St. Joseph's SS Naggalama

PREFACE

St. Joseph’s Senior Secondary School Naggalama is a catholic founded non-profit making private co-educational day and boarding school under the management of Lugazi Diocese and the parents. The school aims to promote the unique development of each student intellectually, socially and spiritually by providing an environment “where young people maximise their potential in light of Christ’s teaching to confidently face future challenges”.

To realise this vision, the school endeavours to produce “God fearing, Christ centred, disciplined and self reliant individuals by imparting quality integrated education and instilling Christian values.” To this end, emphasis is placed on self-discipline and hard work, as embedded in the school motto: “Disciplined we succeed.” In order to achieve our objectives, the school has put in place guidelines and rules to enable each one of us contribute towards the integral development and formation of our children.

Religion

St. Joseph’s Senior Secondary School Naggalama is a CATHOLIC FOUNDED SCHOOL and therefore follows Catholic Disciplines upon which Academic excellence is built. No one is therefore, expected to interfere in anyway or cause misdirection of the ideals of the founding body. In case of a breach of this regulation a person in breach shall suffer automatic expulsion from the school. I hope that each one of us has had enough time to study and understand the school rules with our children. We will therefore expect strict observance of these rules.

SECTION 1: ADMISSION AND REPORTING
1. Every student reporting to school at the beginning of each term shall produce the original admission letter, in the case of new entrants, or the previous term’s report, in the case of continuing students.

2. Every student’s personal belongings shall be inspected to ensure that each student has adequate personal provisions as spelled out from time to time and to verify that they do not include prohibited items.

3. PROHIBITED ITEMS
The school is an environment conducive for learning, so items that divert students’ attention and focus are prohibited. No student is allowed to possess and use pornographic materials, electronic devices like mobile phones, radios, CD players, cameras, musical instruments or any other audio/video recording or playing devices.
The possession and use on the school premises of combustible materials and matchboxes, candles, kerosene lanterns or stoves and the like is prohibited except under supervised laboratory/experimental conditions. Penalty (P.3)

4. Every student shall surrender the school’s copy of the paid-in bank slip to the Bursar who will in turn issue the student with a duly signed and stamped clearance form to allow the student to proceed to the dormitory, dining hall and classroom.

5. All students must report on the opening day of the term before 6:00 pm. Anyone reporting after 6:00pm will be sent home.

SECTION 2: UNIFORMS/DRESS
6. SCHOOL UNIFORM
A full school uniform shall be worn during class hours and at any other school functions designated as requiring a uniform. Penalty (P.2)

7. CASUAL UNIFORM
A casual uniform, consisting of a red T-shirt or Polo shirt and black trousers for boys and a red T-shirt or Polo shirt and black skirt for girls, may be worn at any other times except for sporting activities. Penalty (P.1)
8. SPORTS UNIFORM
Every student is required to participate in at least one organised sports activity of his/her choice for which the appropriate sportswear shall be worn. Penalty (P.1)

9. GROOMING
Both boys and girls shall wear their hair well trimmed and short without any treatment or plaits. Jewellery (excepting simple wrist watches, Catholic medals or rosaries), lipstick and nail varnish shall not be worn at school or any school outing.
Any fancy or outlandish wear, including hats, baseball caps, tattoos and the like, are prohibited. Penalty (P.2 or P.3)

SECTION 3: GENERAL DISCIPLINE
10. TIME MANAGEMENT
All students must manage and plan their time accordingly. Late coming and failure to respond to the bell is disobedience and punishable.
Ringing the bell is restricted only to the timekeeper or other student duly authorised by the teacher on duty. Penalty (P.1)
Carrying out usual and permissible activities but outside the school schedule is prohibited. Penalty (P.2 or P.3)

11. LIGHTS
Dormitory and Class Prefects on duty are responsible for switching on and off the lights in the dormitories and classrooms, respectively, at the relevant scheduled times. Total silence shall be observed after lights out. Penalty (P.2)

