CODE OF ETHICS OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY

INTRODUCTION

The Code of Ethics of BISC has been developed by the School Principal, and the Committee of Education Advisers in accordance with the requirements of Art. 269, para. 1, item 11 of the Pre-school and School Education Act (PSSEA).These standards of Ethical Behavior of education practitioners aim to:
1. Formulate the basic values, norms and principles of behavior that education practitioners should know and observe in their practice.
2. Strengthen the authority of teachers and public and create confidence in the school as an institution.
3. State the ethical standards and aspirations of education practitioners.
4. Direct thr behavior and to assist the education practitioners in solving ethical dilemmas they encounter in their practice.
5. Outline the moral responsibilities of education practitioners: to the child, to the family, to each other and to society.
SECTION I – UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES
Education practitioners perform their duties, guided by the following underlying values ??and principles:
Art. 1. Childhood is an extremely important period in every person's life.
Art. 2. The family is the natural environment for child development.
Art. 3. Every child is unique and valuable.
Art. 4. Every child has the right of:
• Freedom of expression;
• freedom of thought, conscience and religion;
• forming their own views and the right to express them freely.
Art. 5. Every child has the right to have their dignity protected from physical, psychological or other form of violence.
Art. 6 Every child has the inherent right to life and the right to have their survival and development protected to the maximum extent possible.
Art. 7. Every child and every family deserve to be helped to develop their full potential.
Art. 8. Every child with proven talent has the right to benefit from special protection measures.
SECTION II - RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF STAKEHOLDERS IN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY
Chapter I – Education advisers, practiotioners and school staff
Art. 9. (1) All workers and employees of BISC shall be obliged to:
1. Observe the principles of legality, loyalty, honesty, impartiality, political neutrality, responsibility and accountability.
2. Observe the legislation in the Republic of Bulgaria by contributing to the implementation of a state policy based on the rule of law.
3. Implement, propose and take decisions contributing to the elimination of arbitrariness and the strengthening of trust in the institution of the School.
4. Carry out their activity competently and in good faith and strive for the continuous improvement of their work in the interest of the children.
5. Not damage the good name of the school not only in the performance of official duties but also in their public and private lives.
(2) Education practiotioners shall be obliged:
1. To inform their practice with contemporary knowledge of child development child psychology.
2. To understand and respect the uniqueness of each student.
3. To take into account the vulnerabilities of each student.
4 To contribute to the creation a safe and healthy environment that stimulates the social, emotional and physical development of students.
5. To support the student's right to freedom of expression on all matters of his / her interest.
6. To work in the students’ interest.
7. To provide disabled students with equal opportunities for access to education and adequate care depending on the needs of the student.
8. Not to participate in practices that do not respect the dignity of the students or are dangerous and harmful to their physical and emotional health and development.
9. Not to segregate students into classes or groups based on ethnicity or religion origin and not to engage in practices that discriminate in any way on the basis of race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, nationality, language, abilities, or on the basis of the parents’ status, behaviour or beliefs.
10. To recognise the signs of child abuse - physical, sexual, verbal, emotional abuse or neglect.
11. To be aware of the current child protection legislation - codes, conventions, laws, regulations, regulations, instructions, etc. and to comply with them.
12. In case of suspicion of child or pupil abuse, to act in accordance with the prescribed procedures in the BISC’s Code of Practice.
13. To lend full assistance to third persons expressing concern and to take appropriate action to protect the child.
14. To inform child protection authorities and school management on becoming aware of actions or situations that threaten the health and safety of a student.
Art.10. All students are guaranteed the right:
1. To be trained and educated in a healthy, safe and secure environment; to be provided with opportunities for their development and full inclusion in society.
2. To be respected as active participants in the educational process;
3. To choose what they study and their future profession;
4. To choose the optional subjects or modules offered by the school.  
5. To be allowed to use the library and the information services.
6. To receive information about their education, training, rights and obligations.
7. To receive general and additional support for their personal development.
8. To be treated equally and with respect for the rights of everyone regardless of race, religion, nationality, beliefs, gender or social status.
9. To be guaranteed freedom of expression, freedom of thought, conscience and religion;  to be allowed to form their own views and to express them freely;
10. To be free from degrading forms of control, corporal punishment and mental cruelty.
11. To be allowed to develop physically, mentally, morally and socially.  
12. To be protected from risk and removed from situations involving risk.  
13. To be informed and consulted with about the choice of education courses and career.
14. To take part in special projects.
15. To voice opinions and suggestions on school activities, including elective and optional classes.
16. To take part in all-school governance and decision-making on issues affecting school life and the school community, including the school curriculum.
17. To be assisted by the school and the local authorities when expressing their views on issues that directly affect them and to participate in the life of the community.
