Hello to all our European partners from our College Comenius team 2012-2013

AND A BIG THANK YOU TO ANYONE WHO HAS TAKEN PART IN ANY WAY.
Mrs S. Callens

Results of the Belgian musical evaluation

HERE ARE THE VOTES OF THE BELGIAN JURY.....

The Comenius Song we have created together during the Belgian European week is the one which has got the most votes : we wrote the lyrics during workshops and sang it together on Friday November 9^th during  the show presented to the families. It’s one of our first European products.

Students have chosen “Thrift shop” by Macklemore because this song encourages young people to use clothes that have already been worn in order not to judge people on what they own but on what they really are.  And it’s really one of the main goals of an European project : social mixing. Furthermore every young European nowadays knows this song ; so that’s music shared by everyone and reminding good memories of our weeks together.

Belgian teachers have preferred “We are the champions” by Queen because we can only work on a project like this if we coordinate teachers, students, parents, principals of a same school but also from the other partner schools.  And together we’ve achieved many great things this school year.

Another choice is Humba Täterä by Tim Toupe ft DJ Padre. This song has been sung so many times in Germany during the trips, during the free time,… Even if that song didn’t belong to our musical world before that European week, everybody has adopted it and now, it symbolizes our work and our experience together, especially in Germany.

Of course our wonderful dancing performance in Greece on “La corde à sauter” by Moussier Tombola is not to be sniffed at but we have selected another French song to end this musical evaluation : “Attention au départ” by Les Enfoirés. This song tells in French that you need the different skills of everyone involved in a project to achieve something great.  What our European project is concerned, it’s really the case : we need coordinators gifted in different ways to be complementary, several types of  participants : leaders, dancers, actors, singers, musicians, potato peelers, public speakers, entertainers,  active students, boys, girls…….to live such a wonderful and unique European experience !!!

A special thanks for anyone who has taken part in this evaluation.

The Belgian coordinator, S. Callens

Collège Visitation La Berlière's school rules

Early this year we translated our school rules in English and here they are.

COLLEGE VISITATION LA BERLIERE'S SCHOOL RULES

Raison d’etre

In order to fulfill its mission as described in the educational project, the school must organize decent life conditions so that :

-anyone can live and work here positively,

- anyone can apply society rules in their relationships,

-anyone can learn to respect others as human beings and during their activities,

-anyone can learn to work in group projects.

Therefore some rules must be determined to help anyone to situate himself.  Those rules must match the school educational projects.

Common measures

Absences and respect of schedules

-Pupils arrive on time in the morning. A late arrival has to remain exceptional and must always be justified. Latecomers have to go to see the educator who notifies the delay in the school diary. When there are too many delays, the student will get a detention.

-Any predictable absence has to be allowed by the Headmaster or one of his representatives and will be justified by a written note from the parents.  For any unpredictable absence, the secretary will be noticed before 09.00 a.m.

- For an absence longer than 3 days, a medical certificate must be sent to school.  Any absence at an examination must be justified by a medical certificate.

-After an absence, a pupil must show the medical certificate or the written note from the parents before entering class, to the person responsible, immediately when he is back at school.

Tobacco

According to the law, smoking is strictly forbidden on school grounds (buildings, playing grounds and open spaces of the school properties).

Special lessons

Pupils have to respect the special rules for these lessons or activities and will sign them up in presence of the sports teacher at the beginning of the school year.

Insurances

-During the opening hours of the school, pupils are insured by the school only for physical damage.

-This insurance also covers risks when outside the school only if pupils take the shortest way from their homes to their training places.

-If pupils come with motor vehicles, they are no more protected by the school insurance.

- Insurance doesn’t cover damages due to pupils’ liability.

-Thefts, different deteriorations (for example clothes damages, broken glasses, damages caused by means of transport even at school,….) or losses are not covered by school insurance.  Pupils shouldn’t come to school with valuables, the use of which is not necessary for school activities, such as mobile phones, laptops, IPods,…

-Any pupil is responsible for any deliberate deterioration or any deterioration due to lack of respect of the instructions given by the teachers or educators.

General Organisation at La Visitation

–                    The school is  opened between 8 am and 4.30 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and between 8 and 12.50 on Wednesdays, except on holidays.

–                    The students are not allowed to stay around the school or in the neighbouring streets.

In the morning they can't park in front of the school. They enter the school immediately.

–                    Everyone makes sure the parking lot and the school surroundings remain quiet  (no loud music in the parked cars,...)

 Behaviour

 –                    The student will respect himself and the others

–                    Any kind of physical or verbal abuse or violence will be punished immediately

–                    Politeness, hygiene and good manners will be kept inside and outside the school,  as well as in the extra curriculum activities and others .

–                    Relationship between girls and boys will be normal and decent.

–                    Students will dress appropriately.  The decisions will be left the Headmaster alone.

–                    Students will be polite and respectful in any situation.

 For the smooth running of the classroom:

 –                    The students line up quietly at the location which is reserved for them and follow the teachers to the classroom.

–                    The students ensure the cleanliness and in good state of the buildings and the equipment put at their disposal .

–                    Each student comes at school with his own material and takes care of it.

–                    It is strictly prohibited to drink, eat, chew, to wear headcoverings (not even in the schoolyard) and also to bring  objects unrelated to the lessons in the classroom ( mp3,...).

–                    The use of mobile pones is strictly prohibited inside the school and it must be kept off.  The  same rules apply for  mp3 players.

