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Chapter 11 School Policies and Their Functions

This document discusses several school policies including policies on grading, student absence and tardiness, and policies governing the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). The policy on grading outlines the percentage weights given to different components like written work, performance tasks, and quarterly assessments for various subject areas. The policy on student absence states that students who miss more than 20% of class periods may fail the subject unless exempted by the school head. Policies for the PTA regarding activities, financial matters, and prohibited activities are also outlined. Effective policy formulation in a school requires participation from the school and community to develop a sense of ownership and ensure more effective implementation. This empowerment approach is ideal over policies formulated solely by

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Crystal Janelle Tabsing
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87 views

Chapter 11 School Policies and Their Functions

This document discusses several school policies including policies on grading, student absence and tardiness, and policies governing the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). The policy on grading outlines the percentage weights given to different components like written work, performance tasks, and quarterly assessments for various subject areas. The policy on student absence states that students who miss more than 20% of class periods may fail the subject unless exempted by the school head. Policies for the PTA regarding activities, financial matters, and prohibited activities are also outlined. Effective policy formulation in a school requires participation from the school and community to develop a sense of ownership and ensure more effective implementation. This empowerment approach is ideal over policies formulated solely by

Uploaded by

Crystal Janelle Tabsing
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 11

School Policies and Their Functions

Introduction
Schools are institution motivated by a shared vision. Necessarily, schools must
have policies for them to realize their vision and mission. These policies are a reflection
of the values of the people who created them. Whatever policies are formulated must
redound to the improved teaching-learning of learners which is the very reason of the
existence of schools. In this chapter, we will focus on school policies that govern school
and community partnership.

Activity- Let’s Read These


1. Group yourselves by 6 then share your answer to this question.
 For Groups 1, 2 and 3- Here is a part of the policy on grading given by the
DepED Central Office in DepED Order 8, s. 2015, dated April 1, 2015.
Study the components and the corresponding percentage weights.

Table 7. Weight of Components for Grades 1-10

Components Languages, AP, Science and MAPEH, EPP


EsP Math AND TLE
Written Work 30% 40% 20%

Performance 50% 40% 60%


Task
Quarterly 20% 20% 20%
Assessment

2. For Groups 4, 5 6 - Read this policy on students’ absence and tardiness:


A learner who incurs absence of more than 20% of the prescribed number of
class or laboratory periods during the school year or semester should be given a
failing grade and not earn credits for the learning area or subject. Furthermore, the
school head may, at his/her discretion and in the individual case, exempt a learner
who exceeds the 20% limit for reasons considered valid and acceptable to the
school. The discretionary authority is vested in the school head and may not be
available of by a student or granted by a faculty member without the consent of the
school heed…. (DepED Order 8, s. 2015)
3. For all students
 Read this excerpt of DepED Order 54, s. 2009.
Activities. All PTA activities within the school premises or which involve the
school, its personnel or students shall be with prior consultation and approval of
the School Head.
Financial Matters. Such collections shall be made by the PTA subject to the
following conditions”: If collection of the School Publication Fee, Supreme Student
Government (SSG), Developmental Fund and other club membership fees and
contributions is coursed through the PTA as requested by the concerned
organizations, the amount collected shall be remitted immediately to the school,
SSG or other student organization concerned on the day it was collected. The
pertinent organization shall deposit the funds with a reputable bank on the next
banking day under the organization’s account. No service fee shall be charged
against any student organization by the PTA.
Non-compliance or any violation of the aforementioned conditions shall be
a ground for the cancellation of the PTA’s recognition and/or the filing of
appropriate charges as the case may be.
1. Policy on Collection of Contributions

Cognizant of the need of an organization for adequate fund to sustain its


operations, a duly recognized PTA may collect voluntary financial contributions
from members and outside sources to enable it to fund and sustain its operation
and the implementation of its programs and projects exclusively for the benefit of
the students and the school where it operates. The PTA’s programs and projects
shall be in line with the School Improvement Plans (SIP).
The contributions should be a reasonable amount as may be determined by
the PTA Board of Directors;
Non-payment of the contributions by the parent-member shall not be a basis
for non-admission or non-issuance of clearance(s) to the child by the school
concerned;
The contributions shall be collected by the PTA Treasurer on a per parent-
member basis regardless of the number of their children in school;
No collection of PTA contributions shall be done during the enrollment
period; and
No teacher or any school personnel shall be involved in such collection
activities.

