Respect

Towards others:

• Respect other students´ work.
• Accept and value others, appreciating different opinions.
• Use adequate language, either verbal or non-verbal, at all times.
• Solve conflicts through communication strategies, appealing to the cooperation of Staff members.
• Be well-mannered and cordial with their peers and adults.
• Respect teachers´ professional role and that of adults in general.
• Show good manners.
• Be punctual.
• Appreciate uses, customs, cultures and diverse traditions.
• Protect and preserve the intimacy and welfare of community members.

Towards themselves:

• Take care of their physical and spiritual health.
• Comply with the basic norms of personal hygiene.

Towards national spirit:

• Know the history of their nation and value its culture.
• Respect National Emblems.

Towards the Institution:

• Show respect for the School, its history and its idiosyncrasy and the values and norms it upholds.
• Protect and preserve the Institution's image.
• Respect the School uniform and wear it with pride.

Towards the environment:

• Respect other people's property.
• Respect Community property.
• Look after the School buildings and resources.

Solidarity

• Be sensitive, attentive and open-minded to the needs and feelings of others.
• Be committed to community activities; cooperate with Service activities proposed by the Institution in accordance with its motto, Friendship & Service.

Justice

• Know the values and norms of the Institution, assume responsibility for their own actions and the consequences derived from them.
• Practise the right to make appropriate claims, respecting time and means.
• Behave objectively and fairly.
• Act with integrity, practise good companionship and avoid complicity in conflict situations.
• Practise "fair play".

Honesty

• Tell the truth and defend it.
• Practise intellectual honesty.
• Keep one´ s word.
• Be capable of self-criticism.
• Honour others by valuing them. Avoid slander.

Responsibility and Commitment

• Assume the consequences of one´ s actions and omissions.
• Look after one´ s belongings (by keeping them in appropriate places, labelling them clearly and retrieving them from lost property as soon as possible).
• Use resources rationally.
• Be punctual at all times and comply with the established deadlines.
• Comply in due time and manner with the norms and administrative requirements of the School.
• Avoid risking one's health or welfare, or those of others.
• Do not publish through any means of communication (audio-visual and/or technological) material that includes the Institution or any member of its community without the express written permission of School Authorities.
• Always wear the School uniform, which must be clean and neat.
• Be committed to one's studies. • Put into practice the School motto: "Friendship and Service".
• Participate responsibly in extra-curricular events. • Adopt a critical and constructive attitude.

Perseverance

• Maintain a positive attitude in the face of challenges.
• Keep a sustained effort to achieve objectives and overcome difficulties.
• Exercise will power to attain personal and group aims.
• Capitalize on mistakes as part of the learning process.

Northlands' Parents and Staff members agree on the need to teach and maintain these values by setting the example in their daily actions and supporting the School in this task.

Teaching Values

The transmission of the aforementioned values is an everyday task which is closely related to academic teaching. Values must be present transversally in all fields and must be approached systematically. Every School level devotes class hours to the teaching of values. For situations requiring special attention, Northlands has engaged the services of a team of educational psychologists, psychologists and tutors who will help students out of class hours, and, if necessary, will advise parents as well.

Northlands School has a system of awards and sanctions which act as an additional incentive for the transmission of our values.

Children's secondary socialization process is initiated in Kindergarten and work is carried out on moral development as a process of internal construction in the student. For this, Northlands favours situations where children can choose and decide for themselves, where they have the possibility of cooperating voluntarily with others, and where they can start to construct their own moral system of convictions.

Individual and group achievements are acknowledged and fostered, as a way of reinforcing and valuing good behaviour and academic practice, which is fundamental to the consolidation of self-esteem.

When faced with a conflict situation, talks are held on an individual and group basis. These talks usually start with a reflection stage during which students are made aware of the need for them to become responsible for their own acts. In all cases students will be encouraged to apologise and to repair any damage that they may have done. In this way self-control will be fostered within the context of this Community Code.

