We believe that authentic, engaging homework deepens the understanding of what students have learned in school and enhances essential skills that have been acquired in the classroom. Taking the form of practice or inquiry, it promotes critical and creative thinking in students.  At ISNS, the amount and type of homework is differentiated to meet the learning needs and interests of individual students.  Homework can give the student ownership of his or her learning as he or she works independently.  By being personally relevant, homework can instill a sense of confidence and independence.

Assignments for home learning are an important part of education, and students are expected to complete these tasks to further their understanding of topics and concepts covered in class.  If homework or an assignment is incomplete or not completed to the satisfaction of the teacher, the teacher may ask the student to complete it during a playtime or recess.  MYP and DP students will report to detention hall to complete assignments.  The teacher may ask the student to re-do assignments that are not completed as assigned or up to standard until the student demonstrates proficiency.

If a student habitually misses or hands in incomplete assignments, a meeting between the parents and relevant teachers will be held.  If there are no improvements in the student's academic habits, he or she will be referred to the appropriate administrator.  This could lead to academic or behavior contracts between the student, parents and school, which, if broken, could result in retention, suspension or expulsion.                                                                                                                         

An ISNS student is responsible for:

• Creating a caring community.

• Treating everyone with dignity and respect.

• Exemplifying the attributes of the IB Learner Profile. 

• Displaying the characteristics of a responsible global citizen.

• Behaving in a manner that does not interfere with the rights of others.

• Abiding by expectations, guidelines, rules and regulations established by the school.

• Participating in established essential agreements with fellow students and adhering to them.

• Attending school daily and on time.

ISNS is committed to creating a safe and inclusive school environment for all students free from harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination on the basis of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, etc.

Guidelines for Student Conduct

Academic Integrity

LATE OR NON-SUBMISSION POLICY

The International School of Nanshan Shenzhen (ISNS) is an IB continuum school that values and teaches self-management skills through each of its programmes. For students to maximize their potential and successfully the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme(DP), they must demonstrate the IB Learner Profile attribute of being balanced by managing their time effectively. Developing their Approaches to Learning (ATL)skills is a key element of a successful IB education.

Teachers will communicate in advance key dates for completing assessments. Draft dates and final submission dates for formative and summative assignments are assigned in advance of the final due dates and are displayed in ManageBac. Teachers will also encourage and model time-management skills and techniques to help students meet all deadlines.

For students to succeed, teachers and administrators will work with students to develop their ATL skills by implementing policies such as this one to ensure that there are appropriate consequences to help our ISNS students manage their time if they are unable to do so without intervention.

In summary, each ISNS student in G6-12 is expected to submit assignments on or before deadlines. The following document outlines the procedure that will be followed should students fail to meet assessment deadlines.

Middle School (G6-8): Rules and Consequences

All deadlines are final and must be respected by ISNS students.

All work is to be uploaded to ManageBac in the required format as required by the teacher.

The work will be due during a scheduled class period.

Summative Assessments (Projects/assessments)

If a student does not submit their summative work during the scheduled class period and the student has not been absent:

1. The day it is due, the teacher will:

•    Create a behavior note in ManageBac as “Missed Assessment Deadline.” The teacher will decide a new deadline at their discretion. In the behavior note, the teacher must state the date and     time of the new deadline-visible and email to parents and students.

•    Assign the student to Homework Club for as many days as the teacher has deemed the student will get to complete their work.

•      If the student is assigned to HW club already, then the teacher will sign the student up on the next available day

•      If the student arrives at HW club and their work is done and submitted, they will show the HW club teacher. Then, they will be given a reflection to write. They will not be free to leave.

•    Inform the Principal through Teams

2. During Homework Club, the students will have time to finish their incomplete work. 5 minutes before the end of Homework Club, the student must submit the work they have completed to Managebac and show the Homework Club Teacher. If the student refuses, the detention room teacher will notify the principal and subject teacher before Homework Club is over. If assignments are given through Teams assignments, then the subject teacher should download the student’s work as a pdf, upload it to MB, then mark that.

• If an assignment is done by hand, the student will turn the work into the HW Club teacher.

• If a student had excused or unexcused absences during an assessment, they would follow the late submission policy listed above.

• If a student has excused absences during an assessment, the teacher will assign a new deadline and HW club, if needed.

3. Absent on the day a summative is due (projects/assignment)

• If students are absent on the day of an assessment submission, the student should still submit to ManageBac by the time it is due as this is a task they have been working on for an extended period of time. If they do not submit by the assigned time, they will be reminded via a Teams message. If the work is not submitted by the time they get back to school, they will follow the late policy as listed above.

