School Policies

Definition of Homework

1. Homework refers to any learning activity that students are required by the school to complete outside of curriculum time. This includes assignments and projects but not revision of school work or studying for tests and examinations.

Objectives of Homework

2. Homework, when used appropriately, can reinforce students’ learning, provide feedback on their progress and cultivate a healthy disposition towards continual learning.

a) For Students, effective use of homework can

1. • reinforce learning and deepen understanding of lessons taught.

   • allow students to regularly practise, and apply skills and concepts taught.

   • develop good study skills and habits.

   • encourage greater ownership and responsibility for independent learning.

b) For Teachers, judicious use of homework helps to

2. • consolidate learning that has taken place in class.

   • check for students’ understanding and progress, so as to provide timely feedback, intervention and support.

   • customise lesson delivery to meet students’ needs.

c) For Parents, homework provides

3. • timely information on the learning progress of their child.

   • opportunities for themselves to be involved in the child’s learning.

Homework Time Norms

3. The school puts in place planning time norms. They are developed to pitch the appropriate homework load for the different levels of students.

4. School holidays are meant for students to take a break from formal learning. For homework given during the school holidays, the daily homework load will not be more than 50% of the daily load given during the school holidays, the daily homework load will not be more than 50% of the daily load given during the school week.

Use of Personal Learning Devices (PLDs)

Schoolwide Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Yuhuans should comply with the following SOPs in using the PLDs:

Handling iPads with Above All, Care

Dos:

• Always protect your iPad in the case, with Apple Pencil kept in the case slot.

• Take extra care when plugging cables in and out of the iPad’s lightning port.

• Keep iPads away from hazards (including food, beverages, water, extreme temperature, direct sunlight for extended periods).

• Take care and ownership of your iPads, and refrain from loaning to others.

Don’ts

• Do not leave your iPads unattended.

• Do not bring your iPads into the washrooms.

• Do not place your iPads on rough or unstable surfaces.

• Do not place unnecessary pressure on the iPad, including piling other items on it in your bag or locker.

Storage & Security of iPads

Responsibility of Students

• Take good care of your iPads during all lessons, including C&T subjects / science practicals / PE lessons (if requested)

• Secure iPads in lockers during recess, PE, CCA & after school

Security Measures From School

• Each iPad has a serial number tagged to each student with their name labelled on the iPad

• CCTVs are in place to monitor overall security, with a zero tolerance discipline policy on theft & wilful damage

Technical Support and Emergency Loans of iPads

If your iPad is faulty

• Make an appointment with the ICT Service Centre (iSec) to troubleshoot. (https://go.gov.sg/yhssictss)

• Alternatively, you can send it to any Apple Service Centres for prompt repair.

• You can loan a device from school during the period of repair.

If your iPad is lost or stolen

• Report the loss to iSec immediately.

• Make a police report with your parents and inform the device contractor via their helpdesk.

• The school will loan you a device while your iPad is being replaced.

iPad Replacement

• If your iPad has been replaced, bring the new iPad to the iSec, where DMA will be installed in your replacement iPad.

Charging of iPads

Every Student Practising Above All, Care

• Students are to be prepared for lessons by bringing a fully-charged iPad to school.

Every Class Practising Above All, Care

• Every morning, FTs and class leaders will lead form classes in checking if everyone has their iPads that are at least 80% charged.

Practising Above All, Care as one Yuhua

• No charging of devices in class to prevent fire hazards and safety issues from wire trips.

• Charging facilities are available at the school library and iSec.

• Students are allowed to bring their own power bank for charging of devices.

• Students are allowed to borrow a portable power bank from the iSec once per semester should they forget to charge their iPads at home.

Should student devices not have sufficient charge, students will have to follow the lessons by taking notes on foolscap and follow up later in school or at home.

All the above information can also be found on our Student iPortal at

https://sites.google.com/moe.edu.sg/yhss-hbl/student-one-stopportal

Electronic Communication (e.g. emails, SMS, Whatsapp)

• Yuhuans must communicate respectfully when using electronic communication and ensure that the expressed content does not offend, harass or harm others.

• Yuhuans must not forward any photograph, sound recording or video taken at school events and activities without the prior approval and consent of the teachers.

• Yuhuans must use the school email account issued strictly for learning purpose. The email account is not to be used for registration purposes on websites, especially those that contain objectionable content.

Social Media (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter)

• Yuhuans must communicate respectfully when putting up a post or commenting on social media and ensure that the expressed content does not offend, harass or harm others.

• Yuhuans must not post on social media any photograph, sound recording or video taken in school without the prior approval of the teachers.

• Yuhuans must not share their social media account with others and will take full responsibility for what is posted with their account.

• Yuhuans should consider the following ‘PASS’ guidelines before putting up a post or commenting on social media:

o Purpose: Is there a need to post or comment? What is the reason for posting or commenting on a post?

o Audience: Who will get to see the post or comment and are they the intended audience?

o Suitability: Is the content of the post suitable for sharing and acceptable by all?

o Safety: Will the post or comment endanger, harass, offend or cause distress to oneself and others?

Safe Cyberspace

• Yuhuans must not participate in online bullying or support others who are doing so.

• Yuhuans must inform a teacher or their parents when they feel that they are being bullied or treated unfairly online.

• In the event that Yuhuans are bullied or treated unfairly online, they should:

o Stay calm and composed.

o Alert a trusted adult (family member, teacher, etc.) of the incident.

o Freeze the spread by contacting the administrator of that social media platform.

o Engage the help of others (buddy, school counsellor, teachers, etc.) who can help manage or cope with the situation.

Personal Data Protection

• Yuhuans must not reveal personal information (NRIC/FIN/Passport number, home address, phone number, bank account number or medical condition) about themselves or others.

• Yuhuans must keep usernames and passwords confidential and not share them with anyone else.

• Yuhuans must login to the school wireless network, devices and online programme using their assigned username and password. Using another person’s username and password is considered a serious misconduct.

Use of Devices / Wireless Network for Learning

• Yuhuans can login to the school wireless network for learning purposes only and must not use it to download other content or play games.

• Yuhuans must not use any form of electronic devices to gain advantage during tests, examinations and other assessments.