SCHOOL POLICIES 2017
Learner Code of Conduct | Hostel Policy | Extra-Curricular Policy | Excursion Policy | Educator Code of Conduct
HOSTEL POLICY DOCUMENT :
INTRODUCTION
This document is the hostel policy CAPE ACADEMY MATHS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, as approved by the school governing body. A hostel- committee made up of staff, parents, school governing body members and the hostel -head is responsible for the administration of the hostel.
Boarders are expected to know and obey the hostel policy and rules, a copy of which will be made available to the learner at the beginning of the year. Each boarder is bound by the school’s code of conduct for learners, over and above the hostel policy and rules. The core values instilled in the boarders are those of:
VISION
1. We strive to do whatever we can to create a better, healthier (cleaner) and non-racist environment for learners.
2. To lead by example, putting our hostelites needs first and persevere to get the best out of 2009.(Mission)
3. To make it a stress free, comfortable environment for the learners to be in, and a place where learners can develop their fullest potential.
4. We strive to better living conditions in and around the hostel. Vision: “A home away from home”
MISSION
UBUNTU
- Respect ourselves, others, their property and the environment.
- Lead by example.
- Motivate and encourage a supportive learning environment.
- To uphold the hostels reps reputation, practice empathy, and take initiative when opportunity arises
Boarders have the following rights
H. HOSTEL RULES
The school principal, hostel superintendent, his/her staff and hostel leaders are responsible for maintaining discipline in the hostel and the seriousness of conduct is not only determined by the conduct itself but also the effect such has on other boarders, learners and the reputation of the school in general
11.2. No playing of games which cause injury.
11.3. No playing or running is allowed in the hostel– especially not balls or other sports apparatus which can damage the hostel or learners. No pillow fights.
11.4. Fire extinguishers have been placed for emergency situations and no learnermay interfere with or damage such equipment. This will be regarded as a very serious offence.
12. Electrical appliances
12.1. The use of electrical appliances in the rooms, especially irons, kettles, hotplates, electric frying pans, heaters, fans, loose elements is forbidden. These items will be confiscated if found in learners’ possession.
12.2. Irons and ironing boards will be provided in a designated area. These may not be removed and taken to a learner’s room. Do not use to iron hair.
12.3. Kettle will be arranged for the learners’ use in a designated area after supper. If this area is not kept clean and if learners do not refrain from messing, this privilege will be withdrawn.
12.4. Radios, CD players, cellphones and laptops may not be played so loudly that they cause a disturbance. These will be confiscated if misused. No hi-fis, stereos or boom boxes are permitted.
12.5. Before a learner leaves her/his room she/he must ensure that all electrical appliances and lights are switched off.
13. Bathrooms/Toilets
13.1. Bathrooms and toilets must be left in a neat, clean and hygienic condition at all times.
13.2. The following must be observed at all times:
- Water must be used sparingly, especially hot water; and may not be played with or wasted.
14. Rooms
14.1. Rooms will be allocated to learners on a yearly basis by educators, and may change from time to time. No learners may change rooms without the permission of the educators on hostel duty.
14.2. Learners must sleep in their own rooms and in their own beds at all times.
14.3. Electricity must be used sparingly at all times – switch room lights.
14.4. The occupants of each room are accountable/responsible for the furniture and equipment listed in that room’s inventory. The parents of these learners will be responsible for the cost of the repairs or the replacement of any such furniture or equipment that is damaged or lost.
14.5. No item of furniture may be removed from a learner’s room without the permission of the educator on duty.
14.6 No learner is allowed to have a single room. Depending on the size of the room, the number of learners per room may range from 2 – 5 learners
15 Illness
15.1 A boarder who is ill must personally report to the house mother, herself, before breakfast.
15.2 Any boarder missing school due to illness, the parent will be contacted by the house mother/teacher on duty and the boarder may be required to see a doctor.
15.3 Injuries must be reported immediately – to the staff member on duty
15.4 Should a boarder get a contagious disease,he/she has to go home immediately and only return when he/she has fully recuperated.
