Code of Conducts

This Code of Conduct is put in place to ensure a safe learning environment at Bloom Nepal School. The Code of Conduct is the constitution of Bloom Nepal School that should be adhered to at all times. Bloom Nepal School’s Management and the Board of Directors will deal with any violations of the rules mentioned within this manual accordingly. The various parts of this Code are summarized below:

Discipline Management Techniques

Discipline shall be designed to improve conduct and to encourage students to adhere to their responsibilities as members of the school community. Disciplinary action shall draw on the professional judgment of teachers and administrators and on a range of discipline management techniques, including restorative discipline practices. Discipline shall be correlated to the seriousness of the offense, the student’s age and grade level, the frequency of misbehavior, the student’s attitude, the effect of the misconduct on the school environment, and statutory requirements.

Verbal correction, oral or written.
The cooling-off time or “time-out.”
Seating changes within the classroom or vehicles owned or operated by Bloom Nepal School.
Temporary or permanent confiscation of items that disrupt the educational process.
Rewards or demerits.
Behavioral contracts.
Counseling by teachers, school counselors, or administrative personnel.
Parent-teacher conferences.
Grade reductions for cheating, plagiarism, and as otherwise permitted by policy.
Detention, including outside regular school hours.
Sending the student to the office or other assigned area, or to in-school suspension.
Assignment of school duties, such as cleaning or picking up litter.

Discipline Management - Expulsion

Withdrawal of privileges, such as participation in extracurricular activities, eligibility for seeking and holding honorary offices, or membership in school-sponsored clubs and organizations.
Penalties identified in individual student organizations’ extracurricular standards of behavior.
Restriction or revocation of Bloom Nepal School transportation privileges.
School-assessed and school-administered probation.
Out-of-school suspension, as specified in the Out-of-School Suspension section of this Code.
Placement and/or expulsion in an alternative educational setting, as specified in the Placement and/or Expulsion for Certain Offenses section of this Code.
Expulsion, as specified in the Expulsion section of this Code.
Referral to an outside agency or legal authority for criminal prosecution in addition to disciplinary measures imposed by Bloom Nepal School.
Other strategies and consequences as determined by school officials.

Prohibited Aversive Techniques

Aversive techniques are strictly prohibited for use with students and are defined as techniques or interventions intended to reduce the reoccurrence of behavior by intentionally inflicting significant physical or emotional discomfort or pain. Aversive techniques include:

Using techniques designed or likely to cause physical pain, other than punishment forms permitted by Bloom Nepal School policy.
Using techniques designed or likely to cause physical pain by electric shock or any procedure involving pressure points or joint locks.
Directed release of noxious, toxic, or unpleasant spray, mist, or substance near a student’s face.
Denying adequate sleep, air, food, water, shelter, bedding, physical comfort, supervision, or access to a restroom facility.
Ridiculing or demeaning a student in a manner that adversely affects or endangers the learning or mental health of the student or constitutes verbal abuse.
Employing a device, material, or object that immobilizes all four of a student’s extremities, including prone or supine floor restraint.
Impairing the student’s breathing, including applying pressure to the student’s torso or neck or placing something in, on, or over the student’s mouth or nose or covering the student’s face.
Securing the student to a stationary object while the student is standing or sitting.
Using chemical restraints.
Using time-out in a manner that prevents the student from being able to be involved in and progress appropriately in the required curriculum or any applicable individualized education program goals, including isolating the student by the use of physical barriers.

Notification to Parents/ Guardians

The School’s Management shall promptly notify a student’s parent by phone or in-person of any violation that may result in in-school or out-of-school suspension or expulsion. The School’s Management shall also notify a student’s parent if the student is taken into custody by a law enforcement officer under the disciplinary provisions for any offense committed of that degree that may require law enforcement officers to intervene. A good faith effort shall be made on the day the action was taken to provide to the student for delivery to the student’s parent written notification of the disciplinary action. If the parent has not been reached by telephone or in-person by 5:00 p.m. of the first business day after the day the disciplinary action was taken, the School’s Management shall take appropriate measures to transport the students to their homes.

