Student Handbook

Administration

Head of School Ole Droob
Deputy Head of School Lars Nielsen
IB Coordinator and Head of IB Department/Uddannelsesleder Karin Skals
Deputy IB Coordinator and Deputy Head of IB Department Ivan Ioujakov
Member of Senior Staff Management for stx/Uddannelsesleder Jesper Holmbach
Member of Senior Staff Management for stx/Uddannelsesleder Ronni Sejersen Hansen
Member of Senior Staff Management for stx/Uddannelsesleder Per Flohr

Secretary Anne Lyngø Gaardsøe, Secretary Anita Larsen (finance), Secretary Bente Enevold Pinstrup (responsible for SU for IB students) and Finance Coordinator Sine Høyer.

Assembly Lessons

Four to five times a year, assembly lessons are arranged for all IBs or only a class or two. Here topics not necessarily directly related to topics taught in class are explored by lecturers from »the real world« outside school.

Assessment and Exams

In PreIB all exams are internally assessed by teachers from Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School. During the IB Programme exams are both internally and externally assessed. You can read more about assessment methods for IB on www.ibo.org/en/programmes/diploma-programme/assessment-and-exams.

For PreIB and IB1 the end of year exam period runs from the end of May til the end of June, and the exact schedule for each student will be available in Lectio medio May. To be promoted to the next school year students are expected to attend all mock exams and actual exams and have handed in all scheduled IAs for the school year. Final written exams in IB2 are held in May, and results will be available on July 6.

Board of Governors

The Board of Governors of Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School is constituted with the following members:

Chairman Mogens Rysholt Poulsen (Aalborg University), Ole Droob (Head of Hasseris Gymnasium), Poul Højmose Kristensen (UCN Nordjylland), Svend Erik Pedersen (Erhverv Nordjylland), Mette Jørgensen (Vicerektor Klostermarksskolen), René Arnold Knudsen (Head of Sofiendalsskolen), Heidi Holler (Aalborg City Council), Ann Bruun Birk (BMS Cranes),  Lisbeth Vejlin (senior lecturer at Hasseris Gymnasium), Søren Stiller Kjærgaard (senior lecturer at Hasseris Gymnasium) and two student representatives. Deputy Head of School, Lars Nielsen, also participate in board meeting.

Books

School books are borrowed from the school and are handed out by the subject teachers. In Lectio you can find a complete list of the books you have borrowed and when to return them. Usually, books are returned at the library. The books are the property of the school, and thus, we expect you to handle them with care and protect them with book covers. Do not to underline anything or make notes in the school’s books. You are liable for any damage to the books you borrow.

Busses

The school bus from Nibe (R50) leaves from Nibe Torv at 7.40 and goes directly to Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School. At 7.20 the school bus leaves from Nørholm by, stopping 7.35 at Sønderholm, followed by a stop in Frejlev, before arriving at Hasseris Gymnasium. Buses 11 and 14 for »Skelagervej« and “Skelagergårdene” leave from the central bus station (Kennedy Arkaden) and stop in front of the school. Metrobus 5 from the university area and Mariendals Mølle stops at Skelagervej right next to the school, however, this bus is only in service mornings and afternoons.

Calculators

All PreIB and IB students at Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School are required to bring only the IBO approved calculator TI84 SE or TI84+. No other calculators (or phones) are allowed for math and the sciences, neither on everyday basis during lessons nor in mock exams or exams.

Career Guidance

Issues regarding studies after IB, especially in Denmark, is attended to by »Studievalg Nordjylland« and their guidance counsellor Line Madsen Skorstengaard. During your time at Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School, Line will inform you about different study opportunities. She can be contacted via Lecio, and you can read more about »Studievalg Nordjylland« on www.studievalg.dk/nordjylland/.

CAS

CAS is Creativity, Activity and Service. In order to achieve the IB Diploma a student must carry out a number of CAS activities during the two IB years.  Joen Kon Christensen and Charlotte Bisgaard Klemmensen are the school’s CAS coordinators. They will announce in Lectio where and when they have office hours.

Change of Address

If you change your address or telephone number, it is important that the school is informed about the changes immediately. Contact the secretaries at the front office.

Data Protection Consent

Like all institutions in the EU, Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School must also comply with the Data Protection Regulations. When you apply to Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School, the school will collect and process various kinds of personal data on you. The personal data includes information which you have provided on your application form as well as information from your former school years. During your time as a student here, the school may register other personal data on you that is relevant for your education. All students at Hasseris Gymnasium must sign a consent form by the beginning of the school year.

Extended Essay (EE)

The Extended Essay is an independent, self-directed piece of research, culminating in a 4,000-word paper. You choose the IB subject in which you want to write your EE. At Hasseris Gymnasium  & IB World School the process of writing the EE is initiated by the end of IB1, and the essay is handed in during autumn of IB2. Throughout the process you will receive advice and guidance from a supervisor. IB coordinators are also the school’s Extended Essay coordinators.

