Conduct and Discipline

Conduct and Discipline in Class

Objectives:

The discipline process at Highlands Lutheran International School enlists the partnership of parents, staff members, the supporting Christian community and the students themselves to develop students who:

  • are developing a positive self image;
  • are growing in their ability to conduct themselves according to Christian values;
  • are able to experience the joy of learning with pride and dignity;
  • are developing effective social skills;
  • are developing effective organizational skills; and
  • are growing in effective self discipline.

Classroom Discipline

The classroom environment at its best involves a social order in which teachers and students work together towards the whole growth of students.

In this classroom environment teachers:

  • are on time;
  • are prepared for class;
  • teach creatively and with enthusiasm;
  • utilize a variety of teaching approaches;
  • develop and maintain a caring and supportive learning environment;
  • teach and continually maintain a consistent, workable, and documented discipline plan;
  • get to know each of their students;
  • pray for their students;
  • make themselves available to their students for extra help;
  • professionally evaluate and return student work promptly; and
  • communicate promptly with students and parents regarding achievement and performance.

In this same classroom environment, students:

  • put forth their best effort both in class and on homework;
  • show respect and courtesy for others;
  • respect both personal and school property;
  • arrive punctually, equipped with appropriate materials for class;
  • prepare for class and complete assignments on time;
  • participate positively in the teaching and learning process without disruption;
  • seek to resolve conflicts with either classmates or teacher in a Christian manner as promptly as possible; and
  • cooperate with the teacher and classmates in all aspects of the classroom discipline plan.

In the event of misbehavior in the classroom, the teacher will initiate a cycle of events which involves:

  1. redirecting the student to more positive and constructive behaviours;
  2. if the misbehaviour continues, confronting the student concerning the misbehavior – either with a warning or an immediate application of known logical consequences;
  3. conferencing with the offending student to seek understanding and cooperation towards a solution for continued misbehavior;
  4. referring the student to the officer in charge of school discipline or school counselor. Any disciplinary referral to the office should come after the teacher has done his or her best to solve the concern.

Cheating

Honesty is a virtue which requires cultivation. In an ideal learning situation, instructors and administrators create an environment which encourages a student’s positive response to honesty. In that same situation, students respond by avoiding all giving and taking of unauthorized help on assignments and examinations.

In any case where the teacher is able to ascertain that cheating has, in fact, occurred, the offender will forfeit all credit for the work. A second offense is cause for appropriate administrative discipline procedures. Repeated offenses indicate an unwillingness to reform and will lead to in-depth counseling, possible loss of credit and possible dismissal from school. Each case will be dealt with individually and appropriately.

Conduct and Discipline Out of Class

 General School Community Rules of Personal Conduct

Students are honest, both in their words and actions.

  1. Examples of this expectation include:
    1. Telling the truth;
    2. Admitting to others and asking forgiveness when you are wrong;
    3. Being trustworthy;
    4. Doing the right thing even when no one is looking.
  2. Violations of this expectation include:
    1. Cheating, misrepresenting any assignment as one’s own work, receiving unfair help or allowing 
one’s work to be copied by another;
    2. Lying to or misleading others;
    3. Theft or deception.

 Students show respect to school staff, invited guests, volunteers and each other.

  1. Examples of this expectation include:
    1. Following instructor’s directions;
    2. Asking permission to leave an assigned place or task;
    3. Being courteous to others;
    4. Greeting guests in a friendly manner;
    5. Saying “please”, “thank you”, and “you’re welcome.”
  2. Violations of this expectation include:
    1. Disobeying any reasonable written or oral request of any staff member;
    2. Profane or obscene comments, gestures or threats;
    3. Discourteous disruptions or interruptions of others

Students treat school, and personal, property with care and respect.

  1. Examples of this expectation include:
    1. Taking care of school property;
    2. Respecting the property of others;
    3. Picking up after one’s self and others;
    4. Being a good steward of our school grounds and environment.
  2. Violations of this expectation include:
    1. Taking, or attempting to take, school or personal property without permission;
    2. Using others’ property without permission;
    3. Damaging school or personal property;
    4. Misuse of property (i.e., abusing or breaking something by using it for an unintended purpose);
    5. Trading and/or selling personal property.

 Students use appropriate language at all times.

  1. Examples of this expectation include:
    1. Addressing others by the proper names;
    2. Saying “Please” and “Thank you;”
    3. Using polite Enga, Pidgin English or English depending upon the situation;
    4. Practicing proper spoken English often;
    5. Speaking only English in the classrooms and library.
  2. Violations of this expectation include:
    1. Using profanity, swearing, vulgar and offensive language and language which is degrading and/or disrespectful to other people;
    2. Telling racist or insensitive jokes about other people or classes of people;
    3. Putting others down, or otherwise using words that hurt.

Students follow rules expectations assigned to different areas of the school. This includes classroom, lunchroom, hallway, playground and dormitory rules.

 Students treat each other with kindness and respect.

