Internal Rules

RUN BY THE ANTONINE SISTERS CONGREGATION

 

This internal policy has been set in accordance

with the laws and regulations in force

namely with Article (20) of Decree Number 4564

– and other applicable  legal texts –

 

 

THE INTERNAL POLICY AND PROCEDURES OF ASSAAD ABBOUD FOUNDATION

 

 

INTRODUCTION

ARTICLE 1:  Secondary school with quasi-free primary classes. It was founded in 1949 with the aim of preserving the educational message and ensure its spreading.  It is a member of the General Secretariat of Catholic Schools and is  recognized by the Ministry of Interior.  The school is run by a Principal who ensures the quality of its performance,  with the assistance of administrative officials who work in conformity with  the applicable laws and internal policy of the school, abiding by the directives  of the Secretariat General of the Catholic Schools in Lebanon.

 

THE SCHOOL SPIRIT AND ESSENCE

ARTICLE 2: The school defines itself a Center for education and tuition that allows young people to acquire quality instruction, thus affirming the goal and vocation of every education to form human beings. Moral independence, responsible freedom and respect for  differences are the values this formation aim to achieve.

 

Assaad Abboud Foundation is deeply concerned with the development responsibility awareness in students, through explaining and illustrating the  rules system of rights and duties. Abiding by these rules helps developing the  personality and allows to exercise freedom. Freedom to live in a group requires   an understanding of the laws and regulations that govern relations among partners in the educational process (the students, the teaching body. the administration) which guarantees the rights of each of them. Thus, the application of the rules invalidates their being merely a constraint and  coercion, to become a valuable contribution in developing human  personality.

 

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

ARTICLE 3: Every student who is accepted in the school, is obliged to abide by the rules, once parents register their children, they agree without any reservation to all the measures that the administration deems good for the welfare of the student.

 

GENERAL RULES

ARTICLE 4: The following words and expressions used in this policy designate:

        1 – The Congregation: The collective Antonine sisters (represented by the Mother  General of the nuns, or by her Representative through a proxy mandate).

        2 -  The School Administration: The Board of Trustees, the school Principal.

        3 -  The Disciplinary Board: The school Principal, the Section Head concerned.

        4 – The School: Assaad Abboud Foundation.

        5 -  The Teacher or the Teaching Body: Anyone who teaches at Assaad Abboud Foundation.

        6 – The Guardian of the Student: The person responsible for him.

 

Observation: Any masculine term is also suitable for feminine persons

 

ARTICLE 5:    The provisions of this internal policy are deemed complementary to the contracts that bind the school with the members of the teaching staff  in case they exist – and considered mandatory to both parties.

 

 

 ACADEMIC  CURRICULUM

 

ARTICLE 6: The teaching subjects in each school year are those designated in the official education curricula, and the school administration has the right to adopt the books it selects.

 

ARTICLE 7: Arabic, English and French are the languages adopted at school. These three languages are also the languages of communication between students and educators.

 

ARTICLE 8:  Tuition lessons are set at thirty five hours a week for secondary classes  and thirty hours for primary and kindergarten classes.

 

 

TEACHING METHODS

 ARTICLE 9:    Daily tuition hours at school are set as follows:

              

In Secondary classes:

• Three tuition periods, each lasting fifty minutes, followed by a twenty-minute break.
• Two tuition periods starting at 10h.40, the fifth being followed by a twenty-minute break.
• Two last periods of fifty minutes each, starting at 12h.40.

 

In Primary classes:

• Two tuition periods of sixty minutes each, followed by a twenty-minute break.
• Two periods starting at 10h.10, the fourth being followed by a twenty-minute break
• Two other tuition periods of sixty minutes each, starting at 12.20
• The administration may amend this timetable as it sees it fit for the school interest.
• Educators may, with the approval of the administration as well as of the students’ parents, keep the division students, the whole class or some of the students, outside working hours, either to complete the lessons or to do any extra-curricular activity.

