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Be Safe

Be Respectful

Be Responsible

Code of Behaviour

 

INTRODUCTION

 

St. Macartan’s College seeks to provide a school environment in which you have every opportunity to learn and to develop as a person. Working together with your fellow students and the school staff, you have a responsibility to contribute positively to school life. You are therefore encouraged to strive for the highest standards of work, behaviour, attendance and punctuality. You are expected to co-operate fully with your teachers and to challenge yourself to achieve your best in every aspect of life in the school.
 

 

(I) GENERAL:

 

In the interest of order and safety, you must obey school directions when walking within the building, on the avenue and when using school transport.
Each school day begins at 9.05am. If you arrive late, you must sign in at the school office before you may enter class. You must be on time for class, having with you all books, copies and equipment for the particular subject. During class you must comply with the instructions of your teachers. You may not leave the college at any time without a written request from your parent/guardian. This request must he presented in the School Journal and sanctioned by your Class Tutor, the Deputy Principal or Principal. On returning to school after an unforeseen absence, you must present an explanation to your Class Tutor, signed by a parent/guardian, in your School Journal.
 

 

(II) UNIFORM:

 

The school uniform consists of
- light grey shirt
- dark blue tie with diagonal twin amber stripes
- dark blue v-neck pullover with sleeves and college crest
- plain dark-grey terylene-type trousers
- black footwear
- First, Second and Third Year students are expected to wear the school     
   overjacket
·                    Runners/sports shoes are not allowed as part of the school uniform.
 
You must wear your uniform at all times, except during games.
 
Military style anoraks, denim jackets and studded leather jackets may not be worn. (School ties may be hired from the school office at a fee of €1 per day.)
 
If you have a genuine reason for not complying with the uniform regulations, you must report to the teacher in charge of uniform before morning registration.
 

 

(III) HYGIENE AND APPEARANCE:

 

Personal hygiene and the wearing of the school uniform in a presentable condition are signs of self-respect and maturity.
* You may not dye, bleach or shave your hair or shave designs into your hair. Hair
   must be kept clean, neat and tidy.
* You must be clean-shaven at all times.
* You may not wear earrings, jewellery or badges (other than approved badges).
 
If you are in breach of rules in sections (II) or (III), you may not he admitted to class or may incur a lunchtime detention.
 

 

(IV) RESPECT:

 

Everyone is entitled to be shown respect. You are therefore obliged to show respect and courtesy to all school staff, visitors to the school and other students. This includes all occasions of student-teacher contact outside school hours.
 

 

(V) BULLYING:

 

We are committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all our students, staff, parents and visitors. Bullying, whether it is repeated behaviour or one single incident, is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our school community.
 
In Saint Macartan’s College we seek to create a safe working environment by:
 
• Creating a school community where all individuals are treated equally
 
• Promoting respect, tolerance and understanding for each other
 
• Making everybody aware of the problems of bullying
 
Your behaviour is considered to be intimidating and/or of a bullying nature when:
 
• You say/write unpleasant comments to/about another person, e.g. name calling,  
   being sarcastic, spreading rumours, teasing, making sexually abusive comments
 
• You push, hit, kick and/or threaten another person, make any physical contact or use
   any form of violence
 
• You take or damage another person’s property, torment or isolate another person or
   use threatening gestures
 
• You prevent another person from participating fully in any school activity
 
(VI) ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR: The school reserves the right to take serious disciplinary action (up to and including, as may be deemed necessary, suspension or exclusion from class) for seriously anti-social or dangerous behaviour, or behaviour detrimental to the good name and welfare of its teachers, staff, students and/or the school.
 

 

(VII) PROPERTY:

 

A clean, litter-free environment makes life more p1easant for everyone. You are expected to play your part by placing litter in the bins provided and by placing recyclable material in the recycling bins provided.
 
You are required to care for school buildings, furnishings and the property of others. The writing of graffiti, the use of correction fluid and the chewing of gum are strictly prohibited. If you cause damage to property, you will be expected to pay for repair or replacement. Any damage to school property must be reported immediately to the Principal or Deputy Principal.
 

 

(VIII) HEALTH & SAFETY:

 

St. Macartan’s College through its Social, Personal and Health Education programme, aims to empower young people to be aware of the choices they can make with regard to their health and to encourage them to take responsibility for their consequent actions.
 
