Rules of coexistence and academic honesty and plagiarism

The rules of coexistence are guiding criteria that allow the daily educational action of the School to be adequately developed. They are means to achieve harmonious coexistence that favors the teaching and learning processes. Consequently, all members of the educational community - students, parents, educators and staff in general - must participate, collaborate and cooperate in solidarity to obtain the common good, each one according to the responsibility that corresponds to him.

When dialogue and other pedagogical means do not yield the expected results, disciplinary actions are resorted to with the conviction that they are not ends in themselves, but rather instruments aimed at achieving the educational purposes of the Institution.

In the educational field, discipline is understood as "practical rules, means or influences conducive to establishing or maintaining order in a classroom or educational institution with various purposes ranging from the formation of habits to the optimization of learning."

Understood in this way, discipline generates the appropriate conditions for learning and coexistence.

«External discipline aims at helping a boy or girl overcome his or her selfishness and discover something valuable.» It will enable the subsequent self-discipline that alone will make a man master of himself. Thus, external discipline is an educational means that should aim at self-discipline.

Interpersonal relationships

Students must interact appropriately with their classmates, teachers and other members of the Educational Community. They must try to be cordial and friendly in their dealings, using language that is relevant to the academic field and respectful of all people.

They must also collaborate with all members of the College - directors, teachers, colleagues and other actors - for the proper development of activities and the efficient exercise of their respective functions.

We expect students to:

Agree to receive a Catholic education, according to the educational proposal of the School and the Characteristics of the education of the Society of Jesus.
Participate in the life of the educational community, with a spirit of collaboration for the common good, and commit to building a climate of coexistence conducive to respect.
Allow yourself to be accompanied in your process of personal growth.
Put into practice virtues such as empathy, perseverance, justice, humility, prudence, compassion, among others.
Recognize and respect the dignity of others and their own, and ask for and offer treatment that is appropriate to their age, identity and freedom. They are expected not to discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, nationality, ideology or any other grounds.
Address all members of the educational community with respect and cordiality, and use appropriate and friendly language.
Be willing to participate in pastoral activities, celebrations, parties and commemorations of the School and the Church.
Look after your health, your personal safety and that of other members of the educational community, and avoid risky situations.
Have appropriate and respectful behavior in the different academic-pastoral activities carried out both outside and inside the School.
Seek to be respected and listened to when expressing your opinions, concerns and interests.
Address conflicts that arise through dialogue and the practice of non-violence, and avoid using aggression of any kind (verbal, physical, psychological, among others) and carried out by any means.
Be prepared to give your version of the facts and to make the appropriate statements regarding the application of disciplinary measures for episodes in which you are involved.
Attend the courses, classes and activities organized by the School on time and daily.
Demonstrate appropriate personal appearance and ensure that you wear the School uniform and maintain your own personal hygiene.
Seek academic and human excellence to put them at the service of others, especially the weakest and most needy colleagues.
Fulfill your tasks and obligations responsibly and honestly.
Maintain an attitude of order and respect in the different activities of the School.
Respect the facilities and common property, as well as the personal belongings of your classmates or any member of the educational community.
Please help to maintain the hygiene of the school in classrooms, courtyards, the dining room, hallways, and in general in all places where you participate in an activity of the institution.
Respect the rules of coexistence of the School and demonstrate a growing process of self-discipline.

About behavior and performance

Recognition, congratulations and encouragement will be provided when students stand out for their good overall academic and human performance or show commitment, dedication and determination in their actions.

Students whose attitudes or grades in behavior or performance (in subjects, activities or educational spaces) are at odds with their abilities or with the demands of the School, may be removed from sports teams, prevented from serving as class representatives or participating in pastoral activities -among other sanctions- until a positive change in their behavior or grades is evident.

Academic honesty

Academic honesty is a virtue that we try to teach and that we seek to develop throughout the students' career at the School, with the intention of encouraging independent thinking, as well as the use and recognition of the intellectual production of others. Recognizing oneself as part of a global community that builds new knowledge based on what has already been developed by others, entails an ethical imperative to respect intellectual property and copyright.

In the student dynamic, this translates into the continuous effort of preparing the required work, as well as mentioning the sources in all the appropriate cases.

Likewise, it is expected that in the evaluation instances (written, tests, exams, among others), students respond by demonstrating the learning they have achieved without resorting to copying.

