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F acul t y Handbook
APIS Mission Statement APIS strives to educate its students, in a loving and caring Christian environment, to become globally enlightened citizens, who are able to bridge the gap between the East and the West and are ready to welcome the exciting challenges of the New Pacific Century.
APIS Vision The APIS vision is motivated by the following core values derived from the acronym of our school name:
Aspire All of us at APIS are pioneers with the highest expectations for ourselves as well as for each other. Our aspirations are ultimately driven to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” PHILIPPIANS 3:14, NIV
Persevere We press on in patience. To persevere is not simply to endure hardships and obstacles. It is to put us on the path to success! We firmly believe that if we put our patience to work and press on, God’s promise will be revealed and fulfilled in our lives. “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” HEBREWS 10:35-36, NIV
Integrity We strive for honesty and truthfulness guided by our relationship with the unchanging God. The measure of one’s integrity is in fact shown when he or she does something wrong: repent and step back into God’s grace. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. I have suffered much; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word. Accept, O LORD, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.” PSALMS 119: 105-112, NIV
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Spiritual Growth APIS strives to be a community that nurtures each other in the unity of our faith. We nurture each other by serving each other and by learning to take correction from the Holy Spirit and from His people. Spiritual growth does not occur in isolation but does so when we are joined together as a body of Christ. “[By] speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.� EPHESIANS 4: 15-16, NIV
Core-Emphases of APIS Education
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Area Emphasis on building "East Asian Competencies" APIS offers a rigorous, US-style Pre-K-12 curriculum with an added emphasis on the East Asian culture and civilization to help our students gain the competitive edge necessary to take on the challenges of the New Pacific Century. Hence, at APIS, our foreign language emphasis is currently on three major East Asian languages: Chinese, Japanese and Korean. As part of the Enrichment Program, our students will also be immersed in Korean literature, history, and culture. We encourage our students to go beyond English which is our language of instruction and acquire proficiencies in at least two East Asian languages. Curricular Emphasis on Science, Math and Computer Education Technology is a main driver of economic as well as social changes in this era of globalization. In our state-of-the-art classrooms and science labs, we take advantage of our superb ITinfrastructure in every possible aspect of the learning experience to provide an innovative and up-to-date education in science, math and computers. The ultimate aim of our curricular emphasis is to develop our students’ potential to become future leaders in a world where keeping up with the latest changes in science and technology is of the utmost importance. Co-Curricular Emphasis on Performing Arts Program The APIS education philosophy is anchored in our commitment to help our students nurture their unique talents and aid in their own personal growth. APIS is committed to establishing an extensive Honors Performing Arts Program (with a particular emphasis on music). We offer instruction in a wide range of musical instruments taught by a truly exceptional group of faculty members in purpose built music rooms and practice studios, to help our students further develop and explore their talents. Spiritual Emphasis: A Loving and Caring Educational Environment Rooted in the Christian Faith With its foundation deeply rooted in the Christian faith, APIS strives to provide a truly loving and caring Christian environment where students of Christian faith and students from all religious and cultural backgrounds can be nurtured together to achieve the highest possible level of intellectual and personal development.
Christianity and APIS Firmly founded on the Christian faith, APIS seeks to foster the spiritual growth of its members in a loving and caring Christian environment where both Christians and non-Christians can work and learn together. We believe that an environment where both Christians and non-Christians are working and learning together is highly advantageous for all. Such an environment can, we believe, lead to a kind of spiritual growth that is more robust and enduring than would otherwise be possible in more traditional settings. For the non-Christian student, it amounts to being afforded a unique opportunity to understand the Christian faith, a movement which has been incalculably important in the shaping of world history and culture. We believe that this alone is of tremendous educational value. Lastly, for all students, this model helps equip them to successfully live and work in a very diverse and increasingly close global community. 5
Christian education at APIS is departmentalized, as opposed to being infused into every part of our curriculum. The Chaplain and the Spiritual Life and Education department at APIS administers to spiritual guidance and Christian education of our students. Any course offerings not led by the Spiritual Life and Education department are, by design, identical to those offered in a standard, nonreligious context. In other words, the availability and opportunity to access Christian education specialists and programs set APIS apart from other secular schools. While a plurality of worldviews is acknowledged at the school, APIS does not espouse other religious traditions. Neither have we designed the Spiritual Life & Education department to incorporate them in our spiritual life and practice. We do encourage all students and staff to pursue spiritual life and knowledge, but to this end, the school does not endorse or offer as part of our program practices rooted in religious traditions other than Christianity. This we see as essential to maintaining clarity in the theological position of the school.
Expected School-Wide Learning Results (ESLRs) Communicate Effectively
Listen attentively, read critically, write effectively and speak competently.
Communicate in at least two East Asian languages.
Express themselves using a variety of medium and tools, including writing, the arts, public
speaking, and technology. Effectively communicate with others of diverse needs, beliefs, values and cultures.
Solve Problems Effectively
Identify problems, discover solutions, and analyze results.
Explore and share creative ideas and solutions using both Eastern and Western perspectives.
Reason critically and abstractly.
Recognize, adjust and adapt to the opportunities of the New Pacific Century.
Use technology as a problem solving tool. Use teamwork and collaborate with others to solve problems.
Learn Independently and Cooperatively
Aspire to high standards in their work and assume responsibility for their education.
Understand learning as a life-long process, requiring intellectual curiosity, varied &
purposeful strategies and perseverance. Successfully work with others in learning teams.
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Demonstrate Responsibility and Christian Values as Citizens of The World
Act with integrity and accept responsibility for their actions and choices.
Develop an understanding of fundamental beliefs, values and practices of the Christian faith and grow spiritually.
Engage in self-reflection about their roles & purpose in the context of family, community, nation and the world.
Uphold an ethic of service by giving back to the local and global community.
Use technology appropriately, ethically and responsibly.
Demonstrate understanding, compassion, and leadership for humanity in the New Pacific Century
Teacher Guidelines and Responsibilities PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS
What is expected of an APIS teacher? TEACHING AND LEARNING STANDARDS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Teach and assess to APIS curriculum and standards Be accountable for the achievement of all students Plan effectively to maximize student learning Teach the APIS curriculum using the most effective and current strategies to ensure that all students achieve standards Pursue and apply best practice strategies as identified through staff development, coaching and/or reflective practice Collaborate with curriculum development and school improvement initiatives Support and promote students’ social-emotional growth and development
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS STANDARDS 1. 2. 3. 4.
Demonstrate a positive approach to challenge Participate actively in school activities Model and promote a commitment to life-long learning through continued professional development Model APIS values as stated in our Code of Professional Conduct
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CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT This code reflects the high standards to which the APIS professional learning community is committed.
All members of the APIS staff agree to: 1.
Demonstrate through their teaching and interactions with others a respect for the dignity and rights of all persons without regard to race, religion, gender or nationality. 2. Demonstrate through their interactions with students, the belief and commitment that all children can learn. 3. Refrain from making comments that reflect negatively upon students or their families. 4. Handle all information in a professional manner. Refrain from divulging information received in confidence except in situations where there is a professional need to know. 5. Be a team player. Collaborate with colleagues, emphasize the positive qualities in others, and refrain from gossip, backbiting or the spreading of rumors. Refrain from making negative comments concerning colleagues and/or school initiatives. 6. Make suggestions for improvements or practices through the appropriate administrative channel. 7. Always conduct oneself in a manner consistent with the dignity of the profession and the philosophy and Mission Statement of the school. 8. Abide by and respect the school’s policies, procedures and contractual obligations. 9. Avoid any activity that gives the appearance of a conflict of interest. 10. Always conduct oneself according to the highest moral and ethical standards.
