School Handbook 2023

School Handbook

Rights and Obligations of Bolivar Community

PREAMBLE

In accordance with Article 87 of Law 115 of 1994, the school handbook defines the rights and obligations of the students and all members of the educational community, through which the characteristics and conditions of interaction and coexistence among them are governed. It also establishes the due process that the educational institution must follow in case of non-compliance. It is a tool constructed, evaluated, and adjusted by the educational community with the participation of students and parents, mandatory in both public and private educational institutions, and an essential component of the institutional educational project.

In addition to the above, the handbook must incorporate the definitions, principles, and responsibilities established by Law 1620 of 2013 and other related regulations, on which the factors for promotion, prevention, and attention of the Comprehensive Care Route for School Coexistence will be developed.

CHAPTER I

PHILOSOPHY OF COLEGIO BOLÍVAR

CHAPTER I PHILOSOPHY OF COLEGIO BOLÍVAR

Article 1. History and Characteristics: Colegio Bolívar was founded in 1947 as a private, coeducational, non-denominational, non-profit day school. Since then, it has offered a bilingual, bicultural, and binational education to Colombian families who seek this type of education for their children, as well as to the children of American and other international families residing in Cali. Colegio Bolívar values the potential and creativity of its students and promotes excellence in education through a cutting-edge program that emphasizes research, technology, and resources.

Currently, the school provides early childhood education inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy to over 50 children at its Early Childhood Center, El Nido. Likewise, it offers formal education in both English and Spanish to over 1,300 students from Kindergarten 4 to Grade 12, which is comparable and compatible with the best schools of this category in Colombia, the United States, and international communities worldwide. Throughout its history, Colegio Bolívar has operated under the authority and with the support of its General Bondholders Assembly, the founding companies of the school. This Assembly elects a Board of Directors composed of ten parents of enrolled students, who ensure the fulfillment of the school's mission, vision, and objectives. The Board of Directors operates in accordance with the law and ensures the participation of the entire educational community.

Colegio Bolívar offers a comprehensive bilingual academic program with the highest international quality standards, preparing its students for successful continuation of their education in local and international schools and universities.

Administrative and financial matters are handled by the legal entity and its governing bodies, while academic and disciplinary matters are managed by the educational institution through the school governance bodies provided for by law.

The curricular and extracurricular programs at Colegio Bolívar comply with all applicable Colombian and American regulations and draw from the educational traditions of both countries, as well as the knowledge of the highly qualified bilingual teaching staff.

Article 2. Mission: Colegio Bolívar is a bilingual community of creative learners which inspires its members to live our school values as catalysts of change who incorporat e multiple perspectives and commit to the highest aspirations for the welfare of the individual, society, and Earth

Article 3. Vision: Where do we want to go?

Colegio Bolívar will be an exemplary learning community with individuals highly prepared to positively impact Earth and society.

Article 4. Values:

Respect: Show consideration for the feelings, wishes, and rights of others.

Integrity: Act with our values in mind, even when no one is watching.

Personal Best : Believe in yourself , give your best in everything you do.

Curiosity: Observe, discover, question, and learn with passion.

Autonomy and Responsibility: Pause, decide, and be responsible for your words and your actions.

Sense of Bolívar Community: Cultivate belonging and collaborate to meet your needs and those of others. Social Commitment: Be an empathetic, critical, and active citizen committed to the needs of others and the environment.

Article 5. Common and Specific Commitments:

COMMON

1. I contribute to fulfilling the institution's mission and vision.

2. I care for members of the educational community, respect differences, and promote inclusion of diversity.

3. I face challenges with a growth mindset and hope.

4. I take care of the environment, the campus, my belongings, and those of others.

5. I listen attentively and use responsible verbal, non-verbal, and digital communication.

6. I comply with the school calendar, schedules, policies, and established agreements.

STUDENTS:

1. I cultivate joy, passion, and a desire for learning.

2. I continuously develop personal, social, digital, and academic skills.

3. I take responsibility for my actions and reactions.

4. I develop critical, creative thinking and teamwork skills.

5. I maintain discipline, perseverance, and effort.

6. I make connections between what I learn and the situations I encounter.

PARENTS:

1. I am aware of the importance of my role as a parent.

2. I accompany my child in building the foundations of their personality, helping them deal with emotions and conflict resolution.

3. I promote my child's socialization and transmit family values and cultural traditions.

4. I foster a passion for learning, responsibility, and autonomy in my child.

5. I respect the privacy, emotions, and relationships of my child and their classmates.

6. I exercise authority with love and consistency, setting clear boundaries.

7. I commit to attending and participating in meetings, educational programs for parents, and preventive and formative events, being an ally of the school in my child's education.

TEACHING STAFF:

1. I cultivate joy and passion for the educational practice.

2. I maintain an open, investigative, and continuous learning attitude personally and professionally.

3. I demonstrate teamwork skills and build support networks.

4. I am a model of respect, responsibility, inspiration, and admiration for my students through my teaching practices, relationships, and interventions.

5. I focus my professional practice on the student, ensuring the construction of a bond and providing necessary learning conditions.

6. I promote an educational model of critical and reflective learning that includes multiple languages, fosters transferability, and creates a culture of well-being.

7. I encourage students' emotional regulation skills and conflict resolution.

8. I promote the development of resilience in students necessary to face the effects of the current world.

NON-TEACHING STAFF:

1. I perform my duties with enthusiasm, recognizing the needs of the different members of our educational community.

2. I maintain an open and continuous learning attitude personally and professionally.

3. I build support networks with community members.

4. I cultivate teamwork skills.

Article 6. Principles:

Considering the prevalence of the rights of minors, as well as the fundamental rights to privacy and good reputation, equality and non-discrimination, due process, free development of personality, and access to education, the Educational Community of Colegio Bolívar supports its mission committed to the following principles:

1. Education is the most valuable tool for improving quality of life.

2. Practicing democracy is a guideline that promotes dialogue, respect, and a sense of community.

3. Personal excellence is supported by the educational environment of the school.

4. Language proficiency is crucial for learning.

5. The school has the responsibility to address the needs and support the individual talents of students, regardless of learning style, race, religion/creed, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

6. Assuming responsibility for oneself, the environment, and society is an obligation of every educated person.

7. Creating a community involves generating a safe environment, with special consideration for vulnerable children and adolescents, as well as fostering relationships of affection and trust among all its members. ***A safe environment means free from any type of prejudice, discrimination, harassment, violence, aggression, mockery, contempt, intimidation, or exclusion.

Article 7. Goals:

a) To value education, we:

• Foster a desire for learning. We focus on the intellectual, ethical, and social development of our students.

• Live by a code of honor based on honesty and integrity.

• Dedicate time and resources to educate children, supporting their strengths and potential.

b) To implement democratic practices, we:

• Develop an environment conducive to dialogue and processes that promote respect, tolerance, collaboration, and discipline.

• Recognize and celebrate cultural, religious, and social diversity within the school community.

• Create structures for participation and decision-making.

• Provide students with freedom of choice commensurate with their stage of development and hold them accountable for the consequences of their decisions.

c) To uphold excellence, we:

• Promote a learning style that is active, self -directed, discovery-based, and engaging for students.

• Provide experiences where students can strive for excellence, recognizing the value of hard work and commitment.

• Implement performance standards based on a curriculum that defines essential learning outcomes.

• Use effective assessment methods that help students focus, direct, and reflect on their own learning.

• Acquire essential technologies and resources to enrich learning in all areas.

• Prepare students for future professions.

• Provide a functional and aesthetically pleasing school environment and physical infrastructure.

d) Recognizing the importance of language, we:

• Provide students with a comprehensive bilingual educational program.

• Develop language skills in the broadest sense: verbal, mathematical, scientific, and artistic.

• Address individual students' needs in the areas of language, reading, and writing.

e) To respond to individual students' needs, we:

• Provide health and psychological counseling programs to students in collaboration with parents.

• Provide enrichment programs and services integrated into the classroom.

• Address support and guidance for special learning needs through a multidisciplinary support services program.

• Promote a program of complementary activities for the development of student talent.

• Provide active protection to students to prevent and address any form of prejudice, discrimination, harassment, violence, aggression, mockery, contempt, intimidation, or exclusion.

f) To meet social responsibilities, we:

• Create awareness and social responsibility, caring and respect for oneself and others.

• Provide opportunities for all students to experience the value of helping others through an extensive community service program.

• Emphasize environmental aspects and prepare students to confront the reality of the growing human capacity to alter the environment.

g) To develop a sense of community, we:

• Value all members of the school community and promote solidarity, tolerance, and respect for differences through multiple institutional programs.

• Create dynamics of community at the classroom, grade, and section levels.

• Promote teamwork strategies among the different stakeholders of the educational community.

• Partner with parents as essential collaborators in the educational process and vital members of the community.

Article 8. Our Strategic Purposes

Well-being: Ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental aspects of our community as we foster a school culture of socio-emotional well-being for everyone.

Personal Excellence: Assure that all student s have the opportunity to fulfill their potential and meet the expectations of the Colegio Bolívar Graduate Profile.

Innovation: Provide a challenging environment where learners innovate and create to navigate a complex and changing world.

Sustainability: Lead our community to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all through knowledge building and problem-solving.

Article 9. Graduate Profile

With our Colegio Bolivar graduate’s success and wellbeing in mind, we have developed this profile that specifies the personal, cognitive, and social capabilities that alumni need, as agents of their own learning. Co-constructed with the input of all stake holding groups, this document provides a clear north for what we do in school. As part of our institutional philosophy, this profile aligns with our mission, vision, values, and Deeper Learning principles. It must be communicated to the entire educational community ensuring that we have a shared compelling purpose.

As graduates of Colegio Bolívar, our students will:

Exemplify Good Character: Live our Bolivar values of Respect, Integrity, Personal Best, Curiosity, Autonomy & Responsibility, Sense of Bolivar Community, and Social Commitment.

Embody a Growth Mindset: Pursue continuous learning and meet challenges with resilience and hopefulness.

Transfer Knowledge and Fundamental Skills: Apply the competencies of Bilingualism, Communication, Collaboration, Character, Citizenship, Creativity, and Critical Thinking in contexts beyond the school setting.

Be Catalysts of Change: Take action to positively impact the welfare of the individual, society, and the Earth while incorporating multiple perspectives.

CHAPTER II

ACADEMIC ORGANIZATION, ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION SYSTEM, AND LEARNING SUPPORT SERVICES

CHAPTER II

ACADEMIC ORGANIZATION, ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION SYSTEM, AND LEARNING SUPPORT SERVICES

PROGRAMS FOR ACADEMIC SECTIONS

Article 10. Early Childhood Education: El Nido Early Childhood Center

The pedagogical approach of our El Nido Early Childhood Center provides a space that recognizes the emphasis on the value of relationships, affection, and bonding as crucial elements for the development of the whole child. Inspired by the enriching educational experience of the internationally recognized Reggio Emilia schools in the region of Italy, the El Nido pedagogical team creates social interaction spaces that enhance the child's world and multiple ways of expressing emotions and ideas. Through play-based exploratory experiences, where children are the protagonists of their own learning, they discover their environment and construct knowledge.

Article 11. Preschool, Primary, and Secondary Education:

The school offers formal education at the Preschool, Primary, Middle School, and High School levels. Each of the four sections has curriculum plans adjusted to the law and comprehensive and detailed curricula that are periodically updated and evaluated according to pedagogical needs.

The grade levels at Colegio Bolívar compared to other schools at the national level are as follows:

Colegio Bolívar

Kinder 4

Kinder 5

First Grade

Grade General Education Law

Pre-Jardín (Pre-Nursery)

Jardín (Nursery)

Transición (Transition)

Second Grade Primero (First Grade)

Third Grade Segundo (Second Grade)

Fourth Grade Tercero (Third Grade)

Fifth Grade Cuarto (Fourth Grade)

Sixth Grade Quinto (Fifth Grade)

Seventh Grade Sexto (Sixth Grade)

Eighth Grade Séptimo (Seventh Grade)

Nineth Grade

Octavo (Eighth Grade)

Tenth Grade Noveno (Ninth Grade)

Eleventh Grade

Twelfth Grade

** Children who are 4 years old by June 30.

Décimo (Tenth Grade)

Once (Eleventh Grade)

Academic Sections

Colegio Bolívar General Education Law

Pre-Primary (Kinder 4, Kinder 5, and Grade 1)

Primary (Grades 2, 3, 4, and 5)

Middle School (Grades 6, 7, and 8)

High School (Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12)

Pre-school (Pre-Nursery, Nursery, and Transition)

Primary Education (Grades 1 to 5)

Lower Secondary Education (Grades 6 to 9)

Upper Secondary Education (Grades 10 and 11)

These changes are due to the requirements that Colegio Bolívar must comply with from the U.S. Department of State and the accrediting entity COGNIA, formerly known as AdvancED.

All academic sections at Colegio Bolívar seek to develop each student's maximum potential through levelspecific curriculum plans. The curriculum is a solid academic program reinforced with social and valuesbased activities that reflect the reality of Colombia, along with a diverse program of complementary activities. The curriculum is characterized by directly involving the student in their learning and evaluation process through small classes, personalized attention, and units of study aligned with grade-level standards and benchmarks. Special emphasis is placed on the integral formation of the individual, where each student learns to be responsible for their own success. Students are provided with a wide range of resources to support their learning journey.