Front Office

You will find the front office to the left of the main entrance.

Grades

Term grades are given three times a year; in November, January and May. The grades are available on Lectio and will not be available in a paper version send home to parent. In PreIB the Danish grading scale (from -3 to12) is used, while the IB scale (1–7) is used in IB1 and IB2.

IBO

The International Baccalaureate Organization was founded in Geneva in 1968. It offers education for children and youth ages 5–20. The IBO has developed three programmes: a preliminary programme for children aged 5–10, a middle year’s programme for children aged 11–15 and then the Diploma Programme being offered at Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School for students who have ended their compulsory school years and now want a high school education with a very strong emphasis on developing academic skills. You can read more about the IBO on its official website www.ibo.org/general/who.cfm

IB Coordinator Team

The IB coordinator team consists of IB Coordinator and Head of IB Department, Karin Skals, and Deputy IB Coordinator and Deputy Head of IB Department Ivan Ioujakov. Karin has her office in O12, and Ivan can be found in O11. Unlike the school’s front office, the IB offices are not always open during school hours.

IB Student Counselling

Student counselling issues, which in the stx department falls under the responsiblity of the “gymnasievejledere”, are in the IB Department attended to by the IB coordinator, Karin Skals. She can be contacted by phone on +45 96 32 71 24 or by mail on ks@hasseris-gym.dk.

Aalborg Kommune has published a small leaflet for parents on student well-being which you can find here. Should you as a parent need information in English, you can always contact the IB coordinator.

Insurances

The school kindly reminds you that you need your own insurance and that you must keep an eye on your belongings also during school hours. According to Danish law, the school cannot be held responsible for any loss of property or physical injuries attained during school hours. If you need to bring valuables or a large amount of money to school, you can deposit this at the administration office. If you use the school’s sports facilities, there are lockers available in the changing rooms.

Introduction to School

The first couple of days of the school year have a specific programme for the PreIB students (like all the new 1g students). A team of tutors from IB1 and IB2 will follow the PreIB students closely in order to ensure that everyone fells comfortable and gets integrated. As part of the welcome programme an intro tour is arranged for both PreIB and IB1 – the latter because at the beginning of the actual IB Programme a number of new students are added to the PreIB class from the previous school year. In IB1, therefore, a welcome committee of students is also arranging a number of welcome activities during the first days of the new school year.

IT Support

The school has a wireless for laptops and similar devises. All students are provided with a personal log in to the school computers and the school’s network. If you experience any problems with the computers or the network, you can contact Thomas Fogh Thomsen, who can be contacted in the IT-area on the orange landing (O14). Opening hours are 7.30 to 14.30 in weekdays. In Lectio under “dokumenter/Egne Grupper/elev-datavejledning” you can find a number of guides in both English and Danish which explain the various IT functions and IT possibilities at school.

Joint Teaching Staff Assembly

When the term grades have been given, the IB coordinators and the IB teachers discuss the students‘ level of achievement and possible problems concering a student’s promotion to the next class level.

Laptops

Students are expected to bring laptops or equivalent communication devices to school on everyday basis for all classes unless a teacher specifies that this is not necessary for a given lesson. If you do not have a laptop, you can borrow one from school for a shorter period of time by contacting the IB coordinator. All laptops and other electronic equipment must be switched off by the beginning of each lesson and can only be opened and used with the teacher’s permission.

Lectio

Lectio is the school’s internet based communication system which you can find on www.lectio.dk/lectio/283/default.aspx. You need a password in order to log into your personal Lectio profile. On Lectio you get access the daily timetable changes, your term grades and absence statistics. Lectio has a message system which works as the primary means of electronic communication for everyone at Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School. As a student of here you are expected to log on to the system at least once a day to check messages and your schedule.

Lessons

1. 08.15–09.45
2. 10.05–11.35
3. 12.05–13.35
4. 13.45–15.15
5. 15.20–16.50
Note that no bell indicates the beginning and end of lessons.

Library

The school library is open every day during school hours. The librarian is Mette Nielsen who can be contacted on +45 96 32 71 23. The library is open to all students and teachers at Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School. The librarian will help you find relevant material when you write assignments, essays and projects. In connection with the introduction of the Extended Essay and other research based written assignments she will give extended library sessions  focusing on the use of internet sources and plagiarism.

Lost and Found

By the beginning of the blue wing and next to the elevator on the ground floor you will find »Glemmekassen«, where for instance forgotten clothes, bags and umbrellas can be found. If you have forgotten your sport clothes, these can be found in the box outside the changing room. However, valuables such as watches and mobile phones will always be handed in to the front office.

Music after School Hours

As a student at Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School you can participate in a number of musical activities, for instance the school choir, the musical and different bands. If you want to play in a band with friends after school, it is possible to borrow a key and rehearse in the music room.