12. SILENCE
Silence is golden, and must be observed at all times. Noise making on the verandas, any study area and in dormitories is a sign of lack of respect for others. It is therefore prohibited. Total silence shall be observed after lights out.
Penalty (P.2(b) and P.3)

13. MEDIUM OF COMMUNICATION
To ensure harmony and unity in a multi-lingual community, students are required to use the English language for all communications, save for when they are learning other languages. Penalty (P.1)

14. OBEDIENCE/RESPECT
Students must abide by all rules and regulations of the school as laid down from time to time. They must respect and obey the school administrators, teaching and non-teaching staff and other persons in positions of responsibility, particularly Prefects. Penalty (P.2 or P.3)

15. TEASING/BULLYING/FIGHTING/ABUSIVE LANGUAGE
No student shall tease, bully, fight or insult one another. Teasing and bullying are understood to include physical and/or verbal attacks, stealing property of the victim, forcing the victim to engage in unlawful acts and forcing the victim to do things he/she would not wish to do even if those acts are generally permissible or in order, e.g. singing. Penalty (P.3)

16. STEALING
Any student, who takes, attempts to take or knowingly receives stolen, school or personal property without permission of the owner, shall be held liable for the act(s). Students shall not surrender their property under threat or undue influence from another. Penalty (P.3)

17. VANDALISM
No student is allowed to cause or attempt to cause malicious damage to school property; e.g. writing on desks, walls, toilets, breaking desks and window panes, defacing school property, tampering with fire extinguishers, electricity or any other installations. Offenders shall be asked to meet the cost of repair or replacement of the damaged item. Penalty (P.2 a and P.3)

18. LEAVING SCHOOL
Students shall seek the written permission of the Head teacher to go outside the school premises, for whatever reason. Penalty (P.3)

Where permission has been granted, the following must be observed:
a) The Head teacher and the student will enter applicable particulars in the permission book which they will both sign;

b) A signed and stamped permission card/movement authorisation chit will be issued to the student;

c) Particulars on the card as well as the time of exit will be entered into the record book at the gate;

d) On return, the student shall show the permission card to the security personnel at the gate, ensure that his/her arrival date and time are properly recorded at the gate, and finally report his/her return to the issuing authority where the card shall be surrendered. Penalty (P.3)

19. STAFF QUARTERS
Staff quarters are out of bounds to all students without prior written permission of the member of staff concerned and the teacher on duty except in cases of emergencies where any student leader may access any staff member’s residence for purposes of reporting the emergency. Penalty (P.2 or P.3)

20. USE OF SUBSTANCES
No student is allowed to be in possession, take/consume or be under the influence of alcohol, tobacco, narcotic drugs or any intoxicating substance. Penalty (P.3)

21. SECLUSION
Students of the opposite sex may not engage in boy-girl relationship nor be together in seclusion. Penalty (P.3)

22. ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AND IMMORAL/ILLEGAL/CRIMINAL ACTS
The school does not condone nor tolerate any anti-social behaviour and immoral/illegal/criminal acts like lesbianism or homosexuality. Any student who is reported to be engaged in such activities will be handed over to the police for investigation and prosecution. Penalty (P.3)

SECTION 4: ACADEMICS
23. ATTENDANCE
All students must attend punctually all classes including morning and evening preps, tests, and examinations except those with written permission from the school nurse or anyone in position of authority as the case may be. On public holidays, students may engage in sports only after 11:00am. Penalty (P.1 and P.2(b)).

24. FURNITURE
No desks, chairs or stools shall be taken by any student to the dormitories or stores. Any movement of furniture shall be authorised and be supervised by the furniture master who shall ensure its return to the rightful place after use. Penalty (P.2 c and d).

