Parents / Guardians Guidelines Policy
Introduction
Parents/Legal Guardians are an essential part of the school community, your support and co-operation is necessary in the effective running of the school. When parents/guardians, staff and the Board of Management work in harmony with one another we will build an effective and efficient school. We endeavour to foster an atmosphere of open and honest dialogue, where problems, when they occur, can be resolved without prejudice or bias. A child-centred atmosphere, where the best interest of each child is the focus of all the partners, is the ethos we aspire to.
Health and Safety
Illness
This policy should be read in conjunction with the SCJMS ‘Guidelines on the Control of Viral Gasto-Enteritis/Norovirus (winter vomiting bug)’.
Communication
School car park
School Transport
Information of a Confidential Nature
Please inform us in the strictest confidence, of any problem of a serious or sensitive nature that may be affecting your child. With this knowledge we can be extra sympathetic to his/her needs.
If you are separated, divorced or in a single parent situation, the school must know who has legal custody of your child. Please inform us what person(s) has / has not legal access. This is done with the protection and safety of your child in mind. Such cases are wholly confidential and will be dealt with sensitively and with good will and kindness. All communication concerning a pupil will only be directed to the parent(s)/guardians. In the event of parents being separated where both have legal guardianship, copies of correspondence will be sent to both parents
Complaints Procedure
Problems may sometimes arise which may cause you concern. The following complaints procedure has been put in place to help you deal with such an event.
(a) If you wish to make a complaint approach the class teacher / nurse (having made an appointment) with a view to resolving it. Please approach the teacher / nurse in a calm and polite manner. The teacher / nurse will also be expected to show courtesy to the parent.
(b) If a satisfactory conclusion to the problem is not arrived, you should contact the Principal, who will need time to listen to both sides of the dispute. Every effort will be made to bring about an early resolution.
(c) If you are not happy that you have received a fair hearing, you may approach the Chairperson of the Board of Management who will deal with the matter, having consulted all involved.
(d) In very rare circumstances, you may still be unhappy and so you may put your complaint in writing to the Board of Management, who will consider the case and initiate deliberations, which could include an oral hearing at a specially convened meeting. At this stage it is hoped that all outstanding grievances will be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.
Conclusion
The staff of Kolbe Special School always welcome suggestions and ideas from parents/guardians. Do not hesitate to make your views, impressions and thoughts known. Feel free to make an appointment to discuss these ideas at any time.
Parents are asked to sign this policy to say that they are in agreement with the Parents / Guardians Policy. Parents must return the signed copy to the school and the school in turn will return a signed copy to parents.
Thank you for your interest, support and co-operation.
Introduction
Parents/Legal Guardians are an essential part of the school community, your support and co-operation is necessary in the effective running of the school. When parents/guardians, staff and the Board of Management work in harmony with one another we will build an effective and efficient school. We endeavour to foster an atmosphere of open and honest dialogue, where problems, when they occur, can be resolved without prejudice or bias. A child-centred atmosphere, where the best interest of each child is the focus of all the partners, is the ethos we aspire to.
Health and Safety
Illness
This policy should be read in conjunction with the SCJMS ‘Guidelines on the Control of Viral Gasto-Enteritis/Norovirus (winter vomiting bug)’.
- It is of utmost importance in the event of your child being unwell to contact the school and you will be advised if your child should attend. If the illness is contagious or there is an outbreak in the school the principal / nurse will advise you of the appropriate period of absence. This is a school where there are vulnerable children and due to the spread of infection it is recommended by the school and Board of Management that you keep your child at home.
- In the event of your child having gastroenteritis, the Board of Management request he/she not attend school during acute stage of infection and up to 48 hours after diarrhoea and/or vomiting stops.
- If your child gets sick during the school day and it is deemed necessary for him / her to go home, you will be contacted immediately. It is your responsibility to make arrangements to bring him / her home. Should you appoint anyone else to collect him / her, you must identify that person to the principal / nurse.
- In the event of your child not being well during the afternoon, you will be contacted about travel arrangements, for example is it appropriate for the child to travel on the bus?
- In cases of grave emergency, it may be necessary for us to bring your son / daughter to the hospital. If this happens, you will be informed as soon as possible. The school will not be liable for any expenses incurred.