Smoking: Under the 1995 Tobacco (Health Promotion and Protection) Regulations and the Public Health (Tobacco) Act, 2002 (Section 47) Regulations 2003, smoking is illegal in all schools and enclosed places of work.  Smoking in the school grounds, going to and from school is forbidden. If you are in breach of these rules an evening detention will be imposed, your parents/guardians will be informed and, if necessary, the statutory authorities may also be informed.
 
You may not have any dangerous object or substance in your possession. You may not possess or  partake of alcohol, prohibited substances or drugs in school, on the way to and from school, or school outings. If you are in breach of this rule you are liable to exclusion from the school.
 
The school reserves the right to inspect lockers at any time.
 
 
(VIII) SCHOOL JOURNAL:
(a)        You must take your Journal to class each day, keep it in a neat and tidy condition and
use it to record exactly the homework/study set in each subject.
(b)        If you do not bring your Journal to class, you will be liable to reprimand and or minor sanction.
(c)        If you arrive in school on two successive days without your School Journal, or if the
Class Tutor considers that the School Journal is in an unsatisfactory condition, you must purchase a new Journal through the Class Tutor.
(d)        The loss, misuse or destruction of a School Journal will be regarded as a serious breach of the school Code of Behaviour.
(e)        It is your responsibility to ensure that the School Journal is checked and signed by your parent/guardian each weekend.
 
(f)         You are required to present your School Journal to teachers when requested. Failure to present your Journal when requested will be seen as a serious breach of the Code of
Behaviour.  

 

(g)        Every note from a parent/guardian must be included in the School Journal.

 

 
(IX) SCHOOL BUSES:

 

In the Morning

 

You must travel directly to the college on your designated school bus. Unless required by Bus
Eireann to change buses, you must NOT get off the bus in Monaghan.
 
You must walk immediately from the bus lay-by to the college via the pedestrian way.

 

In the Evening

 

You walk to the bus lay-by via the pedestrian way.
 
You must queue until buses have come to a complete halt before boarding. You must queue and board in order of seniority, beginning with sixth year.
 
Breaches of these rules or misconduct on buses can result in temporary or permanent withdrawal of your bus ticket by Bus Eireann and will be regarded as breaches of the school Code of Behaviour.
 
(X) CARS:
If you have permission to bring a car into the school grounds, you are bound by the conditions under which such permission is granted. (See Appendix A)
 
 (XI) MOBILE PHONES:     
 
Mobile phones must be turned off at all times on the school premises and grounds. 

 

Where this regulation is breached, the phone will be confiscated for a period of up

 

to one week. (Students/parents may be contacted, in case of emergency, through the
 
school office at any time).

 

St. Macartan’s College Anti-Bullying Policy

 

Mission

 

In Saint Macartan’s College, we seek to create a safe working environment by:
 • Creating a school community where all individuals are treated with equal dignity.
• Promoting respect, tolerance and understanding for each other.
• Promoting an awareness of bullying.

 

Scope

 

The policy pertains to the relationships which exist between College staff, students, management, parents and visitors to the College.
Bullying in a school context may be student to student, student to teacher, teacher to student, parent to teacher, teacher to parent, parent to staff, student to ancillary staff and ancillary staff to  student and staff to staff.

 

Definition & examples

 

“Bullying is repeated, deliberate, inappropriate behaviour conducted by an individual or group against others”
Types of Bullying and behaviour which are considered to be intimidating and/or a form of bullying:
Physical Bullying;  You are bullying if you push, hit, kick and/or threaten another person in an aggressive manner or use any form of violence.
Psychological and Emotional Bullying , You are bullying if you say/write unpleasant comments to/about another person e.g. name calling, stalking, being sarcastic, spreading rumours, teasing and making sexually abusive comments. You are bullying if you take or damage another persons property, torment, isolate another person or use threatening gestures. Inappropriate use of Information and Communications Technology (Telephones, Computers, Text Messages, Websites etc.) against others is a form of bullying.
Racial Bullying; You are bullying if you discriminate (treat others in a disrespectful or different manner) because of their culture, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, their membership of the Travelling Community, disability or race.
Sexual Bullying: You are involved in bullying if you make unwanted sexual advances or cause a person to feel uncomfortable and intimidated, e.g. sexual innuendo, pornography, unwelcome sexual touching or spreading rumours about a person’s sexual behaviour or orientation.
Relational Bullying, You are involved in bullying if you are involved in any behaviour which sets out to damage another person’s friendships or feelings of inclusion in a friendship group. You are bullying if you prevent another person from participating fully in any school activity.

