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§9a School Environment (Skolemiljø)

The following has been adapted for RIS from the advice given at UDIR:
All children, including those at RIS, have the right to enjoy a safe and sound school environment that promotes health, wellbeing and learning. Your child should not suffer bullying or harassment from other children or teachers. If your child is unhappy, he or she is entitled to get help from the adults at the school. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring children enjoy a safe physical and psychosocial environment. School staff, parents and students have a responsibility to notify the school of any concerns through the §9a portal on the school website. School staff are legally responsible for reporting and following up, using any action plans. Parents are responsible for attending meetings and giving feedback to support the school in finding a solution. Students have a responsibility to keep action plans and to inform, using the §9a button, the school of any concerns they have for themselves or their peers.
It is the child’s own opinion and feeling about his or her environment that matters.

Neither the head teacher, other teachers, nor students – know better than your child how he or she feels about school. For instance, the head teacher cannot simply dismiss a case and claim that bullying is generally rare at the school. If your child is feeling bullied in any way, the school must take the situation seriously and act accordingly.

What does the law say?
The law concerning school environment and bullying came into force on 1 August 2017. A principle is a zero-tolerance approach to bullying. Students have a right to feel safe and content at school.
Your child does not have to suffer bullying to get help.
It is enough reason to seek support if your child is not thriving. He or she may be feeling lonely or apprehensive about going to school.
Your child has the right to be heard.
Every child is entitled to express their views and to be heard. This principle is stated in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Norway has ratified the agreement. To stop bullying and ensure that your child is content and thriving, school staff must first ask the child how he or she feels. Next, the school must ask you, as parents, and your child for your view.
The school has a duty to ensure that all pupils feel safe and thrive at school.

The school community must be observant and ensure that the pupils are content. If an adult at the school is aware of – or suspects – that your child is bullied or harassed, he or she shall act and:

  • intervene and stop it immediately, if possible
  • alert the head teacher
  • investigate what has happened
  • draw up a plan with concrete measures.

The school must follow up on this plan until the child feels safe and content.

The head teacher ensures that your child receives the appropriate help.
The head teacher shall take all concerns seriously and must investigate what has happened. The head teacher is responsible for taking steps to bring the bullying and harassment to an end, and to ensure that your child can once again feel safe and happy. The head teacher should keep the parents informed of the action taken. Both you, as a parent, and your child have the right to be heard.
What if the bullying happens after school is out?
Incidents that occur among students after school can affect how a child feels at school. If something has happened on the football pitch or online that makes your child feel uncomfortable at school, the school must address the problem – even if the underlying reason is something that has occurred outside of the school grounds. This means that the school may have a responsibility even for bullying that happens after school, e.g. online, on the way to school, or at football practice. What matters is whether the student feels happy when at school. Whatever the underlying reasons, it shall not stop the school from addressing the problem.
Getting help from the school.

You are entitled to ask the school to take action.

As a parent, you may ask the school to take action if you believe your child is unhappy. The school must look into the matter. You can approach the school on your own, with your child, or with other parents.We recommend you raise the issue with the school by email or letter. This means you have proof that you have asked for help.

  • Address the letter or email it to the head teacher.
  • Remember that it is not your responsibility to suggest what steps to take. That responsibility rests with the head teacher. However, you and your child may suggest measures you think will help solve the problem.
You may ask someone to accompany you to meetings with the school.
It is common for parents and school staff to meet to discuss measures and solutions. Many parents feel more at ease if they have someone to accompany them, especially if the issue in question has been going on for some time. You may bring a friend, a family member or another person whom you trust.
You may also give someone written authorisation to act on your behalf.
If you are acting on behalf of your child and your child is 18 or older, he or she must give you written authorisation.

Keep any paperwork from meetings and communication with the school. Make sure that you receive copies of all minutes.

What the school must do.

The school must investigate the matter as quickly as possible and obtain as much information as it can. Again – you and your child have a right to be heard.

Before taking action in such cases, the school must always draw up a written plan. The plan should describe:

  • the issue that needs solving
  • what the school is planning to do about it
  • at what time the measures will be activated
  • who is responsible for implementing the measures
  • at what time the measures will be evaluated.

