The rights and responsibilties of students, parents and staff:
Definition
- Student engagement can be defined as three interrelated components: behavioural, emotional and cognitive.
- Behavioural engagement: refers to student’s participation in education, including the academic, social and extracurricular activities of the school
- Emotional engagement: encompasses students emotional reactions in the classroom and in the school and measures a students sense of belonging or connectedness to the
school
- Cognitive engagement: relates to a students’ investment in learning and their intrinsic motivation and self regulation.
Rationale
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is committed to providing safe, secure and high quality learning and development opportunities for every student in Victorian schools. These students can only reach their full educational potential when they are happy, healthy and safe, and when there is a positive school culture that is fair and respectful to engage and support their learning.
Aim
To relate to and be consistent with the “Effective Schools are Engaging Schools: Student Engagement Policy Guidelines.” In areas such as the encouragement of educational achievement and excellence, prevention of absences and inappropriate behaviour.
School Profile
CoimadaiPrimary School is a rural school nestled in a valley overlooking LakeMerrimu, 10 km north of Bacchus Marsh. The school was founded in 1863 as the Pyrete Common School, when a group of locals built a wooden structure to serve as both a school and teacher residence. A brick school was erected in 1872 and, with a few additions, is still used as a Library and Administration area today. In addition there are two new double portables used as classrooms, a single portable used for specialist areas and a
“Shedatorium” used for indoor PE, drama assemblies and social functions. The school grounds are well maintained and neatly presented. The school is strongly supported by parents and enjoys co-operation between parents, staff and students. This partnership is highly valued by all stake holders at Coimadai. Community interaction and participation are essential elements in the operation of Coimadai Primary School. High importance is placed on the contributions that parents and the wider community play in improving the learning outcomes for students.
Whole School Prevention
The school provides an alternative educational choice and parents seek the programs offered by Coimadai which reflect –
· A small school population
· A safe and comfortable environment
· A commitment of staff, parents and community
· A pleasant rural outlook
· A personal and family–oriented atmosphere
Coimadai Primary School promotes success and aims to develop students who are:
· Happy, optimistic and confident in their community
· Committed to the pursuit of lifelong learning and knowledge
· Responsible, fair and honest
· Self discipline, cooperative and respectful of others
· Strive for achievement and take pride focused around personal, academic and social goals
· Efficient communicators who work effectively in teams, individually and display strong leadership
To achieve these aims for students, the school will:
· Have high expectations of all students, encourage the achievement of goals and accept individuals
· Continue to build positive and supportive partnerships with the community promoting fairness, honesty, resilience, pride and respect.
· Provide a wide variety of capacity building and stimulating learning opportunities
· Maintain a secure, caring and motivating learning environment
· Build upon teacher capacity whilst continuing to pursue and deliver latest educational initiatives and best teaching and learning practices
Student Standards
· Demonstrate courtesy and respect
· Learn and play co-operatively
· Stay safe and secure in our school grounds and buildings
· Care about yourself and your school environment
· Act in a safe and responsible manner when representing Coimadai Primary School
Rights and Responsibilities
The Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act (2006) outlines a vision for human rights for all Victorians.The charter affirms that all people are born free and equal in dignity and rights. While the charter demands equality for all, it also emphasises the value of difference. The charter requires public authorities, including government schools and their employees to act compatibly with human rights and to consider hem when making decisions and delivering services. Coimadai Primary Rights and Responsibilities
are:
Rights Responsibilities
Students Children have the right to: Children have the responsibility to:
· have the opportunity to learn without interruption · accept and follow our school rules
· be an individual, and be treated without discrimination · respect others
· achieve success, and have access to all activities · allow others to work and play
· be treated with kindness and respect · make our school a safe place
· express ideas, feelings and concerns · complete school work
· feel safe, secure and happy at school · look after our school environment
· have a sense of belonging · maintain acceptable standards of personal hygiene and dress
Parents Parents have the right to: Parents have the responsibility to:
· be treated fairly and with respect · encourage good work and behaviour in their child
· be respected as a major influence in their child’s life · support school goals, rules and sanctions
· expect their child will be given the opportunity to develop to his/her potential · discuss concerns with (i) class teacher (ii) Principal
· a safe school and a clean and attractive environment · keep fully informed on school policy
· have input and access to school policy · provide the school with up-to-date information necessary for their
