1. Introduction

Monte Vista Primary School strives towards the highest standards of teaching and education. This is accomplished by the close co-operation and mutual support of the role players in the education triangle: the educator, the learner, and the parent.

Therefore, the Code of Conduct of the Monte Vista Primary School was compiled according to the South African Schools’ Act 1996 (Act 84 of 1996) and the Guidelines for a Code of Conduct for learners (as proclaimed in the Government Gazette of 15 May 1998) to assist with the effective management of the school. This was also done to offer a framework against which the educator, learner, and parent can measure their own acceptable conduct.

With this code of conduct, the school undertakes to maintain the rights of learners, parents, and educators.

2. Teaching and Education

Aim:

To encourage a balanced interaction between educators, learners, and parents and to ensure a healthy educational environment.

Implications for the learner:

The learner must accept that it is the duty of the school to develop his/her talents according to their potential. The learner must discover his/her own weak or strong characteristics and accept the assistance of the parent and the educator.

3. Authority

Aim:

To clearly spell out the structure of authority within the school so that all learners can understand their individual responsibilities and roles. A structure of authority is essential for the effective and orderly administration of a school.

Implications for the learner:

The learners must accept the authority of the educators and should apply self-discipline to assist the educators in their task.

4. Values and Norms

Aim:

The school is seen as an extension of the community and renders a service to the community. It must therefore contribute towards the cultivation of acceptable values and norms for the children of the community.

Implications for the learner:

Learners should acknowledge and respect each other’s physical and cultural differences. They should exhibit positive attitudes towards the community’s values and norms.

5. Physical Amenities

Aim:

To ensure that the physical amenities of the school will be utilised towards the education and development of the learner and to cultivate the necessary respect for and pride in the existing amenities.

Implications for the learner:

Learners must have respect for and pride in the physical amenities of the school. Learners must utilise these amenities responsibly and together with their parents accept liability for the repairs to any apparatus in cases where vandalism or damage has been caused to the physical amenities.

6. Attire

Aim:

To develop the unity of and pride in the school by means of a uniform and neat dress code.

Implications for the learner:

Learners should appreciate the importance of a neat school uniform. A standardised uniform is also more economical. Learners' hair, jewellery, and other accessories should be in accordance with the prescribed school rules. Sportswear should always be worn as stipulated in the school rules.

7. Discipline

Aim:

To instill in the learners an understanding and a sense of discipline which will lead to maintaining self-discipline. This will ensure that teaching and educational development will continue unhindered.

Implications for the learner:

Learners have to adhere to class and school rules. Learners should realise that they are responsible for their own actions and they will have to bear the consequences of misconduct.

8. Levels of Application of Discipline

In order to maintain and promote good order and discipline, a system of merits (positive points) and demerits (negative points) has been implemented. Monte Vista uses the App Class Dojo as the discipline system. This App allows educators, parents, and learners to interact constructively. Educators have the ability to load merits and demerits and to communicate it with parents and learners. Parents need to have an account on Class Dojo to be able to view their child’s behaviour at school.

The merit and demerit points work separately from each other and do not have an effect on each other.

1. Merits (Positive Points)

Each class has its own reward system whereby learners are rewarded for the merits that they work for.

List of merits:

• Cleaning class
• Keeping environment clean
• Team work
• Helping others / Sharing
• Assembly award
• Reading a book + book report
• Excellence and prideful work during the week
• Excellence in assessments / Great improvement
• 100% for a test
• Integrity
• Honesty
• Reporting a bully
• Trustworthy
• Reliable
• Good manners
• Homework completed for an entire week
• Return reply slip the very next day

2. Demerits (Negative Marks)

LEVEL 1

Each educator with the help of Class Dojo decides upon the first level of discipline. Rules and boundaries are set. The learner’s behaviour must comply with these rules and remain within the set boundaries in order to have good order inside and outside the classroom. On this level the educator determines the severity of this misconduct and the learner will receive a negative point in his/her Class Dojo profile. After 10 negative points the learner will stay for detention. Positive points and negative points are separate and do not impact each other.

A detention session will last 2 hours at school on a given Friday afternoon where the learners will reflect on their behaviour.

Level 1 Infringements – can count up to 5 points each:

• Leaving books / PT clothes at home
• Stationery not available
• Work incomplete
• Homework/ tests or letters not signed
• Not returning a reply slip in 3 days
• Late for school and/or classes
• Incorrect uniform, untidy clothing or hair not according to the school rules
• Littering
• Continuous talking in class
• Disrupting the classroom routine
• Misbehaving in lines/passages/assembly
• Chewing bubblegum
• Did not attend a sports practice/match/music lesson without informing the educator beforehand
• Dangerous games / playing with a ball in school building
• Being in areas that are out of bounds

Punishment for Level 1 Infringements:

After repeated warnings, Dojo points will be deducted from the learner.