 

ARTICLE 10: Every member of the school teaching staff has to prepare in writing his  school work and daily lessons a whole week in advance, enabling the coordinator of the same subject to view them. He also has to register in  a special book the marks on the essons, homework, test, as well as the  observations especially those relating to the behavior and diligence development of each student, and then submit a report to the Section Head.

 

ARTICLE 11: Teachers of the same discipline in adjacent classrooms, must hold periodic  coordination meetings under the supervision of the Coordinator to discuss  the obstacles that prevent the students from absorbing the subject and  develop a joint working plan to raise the level of the student, and then  submit a report to the administration. They should also submit a detailed  schedule covering all topics and lessons at the beginning of the school year.

 

ARTICLE 12: Teachers of a discipline that requires practical clarification undertake,   together with their students, visits to technical institutions, or factories, or  archeological or geographical sites, during or outside class hours, with the  approval of the administration as well as the parents of the students liable  to bear responsibility of these trips.

 

ARTICLE 13: The educational personnel at the school must rely on the books and sources  available in the school library or other, and urge their students to read, asking  them thereafter to provide summaries of their reading to be discussed in  class, and giving them their own observations thereon.

 

STUDENTS REGISTRATION DATES

 

ARTICLE 14: Old and new students must register at the school throughout the month of  February of each year. The deadline may be extended by decision of the  Administration. Any person who fails in his commitments towards the

   School, loses his right to join in.

 

 

LESSONS START

ARTICLE 15: Lessons shall start on the first working day that follows the 10^th of September   or on the date set by the administration.

 

           

SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS

 

ARTICLE 16: The administration organizes the examinations and tests and agrees with the   teaching body on the questions that will be given from the official program,  and final results are determined under its supervision with the approval of the   relevant teachers. After the announcement of the results, all related    objections or mediations are rejected, since these results are definite and in  the students’ best interest.

    

PRINCIPLES AND CONDITIONS FOR ADMISSION IN THE SCHOOL

ARTICLE 17:  Admission of a Student is made on the following conditions:

 

1. His guardian undertakes in writing, to abide by the internal rules in letter and spirit.
2. He must be accompanied by his guardian, and the latter shall submit a request letter signed by him, mentioning his name, nationality, address, occupation, degree of kinship with the student, academic year to be admitted in, together with the following documents:
3. Civil status extract, proving that his age corresponds to the age specified in the official education curriculum for the academic year he wishes to follow, with a copy of a family status extract.Those who are already registered and who are still studying in Assaad Abboud Foundation, are exempted from the age and identity card conditions.
4. Baptism Certificate for Christians
5. Four photos.
6. A duly certified school certificate from the Ministry of Education and a score report, clearly showing the student’s school results, as well as a Certificate of good behavior.

 

 The students already registered at school and still studying there are exempted from the above three conditions.

3 – He must be free from infectious diseases, otherwise the administration may refuse to register him.

4 – Priority in registration is given as follows:

• To successful students in the exams, provided they are not refused ethically.
• To students who have failed in their exams, but are accepted to resume their grade, provided they are not refused ethically.
• To new students who meet the above conditions, taking into account in their selection, the following characteristics:

• The students who have siblings at school.
• The sons and daughters of old students.
• Other boys and girls if there are still vacancies.

 

Another condition for new students to register in primary classes, is that they must have an average of 12/20 up to the 6^th grade level. Similarly, an average of 12/20 is also required for registration in the intermediate and secondary classes if vacancies are available, provided the student succeeded in the entrance exam that has been determined by the school administration.

 

All this documentation shall be kept in the student’s file.

 

THE SCHOOL TIMETABLE SYSTEM

ARTICLE 18:

 

1.-  The school shall bear responsibility for the students from 7.30 am to 2,20 pm.

2.- The student must be at school at 7.30 am at the latest. He who arrives later than this fixed time, will have to wait for the next time slot to join his class.