  
  

4. Students who are absent for an in-class assessment (test, quiz, exam)

• The teacher will need to plan for the student to complete the task when the student returns to school. The teacher cannot use HW club as an arrangement.

      The teacher should find a free room and teacher to invigilate during one of their scheduled class periods or find an available period when the student has another class they can miss.

• If a pattern of late submissions due to absences is recorded, the principal will organize a meeting with the student and parent.

High School (G9-10): Rules and Consequences

All deadlines are final and must be respected by ISNS students. All work is to be uploaded to ManageBac in the required format, usually PDF format, by 8:20am on the date the work is due.

Formative Assessments

If a student does not submit their formative work by the due date/time:

1. The teacher will:

• Assign the student to detention for that day

• Create a behaviour note on Managebac and records it as a missed assessment deadline – visible and email to parent and student

• Inform the MYPC in a Teams message

2. During detention, the student will have time to finish their incomplete work. At the end of detention, the student will immediately be required to submit the work they have completed to Managebac.

• If they do not submit work by the new deadline, they will not receive written feedback from the teacher on their work.

Summative Assessments (Projects/assessments)

If a student does not submit their summative work by the due date/time:

1. The teacher will:

• Assign the student to detention for that day

• Create a behaviour note on Managebac and records it as a missed assessment deadline – visible and email to parent and student

• Inform the MYPC in a Teams message

2. During detention, the student will have time to finish their incomplete work. 5 minutes before the end of detention, the student will immediately be required to submit the work they have completed to Managebac and show the Detention Teacher.

• If the student refuses, the detention room teacher will notify the principal before detention is over.

• The MYPC will meet with the student, discuss the situation, and tell them they will receive a 0 for the assessment. If some of the work has been submitted this is what will be marked. This will impact their overall best-fit for the subject and might impact them receiving New Brunswick credits for that course.

3. If the student has extended unexcused absences, they will receive a 0 for the assessment. This will impact their overall best-fit for the subject and might impact them receiving New Brunswick credits for that course.

4. If the student has excused absences, they can apply for an extension or depending on the situation (and with instruction from the principal) they will receive a NA for the assessment. This task will not be included in their overall best-fit for the subject's final grade. Depending on the extent of the absences, they might not be able to receive New Brunswick credits for that course.

Absent on the day of a summative (projects/assignment)

1. If students are absent on the day of an assessment submission, the student should still submit to ManageBac by 8.20am as this is a task they have been working on for an extended period of time. If they do not submit by 8.20am they will be reminded via a Teams message. If the work is not submitted before 12.30pm, they will receive a 0 for the task which will impact their overall best-fit for the subject and might impact them receiving New Brunswick credits for the course.

2. If a pattern of late submissions is recorded, the MYPC and Principal will organize a meeting with the student and parent.

Summative Assessments (in-class assessments)

1. Students who are absent for an in-class assessment (test, quiz, exam) due to illness must provide a doctor’s note to validate the absence. Illness must be documented by a doctor’s note submitted no later than one day after the in-class assessment. The doctor’s note must include a red stamp, the name of the hospital and provide details about how many days the student should miss school.

2. After the student provides a doctor’s note, the teacher will identify a new task date and notify the student, MYPC in writing via Teams.

3. If a pattern of absences on the day of in-class assessments is detected the MYPC will inform the GLL who will bring it to SST meetings.

Extensions for assessment:

Students must request an extension at least 48 hours (about 2 days) before the due date. It should be done in writing to the teacher. The teacher can grant an extension at

their discretion. The response to the student must be in writing and make it clear that it needs to be due by 8.20am on the given date.

Grade 11 and 12: Rules and Consequences

One way that ISNS helps students organize their time is by giving them a yearly assessment schedule at the start of Grade11 and 12. Students have been provided with a schedule for the year that lists all deadlines for internal assessments (IA) and external assessments (EA).

Teachers work with Grade 11 and 12 students to ensure they can appropriately manage their workload. As such, the information below outlines the procedures for the submission of Internal assessment (IA) and External Assessments (EA). These procedures apply to all IB Diploma Programme and course students, as well as New Brunswick diploma students.

Given the rigors of the DP and DP courses, the IBO regulations clearly state the responsibilities of each IB student regarding the submission of their work:

• The candidate (student) is responsible for ensuring that all work submitted for assessment is authentic, with the work or ideas of others fully and correctly acknowledged. Candidates are expected to comply with all internal school deadlines; this is for their own benefit and may allow time for revising work that is of doubtful authorship before the submission of the final version. (IBO, 2011)

Extensions for assessment:

Students must request an extension at least 48 hours (about 2 days) before the due date via email. The email should include the coordinator, principal, teacher, and their parents. The teacher and coordinator will discuss the need for the extension and will respond in writing to the student. They must make it clear that it needs to be due by 8.20am on the given date.

