School from A to Z
Quick Overview & Reference
In our School A-to-Z Archive you will find all the important terms, offers and topics relating to everyday school life at the Johann-Hinrich-Fehrs-School clearly and easily explained. From A for registration to Z for certificates, this page offers a quick overview of everything that is important for children, parents and anyone interested.
The contents are arranged alphabetically and can be opened with a click. This allows you to specifically search for individual keywords or find out about the various areas of our school step by step – without a long search.
The A–Z archive serves as a reference work that provides orientation and creates transparency. It complements our other information pages and is regularly expanded so that all important topics are always up-to-date and easy to find.
A
Active Break
The “Active Break” takes place four to five times a school year to promote community life. This is a 30-minute long break in which all students and teachers have a shared break experience, e.g. disco in the gym, aerobics in the schoolyard, breakfast buffet.
Working groups
In the working groups, students from grade 1 onwards have the opportunity to pursue special interests, talents and inclinations. The school offers a variety of working groups (e.g. choir, flute, Orff, taekwondo, theater, soccer, dance). Participation in the working groups is voluntary; a note about successful participation appears on the report card.
B
Flexible vacation days
The number of flexible vacation days in a school year is determined by the ministry. The dates are decided by the school conference. Parents will be informed in good time.
Federal Youth Games
The Federal Youth Games are held twice a year. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades take part in the track and field competition in the summer.
A playful competition is offered for the 1st grades.
The Federal Youth Games for gymnastics take place in the spring.
Only the 3rd and 4th grades take part in this.
C
D
DAZ Centers
Four schools in Neumünster offer intensive language lessons for a maximum of one year for children who do not have sufficient knowledge of the German language. After this time, the students return to their home schools. The Vicelinschule is responsible for the Johann-Hnrich-Fehrs-School.
German as a foreign language
In grades 1 and 2, children with a non-German native language receive special support through double staffing in German or mathematics.
Double staffing
If possible, during the introductory phase (grades 1 and 2), one hour of German or mathematics is taught simultaneously by 2 teachers on 3 to 4 days per week. The double staffing allows the teachers to better respond to the children and provide them with targeted support.
E
Enrollment
Children who are 6 years old by June 30 of the enrollment year will be invited by the school to an enrollment interview. In the enrollment interview, the school gets an idea of the child’s development.
The enrollment date will be communicated to the parents in writing. At the same time, parents will receive a list of the work materials that the child needs at the beginning of the school year, as well as a class list of all classmates.
On the 1st day of school, an enrollment ceremony takes place in the gym. Afterwards, the children go to their classes for a short time.
Our future first graders are already invited to the annual summer festival and/or music evening.
Parental contribution
Once a school year, a parental contribution of €30 is collected from each student. This money is used to pay for material that remains in the hands of the children, e.g. copies, dictionaries, craft material (colored paper, etc.), scissors. * Decision of the school conference
Parent-teacher conferences
All teachers at the school are happy to be available for a conversation – outside of class time. However, it makes sense to arrange an appointment verbally, in writing (child’s notebook) or by telephone so that there is enough time for a conversation. In the introductory phase, 2 parent-teacher conferences take place annually on a mandatory basis.
Parents’ evenings
The parents of a class come together as needed, but at least once in the half-year, to find out about the lesson design and content, textbooks and other questions of general importance for the class.
In grades 1 and 3, the parents’ representatives are also elected to the class parents’ advisory board for two years.
Parent representatives
Parents can be elected to various advisory boards:
Class parents’ advisory board, school parents’ advisory board, school conference. District parents’ advisory board and state parents’ advisory board.
(see also ‘Class Parents’ Advisory Board’, ‘Class Conference’, ‘School Parents’ Advisory Board’ and ‘School Conference’)
Introductory phase
Since 1999, all children of compulsory school age have been enrolled. There are – with very few exceptions – no more postponements. Grades 1 and 2 have been combined into a flexible introductory phase in which children may remain for a maximum of three years.