In urgent cases, parents should accompany their children if possible, to justify the delay, or inform the Section Head by phone accordingly.

 

The student repeats his/her academic year

 

ARTICLE 19: The administration shall look into the status of every student whose absence exceeded 20% of the total annual tuition days.

 

ARTICLE 20: The student shall be considered passing he class, if he obtains at least   8/20 in all grades.

 

ARTICLE  21:  Any student who misses a test or an examination for unjustified reasons, is given a zero in the subject he missed.

 

Upgrading a student to a higher class

 

ARTICLE 22: A student is considered to be successful in all subject and is raised to a higher grade if he gets an average of 10/20.

 

Semester Selective Examinations

 

ARTICLE 23: School Examinations:

 

• The academic year is divided into two semesters, the first ends at the end of February of each year, and the second starts in March of every year and lasts until the end of the academic year.
• The student receives two statements of his academic achievements in all teaching subjects during the first semester, in addition to his marks on the first examination in February.
• The student receives one statement of his academic achievements in all tuition subjects during the second semester, in addition to his marks on the second examination in June.

• The number of tests should be at least four for the principal subjects (languages, mathematics and sciences) and two tests for the rest of the subjects, at the time fixed for those.

• The test time should not exceed 10-15 minutes

• The student must be informed about the mid-semester examination date a week before, and two weeks before the quarterly exam date.

• All students remain in the classroom until the end of the mid-semester/semester examination. The student is not allowed to leave the examination room before the end of the exam time. In case he goes out, this will be on the responsibility of the teacher who gave him authorization to leave.

• The student who is absent with a legitimate excuse (after bringing a medical report   from the doctor) is authorized to undergo the examination or test again within a week of his return to school if justification of his absence is confirmed (legitimate excuse means a letter provided by his guardian if his absence for sickness reasons does not exceed 4 days, and a medical report for a period exceeding four days for illness reasons.

• The student absent for unjustified reasons or kept away from school shall not be authorized to repeat the exam or test and shall be marked zero. The same goes for a student who failed to sit for an exam at the fixed date, without a legitimate excuse.

• The student whose cheating during the exam has been confirmed, shall be marked zero.

• The exam papers shall be returned to the student within a week from the exam date, whereby the teacher undertakes to solve the problems and answer the students’ questions.

• For any objection on the mark for a question, exam or test, the student should address first the teacher of the subject (during his free time or during recreation) and if not, he has to go to administration. 

• It is the student’s right to be informed about the subject of the exam, at least a week prior to the date of this exam.

• The exam is not taken into account in case the failure rate is 50% and above, therefore the exam is repeated at another date.

• The teacher has to respect the student’s privacy and refrain from reading his marks publicly in class, as he must refrain from discussing his behavior or results unless directly with his guardian.

 

Attestations delivery

 

ARTICLE 24: School attestations are provided in accordance with the context and the  demand, in view of continuing the studies, or completing the academic   year, or presenting the exams, the results or the school score.

 

The Score Report

 

ARTICLE 25: School examinations and tests are given in two parts: periodic and quarterly.   At the end of each exam, the school score report is sent to the parents for signature.  The marks kept in the score are registered in the student’s file as stated in results announcement.

 

  The marks breakdown is as follows:

   50% of the mark is given for the semester exam

   20% for the half-semester exam

   20% for tests

   10% teacher’s mark (participation and functions)

 

 

Payment System of School Fees

 

ARTICLE 26: Any student, who does not meet the required conditions or in his guardian refrains from settling the school fees, is refused admission

 

ARTICLE 27: Registration fees, stationary, transportation and tuition fees are fixed at the beginning of each school year, taking into account the percentage of unexpected increase in the cost of living and others. 

 

 

Settlement date of the first installment

 

ARTICLE 28: The school fees are paid in three installments. The first installment is settled before the end of October.

 

Payment date of school registration and supplies

 

ARTICLE 29:  School Registration and supplies fees shall be paid before the fifteenth of September of each year.