18. To be motivated with moral and material rewards.
19. Students participate in school life through different forms of student self-management at class level, guided by the school regulations.   Being included in this way fosters a climate of good behaviour and positivity in the whole school.
20. Gifted students benefit from special protection measures.
Chapter II - Support for the personal development of children and students
Art.11 BISC provides support for the personal development of children and students in co-operation with Central and Local Government authorities and Social Services, subject to the provisions of Art. 174 of PSSEA.
Article 12 The Framework for the Care for Students’ Personal Development is set out by the PSSEA, the Standard for Inclusive Education and the Regulations for School Structures and Activities.
Art. 13 Teamwork between teachers and other education practitioners involves discussing problems and exchanging good practice.  
Art.14. (1) All students are special are entitled to be supported.
(2) Additional support is provided on the basis of the assessment of individual needs, which is carried out by school’s Personal Development Team (PDT).  
(3) The PDT is set up by the Head teacher for a specific child or student under Art. 187, para.2.
Art.15. The School’s Personal Development Team:
1. Identifies the strengths of the child or student, the developmental, training and behavioral difficulties, as well as the reasons for their occurrence;
2. Assesses the individual needs of the child or student;
3. Prepares and implements a support plan;
4. Carries out monitoring and evaluation of each case;
5. Performs other functions covered by the state educational standard for inclusive education.
Chapter III – Teachers’ Council
Article 16. (1) The functions and role of the Teachers’ Council when adopting internal regulations is to ensure a positive organisational climate and to support the school community as set out in Art. 263 of PSSEA and it involves:
1. Taking measures for conflict prevention and resolution to ensure a positive organisational and co-operative climate in the school.
2. Development a four-year School Action Plan and Capital Expenditure Plan, as required by the current legislation.  
3. The day-to-day School life is run by the following Standing Committees:
3.1. Ethical Committee, which looks after the quality of School governance, the inclusive education standards, the provision of civic, health, environmental and intercultural education,  the status and professional development of teachers and other education practitioners.  
3.2. Committee for the Prevention of Bullying, Aggressive Behaviour and Violence,  whose work is also guided by the Standards for Inclusive Education and Civic, Health, Environmental and Intercultural Education.  
3.3. Quality Committee, which works with all parties under Art. 22 of the PSSEA.
3.4. Committee on Working Conditions, which looks after the provision of safe working conditions, and the information and library services.
4. Drawing up the School’s Annual Plan, devising actions in support of  the School's strategic objectives.  
5. Preparing Learning Plans for students on individual form of education, depending on the individual needs of each student and their support needs.
6. Taking measures to improve the quality of education.  
7. Implementing the Prevention of Early School-leaving Programme.
8. Monitoring the Equal Opportunities and Inclusion of Children and Students from Vulnerable Groups Programmes.
(2) The Teachers’ Council:
1. Proposes the starting of new extra-curricular clubs for students.
2. Proposes specific rewards or sanctions for students.
3. Adopts the Code of Ethics for the school community.
4. Periodically but at least three times a year track and discusses the students’ progress and proposes joint measures for improvent of the learning outcomes.
5. Exercise other powers as set out by the law.
(3) The documents described in para. 1, items 1-5 and 7 - 9 are published on the School's website or the the website of the Centre for Support of the Students’ Personal Development.
Chapter IV
Public Council
Art.17. Pursuant to Art. 265 of the PSSEA:
(1) In order to create conditions for active and democratically functioning communities, a public council is established at each school.
(2) The Public Council is a body for supporting the development of the school and for exercising civic checks and balances.
(3) The Public School Board:
1. Approves the strategy for the development of the kindergarten and the school and adopts the Annual Report of the Head Teacher.
2. Participates in the work of the Teachers’ Council when discussing the programmes under art. 263, para. 1, items 8 and 9 of the PSSEA and when discussing the choice of school uniforms;
3. Contributes to Policy and proposes measures to improve the quality of the education process based on the results of the institution's self-assessment (How Good Is Our School), the external evaluation of the School and the School inspection.
4. Participates in the creation and adoption of a school community Code of Ethics.
(4) If the Public Council fails to approve the acts they are be returned with recommendations to the Teachers’ Council. The Teachers’ Council must then revisit the Reports and take a final decision.
Chapter V
Parents
Article 18. Parents have the following rights related to ethics in working with education practitioners:
1. Periodically and in a timely manner to receive information on the success and development of their children in the educational process, on school discipline and on the students’ inclusion in the community;
2. To meet the school Management Team, the Registration Teacher, teachers and other education practiotioners in the designated surgery time or at another time convenient for both parties.
3. To attend and, if they so wish, be heard when addressing issues affecting the rights and interests of the child or student.