El Colegio Bolívar aims to provide all students with the opportunity to learn and demonstrate their knowledge and skills, considering their interests and learning styles. Within our school, we have a variety of assessment types that allow us to conceive of the student as a whole and evaluate their learning process.

A. Pre-Primary - Kinder 4, Kinder 5, and 1st Grade (ages 4 to 6)

During this early childhood period, teaching practices revolve around learning centers, small group work, and selected activities with the children. A bilingual program is offered, designed to continuously provide learning experiences linked to students' prior knowledge and allowing for progress according to their capacity and learning style.

The following areas are included in the bilingual Pre-Primary curriculum: Language (Spanish and English), Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, Physical Education, Music, Art, and Values Education. In learning practices, all areas are integrated around specific projects or themes.

B. Primary - 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade (ages 7 to 10)

The work with students during these four years of Primary aims to develop each student's maximum potential through a curriculum program that promotes integration between different disciplines: English, Mathematics, Science, Spanish, Social Studies, Technology, Music, and Physical Educat ion.

The student is actively involved in the knowledge construction and self -assessment processes. Students lead semester meetings with their parents, where they share their portfolio of work for each period.

Classrooms are composed of small groups, allowing for more individualized attention to all students. We have an excellent interdisciplinary team of professionals who provide support services (specialists in psycho-pedagogical assessments, English as a foreign language, literacy, and learning difficulties; remedial support teachers; enrichment program coordinator; and two counselors), ensuring that the educational needs of all students are addressed.

The school operates on a semester basis in Pre-Primary and Primary. Primary students assess their own performance based on specific objectives through an individual conference led by them, attended by their parents and teachers.

C. Middle School - 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade (ages 11 to 13)

The Middle School curriculum is designed to respond to the specific needs of our students' ages: preadolescents. We are committed to supporting and promoting their academic, physical, emotional, and social growth.

The program is divided into academic courses that cover essential and complementary areas according to graduation requirements for both diplomas. Required subjects are taught throughout the school year, and complementary subjects are taught on a semester basis.

The subjects included in the curriculum are: English, Spanish, Science, Mathematics, Social Studies in English, Social Studies in Spanish (6th grade), and Physical Education. Other subjects that make up the curriculum on a semester basis include Technology, Ethics, and electives such as Drama, Visual Arts, Dance, Music, Creative Writing, Leadership, etc.

We have a support program for students experiencing difficulties. They have the opportunity to attend reinforcement classes from Monday to Thursday with subject teachers. Likewise, the Learning Resource program is available to assist students with specific learning needs throughout the school year.

The schedule for Middle School is divided into eight subjects. Each day consists of five periods of 70 minutes each (except for the fifth period, which is 60 minutes). This means that one cycle of classes takes eight days to complete. Each day is different within this cycle of classes:

There are mandatory subjects, and a variety of electives are offered, which may change according to the school year.

Special Programs in Middle School :

• Leadership and Group Dynamics Program: Workshops carried out in a field designed with a series of obstacles that allow for reflection on teamwork, interpersonal communication, commitment, the ability to take risks, and discover creative solutions.

• Student Council and Houses: The structure of the Student Council and Houses provides opportunities for students to acquire governance and leadership skills. Student leaders represent their classmates by leading and organizing activities and being the voice of the students in important events.

This academic section has two counselors who support students' socio-emotional well-being.

D. High School - 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Grade (ages 14 to 18)

The High School curriculum complies with the most demanding Colombian and American standards, allowing students to graduate with both diplomas: the Colombian high school diploma and the U.S. High School diploma. The required courses to obtain these two diplomas include honors courses, Advanced Placement (AP) courses (college-level courses), art subjects, and a variety of electives, offering students the option to design a personalized program in which they can explore their interests and specifically prepare for their university careers. To complete their studies, each student must choose and develop an independent research project called the "Senior Project," demonstrating their research, presentation, defense, and critical thinking skills. The rigorous academic program of these four years aims to emphasize analytical thinking skills in students in preparation for their university studies.

Through Student Project Programs such as Model United Nations, Student Council, Global Issues Network, Student Ambassadors, and Community Assemblies, among others, students are provided with a space for

the formation of a democratic culture of citizenship and relationships, where they build community, communication strategies, and gain self -confidence.

In High School, we have two counselors who guide personal and emotional growth. Additionally, we have a college counselor and an assistant specialized in university selection and application processes (College Placement). In this section, retreats, conferences, and various activities are organized to provide students with greater opportunities for character and leadership development, defining their values and priorities, improving decision-making strategies, career planning, and exploring other areas of personal growth.

The school schedule is the same as in Middle School and reinforcement classes are also offered.

The graduation requirements to obtain the academic bachelor's degree (Colombian) and the U.S. diploma are detailed in the Institutional Educational Project (PEI).

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION SYSTEM

Article 12. Assessment and Evaluation System The Assessment and Evaluation system at Colegio Bolivar is a set of principles, norms, and procedures that regulate the integral evaluation and promotion of our students from one grade to the next. This system was approved by the educational community of Colegio Bolivar, including the Board of Directors, administrators, teachers, parents, and students. The system is based on the school’s mission, vision, and principles, as well as Colombian law. The norms and procedures described below help comply with the school’s mission statement: “Colegio Bolivar is an educational community whose mission is to educate its students in a bilingual, democratic environment to be autonomous, to demonstrate a spirit of inquiry and collaboration, to uphold a commitment to excellence, and to maintain the highest aspirations for the welfare of both the individual and society”.

PRINCIPLES: WHY DO WE ASSESS?

At Colegio Bolivar we assess our students to

• monitor and provide evidence of the progress learners make

• find out how students learn

• address the learning preferences and rhythms of our students

• provide feedback to students on how they could improve

• inform future planning and instruction

• enable teachers to evaluate the curriculum periodically

• enable focused communication with other stakeholders, especially parents

• be accountable to our stakeholders

ASSESSMENT AGREEMENTS (based on Marzano, Pollock, Guskey, Cooper, Stiggins, O’Connor and Chappuis’ research)

• Assessment serves different purposes at different times.

o Formative assessments are used to provide ongoing feedback to students on their own progress. Formative assessments are also used to inform teachers of the degree of success of instructional strategies, but they are not included in the calculation of the overall grade (0%).

o Summative assessments inform of student achievement relative to the standards and should constitute 100% of the student’s academic grade.

• Assessment must be planned and purposeful.

o All assessments are aligned directly and explicitly to our school’s academic standards as written in our curriculum. Instruction is directly planned with these standards in mind in order to allow for meaningful assessment.

o Assessment must be balanced to include oral, performance, and written tasks.

o Because students learn in different ways and have different intelligences, they also need to have opportunities to be assessed differently. Our students are not penalized by limited methods of assessment.

o We use multiple assessments of each standard where possible to ensure greater reliability of the grade.

o Assessment and instruction are inseparable because effective assessment informs learning.

• Learning goals and expectations are clearly described in student rubrics which are based on prof iciency scales agreed upon by grade level teams/departments; students use assessment criteria to monitor their own progress in terms of the goals.

• For assessment to be helpful to students, it must offer descriptive feedback that is timely and actionable.

o Students should receive written descriptions to visualize and understand what success looks like at the different levels of proficiency.

• Assessment should be a collaborative process.

o Students are taught to understand the components of their grade and have the opportunity to discuss their grades at any appropriate time. Students have the opportunity to reflect on their assessments and set goals for improvement. Our goal is to work towards strengthening self -assessment in our students.

o During grade level team and PLC team meetings, teachers collaborate with colleagues to ensure consistency within grade levels and departments.

• Performance standards are an essential component of effective assessment.

• Behavior, homework, or late work are monitored and addressed through means other than the direct lowering of an academic grade in order for the grade to reflect performance standards only. We understand that effort cannot be quantified.

• In group projects, only individual contributions are recognized with grades.

• Grading and reporting student achievement is a caring, sensitive process that requires teachers’ professional judgment.

• Teachers provide grades that are accurate and align with the student learning within the standards.

Article 13. Assessment and Grading: The school bases student assessment on a combination of both Formative and Summative strategies. The evaluation of student learning happens in a variety of ways, allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge and ability, while taking into account their learning strengths/needs/preferences through student choice.

Formative assessments are ongoing throughout the academic periods which should be reflected and recorded in the gradebook but not counted towards the final grade. Formative assessment tracking allows for students, teachers, administrators, and parents to stay updated on the learning process. These assessments provide students and teachers with the necessary feedback for students to improve their learning and teachers to adjust their practice.

Summative Evaluation takes place during each academic period to collect information on each student’s performance level at specific points in time (end of a unit, end of a learning goal cycle, prior to a reporting date, and to ratify that the student is ready for the next grade level).

Teachers are expected to input grades from both formative and summative assessments into PowerSchool in order to be able to establish trends and do a more accurate, systematic and continuous follow up on the students’ progress. Only summative grades will count in the overall grade calculation. Completing formative assessments and/or other tasks is a requirement for participation in recuperation activities.

Effective Teaching is part of the learning process and relies on effective evaluation practices. This is why Colegio Bolivar expects that all of the evaluation done by their teachers offer precise information about the students’ performances. Each evaluation seeks to comply with the following quality standards: 1) it should

be aligned with the indicators, 2) it should evaluate what has been taught and 3) it should use appropriate methodology.

Assessment is an integral part of the curriculum, as it determines whether, when, and how the students reach the expected level of learning of the benchmarks. Assessment gathers feedback to inform the planning, teaching, and evaluation processes. Varied assessments provide evidence of the students’ learning. Teachers seek to offer constructive, actionable feedback as a resource to refine the learning process, in search that all students reach a performance level according to their potential. Evaluations are tools to develop meta-cognitive skills which motivate students to become empowered in their personal education (learning to learn) and to own their process. The following strategies are important for the integral assessment of our students’ performance:

• Constant, actionable, and timely feedback

• Authentic assessments

• Common assessments (developed by Professional Learning Community teams)

• Learning Support Services assessments (psychometric testing, DRA, etc.)

• Standardized tests and reading inventories (MAP, Fountas & Pinnell, etc.)

• Self -evaluation (1st to 12th)

• Teacher meetings with Principal/counselors/Learning Support Services (LSS) team

• Evaluation and Promotion Committee Meetings

Article 14. Grading System: Grades are entered electronically for all students and are accessible to both students and parents depending on the developmental stage corresponding to each academic section.

A. Colegio Bolivar Grading Scale (1st – 12th)

*Notes:

- Grades 3.5 and higher should be attainable and a clear path for reaching the Advanced performance level should be made evident to the student.

- It is possible to earn more than 4.0 scores for students taking honors or AP courses. Grades from credits earned from institutions other than Colegio Bolivar ( i.e., K12, exchange programs, etc.) are not factored into the student’s GPA.

- K4 and K5 assign pass/fail grades

Course curricula are comprised of standards and standards are divided into benchmarks. All assessments are graded on a 4-point scale specifically to benchmarks that are included in the curriculum. These benchmark scores are then combined to form a standard score which will contribute to the final grade. Grade averages do not necessarily fully reflect a child’s progress; therefore, professional judgment and trend data are considered in the final assessment.

All students are assessed on the Bolivar Values to indicate to what level they meet Colegio Bolivar’s expectations in these areas. The evaluation of our values is separate from the academic grade and is communicated at four different times in the year: before each conference and at the end of each semester. In Preprimary and Primary, homeroom teachers are responsible for this assessment using the following scale: Consistently observed, Developing, Emerging, and No evidence. In Middle and High School, all teachers assess this area using 1-2-3-4.

Why does Colegio Bolivar use a 4-point Scale? The use of a 4-point scale at Colegio Bolivar helps us promote:

• Fairness

o Equality versus equity

• Motivation

o Intrinsic versus extrinsic

• Reduction of subjectivity

• Accuracy and consistency

• Student involvement in the grading system

• Elimination of practices that distort achievement

• Adherence to rubrics based on standards and benchmarks

• Consistency with the Colombian grading system

• Consistency with the U.S. university 4.0 scale

• Mastery in learning

• Rewarding improvement and progress

• Reduction of impact from low marks

• Objectivity (reduction of errors due to subjectivity)

• Grading for learning

B. Late Work Policy

Each academic section has a specific late work policy (see individual section policies).

C. Homework Policy

Colegio Bolivar believes that homework, given the proper context, and taking into consideration the developmental level of students, can have a positive effect on learning. Research (Hattie, 2009 and Hattie & Yates, 2013) shows that appropriate homework should meet the following criteria:

• Daily homework should be used mainly as formative assessment and meaningful feedback should be provided;

• No homework should be given a numeric grade*, but should be assessed and closely monitored by the teacher;

• Homework should be task-oriented, concise, and not include complex material;

• Homework should be used to extend learning and encourage the extra practice of skills;

• Parents should support autonomous student completion of homework and should avoid direct instructional involvement;

• Homework should not undermine a student’s motivation nor lead to the student internalizing incorrect routines;

• When assigning homework, special consideration should be made for students who have diverse needs in their learning process.

*At times, homework may be given to complete a portion of longer assignments such as projects or essays that are summative in nature and may receive a grade.