Communication Appeals

Questions from parents regarding disciplinary measures and any conduct of a particular teacher, staff, or student that they are unsatisfied with should be addressed to the school’s Director or Principal. Under no circumstances should the parent or guardian directly confront any member of the school. Violations of this rule will be taken seriously and the school will use all resources at its dispersal to ensure the school members are safe. Appeals or complaints regarding the use of specific discipline management techniques should be addressed in accordance with policy and inappropriate ways including respectful languages.

Removal from School Bus

A bus driver may refer a student to the Director/principal’s office or the School’s Management office to maintain effective discipline on the bus. The Director/Principal or School’s Management must employ additional discipline management techniques, as appropriate, which can include restricting or revoking a student’s bus riding privileges.

Since Bloom Nepal School’s primary responsibility in transporting students in Bloom Nepal School vehicles is to do so as safely as possible, the operator of the vehicle must focus on driving and not have his or her attention distracted by student misbehavior until the appropriate destination is reached. Therefore, when appropriate disciplinary management techniques fail to improve student behavior or when specific misconduct warrants immediate removal, the Director may restrict or revoke a student’s transportation privileges, in accordance with the code of conduct.

Removal from the regular educational setting

In addition to other discipline management techniques, misconduct may result in removal from the regular educational setting in the form of a routine referral or a formal removal.

Routine referral

A routine referral occurs when a teacher sends a student to the School Management’s office as a discipline management technique. The School’s Management shall employ alternative discipline management techniques, including progressive interventions. A teacher or administrator may remove a student from class for behavior that violates this Code to maintain effective discipline in the classroom.

Formal Removal

A teacher may also initiate a formal removal from class if:

The student’s behavior has been documented by the teacher as repeatedly interfering with the teacher’s ability to teach his or her class or with the student’s classmates’ ability to learn; or
The behavior is so unruly, disruptive, or abusive that the teacher cannot teach, and the students in the classroom cannot learn.

Within three school days of the formal removal, the School’s Management or appropriate administrator shall schedule a conference with the student’s parent; the student; the teacher, in the case of removal by a teacher; and any other administrator to decide subsequent actions to be taken.

At the conference, the School’s Management or appropriate administrator shall inform the student of the misconduct for which he or she is charged and the consequences. The student shall have an opportunity to give his or her version of the incident.

When a student is removed from the regular classroom by a teacher and a conference is pending, the School’s Management or another administrator may place the student in:

Another appropriate classroom.
In-school suspension.
Out-of-school suspension.

Crimestoppers

Any students who have information about inappropriate behavior or criminal activities, including any suicidal talks or tendencies by Bloom Nepal School’s members’ (student, teacher or staff) are asked to contact a staff member (teacher or staff) as soon as possible. In case of emergencies, the member witnessing these acts should use their best judgment to come up with the right decision and action and inform the school’s management team as soon as possible. In serious cases, the member should contact the Nepal Police Helpline at 100.

Returning students to the classroom

When a student has been formally removed from class by a teacher for conduct against the teacher containing the elements of assault, aggravated assault, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, or any other offense, the student may not be returned to the teacher’s class without the teacher’s consent.

When a student has been formally removed by a teacher for routine misconducts, deemed not harmful to others, but disruptive to the class, the student may be returned to the teacher’s class without the teacher’s consent if the placement review committee determines that the teacher’s class is the best or only alternative available.

Misconduct

Students may be suspended for any behavior listed in the Code as a general conduct violation, and or expellable offense. A student below grade 3 or a student who is homeless shall not be placed in out-of-school suspension unless, while on school property or while attending a school-sponsored or school-related activity on or off school property, the student engages in:

Conduct that contains the elements of a weapons offense
Conduct that contains the elements of assault, sexual assault, aggravated assault, or aggravated sexual assault
Selling, giving, or delivering to another person or possessing, using, or being under the influence of any amount of drugs, smoking, and alcoholic beverage, or a controlled substance or dangerous drug as defined by the law.

Suspension Initiation

Before being suspended a student shall have an informal conference with the School’s Management or appropriate administrator, who shall advise the student of the conduct of which he or she is accused. The student shall be given the opportunity to explain his or her version of the incident before the administrator’s decision is made. The number of days of a student’s suspension shall be determined by the School’s Management. In deciding whether to order out-of-school suspension, the School’s Management shall take into consideration:

Self-defense,
Intent or lack of intent at the time the student engaged in the conduct
The student’s disciplinary history, or
A disability that substantially impairs the student’s capacity to understand the wrongfulness of the student’s conduct.
A student’s status as homeless.