 

School Holidays

 

ARTICLE 30: School is off every week on Saturdays and Sundays. The other holidays are Public and summer Holidays as well as the on the school feast.

 

TEACHERS’ RIGHTS

 

ARTICLE 31: Every Member of the teaching body is entitled to an authorized fully paid  week’s Holiday in case of marriage, or in the event of death of his/her spous or parents (father or mother) or of his siblings, brothers or sisters.

 Maternity leave shall be granted in accordance with the Law in force.

 

ARTICLE 32: Every Member of the educational staff is entitled to sick leave under the  Following conditions:

 

 In case of absence for health reasons, he/she must inform the administration immediately, providing reasons behind the absence. The administration will look into the veracity of the facts by itself, or through a representative or  through the school doctor who will supply a medical report. If the medical  report shows that the absence period does not exceed thirty days, the sick leave  is granted with a full month’s salary. If it turns out that it exceeds the mentioned period, the sick leave is extended up to two months, with a half month’s salary. If the absence lasts longer, the teacher is considered separated from the school,

 

ARTICLE 33: The administration shall look into personal special vacations and provisional  annual vacations within the academic year.

 

 

Duties of the educators

 

ARTICLE 34: Teachers shall cooperate with the administration in school works, and abide  by their working hours accurately. They shall refer to the administration in  all matters related to work, listening to its directives and respecting its wishes

   for the smooth running of the school operations.

 

ARTICLE 35: Every Member of the teaching staff must:

 

1. Be an example for students, through providing an educational environment that creates trust and satisfaction between the teacher and the students, in addition to discipline and respect of laws and regulations, as well as commitment to good behavior and fitness in looks and clothes.
2. Ensure the performance of extra-curricular work he/she is in charge of, which can be summarized as follows:

1 – He must head to the classroom in the morning at 7.40 sharp, and to the playground on hearing the bell, watching over the students’ entrance into the classroom and their exit, up to the last one.

2 – He must participate in all school and religious activities decided by the

3 – He must attend the meetings of the Teachers’ Council considered as compulsory, whether at the invitation of the administration or its representative.

4 – He has to monitor the examinations and write down observation on the score report.

5 – He is committed to stick to the class Registry Book that regulates daily lessons and Homework, adding his own observations if any.

6 – He shows interest in the students’ copy books, correcting them with precision, at the time set by the administration.

7 – He receives the parents in turn, in accordance with a schedule laid down by the administration, informing them of all school activities of the students, whether positive or negative, cooperating with them for common interest sake.

8 – He must hand the examinations questions, together with corrections structures (48 hours before the exam date) as well as the marks at the dates set by the Section Head.

9 – Homework and exams papers are returned corrected within a week.

10 – He must accompany students during school trips,

11 – He must avoid anything that may harm the school reputation.

12 – In his/her relations with students, he/she must deal with kindness and equality

13 – He must remain committed to the hours of coordination set for every subject, and considered as lessons preparation hours, outside the actual working hours.

14 – He has to make good use of social media means that reflect the school image and refrain from communicating with the students through them.

15 – He has to coordinate with the teachers and Section Head on the way to distribute weekly homework according to the discipline.

16 – He must persevere in attending training sessions in order to be constantly updated on scientific, educational and technological development.

 

ARTICLE 36: In school, the teacher is prohibited, under penalty, to do the following:

 

1. - Undertake any political, ideological, partisan activity inside and outside the  
2. - Exercise any activity or work that may harm his educational mission, or participate in anything that contradicts the principles of his educational message.
3. – Disclose any administrative or educational information he is aware of by virtue of his work, particularly on discussions held during the Teachers’ Council or the Council of Discipline Meetings, or on the school activities.
4. – Leave the classroom or the teaching session for any other work.               
5. -  Smoke in the school premises.
6. – Assign the student to a work outside the educational activity.
7.  - Submit the student to body punishment or words abuse, considered as  humiliating and adverse to education and human dignity.
8. -  Use cell phones in class.
9. – Allow students to leave the classroom during class hours and meet them in corridors, especially during mid-hours.
10.  -   Give private lessons to students without the knowledge and approval of the administration.
11. Eat and drink within the classroom.
12. Detain the students in the classrooms during recreation hours, unless it is with the administration approval.
13. Exchange teaching hours without the knowledge of the administration.
14. Exert all kinds of violence on students or on Members of the teaching or administrative staff.