Article 15. Standardized Tests:

A. International Tests

In order to monitor student progress, to inform our academic programming, and to measure our students’ performance in relation to international norms, Colegio Bolivar utilizes the following standardized tests:

• MAP Measures of Academic Progress (1st -10th grades)

o Reading and Math / 2nd to 10th / Spring

o Language Usage / 2nd to 10th / Winter

o Science / 5th to 10th / Winter

o Reading Fluency Spanish / 1st / Fall & Spring / 2nd and 3rd / Fall & Winter

o Reading Fluency English / 2nd and 3rd / Fall & Winter

• Fountas and Pinnell / 1st – 8th grades and at-risk readers in 9th

• PSAT Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test / 10th grade / Fall

• SAT Scholastic Aptitude Test / 11th and 12th grades / Optional

• AP Advanced Placement / 10th, 11th, and 12th grades / Optional

• ACT American College Testing / 11th and 12th grades / Optional / Fall or Spring

• TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language / 11th and 12th grades / Optional

B. National Tests

• All 12th grade students at Colegio Bolivar are required to take the national test given by the Colombian Ministry of Education and Icfes (Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación) in March called Saber 11 (also known as Icfes Exam). Mock exams should be taken during the last week of January for 11th and 12th grade and the last week of August for 12th

• The Evaluar para Avanzar tests are administered 6th to 10th grades for the areas of Spanish and Ciudadanía, in the Fall.

Article 16. Evaluation and Promotion

• Academic performance is understood to be the achievement of goals, competencies and abilities based on standards and benchmarks determined for each subject.

• Social and Emotional readiness is considered in the evaluation process. Learning is understood as meeting the expectations of a Bolivar graduate according to one’s personal development and growth.

• Attendance, complying with assignments, maturity, social and/or emotional readiness, understanding of basic concepts, motor skills and language development, both in English and Spanish, as well as a learning profile, are all taken into account in relation to student progress. *Note: Behavior, effort and organization are evaluated through personal growth and life skills indicators.

• The teachers should give multiple and varied assessments to give feedback to improve understanding and academic development.

• Attendance is vital to the student's academic development. Any student with more than 27 absences may not be considered for promotion to the next academic level, which is determined by the Evaluation and Promotion Committee, except under the following conditions:

o Decree 2845 of 1984 (art 48)

o Educational, sports, and/or academic trips approved by the section principal

• Academic dishonesty is handled in conformity with the norms established in Chapter III of the School Handbook.

• Students who take AP courses will receive an additional 0.2 grade points on their final grade. Students who take Honors courses in High School will receive additional 0.1 grade points on their final grade.

• Taking the SABER 11 test may increase students’ final grades. Extra points will be given to each area except English, based on the results of the test taken by the seniors at the end of second semester. Students who are failing a subject area do not receive additional points in that area based on SABER 11 test performance.

• Extra points will not apply if the student has failed the course (grade below 2.0)

The following scale is used to calculate extra points:

A. Self-evaluation

The objective of the self -evaluation process is to form independent and autonomous students who have the ability to be reflective and identify the necessary growth steps in their learning. Self -Evaluation covers academic as well as social and emotional aspects.

B. Additional Strategies for Improving Academic Performance

Besides the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) approach described in Student -Centered Instruction section, the following are additional strategies used to support and improve student performance during the school year:

• Plans for working at home

• Advisory Program

• Recuperation and Habilitation (as stated in this document)

• Follow-up to support form external specialists

Article 17. Promotion Criteria

Students are promoted when they demonstrate that they have reached at least the basic performance for each grade level as established by the current system. To be promoted, it is required that students:

• Have a passing grade in K4-K5 and a 2 or more in 1st grade and Primary, in the core areas

• Have a grade of 2 or more in all subjects in Middle School and High School

• Have complied with the minimum attendance required

• Successfully habilitate any subject that the student has failed (a maximum of two subjects)

• Humanities will be considered as two core areas in 6° and 7°

Article 18. Retention Criteria

A. Preprimary

Preprimary students will be automatically promoted to the next grade level in Kinder 4 and Kinder 5 unless the school, along with the parents’ endorsement, deems retention necessary in the same grade. A format is used to keep records of this decision, which is shared with the parents, where the observations and analysis made by the teachers, counselor, support teachers and director of the section are recorded, in case the student does not show the academic skills or the emotional maturity that allows him/her to be successful in the next level of schooling. Retention is the last alternative once interventions are made with the team of Learning Support Services, external tutorials or the required specialists who can support the child to achieve the expectations of the current grade. In the case of first grade students who do not meet the academic and / or socio-emotional objectives at the end of the school year, retention will be recommended.

B. Primary

The standing of students who have failing grades in two or more of these subjects: Spanish, English or Math, or in any of the above plus Science and Social Studies, will be reviewed by the Evaluation and Promotion Committee. This committee will decide if there is promotion or retention. Students not complying with the attendance policy will be retained.

C. Middle School and High School

A student will not be promoted if he or she:

• Does not comply with the attendance policy addressed in this document

• Fails three subjects at the end of the year (no habilitation offered)

• Fails two classes and does not pass either habilitation assessments the week before school starts

Habilitation exams take place in August in Middle and High School. This opportunity is offered to students who have a cumulative grade less than 2 in any given subject. Students who fail one or two subjects will habilitate the week before school starts. Students who fail both habilitation exams will fail the year. The final grade for a student who passes the “habilitation” test will be 2. If they fail the habilitation, the original final grade will be the definitive one. No subject with a grade less than 1 may be habilitated.

The cases of students considered for retention are taken to the Evaluation and Promotion Committee, which makes the decision if the student should be promoted or not. A student may be promoted even while failing a subject. If this is the case, the student must complete a habilitation plan and must pass a habilitation exam no later than the subsequent school year.

Article 19. Anticipated Promotions

These are the requirements for the school to consider anticipated promotion for a student with a consistent outstanding performance:

• To have all grades at a superior performance level for at least two consecutive years

• To demonstrate readiness, according to testing and performance, the knowledge and skills to initiate the targeted grade level

• To show social and emotional readiness according to the developmental level

These cases will be studied by the Evaluation and Promotion Committee, and they require approval from the parents.

Article 20. Graduation Requirements

Colombian Bachillerato Requirements:

• Four years of English (4 credits – Grade 9 to 12)

• Four years of Spanish (4 credits – Grade 9 to 12)

• Four years of Science (4 credits)

o (must take at least one Science in each year grade 9 to 12)

 Grade 9 - Biology

 Grade 10 - Chemistry

 Grade 11 - Physics

 Grade 12 - Student’s choice

• Four years of Mathematics (4 credits)

 Grade 9 - Integrated Math II

 Grade 10 - Integrated Math III

 Grade 11 - Pre-Calculus / Trigonometry

 Grade 12 - Calculus

• Four years of Social Studies (5 credits)

 Grade 9 - Colombian and Latin American Studies II

 Grade 10 - Colombian and Latin American Studies III

- World History / Politics

 Grade 11 - U.S. History / Economics

 Grade 12 - Colombian and Latin American Studies IV

• Two years of Physical Education (Grade 9 & 10) (2 credits)

• Two years of Philosophy / Ethics (Grade 9 & 11) (2 credits)

• Half -year of ICT (Grade 9) (0.5 credits)

• Career Week

• Senior Project (Senior Thesis) (Grade 12)

• 80 Hours of Social Service under a school-sponsored program

Total of 32 Credits: 25.5 core-subject credits plus 6.5 credits of elective courses from Grade 9 through Grade 12.

MINIMUM graduation requirements are 30 credits, but all credits from points 1 to 11 above are absolute requirements for “Colombian Bachillerato”.

NOTE: A student who finishes grade twelve with insufficient credits to graduate has a period of five years from their graduation date to make up the missing credits. A maximum of two credits can be accepted upon receipt of official transcripts from an accredited institution. If the five- year period expires, the possibility of receiving a graduation diploma from Colegio Bolivar is lost. No extensions will be granted.

United States High School Diploma Minimum Requirements:

• Four years of English (4 credits – Grade 9 to 12)

• Spanish (Spanish course or equivalent in each year of attendance at Colegio Bolivar for a total of 4 possible credits)

• Four years of Social Studies or History (4 credits – Grade 9 to 12)

• Three years of Science (3 credits)

 Grade 9 - Biology

 Grade 10 - Chemistry

 Grade 11 - Physics

 Grade 12 - Student’s choice

• Three years of Mathematics (3 credits)

 Grade 9 - Integrated Math II

 Grade 10 - Integrated Math III

 Grade 11 or 12 - A suitable math course on-line or Pre-Calculus

• Two years of Physical Education (Grade 9 and Grade 10) (2 credits)

• Half -year of ICT (Grade 9 - 0.5 credits)

• Full year of Philosophy / Ethics II (Grade 9 – 1 credit) (required if entrance to school is in grade 9 or grade 10)

• Career Week

• Senior Project (Senior Thesis) (Grade 12)

• 80 Hours of Social Service under a school-sponsored program

MINIMUM CREDITS - 28

21 required credits plus 7 credits of elective courses from Grade 9 through Grade 12.

MINIMUM graduation requirements are 28 credits AND all credits from points 1 to 11 above are absolute requirements for “United States High School Diploma”.

NOTES:

- A student who finishes grade twelve with insufficient credits to graduate has a period of five years from their graduation date to make up the missing credits. A maximum of two credits can be accepted upon receipt of official transcripts from an accredited institution. If the five- year period expires, the possibility of receiving a graduation diploma from Colegio Bolivar is lost. No extensions will be granted.

- Those students who finish 12th grade under a Modified Plan will get a diploma that will include the phrase “…according to their individual plan or reasonable adjustments”.

Article 21. Communication of Student achievement

The communication of the students’ progress happens in the following ways:

• Report Cards

• Progress Reports defined by each section

• Conferences – Individual meetings with parents and school personnel. 3-Way conferences, which include the student, take place from the end of first grade up.

• Phone Fridays in Secondary School (at least three times a year, parents are called when students are performing at a level of 2, or below, or if a teacher is particularly concerned with a student’s performance level). In some cases, communication will be via email.

• Informal methods: Communication amongst teachers, the parents and/or the student

• Family access through the school student information system (PowerSchool)

A. Report Cards

Report cards are generated at the end of each grading period. Parent -Teacher Conferences are held at least twice a year in all academic sections.

B. Progress Reports

In Preprimary the teachers meet three times a year to discuss student progress. If there is difficulty in the learning process, a parent conference is called to inform parents and coordinate strategies to help the student.

In Primary, Middle School, and High School two progress reports go out yearly in October and March. This represents the halfway point of the semester.

Article 22. Student Performance Data

Student Data Principle Statements

1 Student data should be used to further and support student learning and success. We will:

● Use standardized testing data as soon as it is available, and we will protect time to do this work

● Use formative and summative data when planning for future student learning as soon as it becomes available

2 Student data are most powerful when used for continuous improvement and personalizing student learning. We will:

● Ensure PLC teams use data to plan for the continuous improvement of student learning

● Use data to inform curricular revisions

● Staff uses data from formative and summative assessments to personalize student learning, and allow students to set their own learning goals

3 Student and school data should be used as a tool for informing, engaging, and empowering students, families, teachers, staff members and school system leaders for continuous improvement. We will:

● Use data protocols when analyzing all data

● Train students, families, teachers, staff members and school system leaders on how to use the data dialogue to set goals and empower students and improve organizational effectiveness

4 Students, families, and educators should have timely access to information collected about the student.

5 Student data, professional input of educators, observations, formative and summative assessments should be utilized in the examination of student progress.

6 Students’ personal information should only be shared, under terms of agreement, with contracted service providers and/or researchers for legitimate educational purposes according to the guidelines outlined in the school’s privacy policy for personal data. We will review and utilize our privacy policy for personal data with all stakeholders as well as the confidentiality agreement that all staff signs.

7 Everyone who has access to students’ personal information should be trained and know how to use, protect, and secure it effectively and ethically. We will:

● Train staff on a regular basis in the effective use of data

● Train staff on ethical use of data and include the signing of a confidentiality agreement on an annual basis (included in contract)

8 Colegio Bolivar, having the authority to collect and maintain student personal information, should:

• have a system of governance that designates rules, procedures, and the individual or group responsible for decision making regarding data collection, use, access, sharing, and security, and use of online educational programs;

• have a policy for notification of any misuse or breach of information and available remedies;

• provide a place on our website and in the contract signed by families each year where students and families can go to learn of their rights and have their questions about student data collection, use, and security answered.