Communication Effective communication is essential at APIS. It is each staff member’s responsibility to remain abreast of what is going on in the school by reading bulletins, attending meetings, etc. It is important that mailboxes be checked regularly and bulletins, that are to be sent home, are distributed on time. It is also expected that staff inform the office of any special activities going on in their classroom as well as any changes made to the regular routine. Please remember to check your email each morning and afternoon, as the principals will be sending messages electronically, in order to reduce paper.
Communication with Parents A copy of memos going home to parents should be sent to the grade level principal prior to dispatching them home. With the exception of Korean teachers, all communication to parents must be in English.
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After School Activities Goals The goals of the After School Activities are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
To provide staff and students with the opportunity to interact in a non-academic setting. To provide experiences for the second language learner to practice English in an environment outside of the classroom. To expand and enrich our program by offering a variety of extracurricular activities based on the ESLRs and the APIS school mission. To provide a well-rounded range of activities in areas such as athletics, fine arts, academics, and service. To promote school spirit and enrich the community.
Note: Each staff member is required to sponsor two extracurricular activities during the school year. This could vary depending on the activity selected. Teachers assigned to after school EAL and learning support are exempt.
General Guidelines for Teachers 1.
Staff members arrive by 7:50 a.m. Teachers who do not work full time or who have a schedule starting later in the day are expected to report to work at least 20 minutes before their first class begins. Classes begin at 8:10 a.m. Teachers are expected to stay after school until 4:00 p.m. Staff members are required to get the principal’s approval if they have to leave campus during the instructional day and to sign out with the school office. These requests to leave campus should only be made in case of an emergency. APIS expects the staff to use planning periods for activities related to the instructional program. It is expected that personal business will be attended to after hours.
2.
The campus is open to staff between 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Teachers wishing to access the building on weekends may use the key code.
3.
Confidentiality is expected of the staff. Discussion among professional staff members concerning students should be limited to assisting the school to better serve the student. Staff members are cautioned against discussing individual students in public.
4.
Teachers are expected to actively supervise the students under their care. Students are not to be left in classrooms nor should they be in the hallways without supervision. In addition to managing their own classroom, all teachers are expected to contribute to establishing a disciplined and orderly learning environment throughout the campus.
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Teachers must consistently enforce appropriate hallway behavior by waiting until students are quiet before proceeding into the building, by not allowing students to bring food inside, and by training their students to walk in a quiet line. Secondary teachers are expected to support hallway supervision by stepping outside their classrooms for a few minutes after the dismissal bell rings and before recess.
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All teachers in elementary are expected to walk students to and from special classes, and to pick them up in the morning, after recess, and after lunch. K4, K5, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade students are to be walked to their bus. Fourth and fifth grade students can earn the privilege of walking to their classes and to their buses after the first week. 9
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Staff members are expected to keep a clean and orderly workspace and to model practices that are environmentally sound. While on playground duty, staff members are expected to remind students to pick up after themselves.
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Teachers are expected to dress in good taste, in keeping with the occasion, weather, and community standards. We must be aware that we serve as role-models for students at all times and that the dress code for them is equally conservative. The administration reserves the right to determine whether the dress code has been followed (specific guidelines found under policies).
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Teachers are expected to implement the APIS curriculum and to house long range and weekly lesson plans in Atlas Rubicon. More detailed information is found under planning.
10. Teachers are expected to observe deadlines for grades and to keep clear and complete records of student progress. 11. Teachers are expected to keep close records of communication with parents regarding student progress. 12. Staff members are expected to maintain clear and direct lines of communication with administration and with colleagues. Teachers are expected to turn in a copy of letters, memos or notes going home and to advise the grade level principal and office of special events or changes in schedules. 13. Teachers are expected to be on time for meetings and duty posts. 14. When it is not possible to report to an assigned duty, it is the responsibility of the staff member to get a replacement. 15. Staff members are expected to participate actively in the overall improvement of the school program and in their continued professional development. 16. Staff members who teach in English are expected to communicate in this language at all times when addressing students and colleagues.
Planning Planning is the heart of curriculum and instruction. At APIS, we believe that intentional planning around student needs is a critical factor in differentiating instruction and ensuring student learning. Each teacher is responsible for following and designing the types of plans as outlined below:
Unit Plans Unit plans are long-term plans housed in Atlas Rubicon that map the standards, benchmarks and concepts students will learn over an extended period of time. Unit plans are fundamental in the planning process and allow the teacher to gauge student progress. A unit plan is a detailed document that includes the following information:
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Asia Pacific International School Unit Plan Format
Standards and Benchmarks: Identifying established unit goals and standards helps to ensure curricular alignment.
Essential Questions: Essential questions help us to organize our thinking and approach curricular design through creative choice that highlights the focus of a course or a unit of study.
Content (Learner Outcomes): This is what we want students to know, understand and store in long term memory. Declarative knowledge is the content of the curriculum, the facts, concepts, generalizations and principles. It is the content of the curriculum we want students to understand. Content is what we know and can explain to others; it is consciously understood factual knowledge.
Skills: This is what we want students to be able to do at the completion of our unit or term. It is the processes, procedures and skills the students will process which will enable them to form procedural knowledge. Skills are about how to do something – it includes the operational and processes needed to learn.
Assessment: The opportunities we provide students to demonstrate their understanding of the content and the skills they have acquired.
Learning Activities: These are the detailed activities that will be used to promote active student learning.
Resources: Materials, both print and electronic, that we draw upon for our instruction. Reflections: Overall general reflections regarding the unit and its delivery and effectiveness toward the goal of student learning.
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Weekly Lesson Plans Weekly Plans are short-term plans that serve as a basic timetable for organizing instruction, learning and the nuts and bolts of each week. These are meant to support the long term unit plans as mentioned above. Weekly Plan Guidelines A lesson schema is a way of organizing the structure of a lesson or class period. We often refer to them as lesson plans. Good teachers have a plan for their classes. It is easy to miss our learning objectives in trying to make an activity fun. However, when we write a lesson plan, we are reminded about what the most important activities are for both the teacher and the students. Lesson Plans are necessary if the teacher wants/needs feedback to improve his/her pedagogical practice. The following things should be considered when planning a lesson: • Set objectives/learning targets • Access prior knowledge • New information: declarative, procedural, or contextual knowledge • Application • Summary/generalization How teachers choose to organize this lesson plan is up to them, but all five aspects of this schema must be included.
GUIDELINES 1. Set objectives or learning targets Setting objectives is the process of establishing a direction for learning. It is a skill that successful teachers have mastered to help them realize both short-term and long-term desires. Three generalizations have been drawn from the research on goal setting:
• Instructional goals narrow what students focus on. • Instructional goals should be specific: they should contain three defining characteristics: performance, conditions and criterion.
• Students should be encouraged to personalize the teacher’s goals.
2. Access Prior Knowledge (first 3-7 minutes of each class) In each lesson, teachers should try to provide opportunities to activate prior knowledge (fire the neurons) and focus pupils on the context or subject. Some strategies would include:
• Writing the title on the board at the beginning of the session • Reviewing or recapping relevant learning • Brainstorming the topic and developing a concept map, or semantic web • Write key words and ideas on the board • Provide opportunities for paired discussion 12
3. New Information New information generally falls into one of three broad categories representing three general types of knowledge. Such distinctions have proved useful in descriptions of learning (Anderson 1990). At a basic level, knowledge within any domain can be organized into the following categories: declarative, procedural, or contextual.