Safekeeping of Funds All collections and contributions or proceeds of fundraising


activities shall be deposited in a reputable banking institution as determined by the Board
of Directors. The PTA’s Treasurer or a duly authorized representative shall undertake the
collection and shall issue official or personnel be entrusted with the safekeeping and
disbursement of collections made by the PTA. All disbursement of funds shall be in
accordance with generally accepted accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

PTA are prohibited from:


Inferring in the academic and administrative management and operations
of the school, and of the DepED, in general;
Engaging in any partisan political activity within school premises;
Operating a canteen/school supplies store, or being a concessionaire
thereof inside the school or nearby premises, or offering these services to the
school as its client either directly or indirectly;
Selling insurance, pre-need plans or similar schemes or programs to
students and/or their parents; and
Such other acts or circumstances analogous to the foregoing.

PTA Officers and members of the Board of Directors are prohibited from
collecting salaries, honoraria, emoluments or other forms of compensation from
any of the funds collected or received by the PTA.

PTA’s shall have no right to disburse, or change any fess as service fees or
percentages against the amount collected pertinent to the School Publication Fee,
Supreme Student Government (SSG) Development Fund and other club
membership fees and contributions.

In no case shall a PTA or any of its officers or members of the Board of


Directors call upon students and teachers for purposes of investigation or
disciplinary action.

The recognition of any PTA shall be cancelled by the Division PTA Affairs
Committee upon the recommendation of the School Head concerned of any violation of
the above-mentioned prohibited activities and these Guidelines. Thereafter, the School
Head may call for a special election to replace the Board of Directors of the PTA whose
recognition was cancelled. Criminal, civil and/or administrative actions may be taken
against any member or officer of the Board of the PTA who may appear responsible for
failure to submit the necessary annual financial statements or for failure to account the
funds of the PTA.
Importance of Policies
Schools in partnership with their community have their own picture of what they
want to be (vision statement) and so must offer services and must do what they are
supposed to do (mission statement) in order to realize what they envisioned themselves
to be. For these to happen, policies must be in place. Observance of these policies
ensures everyone in the school community to tow the line. If conditions are ideal like when
all members of the school community are perfect-school head, teachers, students,
parents, non-teaching personnel and other members of the outside community- there may
be no need for a policy. The truth is conditions in the school community and in this world
are far from ideal and persons that make the school community are far from perfect and
so the need for policies.
One may wonder as to why the Department of Education has issued very stringent
policies and guidelines for PTAs in matters of collecting contributions. Even engaging in
any partisan political activity within school premises is written as one prohibited activity.
There must a history to that. Perhaps malversation of funds and other forms of abuse
happened in the past.
Schools’ policy on the grading system is important for everyone concerned to know
how grades are computed. Both students and parents know how grades are derived
objectively. Percentage weights for each component are clear.
Teachers are guided in their assessment practices. The grading policy ensures
objective assessment practiced. Without the grading policy, grading may become highly
subjective.
Similarly, if there are no policies on students’ tardiness and absenteeism, students
may just come in late or absent. The policies on students’ tardiness and absenteeism
certainly will curb tardiness and absenteeism to ensure learning.

Effective Policy Formulation and Implementation in a School Community


Partnership
The policies on grading, student tardiness an absenteeism came from above. But
policies do not need to come from above all the times.
There are times when a school formulates a policy to address a local problem. In
fact, this is how it should be in a school-community partnership. Ideally, a policy must not
be formulated by the school head by himself/herself. The school head must lead in the
policy formulation process. The word “lead” implies that an effective policy formulation
process must be participatory. This means that it is best that the rest of the school and
community be involved. Two good heads are better than one. Besides participation of
school and community develops a sense of ownership of such formulated policy which
ensures a more effective implementation. This is school empowerment in action. Aside
from involving the school and community in policy formulation, a school head must ensure
wide dissemination and correct and clear understanding of the policy.

TAKEAWAYS

 Policies are intended to ensure that schools perform and realize what
they have envisioned for themselves.
 There are policies that come from authorities above the school since the
school is a member of a bigger organization or system.
 But schools are also empowered to formulate their own.
 Policies to address their concerns speedily provided they are not contrary
to policies that come from above.
 School policies are effective when they are formulated with the
participation of the members of the school a community as this develops
sense of ownership which ensures implementation of the family.
 Policies must also be widely disseminated for the information of the entire
system – school and community- and must be understood correctly and
clearly.
 Policies set order in schools. The absence of clear-cut policies may court
chaos.

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