Article 23. Levels, Uses, and Types of Data

Article 24. Roles and Responsibilities

All stakeholders at Colegio Bolivar have specific roles and responsibilities in relation to assessment and evaluation. The following are the roles and responsibilities that each stakeholder has: Students:

• Do your best on every assignment

• Use assessment information to self -reflect, set goals, and work to achieve them

• Complete all assignments and homework on time

• Provide school communication to your parents

• Celebrate success

• Check class websites and platforms regularly for grades, assignments, project deadlines and report comments

• Be prepared for assessments

• Get adequate sleep, nutrition, and arrive to school/class on time every day

Teachers:

• Clearly articulate the assessment criteria for each graded assignment in advance

• Post and communicate daily learning goals to students

• Align assessments directly to standards and benchmarks from the curriculum

• Provide rubrics and/or models for each major assessment piece, including exams

• Post assessment rubrics for projects and assignments online

• Use data from multiple sources, including previous years’ data, to inform instruction and assessment

• Provide and explain results to students and parents regularly and promptly

• Give agreed upon school-wide assessments as well as other teacher selected assessments

• Provide supplemental resources

• Provide communication of assessment (course outlines, homework, and grading policy)

• Actively participate in Professional Learning Community teams

• Celebrate success

• Use examples of student work to show evidence of the process of learning over a period

• Use pre-assessments to access prior knowledge

• Provide opportunities for peer and self -reflection

• Use assessment data to guide differentiated instruction

• Identify and refer to LSS students with special needs

• Collaborate with LSS personnel in the RtIi interventions and/or the development/ implementation/follow up of individualized plans

• Maintain assessment records

• Generate grade reports and facilitate three-way conferences

• Keep current with changes in important external assessments (i.e., SAT, AP, Pruebas SABER, and MAP etc.)

Administrators:

• Facilitate assessment and data review regularly

• Provide time for Professional Learning Community teams

• Provide Professional Learning time for teachers to review data regularly, including curriculum and half days

• Review data and use it in development of continuous school improvement

• Provide necessary resources to ensure effective assessment and reporting

• Ensure curriculum is reviewed regularly

• Ensure common use of assessments and communication between classes and grade levels

• Celebrate success

• Ensure data review with individual teachers

• Monitor that the discipline and counseling data is uploaded

• Revisit mission/vision from the perspective of data/institutional plan goals

• Make sure that data-related practices are in line with Deeper Learning principles

• Monitor that the data be valid and reliable

• Inform parents of institutional progress

• Hold quarterly meetings to identify the focus for the analysis, then the data analyst prepares the reports, and last, they are taken to the section and grade levels, with the help of data coaches.

Parents:

• Be aware of their child’s abilities, strengths, and areas that need improvement

• Support all school policies and appropriately help their child at home

• Have open communication with teachers and staff (i.e., ask questions and get clarification)

• Check and read school communication

• Attend conferences and meetings

• Celebrate success

• Check class websites and PowerSchool/Schoology regularly for grades, assignments, project deadlines and report comments

• Ensure their child is prepared for assessments, gets adequate sleep and nutrition, and attends school on time every day, ready to learn.

Article 25. Revision of the Assessment and Evaluation System

The Assessment Committee meets annually to review and update, if necessary, this document. Feedback from different stakeholders is taken into account in this process. All reflections, observations (administration walk-throughs, checklists, and comments from formal observations) as well as outcomes of professional learning opportunities provide further data for the review process.

Article 26. Glossary

Activities

Sample tasks which might be used in order to teach the standards and benchmarks. In the Colegio Bolivar unit plans, the activities are not considered mandatory but rather “illustrative examples” that attempt to show what teaching to the standards and benchmarks might look like.

Assessment

Techniques used to analyze student accomplishments against specific goals and criteria which include paper-pencil tests, exhibits, interviews, surveys, and observations. Good assessment requires a balance of techniques because each technique is limited and prone to error.

Benchmark

1. A developmentally appropriate content or performance standard.

2. The best possible samples of work to anchor an assessment.

Common Assessment

An assessment agreed to collaboratively by more than one teacher responsible for the same grade level or course and given to all students in that course or grade level.

Criteria

The qualities that must be met for work to measure up to a standard. To ask, what are the criteria? Means to ask, what should teachers look for when examining student products or performances to know if they were successful? How will teachers determine acceptable work?

Curriculum

It is the "roadmap" that provides detailed guidance on translating the school mission into practice. It is also the "contract" that the school makes with each student and parent.

Evaluation

It is the process of interpreting or making judgments about assessment data to determine the extent to which students are achieving instructional objectives.

Formative Feedback

This refers to a wide variety of methods that teachers use to conduct in-process evaluations of student comprehension, learning needs, and academic progress during a lesson, unit, or course. Formative assessments help teachers identify concepts that students are struggling to understand, skills they are having difficulty acquiring, or learning standards they have not yet achieved so that adjustments can be made to lessons, instructional techniques, and academic support.

* Formative assessments are commonly contrasted with summative assessments which are used to evaluate student learning progress and achievement at the conclusion of a specific instructional period usually at the end of a project, unit, course, semester, program, or school year. In other words, formative assessments are for learning, while summative assessments are of learning.

Proficiency Scales

A proficiency scale is a table used by teachers and students to determine the student's current level of progress toward meeting the standard. Proficiency scales indicate student achievement as it relates to a given standard and use a four-point system where a score of 3.0 indicates proficiency within a standard

Rubric or scoring guide

Specific descriptions of performance of a given task at several different levels of quality

Standard

In current usage, the term usually refers to specific criteria for what students are expected to learn and be able to do. These standards usually take two forms in the curriculum:

• Content (similar to what were formerly called goals and objectives), which tells what students are expected to know and be able to do in various subject areas, such as mathematics and science.

• Performance, which specifies what levels of learning are expected. A performance standard specifies how well students are expected to perform.

Summative Assessments

These are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period typically at the end of a project, unit, course, semester, program, or school year. Generally speaking, summative assessments are defined by three major criteria:

• The tests, assignments, or projects are used to determine whether students have learned what they were expected to learn. In other words, what makes an assessment “summative” is not the design of the test, assignment, or self-evaluation, per se, but the way it is used i.e., to determine whether and to what degree students have learned the material they have been taught.

• Summative assessments are given at the conclusion of a specific instructional period, and therefore they are generally evaluative, rather than diagnostic i.e., they are more appropriately used to determine learning progress and achievement, evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs, measure progress toward improvement goals, or make course-placement decisions, among other possible applications.

• Summative-assessment results are often recorded as scores or grades that are then factored into a student’s permanent academic record, whether they end up as letter grades on a report card or test scores used in the college-admissions process.

LEARNING SUPPORT SERVICES

Article 27. Students with Outstanding Performance

In Preprimary, classes are offered for the enrichment of the English language to those students who demonstrate outstanding skills in this language. The "Optimal Match" program is offered in Primary School to students who show outstanding academic performance. In Middle School and High School, Colegio Bolívar offers advanced courses to students with outstanding academic performance (Honors, Pre-AP, and AP).

Article 28. Students with Low Performance or Differentiated Learning Processes

Colegio Bolívar implements a variety of processes and strategies to help students with low performance. The Learning Support Services department provides assistance to identified students following the Multi-

Tiered System of Support model. This department and the counselors provide support not only to students but also to teachers and guidance to parents.

Additionally, in Middle School and High School, students are offered academic instruction after school hours to help them overcome difficulties.

Article 29. Re-Teaching/Re-Evaluation

Academic instruction based on student learning is adjusted according to assessment results. Reevaluations can be implemented when necessary to demonstrate what the student has learned and to determine areas of focus.

Article 30. Differentiation and Student-Centered Instruction

Colegio Bolívar implements a variety of teaching and assessment strategies. Students have multiple opportunities to demonstrate what they have learned, and their teachers provide continuous feedback so they can clearly see their progress.

The school offers various opportunities for students to meet the parameters and standards defined for each educational level. The school designs follow-up activities to improve students' performance throughout the academic year. This includes recovery strategies that provide support to students facing difficulties with the standards established for their academic level and stage of development. Some of these strategies include:

• Differentiated Instruction

• Internal reinforcement

• Internal referrals to the Learning Support Services department and external referrals to specific professionals or tutors

• Accommodation plans and Modified Curriculum Plans (MCIP)

• Homework plans

• Monitoring of recommendations made to the student regarding their performance

• Assistance from the Learning Support Services department

• Other strategies based on the individual needs of the student

Article 31. Intervention Policy for Students with Special Needs

Colegio Bolívar supports its mission through a commitment to seven principles. The intervention policy presented in this document provides specific information on how our institution meets the fifth principle: "the school has a responsibility to address the needs and support the individual talents of students." Students with special needs are those who require interventions that go beyond the regular school program to help them reach their full potential, whether they are performing above or below the expected academic level for their grade.

Article 32. Intervention Model

Inspired by the Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS), Colegio Bolívar considers three levels of intervention:

Level I: Teachers use differentiated instruction to address the different readiness levels and learning styles of students in their classroom. They address these different levels through lesson planning. Within the normal distribution of a learning curve, there is a segment of students who face greater difficulties, have specific learning needs, or were discharged from Learning Support Services during the previous school

year. These special strategies for Level I students (Accommodation Plans) are implemented by the classroom teacher with assistance and monitoring from Level I facilitators from Learning Support Services (LSS)

Level II: Students who do not make the expected progress in Level I and therefore require additional support and time, as well as more explicit instruction, are identified (see Referral Process). These students receive help within the classroom from the classroom teacher and/or LSS in small instructional groups using Level 2 programs and close monitoring.

Level III: Students who need specialized instruction in specific skills receive individualized support from LSS outside the classroom, in a pull-out manner, in one or more academic areas. In Pre-Primary and Primary: support in Language (reading, writing, oral expression in English/Spanish) and enrichment. In Mathematics, Prerequisites for Learning, and Enrichment. In Middle School: support for Learning Processes in cognitive skills and Study Skills, and in High School: support for learning accompaniment within the classroom through co-teaching methodology and specific support spaces for some students in Study Skills.

In Levels II and III, students may receive additional support from their teachers, such as accommodations in instruction and assessment within the classroom, without affecting the curriculum expectations. Other supports include extracurricular reinforcement in Middle School and High School.

For those students who, despite support within the classroom and intervention provided at the different levels by LSS, still fail to meet the grade-level expectations, as evidenced by being two or more years below the expected level according to standardized tests (MAP, F&P) and/or the Learning Profile results, as reflected in the report cards, a Modified Curriculum Instruction Plan (MCIP) is designed and implemented to modify the curriculum expectations. This plan, designed by a team that includes the relevant teachers, LSS staff, the Level I facilitator, the LSS Coordinator, and Counseling, is approved by the Director of Learning and the Section Principal in a timely manner. Once the plan is ready, it is communicated to parents and formalized as a mutual agreement between the family and the school. The MCIP is implemented by the teachers (including specialists, where applicable) under the supervision of the Section Principal. This implementation requires regular follow-up meetings to assess the student's progress and re-evaluate the plan throughout the school year. The MCIP does not guarantee academic success. Additionally, if, after exhausting all intervention resources, the student still does not meet the minimum academic expectations, the school may recommend to parents a transfer to an institution that can provide a pedagogical alternative more suited to the student's needs.

Article 33. Referral Process

Referrals are made when a teacher, after implementing different strategies within the classroom, considers that the student requires additional support to address their academic needs most effectively. The classroom teacher remains primarily responsible for fostering and reporting the student's academic progress. Both the classroom teacher and LSS have the responsibility to follow up on future actions and decisions after a referral has been sent.

Before making a referral, the teacher must review all available information related to the student. Primary and Pre-Primary teachers must inform parents of their concerns, the actions taken, and the referral to LSS. Procedures and expectations related to the mandatory nature (vs. optional) of the referral process are presented to teachers during Orientation Week and are included in the Teacher's Manual (see the manual for more specific information). In Progress, Level, and LSS meetings, the input of the LSS team and the teachers involved in the process will be used to clarify and discuss the student's performance and particular needs in all academic areas. This could also be the start of the referral process.

In Pre-Primary and Primary, for a student to receive assistance from LSS, the classroom teacher and the Spanish teacher must initiate the referral process. In Secondary School, although teachers are responsible

for completing and submitting the referral form, the process can be initiated by the LSS team (grade-level counselors, LSS facilitators, and the Dean of Students). Reports reflecting performance below grade-level expectations and recommendations made in transition meetings should be taken into account. Decisionmaking and recording of all referrals are done in periodic Learning Support Services meetings. Future actions and recommendations are based on the specific needs of each student.

Article 34. Evaluation

Referred students may require an evaluation of their learning profile, which is carried out by a Neuropsychology specialist at the school (Psychometrist). These students must be initially referred by their classroom teachers/special area teachers (see Referral Process). The LSS team (section principal, counselors, LSS coordinator, and LSS team) analyzes the information collected through the administration of different standardized tests to determine the level of intervention the student requires and the feasibility of providing it within the school. The results of the Learning Profile are for internal use only, i.e., for decisionmaking and recommendations related to the student's needs. They will be shared, upon request and with written authorization from parents, with neurologists, pediatric neurologists, or psychiatrists.

Article 35. Termination of Intervention

The LSS team, based on the student's academic performance reports within the classroom, is responsible for making decisions related to the termination or change of intervention at any of the three levels described above. However, in order to make a decision about the termination of support, an inquiry is made with the classroom teachers, Spanish teachers, or subject -area teachers regarding the progress of the student in relation to the specific support provided.

Article 36. External Therapies/Tutoring

Meetings involving both external therapists/tutors and school staff will not take place unless requested by the school. Counselors, teachers, and/or LSS personnel will monitor external interventions (monitoring will be done as follows: Counseling – Psychologists/Psychiatrists; Teachers – Tutors; LSS – Speech and Occupational Therapy).

CHAPTER III

EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY

CHAPTER III EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY

In accordance with the Political Constitution of Colombia and the General Education Law (Law 115 of 1994), the educational community is understood to be composed of students, parents or guardians of students, graduates, teachers, educational directors, and school administrators.

