Code of Conduct for Students at AARHUS GYMNASIUM

Attendance is compulsory for all students, and they must be prepared for all lessons posted on the school’s learning platform, ItsLearning. Active and constructive participation in the lessons is a requirement, thereby ensuring students play a positive role in the shared learning environment. Students are also required to contribute towards a calm and focused learning environment during lessons. (This applies to both tuition inside and outside the school premises (virtual tuition, excursions, etc.)).

Written assignments train central skills in the subjects. Students must submit all written assignments on time and allow themselves ample time to complete them both within class and outside school. Failure to hand in assignments may give cause for sanctions.

Plagiarism

Students must avoid plagiarism or similar wrongful behaviour – including aid plagiarism.

Plagiarism and unacceptable conduct include the following:

• Using artificial intelligence to write assignments
• Have another person write all or parts of an assignment
• Allowing students to lend or borrow written assignments to use or give to others
• Using parts of an assignment from uncited sources (The internet is also a source which must be cited with correct website addresses)
• Submitting a piece of writing which has already been assessed in another context

All submitted work will be checked for plagiarism. The school uses ExamCookie during written tests at the school.

Initially, plagiarism will lead to a meeting with the relevant teacher, and school management will be informed. In case of a second use of plagiarism, management will sanction the individual. A sanction for plagiarism does not expire.

Plagiarism in connection with exams is handled in accordance with eksamensbekendtgørelsen.

All absences, regardless of the reason, are registered by the teacher. Registration of absence is available in Selvbetjening and the MEA app, and is available to students to track their attendance. Absence is registered at the beginning of each lesson by the teacher, and whenever any student is absent. Subsequently, students may register their reasons for absence in the MEA app or on a computer by using the predefined possibilities.

Approved absence is given in cases of student council meetings and military service assessment.

An actual assessment of each individual case will determine whether the school deems it necessary to use sanctions in cases of high absence. In cases of absenteeism, each student must make note of their non-attendance immediately, as the reason given could be significant regarding whether or not the student is sanctioned. Registered absences are not transferred from one school year to the next.

The school is contacted in cases of illness lasting a week or more. On Selvbetjening or on the MEA app illness is noted as the reason for absence. It is the students’ duty to obtain information about the tuition that they have missed through absence. This is done on the school’s learning platform, ItsLearning.

The school can request a doctor’s note from a student as documentation about illness. Expenses for a doctor’s note fall on the student. Longer lasting illness or chronic illness may result in the student being withdrawn by the school or re-sitting a year later.

The decision is based on an individual’s assessment.

Holidays are only the official dates mentioned in the school’s holiday plan. See ferieplan for AARHUS GYMNASIUM.

Alle eksamensregler ligges i bilag for hver uddannelse

HTX (da – dansk bekendtgørelse)

STX+HF (da – dansk bekendt)

Hfi+preIB (en – dansk bekendt)

IB (en – IB policy)

It is the students’ responsibility to attend all exams, end-of-year tests, mocks and other internal tests. During the execution of exams, end-of-year tests, mocks and other internal tests, all students must show particular consideration towards other students who are also doing exams. It falls on students to follow directions during the exams, regardless of whether they are issued by school staff or external invigilators.

Students are obliged to observe all applicable exam rules. Any violation of these can lead to sanctions, according to the study and conduct rules. Furthermore, plagiarism or cheating in connection with exams will lead to automatic suspension from the said exam, in accordance with eksamensbekendtgørelsen.

IB Exams

Absence from exam activities is not permitted.

Absence from the following exams requires a doctor's note:

Pre-IB: General Science, General Linguistics, HRP oral and end-of-year exams.

IB: Mock exams and May exams, including any components contributing to a student's final exam grade.

Students must contact the IB Coordinator or student counsellor.

See IB Policies for further information.

All loans of teaching materials are registered by the school. Students write their names and class in borrowed books. Other than this, no writing in or on books is allowed. All borrowed books must be returned to the school’s book administration on request. Students in their final year must return all books and any other school material before the summer holiday. Unreturned or damaged books are to be reimbursed by the students at replacement prices which the school determines.

The school reserves the right to ask for a user fee for teaching materials, study trips and excursions. Students need to bring their own computer, either a PC or a Mac with Windows.

Alcohol and other drugs are prohibited on school’s study trips.

Excursions and study trips are tuition activities. Students on excursions and study trips are representatives and role models for AARHUS GYMNASIUM and thereby, are expected to conduct themselves responsibly while showing consideration to other people. On excursions and study trips, all students must participate actively and constructively throughout the entire academic programme as in all other tuition activities. Students travel at their own risk and therefore must ensure that they have travel insurance, which covers accidents and liability before departure from the school.

For P.E. lessons the students must change into sportswear. For safety reasons, dresses below the knee are not allowed and scarves must fit tightly without pins and be tugged under a top so as not to be loose.

Students can request to be exempt from P.E due to disability or injury. The school’s management can in this connection request a doctor’s note as documentation for the request for exemption. Expenses for a doctor’s note are paid for by the student. Students who are completely exempt from P.E. must have another C- level subject instead.