See Appendix for sanctions for students who commit acts of academic dishonesty.

Personal presentation and uniform

Personal presentation

It is important for coexistence to show signs of proper presentation and personal hygiene, to wear the uniform corresponding to your Cycle and to maintain daily cleanliness. Cleanliness and hygiene are aspects to be cultivated, since they favor interpersonal relationships and harmonious coexistence. They are also a sign of consideration and respect for oneself and for others.

Given that in an educational institution the personal presentation of students must show signs of sobriety, some basic criteria have been established for all sectors:

The use of makeup in general, heavy jewelry and other adornments is excluded.
The use of neatly combed hair is recommended, without extravagant cuts or styles ("dreadlocks", shaved heads, etc.).
Men will wear a short classic style haircut.
The use of colored hair dyes, hats or hoods, tattoos, piercings, earrings for men and other accessories is prohibited.

In the event that the student attends the School during school hours for other reasons (procedures, activities or others), he/she will not be allowed to enter with inappropriate clothing (such as shorts, Bermuda shorts, beach shoes, among others).

Standard uniform and dress code

The use of the uniform at school is mandatory while the student is in the institution (whether or not in class) and during academic activities, even if they are outside the school. The uniform is a symbol of the educational institution, and as such it must be in proper condition of cleanliness and tidiness, and in accordance with the rules of the school.

Likewise, the student who wears it is expected to behave in a manner that reflects the values that the School proposes.

If the dress code is not followed, the student will be sent home to change and return with the appropriate clothing. Absences for this reason are not justifiable.

Attendance and schedule

Students will be able to enter the school from 7:30 a.m. The door at Soriano 1472 will be open from 7:00 a.m.

Classes start at 8:00 a.m. Monday through Friday and end at 3:30 p.m. for all levels.

After this time, students may remain at the School, provided they participate in pastoral or academic activities - such as support pedagogical spaces or sports teams -, provided that they are carried out under the supervision of a responsible educator, and they must leave the School once they have finished.

Students and parents must strictly respect the entry and exit times. The school does not have staff to assist students outside of established school-high school hours.

Students must attend courses and activities organised by the School regularly. Each student is expected to commit seriously and responsibly to the courses. There must be duly justified reasons for their absence.

Students must remain at school during all school hours. If they have to leave for family reasons, health reasons or any other justified reason, it is essential to submit a written request from their parents or the responsible adults in charge.

For high school students, the application of this rule will be in accordance with the guidelines and provisions of the Sector Management.

Parents will have up to forty-eight hours after the student has returned to school to justify their absences, to send a medical certificate or a letter to the Sector Director explaining the reasons for the absence. Excuses submitted after the event will not be accepted. Justified absences will be counted as half an absence.

According to the regulations, justification is only valid for illness or serious and exceptional situations (mourning, medical examinations, etc.), duly proven. Otherwise, absences will not be justified.

About punctuality

For a good use and development of the educational process, students must attend classes regularly and punctually.

The School takes into account attendance and punctuality when evaluating the overall performance of students.

In order to help students strengthen their will, develop virtues such as empathy and perseverance, as part of their training process and seeking to avoid the damage that lack of punctuality causes in the development of classes, the following provisions are put into practice:

For Primary 5th and 6th year

Students must be punctually in the classroom for the beginning of each class, with the corresponding materials in order, to await the teachers' instructions.
Students arriving late will go to the Tutor's Room to receive written authorization to enter the classroom. Late arrivals will be recorded on the attendance sheet.
Students must submit to the Tutor Teacher or Head of Level the communication notebook and the Report Card signed by the parents or adults in charge within the stipulated period. Communications must be submitted within the following twenty-four hours, and the Report Card within forty-eight hours from the time of delivery.