Article 37. Parents or Guardians: Parents of the student, according to the norms of the Colombian Civil Code, are considered Parents of the Colegio Bolívar. Guardians are those who have legal representation of the student, even if they are not their parents.

When referring to Parents in this handbook, it should be understood that guardians of the student are included in this category.

Parents and guardians are jointly obligated to attend all meetings convened by the school to discuss matters related to the student's education and to participate in meetings called by the school.

It is understood that either of the parents or guardians can act as the representative of the student before the institution. Therefore, if they are summoned to the educational institution, the presence of one of them will be sufficient to consider all actions completed.

Article 38. Rights of Parents or Guardians: Parents must provide the necessary collaboration and support to the institution in order to carry out its mission, following the goals and principles it has established, with the aim of providing their children with the best education and training possible. The school has policies regarding the communication channels that should be established between parents and the school, whether through meetings, phone calls, emails, or correspondence. Parents must guarantee their children the rights outlined in the Political Constitution of Colombia, Law 115 of 1994, Decree 1860 of 1994, and those stipulated in the Code of Childhood and Adolescence.

Additionally, regarding the pedagogical process of their children, Decree 1290 of 2009 establishes the following rights of parents or guardians:

1. Be aware of the Evaluation and Promotion System for students: criteria, procedures, and assessment instruments from the beginning of the school year.

2. Monitor the evaluation process of the students.

3. Receive periodic evaluation reports.

4. Receive timely responses to concerns and requests regarding their children's evaluation process.

5. Receive clear and timely information about their child's academic, disciplinary, socio-emotional performance, and overall well-being.

6. Be treated with respect and dignity, without discrimination, by all members of the educational community.

7. Make suggestions, using regular channels, for the improvement of institutional processes.

8. Other rights recognized by Colombian law and the school.

9. Choose and be chosen in the bodies of participation and community representation within the school governance.

Article 39. Duties of Parents or Guardians: The duties of Parents and Guardians are as follows:

1. Participate, through instances of school governance, in defining the criteria and procedures for student assessment and promotion.

2. Continuously monitor their children's evaluation process.

3. Analyze the periodic evaluation reports.

4. Treat all members of the educational community with respect and dignity, without discrimination.

5. Punctually attend assemblies, conferences, talks, meetings, and appointments called by the school.

6. Comply with and enforce the school's rules and regulations, as well as follow academic or disciplinary recommendations established by the school.

7. Pay financial obligations to the school by the established dates.

8. Communicate concerns to the appropriate individuals following the regular channels.

9. Read all communications (letters, notes, circulars, email, school website) sent by the school and return the detachable portions duly completed when required.

10. Promote the positive image of the school by sharing information about its programs, projects, and activities. Refrain from sharing information through channels other than those used by the school, such as WhatsApp or private social media groups, where there is no representation from the school.

11. Contribute to harmonizing the educational service with the exercise of the right to education and in compliance with its social and legal purposes.

12. Fulfill the obligations assumed at the time of enrollment and in the Code of Conduct to facilitate the educational process.

13. Punctually fulfill all financial obligations and commitments made with the educational institution.

14. Pay for damages caused by their children to other people, as well as to the physical facilities or property of the educational institution.

15. Contribute to creating an atmosphere of respect, tolerance, and mutual responsibility that promotes the education of their children and better relationships among members of the educational community.

16. Promptly report any irregularities they become aware of, including child abuse, sexual abuse, trafficking or use of illicit drugs, to the appropriate authorities, initially to the school. If a timely response is not received, they should turn to the competent authorities.

17. Support the school in developing actions that lead to the improvement of the educational service and enhance the quality of learning, especially in the formulation and development of institutional improvement plans.

18. Accompany the educational process in fulfilling their responsibility as the primary educators of their children, to improve personal guidance and the development of civic values.

19. Participate in the annual self -evaluation process of the educational institution.

20. Assume responsibility for their children's proper upbringing as the primary educators at home and fulfill the responsibilities outlined in Article 7 of the General Education Law regarding the family and the stipulations of Law 1098 of 2006 under the parameters of ethics and good moral conduct.

21. Contribute in solidarity with the educational institution in the education of their children.

22. Foster respect for others, authority figures, institutions, and legitimate forms of authority at home, setting a good example for their children.

23. Collaborate in teaching good manners to their children both inside and outside the school and set an example of good behavior at all times and in all places.

24. Treat directors, teachers, students, and employees of the educational institution with courtesy and respect.

25. Avoid using insults and/or threats against the school's directors, teachers, and administrative staff, whether in person, by phone, in writing, by email, or in front of third parties, for any reason.

26. Respect the regular channels proposed in this code of conduct and use them for the peaceful resolution of conflicts and good social coexistence within the educational community.

27. Be objective and fair when making complaints, refrain from making inappropriate or unfounded complaints, and avoid making angry demands.

28. Refrain from participating in comments that affect the image of the Institution in the community. In case of concerns or disagreements, express them directly to the people involved or the school management, with due respect.

29. Refrain from making negative comments about the institution or its members to members of the educational community or to individuals outside the school that would harm the institution or its staff.

30. Refrain from consuming alcohol or smoking within the school premises in the presence of students.

31. Use the films, photographs, or videos that they are allowed to record during school activities privately and appropriately.

Article 40. Prohibitions for Parents or Guardians: Parents or guardians of the institution are prohibited from:

1. Initiating reckless legal or administrative actions against Colegio Bolívar with the purpose of causing harm to the institution.

2. Showing up at the institution under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances.

3. Applying physical or demeaning punishment to their represented children due to their performance in the institution.

4. Using vulgar or offensive language towards their represented children or any member of the educational community within the institution.

5. Insulting and/or threatening the school's directors, teachers, and administrative staff in person, by phone, in writing, by email, or in front of third parties, for any reason.

6. Using false documents or information for enrolling students.

7. Spreading malicious or unfounded information related to the institution

8. Misappropriating funds or assets of the parents’ association.

9. Sexual ly harassing any member of the community

10. Using leadership positions in councils or associations, or institutional assets for political proselytizing.

11. Taking actions that hinder the normal academic development of the institution.

12. Entering classrooms to resolve issues with students, disregarding established procedures.

13. Recording and sharing photographs or videos of everyday activities within the institution, especially of students and employees, except for special activities of the school, such as festivals, special day celebrations, or birthday parties, where the registration of photographs or videos is authorized, understanding that their private and appropriate use will be the responsibility of the parents who recorded them.

Article 41. Parental Participation in School Activities: Current education requires increased commitment from parents in the comprehensive education of their sons and daughters, which promotes unity of criteria between parents and educators.

The school offers various participatory opportunities to parents through their involvement as Group Representatives or members of different committees and improvement organizations.

Parental collaboration in educational outings (fieldtrips), talks, organizing and supporting educational programs is highly appreciated. As parents are invited to many special events throughout the school year, it is important that they accompany their children to these events.

The authorization given by parents for their child(ren) to participate in the special activities of the school (festivals, special day celebrations, birthday parties, etc.) implies implicit consent for their child(ren) to be photographed by other members of the educational community, who will be responsible for using such documentary records privately and appropriately.

Article 42. Student Status: To become a student at Colegio Bolívar, it is necessary to have been officially admitted, to accept, either personally or through their parents, legal representatives, or guardians, the institutional philosophy and regulations, as well as sign the respective enrollment contract.

Article 43. Student Rights: Colegio Bolívar considers a right as the faculty that a person has to act, decide, or demand something, taking into account the limitations imposed by the rights of others, always respecting the rules and agreements that contribute to establishing order in interpersonal relationships and promoting healthy coexistence.

Within the educational programs offered by the school, students have the right to:

1. Receive education in accordance with the Constitution, the Law, and the Institutional Educational Project - PEI.

2. Be recognized in their dignity and be treated with respect and courtesy by all members of the Educational Community.

3. Not be discriminated against, in accordance with the definition of justice contained in the principles and values of this handbook, the Constitution, and the Law.

4. Express their ideas respectfully and participate in the life and functioning of the institution.

5. Receive support from the school for the development of their individual talents.

6. Feel safe and enjoy certainty about their personal integrity.

7. Due process in decisions that affect them.

8. Be evaluated fairly, in accordance with the parameters of the Institutional Educational Project - PEI.

9. Choose and be elected to representative bodies of students to participate in decision-making that affects the development of school life.

10. Be assessed comprehensively in all academic, personal, and social aspects.

11. Know the evaluation criteria, procedures, and instruments for assessment and promotion from the beginning of the school year.

12. Know the results of the evaluation processes and promptly receive responses to concerns and requests regarding them.

13. Receive guidance and support from teachers to overcome learning weaknesses.

14. Enjoy honor and a good reputation; freedom of conscience and worship, as long as they do not violate the established law and order.

15. Benefit from the facilities, human resources, materials, and technological equipment of the school, in accordance with the rules and regulations for their use.

16. Represent the school in all types of events for which they are elected or selected.

17. Other rights recognized by the Constitution, the Law, and the Regulations of the school.

Article 44. Student Responsibilities: To achieve the goals set by the school, students must:

1. Be responsible for their actions within and outside the school.

2. Refrain from resorting to physical, verbal, or virtual aggression as a way to resolve differences and conflicts that arise.

3. Independently complete assigned tasks.

4. Be punctual to start or finish any activity and to submit assigned work.

5. Respect others' property.

6. Always make their best effort.

7. Show solidarity with their classmates, helping them achieve their best.

8. Use their time in the best possible way.

9. Use appropriate language, free from obscene and vulgar words.

10. Maintain proper personal presentation, respecting the dress code appropriate to the school context.

11. Fulfill academic and coexistence commitments defined by the school.

12. Comply with recommendations and commitments made to overcome weaknesses.

13. Know and comply with the Institutional Educational Project, and especially with this Code of Conduct.

14. Demonstrate loyalty to the school and respect its name, uniform, and institutional emblems at all times, activities, and places. Promote the school positively by spreading its programs, projects, and activities.

15. Refrain from sharing information through channels other than those used by the school, such as WhatsApp or private social media groups where there is no school representation.

16. Attend classes or school activities punctually during the school year and promptly provide justified excuses for tardiness and absences.

17. Fulfill curricular and extracurricular obligations planned by the school.

18. Timely deliver correspondence (grades, reports, circulars, etc.) that the school sends home, and vice versa.

19. Preserve, take care of, and maintain the school's property, belongings, and equipment in good condition, taking responsibility for any damages or losses.

20. Comply with the disciplinary and coexistence rules established.

21. Participate positively and collaborate in all school activities, demonstrating exemplary behavior.

22. Inform their superiors about any activity they are aware of that affects the normal functioning and well-being of themselves and/or the educational community.

23. Respect national symbols, both Colombian and those of any other country or culture.

24. Act at all times in accordance with the criteria and values established by the fundamental principles of community life, both inside and outside the school.

25. Arrive at classes and school-related activities in full possession of their physical and mental faculties.

26. Communicate their concerns to the appropriate individuals, following the school's organization and chain of authority.

27. Dignifiedly represent the school in any public or private activity.

28. Preserve life, abstaining from consuming, selling, or carrying alcohol, drugs, tobacco, or similar substances.

29. Not carry firearms or sharp objects at any time, as well as magazines and pornographic material.

30. Fulfill the responsibilities that come with being elected as a member of the school's governing bodies.

31. Behave appropriately inside and outside the school, upholding the school's good name.

32. Provide support, seeking the common good of the members of the community and those they aim to serve.

33. Comply with other guidelines and duties established by the Law and this Code of Conduct.

34. Fulfill the responsibilities of national or international academic tests such as SABER, SAT, TOEFL, with their best effort and attitude.

Article 45. Prohibitions for Students: Students at Colegio Bolivar are expressly prohibited from:

1. Entering or leaving the school premises on foot, except when the student resides near the school and when parents make an explicit request.

2. Leaving the school without proper authorization.

3. Driving a vehicle within the school premises, except in cases authorized by the institution.

4. Entering or leaving the school at hours other than those established or on non-working days, except with authorization from a representative appointed by the institution.

5. Entering restricted areas without express authorization.

6. Presenting themselves at the school under the influence of alcoholic beverages, drugs, or any prohibited substances; using or distributing them, or possessing them within the school. Smoking or having cigarettes in school, including electronic cigarettes, vaporizers, etc.

7. Bringing into the school, looking at, or circulating within it magazines, books, brochures, or any other pornographic material, as well as accessing such content on the internet. Wearing t -shirts or other garments with obscene, derogatory, or references to psychoactive substances is not allowed.

8. Disturbing the normal development of academic, cultural, or sports activities.

9. Using electronic devices during school hours that are not necessary for academic work and that distract or harm them.

10. Stealing, appropriating, hiding, or taking books, notebooks, school supplies, computer files, or any kind of objects from their classmates, teachers, administrators, or any other person, without their consent, and engaging in any other behavior that violates discipline and the moral standards required by the school.

11. Engaging in commercial activities within the school, unless it is a community activity scheduled by the school authorities or has express authorization from them.

12. Altering, tampering with, or falsifying documents, engaging in fraud or any conduct that constitutes a contravention or criminal offense according to Colombian legislation, or committing fraud, cheating, or plagiarism in assessments, academic work, or other academic activities.

13. Engaging in, promoting, or participating in subversive activities or illegal groups, using obscene or vulgar language.