15.5 All injuries sustained by a boarder must be reported to the parents irrespective of the severity thereof. It is the parent’s responsibility to advise on further action for treatment.
15.6 The hostel staff and the school is not allowed to issue any form of medication to the boarders.
15.7 Full medical disclosure should be given by learners on admission to the hostel.
16. Hostel Access
16.1 Visitors are subject to, and must respect, the hostel rules
16.2 No parents allowed in the hostel. In cases of parents wanting access to children then arrangement with hostel mother/fathers is to be made.
16.2 Under no circumstances can any male visitor enter female dormitories and no visitor may enter male dormitories.
16.3 Boarders will be held responsible for their visitors’ conduct. If reasonable suspicion exists, visitors and their possessions may be subject to a search, in the presence of the Superintendent and one other staff member.
16.4 Day scholars are not allowed in the hostel without the permission of the staff member on duty..
16.5 No male learners may enter the female hostel and no female learners may enter the male hostel.
17. Hostel Leaders
Hostel leaders (Reps) are the spokespersons for the hostel boarders and hostel staff and are elected by other learners to assist in the maintenance of discipline and the facilities in the hostel. It will be considered a serious offence for the boarders to defy their instructions (subject to an appeal to the Hostel-head)
17.1 Hostel-representatives are responsible for the smooth running of their assigned dormitories and are encouraged to help the girls in their care in all matters pertaining to the hostel and the school
17.2 it is expected of each Member to set an example and to behave in such a manner that others (boarders and staff) can respect them and look up to them.
17.3 Hostel representatives who consistently neglect their duties could have their position suspended permanently
17.4 Other Responsibilities of Hostel Representatives:
18. Weekend Sign-In
18.1 All learners living within 100 km’s must go home on weekend, such learners can be granted permission to stay if the following conditions are met:
- The learner is not suspended by the internal disciplinary committee.
- The request for the child to stay on a particular weekend must be made by the parent to the hostel-head on Wednesday either through email, telephonically or arranged meeting,
18.2 All learners permitted to stay over the weekend must:
- Obtain a weekend-pass form from the relevant teacher concerned and present
It to the hostel-head by the Wednesday before that weekend.
- A written permission-slip is to be obtained from the teacher on duty in case of any learner seeking to leave school premises under special circumstances.
- Learners are expected to go to Meadowridge only on Friday and thus no learner will be allowed to leave on any other day.
- All learners receiving permission to go to Meadowrigde or anywhere outside the school premises must be back to the school before 15:00 pm.
- Learners are not allowed to leave school premises on Friday and return to the school on Saturday.
18.3 Learners who choose to stay without permission will be ordered to leave the hostel premises on Saturday morning and such learner will be suspended from the hostel for a period of time to be determined by the internal disciplinary committee
18.4 Check-out time on a Friday is 18h00pm. Learners are not permitted to leave later than the allotted time.
18.5 Learners are only allowed to stay-in on weekends under the following conditions:
(i) Extra-mural activities
(ii) Permitted study activities
19. Compulsory weekends
19.1 The compulsory weekend will be determined by the cape Academy staff in consultation with the School Calender.
19.2 Learners are expected to lock their belongings in the allocated store rooms and all room cupboard should be cleared and unlocked.
19.3 Learners are expected to leave their luggage in the allocated rooms before reporting for breakfast for the hostel to be fumigated.20 Swimming Pool
20 Exclusions and expulsions
20.1. Learners who are guilty of:
- The use of any alcoholic drinks or drugs. Fighting/Violent behaviour.
- Boys who enter girls’ hostels or girls who enter boys’ hostels.
- Blatant rudeness to educators, housemothers and other staff.
These misdemeanours will lead to immediate exclusion and possible expulsion.
20.2. The intentional damaging of school/state property, e.g. breaking of windows, doors and toilets and graffiti will lead to prosecution and expulsion.