In-Class Assessments: NB and IB DP Courses:

• Students who are absent for an in-class assessment (test, quiz, exam) due to illness must provide a doctor’s note to validate the absence. Illness must be documented by a doctor’s note submitted no later than one day after the in-class assessment. The doctor’s note must include a red stamp, the name of the hospital and provide details about how many days the student should miss school.

• After the student provides a doctor’s note, the teacher will identify a new task date and notify the student, Coordinator in writing via Teams.

• If a pattern of absences on the day of in-class assessments is detected the coordinator will raise the issue at the next SST meeting.

  
  

IA/EA/Assessment Draft Deadlines: IB and NB Courses

All deadlines are final and must be respected by ISNS students. All work is to be uploaded to ManageBac in the required format, usually PDF format, by 8:20am on the date the work is due.

Rules:

ISNS has high standards for draft work. Students are expected to submit a complete piece of work that is formally written, well organized, and most importantly, is cited according to MLA standards.

If a student misses a draft deadline for work, the teacher should notify the student’s guardians immediately, followed by the coordinator. The teacher will also add a new behavior note in ManageBac, documenting the late submission of work.

The coordinator will keep a record of missed draft deadlines for individual students to maintain an overview of students’ time management across their subjects and will bring any issues to the SST meetings so that intervention can happen if patterns begin to emerge.

Consequences:

The student will have to attend mandatory detention. Work completed at the end of detention will be submitted to ManageBac. At the teacher’s and coordinator's discretion, the student may be given the opportunity to submit an updated version of their work by 8:20am the following day. The student will only receive written feedback from their teacher on the work completed by this time.

Final Copy Deadline: IB and NB Courses

All deadlines are final and must be respected by ISNS students. All work is to be uploaded to ManageBac in the required format, usually PDF format, by 8:20am on the date the work is due.

Rules:

Final submission dates have been planned across Grade 11 and 12 to help students manage their time and workload appropriately.

If an individual student foresees a problem with meeting a final submission date, it is the student’s responsibility to manage their time accordingly and should plan to submit their assessment prior to the final due date.

Work submitted after the deadline (both internal and external) will not be accepted unless accompanied by an appropriate medical certificate or documentation of adverse circumstances. In these cases, based on the evidence provided by the student, the DP Coordinator and principal together will make the final decision on allowing submission of work after the set deadline. See the IB disclaimer below for further clarification on adverse circumstances.

Consequence:

Failure to submit a final copy of their work by the specified deadline will result in the student’s draft work being submitted in its place, whether it is complete or not. Therefore, the importance of respecting submission deadlines for draft and final copies is essential for success in Grade 11 and 12 courses. The student will have to attend mandatory detention. Work completed at the end of detention is what will be submitted to the IB/NB. At the Coordinator’s discretion, the student may be given the opportunity to submit an updated version of their work by 8:20am the following day. The teacher will also add a behavior note in ManageBac, documenting the late submissions of work.

***Should the student fail to submit both a draft and final copy of their work, this will be recorded as “non-submission of work” with the IB/NB, in which case the student will be able to resubmit their work in the next examination session.

***In the cases where the IA takes the form of group work or a presentation, if a student is absent without a valid reason, the students’ presentation or performance will not take place, and will constitute “non-submission of work” in which case, as above, the student will have to apply for resubmission during the following examination period.

Disclaimer:

The coordinator may, if deemed necessary, modify the deadlines for teachers and/or students if he or she deems that there are adverse circumstances that impact the submission of the work.

References

• Canadian International School of Beijing

• Canadian International School of Hefei

• IBO. (2009). The Diploma Programme: From principles into practice. Cardiff: Author.

• IBO. (2011). Academic honesty. Cardiff: Author.

• IBO. (2016a). Diploma Programme general regulations: Diploma Programme. Cardiff: Author.

ENCOURAGING ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

At ISNS (International School of Nanshan Shenzhen) we strive to provide our students with the opportunity to utilize the latest in information technology and hardware as they engage in the learning process.

Students in EY and PYP (Primary Years Programme) can use iPads (K4 to Grade 3), or MacBooks (Grades 4 and 5) provided by the school as a regular learning tool. Students will be assigned a specific ISNS-owned device for use throughout the academic year. The student’s homeroom teacher will keep a record of which device is assigned to each student. iPad and MacBook which are owned by ISNS are not to be taken home and should be kept in the homeroom where a locked storage cabinet with charging capabilities is available. The only occasion for which a device should be removed from the homeroom is for a special subject classroom like music. Devices should always be accounted for and locked up in the correct storage cabinet in the homeroom at the end of each day. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure his or her device is put away properly.