The first column contains examples of knowledge that involves processes. These processes may or may not be performed in a linear fashion. For example, performing long division is a process: you perform one step, then another, and so on. Reading a map also involves certain steps, but these steps, unlike those in long division, do not have to be performed in any set order. You might read the name of the map first, and then look at the legend, or you might just as effectively perform these steps in reverse order. Knowledge of this sort is usually called procedural knowledge. One might think of such knowledge as composed of the skills and processes important to a given content area. For procedural knowledge, students should practice it 24 times. The examples in the second column do not involve a process or a set of steps. Acquiring this type of knowledge involves understanding the component parts. For example, knowledge of the concept of “a geographic region” includes understanding the characteristics of a variety of regions, knowing criteria that give a region identity and how regional boundaries can change, and so on. This type of knowledge is commonly called declarative knowledge. One might think of such knowledge composed of information important to a given content area. For declarative knowledge, students should apply it 14 times. It takes 5 hours to connect facts to the concept. The last column contains items that are not simply declarative or procedural but that specify knowledge acquired in a unique context. One might think of contextual knowledge as information acquired only during the execution of some process, or a kind of process that gains special meaning only when applied to certain kinds of information. Column three contains examples of information and/skills that are in part defined by the conditions under which they are learned. For example, “to classify” is a skill or procedure; to understand the characteristics of organisms is declarative knowledge, or information; but knowledge constructed while classifying organisms is a special type of knowledge, also known as taxonomy. Students learn how structure, function, biochemistry, and behavior can be used to classify organisms; they also know how taxonomy can describe the degree of relatedness between organisms. (McRel compendium of standards and benchmarks) Some researchers have found that 75% of time at school is dedicated to Declarative Knowledge and 25% is dedicated to Procedural knowledge. 13
Application Every concept a student has learned must be connected to his/her own context and daily experiences in order to be meaningful. Teachers should use research-based instructional strategies at this stage of their lessons.
Summary/Generalization Although we sometimes refer to summarizing and note taking as mere “study skills”, they are two of the most powerful skills students can cultivate. They provide students with tools for identifying and understanding the most important aspects of what they are learning. There are various summarizing strategies that the teacher might initially demonstrate students in some detail. It is advisable for teachers to include in each lesson plan the Resources needed and the homework to be assigned.
Emergency Lesson Plans In the event that an unforeseen absence may occur, teachers are expected to provide detailed lesson plans for the substitute teacher to follow, as well as current seating charts and class lists.
Teacher Evaluation: Enhancing Professional Practice “The Teacher as Learner and Leader”
Statement of Purpose & Beliefs APIS exists to ensure not that all students get taught, but that all students learn. Growing in the practice of teaching is a lifelong process that means as an educator there is continuous learning and growing. We believe that an educator committed to collaboration is both a learner and a leader.
To be effective as both a learner and leader there is a need to be:
reflective in both our practice and our growth in a structured manner
We believe commitment to this requires:
intentionally structured conversations built into our practice continually learning as an educator and staying at the front of educational best practice taking on the role of leading being accountable and transparent to the people who believe and trust in us - our parents and students
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Our reflection is centered on:
What do we want our students to learn? How will we know they've learned it? What will we do if they don't learn it? What will we do if they already learned it?
PROCESS AND COMMITMENT To be effective, the TLL process must be participatory—individual teachers working with administrators and colleagues at all stages of the cycle, from goal-setting, to data-gathering, to interpretation, to reflection for further goal setting. Professionals at different stages of professional growth and experience may require different appraisal and support strategies. We see teaching at APIS as having two stages; The Beginning Years and The Continuing Years. We also recognize that on a rare occasion a teacher may be in need of professional assistance in their teaching. Classroom observations have at times been described as “formal” and “informal”. In some professional growth programs formal observations have included a pre-observation meeting, a thirty to forty observation and post observation meeting. Recent research has challenged the impact and helpfulness of this process in the professional growth of a teacher. Do single event observations truly capture the teacher in the classroom? Frequent observations sometimes called “walkthroughs” are believed to provide a clearer picture of teacher performance and a more balanced perspective of how things are going in the class. At APIS we have adopted this belief with an understanding that administrators may use a combination of these approaches in the observation of faculty.
THE INDICATORS OF EFFECTIVE TEACHING Domain I: Clarity in “What we expect our students to learn.” What do we want our students to learn? Curriculum Content Knowledge: Displays strong content knowledge based on the learning outcomes of the subject area; consistently embeds ESLR’s in subject area curriculum Curriculum Design: Develops, reflects upon and continuously refines curriculum maps that meet design standards and clearly articulate high expectations for what students will know, understand and be able to do Curriculum Equity: Collaborates to ensure equity--that all students in the same grade level or course have the opportunity to acquire the same essential knowledge and skills
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Communication With Parents: Communicates effectively with parents regarding student learning and works proactively with parents to problem solve when students don’t learn Communication With Colleagues: Works effectively with counselors, student support services, administrators and/or teaching team to problem solve when students don’t learn Focus on Results to Improve Teaching and Learning: Explicitly aligns assessments of student learning to outcomes; Common Assessment results are analyzed collaboratively to inform teaching and learning; attempts to respond to students who are not learning and to challenge students who have already mastered learning outcomes Performance Expectations: Develops criteria and performance expectations (rubrics, exemplars, models) which are clearly communicated to students, involving them in their own learning Instruction: Plans and delivers engaging instruction designed to support achievement of identified learning outcomes, essential questions, and enduring understandings, for all students. Instruction (Research Based): Designs instructional strategies that reflect recent professional research on best practice and respond to diverse student needs
Domain II: A Culture of Collaboration Students achieve when teachers are given the time and support to work together to build shared knowledge. Skills of Collaboration: Actively contributes to the development and maintenance of positive relationships in collaborative teams; knows and applies many of the strategies and behaviors of effective collaborative teams Skills of Collaboration to Clarify Purpose: Works respectfully and productively with colleagues to clarify what students should understand, know and be able to do and to determine how to assess their achievement Setting Goals: Works collaboratively to develop response strategies when goals do not result in improved learning
Domain III: A Focus on Learning Results Educators gather evidence about their school. They review data and adjust instruction accordingly. 16
Data Gathering and Use: Gathers and uses assessment data to identify measurable improvement goals, to monitor classroom improvements, to make adjustments to practice and to inform instructional decisions for individuals and groups Assessment Literacy: Constructs valid and reliable assessments of learning that meet standards of assessment quality Setting Goals: Articulates measurable goals linked to student learning
Domain IV: Environment for Learning Creates an environment in which students learn. Knows how to create a comfortable and respectful environment that creates as safe place for taking risks. Classroom Management: Establishes standards of conduct and classroom routines that are effective, clear to all students and appear to have been developed with student participation
Respect and Rapport: Demonstrates genuine caring and respect for students as individuals; students exhibit respect for teacher as an individual, beyond that for the role Culture of Learning: Establishes and maintains through planning of learning activities and instructional goals, interactions, and the classroom environment, high expectations for the learning of all students
Domain V: A Focus Beyond the Classroom An APIS teacher is committed beyond the classroom. They are involved in the community as well as their own professional growth. Organizational Service: Provides effective service to the organization beyond the classroom (such as participation in school-wide and divisional committees) Co-curricular Leadership: Effectively leads co-curricular activities or programs that enable students to explore and enjoy new areas of interest and pursue excellence in those interests, talents and skills already developed Professional Growth: Willingly participates in professional development that aligns with APIS professional growth initiatives and implements required elements of PD.
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Professional Development On-site Professional development is a top priority at APIS. PD opportunities are offered on-site through the work of consultants, literacy coaches, and teachers throughout the course of the school year and are typically linked to school-wide initiatives. There are a variety of opportunities available for teachers to share their expertise as presenters. It is an expectation of the school that each and every staff member actively participate in these various sessions.
Off-site In an effort to support teachers interested in attending relevant workshops and conferences in order to improve student learning, each teacher is given a professional development allowance for off-site opportunities in or outside of Seoul. The criteria are outlined below. 1.
A request for professional development must be submitted to the grade level principal within one month from the application deadline. It is important to include the following: type of conference, location, manner of transportation, amount of funds required, and rationale for how the experience would benefit students. Request forms are available on the faculty portal.
2.
All requests for professional development allowances must be approved by the division principal and director.
3.
Teachers are expected to complete a reflection sheet once they return from a conference. They are also encouraged to share the information learned with colleagues during an on-site PD opportunity.
