Information

§12 School Environment (Skolemiljø)

School Environment Plan

Rationale

As an IBO World School, the School Environment Plan promotes well-being, learning and conduct. It also adheres to The Education Act §12. All students are entitled to a safe and positive school environment that promotes health, inclusion, wellbeing and learning. The School Environment Plan identifies the school’s preventative actions, as well as the procedures for following up individual concerns regarding a student’s wellbeing at school. Students, staff and parents/guardians have a shared responsibility to create and maintain a positive school environment. The student’s subjective experience of their school environment and consideration of what is in the best interest of the child, is paramount. 

The School Environment Plan applies to both School and SFO (After School Program). The plan applies to all activities organised by school, regardless of location. The School Environment Plan also applies to the journey to and from school. 

Preventative Work

Romerike International School works systematically to promote a good school environment. Preventative measures are targeted at the school community. 

The school community is provided opportunities and guidance to develop Learner Profile Attributes and Approaches to Learning. 

Learner Profile – we encourage our school community to be: 

• Principled – We act with a strong sense of fairness and honesty, taking responsibility for our own actions. We respect the dignity of all members of the school community. We stand up for what we think is right and truthful. 
• Communicators – We communicate concerns in order to solve problems and we recognize when help is needed. 
• Caring – We show empathy, compassion and respect to all school community members. We strive to make a positive difference in our school environment.
• Thinkers – We make informed decisions to improve and contribute to a positive school environment. 
• Reflective –  We think carefully and positively about our actions, with the goal to learn from our mistakes. We can identify strengths and areas of improvement in ourselves. 
• Knowledgeable –  We understand the importance of our role as participants in creating a positive school environment. 
• Inquirers – We wonder about our learning. We are willing to learn new strategies to improve our school environment. 
• Balanced – We maintain a healthy balance between work and play. We know when to take some down time, but also demonstrate perseverance when necessary 
• Open-minded – We appreciate our own cultures and personal histories while seeking and evaluating a range of points of view that may be different from our own. We recognize that others with different perspectives may also be right.
• Risk-takers – We are brave and articulate in defending our beliefs positively. We adopt an independent spirit to explore new ideas, which may be outside our comfort zone. 

Approaches to Learning – we encourage our community to develop the following: 

• Self-Management Skills – make informed choices, think before you act
• Social Skills – take responsibility for one’s own actions
• Communication Skills – positive interactions in all forms (written, verbal and online)
• Thinking Skills – reflect on personal interactions and evaluate the impact
• Research Skills – make connections between individual rights and responsibilities

PYP and MYP programmes – explicit and implicit learning related to student well-being and building community is found throughout the curriculum. 

Preventive measures

• IB Learner Profile emphasized regularly 

• Core Values are emphasized in every class 
• §12 Button 
• Student Council meetings
• Student Council Representative attends Board meetings
• Rock and Water Pilot 
• Surveys 
• Conferences (student, parent and teacher) where parents have opportunities to meet with teachers to address both academic, social and emotional well-being
• Student Led Conferences where students celebrate their learning
• Regular whole school and programme assemblies 
• House building activities/events across year levels (Sports-, Ski-, Outdoor Days)
• Transitions (to First Grade, from PYP to MYP, from MYP to high school)
• Parent Committee reps appointed each fall
• Parent Committee regular meetings
• Information meetings for parents identifying rights and responsibilities of students
• Regular reporting
• Homeroom teacher organizes peer supports when new students arrive
• Spotlights sessions about students 
• Positive noticing
• Students’ well-being is regularly addressed in staff meetings
• Appropriate staff on duty at all times during outside breaks
• Professional Development
• Regular meetings between the school and the School Health Services team

Actions focused on the physical environment (Education Act §12-7)

• Continuous improvement of the outdoor and indoor areas that ensure opportunities for social and physical activities, positive interaction and inclusion.
• Ensuring that the furniture in the classrooms is appropriate for the activities in respective classrooms through Green Job 
• Continual facility maintenance
• Report physical concerns directly to the Head of School

The Duty to Act

There are 5 types of action mandated by Norwegian law. 

Staff Shall

Pay attention to whether students have a positive and safe psychosocial environment

Intervene in cases of bullying, violence, discrimination or harassment whenever possible

Report to the Head of School/Coordinator if you suspect or are aware of a student who does not have a positive and safe school environment

School Shall

Investigate any situations where students, parents or other relevant parties report problems with the school environment

Take action in relation to all identified problems

Pay attention 

• Actively monitor whether students have a safe school environment
• Be alert and actively observe how the students are doing alone and when interacting with others
• Pay attention to students who are particularly vulnerable
• Pay attention to how students interact among themselves in order to find out if a student does not have a safe or good school environment
• Pay attention systematically during breaks and transition periods. 
• Acknowledge the experience of the individual student

Intervene

• Intervene immediately and directly in a case of harassment, violence, exclusion or other negative behavior
• Staff members are not obligated to put themselves in danger
• The use of physical force against students is illegal unless there is a need to defend a student, or oneself in an emergency situation

Report

• Low threshold to report. 
• Staff report to their leader (Coordinators, Head of School or Principal) of ANY suspicion or knowledge that a student does not have a safe and good school environment. 
• The Head of School shall report to the Board about serious incidents between students and between students and staff.

Investigate

• Low threshold to investigate 
• The school shall investigate any suspicion or knowledge that a student does not have a safe and good school environment
• The school shall investigate if a student or parent notifies the school 
• An investigation can include observations, assessments, conversations, etc.
• Involved students have the right to be heard in conjunction with the UN Rights of the Child and §104 in Grunnloven. The school should never deny or reject a student’s experience of insecurity or unhappiness at school.

