International Institute Student/Parent Handbook 2013-14

Transcription

International Institute; Ajijic JAL MX
International Institute Student/Parent
Handbook 2013-14
Contents
About the International Institute ...................................................................................................................................3
Mission ......................................................................................................................................................................3
Vision for 2020 ..........................................................................................................................................................3
Values ........................................................................................................................................................................3
Organization Values ..............................................................................................................................................3
Learner Profile Values ...........................................................................................................................................3
Philosophy .................................................................................................................................................................4
Using this Document .................................................................................................................................................4
RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES .............................................................................................5
I. EXPECTATIONS OF PARENTS...................................................................................................................................5
II. DRESS CODE ...........................................................................................................................................................5
III. PUNCTUALITY AND ATTENDANCE ........................................................................................................................6
IV. USE OF FACILITIES AND FURNITURE .....................................................................................................................6
V. ACADEMIC HONESTY .............................................................................................................................................7
A. Definitions of Academic Dishonesty ..................................................................................................................7
B. Responsibilities..................................................................................................................................................8
C. Malpractice in the Arts ....................................................................................................................................10
D. Academic Dishonesty Procedures ...................................................................................................................10
VI. ORDER ................................................................................................................................................................11
VII. SCHOOL MATERIALS ..........................................................................................................................................11
VIII. INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES ..........................................................................................................................12
IX. ASSESSMENT POLICY ..........................................................................................................................................12
A. Definitions .......................................................................................................................................................12
B. Requirements for Examinations ......................................................................................................................13
C. Notifications of Grades ...................................................................................................................................13
D. Grading Procedures ........................................................................................................................................14
E. Grade-Appeal Procedures ...............................................................................................................................15
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F. Homework Policy .............................................................................................................................................15
G. Special Assessment .........................................................................................................................................16
H. Assessment Policy ...........................................................................................................................................16
X. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND PROBATION ......................................................................................................17
XI. DISCIPLINARY MEASURES ...................................................................................................................................18
1. CITATION .........................................................................................................................................................18
2. NOTIFICATION .................................................................................................................................................18
3. SUSPENSION ....................................................................................................................................................18
4. LETTER OF COMMITMENT ..............................................................................................................................19
5. EXPULSION ......................................................................................................................................................19
XII. REENROLLING ....................................................................................................................................................19
XIII. LABORATORY RULES .........................................................................................................................................20
XIV. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY POLICY ..............................................................................................................20
XV. PHYSICAL EDUCATION & SPORTS CLASSES ........................................................................................................21
XVI. SCHOOL INSURANCE ........................................................................................................................................21
XVII. ACADEMIC LEAVE FROM I.I. ............................................................................................................................21
XVIII. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................................................22
APPENDIX 1 ..................................................................................................................................................................22
SIGNATURE PAGE.........................................................................................................................................................23
PARENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...............................................................................................................................23
STUDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .............................................................................................................................23
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About the International Institute
In any organization, it is necessary to establish certain rules and standards of conduct for the group.
The International Institute Octavio Paz (senior high school) and the International Institute Alfonso
Garcia Robles (junior high school), identified from here on as the International Institute or I.I.,
herein set out guidelines of behavior that aid students in their formation as individuals, contribute
to the development of our society, and help the Institute to achieve its vision and mission.
Mission
The International Institute's mission is to form well-rounded, ethical, global citizens.
Vision for 2020
The International Institute's vision for 2020 includes the following five institutional goals:
1. The school will have 300 students in grades 7-12.
2. Our curriculum will stay progressive through frequent curriculum revision.
3. Our faculty and staff will stay informed about advances in their fields through professional
development.
4. Our students will have a competitive edge in university admissions.
5. The virtual, junior & senior high school program will have 150 enrolled students.
Values
The International Institute has one set of core values for employees, and another set of core values
for the I.I. community. The "organization values" apply to all individuals employed by EdVentures
Internacional, A.C., including staff, faculty, and administration at the school and non-profit level. The
"learner profile values" apply to all individuals involved with EdVentures Internacional, A.C. or the
International Institute, including parents, teachers, staff, students, faculty, volunteers, etc.
Organization Values
Innovation - Creating value by designing products or systems that more effectively meet
needs of the community.
Transparency - Operating in such a way that procedures are clear to the community,
promoting openness, accountability, and communication.
Initiative - Taking productive, leading action in such a way that benefits the community as a
whole.
Learner Profile Values
Inquirer - They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct
inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and
this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.
Communicator - They understand and express ideas and information confidently and
creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They
work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.
Thinker - They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to
recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.
Principled - They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and
respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility
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for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.
Open-Minded - They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories,
and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and
communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and
are willing to grow from the experience.
Caring & Respect - They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and
feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive
difference to the lives of others and to the environment.
Risk-Taker - They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and
forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies.
They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.
Knowledgeable - They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global
significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding
across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.
Balanced - They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance
to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.
Reflective - They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They
are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their
learning and personal development1.
Philosophy
The International Institute aims to develop students intellectually, physically, artistically and morally,
using education as our guide. We aspire to foster creativity, skills/abilities and ingenuity in our
students by using a holistic approach with a strong focus on global responsibility and the tenants of
constructivist pedagogy. We believe that the purpose of education is to lead our students to a
realization of their own self-worth and potential through the constant pursuit of self-fulfillment, as
well as leading their local, national, and global communities.
Using this Document
Each I.I. student and parent should receive their own copy of this Handbook. Please read it
carefully, and feel free to ask any questions that arise. These rules will ensure the order, well-being,
and efficiency of the I.I.; students must understand that these rules exist to help them achieve their
own goals.
1
Taken from IB Learner Profile booklet at
http://www.ibo.org/programmes/profile/documents/Learnerprofileguide.pdf on 23 Jan 2013.