The appropriate administrator shall determine any restrictions on participation in school-sponsored or school-related extracurricular and co-curricular activities.

Bloom Nepal School shall ensure a student receives access to coursework for courses while the student is placed in in-school or out-of-school suspension, including at least one method of receiving this coursework that does not require the use of the internet.
A student removed from the regular classroom to in-school suspension or another setting will have an opportunity to complete before the beginning of the next school year each course the student was enrolled in at the time of removal from the regular classroom.

Misconducts that can lead to Suspension/Expulsion

In accordance with the school’s code of conduct, a student may be suspended or expelled for any one of the following offenses. This list is not exhaustive and appropriate actions will be taken to ensure right disciplinary action is taken as judged by the school’s management:

Engaging in bullying that encourages a student to commit or attempt to commit suicide.
Inciting violence against a student through group bullying.
Involvement in a public-school fraternity, sorority, or secret society, including participating as a member or pledge, or soliciting another person to become a pledge or member of a public school fraternity, sorority, secret society, or gang.
Involvement in criminal street gang activity.
Any criminal mischief, including a felony.
Assault (no bodily injury) with the threat of imminent bodily injury.
Assault by offensive or provocative physical contact.
Engages in conduct relating to a false alarm or report (including a bomb threat) or a terroristic threat involving a public school.

If a student has been convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a young child or children or convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication for sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault against another student, the student will be expelled and the decision may not be appealed.

Process of Suspension/Expulsion

If a student is believed to have committed an expellable offense, the School’s Management or other appropriate administrators shall schedule a hearing within a reasonable time. The student’s parent shall be invited in writing to attend the hearing.
Until a hearing can be held, the School’s Management or another administrator may place the student in:

Another appropriate classroom.
In-school suspension.
Out-of-school suspension.

Notifications of Parents or Other Agencies

Bloom Nepal School has the responsibility to advise parents of unacceptable behavior demonstrated by the student. We expect that parents and Bloom Nepal School staff will work together to bring about a change of behavior and that efforts will be made in this regard. In some cases, parents of a second party (e.g. a victim) will also be contacted and informed of an investigation into another student's conduct. Administrators may be required by policy or law to contact Bloom Nepal School Board Officials, police, or other agencies. Non-compliance, ignorance, or disrespect on the parents’ part will be considered seriously and appropriate actions will be taken to ensure the situations are appropriately dealt with.

Rising Expectations

As students move through their years in secondary Bloom Nepal School, they are expected to assume increasing responsibility and self-discipline. Students will be given numerous opportunities to participate in making decisions and to work on committees and in groups to improve the Bloom Nepal School community and environment. Students are expected to take on more of a leadership role and to serve as role models as they move through the graduation years. As such, there will be increasing consequences for inappropriate behavior.

Interventions

Range of Interventions: Regardless of the nature or location of unacceptable behavior, or the staff member involved, the following is a range of interventions and consequences that may be used. Bloom Nepal School staff will take into consideration the safety plans of the students, teachers, and staffs and also take into consideration the reputation of the school:

On-the-spot conference or redirection
A follow-up meeting between the student(s) and staff member(s)
Contact with parent or guardian
Restitution, including a logical remedy for the problem (e.g. paying for damage willfully caused) and supporting anyone who is a victim or who suffers as a result of the student's actions.
Supportive intervention and/or service to Bloom Nepal School.
Additional time for the student with the teacher, at the office or at tutorial/learning support
Referral to counseling, administration, and/or community support services
Suspension or Expulsion from Bloom Nepal School
Referral to the School’s Management and Board of Directors
Police involvement (if need be)

Duty to Report

Students are expected to inform a staff member of incidents of bullying, harassment, and intimidation as well as of any knowledge related to possession of weapons or illegal substances. Any student who is involved in, observes, or knows about an emergency situation at Bloom Nepal School, or at a Bloom Nepal School function, should contact the nearest staff member as soon as possible to report the details of the event. In these cases, the staff will take all reasonable steps to prevent retaliation against a student who has reported a breach in the Code of Conduct. Students may report incidents anonymously on-line by emails to the Director or Principal, available under the student link on the Bloom Nepal School website, or by completing an anonymous reporting form found at the school’s website. Bloom Nepal School Administrators and counselors will review these reports and do everything possible to find a solution. Not reporting incidents as such is an offense in itself and will be dealt with accordingly depending on the gravity of the incident and effects in the aftermath, which could have been prevented if reported on time.