Students are responsible for safeguarding devices such as iPads and MacBook while using them. Students (or their parents) will be charged for repairs or replacement if they damage a device that is owned by ISNS, whether the damage is caused intentionally, by negligence or by accident. If a device assigned to a specific student goes missing, the student to whom it is assigned will be held responsible unless it can be proven that another individual is guilty of theft. The teacher and principal will investigate to determine the cause of any damage or loss before determining who is to be held responsible. All classrooms are equipped with CCTV to which the principals have access.

MYP (Middle Years Programme) and DP students need to bring their own laptop (MacBook) for use daily.

Teachers will provide access to innovative applications and software designed to support each specific subject area.

Acceptable Use for Technology

All students are expected to make appropriate choices regarding technology use. Students will be educated on the responsible use of technology in their lives, including topics such as: developing an understanding of and evaluating online resources, online safety, appropriate online behavior, effectively managing time spent on devices, plagiarism, and respecting privacy.

Responsible Digital Citizenship

· Student use of technology should be informed by the ideals of the IB Learner Profile and be in line with expectations set by teachers and the school.

· Respect academic rules regarding proper documentation and plagiarism. Use only legally obtained software. When in doubt, consult a teacher or librarian.

· Malfunctioning technology should not be used as an excuse for not meeting the expectations of a course.

· Students should read all school and course communications (emails and website postings) daily.

· MYP and DP students must come to class with their laptop prepared: necessary files and software backed up and accessible, anti-virus software up-to-date, and a charged battery. Students must plan their day so that they have adequate battery power for all academic requirements.

· Students should learn and develop the technological skills required for participation in each of their courses.

· Students should use the school’s network, computer systems and communication tools in constructive ways, for academic purposes only.

· Do not let technology be disruptive to learning in any way. Online entertainment activities such as video game playing, video and audio streaming and instant messaging compete with academic work and are discouraged throughout the school day.

· Do not bring electronic devices to the cafeteria or to play areas as they may become damaged.

· While in class, students should open only the programs, windows, and tabs that are relevant to the class as permitted by the teacher.

· Students should use the same discretion in online communication as with in any other form of communication.

· Students are not permitted to use electronic devices in the cafeterias.

Expectations and Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence in School

ISNS recognizes the benefits and challenges that artificial intelligence (AI) presents to schools. AI can empower teaching and learning but has also caused alarm about academic honesty and appropriate usage. While we cannot predict what AI will look like in the future, we embrace the IB learner profile attribute of being 'open minded' when establishing guidelines for use of AI. We are committed to continuous review and adaptation of our policies as AI evolves. We have created a series of guiding statements for teachers and students not tied to specific technologies and focused on improving the quality of teaching and learning.

Teacher use of AI:

· Teachers are expected to stay informed about current AI technologies and integrate them into their teaching practices when they can enhance the learning experience.

· Teachers are encouraged to provide age-appropriate AI information and guidance to students, fostering safe and informed use of these technologies.

· Teachers are required to set clear expectations for AI use by students.\

· Teachers are required to understand and uphold the AI academic integrity policy, ensuring students do the same.

· Teachers are encouraged to use AI to assist with differentiating for student achievement.

· Teachers are encouraged to use AI when designing and revising curriculum, producing class resources, and planning lessons.

· Teachers are encouraged to share successful strategies for using AI to differentiate instruction among their peers.

Student use of AI:

· Students must adhere to teacher guidelines on the appropriate use of AI for assessments, ensuring clarity on when AI assistance is permitted.

· Students are required to cite any AI-generated material used in their work, following established citation standards.

· Students must uphold academic honesty by transparently acknowledging AI use in their work.

· Students are encouraged to learn how to effectively use AI to enhance their personal learning experiences and outcomes.

· Students are encouraged to explore emerging AI technologies and share their insights and findings with peers and teachers, fostering a collaborative learning environment

Acceptable use expectations are in place to protect students. It is our goal to prevent students from becoming victims of online misconduct, to prevent inappropriate or unlawful activities by students online, and to prevent unauthorized disclosure of or access to sensitive information and inappropriate materials. These policies, guidelines and rules refer to all computing devices including but not limited to computers, mobile web enabled devices, iPads, MP3 players, portable memory storage devices, calculators with interfacing capability, cell phones or electronic communication devices, digital cameras, etc., as well as technology infrastructure, associated peripheral devices and/or software that access the ISNS internet/computer network directly or indirectly; and all computers and devices owned by the ISNS. Only current ISNS students, teachers and staff are authorized to use the ISNS network and devices, unless specific access has been given by the administration ahead of time.