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RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
I. EXPECTATIONS OF PARENTS
Please become familiar with the I.I.’s philosophy, mission, and vision in order to facilitate coherent
and consistent teamwork with the school. We welcome parental involvement at I.I. Please
participate actively with our faculty and staff to ensure your child receives the best possible
education. To this end, we request that parents understand and comply with the following:
A. Discipline is an integral part of monitoring standards and rules. Please know I.I. rules, and
contribute your time and effort to their enforcement. See Appendix 1 for the Student EntryExit Timetable.
B. It is expected that all students will complete their homework every night. Please help your
child with this task by giving him or her an appropriate place and enough time to complete
their homework.
C. Stay informed about your child’s behavioral and academic status within the school. Any I.I.
director or coordinator will have access to this information and would be happy to train you
in the Moodle platform.
D. Report any changes in address or telephone numbers with the I.I. office. Without up-to-date
contact information, it will be impossible to contact parents in case of an emergency and
will make it difficult to establish good communication between I.I. and the families that we
serve.
E. When your presence is requested, please come to I.I. in order to discuss your child’s
academic or behavioral record. Any absence will be recorded in your student’s file.
F. Pick up your child at the end of the school day on time, or indicate in writing that your child
may leave alone. This will ensure your child’s safety.
G. Make an appointment with teachers when necessary, but please refrain from discussing
important matters in hallways, entryways, etc. Our teachers will make time for your
concerns in an appropriate time and place.
H. Act as a part of an educational community which promotes an environment of respect and
collaboration. Parental behavior which is contrary to this norm may be grounds for
expulsion.
I. Assist in the proper care and use of school facilities, as well as students’ materials.
J. Participate in our cultural events, in order to foster an appreciation for art and culture in
our student body.
K. Help us develop responsibility in your child by reminding students to bring their school
work and materials from home before they are forgotten. Please note that students who
need medication must have a prescription.
II. DRESS CODE
The school uniform instills a sense of pride and belonging in the school community. Studies show
that schools with a uniform policy have significantly fewer instances of disciplinary issues among
the student population. We take great care to provide both cost-efficiency and diversity in our
uniform offerings to promote self-expression and equality amongst our student population.
A. Students should attend school events in full uniform, clean and in good condition, as
appropriate to the day and occasion. Students who attend without a uniform may not be
allowed on school grounds.
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B. Students will be instructed on proper attire prior to every field trip or off-campus
excursion. If a student attends without this attire, he/she will be denied the privilege of
participating in the activity.
C. The I.I.-issued uniform should be worn at all times while on campus or when otherwise
required. Winter clothes, in addition to those issued by I.I., may be worn as comfortable to
the student.
D. Student appearance should be well-groomed, appropriate to the day’s activities, and
conducive to a learning environment.
E. Hair should be appropriate to the day’s activities and conducive to a learning environment.
Any accessories should not interfere with one’s own or other’s learning experience. Pants
should be worn at the waist, not around the hips.
F. Shoes must be appropriate to the day’s activities and conducive to a learning environment.
G. Articles of clothing and accessories must not have text or images that depict or promote
sexual content, profanity, and/or drug or gang paraphernalia.
H. Hats, caps, hoods and other accessories used to cover the head are not allowed in class.
I.
Exceptions may be granted in writing by teachers or administration.
III. PUNCTUALITY AND ATTENDANCE
Punctuality reflects discipline, respect for others, and personal responsibility. It is one of the most
important skills a student can learn in secondary education. For this reason:
A. It is the parents’ responsibility to work with students in order to develop the habit of
punctuality. A schedule is provided in Appendix 1 to aid in this endeavor.
B. Students will be granted a grace period of 10 minutes after the set start time to come to
class. Students will lose participation points for every tardy.
C.
Every tardy will result in a citation.
D. If a student has another appointment on a school day (doctor, embassy or consulate,
passport processing, etc.), please inform teachers and the Academic Administrative
Assistant of this absence in advance so that the student’s make-up work may be ready upon
his/her departure.
E. If a student becomes ill, please give the Academic Administrative Assistant a copy of the
doctor’s note. Any other absence, even when the school is notified, will be marked
unexcused.
F. Please read each subject syllabus for the class policy on lateness and absence.
IV. USE OF FACILITIES AND FURNITURE
A. All students have the responsibility and obligation to maintain cleanliness of the school and
should take care not to damage the furniture, laboratories, school equipment, and facilities
in general. Students who damage school property will be disciplined according to the
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amount of damage done. Damage to school property may be grounds for suspension or
expulsion, and the student will be responsible for the cost of the damage caused.
B. Students will be responsible for the computer to which they are assigned. In case of damage
from misuse, the student will be responsible for the cost of computer repair or replacement.
C. The school will not be held responsible for any lost or stolen objects; I.I. provides each
student with a locker in order to prevent such occurrences. If a student brings an object
which distracts himself or others from the learning process, this object will be held at
reception until the end of the week. I.I. will not be held liable for the safety or whereabouts
of such objects.
D. No student will be allowed to enter the school building with rollerblades, skateboards,
bicycles, or motorcycles.
V. ACADEMIC HONESTY
The International Institute participates fully in the prevention, detection, and investigation of
malpractice. This document has been designed to “promote good academic practice and a school
culture which actively encourages academic honesty,” (Academic Honesty, 2007), as set forth by the
IBO.
A. Definitions of Academic Dishonesty
It is the intention of this section to ensure that all International Institute students (Academic
Honesty, 2007) “understand what constitutes academic honesty and an authentic piece of work,
understand what constitutes malpractice, particularly plagiarism and collusion, receive guidance on
the skills of academic writing and acknowledging sources, and know the consequences of being
found guilty of malpractice.”