THE CAPE ACADEMY OF MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
DISCIPLINARY CODE: to be used in conjunction with the Code of Conduct
INTRODUCTION
This document is the hostel policy CAPE ACADEMY MATHS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, as approved by the school governing body. A hostel- committee made up of staff, parents, school governing body members and the hostel -head is responsible for the administration of the hostel.
Boarders are expected to know and obey the hostel policy and rules, a copy of which will be made available to the learner at the beginning of the year. Each boarder is bound by the school’s code of conduct for learners, over and above the hostel policy and rules. The core values instilled in the boarders are those of:
- Respect
- Honesty
- Consideration
- Tolerance
- Integrity
VISION
1. We strive to do whatever we can to create a better, healthier (cleaner) and non-racist environment for learners.
2. To lead by example, putting our hostelites needs first and persevere to get the best out of 2009.(Mission)
3. To make it a stress free, comfortable environment for the learners to be in, and a place where learners can develop their fullest potential.
4. We strive to better living conditions in and around the hostel. Vision: “A home away from home”
MISSION
UBUNTU
- Respect ourselves, others, their property and the environment.
- Lead by example.
- Motivate and encourage a supportive learning environment.
- To uphold the hostels reps reputation, practice empathy, and take initiative when opportunity arises
- PREAMBLE
- LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND
- DEFINITIONS
- OBJECTIVES
Boarders have the following rights
- to study - no-one is to interfere with this right
- to live and sleep in a safe and quiet environment
- to live in a clean environment with access to good ablution facilities
- to be provided with three meals a day
- STATEMENT OF APPLICABILITY
- ADMISSION
- The hostel committee alone is responsible for the regulation and control of hostel admissions.
- Application for hostel admission must occur at the same time as application for school admission, unless the governing body decides otherwise.
- The hostel committee reserves the right of admission to the hostel.
- Re-admittance to the hostel is dependent on academic performance.
- BOARDING FEES
- A deposit becomes due upon registration as soon as the hostel committee/principal approves and confirms a learner’s application for admission to the hostel. Should the deposit not be paid to the school within 7 days of approval and confirmation, the school governing body may withdraw its approval and confirmation.
- The deposit is non-refundable and will be used to cover the first term’s boarding fees.
- Each hostel parent is responsible for full boarding fees.
- Boarding fees are payable in advance each term. Unless arrangements and possible negotiation made with the hostel committee, Learners will not be allowed to take up or resume residency in the new term until the fees are paid in full.
H. HOSTEL RULES
The school principal, hostel superintendent, his/her staff and hostel leaders are responsible for maintaining discipline in the hostel and the seriousness of conduct is not only determined by the conduct itself but also the effect such has on other boarders, learners and the reputation of the school in general
- Wake-up
- Learners wake up at 06:00 in the morning and get dressed.
- Learners who are sick and unable to attend school, must report to educator on duty at breakfast.
- Room doors must not be locked at all.
- Report for breakfast promptly at the set time.
- Cleaning of rooms and inspection.
- Learners make their beds, sweep their rooms and neaten their rooms before leaving for school in the morning. Learners are encouraged to have a room cleaning roster visible in the room doors.
- Hostel representatives will inspect the rooms before breakfast.
- Meals
- Learners must be on time for meals and must be attired neatly and decorously – not items of sleepwear to be worn, including slippers; no head gear, no caps, no woodies, no earphones to be worn in dining hall and no audible music sound is allowed.
- Learners should enter the dining room in a quiet and orderly manner.
- Meals will be served cafeteria style.
- Learners should ensure that tables are kept neat and that proper table manners are observed.
- Tables must be cleared by the learners after the meal.
- No crockery or cutlery must be removed from the dining room. All dirty crockery or cutlery must be put in the trolley available on completion of the meals.
- No learners allowed in the kitchen area without permission.
- Meal Times:
- Hostel Lockup
- All learners must leave for school no later than 7:30 as hostel will then be locked.
- No learner may visit the hostel during the official school hours. On special circumstances learners needing to visit the hostel may get permission from the grade heads.