Public Relations and Communication Public relations are a crucial responsibility of all employees of APIS. We expect teachers and staff to always be positive about the school when meeting parents, potential families and when in the community or in public. If there are problem areas that an employee feels need attention, s/he should bring the problem to the attention of the school principals. The school community is small and “talk” travels fast. Please keep your community contacts positive.
Schedule Changes Staff members are requested not to make any changes to either their supervision duty schedule or the daily schedule without the prior approval of the grade level principal. Any approved changes should be brought to the attention of the office staff so that the master schedule may be revised.
Speaking English One of the primary goals of APIS is to provide students with a strong proficiency in English. Therefore, it is imperative that staff members expose their students to English every opportunity they get. Staff members who teach in English are expected to communicate in this language at all times when addressing students and colleagues. Likewise, the use of English is expected in offices and encouraged amongst staff. Students are expected to speak English during all instructional periods and in all areas of the building and playground, with the exception of Korean, Japanese or Chinese class. Teachers are encouraged to have a common grade level expectation for ‘Speaking English’ in their classrooms. 18
Policies APIS ID Cards As part of a security measure and to help visitors identify school staff, all faculty members are required to wear APIS ID cards in school at all times.
Change in Assignment for Second Year Changes in teaching assignments after one year are not encouraged unless there is a specific need on the part of the school. Staff members completing their second year can apply for another position; however, policy states instructional personnel will be assigned on the basis of their qualifications, the needs of the school, and the expressed desire of the professional staff member.
Library All instructional materials are bar coded and logged into a system inventory before being placed into circulation. Materials are checked out to teachers by homeroom, or classroom in the case of Specialists. In August, teachers are given a copy of the inventory of materials that are signed out to them for the year. As teachers new to the classroom become familiar with the inventory, it is important that any missing materials be reported. Teachers are responsible for checking these materials back in at the end of the year. While it is expected that there will be some loss and damage as a result of normal wear and tear, in extreme cases, teachers will be asked to pay for materials that are unaccounted for, based on the number and nature of the materials that are lost. Students that are going to use the library during instructional class time must have a library pass from the teacher. Note: Materials are checked out to individual teachers. Student textbooks are checked out to the homeroom, and will be placed in the classroom when teachers arrive in August. Teachers must assign each set of textbooks to the student, and write down the student's name and textbook number on the given form. The teacher needs to keep this list for follow-up purposes, and a copy is given to the library. Students are responsible for all texts and materials checked out to them. It is the teacher’s responsibility to report any loss to the library, so that the parents can be charged accordingly, and the materials replaced.
Dress Code - Professional Staff Professional staff members should dress in keeping with the standards of their profession, the weather, and cultural mores of the host country. They should keep in mind that in Korea the dress code for professionals tends to be on the conservative side. In keeping with these customs, male professional staff members are expected to wear long pants, dress shirts, socks and dress shoes. Ties are strongly encouraged, but not mandatory. Pony tails and earrings are not acceptable. Jeans and tennis shoes are not allowed (unless there is a special casual/sports day planned). Female professional staff members should refrain from wearing clothing that is too revealing such as halter tops, tank tops, low cut shirts, miniskirts, and shorts. Jeans, t-shirts, and casual sandals (Birkenstocks, flip flops, etc.) are not acceptable. Most women in Korea wear slacks or skirts and blouses. 19
Body piercing and tattoos are not culturally acceptable for either gender and must be covered during school hours and school events. Note: This dress code is in effect regardless of changes in weather patterns and will be actively enforced at all times. The administration reserves the right to approach individual staff members whose school attire is deemed inappropriate.
Drug Free Workplace Certification The use of illicit substances is illegal in Korea and APIS is obligated to comply with certain requirements. One of these requirements is to publish a statement notifying our employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in our workplace and actions will be taken against employees for violation of such prohibition. It is also a school policy that controlled substances may not be maintained or used on the grounds of APIS or in any situation that could reflect negatively on the school. The penalty for possession or use of a controlled substance is immediate dismissal.
Extended Absences In order to deliver a U.S. style educational program in English, it is essential that APIS employ a certain number of professional educators who have received their educational degrees from the United States or Canada. All of you have been hired on the basis of your training and experience and for your unique ability to serve the educational interests of the students with whom you work. In exchange for your services, APIS has agreed to provide you with a competitive salary and benefits package which enables us to recruit and retain an excellent professional staff. As you know, Seoul does not have a pool of qualified and certified substitute teachers who can deliver the kind of academic program we strive to deliver. When you are absent, your students suffer in terms of the quality of the instructional program that they receive. For the benefit of the children we serve, we appeal to your professionalism to limit your absences to those times which are absolutely necessary.
News Releases Only the school principals are authorized by the Board to make news releases. The grade level principals will review all school related press releases for any local newspaper.
Selling Items on Campus/Advertising The APIS Board of Directors does not permit any person, organization, or business to advertise any for profit product or service through any media that is linked, directly or indirectly, to APIS. This would include but is not limited to posters, flyers, notes, emails, etc.
Sick Leave Benefits The Board of Directors recognizes the fact that professional staff members (teachers, counselors, coordinators, etc.) may be ill during regular working days. For that reason seven (7) paid sick days are available to teachers each year. 1. Sick leave is non-cumulative. 2. Teachers who fail to report to work on the day preceding a school holiday and/or the day after 20
a school holiday, and who cannot provide a statement from a physician certifying that they were ill, will not be eligible for sick leave benefits, nor for pay for any of the holiday period. 3. Sick leave for less than a year of full-time employment shall be prorated at the rate of one day per month or major fraction thereof. This provision applies to those professional employees who do not begin work at the start of a school year. 4. A professional employee cannot claim any portion of earned leave unless s/he has actually reported for duty for the regular school year in accordance with terms of her/his contract. 5. If the administration has reason to suspect that a teacher is abusing the sick leave policy, said teacher will be notified in writing. He/she will be informed that any time thereafter the teacher may be required to substantiate any further sick leave with a certificate from a medical doctor of the school’s choosing. If there is no cause to suspect abuse of sick leave within ninety (90) days of the above notification, no doctor’s statement will be necessary until such time as further abuse is suspected and notice is again given. 6. Continued abuse of sick leave benefits may result in the immediate cancellation of the contract.
Personal Days The Board of Directors recognizes that there are certain occasions when a professional staff member must be absent for personal business, including situations that cannot be attended to on weekends, holidays, or after regular hours. Non-emergency absence requests must be made two weeks in advance of the first day of the requested absence. These unusual situations include, but are not to be limited to the following: • Legal or court business • Travel mishaps beyond your control • Special family events Teachers are granted three (3) personal days each year at the discretion of the principals. During an approved personal absence, an employee will receive full salary. The paid personal days are not cumulative. Teachers may not attach personal days to the beginning or end of holidays, vacations or long weekends. Note: Except in very unusual circumstances, the personal leave days will not be granted during the 1st month or last month of the school year.
The school publishes a calendar in advance as a means of giving staff the opportunity to plan ahead, and except in the case of unforeseen events and other extenuating circumstances, it is understood that travel should be planned around the school calendar. Under certain circumstances, an absence for personal reasons will result in full loss of salary. These circumstances include: • Absence immediately before or following a holiday. Salary for the absence and the holiday period will be deducted. Please be aware that the expectation is for all staff to be on campus through 4:00 p.m. on the days before holidays, unless specifically given permission to leave early by the principals. • Absence after the employee’s personal days have been used. • In situations when the request for a personal day has not been approved.
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Bereavement Leave Teachers will be given up to five (5) days for illness or death in the family. (The school grants three days of paid personal leave for death in the immediate family; including mother, father, grandparents, brother, sister, son or daughter. If international travel is involved, two additional days will be granted for a total of five calendar days of paid leave).
