Code of Conduct for general educational institutions under Joensuu’s education committee (KAKOLK 29.11.2022)

 

The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to lay the foundation for achieving the educational objectives of school work as well as creating a safe and comfortable school community. The Code of Conduct guides everyone at school to take responsibility for their daily work and plays a part in preparing pupils and students (learners) for future life. A school may issue its own guidelines to specify the shared Code of Conduct. Guidelines are created together with learners, staff and guardians. The Code of Conduct and possible guidelines are discussed with learners at the beginning of each academic year. The Code of Conduct is available on the City’s website. 

 

Scope

This Code of Conduct applies to school hours and school grounds.

 

School grounds refers to the properties and yard areas that serve as the school's teaching facilities. Schools shall specify the Code of Conduct by attaching either a verbal definition or a map of their own school grounds.

School hours refers to the workday as outlined in the timetable and any exceptional working hours approved in the school’s annual plan. The Code of Conduct also applies to any events organised by the school that are directly related to studies, even if they are organised outside of the school grounds and/or school hours.

 

Conduct on school grounds and during school hours as well as at events organised by the school (only those concerning comprehensive school are mentioned separately)

1. In comprehensive school, learners may only leave the school grounds with special permission from a teacher or the principal.
2. In comprehensive school, during recess, learners may stay in a classroom only with special permission from the teacher overseeing that space.
3. Everyone at school shall behave appropriately and perform their own tasks conscientiously.
4. Bullying, harassment, threats, discrimination and endangering the safety or health of others are prohibited at Joensuu’s schools.
5. The school principal or teacher must notify the guardian or other legal representative of the suspect and the learner targeted of any harassment, bullying, discrimination or violence that has occurred in the learning environment or on the way to school. (Basic Education Act, section 29, subsection 7, Act on General Upper Secondary Education, section 40, 11.3.2022/165)
6. Everyone shall let others work in peace.
7. Everyone shall clean up after themselves and keep the school and its yard clean.
8. Learners must participate in lessons regularly.
9. If a learner is unable to come to school, the guardian is obliged to immediately inform the class teacher or group advisor of the reason. The school must contact the guardian on the third day of absence, if the guardian has not informed the school of a reason for the absence. Absences must be monitored.
10. The class teacher or group advisor may, for an acceptable reason, allow a learner in the group that they are overseeing to be absent from school for five consecutive school days at most. Absences that are longer than this may be authorised by the school’s principal. Permission should be requested in writing.
11. Lessons begin and end precisely at the times stated in the rules of procedure. For activities occurring outside lessons, separately agreed working hours apply.
12. Undue access to the school grounds is prohibited. Bicycles, motorbikes, cars and other vehicles shall be parked in locations specified by the school.
13. School property must be handled with care. The liability for damage to or loss of property is determined in accordance with the Tort Liability Act (412/74).
14. Any damaged or broken equipment must be reported to school staff immediately.
15. Traffic rules shall be followed during travel.
16. The possession, use, sale and being under the influence of tobacco products, e-cigarettes, snuff, intoxicants and narcotics is prohibited.
17. During lessons or other learning activities that are a part of the curriculum, learners may use their personal mobile devices only with permission from the teacher. Disruptive use of personal devices is prohibited.
18. Material related to the school, its staff or its learners may not be distributed in social media without the consent of the concerned party. In the school’s case, consent is given by the principal. The use of multimedia devices and information networks must not violate the Joensuu region’s guidelines for the use of social media in teaching.. (HYVOKOJ 22.5.2017 section 18, Guidelines for the use of social media in teaching in the Joensuu region)

 

Penalties for rule violations

The following measures must be recorded and communicated to the guardian as soon as possible:

 