A. Academic Honesty: “A set of values and skills that promote personal integrity and good
practice in teaching, learning and assessment. It is influenced and shaped by a variety of
factors including peer pressure, culture, parental expectations, role modeling and taught
skills” (Academic Honesty, 2007). When conducting academic research, it is important to
act with integrity and honesty toward others’ ideas, or intellectual property.
B. Intellectual Property Rights: There are many forms of intellectual property rights
(patents, registered designs, trademarks, moral rights, copyright, etc.). Basically, this means
that other people’s intellectual and creative expression is protected by national and
international law.
C. Authentic Work: “Work that is based on the candidate’s individual and original ideas with
the ideas and work of others fully acknowledged” (International Baccalaureate
Organization, 2007). This means that all work (written, oral, PowerPoint presentation, or
otherwise), if it is being submitted as your own work, must use the author’s own language
and expression. Sources must be fully and appropriately acknowledged if used or referred
to.
D. Malpractice: “Behavior that results in, or may result in, the candidate or any other
candidate gaining an unfair advantage in one or more assessment component”
(International Baccalaureate Organization, 2007). Malpractice includes:
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a. Plagiarism: “the representation of the ideas or work of another person as the
candidate’s own,
b. Collusion: this is defined as supporting malpractice by another candidate, as in
allowing one’s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another,
c. Duplication of Work: this is defined as the presentation of the same work for
different assessment components and/or diploma requirements,
d. Any other behavior that gains an unfair advantage for a candidate or that affects the
results of another candidate (for example, taking unauthorized material into an
examination room, misconduct during an examination, falsifying a CAS record)”
(International Baccalaureate Organization, 2007)”.
e. According to the IBO (Academic Honesty, 2007), some additional examples of
malpractice can include:
i. “Taking unauthorized material into an examination room (for example, an
electronic device other than a permitted calculator, own rough paper, notes,
a mobile phone) regardless of whether this material is used or potentially
contains information pertinent to the examination,
ii. Misconduct during an examination, including any attempt to disrupt the
examination or distract another candidate,
iii. Exchanging or in any way supporting, or attempting to support, the passing
on of information that is related to the examination,
iv. Copying the work of another candidate,
v. Failing to comply with the instructions of the invigilator or other member of
the school’s staff responsible for the conduct of the examination,
vi. Impersonating another candidate,
vii. Stealing examination papers,
viii. Using an unauthorized calculator during an examination,
ix. Disclosing or discussing the content of an examination paper with a person
outside the immediate school community within 24 hours of the end of the
examination,
x. Fabricating data for an assignment.
xi. The presentation of the same work for different assignments.”
B. Responsibilities
A. It is the school’s responsibility to ensure that all students and parents receive this document
in written form. The International Institute faculty and administration are available to
answer any questions about academic honesty practices. The International Institute will use
certain websites to help check student work for plagiarism and other forms of academic
dishonesty.
B. The person in charge of the library will provide research guidelines for students,
emphasizing reading and writing skills, good academic practice, and the need to provide
well-written work which relies only on reputable sources.
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C. AII teachers have a responsibility to prevent and detect any student plagiarism in their
classes, and are expected to support the school’s policy on good academic practice,
providing students with advice whenever necessary. For all assignments, quizzes or other
works for class, teachers must make known, explicitly, whether the work is meant to be
done individually or in a group.
a. In general, final work must be produced independently, though research, lab work,
etc., may be done in a group and may be based upon similar data. In other words,
the individual parts of a final work must be written in a student’s own words and
cannot be the same as another student’s work. If any part of a student’s final work is
written in the same words as another student’s work, this shall be deemed collusion,
and not collaboration.
b. During the time which a student is in a teacher’s class, the teacher should become
familiar with the style and quality of that student’s work, putting the teacher in a
prime position to identify unauthentic work. Teachers must ensure, at the very least,
that passages have not been copied from class textbooks or assigned readings. In
addition, teachers are expected to use online sources (such as
http://www.turnitin.com or a simple Google search) to ensure that an assignment
does not include an instance of malpractice. If an assignment is suspicious, the
teacher should quiz the student over the content in order to ensure authenticity.
c. In class, teachers should help students to create quality research and investigative
reports by providing formative assessment including instruction on thesis
development, source evaluation, investigation planning, source critique or analysis,
higher thinking skills and the use thereof to propose alternative solutions, and inclass research assignments (International Baccalaureate Organization, 2007).
d. In all subjects, teachers will ensure that students are equipped with the following
knowledge and skills:
i. Citations for any data forms, including but not limited to computer
programs, photographs, diagrams, illustrations, maps, etc.
ii. Paraphrasing, without simply substituting a few words from a thesaurus in a
paragraph written by another person.
iii. Using quotation marks, indentations, etc. when using another’s words, along
with the source of the quotation or paraphrased text, in-text as well as in the
bibliography.
iv. Citing websites, electronic media (CD-Roms, DVDs, email messages, etc.),
and conversations with teachers, peers, etc. (which should be treated as
interviews).
v. The citation convention expected in each class. Where no citation
convention is given, APA (American Psychological Association)’s most recent
edition will be expected.
vi. Skills to conduct investigative reports (see Responsibilities of Teachers for
more information).
vii. Use and acknowledgement of sources.
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D. Parents are expected to promote good academic practice and consistent standards; for this
reason, this document must be given to all International Institute families. The International
Institute holds parental understanding and cooperation to be an important factor in
encouraging academic honesty.
E. Students are responsible for ensuring that their own work is authentic and complying with
school deadlines on assignments. This includes reviewing student’s own work before
submission, to ensure that any passages, data, graphs, photographs, etc. have been cited.