Pay Deductions A request for an absence that results in a pay deduction will be granted only under special circumstances. Pay deductions will be calculated based on the total salary and benefits package. A maximum of two (2) pay deduction days will be granted during an academic year. Pay deduction requests are to be limited to two (2) per academic year. These will not be granted before or after a holiday. The request form for personal business leave should be submitted to the principal and then approved by the director at least five (5) working days prior to the requested absence except in cases of emergency. Absences that involve both Friday and Monday will result in a four (4) day pay deduction due to the fact that APIS pays on the basis of 365 days. Absences for extenuating circumstances will be exempt from this policy. Absences related to job fairs / interviews – Professional staff must use their personal days and sick leave if attending an overseas job fair. No additional leave will be granted.
Sick Day Procedure The following procedure is required to qualify for pay when a staff member is sick: 1. Notify your principal by text message or e-mail of intended absence no later than 6:30 a.m. on the day of absence. 2. Office staff are to be notified only when the principals cannot be reached. 3. Notify your grade level principal by 2:00 p.m. the day you are absent if you will or will not return to work the following day. 4. Failure to give the administration due notification may result in pay deduction. 5. Submit a well-written lesson plan for each class the substitute teacher is required to handle. 6. Fill out the appropriate form that can be found on the faculty portal (Secondary Faculty Absence Request Form) to be signed by the grade level principal so payment can be made or deducted based on the reason for the absence. Due to the limited availability of qualified substitutes, teachers are encouraged to use sick days only when strictly necessary.
Smoke Free Campus APIS strives to maintain a smoke free environment. Teachers and parents are asked to refrain from smoking while on campus. Students are not permitted to smoke or be in possession of tobacco products on school grounds or in school sponsored activities.
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Tardies It is imperative that professional staff members arrive on time, not only to ensure the security of students, but also to set an example of punctuality for them. Excessive absences without just cause and excessive tardies will be taken into consideration for contract renewal.
Tutoring Board policy and Korean law prohibit APIS teachers from tutoring for additional pay. Staff members are expected to offer after school remediation as an alternative to tutoring, and to only recommend tutoring for children who require more time, and after prior consultation and approval by an administrator. Due to misrepresentation and potential conflicts of interest, the school does not allow spouses/partners to tutor each other’s students.
Seasonal Parties APIS understand the importance of celebrating certain seasonal parties, but an excess of these celebrations takes away from valuable instruction time. It is APIS school policy to have a maximum of three seasonal parties per school year. Room mothers must arrange the details of these parties with the classroom teacher or homeroom teacher. Celebrations that are linked to the curriculum (i.e. 100th day of school, culture days) are not considered seasonal parties.
Birthday Parties Birthdays are very important to elementary and middle school students, but as with seasonal parties, instruction time must be taken into account. Classroom teachers can choose to celebrate birthdays in a variety of ways and the decision is theirs solely. Parents may bring in a reasonable snack to share for a student birthday provided that the classroom teacher has approved.
Closing of School If the occasion arises that warrants the closing of school, official notice will be issued from the principals’ offices. The decision to close school is made by the principals in consultation with the Board Chair. An announcement will be placed on Power School for students, and parents will receive a text message. Staff members will use the phone tree.
Policy for Email use Computer resources are not unlimited. Network bandwidth and storage capacity have finite limits. As such, the user must not deliberately perform acts that waste computer resources or unfairly monopolize resources to the exclusion of others. These acts include, but are not limited to, sending mass mailings or chain letters, spending excessive amounts of time on the Internet, playing games, engaging in online chat groups, uploading or downloading large files (software downloads, photos, audio, or video), wasting printer supplies, or otherwise creating unnecessary loads on network traffic associated with non-business-related uses of the Internet. 23
People who misuse school resources will receive a message from the principal. A few examples of email misuse are: too much server space due to music collections, sending giant email attachments, and sending all staff emails about non-school business. A good guideline: use the school e-mail for work only. You can check personal e-mail on your own time.
Mass E-mail Please refrain from sending mass email. If you need to communicate with all parents for some reason, please speak to your principal.
Field Trips Field trips can be a valuable teaching tool. They should be reflective of what is being taught in the curriculum at that time. In order to make the most of the experience, teachers should preteach and debrief with every trip. Room mothers may be very helpful about giving ideas and organizing transportation, but the final organization is the responsibility of the classroom teacher. The same holds for supervision. Parental expectations are often different from that of the teacher. Note: It is important that you discuss your expectations beforehand.
At APIS it is expected that field trips be used as an extension of the instructional program rather than as a reward for behavior. Be aware that planning periods missed during a field trip cannot be rescheduled. Homeroom teachers are responsible for consulting with specialists if this activity affects their instructional periods. If the homeroom teacher has recess/lunch duty the day of the field trip, s/he is responsible for making the necessary arrangements to ensure that her/his duty is covered. School uniforms should be worn for field trips unless the activity warrants different dress (Divisional principal’s approval is required in that case).
Procedure: Complete the “Teacher Request for Field Trip” form on the faculty portal for approval by the grade level principal. Inform all specialist teachers of your trip. Have parents sign a permission slip with specific information about the trip including means of transportation, cost, etc. Talk to your students about expected behavior on the trip, any safety issues, information gathering, etc. Teachers must submit a bus roster to the school office prior to leaving on the field trip. Students need to understand that while off campus they are representing the school and any behavior that reflects negatively upon the institution will be followed up with disciplinary action. It always helps to provide students with questions or a set of topics to be on the lookout for, as a means of helping them remain focused during the trip. Students are to be back on campus before 3:00 p.m.
Maintenance Forms for maintenance requests are on the faculty portal. All requests will be sent to the main office. Your principal will sign the requests and arrange maintenance with the Business Manager’s office.
Events Bulletin for Parents Once a week, bulletins are written highlighting important activities and events. Teachers are encouraged to share student accomplishments and/or classroom events for inclusion in this letter to the community. Submissions should be sent to grade level principals for approval. 24
Photocopying APIS discourages an over reliance on the use of photocopied materials in the classroom. We must seek other methodologies over pencil-paper tasks. Teachers are asked to limit the number of copies used. Photocopying should be limited to materials needed for instructional purposes. All personal copies should be made off campus. Teachers will be assigned a code and copy use will be monitored. Should you need additional photocopies or have a special circumstance, please see your grade level principal.
School Mailboxes Each teacher has a school mailbox and is responsible for checking it before class begins in the morning, at noon and before leaving school, especially on Fridays. Office staff will assist with delivery of items in extraordinary situations. **Please check your email in the morning, and again before you leave at the end of the day. In order to reduce paper and copying, the principals will use your school email address to convey information.
Office Staff Assistance for Teachers This assistance is limited to school related business. Except for situations involving medical assistance, the office staff must not be asked to make calls pertaining to teachers’ personal business.
Supplies Teachers must fill out a supply request form which is on the faculty portal to be approved by your principal. No supplies can be delivered without the signed form.
Telephone/Cell Phone Use Telephones are available to the staff for personal use for local calls only. Long distance calls concerning school-related business need administrative clearance.
Internet Phone Policy Use of the internet phone to make school-related calls will be free of charge. Personal use of the phone will be charged as follows: * USD $ 1.00 = KRW 1,158 (The Exchange rate will be changed without prior notice.) Domestic KRW USD Calls Local 35.1 Per 3 min. 0.03 Per 3 min. Long distance 35.1 Per 3 min. 0.03 Per 3 min. Cell phone 11.1 Per 10 seconds 0.01 Per 10 seconds International Country Land line, per 1 minute Cell phone, per 1 minute Calls KRW USD KRW USD Japan 50 .04 270 0.23 China 50 .04 50 .04 25
Singapore Hong Kong North America Canada Hawaii South America Australia New Zealand England France Germany
50 50 50
.04 .04 .04
50 50 50
.04 .04 .04
50 132 756
.04 0.11 0.65
50 132 756
.04 0.11 0.65
50 264 50 50 50
.04 0.23 .04 .04 .04
360 264 340 400 400
0.31 0.23 0.29 0.35 0.35
To use the phone for calls outside of Seoul, please follow the instructions:
Out of Seoul: Area Code + Phone Number + Your PIN with "#" International Call: International Access Code (001 or 002or 00700)+ Country code + Area Code + Phone Number + Your PIN with "#". (* When you press country code and area code, please delete "0") Cellular telephone use on the part of staff members is limited to times when they are not working directly with students and should never be done in front of students. Office and support staff should limit cell phone use to recess and lunch breaks. Please do not use your phone if you
are supervising recess! Office staff will NOT forward personal calls to the classrooms.