Comprehensive school

1. A disciplinary educational discussion is the primary means of intervening in a pupil's disruptive and inappropriate behaviour. A disciplinary educational discussion is carried out if the pupil disrupts lessons, disobeys school rules, acts dishonestly or treats others in a disrespectful or degrading manner. A teacher or the principal of the school may order the pupil to participate in a disciplinary educational discussion. (Basic Education Act, section 35a)
2. If a pupil has neglected their homework, they can be ordered to work on their assignments under supervision after the end of the workday for a maximum of one hour at a time. (Basic Education Act, section 36)
3. A pupil who disrupts teaching may be removed for the remainder of the lesson or school event. If the pupil who is being removed tries to avoid the removal by resisting, the principal and the teacher have the right to use an amount of force that is necessary for the removal of the pupil and that can be considered justifiable, considering the pupil’s age, the severity of the situation or resistance and an overall assessment of the situation. In this instance, the principal shall provide a written report of the events to the education committee. (Basic Education Act, section 36b)
4. If a pupil unreasonably disrupts school work, is violent or threatens the safety of others, the principal may deny that pupil the right to participate in lessons and access school grounds. In primary and lower secondary education, this can be done until the end of the remaining workday or the following workday at maximum (Basic Education Act, section 36, 11.3.2022/165).
5. The teacher or principal may inspect the items that the pupil brings with them (e.g. bags, pencil cases), the school or educational institution's storage facilities and clothing to confiscate a prohibited or dangerous object or substance that may endanger the safety of the pupil or others, if the possession of such an object or substance is obvious AND if the pupil refuses to surrender them despite requests or is unable to reliably demonstrate that they do not have such items in their possession. (Basic Education Act, section 36e)
6. In primary and lower secondary education, a teacher or the principal may also confiscate another disruptive object from the pupil, if the pupil fails to surrender the object upon request. As a rule, the object or subject shall be returned to the pupil after the end of the lesson.
7. Additionally, a pupil who disrupts lessons or otherwise breaks school rules or acts dishonestly may be given two hours of detention at most (Basic Education Act section 36) or
8. issued a written warning (Basic Education Act section 36).
9. If the violation is serious, or if the pupil continues the inappropriate behaviour referred to above after receiving detention or a written warning, the pupil may be suspended from basic education for a maximum of three months following a decision by the education committee. In the case of a violent or threatening pupil endangering the safety of others, the suspension can be put into effect immediately without the force of law. (Basic Education Act, section 36)

 

Before the disciplinary measures referred to in sections 7–9 are imposed, the action or negligence must be specified, the pupil must be heard and other necessary information must be obtained. Additionally, before the measure (written warning and suspension) is enacted, the guardian must be given an opportunity to be heard.

 

 

 

Upper secondary school

1. A student who disrupts teaching may be removed for the remainder of the lesson or the school event. If the student who is being removed tries to avoid the removal by resisting, the principal and the teacher have the right to use an amount of force that is necessary for the removal of the student and that can be considered justifiable, considering the student’s age, the severity of the situation or resistance and an overall assessment of the situation. In this instance, the principal shall provide a written report of the events to the education committee. (Act on General Upper Secondary Education, section 43)
2. If a pupil unreasonably disrupts school work, is violent or threatens the safety of others, the principal may deny that pupil the right to participate in lessons and access school grounds for three workdays at most (Act on General Upper Secondary Education, section 41, 11.3.2022/165).
3. The teacher or principal may inspect the items that the student brings with them (e.g. bags, pencil cases), the school or educational institution's storage facilities and clothing to confiscate a prohibited or dangerous object or substance that may endanger the safety of the student or others, if the possession of such an object or substance is obvious AND if the student refuses to surrender them despite requests or is unable to reliably demonstrate that they do not have such items in their possession. (Act on General Upper Secondary Education, section 46)
4. A student who disrupts teaching or otherwise breaks school rules or acts dishonestly may be issued a written warning (Act on General Upper Secondary Education, section 41)
5. If the violation is serious, or if the student continues the inappropriate behaviour referred to above after receiving detention or a written warning, the student may be suspended from basic education for a maximum one year following a decision by the education committee. However, a person subject to compulsory education may be suspended for three months at most. In the case of a violent or threatening student endangering the safety of others, the suspension can be put into effect immediately without the force of law. (Act on General Upper Secondary Education, section 42)

 

Before the disciplinary measures referred to in sections 4–5 are imposed, the action or negligence must be specified, the student must be heard and other necessary information must be obtained. Additionally, before the measure (written warning and suspension) is enacted, the guardian must be given an opportunity to be heard.