F
Subject conferences
Subject conferences are held in the respective subjects. All teachers who teach the corresponding subject take part in these conferences. The school parents’ advisory board can appoint two parent representatives who can participate in an advisory capacity. Contents of the subject conferences are:
1. the didactic and methodological content of the subject
2. the design of the framework guidelines and curricula as well as the coordination of the syllabus distribution plans and textbooks
3. the professional training and further education of teachers
4. the use of budget funds for the subject
Cycling to school
Children who live in the school district are not allowed to cycle to school. Only from grade 3 onwards will a permit be issued upon application by the parents if the child lives outside the school district.
Lost property
The “sports lost property” is kept in the gym, all other lost property is collected on the ground floor of the main entrance (brown box). Valuables and keys are kept in the office.
G
H
Hallig Group
In the “Hallig Group” (social group), children with behavioral problems are cared for all day. The Hallig program includes tutoring, leisure and therapy services, and regular parent meetings. Hallig and school work closely together.
In consultation with the youth welfare office, up to 12 children are admitted to this group. The Friends of J.-H.-Fehrs-School association supports and promotes this measure. Tel.: 14794 (Further information can be found in the association’s leaflet.)
Homework
Homework is used to consolidate and deepen the subject matter taught in class; it is an important exercise. According to the School Act, homework is one of the student’s duties; it is included in the performance assessment as a contribution to lessons.
In grades 1 and 2, homework is mainly assigned in German and mathematics. The working time provided for this should average 30 minutes. The support of the children by the parents (especially with reading and 1×1 learning) is still necessary at this age. In addition, tutoring is available as part of the open all-day school.
In grades 3 and 4, 60 minutes are planned for processing. Homework in other subjects can also be added in these subjects. Attention: HSU and English are main subjects like German and math.
In all grades, the children write down their homework daily in the notebook.
If a child is overwhelmed by the homework in terms of time despite a good working attitude, the parents can stop the tasks and write a message in the notebook. It is also advisable in such cases to speak to the class teacher in order to find solutions together.
Homework help
Homework help is offered as part of the Open All-Day School and in special cases by the ASD (General Social Service of the City of Neumünster) and takes place at the school. However, places are limited.
I
J
K
Classwork and learning assessments
Written learning assessments and classwork are used to assess learning development and evaluate performance. They are also important feedback for students and parents, and they are a basis for identifying the need for support.
In grades 3 and 4, the children usually write six practiced dictations and six text productions (essays) in German and eight classwork assignments in mathematics.
In grade 2, six dictations, two to four essays and eight math assignments are usually written.
All classwork is prepared in detail in class.
In the subject HSU, written learning success checks are written in grades 2 to 4 to determine knowledge. The number is not regulated by the curriculum, but results from the respective teaching topics. In this subject, oral contributions to lessons and the execution of (written) work assignments in particular show the extent to which students have achieved the goals of the lesson.
Class parents’ advisory board
The class parents’ advisory board is elected from among its members at the parents’ evening. It should consist of the chairman and 2 representatives.
The class parents’ advisory board should serve as a link between teachers and parents. The teachers who teach in a class inform the class parents’ advisory board about unusual incidents, or the teachers are obliged to provide the class parents’ advisory board with the necessary information.
The chairman of the class parents’ advisory board is a member of the class conference (see there) and the school parents’ advisory board. If he is unable to attend a conference, he should inform his representatives in good time.
Class conference
Members of the class conference are the teachers who teach in the class and the chairman of the class parents’ advisory board in an advisory capacity.
The class conference advises and decides
1. (as a report card conference) on the supplementary assessment of learning and social behavior
2. (as a report card conference) on the transfer or promotion to the next grade level
3. (as a report card conference) on the recommendation for the transition to the orientation level
4. on the imposition of disciplinary measures (see also p. 7)
5. on the awarding of students
6. on the coordination of homework and classwork
The class conference meets at least twice a year (e.g. as a report card conference).