School Communication Staff members are responsible for reading the bulletins and emails for all important announcements, upcoming deadlines, curriculum news, and school-wide events. Homeroom teachers are requested to inform students of items pertaining to the students. Teachers are asked to inform the office of special events for inclusion in bulletins and newsletters.
Student Behavior Expectations APIS fosters a positive school climate where all students have the right to learn. Students are expected to understand and respect:
school community agreements the rights of the teacher to teach the class and be free from distractions other students’ right to learn and be free from bullying and harassment individual differences and the diversity of our cultures every student’s desire to participate and be welcomed into the A.P.I.S. family
All students are expected to maintain high behavior standards where self-discipline is practiced as a norm. This behavior applies to both inside and outside the classroom regardless of whether or not an adult is present.
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Disciplinary Actions Warning: For minor discipline issues, teachers will give verbal warnings to students. If the teacher feels it necessary, they may fill out a discipline referral and report the student to the office. The Dean of Students or Principal will conference with the student and review the discipline policy.
Detention: Teachers may ask students to stay during lunch or after school in the case of repeated minor discipline issues or a major offense. If a student has consistent problems with completing homework or classwork, teachers may require the student to stay in at recess, lunch or after school. Parents are required to make special transportation arrangements when students are asked to stay after school by teachers.
Suspension: In the case of major offenses, the Dean of Students or Principal can suspend the student from school for a determined period of time.
In-School Suspension (ISS): Students are separated from their classmates and spend the day working on an individual project. In some cases, if specifically requested by the teacher, students may work on classroom activities during the ISS. Out of School Suspension (OSS): Should the major offense be severe or repeated behavior, and out of school suspension is issued. Students are required to stay with their parents at home or in their place of business. Students who receive an OSS will not be allowed to make up tests, quizzes, projects or homework given during their suspension.
Expulsion: Students not deemed fit for continued enrollment by reason of extraordinary misbehavior, including a single, major misbehavior episode, may at sole discretion of the Principal, in consultation with the Director, become subject to immediate expulsion from school. Expelled students will not be considered for readmission. The following list is an example of offenses. This list is not all-inclusive and should not be taken as such. Consequences for these offenses can range from a verbal warning to expulsion.
Minor Offenses:
Disturbing or disrupting class Running in hallways Gum chewing Eating or drinking in class Violating the school uniform policy Arriving tardy to class
Major Offenses:
Repeated minor offenses Excessive tardies or absences Cheating Refusal to speak English Disrespect/disobedience to teacher Skipping or cutting class Leaving school without signing out with the office 27
Lying to school personnel Swearing or abusive language Damage to school property Bullying or fighting Harassment of any form, including cyber harassment and bullying Stealing or extortion Possessing contraband (including, but not limited to tobacco, alcohol, drugs, weapons, fireworks, inappropriate printed materials)
Bullying “Bullying is defined as intentional, repeated, one-sided hurtful acts, words, or other behavior committed against another student. It is hurting or threatening to hurt another person, excluding others by leaving them out of a group of friends, or spreading gossip or rumors about another student. Teasing, saying mean things, and name calling are also forms of bullying. A respectful and tolerant school is one in which students include others in play, build each other up with words and actions, and listen to each other to understand differences.” Here are some examples of physical, emotional or social bullying, in three escalating levels.
Level 1
Making threatening gestures. Teasing publicly about clothes, looks, and so on. Holding nose or other insulting gestures. Ignoring someone and excluding them from a group with the intent to cause sadness.
Level 2
Verbal abuse and swearing. Threatening physical harm. Defacing school work or other personal property. Harassing phone calls, e-mails, text messages, and/or any online social networking mediums. Insulting size, intelligence, athletic ability, race, color, religion, ethnicity, and so on. Posting slander in public places such as writing derogatory comments about someone in the school bathroom. Playing mean tricks to embarrass someone.
Level 3
Making graphic threats verbally or through e-mail, text messaging, and/or any online social networking mediums. Physical harm, such as hitting, kicking, pinching, and/or other acts to inflict pain or intimidation. Practicing extortion such as taking lunch money. Destroying personal property. Harassing — or writing graffiti — with bias against race, color, ethnicity, and so on. Enforcing total group exclusion against someone by threatening others if they don't comply.
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Consequences of Bullying Bullying is not tolerated in any form at Asia Pacific International School. If students are caught bullying, the following consequences apply:
First Offense: Student reviews bullying policy with classroom teacher. Teacher completes a Discipline Referral Form and adds to student file in the office. Parents of the victim will be notified.
Second Offense: Student reviews bullying policy with the Principal. Student calls parents at home to explain their poor choices/behavior. Principal completes a Discipline Referral Form and adds to student’s file.
Third Offense: Principal calls parents at home to explain student’s poor choices/behavior. Principal completes a Discipline Referral Form and adds to student’s file. A meeting is scheduled with the teacher, parents, student, and Principal.
The administration reserves the right to amend any or all of these policies where a particular behavior is deemed to merit a more appropriate consequence from which is listed above.
Homework Policy Homework is assigned to help students understand and develop concepts learned in class. While parents may wish to help students with their homework, they should never do the work for their child.
Teacher Responsibilities: • Design homework assignments that are meaningful and help students practice things they have learned in class or prepare them for material to come • Fully explain all homework so students understand what they must do • Write homework assignments on the board so students know what is expected of them • Assess and monitor the completion of homework assignments • Collect homework and provide timely feedback • Have open communication with parents when homework is not being completed or done satisfactorily
Student Responsibilities: • Ask questions if the homework assignment is not clear • Write down homework assignments • Complete all homework assignments independently • Do not copy assignments from friends or allow others to copy from you • Complete homework assignments according to the same standards as expected in class • Complete and return homework in a timely manner as requested by the teacher • Work with the teacher in advance if known circumstances prevent the student from completing the homework on time
Parent Responsibilities: • Create a quiet study area at home for the student to do homework and provide the necessary supplies • Establish a routine for your child, including time limits for completing homework • Provide assistance for your child only if it is requested • If assistance is needed, help the student arrive at the answer on his or her own rather than provide the answer 29
• Never complete the assignment for your child • If the homework appears to be wrong, do not correct the homework for your child. Let them get help from their teacher. • If the homework is consistently too difficult, please inform the teacher
Homework Guidelines: The number of minutes of homework can vary, but on average students can expect the following
* The following chart should be used as a guideline only.
Academic Integrity In general, questions concerning the Guidelines for Academic Integrity at APIS should be addressed in light of an action which “makes a student look more academically able than he/she actually is, by using another student’s or person’s work and representing it as his/her own.” The following statements address the questions regarding various academic situations and possible questions which students, faculty, parents, and administrators might raise for clarification. These comments are not intended to be exhaustive or cover all situations. They are intended as guidelines for working positively with each individual incident.
Acceptable behaviors
Students working together to complete a common task (e.g. group project) Receiving help from a parent, friend, or tutor provided that the core work is a representation of the students own work Properly citing resources use on assignments
Unacceptable behaviors
Copying someone’s work and presenting it as one’s own Copying published materials without citation and proper acknowledgment of the original author Permitting others to copy one’s own work Use of unauthorized notes (cheat sheets), guides, electronic devices or anything that gives a student an unfair advantage during a test or quiz 30
APIS English Language Policy English as the Language of Instruction and Inclusion at APIS English is the language of instruction as well as an essential part of the inclusive and collaborative learning culture at APIS.