- All hostels will be locked at 18:30 pm for Monday – Saturday, and will lock at 18:00 pm on Sunday during summer. In winter the lockup time is 18:00 pm for Monday – Monday. Failure to adhere to these times will result in penalties.
- Study period
- Only studying will be allowed during the study period. No walking around, sleeping, disturbances, music, cell phones, reading of novels or magazines, etc. are allowed.
- No learner is allowed to forgo the study period without the permission of the educator on duty.
- Learners who need to work on projects in groups must request permission from the educator on duty. Permission will be granted at the discretion of the educator on duty.
- Learners who do not adhere to the above will be required to report to a designated area during the study sessions where they will study under the supervision of the educator on duty or a hostel representative.
- All grade 8 – 10 learners must study in the allocated study hall for which they will be supervised. All grade 11 and 12 learners will study in their rooms but must keep the room doors open.
- Study times are as follows:
- Lights out
- Lights out will be at 10:00 pm.
- The period immediately after evening study until lights out is strictly quiet time.
- All radios, etc. must be switched off and learners should refrain from talking, singing, laughing, etc. after lights out.
- Laundry
- Will be done every Monday and Tuesday for boys and Wednesday and Thursday for girls.
- Sheet and pillowcase must be handed in once a week immediately after breakfast to housemother in a designated area. Blankets and comforters will be handed in once a month.
- All bedding and clothing items must have the owner’s name marked on them.
- Do not hand in delicate or non-colourfast items of clothing for washing. Then school will not be liable for any damage to the items of clothing.
- Do not hand in underwear or socks for laundry.
- No laundry the Wednesday and Thursday before compulsory weekend.
- Behaviour/conduct
- Show respect towards visitors, educators, non-educator staff.
- Although healthy interaction is encouraged between boys and girls, hand-holding, clutching, necking, kissing is not allowed on the hostel or school grounds.
- Smoking and drinking of alcoholic beverages is not permitted. Learners should not be in possession of smoking materials (including electronic cigarettes, ochre-pipes etc) or alcoholic beverages.
- Learners who smell of alcohol or who are under the influence of alcohol will not be allowed on the hostel premises.
- The use or possession of drugs by a learner is strongly forbidden. In the case of a reasonable suspicion existing that a learner is possession of drugs or peddling of drugs, the matter will be reported to the SAPS. The parents will be informed at once and they will immediately remove the learner form the hostel until the SAPS investigation and criminal case is concluded.
- Under no circumstances may learners possess any indecent or pornographic material in any form while they are on school premises.
- Gambling of any kind is not allowed.
- Any form of initiation is strongly forbidden and strong action will be taken against offenders.
- Any act / practise harmful to the well-being of learners is strongly discouraged.
- Vulgar and indecent language is forbidden on school premises.
- A learner may not assault or threaten to assault any educator, employer, another learner or other person.
- A fight between hostel learners is strongly forbidden as well as the irresponsible or negligent behaviour of one learner towards another which causes possible injury or harm.
- Bullying or the victimisation of another learner is not allowed.
- Discrimination on the basis of race religion or gender is strongly forbidden.
- Loud noise or any disturbances is strictly forbidden after 9.00pm.
- Throwing of tissues, sanitary pads and any other dirty itemsthrough the bathroom window will not be tolerated.
- Learners will be subjected to random drug testing and searching in presen se of the principal, hostel superintended and other hostel staff.
- Theft and vandalism
- Learners must respect one another’s privacy and property.
- No learner may steal or remove property of the hostel, or use someone else’s property without permissions; or in a deliberately negligent manner.
- A learner may not be in another learner’s room or living area, or go through their cupboard or possessions, or take their property or have it in their possession, without the permission of the other learner.
- Learners must provide locks for their cupboards and must lock all valuables away in their cupboards whenever they are not in their rooms. Learners are responsible for their own valuables.
- If the learner breaks an item belonging to the school accidently, it must be reported immediately to the educator on duty, otherwise it will be regarded as vandalism.
- The repair or replacement cost of hostel property that is damaged by a hostel learner whether deliberately or negligently will be paid to the hostel by the parents.