The school is legally obliged to keep the measures in place until your child once again feels safe and content at school. The child’s own feelings are what matters here. The plan must be documented in writing for you and your child to see how the case progresses.

May the head teacher share the contents of my letter or email with others?
The head teacher will often have to talk to other school staff about what you and your child have told them in order to offer help. However, that does not mean that they are free to talk to just anyone about your case. It is quite possible that the head teacher needs to talk to other students involved in the bullying/harassment and to their parents.
You may report the problem to the County Governor if your child is still unhappy.
In most instances of bullying and harassment, the school will find a good solution together with the pupils and their parents. If the situation does not improve, or if you believe the measures taken are insufficient, you may report the problem to your County Governor.
When can I report the problem to the County Governor?

If you or your child feel that the school has not done enough to stop the bullying, you can report the matter directly to your County Governor. This assumes that:

  • you have first raised the problem with the school’s head teacher
  • at least one week has passed since you raised the issue with the school
  • the bullying is happening at your child’s current school

In exceptional cases, you may still approach the County Governor regardless of the above.

How do I approach the County Governor?
The County Governor’s office has a form that you can use to report the matter.
What will the County Governor do?
The County Governor monitors schools to ensure that they observe the laws and regulations concerning students’ wellbeing. If the County Governor’s office believes that the school has not fulfilled its obligations, it may instruct the school to act to ensure that the student in question can feel safe and happy at school. It may also stipulate concrete measures that the school must take. The best interests of the students are the primary consideration when the County Governor addresses the case.

The County Governor will set a deadline and ensure that the local authority follows up on the case by that date. If the local authority fails to follow up on the case, it may be issued with a fine.

The County Governor also gives you advice on your child’s rights.

What if the County Governor believes that the school has taken appropriate action?
If the County Governor believes that the school has done what could reasonably be expected of it and that the school’s plans for additional measures are sufficient, the County Governor will not uphold your claim.
Complaining to the Directorate for Education and Training.
If you disagree with the County Governor’s decision, you may complain to the Directorate for Education and Training. You must submit your complaint to the County Governor’s office, which will first reassess the case. Next, the County Governor will forward the complaint to the Directorate for Education and Training.

The Directorate for Education and Training will review the case, consider your complaint, and decide what happens next.

Can I take legal action?
There have been cases in recent years where former students have received compensation after taking their local authority to court. You can read more about legal action on the Udir website.

Absence from School

In accordance with Norwegian legislation, if a child is away from school for 10 consecutive days or more of unauthorized absence they lose their school place. They will be removed from the register and parents will have to reapply. If there is a waiting list, then the next candidate on the list will be offered the school place. We discourage people from taking their children out of school outside of normal holidays. Should a parent find they need to remove their children temporarily from the school, an application for leave of more than 2 days must be submitted using this form. Leave of up to 2 days may be made to the homeroom teacher on the Toddle Family App. RIS is under the Norwegian Act for schools: FRAVÆR I GRUNNSKOLEN (kilde Udir)

Dokumentert og udokumentert fravær

Fravær i grunnskolen kan deles i dokumentert og udokumentert fravær. I grunnskolen er det to typer dokumentert fravær. Dette er dokumentert fravær av helsemessige grunner og permisjon innvilget av skolen.Bakgrunnen for at det kun er disse to fraværsgrunnene som godtas i grunnskolen, er elevens opplæringsplikt. Opplæringsplikten medfører at eleven i utgangspunktet skal delta i opplæringen. Dersom eleven skal være borte, skal foreldrene ha søkt om permisjon.
Når eleven er borte på grunn av helsemessige årsaker, er melding fra foreldrene gyldig dokumentasjon. For at fravær i inntil 10 dager som skyldes helsegrunner ikke skal føres på vitnemålet, må eleven legge frem legeerklæring. Dette gjelder dersom fraværet har vart i mer enn tre dager.
Skolen kan kreve legeerklæring for langvarig fravær, og foreldre og elever kan kreve at sykdomsfravær ikke føres på vitnemålet.

