Birkerød Gymnasium Boarding School House Rules 2016

THE BOARDING SCHOOL

House rules

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CONTENT

Welcome to Birkerød Gymnasium’s Boarding School

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Declaration of purpose 4 Meals and meal policy 6 Moving in, moving out and use of your room

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Moving in 8

Moving out 11 Everyday life at the Boarding School

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Weekends and holidays 17 Activities 18 Absence and sickness 19 Duties and responsibilities 21 Staff and cooperation 23 Parents’ page 24 Information about fees 26 Your page – The ten commandments of the Boarding School

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Contact 28

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WELCOME TO THE

THE BOARDING SCHOOL The Boarding School is situated together with the rest of the school in one of North Zealand’s most beautiful areas – yet only a 30 minute ride away from the centre of Copenhagen on the S-train.

Going to a boarding school is a big decision and you will never quite be the same again after such a stay. It is a challenge, where your entire foundation is put to the test.

As a boarder you will reside, eat, work, socialise, laugh, cry and live together with other young people coming from different environments and cultures to your own. This new community – around the clock – is the core to Boarding School life.

You will come across different ways of living, thinking and speaking. You will get to know other norms, customs and values. You will see new horizons. You will become part of a community, sharing your experiences with approx. 77 other boarders, who all share the same goal as you, to obtain a Gymnasium, HF, or IB-diploma qualification.

A fundamental prerequisite for getting the most out of your time at the Boarding School is that you open up

to others, and that you are willing to invest a large part of yourself in this new community you become a part of.

We expect you to actively participate in the daily life of the Boarding School and engage in the many events that take place. We also expect you to take your studies seriously and prioritise your schoolwork highly.

You will soon be reaping the benefits of your efforts. Your ability to interact with people will improve significantly and the friendships you will acquire as a result of your stay at the Boarding School might prove to be an invaluable help later in life.

As in all other areas of life, making choices goes hand in hand with obligations. So if you choose to go to the Boarding School, then you are choosing an active and challenging life.

We look forward to welcoming you to the community at Birkerød Gymnasium Boarding School.

Anders Kloppenborg Head master

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DECLARATION OF PURPOSE We want to give young people of both Danish and international background (regardless of their home and family conditions) an opportunity to live under safe, stable and evolving settings, as they attend classes at the Gymnasium.

We want to develop both the social and intercultural competencies of the boarder, so that they can live up to the educational, occupational and social challenges that the future will bring.

VISION

The Boarding School at Birkerød is a place where young people from

around the globe stay and live under the same roof in a contemporary and evolving setting. This setting is the frame of a challenging, inspiring and full life, where barriers and boundaries are broken, facades fall and new energy arises together with new and potential lifelong friendships.

CORE VALUES

The life of the Boarding School is upheld by mutual trust and consideration. This applies both between the students and the relationship between staff and students. The following seven focus areas form the frame of all that takes place at the Boarding School and are considered

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to be the beacons that guide its daily life.

Community The Boarding School does not replace a traditional family, but it is a community of obligation, where everybody must get involved and nobody gets left behind.

Taking part, opportunity and obligation The Boarding School has a democratic structure. Boarders participate in hall meetings and Grand Assemblies, and they participate in the students’ council to help staff create a sound and strong school culture.

The open and tolerant environment The Boarding School has room for everybody regardless of nationality, race, religion and culture etc.

Tradition The Boarding School has an international atmosphere, but it is a Danish school and this is reflected in its Danish tradition and culture.

An active day The Boarding School offers many activities and it is expected that everybody participates and contributes to the life of the Boarding School in all its facets.

Peace and quiet The Boarding School has an active and vibrant environment, but we make sure that there must be room for solitude, tranquillity and for personal reflection.

Nature and setting The Boarding School lies in unique and beautiful surroundings, that we both look after and protect. The buildings and surroundings are kept clean and everybody must show respect and be responsible for the general environment.

THE BOARDING SCHOOL CULTURE

Our aim for the Boarding School culture is that you, the boarder, experience a fulfilling daily day and at the same time establish good habits and routines, giving you the opportunity to develop as best as possible. We want to help you with this, by setting a structured daily day with room for academic growth, but also with an active and obligating community together with those you share your house with. To achieve this goal we will be focusing on three major core areas; joint activities, study time and a healthy, organic and inspiring meal service.

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MEALS AND MEAL POLICY We know that your daily well-being and school performance are dependent on what you eat and how active you are. Your meals must hence help you to acquire good and healthy diet habits where you are also challenged to try something new.

Your meal must be varied, tasty, look inviting and be healthy, so that your dietary needs are adequately covered.

The Kitchen at the Boarding School aims to serve varied, tasty and inviting meals that are balanced with the right nutrients. The Kitchen also operates the Gymnasium’s canteen and supports all sorts of events and special occasions at the School.

We emphasize the social meaning of a meal combined with a good taste experience. Our wish is to create an interest and a curiosity for high quality food, while at the same time stimulating your senses. We want our students to broaden their knowledge of food ingredients from all over the world and learn local food traditions.

MEALS AND MEAL POLICY

Eat fruit and many vegetables The purpose of a varied diet is to ensure that we have the best possibilities to acquire the nutrients we need to stay healthy and fit. If we don’t overeat and stay physically active, it is easier to keep a healthy weight. Vegetables and fruits contain relatively few calories and especially the rugged vegetables contain a lot of fibre.

The Kitchen aims to use seasonal fruits and vegetables. We use legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc.) on a daily basis to offer a source of protein. We serve fruit at our tea time meals and we follow the recommendation of eating 600 gr. fruit and vegetables daily.

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Organic In addition to the demand for a healthy diet, we have the aim to use as many organic ingredients as we can in the kitchen. Our flour and bread is always organic and the majority of our dairy products are organic to. The same values are in effect in our canteen.

Fruit and vegetables All our fruit and vegetables are chosen from suppliers that strictly uphold the highest standards of low content of pesticides etc. in their produce. We aim at acquiring organic fruit to keeps these unwanted chemicals at an absolute minimum.

Hence we also choose many Danish suppliers, as they have shown to contain fewer of these than the foreign producers. Our salads are varied and we serve a coarse and green salad every day, one at each meal, so that there is plenty of opportunity to acquire fibre and antioxidants in your diet.

Meat and fish We strive to serve a main course with fish weekly and alternate between fat and lean fish types that are in season. You will be given the opportunity to taste new species of fish. We aim at using fresh fish and few frozen products. Our meat has a low fat percentage and we make an effort to meet religious boarders’ needs. We serve app. 180 gr. meat at supper and app. 150 gr. meat at lunch per person, supplemented with side dishes.

Bread, potatoes, rice and pasta We make sure that there is always a fibre-rich choice of bread with your meal.

We minimize the use of fats and sugar in the majority of our homemade bread which is baked using organic flour.

At occasions we serve pastry that is not homemade.

We always serve potatoes, bread, rice or pasta with our hot meals. In this way you can get the fibre, vitamins and calories you need daily.

Fats and oil We work towards using as little fat as possible and hence offer the low fat varieties of milk, cheese etc.

When frying food we use only oils and the variants with a low content of saturated fatty acids.

Vegetarian, allergies and special needs If you are a vegetarian, you can sign up to receive vegetarian food at meal times just as you can inform the kitchen of food items that you cannot eat. Consideration is then taken.

We want to accommodate everybody’s need, hence it is important to inform the kitchen if you are not home for a meal, when you have signed up for a special diet.

MOVING IN, MOVING OUT AND USE OF YOUR ROOM

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MOVING IN, MOVING OUT

AND USE OF YOUR ROOM advantages to having a registered address at the Boarding School.

Your postal address should be at the Boarding School and must contain your room number (you will get the room number when you move in).

Your room is your home at the Boarding School and hence also the place you can withdraw to, when you feel the need to. You and the staff are the only ones with a room key, and staff will only enter your room if it is deemed necessary.

Even in an open and tolerant community, one has the right to privacy.

MOVING IN ADDRESS If you are a Danish citizen residing in Denmark If you are below the age of 18 and have a registered address with your parents in a Danish municipality, you can keep it. There can however be

If you are above the age of 18 when you move in to the Boarding School, your home address must be changed to that of the Boarding School.

If you are a Danish citizen residing outside Denmark See here: www.rudersdal.dk For you to be accepted at the Boarding School, you need to have a resident permit: If you are from another EU-country See here: www.statsforvaltningen.dk If you are from a country outside EU See here: www.nyidanmark.dk.

Please see the link for information and application guidelines: > Coming to Denmark > Choose Basic and youth study programmes:

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- Higher educational programmes - Basic and youth study programmes - Folk high schools (folkehøjskoler) Change of address to: Søndervangen 56, 3460 Birkerød How to do it Change your address at the website of Rudersdal kommune (Danish) at www.rudersdal.dk and change your postal address at www.postdanmark.dk (Danish).

BANK Remember to sort out a monthly payment arrangement with your bank.

PAYMENT

Payment of your deposit must be settled no later than 14 days prior to your moving in and the monthly fee must be paid by the 1st of each month.

INSURANCE BELONGINGS & ACCIDENT

You must make sure that you have a personal insurance or that you are covered by your parent’s insurance policy.

USE OF ROOM

You may of course decorate your room according to your own taste with furniture, but: •

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Posters and other light things are to be put up with Sticky Tack (a kind of wax). Do not use tape, as it ruins the walls.

If you need to drill in the wall, please contact the caretaker, who will take care of it.

Painting the walls, changing the wallpaper or the curtains is not allowed.

INTERNET AND TV

There is Wireless Internet at the entire Boarding School.You must familiarise yourself with and uphold

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municipality of Rudersdal, you will be offered free dental care. A letter will inform you about this. If you are 18 or above, the teachers can help you find a dentist if needed.

the rules of the Main school IT codex.

You must act responsible when using the Internet, both according to the rules, but also in regard to yourself, so that study and bedtime is kept. Our IT-staff log all Internet traffic and the Boarding School staff have access to this information.

If you are below the age of 18 you are covered by the Main School’s Media License*, while boarders above the age of 18 must register and pay the fee themselves. It is your own responsibility. *Media License is paid for a computer with Internet access, a television or the like and/or a phone that can receive television or radio.

DOCTOR AND DENTIST

When you register your address to be at the Boarding School, you will be assigned a doctor in Birkerød. If you need medical attention, the teacher on duty can assist you in various ways.

If you are below the age of 18 and have registered your address at the

BEDDING The sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases you bring for your bed at the Boarding School must, of course, be used - i.e. no sleeping directly on the mattress under a duvet without a cover or with your head on a pillow without a pillowcase. Your beds dimensions are 90*200 cm.

STARTER KIT

Is a mandatory collection of effects, that will make it easier to start your life as a boarder. The pack contains, amongst other items, various School accessories and Club gear such as a water bottle with logo, two club T-Shirts with logo, a laundry bag, a bed sheet, a cover mattress and a guest mattress – all items belong to the student after payment.

SU SCHOLARSHIP

Danish citizens 18 or above can apply. See www.su.dk

MAIN SCHOOL EXPENSES

Study trips and various social events are paid separately and hence are not part of the boarding fee.

ROOMS IN GENERAL Your room has a ceiling lamp and curtains whether it is a furnished or unfurnished room.

You only have to bring a duvet, a

MOVING IN, MOVING OUT AND USE OF YOUR ROOM

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pillow, bedding, towels, toiletries, a mug, a plate and cutlery, a tea towel and a desk chair.

For fire safety reasons you are not allowed to use your own curtains. Nor may you store or use candles or the like in the room.

You may of course also bring your own items that can make your room more cosy and personal.

You are obligated to keep your room clean and tidy.

You will be issued with a guest mattress as part of your starter kit when you move in and when you move out it is yours to keep. You will also receive your own cover mattress, the cost of which is also covered in your starter kit price. The cover mattress is hence yours to keep after moving in.

See also the instructions that have been handed out for moving in and out, and the use of your room.

ROOM FURNISHED If you have been assigned a fully furnished room, it contains a bed, table, wardrobe, shelves.

ROOM UNFURNISHED

If you have been assigned a partly furnished room, you must bring a bed, a table, a table lamp and perhaps a dresser or a wardrobe.  

MOVING OUT ADDRESS As you move out, you must remember to change your registered address at Folkeregisteret and to change your postal address at Post-

danmark. Otherwise the Boarding School will continue to receive your mail.

PAYMENT

As you move out, your deposit is paid back to you, with the relevant fees deducted. See also the handed out information.

When you move out, the room must be cleared and cleaned. Staff will inspect the room and its inventory together with you in order to assess, if you have used it responsibly. Lack of cleaning will be deducted from your deposit.

OLD BOARDERS

Remember to join the group of old Boarders on Facebook. Come and visit us once a year on the first weekend in October, when the Birkerød Kostskoles Samfund (BKS) hosts a gathering at the Gymnasium.

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EVERYDAY LIFE AT THE BOARDING SCHOOL FIRE SAFETY The Boarding School has smoke sensors and alarm bells in all central rooms and alarms in all boarder rooms.

For your personal safety, no use of open fire is permitted at any time.

This includes all types of incense and candles that are not to be found in your room.

To ensure clear escape routes, no items of any kind may be placed in the hallways.

Everyday life consists of big and small issues for us all, and when 78 people are to live close together and function in a community, there has to be guidelines to facilitate this. In this section, you will find information on daily day things.

ALCOHOL No consumption of wine or beer at the Boarding School during the daytime or on days prior to a school day. See �Duties and responsibilities� for further information.

BATHROOMS

There are two bathrooms on each hall and two showers in each bathroom.

The bathrooms are shared by boys and girls.

EVERYDAY LIFE

When the fire alarm goes off, everybody must leave their rooms and close the doors and then make their way immediately to the car park in front of the Boarding School. Wait for further instructions there. Several fire drills are held per year.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

Private refrigerators, fans, toasters, electric kettles etc. are not allowed in the rooms.

GOODNIGHT The Boarding School is a quiet place on Sunday to Thursday from 11.00 p.m. until 7.00 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays from 12.00 a.m. (midnight). From this hour to 01.00 a.m. staff secures the

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EVERYDAY LIFE

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buildings and ensures that the School is quiet. You are then expected to be in your room in bed or on the way to bed.

You can also be engaged in a quiet activity such as reading. Other boarders are not allowed to spend the night in your room on night prior to a school day.

GUESTS

You are welcome to invite guests to the Boarding School. Permission to do so has to be obtained from the kitchen if your guest is dining here. If a guest stays overnight, permission must be obtained from the boarding-school staff on duty, and the guest must bring his/ her own bedding.

When guests are visiting the Boarding School, the same rules apply to the guests as to the Boarding School students, and it is your responsibility to make sure the guest(s) obeys the rules of the Boarding School completely.

Therefore, the host must always be in

the company of his/her guest(s).

Guests are to leave the Boarding School no later than at 11.00 p.m.

Sunday to Thursday and no later than 12.00 a.m. (midnight) Friday and Saturday unless there is another agreement with the Boarding School staff on duty.

On nights prior to a school day, you will generally not be allowed to have overnight guests – this also applies to boyfriends/girlfriends.

DOMESTIC CHORES

You must keep your room clean and tidy. All Boarders take shifts being responsible for the tidying and cleaning of the hall and hall kitchens. On top of this all Boarders help out in the main kitchen two by two a week at a time.

BOARDING SCHOOL STAFF

Four employees live at the Boarding School and one is always available and on duty. You can always come to the them with both small and big problems

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– concerning both your personal life and school matters.

PETS Pets are not allowed at the Boarding School.

STUDY AID AND STUDYING

You can always ask the staff for help with your homework. There is also a study cafe at the Gymnasium twice weekly.

The study hall hours of the Boarding School runs from Mondays to Thursdays in the K rooms. As a boarder you must attend unless otherwise agreed.

To ensure peace and quiet for homework a general quiet period runs between 4.00 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday.

PACKED LUNCH

A packed lunch can be ordered from the kitchen. You must order it at lunch the day before.

BULLYING Bullying is totally incompatible with the ideology of Birkerød Boarding School and is prohibited in any form. No boarder can assume power over other boarders.

WAKEUP CALL

Workdays from 7.00 a.m. for those who want it or need it.

If you are not capable of getting up on time, you will be asked to meet the staff on duty in the Dining hall every morning at 7.30 a.m. until you have shown improvement.

MEALS At the entrance to the dining hall you can read the dining hours.

You must inform the kitchen at lunch if you bring a guest for the evening meal.

To reduce the noise during meals the following rules must be observed: you have to come when the meal starts. If you want to leave before the meal is finished, you are not allowed to come back into the dining room. You must be appropriately dressed and use foot wear in the dining hall and the use of cell phones is not welcome either.

At lunch only guests that are staying temporarily with a boarder are allowed (family etc.).

At the end of the week you must sign up for the week-end meals. The kitchen needs to know how many are dining with us over the week-end.

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KEYS You will be issued with an outer door key and a room key. The outer doors are locked from 11.00 p.m. until 7.00 a.m. Keys may not be lent out. A lost key will cost you a replacement fee.

BOARDS

The board hangs at the main entrance.

Here you will find current information for Boarders.

JANITORS The janitors are present on a daily basis at the Boarding School. Contact them directly in case of problems in your room or in the common areas.

MAIL Postal mail is handed out daily before lunch in your personal pigeon hole.

EVERYDAY LIFE

SMOKING Smoking is not permitted on the entire school ground.

TEA KITCHENS In every hall there is a tea kitchen, where you have a personal locker. The hall residents must keep the kitchens clean themselves or else the kitchen will be locked. You are responsible for the kitchen a week at a time. If it is your week, you are to be present every night from 22.30 p.m. to 23.00 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays, where the staff on duty will meet you and close the kitchen for the night.

LAUNDRY There are washing machines and tumble dryers available. You must buy your own washing powder. Clothes left in the laundry room will be removed weekly due to the cleaning of the rooms.

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WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS The Boarding School employees have a duty to ensure your wellbeing and they will take care of you throughout the week. Therefore it is important for them to know and approve your whereabouts at weekends and in association with holidays.

HOLIDAYS

The Boarding School is closed during the following holidays: the autumn break, Christmas, the winter break, Easter, and the summer holidays.

The Boarding School always closes at 7 p.m. on the last day of school, and opens the day before the first day of school at 2 p.m.

Outside these holidays the school is open.

You will be asked to inform us of your departure and arrival times when you travel to and from the Boarding School.

WEEKENDS

Before each weekend you must fill in a form, with information about where you intend to spend the weekend. It is essential for the staff to have this information in order to ensure your safety.

You must be back at the Boarding School by 23.00 pm. Sundays or have informed the staff on duty hereof.

WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS

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ACTIVITIES

During the week you will be offered leisure time activities arranged by the Boarding School. You will also find activities arranged by the boarders.

We wish that your life at the Boarding School is both fulfilling and active and that you get to know the ones you live together with. Hence it is our aim for the Boarding School culture that we do things together in an obligating community. This means that you will find opportunity every day to take part in activities.

You will be asked to arrange events for your hall or the entire Boarding School and there are regular arrangements throughout the year. It is important that you actively work at striking a good balance between both making good academic progress and being part of the community.

ACTIVITIES

There are many hobby and activity rooms at the Boarding School: Computer/study room, Table tennis room, TV-room, film room, stage room, fitness room and a gym.

ACTIVITIES

The Youth mentor is responsible for a part of the activities offered and you are expected to sign up for at least one activity weekly. We have an exciting catalogue with activity descriptions from where you can choose. If you wish to change to a different activity, this happens in accordance with the guidelines of the Youth mentor.

SOCIAL EVENTS

Several parties are held over the year: Intro, Halloween, Christmas, Carnival, Old Boarders’ Evening, and a Spring BBQ. These parties are for boarders only and guests are not accepted. The parties end no later than 1 a.m.

When the main school student parties are held it is not accepted that your participation in these causes any disturbance at the Boarding School.

INTRODUCTION TRIP On the first possible weekend in the school year an introduction trip is arranged for all boarders. Participation on the trip is mandatory.

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ABSENCE AND SICKNESS Your stay at the Boarding School is conditioned by your active participation at the Main School. Hence you must attend lessons and live up to the academic expectations of the Main School.

The staff of the Boarding School work to give you ample opportunity of this, but it is expected that you take responsibility for yourself and manage your time and effort to obtain good results.

MAIN SCHOOL ABSENCE You have the duty to attend the classes at the Main School. The Boarding School staff keep a record of your absence there and they will start counselling or using other measures if you have too high absence for a period. This is done to ensure that you get the most out of your time at the School. If longer periods of absence are noted, your family will be contacted for a joint effort to help you.

As a boarder you will only be allowed school absence for school related events if your general absence is low on beforehand.

BOARDING SCHOOL ABSENCE

You must always inform the Boarding School staff if you are not spending the night at the school. You do this orally and put a note on your door stating your whereabouts, a phone number and your planned return time.

If you are below the age of 18 you must always obtain the permission from the staff on duty to spend the night away from the Boarding School.

During weekends you must inform us as to your whereabouts via a form.

If you arrive back at the Boarding ABSENCE AND SICKNESS

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School later than the closing hours on a Sunday, you must inform the staff on duty about this.

If you suffer from chronicle illness and/or use medicine you must inform us of this.

If you wish to travel outside Denmark, your parents must give you a written permission that is relayed to us. Tell about the purpose and duration of the trip.

DENTIST If you are below the age of 18 and have registered (Folkeregister) your address in the municipality of Rudersdal you will be offered free dental care. A letter will inform you about this. If you are 18 or above, the staff can help you find a dentist if needed.

DOCTOR When you register your address (Folkeregister) to be at the Boarding School, you will be assigned a doctor in Birkerød. If you need medical attention, the staff on duty can assist you in various ways.

SICKNESS If you fall ill, you must inform the staff on duty, who will help you in any way possible. You must hang the red sick notice on your door.

ABSENCE AND SICKNESS

ACUTE NEEDS

In an emergency, in the event of sudden injury or illness, you must immediately approach any member of staff for quick action. The Boarding School has means whereby you can be assured transport to the nearest hospital or casualty ward.

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DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES In any responsible community with commitments it is important that you are familiar with the expectations the staff of the Boarding School have towards you and your conduct at the School. We go to great lengths to make sure that you know how to relate to most situations and we have full confidence in your ability and desire to live up to the few and simple house rules.

The staff of the Boarding School do not expect you to need constant supervision for this to happen and we live in

mutual respect for each other.

If you experience that the house rules are violated it is important that you distance yourself, otherwise you will be considered as being one of the students responsible for the violation.

ALCOHOL AND NARCOTIC SUBSTANCES

Consumption of alcohol on days prior to a school day is not permitted. Usually, permission to bring and drink alcohol on school grounds is only granted on

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

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every Sunday to Thursday evening from 22.30 p.m. till 23.00 p.m., where the staff on duty will come and close the kitchen for the night.

Friday or Saturday. Only wine and beer at the Boarding School is allowed if such permission has been granted by the staff. You are not allowed to store wine, beer, hard liquor, and the empty bottles or cans at the Boarding School.

Possession or use of narcotic substances of any kind (this includes hashish) is strictly forbidden and will result in your permanent expulsion from the Boarding School, effective immediately.

Outside the Boarding School you are also expected to act according to these guidelines.

If a validated suspicion arises, the staff of the Boarding School can ask you to take tests accordingly.

DOMESTIC CHORES You must keep your room clean and tidy.

All Boarders take shifts being responsible for the tidying and cleaning of the hall and hall kitchens. On top of this all Boarders help out in the main kitchen two by two a week at a time. A tour of duty lasts from Monday to Monday. You are hence to be present in the kitchen DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

You also have to help out in the main kitchen several weeks in a year. You assist with tidying, cleaning and preparation for the meals.

As a boarder you are obliged to keep all the joint facilities and rooms at the Boarding School clean and tidy.

For the sake of the environment, you must turn off the lights and electrical equipment in your room, when you are not using it. If you open the window, remember to turn down the heat. Never litter the gardens or the surrounding areas.

COOPERATION PROBLEMS If the School staff experiences a permanent attitude of yours or your parents that is in contrast with the School’s values, interests or practice, the school can choose to resign your room.

SANCTIONS If the here mentioned rules are violated, the staff of the Boarding School and/or the headmaster can make use of one of the following sanctions: 1) a written warning 2) a temporary expulsion 3) a permanent expulsion.

If you possess or use narcotic substances of any kind, you will be permanently expelled from the Boarding School, effective immediately.

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STAFF AND COOPERATION In any responsible community the need for openness both towards each other and towards the processes that take place is essential.

The Boarding School emphasises that boarders and staff strive for cooperation and to ensure that each individual has the opportunity and feels obliged to get involved.

Student council The student council consists of 6 boarders. These boarders are appointed by the staff as hall representatives (Hall reps) at a hall meeting (see hall meetings).

Besides arranging activities, the student council has an influence on items bought for the school and the house rules of the Boarding School.

HALL MEETINGS

All boarders meet regularly with a hall teacher. The meetings are held to strengthen the contact between boarders internally and the boarders and staff. Hence participation is mandatory. Each hall elects a representative amongst appointments made by the hall teacher.

BOARDING SCHOOL STAFF

Four Boarding school employees reside on the premises and they alternate being on duty. You can always come to an employee with small and big problems, related to school or private matters.

Instructions given by any Boarding School employee are to be followed.

THE KITCHEN HEAD CHEF The kitchen Head chef leads the work in the kitchen and hence is responsible for various practical matters regarding your stay. Interested boarders can be part of a dialogue with the kitchen staff on the production of the menu, preparation of food and other relevant issues.

Instructions given by any member of the kitchen staff are to be followed.

GRAND ASSEMBLY Yearly 4 Grand Assemblies are hosted, where staff informs of important internal issues and upcoming matters. Everybody can place items on the agenda. Participation is mandatory.   STAFF AND COOPERATION

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PARENTS’ PAGE

the beginning of the student’s stay choose to support the values and actions of the staff. If this is not the case or if parents continuously express lack of confidence in the school and its handling, the issued Boarding School room can be resigned on the schools behalf.

The decision to send a child to a boarding school can be a big change for both parent and child. But the common experience also shows that it is a positive time for all.

The common goal that both the staff of the Boarding School and the parents share, is that the daily well-being, the academic life and the personal development of the students must be in continuous positive progress during the whole stay.

The Boarding School staff requires that parents examine and understand the possibilities and limitations that staff have and that the parents from PARENTS’ PAGE

HOLIDAYS The Boarding School is closed during the following holidays: the autumn break, Christmas, the winter break, Easter, and the summer holidays.

The Boarding School always closes at 7 p.m. on the last day of school, and opens the day before the first day of school at 2 p.m.

Outside these holidays the school is open.

PARENT RESPONSIBILITY Parents have acknowledged these current rules and the handling of them by staff. The staff of the Boarding School strives to act on the parents’ behalf in all daily matters, but a situation can arise, where we would wish to approach the parents for clarification.

Vice versa parents are more than welcome to address staff with questions or worries regarding a boarder.

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Parents are obliged to contact the Boarding School staff if a situation arises or if information surfaces, that is relevant for staff to know.

notice to take over responsibility for the boarder on behalf of the parents.

Also here remember to inform us of changes in the e-mail address.

PARENT CONTACT In the Boarding School application, the boarder has accepted that all relevant information regarding the Main School and Boarding School stay may be relayed to the parents/guardians.

This is regardless of the boarder’s age.

LECTIO As a parent you have a number of options to stay in good contact with your child, and thus keep up to date with knowledge regarding school attendance and results. The system Lectio (www.lectio.dk/lectio/52/default.aspx) is the common information portal and staff expects that parents learn how to use it.

Parents must have a Skype account and connect with the School. The Schools user name is birkeroed. boardingschool.

Parents are welcome at all times to address the Boarding School employees about daily matters.

Parents are always welcome at the Boarding School.