14. Carrying, supplying, or using weapons or items that endanger the physical, social, or moral integrity of the members of the educational community.

15. Committing or engaging in sexual acts against another person, inducing them to abusive, demeaning, dishonorable practices, or in any way violating their sexual freedom or negatively influencing their sexual education.

16. Inducing, manipulating, coercing, or forcing another person to commit academic or disciplinary infractions, or in any way acting against the morals, the law, health, and good customs required by Colegio Bolivar.

17. Physically or verbally assaulting any member of the community, as well as displaying offensive, disrespectful, or discriminatory attitudes towards any of them.

18. Repeatedly disobeying, being insubordinate, or openly defying the authority of any teacher or administrator.

19. Causing harm or attempting to cause harm to the school's facilities and belongings or to those of other individuals.

20. Engaging in gambling or betting.

Article 46. Teacher Rights: Teachers have the right to develop their professional and personal capacities and characteristics, to be recognized for their merits and dedication, to receive an objective evaluation of their work, and to be treated with respect and kindness by all members of the Colegio Bolivar community. The rights of teachers are also covered by labor and educational laws and the Teacher's Handbook

Article 47. Teacher Responsibilities: Teachers at Colegio Bolivar must serve as models of the principles and values that the school aims to promote in students and work together with parents and other members of the community to achieve the Mission, goals, and objectives of the institution. Teachers must also enforce the provisions established by the school and follow the necessary educational procedures to obtain the greatest benefits in student formation. The specific duties of teachers include:

1. Foster a safe classroom environment that promotes social and academic learning.

2. Approach discipline in a positive sense, maintaining student interest and engagement in their duties.

3. Handle disciplinary situations on an individual basis, promoting individual and social responsibility.

4. Participate in meetings with the Section Principal, Section Counselor, students, and parents when necessary.

5. Assume the obligation to always govern their professional practice in accordance with ethical and scientific principles inherent to teaching and/or their profession.

6. Respect political ideas and opinions, as well as private life, regardless of nationality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social or economic status, political beliefs, academic performance, or physical limitations of the individuals they professionally interact with.

7. Respect the physical and mental integrity, especially of their students, colleagues, coworkers, and parents, avoiding manipulation and obtaining personal benefits that harm their students or others.

8. Maintain a professional relationship and mutual respect with their students, avoiding attitudes and actions that suggest seduction or personal harassment.

9. Refrain from initiating, promoting, or maintaining romantic relationships with Colegio Bolivar students.

10. Not engage in personal contact and communication with students through the internet, electronic media, and social networks, unless strictly related to academic matters and permitted by the institution.

11. Avoid any form of inappropriate physical contact with Colegio Bolivar students.

12. Refrain from providing information about their students and/or parents that is not within their competence or that is confidential, as well as avoiding making comments that discredit students and/or their families, such as labeling, humiliating, or mocking them, etc.

13. Not exercise their profession when their professional capacity is impaired by alcohol, drugs, illnesses, or physical and/or psychological disabilities.

14. Comply with the Dress Code established by Colegio Bolivar.

15. Strive for punctuality and make the most of the time allocated to the educational activities under their responsibility.

16. Not use their position or the name of Colegio Bolivar to obtain personal benefits or to influence inappropriate decisions regarding students or the institution.

17. Maintain absolute confidentiality, unless expressly authorized by the school, regarding all information that becomes known to them in the course of their work and is of a private nature.

18. Dedicate their full work capacity exclusively to the performance of the duties for which they were hired, including related and complementary tasks, in accordance with the current job and procedure manuals, the Internal Work Regulations, and, in general, the orders and instructions issued by Colegio Bolivar or its representative.

19. Strictly observe the rules set by the institution for carrying out the work for which they were hired.

20. Maintain complete harmony and understanding with students, parents, superiors, and colleagues in their personal relationships and in the execution of their work.

21. Permanently comply with a spirit of loyalty, collaboration, and discipline towards the institution.

22. Not attend to matters other than those assigned by the school during working hours without prior authorization.

23. Not provide direct or indirect labor services to other employers, nor work on their own account in the same profession during the validity of the employment contract.

24. Abstain from performing activities outside working hours that affect their mental or physical health and cause excessive wear and tear on their bodies, impeding them from effectively providing the agreed-upon service.

25. Permanently comply with a spirit of loyalty, collaboration, and discipline towards the institution.

26. Not attend to matters other than those assigned by the school during working hours without prior authorization from the school through its representatives.

27. Not provide direct or indirect labor services to other employers, nor work on their own account in the same profession during the validity of the employment contract.

28. Refrain from performing activities outside working hours that affect their mental or physical health and cause excessive wear and tear on their bodies, impeding them from effectively providing the agreed-upon service.

Article 48. Prohibitions for Teachers: Teachers at Colegio Bolivar are expressly prohibited from:

1. Harassing, whether sexually or not, students or colleagues.

2. Engaging in romantic or sexual relationships with students.

3. Exposing students to situations that jeopardize their physical, psychological, and moral integrity.

4. Discriminating based on sex, gender, age, race, religion, socioeconomic status, political beliefs, academic performance, or physical limitations.

5. Introducing or allowing the introduction of toxic and hallucinogenic substances into the educational institution that endanger health, morals, good customs, and individual or collective security.

6. Presenting themselves at the educational institution without the appropriate personal appearance suitable for their professional condition.

7. Providing the student with part or all of the test prior to the examination.

8. Arbitrarily promoting or failing students without complying with the respective evaluation criteria.

9. Requesting or accepting gifts or rewards as a retribution for their job duties.

10. Directly or indirectly collecting money, contributions, or economic collaborations from students and parents for any purpose.

11. Engaging students in personal matters.

12. Requiring the purchase of books or school supplies from students for personal profit.

13. Discussing confidential matters of the school or personal labor situations of other students, parents, or teachers of the institution with students or parents.

Article 49. School Responsibilities: Regarding the evaluation and promotion system for students, the school has the following responsibilities:

1. Define, adopt, and disseminate the Institutional Student Evaluation System after its approval by the Academic Council.

2. Incorporate into the institutional educational project the evaluation criteria, processes, and procedures; strategies for overcoming students' weaknesses and promoting them, defined by the Board of Directors.

3. Conduct meetings with teachers and educational administrators to analyze, design, and implement ongoing evaluation strategies and support for students' weaknesses, and provide recommendations to students, parents, and teachers.

4. Promote and maintain communication with parents and students to present periodic evaluation reports, the plan of support activities for overcoming weaknesses, and establish commitments by all involved parties.

5. Establish committees or other bodies to monitor the evaluation and promotion processes of students if deemed necessary.

6. Attend to the requests of parents and students and schedule meetings with them when necessary.

7. Through the Board of Directors, serve as an instance to decide on claims presented by students or their parents regarding evaluation and promotion.

8. Periodically analyze evaluation reports in order to identify school practices that may be affecting students' performance and introduce necessary modifications for improvement.

9. Submit all enrolled students in the evaluated grades to the SABER census tests and collaborate with them in the registration and application processes as required.

Colegio Bolivar complies with the obligations stipulated for educational institutions in Articles 42, 43, and 44 of Law 1098 of 2006, the Code of Childhood and Adolescence.

Article 50. Special Obligations of Educational Institutions: In order to fulfill their mission, educational institutions have the following obligations, among others:

1. Facilitate access of children and adolescents to the system and ensure their retention.

2. Provide relevant and quality education.

3. Respect the dignity of all members of the educational community under all circumstances.

4. Facilitate student participation in the academic management of the educational institution.

5. Establish communication channels with parents to monitor the educational process and foster democracy in relationships within the educational community.

6. Organize programs for leveling students who present learning differences or are lagging behind in the school cycle and establish psycho-pedagogical and psychological guidance programs.

7. Respect, allow, and promote the expression and knowledge of diverse national and foreign cultures, and organize extracurricular cultural activities with the educational community for this purpose.

8. Encourage the expression of cultural inclinations and talents in children and adolescents, and promote their artistic, scientific, and technological production.

9. Ensure the use of technological means to access and disseminate culture and provide the establishment with an adequate library.

10. Organize activities to promote knowledge, respect, and preservation of the national environmental, cultural, architectural, and archaeological heritage.

11. Promote the study of national and foreign languages and special languages.

12. Avoid any form of discrimination based on sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, creed, socioeconomic condition, or any other factor that affects the exercise of their rights.

Article 51. Fundamental Ethical Obligation of Educational Institutions: Primary and secondary educational institutions, whether public or private, have the fundamental obligation to guarantee full respect

for the dignity, life, physical, and moral integrity of children and adolescents within the school community. To this end, they must:

1. Educate children and adolescents in respect for the fundamental values of human dignity, human rights, acceptance, and tolerance towards differences among individuals. They must foster respectful and considerate treatment towards others, especially those with disabilities, special vulnerabilities, or outstanding abilities.

2. Effectively protect children and adolescents from all forms of abuse, physical or psychological aggression, humiliation, discrimination, or mockery by their peers or teachers.

3. Establish appropriate dissuasive, corrective, and re-educational mechanisms in their regulations to prevent physical or psychological aggression, as well as behaviors of ridicule, contempt, and humiliation towards students with learning difficulties, language impairments, or those with outstanding or special abilities.

Article 52. Complementary Obligations of Educational Institutions: School directors, teachers, and the educational community, in general, must implement mechanisms to:

1. Verify the registration of the birth certificate.

2. Identify and provide support and guidance in cases of malnutrition, mistreatment, abandonment, sexual abuse, domestic violence, economic and labor exploitation, contemporary forms of servitude and slavery, including the worst forms of child labor.

3. Ensure that students are affiliated with a health insurance system.

4. Guarantee the full respect for the dignity, life, physical, and moral integrity of children and adolescents within the school community.

5. Effectively protect children and adolescents from all forms of abuse, physical and psychological aggression, humiliation, discrimination, or mockery by their peers and teachers.

6. Establish appropriate dissuasive, corrective, and re-educational mechanisms in their regulations to prevent physical or psychological aggression, as well as behaviors of ridicule, contempt, and humiliation towards children and adolescents with learning difficulties, language impairments, or those with outstanding or special abilities.

7. Prevent the trafficking and consumption of all types of psychoactive substances that produce dependence within educational facilities and request effective sanctions from the competent authorities against trafficking, sale, and consumption around educational institutions.

8. Coordinate the necessary pedagogical, therapeutic, and technological support for the access and educational integration of children and adolescents with disabilities.

9. Report to the competent authorities any detected situations of abuse, mistreatment, or worst forms of child labor in children and adolescents.

10. Provide guidance to the educational community for education in sexual and reproductive health.

Article53. General Duties of All Members of the Educational Community: The following duties apply to all members of the educational community:

1. Familiarize themselves with the philosophy and respect the institutional values defined in this handbook

2. Acquire knowledge and comply with the guidelines of the Institutional Educational Project (PEI), the Code of Conduct, and other regulations of the institution.

3. Work consistently and collaboratively within the community to achieve the designated goals and fulfill the institutional mission.

4. Attend meetings convened by the school's management and administration, ensuring harmonious work, participation, and the preservation of proper communication channels among members of the educational community.

5. Promote the well-being of all members of the educational community and respect the dignity and rights of individuals within it.

CHAPTER IV

SCHOOL GOVERNANCE, INSTITUTIONAL ORGANIZATION, AND STUDENT AND PARENT PARTICIPATION BODIES

CHAPTER IV. SCHOOL GOVERNANCE, INSTITUTIONAL ORGANIZATION, AND STUDENT AND PARENT PARTICIPATION BODIES

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Article 54. Bondholders and Board of Directors: The Board of Directors of Colegio Bolivar represents the highest authority of the institution, that is, the General Assembly of Bondholders. It exercises legislative authority over the school as a legal entity, in accordance with the laws in force in the country, and all members of the educational community must submit to its authority. It determines policy, delegates executive supervisory and instructional authority to its employees, and measures the results obtained in light of the goals of the school system. The Board of Directors is composed of 10 members, elected for a term of one year by the General Assembly of Bondholders. Its members must be parents of students formally enrolled in the school.

Colegio Bolivar is accredited by COGNIA, formerly AdvancED (Advancing Excellence in Education Worldwide), the world's largest educational community since 1961, and the Ministry of National Education. Its structure provides an educational environment with high academic motivation and a range of opportunities for the comprehensive development of its students in all areas; a space for creating bonds, exploring, discovering, and shaping individuals who make a difference in the world.

According to the applicable regulations, the following are the bodies of the School Government:

Article 55. Board of Directors: It is the highest instance through which the educational community participates in the academic and administrative operation of the institution. The Board of Directors is governed according to the guidelines stipulated in Article 144 of Law 115 of 1994 and Decree 1860 of 1994.

The Board of Directors, composed of representatives from the Board of Directors, School Administration, Teachers, Parents, Students, Alumni, and the Community in general, ensures the participation of the School Community.