25. LIBRARY USE
Library services are open to all students and maximum silence must be observed. Unauthorised borrowing, stealing, mishandling and destruction of any library materials are prohibited. Penalty (P.2c) and (P.3)

26. COMPUTER AND INTERNET USE
Students shall seek the help of the teacher or laboratory technician whenever they encounter problems with the computer hardware and/or software and are strictly prohibited from attempting to reset computers on their own. Misuse of the internet by indulging in profanity, pornography, receiving and sending pornographic messages is prohibited. Penalty (P.3)

27. LABORATORY USE
All laboratories shall be under the supervision of a qualified and authorised person at all times that students are expected to be there.
No student shall use laboratory chemicals and apparatus for uses other than for instructional purposes for which they are intended. Penalty (P.2(c), (d) or P.3)

28. DEPARTMENTAL RULES
Students shall observe rules and guidelines given from time to time by various departments in the school. Penalty (P.1)

29. EXAMINATIONS
No student shall engage in examination malpractices as defined by UNEB.
Any student found or caught or proved cheating during/at examination shall be penalised. Penalty (P.3)

Examination malpractices include, but are not limited to:
a) Smuggling of unauthorised material into the examination room.
b) Copying from one another (collusion).
c) External assistance given by teachers and / or any other persons.
d) Prior knowledge of examination questions.

e) Impersonation, i.e. hiring somebody else to sit the examination or where another person rather than the duly registered candidate sits the examination.

f) Improper behaviour, e.g. making noise, disobeying supervisors and the invigilators, etc.

g) Substitution of examination scripts during or after the examination.

h) Irregularity e.g. taking a longer time than that stipulated on the question paper to sit an examination or one candidate using different names. Tearing the answer booklet/script into loose sheets, or folding the script in anyway.

30. VISITORS/VISITATION DAY
Every parent is expected to visit his/her son/daughter on the official visitation day, which is once a term and announced well in advance, for purposes of checking on the student’s academic progress and well being.
Parents/visitors shall not go to the dormitory areas and into the dormitories, except when there are on official guided tours. Visitors may not be escorted beyond the school compound and shall leave by 5:30pm.
Parents/guardians may visit the school at other times during office hours to check on students’ performance but they must not bring drinks and edibles. Penalty (P.2b)

SECTION 5: DOMESTIC ORGANISATION
31. SECURITY AND SAFETY
Students shall value life and property and know how to protect it through being cautious and sensitive to any possible danger and loss. Students shall cooperate and respond to any emergency by following the guidelines and instructions from those in authority. Penalty P.3

32. HYGIENE/SANITATION/ENVIRONMENT
Students must observe hygiene and should only use the appropriate ablution facilities for bathing and toilet needs and dispose of other wastes as provided for.
Slippers may be used within the dormitory only.
Borrowing and sharing clothes, shoes, or money is prohibited. Penalty (P.1 and P.2)

33. DINING/MEALS
All students must partake of school meals as no private cooking is allowed.
Food must not be taken to the dormitories. A list of the sick must be handed over to the caterer for their food to be taken to the sickbay. Penalty (P. 1(a) or P.2(c)

34. SICK BAY
All pre-existing health related problems must be reported to the school nurse at the beginning of each term together with the supporting diagnosis and prescriptions for their management during the term.
The school’s sickbay provides simple diagnostic services and treatment for common ailments like flu, cold, malaria, and the like. More complicated cases will be sent home for better

management by the Head teacher on the advice of the school nurse. It is the head teacher’s office only that communicates to parents about serious cases of sickness not individual students.
All those students who may be admitted to the sickbay must have written permission from the school nurse and should report to the sick bay with their beddings. Penalty (P.1 or P.2)

35. SCHOOL CANTEEN
Students can buy their day-to-day necessities only from the school canteen during the stipulated time i.e. break-time, lunch-time and after classes. Accordingly, students shall not engage in any form of trade or commercial transactions in school and with outsiders.

