Parents’ Rights and Responsibilities
ISB defines its partnership with parents and guardians as a collaborative effort, recognizing that the family is the primary influence on a child’s development. This partnership requires active involvement from the school as well as the parents and guardians. Our mutual goal is to support your child’s quest for educational success and fulfillment. We can achieve this goal through effective communication and trust, which are the basis of any successful relationship.
ISB acknowledges that the amount of parent/guardian involvement may vary from family to family, and also may depend upon a child’s age and grade. Nevertheless, the expectations of both members of this partnership and learning community should be clearly outlined.
Therefore, in accordance with the beliefs on education set forth in the ISB Strategic Plan, we have defined the Rights and Responsibilities of Parents and Guardians, which include but are not limited to those outlined here.
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Parents and Guardians Have the Right:
Safety and Health To have a safe and secure learning environment provided for students, including:
- Safe transportation and facilities
- Freedom from intimidation, harassment, and physical, sexual, or verbal abuse in the school environment
- Emergency response protocols practiced school-wide
- Drug-free and smoke-free campus
- Healthy food options for all students
- Appropriate security precautions and personnel
Communication To expect timely, relevant, and effective communication, including:
- Respect and courtesy from all members of the school staff
- Access to all school policies and guidelines
- Information regarding school issues and events
- Responses to inquiries, concerns, complaints or grievances within two school days
Academics To be informed of student academic and behavioral progress through:
- Regular communication between teachers and families
- Information concerning the grading criteria and student progress
- Access to classroom activities in accordance with school policies and communication protocols
- Parent-teacher conferences and other meetings as requested
Curriculum and Instruction To examine or to be provided with:
- Materials relevant to instruction and curriculum
- A clearly communicated curriculum overview describing what and how children will learn and how they will be assessed each year
- Appropriate feedback and assessment of homework and coursework
- Information about forms of academic support that may be available for success in the classroom
Involvement To participate in decision-making at the school through:
- Voting in elections or on special amendments put forth by the Board of Trustees to the Association of Parents
- Serving or volunteering on school committees (i.e. PTA, Strategic Plan Core Team, Board task forces)
- Serving on the Board of Trustees
Parents and Guardians Have the Responsibility:
To support the mission, values, curriculum, and educational standards of ISB, and to follow the school’s chain of communication, with respect to the following:
SAFETY AND HEALTH To assist the school with creating a safe and healthy environment by:
- Sending your child to school ready to learn, well rested, well nourished, properly groomed, and appropriately dressed
- Ensuring that your child is properly supervised if and when parents are away from home; the Temporary Guardianship Form, available online, outlines these responsibilities
- Respecting the health of others by keeping children at home if they are unwell, especially when they have communicable illnesses such as colds, influenza, conjunctivitis, or fever; and disclosing appropriate information regarding illnesses as requested
- Reinforcing with children the need to respect people, property, safety, and the rights of others
- Providing the school with up-to-date contact information, and keeping such information current, in case of emergency
COMMUNICATION To assist the school with effective communication by:
- Treating teachers and staff with courtesy and respect
- Maintaining contact with teachers and homeroom parents as necessary
- Attending meetings, workshops, and coffees related to your child’s development and learning (such as Principals’ Coffees, Freedom from Chemical Dependency, or the Reading Continuum workshops)
- Informing ISB of any special needs your child may have, or of any circumstances at home that might affect your child’s performance at school
- Learning and adhering to ISB’s policies (as outlined in each divisional handbook), especially with regard to planned absences, administering medications, parent-teacher communication, and school/activities balance
- Seeking assistance as needed from other parents or from counselors and administrators to learn how to fulfill your responsibilities, and requesting assistance if such information needs translation
ACADEMICS To assist the school with academic progress and growth of each student by:
- Ensuring that students complete assigned homework on time
- Ensuring that students attend school regularly and without extended vacations; informing the school of any time when the family needs to be away
- Attending parent/teacher conferences or scheduled meetings
- Understanding and supporting the developmental needs of each child
CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION To support the school by:
- Participating in committees or programs that empower parents to make educational decisions and support the classroom instruction
- Volunteering time, skills, and resources when possible
- Communicating with school, administration, or teachers when you have concerns about the learning that is taking place
Temporary Guardianship
Temporary Guardianship
The best learning environment for students is achieved when home and school work in partnership. Students may not enroll at ISB unless one parent or an officially appointed guardian is in full-time residence with the student in Beijing. Domestic helpers do not qualify as acceptable guardians, regardless of the student’s age. Parents who will be away from Beijing for a period of more than 24 hours are required to inform the school and complete the Temporary Guardianship Form.
Parents in this situation should take the following steps:
- Identify a relative, friend, neighbor, or colleague who is willing to act as Temporary Guardian. This person will supervise your children and take care of them in case of any emergency. Please note that a childcare provider or member of your household staff is not considered by the school to be a Temporary Guardian.
- Determine whether this person will stay in your home while you are away or whether your child/children will stay at the home of the temporary guardian. If parents will be away for longer than seven days, the officially appointed guardian must be in residence at the home of the Student.
- Complete the Temporary Guardianship Form and ask your child’s temporary guardian to sign it as well, to ensure that he or she understands the responsibilities involved.
- If you have children in more than one division who will be with the same temporary guardian, the secretary or office assistant will provide a copy to the other divisions, where necessary.
- Prior to leaving Beijing each time, inform the divisional secretary of the dates you will be gone and update any information related to your temporary guardian or your out-of-town contact numbers.
Copies of the Statement of Temporary Guardianship are available through the divisional offices or at the links below:
Temporary Guardianship Form:
(please complete one form only if you have children in more than one division.)
- 10 An Hua Street, Shunyi District, Beijing 101318, PRC
- 中国 北京市 顺义区安华街10号, 邮编：101318
- +86(10)81492345
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