C. Malpractice in the Arts
The International Baccalaureate Organization (Academic Honesty, 2007) has the following to say on
malpractice as related to the arts: “The issue of plagiarism is not confined to groups 1 to 5 of the
Diploma Program. In general, copying works of art, whether music, film, dance, theatre arts or
visual arts, also constitutes plagiarism. There are circumstances where the creative use of part of
the work of another artist is acceptable, but the original source must always be acknowledged.
Candidates must understand that passing off the work of another person as their own is not
acceptable and constitutes malpractice.”
D. Academic Dishonesty Procedures
A. Procedures for investigating student academic dishonesty will commence when a student
has turned in a questionable assignment, quiz, or other graded piece of work. These
procedures are largely based on the Academic Honesty pamphlet from the International
Baccalaureate Organization (2007). The procedure will include:
a. A statement from the teacher, advisor, or coordinator for the class or activity
concerned,
b. The Assistant Director of Instruction or administrator’s statement,
c. A statement from the student, directly addressing the allegation of inauthenticity,
d. A summary of an interview with the student about the allegation.
e. The teacher/advisor/coordinator statement must include information on:
i. Guidance given to all candidates on how to acknowledge sources, avoid
collusion, etc. in the subject or activity concerned,
ii. Nature and extent of student(s) supervision on the work in question,
iii. Procedure followed for verifying authenticity.
f. The statement from the Assistant Director of Instruction or administrator must
include information on:
i. Guidance given to all students on how to avoid academic dishonesty,
ii. Special circumstances for this case,
iii. Opinion on the allegation of academic dishonesty against the student(s).
B. These statements must be given to the International Institute’s Assistant Director of
Instruction, who will interview the student with a relative or guardian in attendance as an
advisor, witness or observer. The candidate must be shown the evidence and be invited to
present an explanation or defense. Accusatory statements about the candidate, whether
written or verbal, shall be avoided. With the candidate’s permission, a transcript of the
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C.
D.
E.
F.
interview may be taken and put on file. The candidate must also be given the opportunity to
provide a written statement.
In instances where the student does not follow the norms of standard academic practice in a
way that does not indicate an attempt to gain an unfair advantage (for example, where a
candidate has not used some means of indicating a quotation, but has cited the source of the
text in the bibliography or in a footnote), the consequence will be geared more toward
academic infringement, and not malpractice. In such instances, no grade will be given for
the assignment or test; no further punishment will be imposed.
If a student is found to have plagiarized purposefully, the consequence for the first offense
will include a zero on the assignment(s) or other assessment plagiarized, as well as a
conference with the parents. The second offense for intentional plagiarism will be a zero on
the subject for the semester for high school students, or a zero on the subject for the
bimester grade for junior high school students. The third offense of intentional plagiarism
will be expulsion from the International Institute. These offenses are cumulative over the
course of the student's time at I.I.; there is no "clean slate" at the beginning of the year for
academic dishonesty.
Note that an “offense” is defined as one instance in which malpractice is brought before the
Assistant Director of Instruction and does not necessarily refer to every assignment or
assessment in which malpractice is discovered. For example, multiple plagiarized assignments
can constitute a single “offense.”
When a decision has been made about an allegation of academic malpractice, the school
director will write a letter detailing the circumstance, the process taken to decide upon the
outcome, the outcome itself, and the following procedures. This letter will be copied to the
administration and faculty involved; it will be the school director’s responsibility to ensure
that the student and family receive this letter.
VI. ORDER
A. Break
i. At the sound of the bell to mark the start of break time, students will leave their
classrooms in order. Students may not stay in halls or building corridors during
this time. Please note, teachers dismiss students, not the bell.
ii. At the end of break time, students will return to the appropriate classroom in
order (where and how indicated by teachers or staff), without food or beverage,
unless otherwise indicated by their teacher.
B. Leaving School: When the bell rings at the end of the day, students will leave their
classroom in the order indicated by their teacher.
C. Students may not enter a classroom without the permission of the teacher in charge of
that room. This applies to both classes on a student's schedule and other classes.
VII. SCHOOL MATERIALS
A. Each student should have, from the beginning of the year, all of the necessary books,
notebooks, and materials, as well as the school uniform and any applicable sportswear. The
usage and care of these materials is the responsibility of each student.
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B. If a student forgets school supplies, school work, or other educational items, he/she will not
be allowed to leave school in order to retrieve that item, nor to have the item sent from
home. According to the Participation rubric in each class, students may receive a lower
participation grade for coming to class unprepared and/or receive a late grade for homework
not turned in during class.
VIII. INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES
The newsletters and other forms of communication are important to keep families informed of:
A. General information about school events or activities.
B. Activities specific to your child’s grade (group).
C. Information specific to your child, whether academic, behavioral, or administrative.
For this reason, all pertinent communication will have a stub to be returned by parents, indicating
that they are aware of and will comply with circumstances indicated by the communication. For this
reason, it is important that students return this stub the day after communication is sent. Failure to
return this stub or absence of a signature on returned stubs may be taken as a lack of interest from
parents.
IX. ASSESSMENT POLICY
Assessment for International Institute courses is viewed as valuable feedback on student learning,
as well as a useful tool for informing course planning and teaching. Such student feedback will
advise internal instructor and class evaluations (in addition to the administrative teacher
evaluation rubric) and allow teachers to make informed decisions as to future modifications of their
teaching.
A. Definitions
A. Assessment- is a measurement of what students know and can do.
B. Formal Assessment- “The term formal assessment is preferred to describe all those
assessment instruments that are used to contribute to the final qualification. Some of these
instruments can be used formatively during the course of study as well as summatively
towards the end of it, an approach that has been proposed elsewhere. Formal assessment of
the DP includes some multiple-choice tests for a few subjects and examination papers for
most subjects, intended to be taken at the end of the two-year course, and a variety of other
tasks (essays, research essays, written assignments, oral interviews, scientific and
mathematical investigations, fieldwork projects and artistic performances) spread over
different subjects and completed by students at various times under various conditions
during their course” (Diploma Programme Assessment: Principles and Practice, 2010, p. 3).