For Secondary School – Basic Cycle

Students will be punctually in the classroom for the beginning of each class, with the corresponding materials, to await instructions from teachers.
Students who arrive late will go to the Tutor's Room. There they can be authorized in writing by a Tutor to enter class up to fifteen minutes after it has started. Late arrival will be recorded in the electronic notebook and will be counted as half an absence.
Students who arrive fifteen minutes after the bell has rung must go to the Tutor's office for their level. They may enter class when the tutor decides. They will be absent for the day and may not leave the school, and they are still required to attend all the activities they have that day.
If students arrive late on a day when they must take an assessment test, the Tutors, in agreement with the Sector Management, will evaluate whether or not they will be able to take it.
Students must submit to the Tutor Teacher or Head of Level, within the corresponding period and signed by the parents or responsible adults, the notifications of the communications and the Report Card; the notifications, within the following twenty-four hours and the Report Card within forty-eight hours following the time of delivery.
Late arrivals will be listed separately on a report that will be included with the Report Card when the situation warrants it. They will have an impact on the students' overall evaluation.
Furthermore, students should not attend an assessment when they are sick, out of a sense of responsibility for themselves and others. By presenting a medical certificate, they may take the assessment on another day, provided that the teacher of the subject in question authorises it, as he or she may propose another assessment instrument.

For Secondary School – Baccalaureate

A student is considered to have attended class when he or she has attended all the hours of all the subjects offered in a single day, including Physical Education and sports teams.
Students arriving at school after 8:00 a.m. or after recess will not be allowed to enter classes.
Students who arrive after school hours must report to the Tutor's office and will be absent for the day in the case of 4th grade, or for the subject in the case of 5th and 6th grade. They will be allowed to enter class at the following time.
It is considered a breach of discipline for a 4th year student who is late to not report to the on-duty tutor.

Disciplinary actions - Criteria to be taken into account for the adoption of disciplinary measures

Disciplinary actions or measures are means to help students in their educational process and therefore will have an educational and pedagogical purpose and character. Sanctions will be individual and proportional to the seriousness of the offence. The aim is both to overcome the personal difficulties of the students and to improve the atmosphere of coexistence in the School.

When a student commits a disciplinary offence or fails to fulfil an obligation, it is essential to apply a prompt response and an immediate explanation. It is important to show that the incident was taken into account. In order to maintain an educational dimension, it is desirable to establish a dialogue with the student to listen to him and explain the sanction.

Priority will be given to the rights of the majority of members of the educational community and those of victims of antisocial acts, aggression or harassment.

It is the responsibility of both students and educators at the school to collaborate to ensure that the classroom environment is suitable for work and favors the teaching and learning process.

If there are situations of misconduct or disciplinary sanctions, given the magnitude of the faults committed or the repetition of acts, the educator must record them in writing in the student's personal accompaniment record (RAP). This record includes all areas in which the student participates, thus considering the pastoral, academic and sports dimensions.

In order to create an appropriate framework for determining the sanction, the student's behavior up to the moment the misconduct occurred will be taken into account. Teachers and educators will take care not to attack or humiliate the student. They will act firmly but taking into account their knowledge of the student and his circumstances, maintaining a flexible and moderate attitude that takes into account individual differences so that the sanction applied is understood by the student, recognized as fair and therefore accepted, allowing a process of positive change to begin.

In all cases, the student must take the appropriate actions to repair the damage caused, apologize, take charge of the costs of restoring or repairing the affected property, etc., as part of their process of training in responsibility.

Primary - Basic cycle. Consideration of faults or omissions

Faults or omissions, depending on their nature, may be considered as:

Mild: are those in which the student has a negative attitude that interferes with the normal development of an activity. They are temporary in nature and do not directly attack others. Among other possible sanctions, verbal warnings, written warnings or communications to parents are applied.

Graves: are those in which the negative attitude of the student affects an activity or causes physical or moral harm to himself or others, repeatedly behaves inappropriately without showing changes, disrupts the work environment. Among other possible sanctions, written observations with communication to the parents, expulsion from classes, warning or suspension are applied.

Very serious: are those in which there is a negative and intentional attitude of the student that causes physical or moral harm to himself or others (people or property), the repetition of serious faults and a behavior that is contrary to the values of the School. Among other possible sanctions, suspensions, commitment certificates, conditionality certificates or cancellation of registration are applied.

Any repetition of a fault aggravates it.

References for disciplinary offences

Some actions that may result in sanctions:

Minor faults

Chatting in class.
Distract your teammates.
Not integrating into the class dynamics.
Not working or attending to the teacher.
Not respecting the turn to speak or doing so without asking to speak.
Inappropriate behavior in extracurricular activities.
Throwing garbage or waste in inappropriate places.
Inadequate personal presentation.
Lack of composure or inappropriate behavior, anywhere in the School and during any academic, pastoral, sports, etc. activity in which he/she was participating.
Attending without the corresponding teaching materials.
Chewing gum, drinking beverages, eating food inside the classroom.
To express oneself in a vulgar manner.
Behaviors that prevent the normal development of learning activities.

