CODE OF DISCIPLINE - Effective: September 2007

 ATTENDANCE:

1) Regular attendance is absolutely essential for academic progress.

2) Absences are recorded each day and entered into Department of Education Roll Books. A record of absences will be forwarded to parents / guardians along with Christmas and Summer reports or at more frequent intervals upon request. While it is understandable that pupils may be somewhat late arriving to school on occasion, it is expected that this would not become a common feature. Students who arrive after 10:00am are marked absent on the Department of Education Roll Book. However, as with any student arriving after 9:15am, they are expected to sign the “Late Book” in the office and inform the Deputy Principal of their arrival. This will ensure that the school’s records indicate their presence. Penalty Sheets are given to students who arrive late without adequate reason.  Students will not be admitted to school if they arrive after 10:30am.

3) All absences must be explained by a signed note from parents in the relevant section of the school journal. It is school policy to contact parents who have failed to furnish an explanation for a student’s absences. Where a student is absent from school for any reason for 20 or more days in the school year, this information will be forwarded to the National Educational Welfare Board in accordance with current legislation.

4) For legal and insurance purposes, in order to leave school during school hours or remain absent after lunch break, students will need permission from the Principal or Deputy Principal. In general, students are not allowed to leave the school grounds during class time or during the lunch break (unless going home for lunch with written permission). If, however, a student has to do a message for his / her parents or go outside the school for any reason, permission may be obtained through a written request in the journal from his / her parents. The student shows the note to the Principal or Deputy Principal for authorisation and then presents the journal at the main office when it is time to leave. He / she must sign a special book indicating what time he / she leaves and where he / she intends going. The student also signs in, whenever he / she returns to the school.

Parents who wish to collect their son / daughter can do so from the school office and not downtown. The school can not (for legal & insurance reasons) allow a student to leave its grounds unaccompanied.

Should students need to leave for a dental or other appointment, the relevant appointment card must be produced. Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to leave the school on a Friday afternoon or an afternoon preceding a long weekend / holiday break. The only exception will be if a parent physically collects the student from the main office of the school.

5) Truancy from school is deemed a very serious offence and will incur an automatic two-day suspension from school.

5) All students are expected to be at class on time. If a student is regularly late, he / she will be reprimanded by the teacher and the parents informed through the journal. The school reserves the right to refuse admittance to students who persistently turn up late for school. A student who arrives back late after lunch for afternoon class will have his / her permission to leave the school grounds at lunchtime withdrawn for five school days and / or be given Penalty Sheets for completion.

7) Admission of students who arrive for school early in the morning (before 8.15am) is conditional on the understanding that the school does not accept liability for any loss or injury which may be sustained by them during that time.  It is also conditional on good behaviour being shown at all times.

STUDENTS ARRIVING INTO TOWN IN THE MORNING FOR SCHOOL

The following arrangements are applicable to all students arriving into town in the morning.

	All students are to enter the school grounds immediately upon arrival into the town in the morning.
	Students are to enter school buildings and school grounds in an orderly, respectful and safe manner.
	Students are to show good behaviour at all times while approaching school from downtown.
	Students are not at any stage to congregate outside of the school gates / Youth Information Café etc., etc.
	Students are not to enter private property - especially the Cathedral car parks, the area behind the Science Museum, the graveyard along Church Lane / Charlestown road etc., etc.
	Students who have permission from the school to leave school grounds for lunch are to return to the school grounds at the end of lunch break and enter the school buildings through C. Block entrances in an orderly, respectful and safe manner.
	Students must have returned to the school and are present in the school buildings by 1:20pm at the latest.
	Students are to show good example at all times within the school and discourage any actions of others that would tarnish the good reputation of all the student body .

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