Dokumentert fravær

 

  • fravær i henhold til permisjon gitt av skolen
  • fravær av helsemessige grunner, der foreldrene har meldt fra til skolen
  • fravær der eleven har legeerklæring

Udokumentert fravær

 

  • fravær som foreldrene ikke har meldt fra om
  • fravær som er av lengre varighet enn det skolen har gitt eleven permisjon for

Change in Address

Parents are obliged to inform the school of any changes in personal contact information, updates in health situations, or permissions through the school’s information platform Open Apply.

You can also send an email to: admissions@romerikeis.no

Communication

Effective communication is at the core of a positive relationship between the school, the parents and the children. Please feel free to make an appointment with any teacher, should you wish to discuss an issue.

We aim to respond to any emails within 48 hours during the working week.

Please consider the order of approaching teachers: first address the teacher concerned, if you wish to pursue the matter further, contact the relevant Head of School. If the matter needs to be pursued further, please contact the Principal.

Phone Policy for RIS Students

The school recognises that a phone is a resource that children, who travel to and from school by themselves, should have so they can communicate with their parents in the event of an emergency during the trip. At the same time, the school does not consider the use of phones during school hours necessary.

For these reasons, at RIS, we have the following expectations regarding students’ cell phones:

  • The school assumes that every student in the MYP owns a phone.
  • If a student does not own a cell phone, a note must be sent by his/her parents to the Head of School.
  • If a student does not bring their cell phone on a given day, a note must be sent by their parents to the Head of School.
  • Cellphones are collected by the homeroom teacher when students line up before being invited into their first class of the day. Every student must give in his/her phone. All phones will be stored in a safe box during the school day.
  • Should a student come to school after all phones have been collected, they are expected to give theirs to the person in the main office.
  • If no one can collect the phone in the office, students will give in their phones to the teacher of that lesson.
  • In the event of an emergency that requires children to contact their parents during school hours, they will use the school phone (64 80 91 81).
  • At the end of the last lesson of each day, the teacher will return the phones to every student in the classroom.

Dugnad

Quite possibly one of greatest elements of Norwegian culture is the concept of the Dugnad – the community coming together to support a single cause with a mutual goal in mind.

The school will offer two Dugnads a year, allowing parents and the wider community to meet up and support the school.

Admissions, Fees and Tuition

Admissions

Romerike International School (RIS) has the following criteria for admission to the school:

The school is open to all children from Grades 1 to 10.

If the number of applicants exceeds the school’s capacity, the following are given priority:

  • The children of the staff.
  • Siblings of currently enrolled students.
  • Students who have attended school abroad.
  • Chronology of application date.

Once you have applied, you will receive an automatic response as a confirmation.

Status on our profile:

    1. APPLIED: You are waiting for an answer.
    2. WAITING-LIST
    3. ADMITTED: Your child has been offered a space.
      • There will be a non-returnable administration fee of NOK 2000. Your details will be entered into the school services system, and enrolment will be finalized. This fee will be retained and offset against last month’s fees once your child’s school attendance is finished. This is non-returnable if you withdraw the space or your child does not enrol.
      • This fee will turn into a deposit when the child leaves Grade 10.
    4. ENROLLED: Your child has started school at RIS. As a parent, you sign a contract with the school. Read carefully what this means, as it is based on our norms of conduct (ordensregler). 
    5. WITHDRAWAL: 3 months’ written notice is required to terminate the contract; if your child leaves before that time, you will be invoiced for the three months. It must be given on the first day of the first month of the notice period. This will even apply if a place has been formally accepted and the child has not yet attended RIS.

Fees and Tuition

Financial terms
The Governing Board of RIS sets the school fees based on rates set out by the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training. (Independent School Act § 6-2).

School fees are the fees charged for students’ educational instruction during the regular school day and educational supplies, including exercise books and the loan of textbooks. School fees are invoiced over 11 months from August. Monthly payments must be paid in advance. The fee includes tuition and school supplies but not childcare (SFO). Invoices are issued monthly on the 25th of the following month.

FEES FOR 2023

Monthly tuition fees:

Students in PYP Grades 1 – 6 (+ MYP Grade 7) NOK 3,268

Students in MYP Grades 8 – 10: NOK 3,373 

RIS offers a 25% discount to a second, third, and so from the same family enrolled in our school to widen access to the international education we offer. The discount is calculated automatically, and parents are not required to apply.