Serious faults

Any persistent repetition of a minor offense.
Disrespecting any member of the educational community.
Using cell phones or other technological means in the classroom without authorization without academic application.
Repeatedly attending school without the appropriate teaching materials, without any explanation from their parents.
Dirtying or seriously damaging the property or assets of the School or third parties (furniture, classrooms, premises, sports and recreation areas, means of transport, etc.).
Damaging the property or belongings of members of the educational community.
Do not attend class without authorization.
Leaving the school during school activities without authorization.
Attend school as a companion for students who must take exams.

Very serious faults

Any persistent repetition of a serious fault.
To lie.
Engaging in acts of deception or fraud, such as copying or allowing someone to copy you in an evaluation process, falsifying notes, signatures or documents.
Disrespecting or systematically bothering a colleague.
Consciously altering, lying, distorting or misrepresenting the truth regarding an episode in which the student has participated or of which he or she is aware.
To steal, remove or appropriate another person's property or damage it.
Attending school with dangerous objects or objects of any kind that may cause harm to any member of the educational community or to the atmosphere of coexistence.
Violently attacking (physically, psychologically, verbally or by virtual means) any member of the educational community.
Physically, psychologically or morally harass any member of the educational community.
Recording, filming or disseminating (by any means) aggression or humiliation committed against members of the educational community or any person.
Incurring in dishonest abuse, discriminating, harassing or humiliating any member of the educational community, whether due to birth, race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, opinion or any other personal or social circumstance.
Promote or participate individually or in groups that create disorder during academic, pastoral, sports, etc. activities or promote disobedience to provisions made by the School inside or outside of it.
Engaging in acts of disregard, insults, disrespect or challenging attitudes towards teachers, educators and other school staff.
Uploading to any virtual space videos, images or texts that involve members of the educational community and that are contrary to the values and rules of coexistence of the School.
Calling to leave the School by bus or other means to attend events, celebrations or any type of activity that is not organized, authorized or promoted by the School authorities.

Types of disciplinary measures

Verbal warnings

The educators at the Reorientation School will issue verbal warnings, with due respect, when the student assumes inappropriate attitudes or behaviors.

Written warnings

The School's educators may issue written warnings, which will be recorded in the student's personal support record (RAP), for repeated verbal warnings to the student and for inappropriate attitudes or behavior.

Communications to parents

The School's educators may communicate to parents about warnings recorded in the student's RAP discipline record, to involve them in reflecting on the episodes that occurred and the student's educational process.

Observations

The school's educators may make observations that will be recorded in the student's RAP discipline record and communicated in writing to the parents to involve them in the students' reflection and formative process. The student must hand in the communication, signed by his/her parents, to his/her tutor or to the head of the level on the day after his/her return to class.

Expulsion from class

Expulsion from class is a measure that will only be applied in a situation of serious misconduct and as a last resort. If a student has received a remark and sent the corresponding communication to his parents about his inappropriate behavior and attitude in class, and persists in these without modifying them positively for a good development of the class, the teacher will ask him to leave class with an assigned task to do. He must immediately present himself at the tutorial and take a written remark to his parents. Taking into account the teacher's requests, the student's behavior will be considered to determine what disciplinary sanction to apply, which will be communicated to the parents.

Act of warning

Document issued in the event of serious indiscipline situations, which will be signed by the student, the parents and the school authorities (Head of Level, Vice-Principal of Cycle, Director of Cycle, as agreed).

Suspension of classes

It applies when there is repetition or not of serious offences, very serious offences, accumulation of late arrivals, lack of respect, physical and/or moral aggression, by any means, towards any member of the educational community or person.

Commitment Act

Document that the student and his/her parents sign in an interview with the Head of Level and the Director of the Cycle. The student assumes the responsibility of achieving certain goals within a period of time that should not be longer than the school year and his/her parents agree to accompany him/her and provide the necessary support.

Goals can be aimed at improving attitudes and behavior in academic, pastoral, and sports areas, etc.

Failure to comply with this commitment will result in conditionality or non-permanence in the School.