In the IB DP, students demonstrate learning through formal, IB-required assessments that
result in final IB marks ranging from 1 (low) to 7 (high).
C. Formative assessment is a type of assessment which evaluates a student’s actual progress
for the purpose of improving instruction.
D. Summative assessment is a type of assessment which summarizes the amount of learning
a student has done at a particular time; this type of assessment is graded.
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E. External Assessments: “The majority of assessment components are examination papers,
made up of a wide variety of question types to suit the requirements of the subject.
Question types include multiple-choice questions (used in only a small number of papers),
short-response questions, structured problem-solving questions, open-ended problemsolving questions, essay questions, data-analysis questions, case studies and commentaries
on supplied texts. The examinations are taken under controlled conditions, with student
responses being marked externally by independent examiners. There are other
tasks/components undertaken by students, with the guidance of their teachers, over an
extended period, which are also externally marked by examiners. These include language
A1 world literature assignments, language A2 written tasks, music investigations, theory of
knowledge essays and extended essays. The assessment focus for all of these is on the
quality of a finished written product, which makes them suitable for external assessment”
(International Baccalaureate Organization, 2010, p. 23).
F. Internal Assessment: “Internal assessment… is student work marked by the teacher with
this marking subject to external moderation (see section 5.5). The DP assessment policy
allows for the existence of an internally assessed component for any course where it is
considered appropriate… Internal assessment allows for components/tasks to be included
in the assessment model that provide evidence of student achievement against objectives
that do not lend themselves to external examination. This particularly relates to process
skills, as may be demonstrated in such activities as project work, fieldwork, laboratory
practical work and mathematical investigations. Although workbooks and portfolios may
be used to record process skills, these in themselves do not make suitable tools for external
assessment. However, they do provide a means by which moderators (external examiners)
can check that the standard of teachers’ marking is appropriate. Internal assessment is also
used for oral work in languages courses, which allows teachers to choose the most
appropriate opportunity to carry out formally assessed oral work and also to provide a
supportive environment for it” (International Baccalaureate Organization, 2010, p. 23).
B. Requirements for Examinations
A. A primary requirement to take an exam is for the student to be physically present and ontime with any materials required to test, including payment for testing fees if indicated. No
exams will be allowed outside the date and time stipulated, unless granted by the teacher or
administrator in charge of the test.
B. If the student is suspended for academic, behavioral, or administrative reasons during exam
time, he/she automatically loses the right to receive his/her grades and/or take tests given
on the day missed.
C. The student will lose the right to an exam (mid-semester or final) if he/she misses more
than 15% of class in said period.
C. Notifications of Grades
A. The scores received during the year will be delivered based on the established schedule.
Parents and students will receive grades in parent meetings every grading period if
financial requirements are met. Report cards with one or two failing grades will require a
Letter of Commitment; report cards with more than 2 failing grades will result in expulsion.
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B. Students and families can also access individual class grades on the Moodle platform;
training is available at request. It is the student's responsibility to report inconsistencies in
Moodle grading in a timely fashion.
C. Multi-year transcripts are available at request from the I.I. office, with current payment.
D. It is important to note that internal grades are valued over grades awarded by SEJ for
financial, merit-based scholarship purposes.
E. The school will also warn families of any debt to the school; students with debt at the end of
the grading period will not receive grades.
D. Grading Procedures
A. Learning expectations and assessment strategies for each class must be made explicitly
clear by teachers to students and parents at the beginning of each course. In the case of
subjects studied over a span of multiple semesters, students must be reminded at the
beginning of every semester about the overall course format and evaluations.
B. In order to best teach a subject, teachers must be informed of their students’ prior
knowledge and experience; to this end, teachers will endeavor to understand each student’s
current knowledge at the beginning of a course, before embarking upon new learning. The
first instance of this is in the admissions exam, which tests Spanish and English fluency and
mathematics competency.
C. All courses must include a balanced range of formative and summative assessment,
including peer and self-assessment. Teachers will provide students with regular and
prompt feedback, whether on Moodle (for graded assignments), in person, or via email (for
general or formative feedback). All graded assignments must be listed on the school’s class
Moodle site; grades must be posted on Moodle within three days of the work’s due date. All
courses will also offer opportunities for reflection about what has been learned in the
course at each midterm evaluation period.
D. In all classes, timely submission of work is of paramount importance. The most credit that
any late assignment can receive in any class is 70%; depending on class policy, some classes
may not accept late assignments. See individual class syllabi for more information on
missed work policies, late assignment policies, etc. Please see teacher for late assignment
policies in instances of excused absences.
E. Teachers will set due dates for all graded assignments at the beginning of the course; in
very rare cases, extensions may be given, but time to complete an assignment may not be
shortened by the teacher. Additionally, in the rare case that a teacher cancels an assignment
after a student has completed and submitted it, this work will count for extra credit for that
student. This extra credit assignment will be worth the same number of points as it was
when originally assigned.
F. The Assistant Director of Instruction keeps a portfolio of work for each student, including
examples of best work, average work, and poor work, collected from all teachers
throughout grades 7-12. In this way, stakeholders can review a student’s progress and
current academic standing using evidence of the student’s abilities.
14
G. Overall (weighted average of all classes taken) grade point averages will be calculated
according to the weight of the class as determined by the Academic Council. The
information on class weighting is available in the I.I. Course Catalog.
E. Grade-Appeal Procedures
If a student would like to appeal a grade on a single assignment, a midterm grade, or a final course
grade, he/she must do so within one week of receiving the grade. Be advised that the revised grade
may be either higher or lower than the original grade.