Take Action

• Appropriate actions must be taken if a student’s school environment is unsafe
• In assessing and implementing measures, the school shall ensure that the pupils involved are heard, and the pupils’ best interests should be fundamental in the school’s work 
• Education Act §12 Action Plan must be written 
• The Head of School has the responsibility to inform, or delegate the responsibility, parents about actions taken
• Actions must remain in place until the case is resolved through an evaluation 
• The case will remain open until it is resolved

Strengthened Duty to Act 

There is a Strengthened Duty to Act if a staff member suspects or is aware that a staff member working at the school bullies, discriminates, violates, harasses, or in any other way offends a student:

• The employee must immediately report to the Principal
• If the offender is a member of the school leadership team, the employee shall report to the Chairman of the Board directly 
• The Principal shall report to the Board (unless it is without merit, see below)
• Investigations and actions shall commence immediately

If a complaint is without merit, it can be stopped and not reported further (example: claims against a teacher for academic judgment while exercising school policy, pedagogical differences, absence of student/staff member when the claim was made).  

Documentation

The school is required to document the student’s perspective, as well as suggested actions on the situation in an Education Act §12 Action Plan. The documentation required for the school provides documentation for the benefit of the students and parents in the case, but also for the school, school owner, county governor, and any appeal body. 

Right to Complain

The school’s goal is to collaborate with parents/guardians to support a safe and positive school environment for all students.  If at any time, the student or parent/guardian is not satisfied with the school’s processing of the case, he/she may contact Statsforvalteren directly. This is completed online, via the Statsforvalteren webpage.

Concerns related to the physical environment should be reported directly to the Principal. The school is obliged to act on the request for intervention(s) by making a Single Rights decision (Enkeltvedtak) according to the Public Administration Act (Forvaltningsloven). 

Statsforvalteren’s enforcement in single cases (§12-6): 

Statsforvalteren provides oversight to cases and/or processes. Statsforvalteren ensures that requirements are met regarding the rights of students, parents and the school. 

Statsforvalteren can reject cases if: 

• the case is not presented to the Principal
• it has gone less than one week since the cases was started
• the student no longer goes to the school they are making a complaint about
• they believe that the student has a safe and good school environment

Statsforvalteren can require schools to improve the situation related to school environment cases. 

For example: if routines are not followed, unnecessary delays in handling the case or if measures are inappropriate. In addition, Statsforvalteren can override the school’s Action Plan and provide required measures to individual cases. 

Statsforvalteren can decide on next steps in accordance with the school’s Code of Conduct (§10-7), or if a student shall change schools (§13-2). 

Year Wheel

Paying Attention

Writing an Education Act §12 Action Plan 

An Education Act §12 Action Plan documents and makes visible 

• What problem to solve 
• What has the school planned
• When to implement the measures 
• Who is responsible
• When should the measures be evaluated

In addition, the school must consider: 

• What is the child’s situation and needs today? Case Description
• What is the child’s situation when the desired change is achieved? Goal Description
• What is needed to achieve the goals? Measure Description
• How long will the measures last? Timeframe
• How should we find out if the measures are moving towards the goal? Evaluate

To succeed, one must think of measures at the individual, group and system levels. 

• Individual measures are aimed at individual students, both the student who is offended and the student/s who is offending.
• Group measures are aimed at a group of students, the class or the year level. The goal may be to strengthen student-student or teacher-student relationships.
• System measures are aimed at the school’s own systems and routines, such as inspection routines, the need for more / permanent adults on supervision, risk analysis for school areas – what areas are unsafe, and what can we do about it. System initiatives can also involve / include competence enhancement in classroom management, relationship work, inclusive teaching and more.
• Health measures can be useful to include in an Education Act §12 Action Plan. However, the school does not have the opportunity to impose tasks on the health sector. The school should nevertheless inform and guide students and parents about other relevant bodies, and contribute to a holistic collaboration.

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 

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 outside the school building.

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.

Illness

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

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/

SFO (Before and after school service)

What is SFO?

SFO is a before and after-school program offered to Grades 1 – 4 students. 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. 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. 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 in Nes Kommune, and they are equal for all SFO students. Prices do not 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

Norwegian state pays up to 12 hours of SFO to all Grade 1 to 3 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, 2 og 3 trinn. Foreldre som har elever i SFO på 1,2 og 3 trinn over 12 timer pr uke må betale for den tiden som overstiger 12 timer. Elever som har et SFO tilbud på 1, 2 og 3 trinn som er under 12 timer pr uke skal kompenseres for det antallet timer skolen tilbyr.

This must be a healthy option if students want to bring a snack or breakfast in the morning. The children will get fruits every day and warm snacks on Fridays. This has a cost of 250kr every three months.

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

Parents can change from full-time to part-time or vice versa once a school year. Parents who choose 50% can change their weekly timetable only after the winter break.

The SFO contract may be terminated at any time. Parents must 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 following month.

SFO Daily Routines

SFO’s primary location is the Aula.

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

After the school day, we go to the Staffroom for snacks (if the weather is nice or we are on a field trip, we eat out there.) SFO provides fruits daily, and we serve warm food on Fridays. The students have 30 min 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 app Spond as a communication platform where all the activities for the week are posted. You can sign your son/daughter up for the 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

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

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, 100 kr (new) 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.