For avoidance of doubt, “outsiders” in the above rule shall include day students as well. For official outings, students’ shopping of edibles is prohibited. Penalty (P.2)

36. POCKET MONEY
Students shall deposit all cash holdings in excess of shs. 5,000/= with the Bursar’s office for safe keeping. Penalty (P.1 and P.2.)

SECTION 6: GAMES, SPORTS AND CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITES
37. GAMES AND SPORTS
Games and sports are compulsory. Every student, not exempted by the Head teacher on medical grounds or on account of a disability, shall participate in at least one organised game or sport and shall periodically inform his/her class teacher and the teacher in charge of sports what that game or sport is.

38. CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Every student must participate in at least one organised club or society activity for which a patron has been approved by the Head teacher.

SECTION 7: SPIRITUAL AND MORAL FORMATION
39. PRAYERS
All students must attend Mass and services organised by the school. Morning and evening communal prayers and grace before and after meals are compulsory. To put God in all that we do all sessions commence with prayers, i.e. morning session, after break and after lunch.

All spiritual activities are under the supervision of the school chaplain assisted by the teacher in-charge of liturgy. Penalty (P.3)

40. HOLISTIC FORMATION
Students shall exhibit a high sense of moral and social responsibility both in and out of school. On outings and during holidays they are expected to put into practice the knowledge and guidance they have received throughout their formation exercises.
Unbecoming behaviour which puts the image of the school in disrepute is prohibited.
Penalty (P.3)

SECTION 8: MANUAL LABOUR AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
41. MANUAL LABOUR
To create a positive attitude towards the dignity of manual labour every student must take part in the cleaning of the school compound, classes, toilets and dormitories and in food preparation. Penalty (P. 2(a))

42. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
In accordance with the Education Act 2008, students shall be involved in school organised community work outside the school at least once a month.
Penalty (P. 2(a)

SECTION 9: GRIEVANCE AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
43. COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
In case of a common problem affecting a group of students they shall select five representative students’ leaders to represent them i.e. Captains, Prefects and Councillors to air their grievance and not approach the relevant authority in a confrontational manner as a mob. Penalty (P.2 and P.3)

Students are also free to air their grievances in an organised manner through the established channels such as the school council, house meetings, class meetings, suggestion boxes and other civilised and recognised avenues within the school. Penalty (P.3)

44. DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
A student found or reported having breached any of these regulations shall in the first instance be asked to explain himself/herself in writing. Thereafter the case is handled by the appropriate disciplinary authority depending on the gravity of the offensive behaviour:

1. His case shall be investigated by the prefects and /or teachers in-charge.

2. Depending on the weight of the breach, the case may be presented to the students’ disciplinary committee or the staff disciplinary committee for further consideration.

3. A hearing shall be arranged at which the student shall be given an opportunity to defend himself/herself.

4. Thereafter recommendations are made by the committee handling the case.

5. If a student feels dissatisfied with the findings of the committee, he may appeal to higher authority as the case may be.

6. The appropriate disciplinary authority shall proceed to cause the penalty to be
imposed.

SECTION 10: PENALTIES
45. CAUTIONS AND PENALTIES
Penalties for contravening the above school rules and regulations, as varied from time
to time by the Board of Governors, are categorised as follows:

1. P.1 Category 1
Penalties in this category shall involve one or a combination of the following:
a) Working on the school compound; e.g. slashing, mopping, high dusting,
clearing ant hills, splitting firewood.

b) Filing an offender’s apology letter (in/on) his confidential file.

2. P.2 Category 2
Penalties in this category shall involve one or a combination of the following:

(a) Sending the offender back home to return with parent or guardian.

(b) Definite suspension pending calling the parent or guardian.

This could range from one week to one month.

(d) Monetary compensation for the damaged or lost property.

(e) An internal suspension.

3. P.3 Category 3
Penalties in this category shall include:
(a) Indefinite suspension pending a decision of the Board of Governors.
(b) Police action and prosecution.