A. For the first appeal on a given assignment or grade, the student will petition the teacher
directly. The teacher will re-grade or re-calculate the grade in question with the original
criteria within one week of the student's appeal or before the end of the applicable grading
period. The teacher will then recapitulate the student’s appeal, the grade in question, the
steps taken to reevaluate the grade, and the final decision, in a formal letter addressed to
both the Academic Council and the student’s family.
B. If the student wishes to appeal the assignment or grade again after the above procedure, or
in the case that the teacher does not provide a re-grade within the time frame listed above,
he/she may appeal to the Assistant Director of Instruction within one week of notification
from the teacher. The Assistant Director of Instruction will take the student’s second appeal,
the teacher’s formal letter, and any supporting documentation to the Academic Council, who
will reevaluate the assignment in light of the criteria used and the surrounding
circumstances before the end of the applicable grading period.
F. Homework Policy
A. All International Institute students can expect to receive homework on a regular basis.
Homework is a necessary component of academic life which reinforces concepts covered in
class and helps students develop the life skills of organization and self-discipline. To this
end, families can expect that homework will be worth up to 60% of the class grade; classes
with a mainly virtual component may have a homework component of 80-100% of the total
grade. The International Institute expects that students have developed an organizational
system which works for them (agenda, Google Calendar, etc.).
B. Teachers will advise their classes of the quantity of homework and amount of time they can
expect to spend on homework for each subject. As a general rule, high school students can
expect approximately 20 hours of homework outside of class per week; junior high school
students can expect approximately 10 hours of work outside the classroom per week.
C. The International Institute does not operate a homework time table for students; students
are given a list of the majority of their graded homework assignments for all classes at the
beginning of the year. Teachers must give a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice for any added or
changed homework assignments.
D. With the aim of fostering the qualities of the IB Learner Profile, students are responsible for
organizing their time appropriately to manage long-term projects and weekly work-loads.
As an institution, we caution students strongly against missing any assignments, since such
occurrences quickly amount to a failing grade.
15
G. Special Assessment
A. SEJ Assessment
a. The International Institute has requirements of its students that are above and
beyond those put forth by the Jalisco Ministry of Education. All SEJ requirements are
either explicitly included in the International Institute’s required curriculum (ex:
grade 10 Ética y Valores) or combined into International Institute classes (ex:
Ecología y Medio Ambiente in IB Biology). See the Mapa Curricular for an overview of
SEJ requirements.
b. Government (SEJ) reporting requirements are the responsibility of the Academic
Administrative Assistant.
B. IBDP Assessment
a. All IB assessment is criterion-based (see definitions above). Courses as a whole are
graded by the IBO against a mark scheme with grading criteria listed 1-7
(descriptions for each level available with the Assistant Director of Instruction), and
Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay together account for 3 points toward
the IB Diploma. Since there are six courses, the total possible number of points one
can achieve in the Diploma is 45.
b. Individual courses’ Internal Assessments have their own sets of criteria against
which they are graded; teachers must direct students to where they can find the IA
criteria (available in the IB subject guide) on the course Moodle site, when the IA is
introduced (in the first 2 weeks of 11th grade). Teachers should refer back to
internal assessment criteria whenever the IA is being taught, covered, or reviewed
in class.
c. Students will receive points for each component of their IB Diploma. Each IB course
has its own grading scheme; see course syllabi for each grading scheme. See the
two-year Assessment Calendar for a compilation of IB internal deadlines.
d. IB Examination Papers will be given in May of Year 2. For all six IB classes,
Examination Papers are a significant portion of students’ grades. Exams will be
locked in the IB Diploma Coordinator’s office until such time as they are required by
the invigilators of each exam. An invigilation schedule, including dates, times, names
of students and invigilators, and examinations to be administered, will be created
one month before, and finalized two weeks before, the first IB exam. All IB exams
with more than one student must have two invigilators present.
e. Internal IB assessments which require audio recordings (Literature Oral
Commentary & Presentation and Music Group Performance) must be submitted via
CD. Individual tracks may not be edited by any party. Recordings will take place in a
facility as befits the nature of the assessment.
f. In all circumstances, the IB publication, Diploma Program assessment: Principles
and Practice, will be followed.
H. General Assessment Policy
16
A. All International Institute high school classes are taught in semesters and in bimesters for
junior high school classes. Each semester has three midterm evaluation periods, and one
final evaluation period per semester, as set forth by the Jalisco Secretary of Education. Each
year of class in junior high consists of five bimester grading periods. Though subjects are
often studied over the course of multiple semesters or bimesters, past grades in a subject do
not affect a student’s semester/bimester grade in that subject. For example, a student’s
grade in Fall 2011 English would not affect his/her grade in Spring 2012 English.
B. In IB classes (grades 11 & 12), teachers must introduce the IB Internal Assessment (IA) in
the first two weeks of 11th grade, along with the criteria against which the IA is assessed.
The IA criteria should, along with all other grading information, be placed on the course
Moodle to facilitate student access to this information.
C. There is a direct correlation between the SEJ grade and a student’s percentage grade in a
class. It should be noted that IB grades are not given based upon percentages, but upon a
subject-specific mark scheme with a descriptor for each band of qualifications. The table
below exists only to give an approximate correlation between IB grades and SEJ grades.
D. Midterm evaluation reports are sent home via paper and email to families once per
bimester (for junior high) and three times per semester (for senior high). Failing
midterm grades require a parent signature for the student to continue. If at any one
midterm evaluation period a student is failing all subjects, the student may not be allowed
to continue at the International Institute.
E. Grade point averages are weighted based upon the number of hours per week a student is
assigned for that subject. See the official school transcript form.
F. All courses have a user interface on Moodle, at ii.mdl2.com. Students are given a username
upon enrolling at the International Institute and are enrolled in the appropriate courses
every semester. All graded work for all classes will appear on the Moodle. For each graded
work, the teacher will upload comments and the grade for the work within three days (72
hours) of the work’s due date.