L
Teacher conference
The teacher conference takes place without the participation of parents. Members are all teachers who teach at the school. In this conference, daily concerns are discussed, school celebrations are planned, pedagogical measures are discussed, etc.
Teaching and learning materials
Teaching and learning materials (textbooks) are generally free and do not have to be paid for. Consumables (notebooks, pens, etc.) must be purchased by the parents.
Damaged or soiled books must be replaced by the parents.
LRS – Reading and spelling weakness
For children with “isolated reading and spelling weakness” (dyslexia), remedial lessons are offered at the school from grade 2 onwards. In the 1st half-year of the 4th grade, a formal recognition procedure is carried out, which grants protection of grades to recognized dyslexics (i.e. spelling performance is not graded). The parents give their written consent to the recognition procedure.
M
N
Compensation for disadvantages
Compensation for disadvantages can be granted to children upon application by the parents if learning disabilities are certified for various reasons.
O
Open all-day school – Schülernest
Since the summer of 2004, all parents have been offered all-day care.
For a monthly parental contribution of €120, children can be cared for from 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and receive breakfast, a snack, drinks and a warm, balanced lunch (for Islamic children, also without pork, etc. at the request of the parents – please discuss!). Daily homework supervision is also included in the offer, as far as places are available. All children at the school are free to use these offers from the various working groups until 2:30 p.m. (music, sports, dance, taekwondo, soccer, girls’ gymnastics, theater, etc.).
If the parents are unable to raise the monthly contribution, an application can be made for the costs to be covered.
Disciplinary measures
If a student does not comply with the rules in force at the school, the class teacher and/or the subject teacher – in some cases also the school management – will first have a conversation with the student to make it clear to him that he has not behaved correctly. The result of such a conversation can be joint agreements, an oral or written warning, the assignment of tasks.
If this conversation is not successful, a conversation will be sought with the parents or legal guardians. In this conversation, too, we will jointly consider how we can help the student to comply with the rules.
If these discussions are not able to sufficiently improve the student’s behavior, there are the following possible disciplinary measures:
1. Written reprimand (colloquially: rebuke)
2. Exclusion for a period of time from school events outside of class time (e.g. theater visit, sports festival, school festival, etc.)
3. Exclusion from lessons for up to seven school days
4. Transfer to the parallel class or a corresponding organizational structure
5. Transfer to another school with the same educational qualification
These measures are of course not taken immediately and for every little thing, but they are taken in the event of serious or persistent misconduct, also to protect other students.
The decision as to whether and, if applicable, which disciplinary measure should be taken is made by the class conference in points 1 to 4, and by the Schleswig-Holstein School Office in point 5 in accordance with § 25 of the School Act.
Of course, the parents/legal guardians are always informed about the process so that they cannot be surprised by the decision of a specific disciplinary measure.
The teachers at the JHF school would like to see close cooperation with the parents, especially in the case of behavioral and performance problems, for the benefit of the child concerned. Please also contact your child’s teachers. If you want a conversation, please make an appointment by telephone so that the teacher has time for you.
P
Parallel work
According to the decree of April 1, 2006, parallel work must be written in the subjects of German and mathematics at the end of the first half-year in grade 4.
The parallel work is developed in the subject conferences.
Breaks
In normal weather conditions, the children use the schoolyard and, in the summer half-year, also the sports field. In the winter half-year, the quiet room is also available for students who like to use board games, read or paint. In heavy rain and extreme weather conditions, the children remain under supervision in the school building.
Break order
Q
R
Cycling test
The cycling test is carried out in the 4th school year. It consists of a theoretical and a practical part and ends with the acquisition of the cycling pass. This is done in close cooperation with the police. The bicycle can be coded by the police for a small fee.
Religious education
Religious education is a regular teaching subject. Protestant or Catholic religious education is taught at the school.