According to the applicable legal regulations, the Board of Directors has the following functions:

a) Make decisions that affect the functioning of the institution, except those assigned to another authority.

b) Resolve conflicts that arise between teachers and administrative staff with students once the procedures outlined in the School Handbook have been exhausted.

c) Adopt the School Handbook and its Regulations.

d) Defend and guarantee the rights of the educational community.

e) Participate in the planning and evaluation of the Institutional Educational Project (PEI), the curriculum, and the study plan, submitting them for consideration by the Ministry of Education.

f) Promote and ensure the proper functioning of the educational institution.

g) Establish incentives and sanctions for students' academic and social performance.

h) Participate in the evaluation of teachers and administrative staff.

i) Recommend the participation of the institution in cultural, sports, and recreational activities.

j) Foster academic, sports, and cultural relationships with other educational institutions.

k) Promote the formation of parent and student associations.

l) Approve the budget of income and expenses.

m) Establish its own regulations.

Article 56. School Director: The School Director is the legal representative of the institution and is responsible for implementing the decisions made by the Board of Directors and Academic Council.

According to Law 155 of 1994 and Decree 1860 of 1994, the School Director has the following functions:

a) Guide the implementation of the Institutional Educational Project (PEI) and apply the decisions of the School Government.

b) Ensure compliance with teaching duties.

c) Promote the improvement of the quality of education.

d) Maintain relationships with educational authorities, sponsors, and the local community to advance academic progress.

e) Exercise disciplinary functions as provided by law, regulations, and the School Handbook

f) Foster improvement in the Institutional Educational Project (PEI).

g) Promote social benefit activities.

h) Implement the provisions of the State for the provision of public educational services.

i) Perform other functions assigned by the PEI and the School Handbook

Article 57. Academic Council: It brings together the School Director, section principals, the Director of Learning, teachers, and representatives of the different academic levels and/or areas of the institution. It serves as a technical advisory body to the Board of Directors for curriculum design and decides on the evaluation of students' behavior and academic development and their promotion.

The Academic Council of the school has the following functions:

a) Serve as a consulting body to the Board of Directors in reviewing the proposal of the Institutional Educational Project (PEI).

b) Study the curriculum and promote its continuous improvement by making modifications and adjustments.

c) Organize the study plan and guide its implementation.

d) Participate in the annual institutional evaluation.

e) Integrate teacher councils for the periodic evaluation of student performance and promotion, assign their functions, and oversee the overall evaluation process.

f) Receive and decide on student claims regarding educational evaluation.

g) Perform other related or complementary functions attributed by the PEI.

PARTICIPATION BODIES

Article 58. Student Council: It is the highest collegial body that ensures and guarantees the continuous exercise of student participation, aiming to promote student commitment and responsibility as part of the school government. The student council promotes a series of activities throughout the year and develops leadership skills among its members.

It has representation from Primary, Middle, and High School sections. It is composed of at least one representative from each of the grades offered by the school.

Among its functions are: Establishing its own regulations; electing the representative of the students to the Board of Directors and advising them in fulfilling their representation; inviting students with initiatives on student life development to their deliberations; and performing other activities related to the above as assigned by the School Handbook

Candidates must be perceived as positive leaders, exhibit excellent behavior, and be respected by their peers. They should be familiar with and adhere to the school's code of honor and disciplinary processes. Candidates are expected not to have committed any serious or grave offenses during their school life at Colegio Bolivar. Students with a probationary warning letter from the School Director cannot run for candidacy.

Arti cle 59. Parents' Council: Organized under the auspices of the Parents' Association, it has two representatives for each grade. It meets monthly as a council, and its representatives attend the Advisory Committees of each section of the school periodically. Its function is to ensure the smooth running of the educational process.

According to Decree 1286 of 2005, the Parents' Council is a participation body of the parents of the educational institution aimed at ensuring their continuous participation in the educational process and improving the quality of service.

Among other functions supporting the school's work are:

a) Providing support for artistic, scientific, technical, and sports activities organized by the school aimed at improving students' competencies in various areas, including citizenship and fostering a culture of legality.

b) Participating in the development of improvement plans and achieving the set objectives.

c) Promoting training activities for parents aimed at developing strategies to support students, facilitating the consolidation of learning, promoting extracurricular study habits, improving selfesteem and the living environment, and especially those aimed at promoting children's rights.

d) Fostering an atmosphere of trust, understanding, integration, solidarity, and consensus.

e) Proposing improvements to the School Handbook

f) Collaborating in activities aimed at promoting the physical and mental health of students and detecting problems related to school integration.

g) Electing the parent who will participate in the evaluation and promotion committee.

h) Presenting proposals for modifications to the Institutional Educational Project (PEI) arising from parents.

i) Electing the two parent representatives to the Board of Directors of the school, except when the number of members of the Parents' Association reaches more than half of the parents of the school's students, in which case the Assembly of the Parents' Association will elect one of the two parent representatives to the Board of Directors of the school.

j) The Parents' Council exercises the aforementioned functions in direct coordination with the School Director and/or the principal of the academic section and requires express authorization when assuming responsibilities that involve the school with other entities or authorities.

Article 60. Parents' Association: The Parents' Association of Colegio Bolivar, ASOPADRES, is a nonprofit social, cultural, and technical service entity with legal status, formed by the parents and/or guardians of Colegio Bolivar students through the annual payment of membership fees. The executive committee is the governing body of the association and is governed by its own regulations. The executive committee is composed of a president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, and four members with their respective numerical alternates. The members are the coordinators of the working committees established by the executive committee to achieve the association's objectives.

ENTITIES OF INSTITUTIONAL ORGANIZATION

Article 61. Administrative and Academic Directorate: It is an organ of private educational institutions that assists the School Director in the administrative and financial aspects of the school. The administration of Colegio Bolívar is composed of the School Director, the principals of each Academic Section, the Director of Learning, Financial Director, and Community Development and Well-being Office Director, and they are responsible for the administrative and academic direction of Colegio Bolívar. They are primarily responsible for making decisions regarding the administration of financial, patrimonial, and labor resources, according to the PEI and the statutes of the institution that owns the Educational Institution.

Principals of Academic Sections:

Colegio Bolívar is organized to provide educational services in four sections: Preprimary (including El Nido), Primary, Middle School, and High School. The highest administrative authority within each section is the principal, who is in charge of the implementation and supervision of academic policies and coexistence in each section. They are supported by professionals for the better development of their activities.

Article 62. Student Representative (Personero): It is a student in the senior year, elected by vote, and is responsible for promoting the exercise of students' rights and duties as established in the Constitution, laws, regulations, and the Code of Conduct. The student representative works hand in hand with student representatives of the School Government.

Anyone who wishes to run for the position of student representative must submit their candidacy for consideration by the students and can run for the position along with another student from the final grade who will serve as Vice Student Representative or alternate student representative. All candidates must read and understand the provisions of the Colegio Bolívar Code of Conduct and understand and respect the honor code, the disciplinary policy, and the rules and procedures for coexistence.

According to Article 28 of Decree 1860 of August 3, 1994, the Student Representative has the following functions, among others:

a) Promote compliance with students' rights and duties.

b) Receive and evaluate claims made by students regarding violations of their rights and complaints about the non-fulfillment of students' obligations.

c) Submit the necessary requests to t he School Director or the principal of the respective academic section to protect students' rights.

d) When necessary, appeal decisions made by the School Director regarding petitions submitted through the Student Representative.

The student representative will be elected within forty-five calendar days following the start of classes for an annual academic period. For this purpose, the School Director will call all students enrolled in grades 4 to 12 to elect the student representative through a simple majority system and secret ballot. Serving as student representative is incompatible with serving as a student representative on the Board of Directors.

In addition to the roles established by the law, the Student Representative and Vice Student Representative have the following functions:

a) The student running for this position must represent the mission and principles of Colegio Bolívar. They should be an honest and respectful person who demonstrates a spirit of collaboration and has the highest aspirations for the well-being of both the individual and the community.

b) It is expected that the student representative operates within the limits of their functions to ensure that the school administration considers the voice of the students in an appropriate and respectful manner.

c) The Student Representative must maintain strict confidentiality regarding any matter they receive in their position.

d) The Student Representative or Vice Student Representative must be available to be involved in disciplinary cases of special severity that may result in temporary suspension or permanent expulsion of a student from Colegio Bolívar.

e) The Student Representative or Vice Student Representative must represent Colegio Bolívar excellently when attending meetings with Student Representatives from other educational institutions at the local or national level.

Conditions and Expectations for Holding the Position of Student Representative:

a) The candidate must be a student enrolled in the senior year of Colegio Bolívar, meaning Grade Twelve.

b) Students with conditional enrollment due to poor academic performance or with a probationary warning letter for disciplinary reasons from the School Director are not eligible to run.

c) The candidate must have been a student at Colegio Bolívar since the ninth grade of High School

d) The candidate must be perceived as a positive leader, have excellent behavior, be respected by their peers, and be familiar with and respect the honor code, disciplinary procedures, and rules. It is expected that candidates have not committed any serious or extremely serious offenses during their time in grades six to eleven.

e) In the event that the Student Representative or Vice Student Representative commits a serious or extremely serious offense during their campaign, the election process, or once elected to the position, the administration may consider this infraction as just cause for removal from their position.

Causes for Removal from the Position of Student Representative or Vice Student Representative:

The Student Representative or Vice Student Representative may be removed from their position in case of the following situations, provided that due process is followed:

a) Failure to comply with or respect the code of conduct of Colegio Bolívar, including any of the f ollowing:

a. Committing a serious or extremely serious offense according to the guidelines of the Code of Conduct.

b. Being in a probationary period or conditional enrollment.

b) Failure to meet the minimum grade point average required for the position.

c) Failure to comply with the established election process for this position.

d) Failure to assume the responsibilities and obligations assigned to this position with the necessary diligence.

e) Failure to meet the expectations, objectives, or established profile for this position. In this regard, any member of the educational community may submit a written communication to the Director of Colegio Bolívar informing him/her of dissatisfaction and poor representation by the Student Representative or Vice Student Representative.

Due Process: Once a formal complaint is received regarding the performance or behavior of the Student Representative or Vice Student Representative, the Director of Colegio Bolívar will carry out the following due process:

a) The Student Representative or Vice Student Representative must submit a written statement informing the School Director about the situation or event in question. The parents of the student may add their perspective to the statement that will be sent to the School Director

b) The School Director will have 5 business days to analyze the facts, evidence, and defense of the student and make a decision. If the School Director considers that the offense or behavior of the Student Representative or Vice Student Representative is serious or extremely serious, they may remove the student from the position while the investigation is ongoing.

c) The student representative or vice student representative may appeal this decision to the Board of Directors within 5 days of being notified of the School Director's decision. The Board of Directors will have a maximum of 10 business days to deliberate, request additional evidence, and decide on the case.

d) If the decision of the Board of Directors is to remove only the Student Representative from the position, the Vice Student Representative will assume the position immediately. If both the Student Representative and Vice Student Representative are removed from the position, new elections must be held according to the provisions of the Code of Conduct.

Article 63. School Coexistence Committee: The School Coexistence Committee of Colegio Bolívar is guided by the following principles in correspondence with the statements for the National School Coexistence System: participation, co-responsibility, autonomy, diversity, and integrality. The School Coexistence Committee, within the scope of its responsibilities, carries out actions to promote and strengthen education for citizenship and the exercise of human, sexual, and reproductive rights; prevent and mitigate school violence and teenage pregnancy; and address situations that affect school coexistence and the exercise of human, sexual, and reproductive rights through the implementation, development, and application of strategies and programs established by the National School Coexistence Committee and the respective Municipal or Departmental School Coexistence Committee, while respecting the Constitution and the law.

The Board of Directors of the institution will be responsible for establishing the School Coexistence Committee and developing its initial regulations, which must be an integral part of this Code of Conduct.

The School Coexistence Committee is composed of:

• The Director of the School, who presides over the committee

• The student representative

• The teacher with counseling function - Counselor

• The Coordinator of School Coexistence

• The president of the parents' council

• One (1) teacher who leads coexistence processes or strategies.

When deemed appropriate, the Committee may invite members of the educational community or external advisors with relevant information or contributions to attend meetings, although they will not have voting rights.

The functions of the School Coexistence Committee are as follows:

a) Identify, document, analyze, and resolve conflicts that arise between teachers and students, administrators and students, and among students.

b) Lead actions in the school that promote coexistence, citizenship development, the exercise of human, sexual, and reproductive rights, and the prevention and mitigation of school violence among members of the educational community.

c) Promote the school's involvement in strategies, programs, and activities related to coexistence and citizenship development being carried out in the region and that meet the needs of its educational community.

d) Convene, when necessary and appropriate, a conciliation space for the resolution of conflict situations that affect school coexistence, at the request of any member of the educational community or at its own discretion in order to prevent irreparable harm to members of the educational community. In these spaces, students will be accompanied by their parent, guardian, or a fellow student from the educational institution.

e) Activate the Comprehensive Care Route for School Coexistence defined in Article 29 of Law 1620 of 2013 for specific conflict situations, bullying, high-risk violent behavior, or violations of sexual and reproductive rights that cannot be resolved by this committee according to the Code of Conduct because they transcend the school environment and constitute criminal acts, requiring the involvement of other entities or authorities within the structure of the National School Coexistence and Human Rights Education System, Sexuality Education, and Prevention and Mitigation of School Violence.

f) Lead the development of strategies and tools aimed at promoting and evaluating school coexistence, the exercise of human, sexual, and reproductive rights.

g) Monitor compliance with the provisions established in the Code of Conduct and submit reports to the corresponding instance within the structure of the National School Coexistence and Human Rights Education System and Prevention and Mitigation of School Violence, on the cases or situations addressed by the Committee.

h) Propose, analyze, and implement pedagogical strategies that allow for the flexibility of the pedagogical model and the integration of different areas of study that consider the educational context and its relevance to the community in order to find better ways of building citizenship.