 

Objective of this Policy

 

The Board of Management, staff, pupils and parents have a responsibility to understand what bullying is. As a school we take bullying seriously; all staff, pupils and parents should know what the school policy on bullying is and what they should do if bullying arises. Bullying in St. Macartan’s College will not be tolerated.

 

Statement of rights and responsibilities,

 

It is the right of every member of the St. Macartan’s College community to work free from any form of fear and intimidation. It is the responsibility of each and every member of the St. Macartan’s College community to ensure that bullying of any form is not tolerated and when observed is reported to an appropriate person (see agreed procedures for telling, investigating, recording and responding to bullying below)

 

 

 

 

 

List of Preventative Measures

 

 
·        All members of the St. Macartan’s College school community know that bullying in any form will not be tolerated.

 

 ·        The whole school agreement about policy & procedures to be followed at all times when bullying is reported.

 

  • Each member of staff will be issued with the Board of Management’s Dignity in the Workplace policy.
  • New students and their parents will be asked to read and sign the St. Macartan’s College Anti-Bullying policy before their enrolment in the school. The Anti-Bullying policy will be included in the School Journal and will be read and signed by parents/guardians at the beginning of each school year.
  • All new members of staff will be informed about the Anti-Bullying policy.

 

·        A regular and confidential questionnaire will be organised and followed up as soon as possible after completion of the questionnaire.

 

  • An age appropriate anti-bullying curriculum will be taught to every year group in the school to:
help students identify different types of bullying,
help students distinguish between bullying and non-bullying behaviours,
teach students to know what to do when bullying occurs
  • Members of the school community will know the importance of reporting incidents of bullying and will know howto tell,
  • Members of the school community who witness bullying will know how to act safely when bullying occurs.
  • Members of the College community who report incidents of bullying will be protected by the College authorities.
  • The College will organise Anti-Bullying awareness programmes during  the school year.
  • A student comment box is available to all students so that they can report on incidents of bullying in the school
  • The College will set up a Personnel Safety Committee

 

·        On-going training in the management of bullying behaviour will be organised by management.

 

Agreed Procedures for telling, investigating, recording and responding to bullying.

 

 

All members of the school community have an obligation to report incidents of bullying.

 

 
•       Members of the school community are assured that all incidents of bullying will be dealt with confidentially. Only those who need to know will be informed & every effort will be made to ensure the safety of an individual reporting bullying.

 

•       Individuals may report bullying to whom ever they feel comfortable with, by direct approach at an appropriate time, by handing up a note with homework, by phoning the school office, by email to comment@stmacartanscollege.ie

 

, or by getting a friend/ parent to tell on their behalf.

 

 

•       A regular confidential questionnaire will be given to students to allow them to tell safely.

 

 

•       Students may tell by placing a note in the Student Comment Box which is located beside the school office. Students may tell using this method on behalf of another student. All notes, e-mails etc must be verifiable and signed. Unsigned notes will be shredded unread.

 

 

 

Student - Student

 

•      Students reporting bullying and students alleged to be bullying will be interviewed separately by two of the following where possible, the Principal, Deputy Principal, the appropriate Year Head, the appropriate Tutor, the College Chaplain, a Teacher. 

 

 •      Witnesses may also be interviewed and may be asked to write an account.

 

 

 

•      A restorative approach will be used when investigating incidents. No student will be subjected to public humiliation. The emphasis will be on seeking a change in behaviour. Every effort will be made to resolve the issue amicably between the two parties. 

 

 •      The agreed sanction system from the St. Macartan’s College Code of Behaviour will apply where a student has been found to have used bullying behaviour.

 

 

•      A record will be kept of the proceedings.

 

 •      Everyone involved in bullying will be offered support.

 

 Teacher - Student

 

•    A student and or a parent/guardian should first meet with the teacher in question with   

 

 

the aim of resolving the issue/concern. 

 

•          If the issue remains unresolved the Principal or a representative of the Board of Management will endeavour to resolve the issue amicably between the two parties.
 
•       Students must report bullying incidents by teachers to the Principal or Deputy Principal. Parents/ Guardians may report on their behalf.

 

•       For the safety of all concerned, the student will be interviewed by two staff members (The Principal & another member of the teaching staff ) and may be asked to give a written account. Witnesses may be interviewed.

