The homeroom teacher must be informed of absences as soon as possible via Wilma, by calling the teacher or via email. A guardian can also call the school office and leave a message for the homeroom teacher about the absence. A guardian can mark an absence as legit, but the homeroom teacher will still need a clarification on the reasons for the absence. If a student is absent from school for some other reason than an illness, permission must be asked for in advance. If a student has a lot of uncleared absences, the homeroom teacher will ask the guardian to a joint discussion, in which a member of the student welfare team can also participate if needed.
School Practices
If a student is in an accident at school or on the way to/from school, the school must be notified immediately. The treatment is free of charge for the student in a public health care centre. Possible travel fees and compensation will be handled case by case.
Students who live more than three kilometres from the school receive a bus card from school. The card also contains value which is meant to be used on Saturday school days. The card is valid Mon-Fri until 6 p.m. If students lose their card, they need to go to the HSL office, where the data will be transferred to a new card. The processing fee is 6€, and the new card costs 5€. Students in 7th and 8th grade return their bus cards to school at the end of spring term, so that the card can be recharged for the next school year.
Those students who live outside Helsinki will get the Helsinki region fee covered. The student must load TIME (child regional ticket) so that the time loaded is seen on the receipt. The bus card receipts will be handed over to the school business secretary at the end of the term, with the student’s name on them.
Traditionally, we have organised a celebration around the time of the Finnish Independence Day, at the end of both autumn and spring term. These celebrations gather the whole secondary school with their homeroom teachers together into the Great Hall, to follow programmes prepared by the students. We emphasise the importance of tolerance and respecting others, especially during the festivities, as we calm ourselves to listen to the performers of the celebration.
Our school has a wide range of extracurricural clubs, such as music, sport, drama, textile and technical work, which are free for students and led by our teachers. Detailed information about the clubs will be published in September.
If a student behaves inappropriately during the school day, the subject teacher will have a disciplinary discussion with the student. The discussion is marked in Wilma to notify the homeroom teacher and the guardian. The homeroom teacher will keep track of these markings, and if necessary, will also discuss the issue with the student and their guardian.
If the student continues to behave in an inappropriate manner, the school will arrange a joint meeting with the student and their guardian. If necessary, personnel from the student welfare team and the assistant principal can be present in this meeting. Detention is used when constructive discussions do not lead to any changes in the student’s behaviour or when the misdemeanour is of such nature that detention must be given straightaway.
If a student gets sick in the middle of the school day, the school nurse, subject teacher, homeroom teacher or principal can give permission to go home. School personnel will notify the guardian if the student feels weak and might not be able to go home alone.
When planning family holidays, we would like to emphasise that there is a week-long holiday in the autumn (week 42) and in the winter (week 8). It is advisable to book holidays for those weeks. If a holiday is requested at any other time, the student must study independently all the things missed because of the holiday and plan how to take possible tests with the teachers. The homeroom teacher can grant a leave of absence of max. 3 days. If the student wishes to apply for a holiday longer than 3 days, they need to request it from the assistant principal. The guardian must request a leave of absence from the assistant principal in writing about a week before the planned holiday.
A homeroom teacher’s lesson is held on the second day of every teaching period. Different themes will be dealt with during the year, concerning e.g. class matters and class spirit, school work, tolerance, disparity and multiculturalism. Class matters can also be discussed on other occasions, when agreed upon jointly.
The student can rent a locker for 20€ per school year. The student will receive a numbered key that they must return before school finishes in the spring. Once they have returned the key, they will receive 10€ in return. The rest of the money collected will be used for the renewal of locker keys and fixing the locker doors.
Students receive a free school lunch daily. The lunch includes salad, a warm meal, drink, bread and table spread. The cafeteria also offers a vegetarian option for everyone. The kitchen staff hopes that students take the amount of food they think they will eat. If they are still hungry, students are welcome to take seconds.
We want to make sure that everyone enjoys their lunch break, and this is why we hope that all students follow good manners in the cafeteria. After lunch, everyone takes their own tableware back to the return line that has information on how to sort possible organic waste.
There is one meal line that is meant solely for those with special diets. The student must inform the school nurse of a special diet at the start of the 7th grade (or when starting at Maunulan yhteiskoulu). Students with special diets must inform the kitchen about longer absences (sickness, travelling) via Wilma.
The students are not allowed to use mobile phones, mp3-players, or gaming consoles during classes. However, the teacher can give permission to use them as part of classroom learning. The school is not responsible for the disappearance or breakage of a device during a school day. It is strictly forbidden to photograph other students, teachers, or other staff members during the school day without their permission.
The school parking lot has reserved spaces for mopeds and motorcycles. Students and guardians should take extra caution when entering and leaving the school yard. Students should leave their bikes to the stands on the school yard. We warmly recommend that students lock their bikes and leave them in plain site, in order to minimise the possibility of vandalism or theft. For safety reasons, we highly recommend that students wear appropriate safety gear. Students are not allowed to use scooters, roller skates or boards inside school premises.