The fees do not include special needs (spesialpedagogikk) assistant or teacher hours.

*If you would like to get an invoice for 6 months, please get in touch by admissions@romerikeis.no

Further terms:

  • The school reserves the right to review the contract and fees each semester and charge additional fees for before- and after-school programmes. Any changes to the contract or school fees will be communicated to the school community.
  • Failure to make payments can result in the withdrawal of the offer of a place at the school.
  • Students who join the school mid-year will be invoiced from the first of the month they joined, regardless of the actual start date.

    Send us an email if you have any questions regarding payment: admissions@romerikeis.no

    Illness

    Students that are unable to come to school, for example through illness must be reported through Toddle.

    Governance

    Romerike International School Foundation was established in 2015. The Foundation was established and currently operates under the Friskoleloven. The objectives of the Foundation are to offer children between 6-16 a ten-year compulsory primary and secondary school education.

    The school is set up as a non-profit venture.

    Late Pick-Up

    Students are expected to go home at the end of the school day. Students in Grade 1-4 who are still in the school’s care by 14.45 may be placed in the after school care (SFO) programme, and parents will be charged NOK 200 per time for the service.

    Lunch and Snacks

    Students will need to bring a healthy snack, lunch and a water bottle to school. Lunch will be eaten in the classrooms. It is not allowed to bring sweets, candy and any soda or energy drink (RedBull, Monster, etc).

    Please, read the following recommendations from the Norwegian Health Care: https://www.helsenorge.no/kosthold-og-ernaring/kosthold-for-barn-og-unge/skolemat/

    FAU (Parent Council)

    Each grade will have a representative on the parent council. The parent council will have a non-voting representative on the school board.

    The council will meet monthly during term time, on the first Monday of the month at 18.00 (06:00 pm).

    The council’s function will be to support the school and provide parents with the opportunity to raise issues and highlight opportunities.

    Renting Facilities

    Parents of children at the school are welcome to rent the school’s facilities, such as the hall and school kitchen, for events.

    The calendar will show activities for the school. Nevertheless, if you need to rent classrooms during the daytime, contact us to see if we have spare rooms available. All renting scheduling are bound to our school’s policies. Our Aula (festsal) and other facilities are also available for rent. Prices might vary from whole days to individual hours.

     

    Please fill in the following form to request: RENTING

    SFO (Before and after school service)

    What is SFO?

    SFO is a before and after school program offered to students in Grades 1 – 4. The philosophy of the IB and play-based learning is the core of the SFO activities. The students learn through structured and unstructured play and activities. The SFO will be located in the Aula on the first floor. 

    SFO Opening Hours

    SFO in Romerike International School is open to all students enrolled in the SFO program from 07:00 – 17:00. This means that you may not drop your child before 07:00 and you may not pick up your child later than 17:00. You cannot drop your child off before 07:00, even if the school doors are open and staff is present in the school building. Late collection of a child will be subject to a penalty fee of NOK 250, to cover staff overtime.

    SFO is open during the 38 weeks of the school year. 

    SFO leader: Ms Julie Haugen

    E-mail: jhaugen@romerikeis.no

    Mob.: +47 9192 0559

    SFO Fees

    SFO harmonizes with the fees in public schools, and they are equal for all SFO students. Prices include food for the afternoon snacks (NOK 250). 

    Over 12 hours per week (100% place) = NOK 3 200.

    Under 12 hours per week (50% place) =  NOK 2 200.

    *From August 2023 the Norwegian state will pay 12 hours of SFO to all Grade 1 and grade 2 students at Independent schools. If you apply for full space, the state will cover the first 12 hours. Tilskuddet skal kompensere for 12 timer gratis SFO på 1. trinn. Foreldre som har elever i SFO på 1. trinn over 12 timer pr uke må betale for den tiden som overstiger 12 timer. Elever som har et SFO tilbud på 1. trinn som er under 12 timer pr uke skal kompenseres for de antallet timer skolen tilbyr.