These policies, guidelines and rules refer to all computing devices including but not limited to computers, mobile web enabled devices, iPads, MP3 players, portable memory storage devices, calculators with interfacing capability, cell phones or electronic communication devices, digital cameras, etc., as well as technology infrastructure, associated peripheral devices and/or software that access the ISNS internet/computer network directly or indirectly; and all computers and devices owned by the ISNS.

ISNS reserves the right to, and will, monitor all technology use on campus as well as any technology use that enters the school community (both physically and through online spaces and means). This includes personal devices such as tablets, mobile phones and personal computers. The leadership team, faculty and technology staff have the right to examine any student files or devices without warning. Computers may be remotely accessed and observed by ISNS staff without student or parent knowledge/consent. Computers may have restrictions placed on them by the IT (Information Technology) Office due to disciplinary action. It is considered a severe offense to remove or block school personnel's ability to monitor technology use.

Illegal or inappropriate activities conducted utilizing the ISNS network such as: drug or alcohol related activities; threatening the safety of another; gambling; promoting a pyramid scheme; distributing obscenities; receiving, transmitting, or possessing pornography; infringing copyrights; making threats—are prohibited and may be reported to the authorities. Use of the school network for commercial purposes, advertising, personal profit, unauthorized fundraising, or political lobbying/campaigning is prohibited.

ISNS will use technology protection measures to block or filter, to the extent practicable, access of visual depictions that are obscene, pornographic, and harmful to minors over the network. ISNS reserves the right to monitor users' online activities and to access, review, copy, and store or delete any electronic communication or files and disclose them to others as it deems necessary. Users should have no expectation of privacy regarding their use of school property, network and/or Internet access or files, including email.

Students using the ISNS computer network, internet access and devices agree to the terms of this policy. All users will be held accountable for this policy by the school. By using the ISNS network and or ISNS devices, users have agreed to this policy.

Acceptable Uses of the ISNS Computer Network or the Internet

Access to the ISNS computer network and internet access is provided for educational purposes and school business only. Technology is a powerful tool for learning and can enhance the learning experience greatly. At ISNS, we want all students to become experienced users of technology to prepare them for future careers and life. If a user is unsure about whether a particular use is acceptable or appropriate, they should consult a teacher or other appropriate ISNS personnel.

Unacceptable Uses of the Computer Network or Internet

Below are examples of inappropriate activities when using the ISNS network or devices. The school reserves the right to take immediate action regarding activities (1) that create security and/or safety issues for the school, students, employees, network or computer resources, or (2) that expend school resources on content that ISNS in its sole discretion determines lacks legitimate educational content/purpose, or (3) other activities as determined by ISNS as inappropriate. Any misuse of the network/internet in violation of this policy must be reported to a teacher or other appropriate ISNS personnel.

Violating any law or municipal ordinance, such as:

· Accessing or transmitting pornography of any kind, obscene depictions, harmful materials, materials that encourage others to violate the law, confidential information, or copyrighted materials;

· Criminal activities that can be punished under law;

· Selling or purchasing illegal items or substances;

· Obtaining and/or using anonymous email sites; spamming; spreading viruses;

Causing harm to others or damage to their property, such as:

· Using profane, abusive, or impolite language; threatening, harassing, or making damaging or false statements about others or accessing, transmitting, or downloading offensive, harassing, or disparaging materials;

· Deleting, copying, modifying, or forging other users' names, emails, photographs, files, or data; disguising one's identity, impersonating other users, or sending anonymous email;

· Damaging computer equipment, files, data, or the network in any way, including intentionally accessing, transmitting, or downloading computer viruses or other harmful files or programs, or disrupting any computer system performance;

· Using any ISNS computer or device to pursue “hacking,” internal or external to ISNS, or attempting to access information protected by privacy laws; or

· Accessing, transmitting, or downloading large files, including 'chain letters', plagiarism or any type of 'pyramid schemes'.

Engaging in uses that jeopardize access or lead to unauthorized access into others’ accounts or other computer networks, such as:

· Using another’s account password(s) or identifier(s);

· Interfering with other users' ability to access their account(s); or

· Disclosing anyone’s password to others or allowing them to use another’s account(s).

Using the network or internet for commercial purposes:

· Using the Internet for personal financial gain;

· Using the Internet for personal advertising, promotion, or financial gain; or

· Conducting for-profit business activities and/or engaging in non-government related fundraising or public relations activities such as solicitation and distribution for religious purposes, lobbying for personal political purposes.

Consequences for Improper Use

The use of devices at ISNS and the ISNS network is a privilege, not a right, and misuse will result in consequences. Those consequences can include:

· A device will be taken away or restricted access applied for a specified period.

· The student will be asked to give a presentation to other students about internet safety or good digital citizenship.