- Areas that are out of bounds
- The dining room after hours, unless prior arrangements have been made. The kitchen is strictly out of bounds.
- The hostels during school hours.
- The educators’ and employees living quarters.
- The other hostels, except the dining room.
- The school property outside the hostel grounds after 18:00, unless prior arrangements have been made with the educator on duty.
- Safety & Security
11.2. No playing of games which cause injury.
11.3. No playing or running is allowed in the hostel– especially not balls or other sports apparatus which can damage the hostel or learners. No pillow fights.
11.4. Fire extinguishers have been placed for emergency situations and no learnermay interfere with or damage such equipment. This will be regarded as a very serious offence.
12. Electrical appliances
12.1. The use of electrical appliances in the rooms, especially irons, kettles, hotplates, electric frying pans, heaters, fans, loose elements is forbidden. These items will be confiscated if found in learners’ possession.
12.2. Irons and ironing boards will be provided in a designated area. These may not be removed and taken to a learner’s room. Do not use to iron hair.
12.3. Kettle will be arranged for the learners’ use in a designated area after supper. If this area is not kept clean and if learners do not refrain from messing, this privilege will be withdrawn.
12.4. Radios, CD players, cellphones and laptops may not be played so loudly that they cause a disturbance. These will be confiscated if misused. No hi-fis, stereos or boom boxes are permitted.
12.5. Before a learner leaves her/his room she/he must ensure that all electrical appliances and lights are switched off.
13. Bathrooms/Toilets
13.1. Bathrooms and toilets must be left in a neat, clean and hygienic condition at all times.
13.2. The following must be observed at all times:
- Water must be used sparingly, especially hot water; and may not be played with or wasted.
- Be as hygienic as possible.
- No objects which can stop up the drains may be placed in the toilets, urinals or drainage pipes.
- Respect the privacy of other learners using the bathrooms; also respect the cultural sensibilities of learners – do not behave in a manner that others will find offensive.
- Do not remove plugs from wash basins.
14. Rooms
14.1. Rooms will be allocated to learners on a yearly basis by educators, and may change from time to time. No learners may change rooms without the permission of the educators on hostel duty.
14.2. Learners must sleep in their own rooms and in their own beds at all times.
14.3. Electricity must be used sparingly at all times – switch room lights.
14.4. The occupants of each room are accountable/responsible for the furniture and equipment listed in that room’s inventory. The parents of these learners will be responsible for the cost of the repairs or the replacement of any such furniture or equipment that is damaged or lost.
14.5. No item of furniture may be removed from a learner’s room without the permission of the educator on duty.
14.6 No learner is allowed to have a single room. Depending on the size of the room, the number of learners per room may range from 2 – 5 learners
15 Illness
15.1 A boarder who is ill must personally report to the house mother, herself, before breakfast.
15.2 Any boarder missing school due to illness, the parent will be contacted by the house mother/teacher on duty and the boarder may be required to see a doctor.
15.3 Injuries must be reported immediately – to the staff member on duty
15.4 Should a boarder get a contagious disease,he/she has to go home immediately and only return when he/she has fully recuperated.
15.5 All injuries sustained by a boarder must be reported to the parents irrespective of the severity thereof. It is the parent’s responsibility to advise on further action for treatment.
15.6 The hostel staff and the school is not allowed to issue any form of medication to the boarders.
15.7 Full medical disclosure should be given by learners on admission to the hostel.
16. Hostel Access
16.1 Visitors are subject to, and must respect, the hostel rules
16.2 No parents allowed in the hostel. In cases of parents wanting access to children then arrangement with hostel mother/fathers is to be made.
16.2 Under no circumstances can any male visitor enter female dormitories and no visitor may enter male dormitories.
16.3 Boarders will be held responsible for their visitors’ conduct. If reasonable suspicion exists, visitors and their possessions may be subject to a search, in the presence of the Superintendent and one other staff member.