1) English is the language of the global community. -
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All language is important and should be respected. Our choice of English as the language of instruction merely reflects its significance and its efficacy as a linguistic medium to bridge the gap between the East and the West. While English is not the only possible language to serve this purpose, we chose English because our school was founded espousing its importance as a global language. This choice is also what motivated many of our parents to enroll their children at APIS. At the same time, we fully recognize the importance of providing continued support to improve the fluency of the students’ native languages as it is critical in developing linguistic proficiency. For Korean (which is the host country language and is one of the three foreign language areas of instruction that we offer at APIS), we have made a concerted effort to meet the linguistic development needs of the native speakers. In communicating with our faculty and parents about the importance of native language development, we are cautious and mindful about sending a clear message to our students and parents that our choice of English as the instructional language at APIS is not meant to discourage the use and learning of native languages at home or outside of school. With this shared understanding of language acquisition and partnership with parents about fostering native language development at home, the English focus at APIS is intended to support the additive multilingualism in our students.
2) English is a deliberate choice at APIS to develop an inclusive and collaborative social and learning environment -
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Since English is a common language spoken by all members of APIS, we promote the use of English to create an inclusive social environment. Languages carry with them powerful and pervasive cultural legacies. Languages, for example, dictate attitudes about hierarchies and power distances in relationships as well as the transmitter/receiver orientation in communication (i.e., who bears the burden of clear communication). For our community, we believe English is the most suitable language in promoting collaboration, a free flow of ideas, creativity, and learning. By making a deliberate choice to adopt English as a language of instruction and inclusion, APIS is choosing to shape our tradition and organizational culture.
Expectations Students are required to speak English during all times at school, including classroom and hallways, and during recess periods.
Exceptions 1. During foreign language courses and Korean Enrichment programs, and when communicating with faculty members teaching foreign languages. 2. Communicating at the Nurse’s office. 3. Communicating with non-English speaking staff members. 4. Exceptions are made for students whose English ability is developing (EAL) and for students in grades K and 1. 31
Consequences for repeated offences Should a student consistently choose not to follow the APIS English Language Policy and they are able to do so, the principal will schedule a meeting with the student and the student’s parent to come up with a solution.
Computer Use Policy Computers are one of many tools at APIS that can greatly facilitate learning. Students are given many opportunities to use computers and are encouraged to utilize technology for assignments, reports, projects, or any other school related endeavors. However, students are expected to show respect, responsibility, and safety when using computers at APIS. The following policies apply to every APIS computer and computer technology user:
School computers and related technology are to be used only for school and educationrelated purposes. Computer software copyrights and licensing agreements must be honored. Students must not degrade the performance capacity of any computer or computer related technology. All documents must be stored only in the user’s assigned folder. Students are not permitted to access any file or folder not belonging to him/her. Gum, candy, food, and drink are not allowed when students use a computer anywhere in the school. Students may not download any file from the Internet without formal permission from the teacher. Students must not load any program onto a school computer without explicit permission from the teacher. Students must not alter desktop settings of school computers. Students must not make any changes to the computer’s interface or operating system.
Students will be obliged to respect any additional computer and computer related-use regulation set forth by the teacher. All students and their parents are required to read and sign an acknowledgement of the school’s formal Acceptable Use of Technology Policy.
Cafeteria Rules Students must maintain proper behavior in the cafeteria and need to clean up after themselves. Hot lunch is served daily. Each month's lunch menu is posted on PowerSchool prior to the start of each month and is posted daily in the cafeteria. Out of courtesy to others, you are expected to: 1. Eat lunch at your designated time 2. Return your trays and dishes to the service window 3. Put trash into trash cans placed around the cafeteria 4. Not take dishes or trays outside of the cafeteria 5. Not sit on top of the tables
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Playground/Field Behavior Teachers are expected to talk to their students about playground safety, monitor behavior throughout the year, and deal with problems proactively. The classroom meeting format is strongly encouraged as a means of identifying verbal and physical bullying on the playground. Administration should be kept informed and parents should be brought in as part of the problem solving process.
Playground rules 1. Students are expected to respect each other during recess and lunch. 2. They should remain in their designated area and observe the rules for the use of playground equipment. 3. Students are also expected to clean up after eating their snacks. 4. Eating is not allowed on the field, the playground or in the gym.
Teacher-Assigned Detention Teacher-assigned detentions are given at the discretion of the teachers. Parents are informed in writing if the detention is scheduled for another day or via telephone if it is necessary that the student stay on the same day. Please be aware that the school’s disciplinary measures take precedence over extracurricular activities unless extenuating circumstances or medical reasons exist. In these cases a note from the parent is required. Failure to comply with a teacher detention will result in an immediate referral to the office.
Office Referrals Should you feel a student needs to be spoken to about a specific situation and all classroom measures have been exhausted, please fill out a discipline referral form. This form is available in the office.
Student Support Teams In a case where a student is having academic difficulties and/or is danger of being placed on academic probation, a student support team is formed. The purpose of this group is to analyze the case of the individual student and to create a plan for success. This plan is shared with both the student and parents and should be implemented in all classrooms.
Secondary Learning Support Center The Secondary Learning Support Center offers the following services to middle and high school students:
support in core classes for English language learners support in core classes for students with mild to moderate emotional, social, behavioral, and special learning needs 33
academic help/tutoring during the school day in the Learning Center for EAL students with greater need after school help with homework and organizational skills for any student on a drop-in basis after school extra support for EAL students after school support in core classes in coordination with subject area teachers Location: room 201 Student Drop-in times: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. for after school services
Academic Probation In the event that a student performs poorly for two quarters, a student’s parents will be asked to attend a conference with the Principal and the classroom teachers. The Principal and teacher will present the parents with their child’s progress report or report card and inform them of the concerns and conditions of Academic Probation. In cases of student academic performance that is consistently unsatisfactory, students may be placed on Academic Probation. This takes the form of a written contract agreement between the Principal, parents, and child of conditions that must be met by the student within a given time frame. If these conditions are not met, parents may be asked to withdraw the student from the school. APIS’s Academic Probation policy makes distinctions between students who have the ability to succeed and choose not to and those who truly put forth effort in their studies, yet still do not obtain the academic results they want. The purposes of placing a student on Academic Probation are twofold: To communicate the concern of the teacher(s) and administration to the students and parents. To formally notify the student to take greater responsibility for his or her education. Students and their parents should regard Academic Probation as an opportunity to address some of the behaviors that interfere with the student working at or near their potential. Academic Probation is automatically triggered by poor student performance evidenced by a combination of unsatisfactory grades and less than satisfactory marks in the area of “Effort” on the report card. Guidelines for a letter of Academic Probation are as follows:
An initial letter of Academic Probation is issued at the end of a quarterly report period, depending upon the severity of the student performance. In most cases, this occurs in the second consecutive quarterly reporting period; however, depending upon the severity of a student’s attitude and demonstration of learning, a letter of Academic Probation may be issued in a single quarterly reporting period. The grades and/or probationary status of students whose parents have received a letter of Academic Probation will be reviewed at mid-quarter of the next grading period in order to determine progress. However, communication between the parent and school is welcome before and after the mid-quarter review. Parents of students placed on Academic Probation for two or more quarters within a period of four consecutive quarters of enrollment at APIS may be asked, after a conference with the parents, teacher(s), and Principal, to withdraw their child from Asia Pacific International School. All letters of Academic Probation are mailed directly or hand-delivered to the parents, with a request for a signed copy to be returned to school for inclusion in the student’s permanent records.