    Tillegg 250kr mat. 

    If students would like to bring a snack or breakfast in the morning, this must be a healthy option. Afternoon snacks will be provided by RIS each day, and we will encourage students to be involved in the snack preparation.

    SFO Options

    Full-time spot, over 12 hours per week: The child can be in SFO the whole time it is open. They can attend on full days, all days. Parents/carers who opt for a full-time place will be asked to complete a form to indicate the mornings and afternoons they want their child to attend SFO. 

    Half-time spot (50%) under 12 hours per week: Parents/carers who opt for a part-time place will be asked to complete a form to indicate how they want to use their allocated 12 hours within the school week.

    Link to the signup form: APPLICATION FORM SFO

    SFO Contract

    An agreement will be made by the school (SFO staff) and parents who have chosen 50% SFO. The parents will have to make a weekly timetable as to when or how they want to use the 12 hours/week of SFO time. Once the timetable is agreed upon by both parties, it will be binding (permanent) until the end of the semester.

    Parents can choose to change from full-time to part-time or the other way around once in a school year. Parents who choose 50% can change their week timetable only after the winter break.

    The SFO contract may be terminated at any time. Parents are required to write to the school to request termination of the SFO contract and the notice should be at least 30 days before the contract is ended. This has to be done before the first (1st) day of the next month.

    SFO Daily Routines

    The New SFO location is: Grouproom 3, next to the Grade 5 classroom, and the Aula.

    Morning SFO: The students can eat their breakfast in the SFO group 3 room, play games and relax before the school day starts. At 08:20, students will make their transition from SFO to outside where they line up with their classes and get ready to start their day.

    After the school day is over, we go to the Staffroom for snacks (if the weather is nice or we are on a field trip, we eat out there.) The students have an hour to eat and to be social with each other before the activity starts. We have Nes Arena facilities three days a week and there will be a variety of sports such as rock climbing, ball games, “Friidrett” and much more. We have an SFO room in the Aula where we have Arts&Crafts, a variety of board games, “movie nights” and fun activities. We use the application Spond as a communication platform where all the activities for the week are being posted. There you can sign up your son/daughter for the morning/afternoon SFO and send private messages to the SFO teachers.

    School Day

    PYP

    08.30 – 14.15

    MYP

    08.20 – 15.10 Monday
    08.20 – 14.15 Tuesday – Friday

    School Nurse

    Students and parents can book a time with our school nurse, provided by Nes Kommune. Please contact the school for further information. Eliane.Magalie.Doderlein@nes.kommune.no 

    Student Council

    The school council will meet every other week. Meetings will be led by the chair of the council, a student from Grade 10, supported by a teacher. The chair of the student council will be the non-voting representative on the school board. Any student in the school is welcome to participate in the student council. The chair and deputy chair will be appointed by the Principal.

    The council’s function is to support the school and provide students with the opportunity to raise issues and highlight opportunities.

    For more information please contact sc@romerikeis.no

    Transport to and from School

    If you are a student at a primary or secondary school in Viken (Akershus fylke), you are entitled to free school transport – if the distance between home and school is more than 2 km (1st grade) or 4 km (2nd-10th grade). You can apply for exemptions for special needs or dangerous school routes.
    It is the shortest walking distance between home and school that determines whether you are entitled to school transport.

    For students with disabilities, there is no distance limit. This also applies to students who have a temporary need due to illness or injury.
    Students in primary school who have a particularly dangerous or difficult school journey may also be entitled to school transport. If you think that your child’s way to school is particularly difficult or dangerous, you can contact the school to apply for school transport in the municipality where you live.

    You can read more at SKOLESKYSS

    Application for Bus Cards to admissions@romerikeis.no

    Uniform

    The school will provide, at the beginning of the year, a uniform to students of Grades 1-9. This will include 2 polo shirts, a sports’ shirt, and a hoodie. Wearing of this uniform is compulsory. These items will be loaned to the students and be returned at the end of the school year.

    Parents will have the possibility to purchase extra items (used) for 50kr and the money will go to the Parents Council (FAU)

    Grade 10 students are free to wear clothing of their own choice, including the school uniform if they prefer.