4. To receive from the School at least once a year information, support and counseling on issues related to education, career guidance and the personal development of their children;
5. To elect and to be elected on the Public Pouncil of the School.
6. To expres opinions and to make suggestions for the development the School and the Centre for Personal Development Support.
Article 19. (1) Parents have the following obligations related to ethical rules at the School:
1. To ensure regular attendance of their chidren and to inform the school of their unavoidable absences.
2. To attend regularly school briefings on the progress of their children.
3. To observe the rules of the School and to encourage their children to comply with them.
4. To support their children in becoming self-reliant life-long learners.  
5. To attend parents’ nights;
6. To make an effort to attend meetings at the School when invited by attending the Head teacher or anyother education practitioner.
(2) Parents whose children are edcated in an individual form of education under Art. 112, para. 1, item 2 must achieve the outcomes set by Art. 5.  It is their obligation to provide the necessary set-up, textbooks and teaching aids, as well as to apply appropriate methodologies and approaches for the age, individual needs and interests of the child.
Section III
MORAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FAMILY
Art. 20. It is our primary responsibility to support the family in the raising and educating of their children.
Art. 21. Every family is entitled to have their dignity, culture, customs, language and beliefs respected.
Art. 22. Every family is entitled to have their values and their right to take decisions about their children respected.    
Art. 23. Every family is entitled be informed about all decisions concerning their children and, where appropriate, be involved it in making such decisions.
Art. 24. Every family has the right to be informed about the education of their children and about the general and additional support they receive.
Article 25. Every family has the right to know about the research projects involving their children and to refuse participation without being made to feel guilty. The School must not participate in research that may in any way endanger the children’s health, development or well-being.
Art. 26. Education practitioners must not use family relationships for personal gain or enter into relationships which can be dertimental to their work with the students.
Art. 27. Education practitioners must ensure the confidentiality of information and respect the family's right to privacy, except in cases of child abuse.  
Art. 28. Education practitioners must protect the confidentiality of information they have access to. Disclosure of confidential information about students can only be done with permission from the sudent’s family, except in cases of child abuse.  
Art. 29. In cases where there is a family conflict education practitioners must preserve impartiality, work openly with all sides and support them in reaching an informed decision in the best interest of the child.
Section IV
RELATIONSHIP WITH CO-WORKERS
Article 30. Education practitioners must respect the opinion of colleagues and their right to private life.
Art. 31. When frictions between co-workers can not be resolved they must seek the support of their immediate supervisor.
Art. 32. Education practitioners must build and maintain relationships of respect, trust, co-operation and collegiality.
Art. 33. Education practitioners must share information and resources which a key to the well-being and protection of children.
Art. 34. Education practitioners must preserve the profession’s authority and dignity by refraining from actions that would undermine the public standing of the profession.  
Section V
MORAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EDUCATION PRACTITIONERS  
Art. 35. To provide high quality programs and services: we will only offer services for which we possess the requisite competence, qualifications, resources and capacity.
Art. 36. To work towards asocial environment in which children are free of violence and receive adequate health care, food, shelter and education.
Art. 37. To improve cooperation between organizations as well as interdisciplinary interaction between professions engaged in well-being of children and the family.
Art. 38. To be advocates for the needs of children.  
Art. 39. To promote the rights of children and to raise awareness of cases of violations of these rights.
Art. 40. (1). To comply with laws and policies promoting the well-being of children and their families and to flag violations.
(2) Education practitioners must:
1. Respect the personality and potential of each child.
2. Work in the best interests of the child.
3. Not use corporal punishment or any educational methods which remove the dignity of the child.
4. Support the family in their efforts to raise and educate their children.
5. Respect co-workers and and be guided by the Ethical Code in their joint work.
6. Maintain a high standard of professional behavior and to keep their professional knowledge and competence up-to-date.  
7. Serve as an advocate of the child and the family.  
8. Uphold the folowing values of academic life:
- Be fair and impartial in their work at the School.  
- Agree to disagree with others in a peaceful way.
- Uphold the dignity of the children by avoiding streotyping, all forms of bullying and exclusion, neglect and other forms of mental cruelty.  
- Equality of opportunity- affording children equal opportunities for development.  
- Personal freedom which must not be infringe the freedoms of others.  
- Security - to exercise our powers so that we protect the weak and vulnerable.
- Democracy and participation - to give children the opportunity to exercise their own choices and responsibilities, to participate in the decisions affecting them.
- Solidarity - to create opportunities for children to learn and work together with different people and groups on issues that concern them.
- Opportunities - to protect children's rights as we look after our own rights.
- Unity – to treat the threat to each child’s rights as a threat to the universal rights of mankind.
- Universality - to uphold the rights of children and to apply them unconditionally.