- First Aid may be administered during the school day. You will be informed with a phone call and through your child’s school journal. A log of all first aid carried out will be kept by the school nurse.
- In the event of your child having a seizure at the weekend or before coming to school, please inform the school nurse as a matter of urgency. It may be advised to keep your child at home.
- In the event of your child having sedation, an anaesthetic or surgery, please supply a doctor’s certificate of fitness before returning to school.
- If your child is on medication please ensure that the school is informed. It is important to have your child’s “Drug Prescription Form” signed, as medication cannot be administered in the school without relevant signed form(s) available to the nurse on duty. Copies of these forms can be had from the school on request.
- When your child is attending hospital appointments, it would be very helpful for us to know in advance, so we may be able to support the appointment. Feedback to the class teacher or nurse after the appointment is also recommended.
Communication
- Parents/guardians are asked to communicate on a daily basis through their child’s Home / School Journal. On occasion relevant information may be photocopied from the home/school journal and kept in pupils file.
- Parents are informed regularly about school news and activities by official school letters and / or newsletter. These letters are sent home in the pupils’ school journals and copies are kept on file in the school.
- Should parents/guardians wish to meet with any member of the school team (teacher, nurse or principal) please make an appointment. We will always endeavour to meet parent/guardians requests, however, because of the structure of the school day and the demands on staff, we must insist on an appointment being made.
- When parents/guardians visit the school they are asked to report to the office first, and the relevant school staff will be informed of your arrival. .
- Parents/guardians are asked to refrain from using inappropriate language within the school. We wish to treat our pupils in as normal a way as possible and strongly discourage the use of inappropriate language within the school environment.
- Parents/guardians are encouraged to attend school meetings, I.E.P. meetings and other relevant meetings organised by the school to discuss your child’s progress.
School car park
- Due to lack of car parking space at the school, coupled with the fact that pupils use this area, parents/guardians are asked to park as carefully as possible and to remove keys and lock doors and windows when the vehicle is unattended.
School Transport
- Pupils who travel on school transport must be ready for the bus at the designated time each morning and be brought to the school bus by a responsible adult.
- A responsible adult (over 18 years) must be at home each evening to receive your child from the school bus.
- Pupils can only be collected and brought to and from their home address. Regretfully they cannot be brought to grandparents or carers without prior approval from Bus Eireann.
- Pupils who travel on school transport must be issued with a valid bus ticket from Bus Eireann and have it with them on the bus (in school bag or school journal).
Information of a Confidential Nature
Please inform us in the strictest confidence, of any problem of a serious or sensitive nature that may be affecting your child. With this knowledge we can be extra sympathetic to his/her needs.
If you are separated, divorced or in a single parent situation, the school must know who has legal custody of your child. Please inform us what person(s) has / has not legal access. This is done with the protection and safety of your child in mind. Such cases are wholly confidential and will be dealt with sensitively and with good will and kindness. All communication concerning a pupil will only be directed to the parent(s)/guardians. In the event of parents being separated where both have legal guardianship, copies of correspondence will be sent to both parents
Complaints Procedure
Problems may sometimes arise which may cause you concern. The following complaints procedure has been put in place to help you deal with such an event.
(a) If you wish to make a complaint approach the class teacher / nurse (having made an appointment) with a view to resolving it. Please approach the teacher / nurse in a calm and polite manner. The teacher / nurse will also be expected to show courtesy to the parent.
(b) If a satisfactory conclusion to the problem is not arrived, you should contact the Principal, who will need time to listen to both sides of the dispute. Every effort will be made to bring about an early resolution.
(c) If you are not happy that you have received a fair hearing, you may approach the Chairperson of the Board of Management who will deal with the matter, having consulted all involved.
(d) In very rare circumstances, you may still be unhappy and so you may put your complaint in writing to the Board of Management, who will consider the case and initiate deliberations, which could include an oral hearing at a specially convened meeting. At this stage it is hoped that all outstanding grievances will be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.
Conclusion
The staff of Kolbe Special School always welcome suggestions and ideas from parents/guardians. Do not hesitate to make your views, impressions and thoughts known. Feel free to make an appointment to discuss these ideas at any time.
Parents are asked to sign this policy to say that they are in agreement with the Parents / Guardians Policy. Parents must return the signed copy to the school and the school in turn will return a signed copy to parents.
Thank you for your interest, support and co-operation.