The level of noise must be kept to a minimum in the entire school, thereby showing consideration towards others. Throughout the school’s environment, students must contribute in a calm and orderly manner not only in class and in the corridors but also in the canteen. The students’ interaction and tone must be respectful. Students must not participate in acts that are in violation of criminal law, including acting violently or in a threatening manner. Any kind of bullying is unacceptable. A student’s behaviour outside school hours is encompassed by these rules of conduct, provided the behaviour impacts the teaching environment, conduct or the social interaction at school negatively.

Students are responsible for tidying up after themselves both inside and outside the classroom. Chairs are placed under the desks and the furniture left in a tidy manner when a classroom is vacated. Each classroom is to be left tidy after each lesson. After 12 o’clock, the students leave the chairs under the tables after each lesson. In this way, students contribute both individually and collectively to keeping the school’s internal and external facilities tidy.

Students must observe the directions for where to eat and always tidy up afterwards.

The school’s buildings and furniture must be treated with care and respect, and may only be used according to its purposes. Destruction of buildings or furniture will lead to demands for compensation.

Only people with lawful business at the school may be on the school premises and utilise its facilities. Students must not aid people without lawful business at the school to gain access to the school’s premises and facilities. Guests may be allowed to enter the school when permission is granted. Any person at the school must follow the teachers’ and other staff’s directions.

Cars are parked in designated bays in the parking area. Drivers must drive particularly carefully by AARHUS GYMNASIUM’s schools. Cars are to be registered in the MEA app or by the main entrance in the displayed screens. The car park by AARHUS GYMNASIUM, Tilst does not require that cars are registered when parked in the school’s car park.

During school hours, the students must be appropriately dressed. For example, follow the applicable rules for what to wear in P.E. and for using protective safety equipment in the experimental subjects. For pedagogical reasons, one must not cover one’s face during school hours or during school activities outside of school hours.

During tuition, only the language used for instruction, or which is being taught can be spoken. Besides during tuition, respect must also be shown to others in close proximity by using a language that is understood by everybody involved.

AARHUS GYMNASIUM is a non-religious school where religion is considered a private matter. Preaching, religious acts and rituals are not permitted.

Students must not encourage or be influenced to have extreme or fundamentalist attitudes and behaviour in conflict with the educational purpose of the youth education. Equally, exerting or promoting negative social control of others is not allowed.

Displaying material which by some could be considered public shaming, offensive or abusive is not allowed in the school or on the school’s premises. All displays must be legal (copyright, etc.) and have a clear sender from a person, an association or an organisation. Should a display not meet these requirements, it will be removed.

AARHUS GYMNASIUM is a smoke-free school where everybody can avoid passive smoking. Smoke-free schooling also applies during all other school-related activities, e.g. Friday café and school parties.

The ban on smoking also applies to both possession, as well as, the use of any kind of nicotine products, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, pipes, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco and snuff, etc. on the school premises both during and outside school hours.

AARHUS GYMNASIUM prevents smoking by offering internal smoking cessation courses for students and staff.

Alcohol and other drugs are not allowed during school hours.

It is a violation of the school’s rules of conduct to be under the influence, use or keeping drugs on the school premises and during all school-related activities, including excursions and study trips.

Alcohol may be allowed on very special occasions, e.g. cafes and school parties.

The use of drugs is banned. The same applies to prescription drugs which are only allowed by the person whose prescription it is for. As a preventative measure, the school receives regular, unannounced visits by official handlers and their sniffer dogs. If a dog marks a student, the student will be asked to take part in an investigatory talk to ascertain the reason why the student was marked. A marking can also be due to legal medication or have other legitimate reasons.

In connection with visits by sniffer dogs, discoveries of drugs or an increased suspicion about abuse can give cause to sanctions or result in a demand to enter treatment.

Students should contribute to creating good and safe parties. Students who show up at a party intoxicated, can be refused entrance. For safety reasons, it is particularly aggravating if the student helps other people gain unlawful access to school parties.

When students use digital equipment in lessons, it must be to the mutual benefit of the student’s and other students’ learning. The student’s own digital equipment is always the student’s own responsibility. Students are obliged to hand over their digital equipment if requested to do so by school staff. The school can confiscate equipment in a predetermined period, usually until the end of the school day. Usernames and passwords are strictly personal and must not be given or shared with others. The students’ digital behaviour in their spare time is covered by the rules of conduct, provided the behaviour impacts the teaching environment or the social interaction at the school negatively.

Recording lessons or similar activities are only allowed with the teacher’s permission. If permission has been granted to record tuition, sharing the recordings with others is not allowed. The recording can only be used for private viewing, unless the teacher gives permission for the material to be shared. If there are other people present in the recording than the teacher, e.g. other students in the recording, consent from these individuals must also be obtained prior to sharing the recordings.