LEVEL 2

This type of infringement is seen in a more serious light and learners who are guilty of these infringements will immediately receive a notice to their parents and a direct detention by the Head of Discipline, Deputy Headmaster, or Headmaster. If the learner is repeatedly guilty of these infringements he/she will be asked to appear before a Grade Committee where the learner and parents are present. Here a possible solution to the problems of the learner will be discussed and the group of educators will decide upon a suitable punishment.

Level 2 Infringements - can count up to 10 points each:

• Disrespectful towards adults and peers
• Fighting (Verbal / Physical)
• Bullying
• Dishonesty
• Inappropriate behaviour
• Vandalism - school property or property of another learner
• Dangerous games leading to a learner getting injured
• Undermining of authority
• Unacceptable behavior during school outings
• Intimidation and hurting of fellow learners
• Swearing
• Forging the signature of a parent/guardian/educator
• Immoral/sexual remarks

Punishment for Level 2 Infringements:

Direct detention and in the case of repeatedly being guilty of these infringements the learner will appear in front of a Grade Committee.

LEVEL 3

These infringements are not listed in Class Dojo. Learners who infringe in this category, will be referred to the Deputy Headmaster or Headmaster immediately. The parents/guardians will be informed of the learner’s misconduct. This level of infringement may lead to a Disciplinary Hearing at which time a sanction will be posed upon the learner if found guilty of such misconduct.

List of Level 3 Infringements:

• 5 or more detentions during one term
• Smoking
• Vandalism
• Leaving the school grounds during school hours without permission
• Refusing to sit detention
• Dishonesty during a test
• Sexually inappropriate behaviour
• Possessing pornographic material in any form
• Being absent from class, sport or cultural events without permission

Punishment for Level 3 Infringements:

When level 3 infringements occur repeatedly, the grade committee, together with the learner’s parents, will have a discussion with the principal to address the misconduct and a possible solution.

Parents of learners who vandalise school property will have to pay for the repairs to or the replacement of vandalised property.

Withholding of privileges. Some privileges such as partaking in camps, outdoor activities or attending functions organised by the school can be withheld from a learner. The Headmaster or his/her proxy will make the final decision.

The withdrawal of honorary colours or learners council status. The temporary or permanent withdrawal of a learner’s honorary colours or learners council status, as a result of negative behaviour that in the opinion of the Headmaster and the staff is not worthy of the honorary colours or learners council status, will be considered.

LEVEL 4

Level 4 Infringements. These infringements are not listed in Class Dojo. Learners who make themselves guilty of this type of infringement can, according to article 9(1) of the SA Schools Act, 1996 (Act 84 of 1996), as a corrective measure, be suspended by the Governing Body of the school for a period not exceeding one week.

In cases of serious infringements, the governing body can, after a fair hearing has been held where a learner has been found guilty, apply to the Head of Department of the Western Cape Education Department, for the learner to be expelled from the school. (According to article 9(2) of the SA Schools’ Act, 1996 (Act 84 of 1996).

List of level 4 infringements:

• Conduct which endangers the safety of and violates the rights of others
• The possession, threat or use of dangerous weapons
• The possession, use, handing over of visible evidence of narcotic or unauthorized drugs, alcohol or intoxicants of any kind
• Fighting, assaulting of any kind
• Immoral behaviour or profanity
• Falsely identifying oneself
• Harmful graffiti, hate speech, sexism, racism
• Theft or possession of stolen property including test or examinations papers prior to the writing of tests or examinations
• Unlawful action, vandalism, or destroying or defacing of school property
• Disrespectful, objectionable behaviour and verbal abuse directed at educators or other school employees or learners.
• Repeated violations of the School Rules or the Code of Conduct
• Criminal and oppressive behaviour such as rape and gender-based harassment
• Victimisation, bullying and intimidation of other learners
• Infringement of examination rules
• Knowing and willfully supplying false information or falsifying documentation to gain an unfair advantage at school

Punishment for Level 4 Infringements:

Learners who are found guilty of level 4 infringements can, after a fair hearing by the Governing Body, be suspended from school immediately for a period not exceeding one week.

9. Positive Reinforcement

While applying discipline, a policy of positive reinforcement of exemplary behaviour is encouraged. According to this policy good behaviour is rewarded with positive Dojo points. Each class will have a reward system for achieving a set amount of Dojo points. This serves as motivation and positive reinforcement of good behaviour.

The school's policy is that punishment will not be applied in the spirit of retribution. Punishment is applied to correct the misbehaviour of the learner to the benefit of the learner and other learners. The mutual cooperation between parents and educator remains of the utmost importance.

Accepted and approved by the Governing Body.