· Severe misuse may also lead to disciplinary and/or legal action, including suspension, expulsion, or criminal prosecution by government authorities. ISNS will attempt to tailor any disciplinary action to the specific issues related to each violation.

Student Internet Safety

· Students under eighteen should only access ISNS school and teacher websites outside of school if a parent or legal guardian supervises their usage. The student’s parent or guardian is responsible for monitoring the minor’s use.

· Students should not reveal on the Internet personal information about themselves or other people. For example, students should not reveal their name, home address, telephone number, or display photographs that can be deemed disreputable of themselves or others including family and friends.

· Students should not meet in person anyone they have met only on the Internet.

· Students must abide by all laws, this Acceptable Use Policy, and all school security policies.

· Students must tell a teacher or parents if anyone on the Internet asks personal questions about themselves or sees anything that makes them feel uncomfortable.

· Students will use only polite and appropriate language when using the Internet.

· Students will not copy anything from the Internet and claim it is “my work.”

· Students should keep their passwords secure and never share passwords with others, even a close friend.

Electronic Communications

The contents of any electronic communications, including email, instant messaging, blogs, wikis, and social networking sites should be composed with the utmost care. Information sent out through the internet can become permanent since recipients may forward information to locations where there is no control over future dissemination. The potential to bring harm to oneself, to others, and to ISNS is real and must be considered each time one communicates online.

The ISNS logo, school name, and branding tagline cannot be used in any electronic media or communication or otherwise without the prior written permission of ISNS’s department of communications.

Disclaimer

The International School of Nanshan Shenzhen makes no guarantees about the quality of the services provided and is not responsible for any claims, losses, damages, costs, or other obligations arising from use of the network or accounts. Any extra charges a user accrues from the school’s network are to be borne by them. ISNS also denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained through user access. Any statement, accessible on the computer network or the Internet, is understood to be the author's individual point of view and not that of ISNS, its affiliates, or employees.

ISNS School-Owned Laptop Policy and Procedures for MYP

Laptops owned by ISNS (including the related accessories) will be distributed to Grade 6 students on a one-to-one basis at the beginning of the school year for school and home use. Students are responsible for bringing the laptop to school every day. Students, along with their parents, will sign acceptance of this policy and submit it to the IT department before the laptop is issued.

Precautions

Students are responsible for the general care of the laptop (whether used at school or at home). General precautions for laptop use include but not limited to:

· Food and beverages can damage the laptop. Students will be responsible for damage caused by food and beverage spills.

· Cords, cables, and removable devices should be inserted carefully into the laptop. Only charge the laptop with the charger that is provided.

· Students should never carry their laptop while the screen is open.

· Laptops should remain free of any writing, drawing, stickers, or label that are not the property of ISNS.

· Laptops should never be left in a vehicle or any unsupervised area.

· Students should take proper care of the laptop screen by not touching, poking, and scratching the screen.

· Students should not allow anyone else, including family members, to use their assigned laptop. Students are responsible for any loss or damage that occurs when someone else is using the assigned laptop.

Intentional or Negligent Damage or Loss

Students are expected to keep the school-owned laptop in good condition. Failure to do so will result in fines depending on the condition the laptop is in. Students will be responsible for the full cost of repair or replacement1 for the following:

· Liquid/beverage spills on the laptop - eating or drinking near a laptop is not accidental.

· Excessive scratches or wear on the laptop.

· Damage caused by repairs made by an unauthorized source. School-owned laptops should be brought for repair to the ISNS IT department.

· Deliberate damage, neglect or abuse caused by the student (and others if the student allows others to use their laptop). This includes intentionally marking, defacing, tampering with the laptop, and damaging the screen by compressing or dropping it.

· Loss of laptop (e.g., leaving the laptop in an unlocked car, public transport and area or any other unknown reason).

· In case of theft, vandalism and other criminal acts and fire, a police or fire report should be filed and provided to principals and IT department within 2 weeks. If no clear supporting evidence can be provided, students will be responsible for full replacement cost.

1: If a new laptop is assigned to the student, the replacement cost of the laptop will be the current market value of same or similar model; if a used laptop is assigned to the student, the replacement cost will be based on ISNS’s recorded net book value.

Suspension of Laptop Use

Students are expected to use their computer in accordance with the school Acceptable Use Policy and any applicable laws. The following actions are NOT permitted on school-owned laptops that assigned to students:

· Physically altering or dissembling a computer in any way.

· Altering software or applications that are installed by the school.

Responsible Digital Citizenship

Students are expected to follow the ISNS statement about digital citizenship (stated above).

Any violation of the rules stated above could lead to any of the combination of the following:

· Removal of take-home privileges.

· Permanent removal of school technology privileges.