–                    Except special authorization, the student don't go out of the class during the intercourse

–                    All the displacement are made in order and calm.

–                    If a student is excluded from a lesson, he must present himself immediately  to the educators' office with his school diary. It is strictly prohibited to stay in the hallways or leave school without permission.

–                    In case of damage, the student involved will be considered responsible and will have to face the costs implied.

 Meals

 –                     Warm meals are served in the restaurant.

–                    The picnic will be eaten exclusively in the dining hall.

–                    At midday, students may be granted an output card, if the parents and the headmaster agree. This output card is only delivered to students who are eating at home if their parents agree.

Breaks

 –                    During the breaks, the students will stay in the schoolyard.

–                    The students ensure the cleanliness of the schoolyard and the hygiene of the toilets.

Organisation at La Berlière

Clothing

-During the week, pupils must be correctly dressed : decent clothes, in good shape, clean, worn with elegance (for example : neither particolored T-shirts or ones with aggressive/subversive messages or images ; no caps ;  no frayed, washed-out jeans and/or with holes ; no bare shoulders ; ….)

-Extreme sports clothing is forbidden : training suits, shorts, team sports T-shirts, real sports shoes.

-Shoes are decent and always laced.  Socks are compulsory for boys.

-Clean and decent clothing is compulsory.  The Headmaster is the only judge in this field.

-Pupils must wear the equipment required for sports lessons.

-Sports shoes must be adapted for sports practice.

Respect of environment and equipment

Buildings and nature should be respected and protected.

Rooms (classrooms, canteens, study halls, playing grounds, dormitories,…) and their furniture should never be subjected to deteriorations.

In the same spirit, pupils will not bring to our Collège dangerous stuff or materials (knives, guns, projectiles, fuel,….)

Absence justifications

Absence motivation

All absences must be covered and be justified ! Only the Headmaster or one of his Representatives can judge if the notice given for the absence is legal or not. The parents or the person responsible for a minor pupil or a major pupil can’t. So, when a pupil is absent for a personal reason (driving test, celebrations which aren’t mentioned in the French Community school calendar or any extended holiday, etc.), those absences are considered as unjustified.

The maximum number of half-days only justified by parents  is 9 during a whole school year, if those reasons aren’t accepted by the Headmaster.

The only legal absence reasons are :

-          Being ill (medical certificate if it lasts more than 3 days)

-          The death of a relative (till the 4^th degree of kinship)

-          A case of force majeure or exceptional circumstances acknowledged by the Headmaster.

Even one lesson hour of absence is considered as a half day (edict of 13/12/2006)

Practical modalities

Any predictable absence or demand of leaving early has to be authorized by the Headmaster or one of his Representatives.

For any unpredictable absence (illness,…), the secretary will be noticed before 09.00 a.m.(10.00 a.m. at La Berlière on Mondays)

Visitation 068/268714(15) – La Berlière 068/648200

Any absence at an examination (even 1 day)must be justified by a medical certificate.

After an absence, a pupil must show the medical certificate or the written note from the parents before entering class, to the person responsible, immediately when he is back at school.

Consequences of being absent

At the latest when a pupil has got 10 half absent days, which are not justified legally, the Headmaster will summon the pupil and his parents or guardian (in case he is a minor) by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt.

At the time when the Headmaster notices that a minor pupil violates the school obligation, he will report it to the SAJ (Organization for Helping the Youth)

-either he is in trouble ;

-or he has health problems or his life is in danger ;

-or his behaviour or his parents’ put his education in danger, namely when he is absent suspiciously.

From the 2^nd degree of secondary school, any unjustified absence for more than 20 half-days during a school year leads to the position of regular pupil, and therefore the loss of the right to graduate.  Exceptions can be made by the Ministry in case of exceptional circumstances.

Every minor pupil who has been unjustified absent for more than 20 half-days during a school year will be declared at the General Direction of Compulsory Education.

Any major pupil who has been unjustified absent for more than 20 half-days during a school year can be fired from school for good. (cfr articles 92, 93 of edict dated from 24/07/1997 and the note about the education of major pupils in the secondary schools dated from 27/06/2000)

School diaries

The school diary is a very important official document for degree approval.  It is required by the Ministry. You must then fill it in every day with great care and fill it in after each absence.  It is the official proof of regular work.

TRANSLATED BY STUDENTS FROM THE 5^TH A AND 5^TH B

AS WELL AS FROM THE 6^TH FORMS  (general and vocational)

 SUPERVISED BY MRS CALLENS and MRS LECLERCQ

Belgian students selected for Spain and Portugal

Here are the names of the Belgian students going to Spain :
Girls :
Margot Foubert
Morgane Plumes
Chloe Vanderstocken
Boys :
Quentin Bries
Grégoire Snyers

Here are the names of the Belgian students going to Portugal :
Girls :
Naura Guilbeau
Justine Marghem
Pauline Noël
Boys :
Simon Mauhaudens
Wauthier Van de Werve

We were really happy to see how motivated our Belgian students were !

Some pictures of our photo book

This photo book was started during a workshop in November in Belgium and was continued later on in order to give everyone a good idea of what happened during the Belgian week and how we felt altogether for the first time.  Copies were handed to all the partners in Germany in March.
Anyone interested can have a look at it in our partner schools.

INTERVIEW COMENIUS PROJECT : Students active in our school