Students placed on Academic Probation may not participate in non-academic extra-curricular classes until they reach non-probationary status as determined by the probationary contract. 34
Academic Retention The decision to retain a student at the present grade level is among the most serious in the educational life of a student. Young children, due to a multiplicity of factors, are not always best served when retention decisions rely too heavily on purely quantifiable numbers. A number of factors must be taken into consideration prior to the final decision, such as the student’s ability, study habits, physical, social and emotional adjustment, previous retention, and extenuating circumstances (family death, health, divorce, etc.). Most importantly, the decision to retain should be based on the best information available that supports the premise that the student will benefit from retention by becoming more proficient in the minimum skills and competencies expected. When data does not support this, retention may be counterproductive. The final decision to retain a student will be made by the division Principal with relevant supporting data and input from the parents, and faculty.
School Nurse APIS maintains a full-time health services office. Students who are injured or become ill will be accompanied or directed to the Health Services. The school nurse is also available to respond to health-related questions. Should the need arise for health-related care external to APIS, the school is located near several medical clinics. Students should only go to the nurse’s office during class time when they are too ill to remain in class. For minor medical attention, students should see the nurse between classes or at lunch break. Other than in the case of an emergency (vomiting, bleeding, major injury, etc.) students must check in with their teacher and receive a pass to the nurse before going to the nurse’s office. Other than those in need of emergency care, as indicated above, students arriving at the nurse’s office without a pass from their teacher will be sent back to class. Students who abuse the privilege and services offered by the nurse or use the nurse’s office as a way of avoiding class may receive disciplinary action. If a student is too ill to be in class on a regular basis, parents should seek outside medical diagnosis.
Student Illness A student who is diagnosed to have a communicable or contagious disease should be kept at home until fully recovered. A doctor's certificate is needed in order to return to school. We also believe that if a student is sick, they should stay home. A student should stay home if they show any of the following symptoms: Fever of over 100.4°F (38°C) Diarrhea (more than one abnormally loose stool) Severe coughing causing "croupy" sounds Severe wheezing or respiratory distress Yellowish tint to the skin or eyes (jaundice) Tearing, irritation, and redness of eyelid lining Unusual spots or rashes of unknown origin Infected areas of skin with yellow crusty areas Severe headache, stomachache, and/or vomiting Unusual behavior (crankiness, listlessness, crying more than usual, obvious general discomfort) 35
Student Need for Medication Students may not self-medicate while on school property. Administration of any medication to any student, whether medication be over-the-counter or prescription, requires written permission from parent. Parents must furnish a written statement from the physician regarding any prescription medication to be administered. Physician’s written statement must include prescribed dosage and administration time. Parent must provide written inventory as to amount and type of medication (prescription or nonprescription). Note must include expressed permission in writing to administer said medication. Only the school nurse or another person designated by the Principal is permitted to administer medication.
School Library The APIS Library & Media Center has various collections of books including electronic books available on the E-book Reader. Students in pre-kindergarten through grade five visit the Library & Media Center on a regular basis. While in the library, students hear stories, engage in lessons, and have the opportunity to check out materials. For students in middle/high school, teachers are able to sign up for library time so that students can utilize the variety of available resources in completing classroom projects. The library is also open for students before school, during lunch, and after school. Library hours are 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Student may check out up to five books for 2 weeks. APIS books and resources can be searched anytime and anywhere by using the library website (www.apislibrary.seoul.kr). For more information on the library, please refer to the Library & Media Center section of our school website.
Harassment & Discrimination Free Workplace Asia Pacific International School (APIS) strives to provide equal opportunity for all employees and is committed to providing a work environment free of harassment and discrimination.
Harassment & Discrimination Prohibited APIS defines harassment as behavior or comments that create a hostile work environment for another person because of race, religion, color, sex, age, pregnancy, or any other status or condition protected by applicable local laws. Verbal, physical, sexual or any other form of harassment that belittles or demeans any individual on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, pregnancy, or any other status or condition protected by applicable local laws is also strictly prohibited. Prohibited harassment includes conduct that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an employee’s work performance or experience or creating an environment that is hostile, intimidating or offensive. Sexual advances; requests or demands for sexual favors; threats; physical conduct of a harassing nature; jokes; slurs; and other harassing language or conduct that is meant to intimidate or that negatively impacts an employee’s work environment is strictly prohibited.
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Preventing discrimination begins with respect for and adherence to the law. Therefore, discrimination against individuals on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, pregnancy, or any other status or condition protected by applicable local laws, except where a bona fide occupational qualification applies, is strictly prohibited.
Harassment & Discrimination Free Workplace APIS does not tolerate and expressly prohibits harassment or any acts (physical, verbal or otherwise) that create a hostile or intolerable working environment for any employee because of race, religion, color, sex, age, pregnancy, or other status or condition protected by applicable local laws. This policy applies to every person in the workplace and everyone who participates in work sponsored activities no matter his or her authority, position or classification.
Reporting Harassment & Discrimination If you believe you are harassed or discriminated against or if you know or suspect harassment or discrimination to another employee or workplace participant, you must report it immediately to your supervisor. If you do not feel comfortable reporting as listed above or if you did report and are not satisfied with the response, then you should direct your report or dissatisfaction to the Director. Please note that you are not required to confront the person or persons that have given you reason to report. However, if you experience wrongdoing, like harassment, you must make a reasonable effort to make the wrongdoing known as soon as or soon after you experience or discover it. Discussing or reporting acts of harassment to any person not listed above does not constitute a report.
Retaliation Prohibited If you believe you are being subjected to retaliation for reporting a violation of this policy, or participating in an investigation of this policy, you should report the retaliation immediately in the manner provided above. Please note that you do not have to confront the person that is the source of the retaliation before reporting it, but to help prevent retaliation from continuing, you must report it. Any employee or workplace participant that retaliates against another employee or workplace participant for making a good faith complaint of a violation of this policy, or for assisting in an investigation of a complaint of a violation of this policy, is subject to discipline or termination. Retaliation can include, but is not limited to harassment, discrimination, bullying or any other unfair treatment or abuse of power.
Workplace Investigations If warranted, APIS will investigate credible allegations of harassment. APIS may use third parties to assist in such investigations. All employees have a responsibility to cooperate fully in any such investigation. Unreasonable refusal to participate in an investigation of a complaint of harassment may lead to discipline. 37
False Claims Prohibited Any employee or workplace participant that makes a knowingly false claim of workplace wrongdoing, like a knowingly false claim of harassment, will be subject to discipline or termination.
Questions About This Policy If you have questions, suggestions or concerns about this policy, you should direct them to your supervisor or the director.
At-Will Employment Notice As an at-will employee, you or Asia Pacific International School (APIS) can terminate your employment at any time with or without cause, reason, and/or notice. Nothing contained in any faculty handbook, or any workplace policy or rule of APIS and no verbal statements or promises made by employees or agents of APIS shall alter the at-will employment relationship between you and APIS or restrict the option of you or APIS to terminate the employment relationship.
Other Agreements Restricted Furthermore, no manager, supervisor, or other organization representative or agent, including any representative or agent with hiring authority, other than the Director has the authority to enter into any agreement or contract for employment for any specified duration or to make any agreement, promise, guarantee or commitment that contradicts the above. Any agreement that contradicts your at-will status must be entered into by the Director and will not be enforceable unless it is in writing and signed by you and by the Director. The agreement must specifically state that the at-will relationship between you and APIS has changed and a new standard is to be applied.
Questions About This Notice If you have questions, suggestions or concerns about notice, you should direct them to the Director.
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Nurturing Future Leaders of the New Pacific Century at the Hub of East Asia
아시아퍼시픽 국제외국인학교 139-724 서울특별시 노원구 월계2동 820번지 Tel : (02) 907-2747 Fax : (02) 907-2742
www.apis.seoul.kr
Asia Pacific International School
820 Wolgye 2-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 139-724, Korea Tel : +82-(0)2-907-2747 Fax : +82-(0)2-907-2742