G. Courses are graded before SEJ on a scale of 5-10; before IB, courses are graded on a scale of
1-7. The grade correlation is as follows:
SEJ Grade
10
9
9
8
7
6
5
Percentage
96-100
92-95
89-91
79-88
69-78
59-68
58 and below
IB Grade
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
X. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND PROBATION
A. If 30% or more of the students within a group are failing a class (receiving 58% or below) at
any midterm evaluation or grading period, the school must provide remedial classes, free of
charge to parents.
17
B. No teacher in the school may provide additional tutoring for pay to students outside of
school; please notify the Director of Education if you are aware of a situation like this.
Parents who request additional tutoring from teachers will be jointly responsible for this,
with the teacher. For this transgression, students may have a one-day suspension, or their
grades may be withheld, as determined by the Academic Council. The faculty member will
also be sanctioned and may be fired.
C. Students have until the end of a grading period (bimester or semester) to complete extra
work or late work. Grades will be final as of this date, pending extreme circumstances.
D. Parent-teacher meetings are intended to establish close communication and mutual
agreements between parents, teachers, and staff about the education of their children.
a. When meetings are requested with parents, parents should go to the school’s office
on the day and hour noted. If unable to attend, please inform the office in writing or
by telephone; absence of this information is taken as disinterest on the part of the
parent.
b. Important information will be discussed with families by appointment only.
Teachers, coordinators, and/or other staff will request meetings via telephone,
email, or in person.
XI. DISCIPLINARY MEASURES
1. CITATION
Students should demonstrate good manners at all times, showing respect to their teachers, peers,
and others, and school property and classroom materials, inside and outside of school. When a
student a) is required to leave the classroom for behavioral reasons, b) leaves class without written
permission, c) has poor academic or behavioral performance, or d) otherwise fails to comply with
the rules herein stated, a citation will be given to the student by the administration. Citations must
be signed by the Assistant Director of Student Life. Two citations will result in a notification. Please
note: Any student who is required to leave the classroom for behavioral reasons will be marked as
having an unexcused absence for this class period.
2. NOTIFICATION
This is an informative document from the school authorities for parents. It aims to correct
unwanted behaviors indicated by school teachers and/or staff in a timely manner. A student who
receives three such reports for behavioral reasons will receive a one-day suspension and must sign
a Letter of Commitment; a student who receives three such reports for academic reasons must sign
a Letter of Commitment. For each notification, the parent's presence will be requested in a meeting
with the school in order to implement preventative or corrective action.
3. SUSPENSION
This applies when a student demonstrates a serious lack of discipline through the accumulation of
three notifications, assuming there are no previous arrangements between the parents and school.
The student will be given notice of suspension which must be delivered to parents. The school will
make an appointment with parents; if the parent does not attend the appointment, the student will
not be allowed to enter school premises until the situation is rectified.
18
4. LETTER OF COMMITMENT
Letters of Commitment may have to be written in behavioral cases (see point #2 above).
Report cards with one or two failing grades will require a Letter of Commitment. Students who
consistently have behavioral or academic problems must sign a Letter of Commitment. The student
and parents must come to an appointment to review homework (notes, books, etc.) and be
informed of the student’s performance. If there are two failures to comply with the terms stated in
the Letter of Commitment (as represented by "Notifications"), the student will be expelled.
5. EXPULSION
There are situations in which expulsion will occur immediately, without parental notice:
A. The following acts are considered serious misconduct and may result in expulsion:
a. Having any part in extreme disruptions or displaying a severe lack of respect to any
school authority or personnel (principals, teachers, tutors, staff, guards, etc.), inside
or outside the school, at the discretion of the Academic Council.
b. Coming to campus with alcohol or alcoholic breath.
c. Showing extreme disrespect toward one’s peers, physically or verbally.
d. Putting the safety of one’s self or one’s peers at risk through violence or other
physical action.
e. Forging signatures in school communication addressed to parents of the student, or
deceiving any school authority through other means.
f. Showing extreme public displays of affection (prolonged hugging, kissing, etc.)
g. Selling any goods on campus.
h. Bringing any dangerous object to school, including sharp, pointed, or powerful
weapons, fire, weapons using gas or electricity, and any explosive devices.
i. Stealing personal items belonging to other students, school staff and/or visitors, or
any documents, materials, and/or equipment owned by the institution.
j. Damaging school property with aerosol sprays, hammers, or any other instrument.
B. Students may not smoke, drink alcohol, or use any type of narcotics, psychotropic
substances, or inhalants within school facilities and/or near the school. Sidewalks and other
areas adjacent to the campus are included in this area. Violation will result in expulsion.
C. The repercussions for all acts above will also apply when perpetrated in extracurricular
activities, such as visits, conferences, practices, presentations, and any other event
organized by the school outside of school premises.
D. Grading periods in which there are three or more failing grades will result in expulsion.
E. Expulsion may also occur after many reports and/or suspensions, at the discretion of the
Academic Council.
XII. REENROLLING
A. Those students who fail more than two subjects or have frequent behavioral correction are
not eligible for reenrollment.
19
B. Students who need to repeat their semester must wait until said semester is offered again
by the school in order to reenroll. Students who must repeat classes will only be accepted in
special circumstances.
C. Students may not be accepted for behavioral reasons or for previous lack of cooperation
from parents.
D. Students will not be accepted whose parents do not comply with administrative
requirements or do not cooperate with members of the school community.
E. See the Admissions Policy for further information.
XIII. LABORATORY RULES
A. It is necessary for the student to bring a white lab coat with their name in it, in order to
complete experiments that require it.
B. Students may not bring or ingest food, beverages, unauthorized substances or chemicals, or
gum in the laboratory.
