Demerit System - Procedure

29/04/2011

PROCEDURE

Demerits have been allocated for conduct that contravenes the College’s Code of Conduct. The number of demerits will be determined by the severity of the incident and will progressively increase each time a boy is referred for the same violation of College rules. Demerits are allocated at the discretion of the Headmaster, a Deputy Headmaster (in collaboration with a Year Head) after the following procedure has taken place:

1. Year Heads and Deputy Headmasters follow-up on all referrals made by staff members as well as entries made by staff on a boy’s Progress Chart.
2. If, after the Year Head or Deputy Headmaster has dealt with these instances of misconduct, a boy persists with his unacceptable behaviour, the Deputy Headmaster may allocate demerits. The boy must be present when this is done. Demerits are recorded on the boy’s Code of Conduct card which will be kept in the boy's personal file (EdLab).
3. Boys will receive a “Notice of Disciplinary Action” each time they are assigned demerits as a consequence of their actions. This notice will state the number of demerits the boy received for that particular incident as well as the total number of demerits the boy has accumulated.
4. Once a boy has been issued demerits, parents will be telephoned and asked to collect a copy of this notice from the front office. This will ensure that parents are aware of their son’s behavioural status.
5. These procedures allow the Year Heads, Deputy Headmasters and Headmaster to deal with most of the everyday problems and only penalise a boy once he has clearly demonstrated that he is unresponsive to corrective measures and will not/cannot modify his behaviour.
6. A maximum of 50 demerits will be permitted for a boy who joins the College at the start of Grade 8. A sliding scale applies for boys enrolled at the College after the start of Grade 8.
   
   

   Grade	Maximum Demerits	Interview 1 Deputy Headmaster	Disciplinary Hearing
   8	50	25	40
   9	40	20	30
   10	30	15	20
   11	20	10	10
   12	10	5	5

7. When a boy accumulates 25 demerits he must be interviewed by a Deputy Headmaster. The boy’s parent/parents will be required to attend this interview.
8. A boy who has accumulated 40 demerits will appear before a disciplinary hearing convened by a Deputy Headmaster. The boy's parents will be required to attend this disciplinary hearing.
9. Following this disciplinary hearing, a Notice of Final Warning must be issued to the boy and his parents. A copy of this letter must be placed in the boy’s personal record file.
10. A copy of this letter must be tabled at the following Board Meeting. The Board, at their discretion, reserves the right to interview the parents and boy.
11. At the discretion of the Headmaster and Board of Governors, a boy who accumulates 50 demerits will be asked to leave the College.
12. Demerits are cumulative and are carried from one grade to the next. If a boy leaves the College and then returns, previous demerits will be re-instated.