Parents who do not want religious education for their children or parents of different faiths can deregister their children in writing from religious education at the beginning of the school year. Students who do not participate in religious education receive substitute lessons.
S
School Development Day
The School Development Day is an internal teacher training event that can take place once a year for up to two days. On these days, classes are canceled, and the entire teaching staff dedicates themselves to training on a specific topic.
School type recommendation in grade 4
At the end of the first semester of 4th grade, the class teacher, in consultation with the subject teachers, proposes the school transition recommendation, which is decided in the class conference. The parents receive this recommendation – sealed – with the report card for the semester. The class teacher invites the parents and their child to an individual consultation and discusses the school transition recommendation and, if available, the learning plan with them.
There is also an information evening about the secondary school.
The parents make the decision about the further school career.
School medical examinations
The school medical examination is carried out by the health department before enrollment. A vision and hearing test are also carried out here.
School trips
The school conference decides on school trips based on the class teacher’s proposal. These can be one or more days.
The destination does not have to be limited to Neumünster. Multi-day class trips usually take place in the 3rd or 4th school year. They take place in consultation with the parents (parents’ evening).
The parents bear the costs, but there are possibilities for financial support.
School Parents’ Advisory Board
The chairpersons of the class parents’ advisory boards form the school parents’ advisory board. The school parents’ advisory board elects a chairperson and two representatives from among its members. The school parents’ advisory board meets as needed, but at least twice a school year.
The task of the school parents’ advisory board is to support the class parents’ advisory boards if necessary and to talk to the school management about school-related topics. The school parents’ advisory board has a say in the daily lesson time, flexible vacation days, etc.
School library
Children’s and youth books have been purchased for each grade level, mostly through funds from the Friends’ Association.
Grades 1 and 2 can borrow books from the class teacher;
for grades 3 and 4, a book exchange takes place during the big break on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The room provided for this will be announced.
School conference
The school conference is the highest decision-making body of the school. The school management carries out the resolutions of the school conference. The school conference at the JHF school consists of 10 teachers and 10 parent representatives.
The head teacher and the chairman of the school parents’ advisory board are automatically members of the school conference. The remaining 9 teachers are elected by the teaching staff. The other 9 parent representatives are elected from among its members by the school parents’ advisory board. The election period lasts 2 years.
The school conference usually meets once per semester. In the event that members of the school conference are unable to attend, representatives are elected who can then step in.
Compulsory education
At the beginning of the school year, all children who have turned six by June 30 of the current school year are required to attend school. A student may attend elementary school for a maximum of 6 years. The obligation to attend an elementary school and a secondary level I school or a special school is a total of 9 school years (full-time compulsory education). This is followed by the obligation to attend a course of study at the vocational school (compulsory vocational schooling).
Parents are obliged to ensure that their child attends school during compulsory schooling. If the parents do not guarantee regular school attendance, a fine procedure can be initiated; in extreme cases, the school can also order the child to be brought in by direct force and ask the regulatory authority to enforce it (§25 SchulG: compulsory schooling).
Swimming lessons
In the 3rd grade, the children receive swimming lessons in three performance groups. This concludes with the acquisition of swimming skills or swimming badges (seahorse, bronze, silver) and a corresponding note on the report card.
Sports lessons
In grades 1, 2 and 4, the children receive two hours of sports per week, grade 3 receives swimming lessons and one hour of sports. For sports lessons, the children need sports equipment as well as sneakers for the hall and for outside; please label everything with your name!
Speech therapy
Children with speech problems are cared for by a specially trained special education teacher. Speech therapy is carried out both within the class group and in small groups. The focus of this work is on the entry phase. The cooperation of the parents is crucial for the success of this measure.
T
U
Accident insurance
Students are insured in the event of an accident on the direct way to and from school, as well as within the school or during school events (excursions, class trips, theater visits, etc.).