C. Students must insure that all materials are placed in a way that allows laboratory work and
good conduct from the student and his/her peers. Personal items may be placed under the
laboratory station.
D. Students must wash their hands before and after their experiment.
E. Students must speak in a low voice when in the laboratory.
F. Students must use the necessary security equipment (glasses, gloves, face masks, etc.) as
required by the day's activity.
G. Students must complete the necessary research before completing the experiment.
H. Students must not engage in horseplay while in the laboratory to avoid accidents, including:
throwing chemical reagents or other substances on or at another's clothing or person;
improperly using reactive substances, gases, faucets, or other materials belonging to your
team or another's team; taking reagents, substances, materials, or equipment from the
shelves and drawers marked as exclusively for the instructor; and using the fire
extinguisher or first aid kit except in the case of an emergency.
I. Students must immediately report anomalies or accidents in laboratory equipment.
J. Students must deposit residue in the proper container indicated by the teacher. DO NOT
return a solution or reagent to its original bottle without instructor permission.
K. At the end of the day's lesson or experiment, students must leave their working table clean
and dry.
L. Students must arrive on time to the laboratory; tardiness may result in loss of the right to
that day’s activity.
M. The student who is suspended for failure or misconduct in the laboratory will lose the right
to conduct experiments in the lab, to the detriment of their grade. Repeat offenders may be
suspended from said activity for the rest of the semester.
N. If equipment for which a student is responsible is destroyed, abused, or neglected, said
equipment must be replaced entirely the next business day, or pay for the damages as
determined by the Finance department. Failure to do so will result in suspension from
laboratory activities.
XIV. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY POLICY
The International Institute campus will have wireless Internet access and electricity freely available
to all students, administration, and faculty.
A. At all times, students will be highly encouraged to bring their own laptop computers. The
Media Resource office has some laptop computers available for students to use while they
20
are at school (but not for home use). Students who opt out of bringing their personal, laptop
computers are encouraged to invest in a USB or other memory storage device, in order to
save their personal documentation and work.
B. At this time, the school does not have the facilities to allow students to print from
administrative computers. Students are encouraged to print assignments from one of the
many paper stores available in the area.
XV. PHYSICAL EDUCATION & SPORTS CLASSES
A. All students are required to attend physical education class and sports team practices with
the proper attire, as indicated by the teacher and/or administration.
B. Students are responsible for their team and material which they are given. In case of
destruction, misuse, or neglect, students must repair said object by the next class. Failure to
do so will result in a behavioral report by the administration.
C. Students who cannot participate in physical education for health reasons must give their
teacher written notification and a doctor’s note indicating the duration of the medical
excuse preventing said activity. Students must attend this class in uniform during the
allotted time period and complete work assigned by the professor.
XVI. SCHOOL INSURANCE
A. The International Institute does require that all students have health insurance to cover
accidents and emergencies during school and school-related functions.
B. The International Institute has school insurance for students available for purchase through
MAPFRE, a Mexican insurance company based out of Guadalajara.
a. MAPFRE insurance covers portions the following within Mexico: accidental death;
funeral expenses; loss of limb; burns; fractures; incapacitation; ankylosis; a portion
of hospital costs in the case that the students was at school a school function, or in
transport to or from school (up to 90 days); ambulance; consultations; trip advisory
on school functions; sending emergency messages in case of accident; luggage loss
(in case of trip by flight).
b. For more information, please ask for a digital copy of the insurance policy. This
information is accurate as of 18 January 2013.
C. If you do not wish to purchase MAPFRE insurance for your student through the school, you
must provide the policy number of the student's private insurance.
XVII. ACADEMIC LEAVE FROM I.I.
In the case that a student will be un-enrolling from I.I., the following requirements must be met:
A. Ask for the un-enrollment form with reception, fill it out, and return it to staff 30 days
before leaving; please include your reasons for leaving.
B. Collect your files from the Control Escolar office.
C. After administration has been informed in writing that the student will be leaving the
school, parents are still responsible for covering all debts owed until the student leaves the
school.
D. Students who are two payments behind in their tuition will be denied education at this
facility, without responsibility to the school. Notice will be given that the student will be
21
removed from his/her group. If the family ignores this notice, the student may be removed
from school publicly.
XVIII. CONCLUSION
A. In the case that a situation is not covered in this manual, the school’s Academic Council will
analyze and decide upon proper action.
B. This document was created by EdVentures Internacional, A.C., in collaboration with the II
Director of Education and prospective IB teachers. The document will be revisited for
revision on an annual basis, by EdVentures, the II Director of Education, and additional
parties as befits the current structure of II, including teachers, parents, students, or other
stakeholders.
C. This document is accurate as of 8 February 2013.
APPENDIX 1
Hours of Operation
Enter School
7:30-7:55AM
Leave School
3:00-3:30PM
22
SIGNATURE PAGE
PARENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I/We agree to follow the provisions in this handbook and its appendices during the time that I am/our
child is enrolled at the International Institute by EdVentures Internacional, A.C.
NAME OF THE STUDENT: ____________________________________________________________
GRADE/SEMESTER: ____________________ DATE: __________________________ ____________
PARENT'S SIGNATURE: ______________________________________________________________
PARENT'S NAME: ___________________________________________________________________
GUARDIAN SIGNATURE: ______________________________________________________________
GUARDIAN'S NAME: _________________________________________________________________
STUDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I acknowledge that I have read and understood the above document, and during my time at the
International Institute, I will abide by these rules.
All work I submit for assessment at the International Institute in any class or activity, will be my own
authentic work, including class assignments, homework assignments, and any other products
submitted for a grade.
STUDENT'S SIGNATURE:_______________________________________________________________________
STUDENT'S NAME: ___________________________________________________________________________
Date:_______________________________________________________
23

International Institute Student/Parent Handbook 2013-14

Transcription

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