  1. Examples of this expectation include:
    1. Attempting first to understand, then be understood;
    2. Thinking of others’ feelings;
    3. Thinking about the safety of others, in your words and actions;
    4. Caring for each other and helping others in need.
  2. Violations of this expectation include:
    1. Being mean or unkind to others;
    2. Any physical harm, physical force or other physically aggressive acts toward others;
    3. Teasing, name-calling, or other hurtful actions;
    4. Harassment including sexual, racial verbal or cyber harassment
    5. Bullying (see Bullying Policy);
    6. Endangering the safety of others.

Students use appropriate displays of affection.

  1. Examples of this expectation include:
    1. Hand-holding,
    2. High fiving,
    3. Friendly hugs.
  2. Violations of this expectation include:
    1. Kissing,
    2. Unwanted physical contact and
    3. Romantic 
displays of affection

Students dress appropriately, and follow the “Dress Code.”

Students use media and technology appropriately.

  1. Examples of this expectation include:
    1. Using computers or the internet, appropriately, as directed by the staff;
  2. Violations of this expectation during or outside of school hours include:
    1. Cell phone use during class;
    2. Inappropriate texting and multi-media messaging;
    3. Surfing inappropriate websites;
  3. Violations of this expectation outside of school events include:
    1. Inappropriate use of social networks or web sites to haze, insult, or demean a student at HLIS.
    2. Cyber harassment.

Other General School Rules

  1. Smoking and chewing betelnut are forbidden at school or in public at all times.
  2. Students of the opposite sex may not be alone together and sexual relationships of any kind are forbidden.
  3. Students may not approach or enter faculty housing without permission.
  4. Speak English often to build your skill, and use only English in the classroom.

Dormitory Area Rules and Policies

  1. Respect, cooperation, courtesy, honesty and integrity are the key principles of living together in the dormitory areas, where all students are to practice the Christian life style, which follows the ideas of love for God and service to one another.
  2. At registration all boarders should normally bring personal items necessary for a comfortable stay. These might include a pillow, blankets, bed sheets, other personal toilet items and a Bible.
  3. All dormitory students are allocated a room in an appropriate segment of each dormitory. Any room changes must receive appropriate permission.
  4. Dormitories should be kept clean and tidy at all times – both inside and outside. Dorm prefects and patrons, as well as duty officers and Deans will enforce cleanliness. A lack of cleanliness will be cause for appropriate disciplinary action.
  5. Boarders must follow the normal daily schedule including clean up in the morning, evening study time and lights out. Night study is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Study time should be a quiet time for all.
  6. Dormitory patrons and matrons are hired as necessary by the school administration to assist in keeping the dorm area safe, clean and orderly.       Dorm patrons, deans and duty teachers will conduct periodic checks to insure students are behaving respectfully.
  7. Disturbances in the dorm areas should be avoided. All boarding students are to treat each other with courtesy and respect. Loud music, playing around, shouting and bothering others is to be avoided at all times. Dorm captains and patrons, as well as duty officers and Deans will work together
  8. Stealing is a crime that is against God’s clear law anywhere.       Stealing of any kind will be cause for immediate suspension and loss of boarding privileges without fee refund.
  9. Devotions should be held in each dormitory after study time and before lights out.
  10. Destruction of property in the dormitories will result in disciplinary action. Students are held financially responsible for all of the school equipment in the dormitory room to which they are assigned.
  11. All students should care for and use ablution areas properly.
  12. Girls and boys are not allowed in each others’ dormitory areas.
  13. Fires of any kind are not allowed in or around the dormitories.
  14. No one is allowed in another person’s room without his/her permission.
  15. Outsiders and day students are not allowed in the dorm areas without specific administration permission. Visitors may call for boarders to see them outside.

Special Rules for Girls

  1. Girls must be in their dorm area after supper.
  2. Girls going to evening activities must go and return in groups.
  3. Girls need special permission to leave the school campus.

Special Rules for the School Mess

  1. Enter the dining hall clean and personally well groomed.
  2. Arrive on time for meals.
  3. Maintain peace and order while entering, eating and leaving.
  4. Stay out of the kitchen.
  5. Do not remove food from the mess without permission.

Anti Bullying Policy

  1. Policy: Highlands Lutheran International School does not tolerate bullying, harassment or intimidation by students, teachers or staff. Teachers will actively and consistently teach and model positive behavior(s), and have zero tolerance for aggressive or harassing behavior(s).
  2. Definition: Bullying is when one or more people repeatedly harm, put down, harass, intimidate or exclude others. Bullying involves an imbalance of power or strength (including but not limited to social status, popularity with peers, age, education, physical strength or size, or a combination of these). It can take place face to face or behind the back. Bullying can take many forms, including but not limited to:
    1. Physical (such as hitting or punching, or taking property from others);
    2. Verbal (such as teasing, name calling, putting others down, or spreading rumors);
    3. Nonverbal or emotional (such as intimidation using gestures or social exclusion); and
    4. Cyber-bullying or bullying through note writing (such as sending insulting messages by e-mail, 
texting, or social networks, or social networks, or sending insulting notes to others in the classroom).
  3. Consequences: Bullying is considered “Severe Misconduct,” and requires notification of parents, and Level Two consequences, up to and including dismissal. Teachers will transmit all reports or documentation of bulling behavior to the principal, who will initiate Level Two consequences to correct the behavior or otherwise maintain a bully free environment for all students.
  4. Reporting: Students and/or bystanders should report bullying behavior to any trusted staff member. Parents report to the teacher or principal. Reports may be oral or in writing and will be documented.

