Pablo Valencia National High School

Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education

Region XII

Division of South Cotabato

PABLO VALENCIA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Annex of PoblacionPolomolok National High School

Koronadal Proper, Polomolok, South Cotabato

SCHOOL CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

VISION

We dream of Filipinos who passionately love their country and whose values and competencies enable them to realize their full potential and contribute meaningfully to building the nation.

As a learner-centered public institution, the Department of Education continuously improves itself to better serves its stakeholders.

MISSION

To protect and promote the right of every Filipino to quality, equitable, culture-based, and complete basic education where:

Students learn in a child-friendly, gender-sensitive, safe, and motivating environment.

Teachers facilities learning and constantly nurture every learner.

Administrator and staff, as stewards of the institution, insure an enabling and supportive environment for effective learning to happen.

Family, community, and other stakeholders are actively engaged and share responsibility for developing life-long learners.

CORE VALUES

Maka-Diyos

Makatao

Makakalikasan

Makabansa

INTRODUCTION

Pablo Valencia National High School is a student friendly institution which promotes the total welfare of its clientele- the students.

Pursuant to DepEd Order no. 40 s. 2012, it shall be the policy of the school to promote and provide a policy and guidelines on protecting school children from any form of abuse, violence, exploitation, discrimination and bullying.

Hence, the Pablo Valencia National High School shall adopt DepEd’s Child Protection Policy as its standing policy to ensure protection of our school children.

It is the school’s duty to ensure that policies and procedures on child protection are promulgated, complied with and monitored. It also needs to ensure that all students or learners, personnel, parents, guardians and visitors and guests are aware of the child protection policy.

Definition of Terms

“Child”– refers to persons below eighteen (18) years of age or those over but are unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition; (RA 7610). For purposes of this Department Order, the term also includes pupils or students who may be eighteen (18) years of age or older but are in school.

“Children in School”-refers to bona fide pupils, students or learners who are enrolled in the basic education system, whether regular, irregular, transferee or repeater, including those who have been temporarily out of school, who are in the school or learning center premises or participating in school-sanctioned activities.

“Pupil, Student or Learner”-means a child who regularly attends classes in any level of the basic education system, under the supervision and tutelage of a teacher or facilitator.

“School Personnel”- means the persons, singly or collectively, working in a public or private school. They are classified as School Head, Other School Officials and Academic Personnel.

“Child Protection”-refers to programs, services, procedures, and structures that are intended to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination and violence.

“Parent”-refers to biological parents, step-parents, adoptive parents and the common-law spouse or partner of the parent;

“Guardians or Custodians”-refers to legal guardians, foster parents, and other persons, including relatives or even non-relatives, who have physical custody of the child.

“School Visitor or Guest”-refers to any person who visits the school and has any official business with the school, and any person who does not have any official business but is found within the premises of the school.

“Child Abuse”-refers to the maltreatment of a child, whether habitual or not. Use to describe all the ways in which children are harmed, usually by adults and often by those they know and trust. It refers to the damage that has been, or may be, done to a child’s physical or mental health. An adult may abuse a child both by inflicting harm and by failing to prevent harm. Alternatively, a child may abuse another child.

There are four categories of abuse:

Physical abuse Emotional abuse

Sexual abuse Neglect

“Discrimination against children”-refers to an act of exclusion, distinction, restriction, or preference which is based on any ground such as age, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity, language, religion, national or social origin, property, birth, being pregnant, being infected or affected By Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), being a child in conflict with the law, being a child with disability or other status or condition, and which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by all persons, on an equal footing, of all rights and freedoms.

“Child exploitation”-refers to the use of children for someone else’s advantage, gratification or profit often resulting in an unjust, cruel and harmful treatment of the child.

2 forms:

Sexual Exploitation –refers to the abuse of position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes.

Economic Exploitation –refers to the use of the child in work or other activities for the benefit of others.

“Violence of Children Committed in schools”- refers to a single act or a series of acts committed by school administrators, academic and non-academic personnel against a child, which result in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering.

Physical violence –acts that inflict bodily or physical harm.

Sexual Violence –acts that are sexual in nature, including but not limited to rape, sexual harassment, forcing the child to watch obscene publications or shows or forcing the child to do indecent sexual acts, or any acts that causes the child to engage in any sexual activity by force, threat of force, physical or other harm, or through inducements, gifts or favors.

Psychological Violence –refers to acts of omissions causing or like to cause mental or emotional suffering of the child.Other acts of violence that are prejudicial to the interest of the child.

