to a supervised area or to another classroom by arrangement with the teacher involved.
  • Communication with parents/guardians in relation to disciplinary issues.
  • Withdrawal of privileges
  • Referral to Principal/Deputy Principal

Sanctions Available to Deputy Principal
In addition to sanctions listed above:
• • Request to parents/guardians to attend at the school to discuss disciplinary issues concerning their child.
  • Referral to the Principal.
Sanctions Available to the Principal
In addition to sanctions described above:
• • Immediate removal of a student from the school in the circumstances outlined below.
  • Suspension for a period not exceeding three school days in accordance with the procedure set out below.


• Where the sanction imposed consists of lunch time detention, parents/guardians will be notified in writing that such detention has been imposed and the reason for same. This notification will be sent one day prior to the date on which detention will take place.
• Written records and/or incident reports as appropriate will be kept in relation to breaches of the Code of Conduct and measures taken in response to same.
• Where a student’s behaviour warrants suspension or expulsion the following procedures will apply:
  • The school authorities will notify parents/guardians of their concerns and request that they advise the student appropriately.
  • Parents/guardians will be requested to come to the school to meet with the school authorities which may include the Principal, Deputy Principal and Year Head. Parents/guardians will be given as much notification in advance of this meeting as is reasonably possible. Teaching staff who have had dealings with the student concerned may also be requested to attend this meeting.
  • The sanctions described above may be implemented at any stage in this process.
  • On completion of the steps outlined above, the Principal may suspend a student for up to three school days. Parents/guardians have the right to appeal the Principal’s decision to the Board of Management. Where such an appeal is taken the suspension will not take effect until after the meeting of the Board of Management at which the appeal is heard.
  • Where a student’s conduct justifies a period of suspension exceeding three school days, or where such conduct justifies expulsion, parents/guardians will be requested to attend with the student at a meeting of the Board of Management to discuss the student’s ongoing participation in the school. Teaching staff who have had dealings with the student concerned may also be requested to attend this meeting as appropriate.
  • If the Board of Management, on completion of the procedure outlined in the preceding paragraph, decides to suspend or expel a student, parents/guardians, or ( in the case of a student who is over the age of 18) the student, may appeal the decision to the Department of Education and Science pursuant to section 29 of the Education Act 1998.
  • The Principal may also suspend a student with immediate effect in the following circumstances:
    • where he/she considers that the student’s behaviour is a threat to the safety, welfare and/or property of other members of the school community; or
    • where the student is guilty of serious misbehaviour as defined below; or
    • where the Principal considers that suspension of the student is necessary to maintain discipline within the school.
  • If a student is suspended with immediate effect in the circumstances outlined in the preceding paragraph, the procedures set out for suspension above are to be complied with as soon as is reasonably possible after suspension is imposed.
• Where a student is suspended parents/guardians will be notified in writing of the reason for the suspension, the period of suspension, the condition(s) which will justify the lifting of the suspension and the fact that the student will be regarded as in the care of his parents/guardians from the end of the school day on which the suspension is imposed.
• A notice of suspension will set out the conditions which must be fulfilled before the suspended student is permitted to return to the school. Conditions which may be imposed include one or more of the following:
  • written undertakings by the student to be of good behaviour,
  • return to school subject to loss of specified privileges,
  • a successful appeal to the Board of Management (if the suspension is imposed by the Principal) or to the Department of Education and Science (if the suspension is imposed by the Board of Management),
  • the expiry of the time for which the suspension is stated to apply,
  • re-admission to the school on successful application to the Board of Management.
The foregoing are merely examples of conditions which may be attached to suspensions and are without prejudice to the school’s right to impose different conditions as appropriate.
• Where the Board of Management decides to expel a student, parents/guardians will be notified in writing of the expulsion, the reason for the same and the fact the student will be regarded as in the care of the parents/guardians from the end of the school day on which the expulsion is imposed.
• While suspension and expulsion are generally used only when all other options have been exhausted, a student may be suspended or expelled for a single serious breach of discipline or for consistent breaches of discipline of a less serious nature.
• The following constitute ‘serious misbehaviour’:
  • Behaviour which disrupts the learning of other students,
  • Acts of violence towards any person, whether occurring on school property and/or during a school activity or not,
  • Behaviour which is threatening towards any person, whether occurring on school property and/or during a school activity or not,
  • Interference with another person’s property including property belonging to the school,
  • Interference with emergency equipment, e.g. fire alarms, fire extinguishers etc.,
  • Breaches of the school’s policy regarding substance abuse, whether occurring on school property and/or during a school activity or not,
  • Bullying,
  • Possession of a dangerous item/substance onto the school grounds,
  • Behaviour described as a serious breach of this Code of Conduct elsewhere in the Code.
• The definition of a serious breach of discipline includes (but is not limited to) the examples given above. The school reserves the right to deal with eventualities which are not specified in this Code of Conduct by the adoption of normal standards, in accordance with natural justice and in the best interests of all the members of the school community.
• Appeals to the Board of Management must be made in writing to the Chairman of the Board.