The following awards have been designed as a complement to the habitual system of positive reinforcement. They are intended to inspire the personal and academic progress of each student, in accordance with the School values.

Kindergarten Section
Flag Bearers: The Kindergarten's philosophy is to transmit to the children love for their country and respect towards its symbols. The importance of bearing the flag will be talked about and reflected upon and students will vote for the pupil who merits this honour. Attitudes that we wish to promote, like good behaviour, effort and solidarity, together with those promoted by the IB profile (that students be inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective), will be focused on. Students will be taught to take into account the above mentioned criteria rather than personal friendship when voting. Students will bear the Argentine flag, the Buenos Aires Province flag and the School's flag indistinctly.

Primary Section
Flag Bearers: These are chosen by the Primary Heads and teachers among the students of Year 6. Ethical principles, academic achievement, perseverance in their studies and a spirit of solidarity and companionship are taken into account when making the decision.

Primary Section: These are granted twice a year to promote excellence and to reward outstanding behaviour or work. The students receive a certificate from the Principal or Deputy Principal during a special assembly. The students are chosen by a committee formed by Heads and teachers.

Merit Awards: These are given to the students throughout the year to strengthen their self-improvement, recognizing academic and / or attitudinal achievements. The student receives a certificate awarded by a Head / coordinator during an assembly. Students are selected by a committee of Heads and teachers.

English Certificate: They are given to students throughout the year in recognition of their effort to promote the use of English. The student receives a certificate awarded by a Head / coordinator during an assembly. Students are selected by a committee of Heads and teachers.

House Points: These are points for the House, given as a reward for the students´ effort in various academic activities; sports, music, theatre, service, etc. At the end of the year, the House Awards (engraving on the House Shield, cups, etc.) are given to the House which obtains the most points.

Annual Awards: At the end of each year, the following awards are given to outstanding students in each Year group. Students are chosen by a committee formed by Heads and teachers.

Friendship and Service for those students whose actions reflect values of friendship and service, which are the founding spirit of Northlands School. The students receiving them are chosen by their peers.

All Round Excellencese for the student whose excellent work in all areas and commitment towards the School values is outstanding.

Excellence in English for the student with an outstanding academic performance in English.

Excellence in Spanish for the student with an outstanding academic performance in Spanish.

Constant Effort and Progress for the student who has shown constant and sustained effort in his/her work throughout the year and has made significant academic progress.

Sports Colours for students who have excelled in any sports activity. In this case the students are selected by the Physical Education & Sports Department.

Secondary Section
Flag Bearers: The National Flag is carried and escorted by students in their last year of Secondary school, who at the end of the previous year obtained the three best averages.

The Provincial Flag is carried by a student in the last year of Secondary school, who, at the end of the previous year, was chosen best companion by his/her group of peers. The escorts are Year 9 students who have obtained a similar distinction at the end of Year 8.

The School Flag will be carried by a student in the last year of Secondary school who, at the end of the previous year, was chosen as Service Captain for outstanding performance in service activities to the Community. The escorts are two students who, amongst the rest of the Secondary students, have also been considered outstanding in service activities.

It is important to point out that, in all cases, the School reserves the right not to award the honour of bearing a flag to a student whose behaviour is inadequate or has been disciplined repeatedly for not complying with what is established in the Northlands Community Code. In each particular case, the decision will be taken by the Head of Section and the Principal. Should a student commit any serious fault during the awarded period, he/she will also lose this honour.

Principal's Commendations: These are granted to promote excellence at Northlands School, rewarding outstanding behaviour or work. Excellence can be related to outstanding academic achievement, significant progress or proof of outstanding honourable conduct. Teachers may point out students they wish to distinguish and the Head of Section will see that this is carried out. These commendations are awarded twice a year and the student receives a certificate at an assembly.

Honour Roll: Students, who obtain an average of 9 or more in a term, are mentioned in the Honour Roll (Academic Excellence Chart).