Weapons/Explosives

Students who bring weapons/explosives to Bloom Nepal School are subject to suspension (or expulsion) from Bloom Nepal School. Weapon replicas may also be considered as weapons and will be dealt with accordingly. Laser pointers are also prohibited at Bloom Nepal School.

Substance Use/Abuse

Individuals have the right to be in a learning environment free of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, E-cigarettes, and vaporizers. They have the responsibility not to be in possession of, under the influence of, or involved in providing to others: alcohol, drugs, tobacco, E-cigarettes, and vaporizers at any time at Bloom Nepal School or during any Bloom Nepal School function. Smoking anything is not permitted in Bloom Nepal School building, on Bloom Nepal School grounds, in the neighborhood of Bloom Nepal School, or at any Bloom Nepal School function. Violation of this rule will lead to disciplinary action for the school members (students, teachers, and staff). Violations by visitors and parents for the first instance will be first dealt with respect and informing them of this rule. Subsequent violations will be dealt with with warnings and frequent violations will result in dismissal from the school grounds or functions and restricting future entrance to these.

Acceptable use of Internet Technology

Bloom Nepal School computers and internet resources, used carefully and wisely, can provide important avenues of learning for students. Inappropriate uses of Internet communications including the sending of threatening or harassing comments or cyberbullying are unacceptable. Any incidents will be addressed as a very serious issue. Students will only publish their own personal information if related to curricular activities and parent/guardian consent is given on social media. Students will not publish other people's personal information. For example, name, location, phone number, images, video, work, username, or other personal information without the consent from the particular person.

Investigators or Spectators

The daily endeavor of students, and all Bloom Nepal School activities, should take place without interference or disruption. Students who encourage, support or promote acts of intimidation, harassment or violence either by direct action or by spectating are subject to Bloom Nepal School disciplinary action. This can include activities that occur during or after Bloom Nepal School hours, and on or off Bloom Nepal School property.

Intimidation, Harassment, and Violence

Every student, regardless of the peer group, has the right to feel safe, happy and respected at Bloom Nepal School. Any acts of harassment, discrimination, intimidation, threats of any type (physical, emotional, verbal or sexual, including bullying, cyberbullying, physical violence, or retribution against a person who has reported an incident) are unacceptable and will lead to disciplinary actions.

Security and Safety

Student activities at Bloom Nepal School should take into account student safety and minimize risks to students. Skateboarding, rollerblading, and snowballing have a significant enough safety risk that they are not permitted on Bloom Nepal School grounds. Fireworks, water guns, and water balloons are not allowed at Bloom Nepal School. Any other activities that are unsafe or unhealthy will be addressed by Bloom Nepal School’s Management.

Students are expected to refrain from any act, including verbal or written comments, that disrupts the good order of Bloom Nepal School. Jokes or pranks that may be seen as a threat to security and safety will be addressed as a serious issue. “I was just kidding” is no defense once the damage is done.

Loss/Damage to Bloom Nepal School or Personal Property

We expect members of the student body to respect Bloom Nepal School and personal property. Students are responsible for any damage done to other people's property and will be charged for replacement or repair. Students should also respect the property and rights of the people who live in the neighborhood of Bloom Nepal School or those people we come in contact with through our many on-site and off-site activities.

Appropriate use of language

The language used by all members of the Bloom Nepal School community should be respectful and polite. Any communication that is disrespectful or demeaning to others, including lying, inappropriate or profane language, is unacceptable and will lead to disciplinary actions.

Public Display of Affection

Keeping in lieu of the Nepalese culture, any acts of public displays of affection within Bloom Nepal School compound or during Bloom Nepal School-related works are strictly prohibited. While Bloom Nepal School encourages co-education, things such as holding hands, inappropriate touching and hugging and any acts considered as acts of PDA are strictly prohibited amongst all members (students, teachers, staff and parents). These acts would be considered an offense and can lead to appropriate actions to be taken by Bloom Nepal School’s management.