“Bullying or Peer Abuse” –refers to refer to any severe or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another student that has the effect of actually causing or placing the latter in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to his property; creating a hostile environment at school for the other student; infringing on the rights of the other student at school; or materially and substantially disrupting the education process or the orderly operation of a school; such as, but not limited to, the following:

• Any unwanted physical contact between the bully and the victim like punching, pushing, shoving, kicking, slapping, tickling, headlocks, inflicting school pranks, teasing, fighting and the use of available objects as weapons;
• Any act that causes damage to a victim’s psyche and/or emotional well-being;
• Any slanderous statement or accusation that causes the victim undue emotional distress like directing foul language or profanity at the target, name-calling, tormenting and commenting negatively on victim’s looks, clothes and body;
• Cyber-bullying or any bullying done through the use of technology or any electronic means.

Corporal Punishment” –refers to the kind of punishment or penalty imposed for an alleged or actual offense, which is carried for the purpose of discipline, training or control, by a teacher, school administrator, an adult, or any other child who has been given or has assumed authority or responsibility for punishment or discipline. It includes physical, humiliating or degrading punishment.

“Positive and Non-Violent Discipline of Children” –is a way of thinking and a holistic, constructive and pro-active approach to teaching that helps children develop appropriate thinking and behaviour in the short and long-term and fosters self-discipline. Positive discipline begins with setting the long-term goals or impacts that teachers want to have on their student’s adult lives and using everyday situations and challenges as opportunities to teach life-long skills and values to students.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The Pablo Valencia National High School takes seriously its responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of students and young people in its care.

Hence, the school and all its stakeholders commit to:

• Establish and maintain a learning environment where students feel safe and secured, is listened to and encouraged to talk about his/her feelings.
• Provide a warm and caring atmosphere for the learners where they can sought refuge from all forms of injustice or abuse.
• Implement measures to safeguard our students’ safety and protection from all forms of abuse.
• Assure appropriate child protection desks and procedure apply;
• Provide opportunities for the learners to develop skills to recognize and protect themselves from abuse.
• Deal appropriately with every suspicion or complaint of abuse
• Be alert to signs of abuse both in school and from outside
• Ensure all personnel understand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse or neglect, and their responsibility for prompt and thorough recording of cases and to promptly refer any concerns to the designated teacher responsible for child protection and safeguarding.

CODE OF CONDUCT

The Pablo Valencia National High School desires to in still in the students a positive attitude and practice of moral principles so that students will learn to appreciate their cultural heritage, develop their sense of identity ad belongingness to their society and their nation’s history and culture.

This code of conduct serves to promote order and sense of security inside the campus. The Code of Conduct is not only for the observance of the students, all stakeholders may also be covered by this directives.

Conduct Inside the School

1. Students are expected to practice self-discipline, be on time, refrain from all forms of cheating, be courteous to their classmates, teachers, visitors, and parents.

2. Students must avoid making untoward behavior from leaving the classroom unless excused by the teacher/s concerned.

3. The Students recognize their teachers as persons in authority.

4. Students must avoid eating and chewing bubble gums inside the classroom during class hours.

5. Students should observe silence, behave properly, should not loiter around during class hours so as to avoid destruction of classes.

6. All students must take care of school properties like buildings, chairs, equipment’s, books, tables, chalkboards, and should avoid writing anything on the said properties.

7. Students are discouraged from bringing comic books, brick-games, fire crackers, sharp-bladed instruments, deadly weapon, belt with heavy buckles inside the school campus. Said things will be confiscated and owners will be dealt with by the school authorities.

8. Students are prohibited to use cell phone and other electronic gadgets during class hour.

9. Bulletin Boards are only used for official announcement/ notices. Students should not put or write anything on it without proper permission from the office

Conduct Outside the School

1. A student should value and exercise self-discipline. He is expected to maintain the norms of conduct outside the school. He has the responsibility to uphold the name and integrity of the school.

2. Students must refrain from using vulgar words and scandalous actions.

3. All students must be ready to extend help and participate in all community activities.

4. Students must refrain from gambling and must not participate in all gatherings that will destroy the name of the school and their dignity.

5. Students must study their lessons, make and submit projects and assignments as well as prepare themselves for class activities.

Personal Conduct

1. During flag ceremony all students are expected to sing the Philippine National Anthem and recite the Pledge of allegiance with feelings, respect and sincere appreciation expected of a true Filipino Citizen.

2. Students must say polite words of greeting to their teacher, and classmates, and show appreciation and gratitude by saying thank you or goodbye as the case may be.

3. Students are expected to refrain from smoking, drinking alcoholic drinks, fighting, affiliating with gangs outside, using dirty language, gambling, drug pushing, and taking illegal drugs in and off the campus. Violators will be dealt with accordingly by the office/ school authorities.