House Points: These are points for the House, awarded according to the results obtained by the students in various activities (academic, sports, music, theatre, service, etc). At the end of the year, the House that has obtained the highest number of points is mentioned at the Prize-Giving Ceremony and the House Captains receive the House Shield.

Annual Awards: At the end of each year, the following awards are given to the most outstanding students in each form:

Friendship and Service: For students whose actions reflect values of friendship and service, which are the founding spirit of Northlands School. The students are chosen by their peers and teachers.

All Round Excellence: For the Year 12 student whose excellent work in all areas and commitment towards the School values is outstanding. The student is selected by a committee formed by Heads and teachers.

Academic Excellence: For the student who obtains the highest academic average in his/her form, reaching a minimum of 8, 50 marks.

Progress and Effort: For students who have shown constant and sustained effort in their work throughout the year. Teachers may point out students they wish to distinguish with this prize to their Coordinators or Head, who will take the final decision.

Sports Colours: for students who have excelled in any sports activity (hockey, rugby, athletics, etc.). Students are chosen by a committee of Heads and teachers from the Physical Education Department.

These sanctions have been designed to complement daily classroom work and to guide our students so that they are responsible for their actions and words. Sanctions appeal to reflection, to the reparation the damage done and to the acceptance of the consequences of their actions. They are applied by teachers under the supervision of the Heads.

Primary Section
When dealing with the infringement of our Institutional Community Code, the teacher will use strategies fostering student reflection and improvement. The possible measures to be taken, depending on the nature of the offence, are:

• Asking the student to reflect on what has happened.
• Asking the student to commit themselves in writing to complying with the Community Code.
• Reparation of the damage done.

Sanctions may take the form of:

Order Mark: is applied when a minor offence occurs (E.g. not complying with the School uniform, repeatedly failing to hand in the slips of the letters sent to parents, not having the necessary materials in class, etc.) Offences are registered in the student's Conduct Card, where the parent's signature is required.

Conduct Mark: is a measure taken to correct a major fault or repeated minor misdemeanours; it is accompanied by a reflection card and the repair of the act. (E.g. impoliteness and rudeness, verbal aggression, physical aggression, fist fights, lack of respect for other people's property, intimidation, academic dishonesty, forgery, leaving school without permission, discrimination, walking about school during class time, etc.). The students also sign the Libro de Actas. The Conduct Mark is registered in the student's Conduct Card and the parent's signature is required.

Suspensión Externa: it is applied in extremely serious circumstances and when the continuity of the student at school is at risk. The student does not attend school during the established suspension period. On their return they must hand in a piece of work assigned by the Heads and teachers.

Retención de Matrícula: it amounts to reconsidering the student's enrolment for the following academic year, and it is subject to a significant change in attitude on the part of the student and to the family complying with the School's Mission and the Institutional Community Code.

No re-matriculación: it is an official confirmation that the student will not be offered re-enrolment for the following academic year.

Secondary Section
Apart from habitual and informal talking-to´s, students may also receive, whenever they violate the Institutional Community Code (ICC), formal sanctions of which their parents will be notified through the Observation Form and Attitude Form. After the third infringement of the ICC punished by means of the Attitude Form parents will be summoned for an interview with the Head of Secondary.

Repeated or serious offences will be punished through Attitude Forms and will have the following consequences detailed in the chart below:

All formal discipline measures, in every case, foster reflection and the conscientious improvement of student behaviour. To this purpose, discipline measures notified through the Attitude Form may be preceded by written warnings informed to parents through the Observation Form, when an offence allows for this.

It is important to bear in mind that in the case of a serious violation of the ICC, the student may be punished severely, without recourse to the steps mentioned above.

Northlands Community Code aims to foster excellent behaviour so as to create a calm and purposeful atmosphere within school. It does not intend to exhaust all the possible ways in which school life may be disrupted. Consequently it does not replace our responsibility and duty to resort to good judgement in the face of conflict, and to seek inspiration in the principles of the Constitution, the Provincial Law of Education and our Institutional Mission.