SUSPENSION POLICY

 

Only the Principal and/or the Board of management may suspend a student and if the Principal suspends a student the Principal must inform the Board of Management at its next meeting.

 

          The Principal will only normally suspend a student following a Disciplinary Hearing and following a suspension recommendation by the members of the Disciplinary Committee.

 

          The Parent / Guardian should be informed immediately by telephone and in writing of the suspension.

 

           The letter sent to the Parent / Guardian should give the reason for the suspension, the period of the suspension, the conditions if any on which the student may return to school.

 

           The Principal and/or Deputy Principal and/or the Year Head will be available to discuss the suspension with the Parent / Guardian of the student.

 

           The period of suspension should be for a "limited period" and should take into account the student's previous record and the number of days the student has already been absent from school during that school year. This is to ensure that the days absent remain within the 20 days absence allowed before the Education Welfare Officer has to be informed.

 

          The Principal may also decide that a longer period of suspension is warranted and may suspend the student pending a meeting of the Board of Management.

 

           The grounds for removing a suspension imposed in relation to a student might include:

 

(a) A written undertaking by the student and his Parent / Guardian of future good

behaviour.

 

(b) A successful appeal to the Board of Management.

 

(c) A successful appeal to the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science (Education Act Section 29).