 

ARTICLE 37: No teacher has the right to introduce any book, journal or print which is   not related to the nature of his academic work. As it is forbidden for him to   spread or distribute any poster or advertisement or sell any product, without  authorization of the administration, under penalty sanctions against him,

 

ARTICLE 38: Educators must take care of the health of students, monitoring and watching  their general behavior, giving alert to the cases of infectious diseases that  may spread and taking preventive and therapeutic measures. In cases of  illnesses, they will enquire about the student or visit them in case their  absence exceeds a week, informing the administration accordingly.

 

ARTICLE 39: Members of the teaching staff shall remain in contact with the administration of the school within a summer vacation month, determined by the administration before the end of the year. They shall answer every invitation sent to this during this month, within the limits of their professional duties, within the deadlines set to them, on the condition that they will not be assigned actual teaching.

 

THE STUDENTS’ RIGHTS

ARTICLE 40: It is your right dear student and our duty to instruct you, educate you and develop in you the spirit of conviviality and love,  to protect you and safeguard your full rights. The school administration is always ready to address the students’ issues and complaints in a way that guarantees their rights.

       1 – The student has the right to be treated with respect, and acquire curricula without discrimination.

       2 -  The student has the right for respect in his privacy.

       3 -  The student has the right to protest in an adequate and acceptable manner about any injustice against him, and to object politely to the kind of punishment imposed  on him, by requesting to have the opportunity to justify his deed before any action  is taken against him.  

       4 -  The student has the right to expose any issue/problem/ harassment… in front of the teacher / the educator / the subject center / the psychologist or the Principal.

       5 -  The students’ complaints against teachers are discussed first with the relevant teacher  then with the class educator, and if no conclusion is reached they should see theschool Principal.

  6 -  The student has to right to have clarifications on all the main points explained in  Class from the teacher of the discipline.

  7 – The student has full freedom in:

a – Electing the Members of the Students Council.

b – Electing the school Class Committee.

c -  Refusing to render personal services to any teacher.

            8 – The student has the right to make suggestions to improve the social,  instructional and educational environment at school.

            9 -  The student is entitled to choose the education field he wishes, that is appropriate to his abilities (under the guidance of the teacher of the discipline/ Center).

 

1. -  The student is entitled to be informed about the date of the examination at least a week before.
2. -  The student has the right to ask for assistance in a teaching subject, from the teacher / the Center.
3. – The student is entitles to review his exams score with the teacher.
4. – The student has the right to get the exams results a week after doing them.

 

 

                

STUDENTS’ DUTIES

 

ARTICLE 41: Duties of the students: the student who is admitted in school must:

 

1. Abide by the rules and regulations of the school, by the decisions and directives of the administration as well as all the obligations requested from him.
2. Maintain strict order and general codes of conduct, ethics and health, inside and outside the school.
3. Comply with the directives of the administration and all the teachers and all those in charge of good order.
4. Take care of hygiene in a comprehensive way, preserve the school property, structure, furniture and contents, and compensate for material damages he caused,
5. Strictly observe school uniforms and reject any other way of dressing.
6. Abide by the sports uniform imposed by the school administration.
7.  Are exempted from the exercise of sports activities only the students who provide medical reports justifying such exemption.