16.4 Day scholars are not allowed in the hostel without the permission of the staff member on duty..
16.5 No male learners may enter the female hostel and no female learners may enter the male hostel.
17. Hostel Leaders
Hostel leaders (Reps) are the spokespersons for the hostel boarders and hostel staff and are elected by other learners to assist in the maintenance of discipline and the facilities in the hostel. It will be considered a serious offence for the boarders to defy their instructions (subject to an appeal to the Hostel-head)
17.1 Hostel-representatives are responsible for the smooth running of their assigned dormitories and are encouraged to help the girls in their care in all matters pertaining to the hostel and the school
17.2 it is expected of each Member to set an example and to behave in such a manner that others (boarders and staff) can respect them and look up to them.
17.3 Hostel representatives who consistently neglect their duties could have their position suspended permanently
17.4 Other Responsibilities of Hostel Representatives:
- Appoint table heads
- Do dormitory and cupboard inspection (never on their own or without prior warning)
- Do regular checks on their floor for broken windows, leaking pipes, etc. and record in Repairs book in dining room
- Complete attendance registers at each study session and meals and report missing boarders to the teacher on duty
18. Weekend Sign-In
18.1 All learners living within 100 km’s must go home on weekend, such learners can be granted permission to stay if the following conditions are met:
- The learner is not suspended by the internal disciplinary committee.
- The request for the child to stay on a particular weekend must be made by the parent to the hostel-head on Wednesday either through email, telephonically or arranged meeting,
18.2 All learners permitted to stay over the weekend must:
- Obtain a weekend-pass form from the relevant teacher concerned and present
It to the hostel-head by the Wednesday before that weekend.
- A written permission-slip is to be obtained from the teacher on duty in case of any learner seeking to leave school premises under special circumstances.
- Learners are expected to go to Meadowridge only on Friday and thus no learner will be allowed to leave on any other day.
- All learners receiving permission to go to Meadowrigde or anywhere outside the school premises must be back to the school before 15:00 pm.
- Learners are not allowed to leave school premises on Friday and return to the school on Saturday.
18.3 Learners who choose to stay without permission will be ordered to leave the hostel premises on Saturday morning and such learner will be suspended from the hostel for a period of time to be determined by the internal disciplinary committee
18.4 Check-out time on a Friday is 18h00pm. Learners are not permitted to leave later than the allotted time.
18.5 Learners are only allowed to stay-in on weekends under the following conditions:
(i) Extra-mural activities
(ii) Permitted study activities
19. Compulsory weekends
19.1 The compulsory weekend will be determined by the cape Academy staff in consultation with the School Calender.
19.2 Learners are expected to lock their belongings in the allocated store rooms and all room cupboard should be cleared and unlocked.
19.3 Learners are expected to leave their luggage in the allocated rooms before reporting for breakfast for the hostel to be fumigated.20 Swimming Pool
- Swimming times will be indicated. Boarders may not swim outside of these times
- Learners may not swim without staff supervision.
- Swimming costumes (one piece) and swimming caps are compulsory
- The keys to locker of a learner should not be accessible to others. Duplicate keys to locks may be handed in to the hostel staff for safekeeping. (Keys to be put in a marked and sealed envelope.
- Learners may not borrow money from the school or the hostel. Borrowing money from a staff member is not permitted
- The school or the hostel does not handle any pocket money
- A learner who gives her pin code or cupboard/room keys to anyone, does so at her own risk
- Avoid expensive cell phones. They will attract unnecessary attention
- Cell phones, laptops or any other valuable item should never be left lying around.
20 Exclusions and expulsions
20.1. Learners who are guilty of:
- The use of any alcoholic drinks or drugs. Fighting/Violent behaviour.
- Boys who enter girls’ hostels or girls who enter boys’ hostels.
- Blatant rudeness to educators, housemothers and other staff.
These misdemeanours will lead to immediate exclusion and possible expulsion.
20.2. The intentional damaging of school/state property, e.g. breaking of windows, doors and toilets and graffiti will lead to prosecution and expulsion.
THE CAPE ACADEMY OF MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
DISCIPLINARY CODE: to be used in conjunction with the Code of Conduct