child’s welfare
· access school personnel at appropriate times · recognise that the success of school goals comes about through
co-operation between home and school
· receive regular reports regarding their child · ensure children attend school regularly
· expect property will be respected · support and ensure acceptable standards of personal hygiene as per
school guidelines
Teachers Teachers have the right to: Teachers have a responsibility to:
· expect co-operation, courtesy and respect · provide a stimulating work environment
· be free from unnecessary disruption during teaching/learning sessions · provide appropriate learning experiences for all children
· express individual ideas in a supportive environment · assist all children to develop self-esteem, a sense of responsibility
and a co-operative spirit
· a safe school and a clean work environment · respect and care for all persons within the school
· expect assistance and support from the Principal and parents · consistently implement and model school rules
· expect property will be safe · be available to discuss/report on school students
· participate in policy development and implementation · participate fully in policy development and implementation
· continue to professionally develop teaching skills
Shared Expectations
Coimadai Primary has developed shared expectations to ensure that the learning, safety and rights of all are respected. The expectations are intended to be positive in that they set out what is accepted and appropriate behaviour for our school community.Our shared experiences are intended to support individual students and families that come to our community from a diversity of backgrounds, communities and experiences.
Staff Engagement
The school leadership team will
- Uphold the right of every child to receive a quality education
- Ensure the school complies with its duty of care obligations to each student as well as its obligations under the equal opportunity and human rights legislation
- Identify the diversity of the school community and deliver teaching and learning, educational and community services inclusive and responsive to student needs
- Develop flexible pedagogical styles to engage different learners
- Deliver curriculum and assessment that challenges and extends student learning
- Develop positive relationships with students that promote engagement, wellbeing and learning
- Provide opportunities for student voice developing a positive school culture
In compliance with Departmental procedures school staff will:
- Promote regular attendance with all members of the school community
- Monitor and follow up on absences
Coimadai Primary will support and promote positive behaviours by developing and implementing shared behavioural expectations with the school community through a staged response. Professional development opportunities will be provided to staff to build their capacity in positive classroom management and dealing with differing levels of behaviour. The values base of the school will be employed when dealing with differing levels of behaviour.
An individual behaviour plan will be negotiated with children and parents where there is difficult, repeated inappropriate behaviour.
All students will:
- Support each other’s learning by behaving in a respectful manner
- Have high expectations that they can learn
- Be considerate and supportive of others
- Demonstrate behaviour and attitudes that support the wellbeing and learning for all and contributes to a safe, inclusive and happy
- Understand that bullying, including cyber-bullying, violence, property damage, inappropriate language and disrupting the learning of other students is unacceptable
- Parents/Carers Engagement
- Parents/carers are expected to support the school’s efforts to educate young people to live in a diverse world by promoting an understanding and appreciation of diversity in the home.
- Parents/carers should also help the school to provide student-centered responses by providing all relevant information to the school
- Parents/carers are encouraged to actively participate in supporting their child’s learning by building a positive relationship with the school
- Parents/carers will work with the school through attendance at parent-teacher meetings and responding to communications in a timely manner
- Parents/carers are expected to ensure that enrolment details for their children are correct, that their children attend school regularly and that when a child is absent from school, parents/carers advise the school as soon as possible
- Parents/carers should understand the schools behavioural expectations and aim to provide a consistent approach that supports their child’s learning and engagement in and out of school
Attendance
Attendance will be promoted with practices reflecting the DET philosophy of ‘Its Not OK to be Away’
All absences will be monitored daily and if there has been no explanation from parents/carers in relation to an absence after three days the Principal or delegate will contact the
parents/carer.
Ongoing unexplained absences will result in a formal attendance conference being organised which may lead to the establishment of a Student Support Group. An Attendance Improvement Plan may be developed, (refer to Appendix 7: Student Engagement Policy).
Detention Procedures
Teachers may require a student to finish work which has not been in completed in the regular classroom or to undertake additional or new work or duties at a reasonable time and place. No more than half the time allocated for any recess may be used for this work.
Further procedures detailing after school detention are available in the Schools Reference Guide.
Suspension Procedures
Will be in accordance with the Student Engagement Policy Guidelines