 

 

•       The teacher concerned will be interviewed by the Principal. He/she may be asked for a written account of the incident.

 

 

•       Where bullying has occurred, the teacher will be given a verbal warning by the Principal. Further offences will be dealt with by the Board of Management.

 

 

•       Where there is disagreement about whether or not bullying occurred, the Principal may engage the services of a trained mediator to mediate between the student & parent/s and the teacher. This will only happen with the permission of both parties. Records may be kept for 7 years after the student has left the school. They may then be shredded

 

•       In the case of a complaint against the Principal, a  parent/guardian/ student should discuss the complaint in the first instance. If they are unable to resolve the issue the complaint may then be processed by writing to the Board of Management under agreed procedures.
 

 

Student - Teacher.

 

•          The teacher and student should first meet with the aim of resolving the issue/concern.
•          Teachers will report incidents of bullying by students to the Principal or Deputy                   Principal.
•          In the interests of safety and the protection of all concerned, the student will be interviewed by two staff members   (The Principal & another member of the teaching staff ) and may be asked to give a written account. Witnesses may be interviewed.

 

•       The teacher concerned will be interviewed by the Principal or the Chairperson of the Board of Management. He/she may be asked for a written account of the incident.

 

 

•       The Principal or a representative of the Board of Management will endeavor to resolve the issue amicably between the two parties. 

 

 

•       Where there is disagreement about whether or not bullying occurred, the Principal may engage the services of a trained mediator to mediate between the student and the teacher. This will only happen with the permission of both parties. Records may be kept for 7 years after the student has left the school. They may then be shredded.

 

•       Where bullying has occurred, the offences will be dealt with by the Board of Management under agreed procedures.

 

Parent - teacher.

 

• Teachers will report incidents of bullying by parents to the Principal or Deputy                 

 

   Principal.

 

•   For the safety of all concerned, the parent will be interviewed by two staff members    

 

(The Principal & another member of the teaching staff ) and may be asked to give a       written account. Witnesses may be interviewed.

 

•       The teacher concerned will be interviewed by the Principal or the Chairperson of the Board of Management. He/she may be asked for a written account of the incident.

 

 

•       The Principal or a representative of the Board of Management will endeavor to resolve the issue amicably between the two parties. 

 

 

•       Where there is disagreement about whether or not bullying occurred, the Principal may engage the services of a trained mediator to mediate between the parent/s and the teacher. This will only happen with the permission of both parties. Records will be kept for 7 years after the student has left the school. They may then be shredded.

 

 

•       Where bullying has occurred, the offences will be dealt with by the Board of Management.

 

Teacher to Parent

 

•          The parent/ guardian should report incidents by a teacher to the Principal or       Deputy Principal.

 

•       For the safety of all concerned, the parents will be interviewed by two staff members (The Principal & another member of the teaching staff ) and may be asked to give a written account. Witnesses may be interviewed.

 

 

•       The teacher concerned will be interviewed by the Principal or the Chairperson of the Board of Management. He/she may be asked for a written account of the incident.

 

 

•       The Principal or a representative of the Board of Management  will endeavor to resolve the issue amicably between the two parties.

 

 

•       Where there is disagreement about whether bullying or not occurred, the Principal may engage the services of a trained mediator to mediate between the teacher and the parent/s. This will only happen with the permission of both parties. Records will be kept for 7 years. They may then be shredded.

 

 

•       Where bullying has occurred, the offences will be dealt with by the Board of Management under agreed procedures

 

Staff to Staff

 

 

 

 

Issues of concern regarding staff to staff bullying will be dealt with under the Board of Management’s Dignity in the Workplace Policy.

 

 

 

Recording

 

 

 

•      A record of all reports of bullying will be kept. Those involved may be asked to write an account of the incident.

 

 

 

•      When an investigation is complete and a person has been found to be bullying, he may be asked to sign an agreement that the behaviour will not recur.

 

 

 

•      Class Observation Strategies & Sociograms may be used by teachers to ascertain the extent & nature of bullying in a class. These records will be kept on file in the school office.

 

 

 

•      Records of bullying may be kept in this school for 7 years after all students concerned in the incident have left the school. The records may then be shredded. In other cases the records may be shredded after 7 years.

 

 
 
 

 

Agreed Sanction System

 

 
Bullying is a serious breach of the St. Macartan’s College Code of Behaviour. The College community endeavors to resolve the issue through a restorative approach. The instigator and the victim will be encouraged to resolve their differences in an amicable manner.
 