We organise at least one Parents’ Evening during the school year for all grades separately. These evenings are meant for both students and guardians. Attendance is notified via Wilma or by returning the separate slip found on the bottom part of the invitation to the homeroom teacher. Further information on dates and times is available on the school’s website.
The main aim of prefect activities is to help students make friends as well as to develop a positive atmosphere and joint responsibility in school. The prefects plan and carry out joint events with the students’ union. New prefects are trained according to the principles of the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare. Every prefect holds an important and responsible duty in his/her own support class. Being a prefect is a position of trust, and it is a voluntary task. The student will receive a certificate at the end of 9th grade if he/she acts as a prefect. The prefects are instructed by Harri Kuokkanen.
Remedial instruction (lasts 30 minutes) is used as an aid to learning if the student needs brief revision e.g. before a test or after an illness. Remedial instruction is principally given by the subject teacher outside his/her own lessons. Remedial instruction can be initiated by the teacher, student or guardian. The student must come to a planned remedial instruction lesson.
The student should arrive to classes on time and behave according to the teacher’s instructions. The student should also give fellow students chance to work in peace. It is the student’s responsibility to have the material needed for school with them, as well as to mark down any homework the teacher gives. If the student is absent, he/she should find out any possible homework independently. Students can find information about homework in Wilma. Students must do their homework regularly. If the student misses an exam, the exam will be done in the supervision of a special needs’ assistant in the homework club the following Wednesday.
Bullying is not tolerated in our school. All cases that come to light must be reported to the homeroom teacher, subject teacher, school counsellor or prefect, so that the school personnel is able to intervene. Also telling about it at home (no matter if you were an accomplice or a witness) and then reaching out from home help in dealing with the situation.
We can all participate in making our school a tidy and comfortable place to be in. If students cause damage to another student’s or school’s property, they are obliged to compensate for it. After each class, the students will make sure that they leave their own study space tidy.
The recess area is the school yard right next to the school building. We warmly recommend that all students spend their breaks between classes there and enjoy some fresh air. Leaving the school yard in the middle of the school day is forbidden without a teacher’s permission.
If students have learning or concentration difficulties, they can be referred to special education. Special education can be executed individually, in a small group or as coincidental teaching. The goal of special education is to support the students and improve their chances of succeeding in normal school work. The need for special education is discussed jointly with the subject teacher, special education teacher, guardian and student. The special education teacher for the English-speaking classes is Jenni Tanhuanpää.
All students belong to the students’ union. The members of the student board are elected in the spring. The student board can present matters for the school operating committee to discuss. The students’ union organises different events with the prefects throughout the year. At the end of 9th grade, the students can receive a certificate on having participated in activities of the students’ union. The students’ union is led by Marja Toivonen.
The members of the student welfare multidisciplinary team try to find solutions to situations where the student has difficulties in his/her studies. This is done in cooperation with the student’s family. The team includes the principal/assistant principal, school counsellor, psychologist, special education teacher, school nurse and study counsellor. All team members are bound to secrecy, and all matters are discussed in the strictest confidence. The contact information of the welfare team can be found on our school’s website.
The school doctor is available every Monday. The 8th graders will go through an extensive health check-up. The doctor can provide a youth health certificate for a moped license, for example. If needed, the school nurse can refer the student to the doctor.
Full information on Student Welfare services available in Finnish here.
All subject teachers give study guidance in matters related to their own subject. In matters such as optional subject choices, career choices, and further studies, students and guardians can contact the study councellor. The study councellor for English-speaking classes is Marja Loukola.
All teaching that takes place outside school premises is marked in the school’s strategy which is approved by the school executive board. A teacher or other school adults will always accompany students on school trips that start and end at school, or as is agreed upon according to situation. An educational visit is a one-time familiarisation pertinent to one or more subjects that lasts for a few hours. It can be a visit to a museum, a research facility, an exposition or a theatre. An educational trip is a one or two-day explorational trip pertinent to one or more subjects. It has to be confirmed in the school strategy as an educational event. A camp school is an optional, educational trip in Finland that has been confirmed in the school strategy. It is planned in accordance with the students, guardians and teachers. All teaching, free time, meals and accommodation will be organised outside school premises. Guardians will cover their child’s costs for the entire camp school.
New students sign a paper concerning computer use (called Netiquette) when they start in our school, after which they receive their own usernames for the school computers. The same username is valid throughout the secondary school.
Our school uses Internet portal Wilma for communication between home and school. The students receive their personal Wilma user ID on the first day of school. The students should check Wilma regularly, preferably on a daily basis. It is easy to check school matters, such as the schedule, exams and exam areas in Wilma. At the start of the school year the guardians receive their own user ID for Wilma. If the student forgets his/her Wilma username, he/she can contact the school office.
Both 8th and 9th graders gain practice in working life for one week during school time. Work practice period for 8th graders is during the spring term and for 9th graders during the autumn term.