4. All students are expected to be friendly, showing concern and respect to others or answering when not ask.

5. Students must manifest courtesy, obedience and respect to the authorities and visitors of the school.

Attendance

1. Every student is required to attend the flag raising and flag retreat ceremonies and other school related activities and must observe promptness to the said activities. (Except those with special permission from the office.)

2. Absences in all classes must be minimized or else the students will not be given credit. Ten (10) successive absences without informing the office will mean that the student/s is dropped from the school.

3. Student’s excuse letters must be countersigned by the parents/ guardians to be presented and noted by the class advisers to be signed by the subject teachers.

4. Students who fail to present excuse letters duly signed by the parents/ guardians will not be admitted until such time they present the said letter or accompanied by parents or guardians.

Tardiness

1. A student is considered late if he/ she misses the flag raising ceremony. All students are expected to be in school campus 15 minutes before the flag raising ceremony. If the student comes late he/ she is to abide with rules regarding tardiness after which he will be issued admit slip by the Prefect of Discipline or duly constituted representatives.

2. Late students after accomplishing the task given them as punishment should secure a tardy slip from the office or from the duly authorized personnel to be presented to the adviser/ classroom teachers for admission.

Cutting Class

1. A student is considered cutting classes if he/ she is in campus but misses one or more of his/ her classes in between.

2. Students who need to leave the school during class hours for an important transaction must write a letter of permission to be approved by the adviser, and should be presented to the security guard before leaving the school campus.

3. Students caught cutting classes will be required to bring their parent/ guardian to the school to update them the offense or misconduct committed by their son or daughter.

Uniform and Proper Haircut for Boys

1. All students are expected to wear complete and prescribed uniform in school as agreed upon in an assembly meeting by the parents.

2. The prescribed haircut for boys must be 2x3, to be inspected every first Monday of the month.

MINOR OFFENSES

1. Tardiness

2. Unexcused Absences

3. Cutting Classes

4. Loitering along the corridors: making unnecessary noise inside the classroom/school campus

5. Littering

6. Illegal Entry

7. Malicious Name Callings

8. Improper Use of Earrings

9. Does not wear complete uniform, borrows and tampers ID.

10. Not following the prescribed haircut & applies inappropriate hair dye or highlights.

11.Publishing or circulating gossip of false and unfounded information that would defame/degrade any school Faculty, Personnel or Student.

12. Dishonesty and cheating during examination, steals or any act of thief.

13. Using of cell phones and other electronic gadgets during class hours.

14. Habitually wears colored T-shirt not accepted as school uniforms inside the campus

OFFENSES (SERIOUS/GRIEVE)

1. Organizational/membership in illegal gangs or fraternities in school.

2. Carrying deadly weapons or bladed weapons inside the school campus.

3. Drug addiction, use or possession of dangerous and prohibited drugs.

4. Outright or habitual disrespect to school authorities, and dishonesty.

5. Involvement in any fight or rumble inside the classroom or within the premises of the school.

6. Extortion

7. Immoral conduct or indecency utterance of vulgar and malicious words, wearing of immodest dress.

8. Smoking inside/outside from the school campus during school days.

9. Destruction of school property

10. Reporting to school and attending classes under influence of liquor.

11. Involves in gambling in any form during school days.

12. Forging or tampering official signatures or school official document.

ACTION AND PENALTY

All serious/grieve offenses committed by the student shall be referred directly to the prefect of discipline.

The corresponding disciplinary sanctions are as follows:

WARNING= First Offense. Warning by the adviser/subject teacher

=Second Offense. Referral to the Guidance Office for Parent-Student-Teacher Conference

SUSPENSION= Third Offense. Erring student may be given work to accomplish, or may be suspended depending on the nature/gravity of the offense committed.

TRANSFER To Other School= Subsequent Offense. An erring student may be recommended for transfer to another school depending on the gravity or nature of the offense committed upon recommendation of the school authority.

NOTE:A. Disciplinary action depends on the weight offense committed by the student.

B. Minor offenses which are habitually committed can be classified as grieve/ serious offenses.

Sign of Abuse

Possible signs of abuse include (but are not limited to):

1. The student says she/he has been abused or asks a question which gives rise to that inference;
2. There is no reasonable or consistent explanation for student’s injury is unusual in kind or location; there have been a number of injuries; there is a pattern to injuries;
3. Display consistent aggression-frustration, maladjustment and anti-social behavior.
4. The student’s behavior stands out from the group as either being extreme model behavior or extremely challenging behavior; or there is a sudden change in the student’s behavior;
5. The student’s development is delayed;
6. The student is reluctant to go home, or has been openly rejected by his/her parents or guardians.

GENERAL PROCEDURE IN HANDLING PROBLEM CASES IN SCHOOL