· Financial payment for damages as mentioned under “Intentional or Negligent Damage or Loss.”

· Other consequences deemed necessary.

Return of Laptops to School

Students will return their original laptop at the end of each school year for maintenance, cleaning, and software installations. The same laptop will be assigned to the student at the beginning of subsequent school years. Students must return the laptop and related accessories (including charger) to the school in case of withdrawal. Laptops may be collected at other times during the school year if maintenance or software installation is needed at any given time.

Laptop Technical Support Contacts

If the laptop is damaged, malfunctioning, stolen or lost, it must be reported to the ISNS IT department (T513) and MYP Principal immediately. Please bring the damaged or malfunctioning laptop to the IT department within 24 hours of noticing the damage and do not attempt to fix the damaged or malfunction yourself or through any unauthorized repair service.

A certified nurse is stationed on campus during times when children are present.  The school nurses take on the responsibility of caring for the health and safety of students in the school.  Additionally, teachers monitor their students state of health at all times.

Sending a Child to the Nurse

When feeling unwell, Kindergarten and Grade 1 children will be escorted to the nurse's station by a teacher or TA.  Children from Grade 2 and above can go to the nurse's station unaccompanied but must report to their teacher first.  The nurse's station is located in room E102.

Nurse’s Station Office Hours:

• Monday/Thursday – 7:45am to 5:45pm

• Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday – 7:45am to 4:45pm

• Closed evenings, weekends and holidays

The following symptoms are indications for sending a student to the nurse station:

• General weakness

• Fatigue

• Severe sore throat

• Headache

• Dizziness

• Fever

• Rash

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Bad cough

Sending a Student Home

The following medical problem are indications for sending a student home:

• Fever above 37.6 degrees (centigrade);

• Diarrhea;

• Vomiting;

• Suspected communicable diseases;

• Eye infections;

• Head lice;

• Suspicious looking rashes;

• Any other medical conditions in which the child becomes unwell and the teacher feels the child cannot continue in the lesson.

The student should see a doctor and remain at home until the fever has settled for 24 hours without medication or until 24 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhea.

The school nurse will be in touch with the parents after a child is sent home in order to keep track of the child’s medical condition.  If a student is ill with a contagious disease, the parents must contact the school immediately to report it. A note from the parents indicating that the child is fully recovered is needed when the student returns to school.  A medical clearance from a doctor may be required in order to return to school, depending on the disease. The student must go to the nurse's station first and get a permission slip from the nurse stating this student has fully recovered so that the student can go back to the classroom to study.

Medication at School

Teachers are NOT allowed to dispense medicine for any student at any time.  Students are not allowed to carry medicine or store it in their backpacks or desk. Exceptions to this policy can be given only with administrative approval.

If parents require the school nurse to dispense medicines to their child during school hours, they need to complete and sign a 'Parent Consent to Administer Medicine' letter which can be obtained from the nurse's station.  The school nurse will inform the class teacher when the child should take the medication, and the child must then visit the nurse's station at the appropriate time.  Medicines stored in the nurse's station must be taken home by the parents at the end of each school day.

Asthma inhalers and epi-pens can be brought to the school and kept by the student or in the nurse's station only when it is authorized by the parents, the principal and the school nurse.

Medication taken on school excursions will be kept by the teacher or accompanying nurse.

Health-Related Incidents and Accidents

Depending on the severity of the incident, first responders on scene should contact the school nurse and/or Emergency Services. 

Emergency Phone Numbers

Nurse's station: 86717714

24 Hour Nurse Contact: 13316913727

Emergency Services: 120

Teachers and TAs are responsible for reporting injuries and accidents that occur anywhere on the school premises.  The staff member who witnesses the accident is responsible for making sure the child makes it to the nurse's station and informing the school nurse about what happened.

Children who are seriously injured or in a coma must not be moved unless they are in life-threatening circumstances or the school nurse has authorized such movement.  If the child is to go to a clinic or hospital, a teacher or staff member whom the child trusts, preferably one who speaks Mandarin, will accompany the student to the clinic or hospital.  The school nurse may also accompany the child to the clinic or hospital in some cases.

The proper chain of communication should be followed whenever a health-related incident or accident happens.  Individuals to be notified, in this order, are:  Nurse, Homeroom Teacher, Administrative Office Director, Parents, Principal and Head of School.  The nurse will contact Emergency Services, the clinic or hospital if necessary and not done by the first responder.

Nurse's Log 

The school nurse will take action to assist the child, making a record of the injury in the Daily Encounter Record.  For injuries or illness that are presumed to be serious, the parents will be informed immediately by phone or whatever method possible.  The nurse should always err on the side of caution and notify parents when in doubt.