Respect for Public Property and Use of School's Resources

Students are expected to take good care of Bloom Nepal School’s assets and resources. This includes (but not limited to) furniture, utensils, library books, electronic equipment and so on and so forth that is the property of Bloom Nepal School. There should be no damage to Bloom Nepal School resources, property or equipment. If such damage creates an expense to Bloom Nepal School, then the person who does the damage will be expected to reimburse Bloom Nepal School for costs including an added penalty for vandalism.

Litter

Bloom Nepal Bloom Nepal School is a green zone and expects its members to ensure that Bloom Nepal School is neat and litter-free. We ask all students to look after their litter by putting it in the nearest garbage can or recycling container.

Gambling

All Bloom Bloom Nepal School campuses are gambling-free zone. Placing bets and wagering money is strictly prohibited and appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken if any member of Bloom Nepal School is found gambling while at Bloom Nepal School premises or at Bloom Nepal School-related works.

Cell Phone

Under no circumstances should a student be keeping a cellphone with them while they are within Bloom Nepal School premises or on Bloom Nepal School-related works outside of Bloom Nepal School premises. Any required electronic items for educational purposes will be provided by Bloom Nepal School and the students are encouraged to use these responsibly and under the supervision of the authorized staff. Keeping personal electronic devices (cell phones, tabs, iPads, FMs and any other item (without the written permission from the Director/Principal) shall result in confiscation of the device by the administrator for the entire term. The item will be handed over to the parent/guardian at the end of the term alongside a warning letter. A second-time violation of this policy will result in permanent confiscation of the item that will be sold at an auction and the proceeds will go to Bloom Endowment Fund to support economically weak students. Bloom Nepal School will not be responsible or liable for lost, stolen or missing electronic devices.

Cameras

Photographing people at Bloom Nepal School or at Bloom Nepal School functions using still or video cameras is a privacy issue and should not be done without appropriate permission from Bloom Nepal School’s management. For Bloom Nepal School functions, Bloom Nepal School will be hiring professional photographers and thus there is no need for students to bring cameras on this pretext.

Dress Code

Bloom Nepal School is a place of academic learning guided by the idea of uniformity and equality amongst all students. Students and their parents are expected to support a learning environment where appropriate attire is worn at a given time. For students, teachers, and staff living on campus, articles of clothing worn during off-Bloom Nepal School hours that promote alcohol, drugs, inappropriate language, or racism, or that are too revealing are not permitted at any time. Bloom Nepal School members wearing such clothing will be asked to go home and change if they do not have suitable clothing at Bloom Nepal School.

Academic Honesty

Students are expected to present their own work in class and homework assignments. The working definition of plagiarism is using another person's work and presenting it as your own. Plagiarism is a form of cheating and could be in the form of written, visual, audio, or other media. If another person's ideas are used, credit must be given in the form of a citation. Plagiarism will result in consequences determined by the teacher and/or administration and may include loss of part (or all) of the marks for the assignment.

Late to Classes

Students are expected to be in classes on time. Being late is a type of absence and interferes with learning. Frequent tardiness may result in teacher intervention to make up for the missed learning time.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all of their classes on time. Teachers record attendance for each class. Missed classes mean missed learning! Full attendance is essential to Bloom Nepal School's success. Students who miss classes are responsible for making up the missed learning time.

Rules related to the use of school’s computers:

Students in grades 8 and lower need an accompanying teacher to power on and off the computers.
Students in grades 9 and 10 may, without any teacher’s permission, use the computers in the computer room provided that the room is open and vacant.
The use of the Internet is limited to Khan Academy contents, Emails, and Wikipedia, Codecademy, Coursera, edx, and other useful sources. The use of social media such as Facebook and entertainment sites is strictly restricted.
When the internet connection is down, students are encouraged to read books from the offline e-library that is available on all computers. Students may also practice typing or learn using application software.

Rules related to the use of personal computers:

Those students who possess a personal computer must deposit them in a locker that will be kept in the computer room.
When the computer lab is open, students may go and use their devices. However, the use of devices is limited within the walls of the computer room.
Recharging of all the devices must be done within the computer room.

Any breach of the above-stated rules will result in a ban on the use of computers for a month.

More information

For more information about this policy, contact the school at info@bloomn.edu.np or at +977 1-5709030.