 Discipline Course of Action

The serious offenses identified in this handbook require immediate punishment or follow up procedures by the Deputy Principal-Secondary, Deputy Principal-Primary, in coordination with the Teacher in Charge (TIC) Discipline the School Counsellor. This normally includes an investigation of what happened, a clear judgment and the execution of punishment. Many cases of student misbehavior, however, simply require a consistent system of punishment for the misbehavior in question.

Highlands Lutheran International School administration, faculty, and staff are committed to maintaining clear and consistent policies related to student discipline. This section of the handbook provides the consequences that will be applied as a result of misconduct. Steps can be omitted or occur simultaneously as the situation dictates.

Consequences for misconduct are applied to correct, teach, or motivate students to follow behavioral expectations. HLIS distinguishes between the student, and student behavior. Our aim is to correct unacceptable behavior while extending our love and God’s grace to the student. We forgive, but maintain expectations. This requires a measured approach to misconduct, applying different levels of consequences for Misconduct, Repeated Misconduct and Severe Misconduct, as illustrated below.

Misconduct is the failure of a student to abide by the school’s behavioral expectations. Misconduct and consequences will be documented by a member of the staff and maintained by the student’s teacher (level one) or by the Teacher in Charge of Discipline (level two).

Repeated Misconduct is misconduct that continues over time and that is not corrected by the student after Level One Consequences. Repeated misconduct requires Level Two Consequences.

Severe Misconduct consists of dangerous behavior or misconduct of a more serious nature. This includes but is not limited to the following:

  1. Refusal to attend class
  2. Unauthorized entry,
  3. Intentional obstruction or disruption of teaching,
  4. Theft
  5. Physical abuse or the threat of physical abuse against any person at school or at any school event – Bullying (see the Anti Bullying Policy)
  6. Gambling of any kind
  7. Sexual misconduct
  8. Use or possession of alcoholic beverages or marijuana
  9. Use or possession on the school property of firearms, ammunition, or other dangerous objects.
  10. Use, possession, distribution or sale of illegal substances

Students exhibiting Severe Misconduct will skip Level One Consequences. Consequences may begin at any step in Level Two, including suspension and expulsion, as determined by the TIC Discipline or the Principal. 
Examples of Severe Misconduct sometimes involve a special Discipline Committee of the School Board, and expulsion requires the approval of the full School Board.

1. Level One Consequences (imposed at the classroom level):

  1. Verbal reprimand;
  2. Make amends;
  3. Confiscation of inappropriate material;
  4. Loss of privilege (recess, free time, etc.);
  5. Time out, or temporary removal from the classroom;
  6. Specific duty relating to misconduct as determined by the teacher; and/or
  7. Communication with Parent;

2. Level Two Consequences (for Severe or Repeated Misconduct):

  1. Parent Contact – Staff member involved contacts the parents of the student(s) to inform of the misconduct. Communication is documented in
    student’s file;
  2. Principal/Student Conference – Student will conference with principal regarding misconduct and appropriate further consequences. Conference may include a phone call or letter to parents by student;
  3. Parent/Teacher/Principal/Student Conference – Conference with student, parents, teacher, and principal;
  4. Referral – Referral for counseling and/or testing as determined by principal and teacher is recommended if applicable (failure to comply will result in suspension);
  5. Suspension – Student is suspended for a specified period of time or until problem is resolved, at the principal’s discretion, or until specified conditions are met. The board is notified.
  6. Dismissal – If the problem is unresolved through the above steps, or if there is a further discipline concern, the student may be dismissed/expelled from HLIS. 
 This requires the approval of the School Board.  After two suspensions, dismissal from HLIS is the next step for serious misbehavior, and school fees for dismissed students are not refunded.  Parents have the option of appeal to the Board of Governors if their student is dismissed.

The various steps in carrying out Level Two Consequences usually involve:

  1. An investigation into exactly what happened with each person involved writing out his/her particular version of the story.
  2. A judgment by the discipline persons involved – usually the faculty members and administrative officers who have first hand knowledge of the case.
  3. The execution of appropriate punishment.
  4. If the student is suspended from school, he or she receives a suspension notice from the Deputy for Administration to take home with him/her.
  5. When the suspension period is completed, the offending student returns with his/her parents or guardians and signs a behavior bond to refrain from any further instances of unacceptable behavior.
  6. From time to time a Child Discipline Notice is sent to a student’s parents/guardian. This form contains information about the student’s disciplinary conduct.
%d bloggers like this: