Authority to Maintain School Discipline. Every private school shall maintain good school discipline inside the school campus as well as outside the school premises when pupils or students are engaged in activities authorized by the school.

SCHOOL DISCIPLINE

Manual of Regulation for Private Schools

Section 73. Absences, A pupil or student in a private school who incurs absences of more than twenty percent of prescribed number of class or laboratory period during the school year or term should be given a failing grade and given no credit for course or subject. However, the school may adopt an attendance policy to govern absences of its students who belong to the upper half of their respective classes. Furthermore, the school head may at his discretion and in the individual case exempt a student who exceeds the twenty percent limit for reasons considered valid and acceptable to the school.

Such discretion shall not excuse the student concerned from responsibility in keeping up with lesson assignments and taking examination s where indicated. The discretionary authority is vested in the school head, and may not be availed of by a student nor granted by faculty member without the consent of the school head. (As amended by DECS Order No.35, series of1993:07 June 1993).

DepEd Policy on Attendance and Punctuality of Elementary/High School Students

Regularity of attendance and punctuality are required in all classes. A pupil/student who has been absent or has cut classes is required to present a letter of explanation from his/her parent or guardian or to bring them to school for a short conference with the section adviser or guidance counselor as the case may be.

Attendance of pupil /student in special holidays, activities relative to their religion, e.g.Ramadan, shall be allowed provided permission of the school head is sought.

Habitual tardiness especially during the first period in the morning and in the afternoon shall not be allowed. Teachers concerned shall call the parents of the student concerned or visit him at home.

BEHAVIOR IN THE CLASSSROOM/CAMPUS

1. There shall always be order and silence in the classroom /campus.

2. Students should not leave the classroom during class hour or during period intervals without a permission from the classroom teacher. Personal visits from one room to another room should never be done during class hours.

3. Students should refrain from chewing gum or eating during class hour.

4. All students must maintain cleanliness and orderliness. Before leaving the room, the student must keep his chair in order and clean up his place of litters.

5. Students must use with care the school properties such as furniture laboratory and MAPEH equipment, and the like.

6. SHA high school students should always act as young ladies and gentlemen, Hence, shouting, whistling, running, brawling, loitering and the like should be avoided.

7. When called for a recitation, the student should stand erect and answer in a clean and firm voice. Pre – empting or disturbing the one reciting should never be done during the recitation.

8. Mocking or laughing at the mistakes of other are bad manners and should be avoided.

9. Saying bad words to another; doing or making bad sign language are unbecoming of a student.

10. Respect and courtesy should be accorded to the teacher. When a teacher, school authority or visitor enters or leaves a room, student should rise and stand in quiet attention.

11. Walls and blackboard must be kept clean. Students should not play with chalk and eraser or write anything on the blackboard without permission from the teacher. Tampering of notice, written announcements, posters on the blackboards or bulletin boards is strictly prohibited.

12. Any student assigned by the Teacher/Adviser shall be in charge of the opening and closing of windows, locking doors, turning on and off the lights and other routine duties.

13. All students are restricted from the following areas:

a. Faculty Room.

b. Corridors and stairways during classes except when passing through them.

14. No student is allowed to smoke anywhere at anytime within the school premises.

DISCIPLINARY MEASURES

1. Basis of Student Discipline

Student Discipline is an essential part of education program. Therefore, penalties for erring students are imposed not for its own sake but to impose upon them the importance of peace and order, law and justice and self-discipline,

2. Authority to Punish

a. A Disciplinary Committee composed of the Principal, Assistant Principal, Guidance Counselor and the teacher /adviser of the student concerned shall be vested with the authority to deliberate on disciplinary cases and to apply the corresponding penalties for serious offenses or violations.

b. The teacher has authority to impose on the spot disciplinary measures to students committing offenses or violations.

c. Serious offenses or violation of regulations shall be reported through the teacher /adviser to the Guidance Counselor then to the Principal who will properly act thereon.

3. Discipline

a. Any student who commits any violations of the school’s standard behavior, policies and other regulations shall be subjected to the disciplinary action which may be imposed by the Principal /Guidance Counselor.

b. The school reserves its right herein to impose more severe penalties other than those prescribed herein and regardless of whether the offenses be student’s first, second, third violation as determined by the school.

Disciplinary Probation

Disciplinary probation is a restraining measure taken against a student who has been found guilty of a single misconduct or repeatedly violated school rules and regulations. Its purpose to help a student improve his conduct.

Categories of Administrative Penalties. The three categories of disciplinary administrative sanction for serious offenses or violation of school rules and regulations which may be applied upon an erring pupil or student are; Suspension, Exclusion and Expulsion.

1.Suspension. Suspension is a penalty in which the school is allowed to deny or deprive an erring pupil or student of attendance in classes for a period not exceeding twenty (20%) percent of the prescribedc class days for the school year or term.

The decision of the school on every case involving the penalty of suspension which exceeds twenty (20%) percent of the prescribed school days for a school year or term shall be forward to the Regional Office concerned within ten days from the termination of the investigation of each case for its information.

(a) Preventive Suspension. A pupil or student under investigation of a case involving the penalty of expulsion may be preventively suspended from entering the school premises if the evidence of guilt is strong and the school head is morally convinced that the continued stay of the pupil or student during the period of the investigation roconstitutes a distraction to the normal operation of the school or poses a risk or danger to the life of persons and property in the school.

2. Exclusion. Exclusion is a penalty in which the school is allowed to exclude or drop the name of the erring pupil or student from the school rolls for being undesirable, and transfer credentials immediately issued. A summary investigation shall have been conducted, and no prior approval by the Department is required in the imposition of the penalty.

The decision of the school on every case involving the penalty of exclusion from the rolls, together with all the pertinent papers therefore, shall be filed in the school for a period of one year in order to afford the Department the opportunity to review the case in the event an appeal is taken by the party concerned.

3. Expulsion. Expulsion is an extreme penalty on an erring pupil or student consisting of his exclusion from admission to any public or private school in the Philippines and which requires the prior approval of the Secretary. The penalty may be imposed for acts or offenses constituting gross misconduct, dishonesty; hazing, carrying deadly weapon, immorality, selling and/or possession of prohibited drugs such as marijuana, drug dependency, drunkenness, hooliganism, vandalism, and serious school offenses such as assaulting pupil or student or school personnel, instigating or leading illegal strikes or similar concerted activities resulting in the stoppage of classes, preventing or threatening any pupil or student or school personnel from entering the school premises or attending classes or discharging their duties, forging or tampering school records, forms and documents.

The decision of the school on every case involving the penalty of expulsion, together with the supporting papers shall be forwarded to Regional Office concerned within ten days from the termination of investigation of each case.