Open Arts Class

A number of times during the school year, open arts classes are offered to students interested in drawing and painting.

Policy for laptops, phones etc

All computers must be closed at the beginning of the lesson, all phones in bags.

The teacher plays an active role in ensuring that students do not use the computer for non-academic purposes.

The teacher decides how the students use their electronic devices in class and for group work. This is backed up by the leadership team of Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School.

Psychologist

If you need to talk to the school psychologist, you must contact the IB coordinator to get help to set up an appointment.

Reading and Writing Guidance

The school’s reading and writing counsellors offer guidance and help to students who have reading and writing difficulties of different sorts, for instance students with dyslexia. At the beginning of their schooling at Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School, students are tested in spelling and reading, and on the basis of the test results some students are offered optional guidance lessons. If you encounter reading or writing problems in the course of your schooling, you are also welcome to contact the reading counsellors either via lectio or via your teacher or student counsellor. The reading and writing guidance office is situated in the upper blue corridor, and this is also where guidance lessons normally take place.

School Assemblies

Approximately once a month during lunch break, you are expected to attend the IB lunch assembly. Here important messages are presented from the IB administration, from teachers and students. Morning assemblies are also held together with the rest of Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School in the school’s assembly hall.

School Parties

During the year there are a number of school parties. When you participate in a school party, you are not allowed to bring any kind of beer, wine or alcohol, but wine, beer and soft drinks can be purchased at school. Smoking (both inside and outside school) and all kinds of drugs are prohibited. Intoxicated persons will be rejected at the entrance. Violation of these rules can lead to temporary suspension from school or expulsion. Apart from the school’s birthday party, where former students are invited, the parties are only open for current students of Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School.

Student Council

Representatives from each stx, preIB and IB class are represented in the Student Council. Meetings are held approximately once a month.

Student Participation in Curricular Activities

As an IB student at Hasseris Gymnasium you must participate in curricular activities. This means that:

• you attend all lessons
• you turn up on time
• you have done your homework
• you participate actively in class and in group work
• you respect and uphold the school’s language policy
• you hand in assignments on time
• you bring relevant teaching materials to class
• you bring clothes and shoes for sports activity for PE classes
• you bring a laptop or similar device
• you only use your laptop and phone for relevant teaching purposes in class and when doing group work and only when given permission by a teacher.
• you state reasons behind any absences in Lectio under ”fraværsårsag” and contact the school if you fall ill for an exam or a longer period of time
• you attend all exam activities (actual exams, mock exams and IA activities) and all other school sanctioned activities.

Participating actively in curricular activities is a prerequisite for passing your IB Diploma and for obtaining the right to receive SU.

Study Grants (SU)

After you have turned 18, you will normally be eligible for study grants from the State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme (the Danish acronym is »SU«), a system managed by the Danish Educational Support Agency (Styrelsen for Videregående Uddannelser og Uddannelsesstøtte). Until you are 20, your grant depends upon your parents’ income. When that exceeds a certain amount, the grant is reduced on a sliding scale, ending in a minimum grant. Applications takes place online at www.su.dk, and you can apply up to a month before your 18th birthday. Remember that you need to order a digital log-in before you can apply online. School secretary Bente Pinstrup deals with SU inquiries. You can find her at the school’s front office, or you can contact her via Lectio.

To be eligible to receive SU and to maintain it throughout your IB course at Hasseris Gymnasium and IB School, you must attend classes, sit examinations, meet deadlines for written exam components and IAs and in other ways demonstrate that you are active in your educational programme. It is an obligation by law for the school to ensure that receivers of SU actually meet these criteria and if not to terminate the SU payment. This, of course, will not happen without prior consultations with you.

Talent Classes

Extracurricular talent classes in science and the humanities are offered to the very gifted students from STX and IB. Candidates are nominated by the teachers.

Theory of Knowledge (ToK)

The Theory of Knowledge (ToK) requirement is central to the educational philosophy of the Diploma Programme. It offers students and their teachers the opportunity to reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and on areas of knowledge and consider the role and nature of knowledge in their own culture, in the cultures of others and in the wider world. In addition, it prompts students to be aware of themselves as thinkers, encouraging them to become more acquainted with the complexity of knowledge and recognize the need to act responsibly in an increasingly interconnected but uncertain world.

Tidy Up!

At Hasseris Gymnasium & IB World School we have a few basic rules for cleanliness to secure a pleasant and tidy environment for students and staff; put up your chair each time you leave the classroom, throw away all paper and thrash which you are not going to bring with you, not only in class rooms, but also in the Oasis or the central area.

Transportation to School

Most students are eligible to receive a transportation card with a price reduction. Apply at www.ungdomskort.dk.

Withdrawal from School

Withdrawal from the school is only possible after contacting the IB coordinator. For students under 18, withdrawal is only possible with the written acceptance of their parents.