The carrier is the municipal accident insurance, which the school must report an accident to immediately.
When visiting the doctor, be sure to indicate if it is a school accident.
V
“Friends’ Association” of the Johann-Hinrich-Fehrs-School
The “Friends of the Johann-Hinrich-Fehrs-School” association was founded in December 1994. All parents of students can or should join this association in order to financially support the school with an annual contribution of at least €12. The money is primarily spent on purchases that are not paid for by the school authorities, such as playground equipment, game boxes for the individual classes, the student library, etc. Membership expires automatically when the child leaves the school.
(Further information can be found in the association’s leaflet.)
Comparative work
According to the decree of April 1, 2006, comparative works are written in the 3rd grade in the subjects of German and mathematics. The date is set by the ministry. All classes in Schleswig-Holstein write at the same time. The contents are specified by the ministry.
Transfer / Promotion
At the end of a school year, the class conference decides on the transfer or promotion of a student to the next grade level. The decision criteria are the achievement of the class goal, the expected development in the following school year and also pedagogical considerations. All decisions are made for the benefit of the child. From the 2007/08 school year, students will only be transferred from grade 2 to 3 during elementary school.
After the 4th grade, the students automatically move up to the 5th grade of the orientation level of the secondary schools, there is no repeating of the grade here.
In elementary school, a child may stay for a maximum of six years.
W
Once a year, all 4th grade classes take part in the Youth Forest Games in the Ricklinger Forst.
The Forest Youth Games have been part of the forest educational repertoire of the Protective Association of German Forests for over thirty years.
Hans-Heinrich Vangerow, then at the Bavarian Forestry Office Allersberg, developed the Forest Youth Games from experiences with forest excursions by school classes in the sixties.
Initially carried out with only 37 student groups, this idea soon spread nationwide. Today, the Forest Youth Games are often organized by the SDW state associations in cooperation with the state forest administrations and are a very popular break from school lessons.
On a course with 10 to 15 stations, children and young people are asked questions and tasks about the forest ecosystem. These should be solved with observation skills, intuition and skill. The course includes stations for identifying trees and animals, for exploring connections as well as playful and sporting tasks such as cone throwing.
Each student receives a questionnaire on which observations can be recorded. Although the Forest Youth Games are basically suitable for all age groups, they are particularly often used by elementary school classes in the 4th grade. The cooperation with foresters or other forest experts, who supervise the stations, has proven to be very successful.
Opinions differ on the competitive nature of the Forest Youth Games. Whether only one class is determined as the winner or all participating classes are awarded depends on the pedagogical attitude of the respective organizer.
The pedagogical approach of the Forest Youth Games is convincing: theoretical knowledge from the classroom can be applied, experienced and deepened. The combination of knowledge transfer – for example, when estimating the age of trees or recognizing bird songs – and practical skill games ensures that a large number of interested classes participate every year.
X
Y
Z
At regular intervals, an employee of the school dental clinic comes to the school to discuss the correct dental care with the children and practice together.
Certificates
A report card is prepared at the end of each semester and at the end of a school year, in which the achievements of the students are evaluated. The report cards are discussed and decided in the class conference.
A distinction is made between the following types of report cards: the record of performance with individual parent interviews, the report card in tabular form, in which the achievements in the individual subjects are ticked, and the grade report card, in which each subject is graded. In addition, a verbal assessment describes the child’s work and social behavior.
Report cards by grade level
Grade 1
1st semester: Record of performance and parent interview
2nd semester: Report card in tabular form
Grade 2
1st semester: Report card in tabular form
2nd semester: Report card in tabular form
Grade 3
1st semester: Graded report card with verbal assessment*
2nd semester: Graded report card with verbal assessment*
Grade 4
1st semester: Graded report card with verbal recommendation and school transition recommendation
2nd semester: Graded report card with verbal assessment
*according to the decision of the school conference
All report cards are filed as a copy in the student files.