Parts of AARHUS GYMNASIUM’s premises are under video surveillance. Video surveillance cameras are placed by entrances, car parks, bicycle parking, in canteens, corridors and certain other rooms. Surveillance is actively used when there is reasonable suspicion that the study or conduct rules have been violated, as well as, applicable legislation. Images from the video surveillance are only shared with the police.

The students are responsible for their own actions and are liable according to ordinary rules of compensation, including when the students are on excursions, study trips, etc.

Sanctions when violations of AARHUS GYMNASIUM’s study and code of conduct rules occur.

When a student ignores the school’s rules for ordinary conduct and interaction or the duty to participate actively in lessons, the school issues a reprimand or a first warning. When the student is under 18 years old, the parents or guardians are informed. If the student continues to violate the school’s study and conduct rules, a second and final warning is issued. If the student is under 18 years old, the parents or guardians are informed. A warning expires after 12 months. However, a warning issued because of involvement or encouragement to cheat or similar unlawful behaviour does not expire.

Apart from warnings, the school can initiate the following sanctions according to BEK nr. 1338 af 09/12/2019:

• Total or partial exclusion from actual or types of arrangements or activities, e.g. school parties.
• Temporary exclusion from tuition for up to 10 school days. During this period, the student will be registered as absent. This sanction is used in the following circumstances:
  • The school needs to examine the matter in depth
  • The school considers it necessary due to general legal awareness
  • The school considers it necessary to continue tuition and the interaction between students and teachers at the school
• A ban in a defined period of the student bringing or using private objects or types of objects, e.g. mobile phone, computer, etc.
• Confiscation of one or more of the student’s private objects, including mobile phones and similar means of communication until the end of the school day. If there are actual reasons in favour for a longer period of confiscation, the school may decide to prolong the confiscation of the object. The student is obliged to hand over object/objects which the school has decided to confiscate. Should the students not meet this obligation, the school may decide to initiate a relevant sanction. However, this does not relieve the student of the obligation to hand over the object/objects.
• Sit exams in all subjects that are completed at said class level (full curriculum). This applies in particular in cases of repeated cheating and similar unlawful behaviour.
• Loss of right to sit an exam. The exam must be sat the following year, in case the school allows the student to move up one class despite not having sat the exam.
• Exclusion from the school and transfer to another school, provided the receiving school agrees. This sanction may only be used, if the student has not been subjected to this sanction previously.
• Exclusion from the education (withdrawal).
• Exclusion on excursions and study trips is exclusively at the student’s expense.
• An educationally based sanction. The sanction can be conditional on the student improving the effects of the violations of the study and conduct rules, or by the student participating in a mediation process.

STX, HF, HFI

At the end of the school year, the school assesses the individual student’s academic standing and benefits from the lessons. The school’s management can refuse a student to progress to the next class level, if the achieved average at the end of the school year is below 2,0. The average is calculated as an unweighted average of the marks, which in the school year have been achieved through exams, end-of-year tests and final term marks. If a student is refused progression to the following year, the student is withdrawn from the education.

IB

See IB Promotion Policy.

Bullying is when one person or several people regularly and over a long period – repeatedly – or in a rude manner expose one or more people to abusive acts, which he/she considers hurtful or humiliating. It can be physical, verbal or through social media. It can be during and outside school hours, if it influences the social interaction at school.

Offensive acts are considered bullying when the people who are targeted are unable to defend themselves effectively against it. Individual conflicts are not considered to be bullying. It is decisive on how the victims experience abusive acts. Hence it does not matter whether the acts are due to lack of consideration or a definite desire to abuse the victim.

Sexual harassment or other types of offensive behaviour or acts, which lead to unwanted sexual attention can occur between students and between students and staff. According to the nature of the matter and the victim’s experience of the abuse, the matter is dealt with immediately. It is crucial how the victim experiences the offensive act or acts.

If a student experiences sexual or other types of offensive behaviour or acts from another student, a student councilor, teacher or head of the school may be contacted.

If a student experiences sexual harassment or other types of offensive behaviour or acts from an employee, the school management may be contacted.

If a student contacts a head about sexual harassment or other types of offensive behaviour, the school has a duty to act - i.e. the head of the affected student has a duty to examine the matter further through the involved parties and handle the case. The parties involved will be interviewed separately as soon as possible and the case is carefully examined and documented in writing.

From the start teachers and counselors are focused on the individual and classes’ well-being. Indications that students are not thriving will lead to an assessment of whether it calls for a particular measure. The school conducts and continuously follows up on surveys of well-being amongst students.

In cases of suspicion or notification of bullying, the school’s management will be contacted. Management then decides who interviews the parties involved, to assess the situation.

In cases of bullying, the head draws up a plan of action for a possible solution. The teachers may be involved in this process.

The class may be informed or involved according to what is deemed best. Management or the study councilor conduct follow-up talks with the parties involved.

When a student under 18 years is involved in a case of bullying, parents or guardians will be informed as quickly as possible. They are often invited to a meeting at the school. For students over 18 years, parents or guardians can be informed with the student’s consent.