Injuries that may be considered serious include but are not limited to:

• Head injuries

• Back injuries

• Possible broken bones

• Serious bleeding

• Vomiting

• Diarreah

• Fever

At the end of every weekday, the school nurse will send the Daily Encounter Record from the Nurse's Log to all homeroom teachers.  Homeroom teachers are expected to read and review the log and make contact with parents if they believe any follow up is need from the school.  

Incident Report

Teachers are responsible for recording incidents by completing the ISNS Incident Report Form.  An incident is defined as any occurrence of violence, serious misbehavior, accident, injury, abuse, neglect, harm, etc. involving any member of the ISNS school community.  The staff member who witnesses the incident is generally responsible for completing the Incident Form but this responsibility may be passed on to the homeroom teacher if the witness has no connection to the child.  The Incident Report must be forwarded to the Homeroom Teacher and/or Principal.  

The section of the Nurse's Log pertaining to the incident (if the child visited the nurse) should be attached to the Incident Report – this will be done by the administrative office when the incident report is placed in the student's file.  Incident reports will be saved digitally in OpenApply/ManageBac once the system is operational.

Each student involved may be asked to write their account of incident.  This account will be attached to the incident report for reference if needed.

When communicating with parents or caregivers, ISNS staff will only report information pertaining to that person's individual child. Teachers will take extra care not to name or be drawn into naming other students when communicating with parents.  The Incident Report is an internal ISNS document.

Emergency Preparedness

Procedures are in place for foreseeable emergencies that may affect the safety of students at ISNS.  The school will be closed should there be an emergency that makes it unsafe to travel to school.  School buildings will be evacuated should there be a fire or other emergency which causes it to be unsafe to remain inside.  Additional procedures have been established to “lock-down” the campus in the event of an intruder or other outside dangers.

Every student should be aware of these procedures and carefully follow their teacher’s instructions should an emergency occur

Storm Day Procedures

During the rainy season in the summer and fall, tropical Shenzhen may experience heavy rains and typhoons. In the case of a Yellow Typhoon Warning or a Red Rainstorm Warning, school will be closed and all parents will be contacted about the Storm Day by email and by Wechat message. Please make sure your contact information with the school is up-to-date. Also, please refer to our Student Agenda for our Emergency Plan Procedure.

For city-wide information about weather conditions, parents are advised to watch television (SZTV), listen to the radio or call the weather channel at 12121 (press 1 for Mandarin, 2 for Cantonese and 3 for English) for updates.

Students who arrive at school on a Storm Day can stay in the classrooms with our teachers until transportation home is arranged.

School Closure Plan for Typhoons and Extreme Weather

All parents will be contacted by ISNS webmail and WeChat if school is closed prior to 6:30 AM and most likely before 10:30 PM on the evening before a typhoon. For sudden storm warnings parents will be contacted immediately. Parents are advised to watch SZTV or call the weather channel at 12121 (press 1 for Mandarin, 2 for Cantonese and 3 for English) for bad weather warnings. If the SZTV warning light goes to Level 8, Yellow Warning Signal of Typhoon, or Red Warning Level of Heavy Rain (or if the SZTY states that schools in Shenzhen should be closed) check your email and your mobile phone for messages from the school.

Please note that you will not receive a call, as this method is far too slow. If parents are not presently receiving our webmail or emergency text messages, they are advised to check with the Admissions office to make sure that their email and mobile phone information is correct. If parents do not have access to the Internet, please follow the SZTV warnings and contact another parent who does have access. The school Admissions Office will be open by 8:00 AM (26454994) and parents can call at that time. Please never allow your child to go to the bus alone in bad weather since buses may be re-routed and not on time.

Air Quality

Student Resources

Classroom resources and equipment are provided by ISNS for students to use on a daily basis.  Such items include books, writing materials, desks, chairs, lockers/cubbies and electronic devices.

Students who lose or damage school resources are responsible for paying replacement costs. Students must return resources as requested by the teacher or if a student withdraws from ISNS. Report Cards will be withheld if resources are not returned or are not in good condition.

Water Coolers

We encourage all students to keep hydrated throughout the school day.  Water coolers are located throughout the school for students to use.  ISNS water bottles are available for purchase.

Lost and Found

A “Lost and Found” service is provided in the school reception desk.  Items that are lost will be placed there for a limited period of time, after which they will be donated.

Cubbies and Lockers

Students in EY and PYP are provided with an open cubby to use for storing their personal items during the day.  Students in MYP and DP are provided with a locker to use but must provide their own lock.  Cost of repair for any damage to the cubbies or lockers is the responsibility of the student/parent.  If a student loses the key or combination to his or her locker, the lock will be cut off.  The school reserves the right to open any locker if deemed necessary.