 

 

ARTICLE 42: Students are warned on the following:

 

1. Smoking, joining partisan parties or promoting their principles among students, joining in religious or doctrinal controversies, transferring weapons, participating in demonstrations and school strikes or inciting to them.
2. Leaving the classroom during class hours or changing their means of transport unless upon written request, along with a phone call demand from the guardian and approval of the administration.
3. Quarrelling, screaming and inappropriate behavior and access to classrooms during recreations unless with special authorization.
4. Undertaking any action that may disrupt the school regulations in general.
5. Holding any jewelry or precious stones as the school is not responsible for their loss.
6. Holding all kinds of dangerous and harmful tools.
7. Bringing cell phones to school under sanctions.

 

 

ARTICLE 43: It is prohibited for any student to leave school during tuitions or during break hours, as the school cannot be held responsible for the money in possession  of the student.

 

 

Rules on the behavior relationship among all those concerned with school activities.

ARTICLE 44:

 

The teacher: The teacher who breaches the legal regulations in force will undergo the following sanctions:

1. A direct written warning.
2. Withholding his salary for a period not exceeding ten days (second warning).
3. Withholding his salary for a period not exceeding a month (third warning).
4. Delay in his promotion for a maximum of two years.
5. Dismissal of office without compensation.

 

ARTICLE 45: The school administration is entitled to dismiss from office any Member of the teaching staff in accordance with the law in force.

 

ARTICLE 46: The Student: Parents have to inform immediately the school administration of their children’s absence. The absent student is admitted again only after proving the legitimacy of his absence in the presence of his guardian or family or through a written excuse signed by his guardian along with a phone call.

 

ARTICLE 47: If the student’s delays are recurrent for unjustified reasons, he is only   allowed in class after being subject to appropriate sanctions.

 

ARTICLE 48:  In the case of violation by the student of the school rules, regulations and ethics, or failing to perform his school duties or to comply with school  uniform, he shall be subject appropriate sanction.  In the case of attempt to cheating, the student is directed with his exam paper  to the Section Head who will take the necessary measures.

 

ARTICLE 49: Parents of students with problems at school shall have to meet the invitation  Addressed to them by the school in order to find the suitable solutions.

 

THE SCHOOL HEALTH SYSTEM

 

ARTICLE 50: A Health Card is designed for every student that he will hold as from the date   he joined the school until his graduation. He will keep this card five years   after his departure from school in case of any review.

 

ARTICLE 51:  The school employees: The doctor appointed by the school administration   shall examine the teachers /employees in their homes to ascertain their health   status, and shall present a report to the Principal in case of illness or if a

   member of the educational staff is compelled to be absent in case of   surgery or the like.

 

ARTICLE 52:  The administration rights: the administration designs the framework   Healthy environment at school, defining its outlines and working with the   health team in charge of its deployment and application.

 

 

MEDIATION AND ARBITRATION

 

ARTICLE 53: Any member of the educational body shall appeal to the Secretariat General   of Catholic Schools for mediation. Similarly, two opposing teams of the members of the educational family shallappeal together to the Secretariat General of Catholic Schools asking for arbitration in the dispute between them. The Secretary General of Catholic Schools, in accordance with the policy of   The Secretariat General, shall look into the application. All the above comes within the framework of forsaking the possibility of settling differences away from official legal procedures. It is an optional alternative to resolving disputes between members of the educational family.

 

CONCLUSION

 

ARTICLE 55:

 

1. Registration of the student in the school shall be in all cases consider as a recognition by his parents or guardian, of his acceptance of the school procedures and regulations set.
2. The school administration is entitled to amend the internal rules of procedures in full or in part, without the consent of the student’s parents who already have signed this term.
3. The School Principal has full authority to reinforce punishment, or give reasons for mitigation, or grant excuses in lieu of the case, and is entitled to take the appropriate decision on any matter or problem raised before her in application of these rules of procedures.
4. The school administration is entitled to amend this regulation in full or in part when necessary.
5. These rules and regulations shall be implemented as soon as they are signed by the school administration.