Conditionality Act

Document that the student and his/her parents sign in an interview with the Head of Level and the Director of the Cycle, in which, depending on the student's situation, his/her permanence in the School is conditioned.

Students are asked to achieve certain goals within a period of time that should not exceed the school year. The goals may be aimed at improving their attitudes and behavior in academic, pastoral, sports, etc. areas.

A student in this situation cannot repeat the course at the School.

Failure to comply with this commitment will result in the student not remaining at the School and cancelling their registration.

Cancellation of registration

This involves the student's permanent withdrawal from the school. This situation applies when the student has not complied with the conditionality or in cases of very serious offences, even when there are no precedents for sanctions such as those described above.

The Principal of the School, in consultation with the educational representatives and the corresponding councils that are pertinent to the case, will make the decision to cancel the registration when the situation so warrants, without having to wait for the end of the school year.

Physical spaces, facilities, various materials, and use of personal locker

It is considered of special importance that students take responsibility for:
The care of facilities and common property, as well as personal effects, both your own and those of your classmates (lockers, benches, blackboard, notice boards, teaching, technical, sports materials, etc.).
Maintaining the hygiene of the School (classrooms, dining rooms, bathrooms, patios, gyms, hallways, buses for transfers, among others).
Taking care of the assigned benches (tables and seats), as they are the responsibility of each and every student who uses them. They must be kept clean and in good condition throughout the year.
Using lockers:
- Students have numbered lockers, which are assigned to them personally, to organize their materials during their stay at the School. They should preferably be used before entering class, during long breaks and during rest time, for organizational reasons.
- In the event that the locker is damaged due to improper use, the user must assume the costs of its repair.
- The personal lockers of students in fifth and sixth grade of primary school and basic cycle must have a padlock and remain tidy and closed.
- Students will only be able to access these from Monday to Friday, during the hours in which their Cycle activities take place.
- Lockers, for personal use by students, are the property of the School and are provided solely for the purpose of storing educational material, so their opening may be requested at any time, if deemed appropriate.
- Students may enter the Teachers' Tutor and Level Heads' Room only with the explicit authorization of one of them.
Recess is a time for relaxation, appropriate for sharing with others and suitable for resting and recovering energy. The best places are the playgrounds, the designated area for outdoor games, game rooms, the cafeteria and the Pastoral Centers.
If students remain in the corridors, they must use the seats provided for this purpose and not the floor, which is for walking. At break time, students are expected to eat lunch sitting at the table, in the designated spaces, in a relaxed atmosphere and with good manners, taking care of the cleanliness and the furniture.

Others: Electronic devices (cell phones, tablets, Smartphone, iPod, etc.)

Students are not allowed to use or manipulate electronic devices during school hours (in classrooms, bathrooms, hallways, courtyards, cafeterias, gyms, bus rides or other facilities belonging to the School). Electronic devices must be turned off before entering the School and may not be manipulated while inside the Institution, unless the teacher or educator in charge of the activity expressly requests their use during the activity. Students who do not comply with this regulation will receive the sanction pre-established in the Sector.

Primary and Secondary students (7th to 9th grade) will be observed; the electronic device will be taken away from them and will remain in the possession of the Head of Level or the Sector Director - duly identified - until the end of the school day, after which it will be returned to the student with the corresponding communication to their family. If the situation is repeated, the parents will be summoned.
In the case of Secondary School students (1st EMS to 3rd EMS), they are allowed to use it during breaks and in designated places. Anyone who does not comply with this rule will have the device taken away and will be retained by the Tutor Teachers or by the Sector Management - duly identified - until the end of the school day, after which it will be returned to the student.

Parents are requested to cooperate in this matter. They are requested not to contact their children on cell phones during school hours. If there is any relevant or urgent information to be communicated, they should do so to the respective Teachers' Rooms or Tutor Teachers' Rooms, or failing that, to the Secretary of the Sector Directorate. The School has several fixed telephone lines available in case they are required.

Final considerations

Any situation of coexistence or discipline not contemplated in this document will be resolved in the corresponding areas of the College in agreement with the Rector.