 

 

Persistent bullying behaviour will be referred to the Board of Management.

 

 
Deliberately accusing a person of bullying in the wrong will be regarded as a very serious offence.
 

 

How incidents will be monitored

 

 
Incidents will be monitored by those involved in reporting and investigating the incident.
 
 

 

How Parents, Students and New Staff are made aware of Policy and Procedures

 

This document will be made available to all parents and students on entering the school and will be available for download on the College website www.stmacartanscollege.ie

 

. The Policy will be presented in full in the School Journal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How & when this policy will be evaluated.

 

 
This policy will be evaluated regularly in consultation with the staff, students and parents.
BULLYING IS UNACCEPTABLE AND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN THIS SCHOOL
•         A record of incidents will be kept
•         Procedures as described in this Anti-Bullying Policy will be followed
•         Everyone involved in bullying will be offered support.

 

 

 

St. Macartan’s College Admissions Policy 2008 - 2009

 

 
St. Macartan’s College operates an open enrolment policy and caters for boys mainly from the catchment area parishes of North Monaghan in the Roman Catholic diocese of Clogher. 
 
For enrolment, pupils must have reached 12 years of age on the 1st of  January following entry to first year and must have completed a full course of primary education or its equivalent in another jurisdiction. 
 
Boys with special needs will be welcomed and accepted for enrolment in so far as the resources allocated by the Department of Education and Science permit it.
 
The applicant must be willing, with his parents/guardians to accept in writing the St. Macartan’s College Code of Behaviour and the St. Macartan’s College Anti-Bullying Policy.
 
The applicant and his parents must be willing in writing to accept the College Mission and Ethos.
 
St. Macartan’s College is in a position to enrol 120 First Year students into the school for the 2008 – 09 school year.
 
In the event of the Board of Management finding it necessary to determine the maximum numbers of boys to be admitted in a year, the following admission criteria will be used when there are more applications than places available:
 
1.                  Boys whose parents are members of and resident in one of the catchment area parishes.
 
2.                  Boys who have brothers currently pupils in the school.
 
3.                  Boys who have brothers who were previously pupils in the school.
 
4.                  Boys who are sons of staff members.
 
5.                  Boys who are sons of past pupils.
 
 

 

6.                    Other eligible applicants from the waiting list on a first come basis.

 

 
 
“The school reserves the right to refuse enrolment to any student in exceptional cases. Such an exceptional case could include the following:
 
The student has special needs such that, even with additional resources available from the Department of Education and Science, the school cannot meet such needs and/or provide the student with an appropriate education
or
In the opinion of the Board of Management, the student poses an unacceptable risk to other students, to school staff or to school property.”
 
 
 
 

 

Student Transferring from other Post Primary Schools.

 

 
On applying to become a student at St. Macartan’s College the student and his
parent(s)/ guardian(s) must first meet with the Principal.
 
The applicant must be willing, with his parents/guardians to accept in writing the St. Macartan’s College Code of Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policy.
 
The applicant and his parents must be willing to accept in writing the College Mission, Ethos and anti-Bullying Policy.
 
The acceptance of the student is in the best interests of the school.
 
Transfer students will be accepted if there is a place available in the relevant year group, in particular with specialist classes where the capacity is limited.
 
A satisfactory reference from the applicant student’s previous school must
be available to St. Macartan’s College. All other relevant information from the applicants previous school must also be available.
 
The transfer student must complete all application documentation in full.
 
The reasons for the transfer must be in the educational interest of the pupil himself.
 
The applicant transfer student must realise that if he is to be accommodated in St. Macartan’s College he may have to take up or discontinue another subject.
 
 
General
 
All admissions to St. Macartan’s College are subject to the approval of the Board of Management. The Board reserves the right to refuse an application for enrolment in exceptional circumstances.
 
The principal acting on behalf of the Board of Management has the right to grant or refuse admissions.
 
Parents/guardians have 10 days working to appeal a refusal to the Board of Management. This is from the date the letter of refusal is issued from the School.
 
Parents / guardians and the applicant have the right to meet the Board of Management.
 
If the application is still refused the parents/guardian acting on behalf of the applicant can appeal this decision under Section 29 to the Department of Education and Science.
 
In interpreting the application of the above policy, and in cases of dispute, the Board of Management will make final decisions.