INFORMATION TO PARENTS

MAIN SCHOOL ECONOMY

Study trips and social events are paid for separately and are hence not part of the Boarding School fee.

ECONOMY In May parents will receive a form regarding income that must be filled in and returned in order to calculate next year’s fees.

All correspondence takes place pr. e-mail.

Do remember to inform us if you the parents change your e-mail address.

CONTACT PERSON

If the parents do not live nearby and an emergency should occur requiring parental supervision, we must have a named contact that can act as a guardian. This has particular importance if the parents live outside Denmark. This contact person must be able to respond and arrive within short PARENTS’ PAGE

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INFORMATION ABOUT FEES Information about fee sizes and regulation can be found at the Boarding School’s web-page.

The rules regarding payments are stated below:

1

When applying for admission at the Boarding School the applicant’s parents must provide the Boarding School with the information necessary for the calculation of the fees. The applicant’s parents must also permit the Boarding School to obtain further information about their income from the tax authorities.

5

The board and lodging is paid monthly in advance, no later than the first day of the month.

Payment is due from August to June (11 months). The fee covers board and lodging, consumables and the Internet.

6

If a boarder wishes to leave the Boarding School, a notice of leave must be given two months in advance (notice allowed up to the last day of the month). Fees are due for the month when the notice was handed in, and the two following months.

2

7

3

8

If adequate information about the income is not available the Boarding School is entitled to charge the maximum fee.

The parents of the boarder are obliged to pay the entire fee, even if the boarder is aged 18 or above.

4

Before moving in, a deposit and a Starter Kit is paid. Upon moving out, a final settlement of the deposit will take place with deduction for damage and/or inventory losses that cannot be due to normal wear and tear.

INFORMATION ABOUT FEES

If the monthly fee is not paid, the Boarding School has the right to expel the boarder.

If for other reasons a boarder is expelled from the Boarding School or Birkerød Gymnasium, payment is due for the whole month wherein the expulsion took place.

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YOUR PAGE – THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF THE BOARDING SCHOOL As a new boarder there are many things to consider. Hence we have made a short list that you can use to get an overview of what to remember:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

You must participate in 3 study hall sessions weekly.

You must participate in your chosen activity once weekly.

On schools nights (Sunday to Thursday) you must remember to say ”goodnight” to the staff on duty between 22.30 p.m. and 23.00 p.m. We need to know that everybody is home safe.

On schools nights (Sunday to Thursday) you must be in your room by 23.00 p.m.

You must fill in the weekend list on Lectio no later than Friday stating your whereabouts for the weekend. If you change your plans later on, then inform the staff on duty for the weekend.

You must on Fridays give notice to the kitchen via the meal lists. Inform us of what meals you require over the weekend. Fill in the weekend list on Lectio stating your meal participation for the weekend.

You are allowed to host overnight guest Friday and Saturday nights – but remember to ask permission from the staff on duty first.

You are allowed to consume wine and/or beer on a Friday and Saturday evening, but must remember to apply for this with the staff on duty.

You do this by filling out an alcohol list and handing it over no later than 18.00.

You must be home at the Boarding School by Sunday evening at 22.30 or have informed the staff on duty of other plans.

You must at all times know that you can reach the staff on duty at +45 45 16 82 36.

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CONTACT

For information about Boarders and their everyday, contact the staff on duty. The duty phone will be answered if possible 24 hours a day, however the staff can be occupied during office hours – if this is the case please contact the school office or the school secretary.

The Youth mentor (leading): Staff on duty phone: Staff on duty SMS: The kitchen/kitchen Head chef:

The Youth counsellor: The Youth counsellor: Main School Office: School secretary:

Boarding School email: Main School email: Skype username: Website:

Tlf. +45 4516 8280 Tlf. +45 4516 8236 Tlf. +45 2042 3971 Tlf. +45 4516 8237 Tlf. +45 4516 8286 Tlf. +45 4516 8287 Tlf. +45 4516 8220 Tlf. +45 4516 8223 kostskolen@birke-gym.dk mail@birke-gym.dk birkeroed.boardingschool www.birke-gym.dk

Outsource dk • www.outsource-dk.com

For information about fees, payment and administrative matters please contact the secretary.