Guidelines on Academic Honesty and Plagiarism*

Academic honesty is a virtue that we try to teach and that we seek to develop throughout our students' career at the College, with the intention of encouraging independent thinking as well as the use and recognition of the intellectual production of others. Recognizing oneself as part of a global community that builds new knowledge based on what has already been developed by others entails an ethical imperative to respect intellectual property and copyright.

In the student dynamic, this translates into the continuous effort of preparing the required work as well as mentioning the sources in all the corresponding cases. In the teaching dynamic, it translates into the practice of mentioning the authors of the materials distributed to the students and the sources that feed the class being taught, as well as teaching the ways to cite them, in order to contribute to creating an institutional culture based on academic honesty. This, consequently, must permeate all instances, from classroom work (written, for example) to homework activities of various kinds, whether individual or group.

In these times of widespread use of the Internet, the practice of “cutting and pasting” other people’s texts has become established, which, in addition to being transcribed many times uncritically, are not cited as appropriate. The wonderful opportunities for access to information that the web offers for researching multiple subjects have often led to habits of appropriating data, phrases and ideas from others whose authorship is not recognized; moreover, it is denied to award it to the person who collected this other’s information. The consequences on the academic, institutional and legal level of this misappropriation are not always perceived by students, many of whom incur in plagiarism due to ignorance of what it is and implies. This document is therefore presented to high school students and teachers, with the aim of informing them about what is meant by academic dishonesty, specifically plagiarism and how to avoid it, as well as about the measures provided by the School for those who engage in acts of this nature.

What is meant by plagiarism?

Plagiarism is one of the clearest demonstrations of academic dishonesty.

The Royal Spanish Academy Dictionary defines it as the action of “copying the substantial works of others, presenting them as one’s own.” From a legal point of view, plagiarism is an infringement of the copyright on an artistic or intellectual work of any kind, which occurs when another person’s work is presented as one’s own or original. A person commits plagiarism if he or she copies or imitates something that does not belong to him or her and passes himself or herself off as the author of it. In short, it is using the work, ideas, or words of another person as if they were one’s own, which constitutes the theft of another person’s intellectual product. It is applicable to any class work, graph, diagram, exam, software, photograph, texts taken from both printed and web sources.

When does plagiarism occur?

Situations of plagiarism are:

Submitting another student's work as if it were one's own.
Copying a text without the approval of the consulted source.
The transcription of a text word for word, without including references.
The use of some ideas, phrases or paragraphs from a written source, without adequate documentation.
The delivery to a teacher of work copied directly from the Web as if it were his or her own.
Copying any type of multimedia (graphics, audio, video, web page, etc.) without mentioning the original author.
The use of phrases, ideas and statements taken from multiple sources to construct a new work without citing the source.
The use of another's idea or phrase to write a new work without reference to the author of the idea.

What is plagiarized?

Scientific and literary works: theses, journal articles, books.
Musical compositions.
Cinematographic and audiovisual works.
Projects, plans, models of architectural or engineering works.
Computer programs.
Databases.
Web pages and multimedia works.

Plagiarism can be attributed to an entire work or to a single sentence that comes from an author's work and has not been cited.

How do you recognize plagiarism in a text?

It is noted that:

Some words or phrases have been changed, as well as the order of sentences from the original text.
The source of the ideas, concepts, data or facts mentioned is not cited.
Tables, graphs or other visual material that is not referenced are incorporated.

How can plagiarism be avoided?

The following are suggestions that may be helpful in avoiding plagiarism:

Include citations for everything that is copied or paraphrased directly from the text.
Interpret and write down the ideas in the text, making sure not to insert or replace just a few words. When writing, it is not about superficially changing the original text, but rather understanding it, summarizing the information and writing it in your own words, relating it to the specific problem that your work deals with. The resulting text must show that the student has knowledge of the subject, with his or her own approach and meaning. Even if your own words are used, if the idea is from another person, you must cite the author of the same.
Verify that an exact copy was not made by accidentally using the same words.
When transcribing a paragraph from another author, clearly distinguish it in the text (quotations, italics, independent paragraphs, tabulation) and make the corresponding reference.
Accompany the quotes with your own explanation or interpretation.
Unconscious plagiarism is often due to poor organization of the bibliography that has been consulted for a work, so organizing the taking of notes and bibliographical cards, with all the data corresponding to the source, can be a good measure to avoid it.

* This document has been prepared based on input from the FCS, Udelar, and the Library Service of the University of Valencia.