Paragraph 1: The Committee must establish its own regulations, which should cover the procedures for sessions and other procedural aspects, including those related to the selection and permanence of the teacher leading coexistence processes

Paragraph 2: The School Coexistence Committee does not have jurisdiction, within its functions, to address minor, serious, or extremely serious offenses unrelated to situations categorized in this Code as Special Offenses that Undermine School Coexistence.

Article 63. Support and Oversight: When necessary, students can meet with the Coordinator of School Coexistence or the respective Section Principal and/or Dean of Students (in the case of Secondary) to discuss academic, disciplinary, or coexistence problems that may arise. In these meetings, students have the right to present their views and concerns, which will be heard and taken into account. Each academic section will establish the criteria for remaining in student representative positions.

Article 64. Support Services and Complementary Activities: The following areas provide guidance to the School Director, section principals, students, teachers, and parents:

a) Counseling

b) Career Counseling

c) Coordinator of School Coexistence

d) Psychometrics

e) Academic Enrichment (Optimal Match)

f) Secondary School Dean of Students

g) Extracurricular Activities

h) Learning Support Services

i) Social Service

j) Support Teachers

k) Medical Services

CHAPTER V

RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR SCHOOL COEXISTENCE AND DISCIPLINE

CHAPTER V. RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR SCHOOL COEXISTENCE AND DISCIPLINE

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING SITUATIONS THAT AFFECT SCHOOL COEXISTENCE, HUMAN RIGHTS, SEXUALITY, AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Article 65. Premises and Basic Aspects of School Coexistence: In its positive conceptualization, coexistence is the ability of human beings to live in harmony with others, where mutual respect, tolerance, solidarity, and otherness are evident. From an educational perspective, discipline is understood as an essential element in the continuous formation process that leads to the conscious self -control of an individual's will, body, and character. At Colegio Bolívar, discipline accompanies the fulfillment of its mission on a daily basis to stimulate the development of a strong sense of responsibility in its students and facilitate their personal, academic, and social growth. The disciplinary policy of the institution is based on clear values such as respect for human dignity, honesty, and reciprocal collaboration. Colegio Bolívar assumes as an inherent premise of its work the unavoidable responsibility of providing an environment that fosters healthy coexistence and, as a necessary complement, a set of rules that allow for the realization of its educational mission. At the same time, it understands that the family is the first and direct educator in the formation of the personality and character of the children, adolescents, and young people who are enrolled in its classrooms.

Article 66. Definitions: For the purposes of this chapter, the following concepts are defined:

1. Citizenship Competencies: It is the set of knowledge and cognitive, emotional, and communicative skills t hat, when articulated, enable citizens to act constructively in a democratic society.

2. Conflicts: They are situations characterized by a real or perceived incompatibility between one or several individuals in relation to their interests.

3. Inadequately Managed Conflicts: These are situations in which conflicts are not resolved constructively and give rise to events that affect school coexistence, such as altercations, confrontations, or fights between two or more members of the educational community, of which at least one is a student, as long as there is no physical harm or harm to the health of any of the individuals involved.

4. School Aggression: It refers to any action carried out by one or more members of the educational community that seeks to or negatively affects other members of the educational community, of which at least one is a student. School aggression can be physical, verbal, gestural, relational, or electronic.

a) Physical Aggression: It refers to any action aimed at causing or causing harm to the body or health of another person. It includes punches, kicks, shoves, slaps, bites, scratches, pinches, hair-pulling, among others.

b) Verbal Aggression: It refers to any action that degrades, humiliates, intimidates, or disqualifies others through words. It includes insults, offensive nicknames, mockery, and threats.

c) Gestural Aggression: It refers to any action that seeks to degrade, humiliate, intimidate, or disqualify others through gestures.

d) Relational Aggression: It refers to any action that seeks to or negatively affects the relationships others have. It includes excluding individuals from groups, deliberately isolating them, and spreading rumors or secrets with the intention of negatively affecting the person's status or image in the eyes of others.

e) Electronic Aggression: It refers to any action that seeks to or negatively affects others through electronic means. It includes the dissemination of intimate or humiliating photos or videos on the Internet, making insulting or offensive comments about others through social networks, and sending insulting or offensive emails or text messages, either anonymously or when the identity of the sender is revealed.

5. School Harassment (Bullying): According to Article 2 of Law 1620 of 2013, it refers to any negative, intentional, methodical, and systematic behavior of aggression, intimidation, humiliation, ridicule, defamation, coercion, deliberate isolation, threat, or incitement to violence or any form of psychological, verbal, physical, or electronic mistreatment against a child or adolescent by one or more of their peers with whom they maintain an asymmetrical power relationship, which occurs repeatedly or over a specified period of time. It can also occur by teachers against students or by students against teachers, with the indifference or complicity of their environment. School bullying has consequences on the health, emotional well-being, and academic performance of students, as well as on the learning environment and school climate of the school.

6. School Cyberbullying: According to Article 2 of Law 1620 of 2013, it refers to any form of intimidation that uses information technologies (Internet, virtual social networks, mobile phones, and online video games) to exert continued psychological mistreatment.

7. Sexual Violence: According to Article 2 of Law 1146 of 2007, it refers to any sexual act or behavior carried out against a child or adolescent using force or any form of physical, psychological, or emotional coercion, taking advantage of the conditions of helplessness, inequality, and power relations existing between the victim and the aggressor.

8. Violation of the Rights of Children and Adolescents: It refers to any situation of harm, injury, or prejudice that prevents the full exercise of the rights of children and adolescents.

9. Restoration of the Rights of Children and Adolescents: It refers to the set of administrative and other actions carried out to restore their dignity and integrity as rights holders and their ability to effectively enjoy the rights that have been violated.

Article 67. School Coexistence Committee and Incorporation of Definitions, Principles, and Responsibilities into the Code of Conduct: This Code of Conduct will include the definitions, principles, and responsibilities established by Law 1620 of 2013 for all members of the educational community. These will serve as a basis for the development of promotion, prevention, assistance, and follow-up components of the Comprehensive Care Route for School Coexistence within the Code of Conduct. Colegio Bolivar has a School Coexistence Committee led by the School Director with the support of the Coordinator of School Coexistence.

Article 68. Responsibilities of Educational Institutions in the National System of School Coexistence and Training for Human Rights, Sexuality Education, and Prevention and Mitigation of School Violence: In addition to the responsibilities established by current regulations that are specific to them, the School shall have the following responsibilities:

1. Guarantee respect for the dignity and physical and moral integrity of its students, educators, administrators, teachers, and other staff members in the context of school coexistence, human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights.

2. Implement the school coexistence committee and ensure compliance with its functions in accordance with the provisions of Articles 11, 12, and 13 of Law 1620 of 2013.

3. Develop the prevention, promotion, and protection components through the Code of Conduct and the implementation of the Comprehensive Care Route for School Coexistence, in order to protect students against all forms of harassment, school violence, and violation of human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights by their peers, teachers, or administrators.

4. Undertake actions that involve the entire educational community in a pedagogical reflection process on the factors associated with violence, school harassment, and violation of sexual and reproductive rights, as well as the impact of these factors. This should include relevant know ledge about self -care and relationships with others, promoting tolerance and mutual respect.

5. Develop strategies and tools to promote school coexistence based on evaluations and monitoring of the most common forms of harassment and school violence.

6. Adopt strategies to encourage attitudes among members of the educational community that promote and strengthen school coexistence, mediation and reconciliation, and the dissemination of these values.

7. Generate pedagogical strategies to integrate educational processes across different areas of study.

8. The School Director will lead the school coexistence committee in accordance with the provisions of Articles 11, 12, and 13 of Law 1620 of 2013. They are obliged to report cases of harassment, school violence, and violation of sexual and reproductive rights of children and adolescents in the educational institution, in accordance with current regulations and protocols defined in the Comprehensive Care Route. They are also responsible for following up on these cases.

9. Teachers must identify, report, and monitor cases of school harassment, school violence, and violation of sexual and reproductive rights that affect students in the educational institution, in accordance with Articles 11 and 12 of Law 1146 of 2007 and other applicable regulations, the Code of Conduct, and the protocols defined in the Comprehensive Care Route for School Coexistence. If the bullying situation is carried out through electronic means, it should also be reported to the coexistence committee to activate the respective protocol.

Article 69. Pedagogical Projects: The projects referred to in item 1 of Article 15 of Law 1620 of 2013 must be developed at all levels of the educational institution. They should be formulated and managed by teachers from all areas and grades, collectively constructed with other members of the educational community, and address specific contextual situations that are part of the institutional educational project or community educational project.

Pedagogical projects on sexuality education, which aim to develop competencies in students to make informed, autonomous, responsible, enjoyable, healthy decisions, and to learn to handle situations involving propositions that affect their physical or moral integrity, should be developed gradually according to age, starting from each of the mandatory areas indicated in Law 115 of 1994. These projects should address topics related to the body and human development, human reproduction, sexual and reproductive health, contraception methods, as well as reflections on attitudes, interests, and skills related to emotions, the cultural construction of sexuality, gender cultural behaviors, sexual diversity, sexuality, and healthy lifestyles. These topics are fundamental for the construction of the student's life project.

Education for the exercise of human rights in schools implies the experience and practice of human rights in everyday school life. Its objective is to transform learning environments, where conflicts are seen as pedagogical opportunities that allow for their resolution through dialogue, negotiation, and recognition of differences. This enables children and adolescents to develop competencies to act as active rights holders in the school, family, and community contexts. Therefore, the pedagogical project will emphasize human dignity, human rights, and the acceptance and appreciation of diversity and differences.

In the curriculum, the educational institution must explicitly state the time and conditions devoted to these projects, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 76 to 79 of Law 115 of 1994 regarding the curriculum and study plans.

Article 70. Family Participation: The family, as part of the educational community within the framework of the National System of School Coexistence and Training for Human Rights, Sexuality Education, and Prevention and Mitigation of School Violence, in addition to its obligations in accordance with the provisions established in Article 67 of the Political Constitution, Law 115 of 1994, Law 1098 of 2006, Law 1453 of 2011, and other current regulations, must:

1. Provide their children with spaces and environments at home that generate trust, affection, care, and protection for themselves and their physical, social, and environmental surroundings.

2. Participate in the formulation, planning, and development of strategies that promote school coexistence, human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights, participation and democracy, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.

3. Permanently and actively accompany their children in the pedagogical process carried out by the educational institution regarding coexistence and sexuality.

4. Assume responsibilities in activities for the use of their children's free time to develop citizenship skills.

5. Comply with the conditions and obligations established in the coexistence manual and take responsibility when their child fails to comply with any of the defined rules.

6. Know and follow the Comprehensive Care Route when a case of school violence, violation of sexual and reproductive rights, or a situation that merits it occurs, in accordance with the instructions provided in the coexistence manual of the respective educational institution.

7. Use the existing legal mechanisms and those established in the Comprehensive Care Route referred to in this law to restore their children's rights when they are violated.

Article 71. Actions of the Promotion Component: Institutional policies that focus on promoting coexistence and improving the school climate, in order to create an environment for the real and effective exercise of human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights as established in Law 1620 of 2013, are considered promotion actions. In accordance with the promotion component, the School Coexistence Committee must undertake the following actions:

1. Propose institutional policies that promote individual and collective well-being, which can be developed within the framework of the Institutional Educational Project (PEI), in accordance with the provisions of Article 73 of Law 115 of 1994.

2. Lead the development of training initiatives for the educational community on topics such as human rights, sexuality, reproductive rights, citizenship skills, child and adolescent development, coexistence, mediation, and conciliation, in order to strengthen the National School Coexistence System.

3. Strengthen the implementation and evaluation of pedagogical projects for sexuality education and citizenship development from preschool onwards, which correspond to the socio-cultural particularities of the context in which the educational institution is located. These projects must guarantee the right of girls, boys, and adolescents to receive information based on scientific evidence, so that they progressively develop the skills that facilitate autonomous decision-making regarding the exercise of sexuality and the pursuit of life projects.

4. Coordinate the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of projects for the development of citizenship skills aimed at strengthening a positive school and classroom climate, addressing topics such as clarifying rules, defining decision-making strategies, reaching agreements, negotiating interests and objectives, and exercising communicative, emotional, and cognitive skills in favor of school coexistence, among others.

5. Generate mechanisms and tools for the development of citizenship skills and education for the exercise of human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights to be carried out transversally in all mandatory and fundamental areas of knowledge and training established in the institutional educational project.

Article 72. Actions of the Prevention Component: Prevention actions are those that seek to intervene timely in behaviors that could affect the effective exercise of human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights in order to prevent them from becoming patterns of interaction that disrupt the coexistence of members of the educational community:

1. Identify the risks of occurrence of the most common situations that affect school coexistence and the exercise of human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights, based on the particularities of the school climate and the analysis of external family, social, political, economic, and cultural characteristics that influence interpersonal relationships within the educational community, in accordance with the provisions of numeral 5 of Article 17 of Law 1620 of 2013.

2. Strengthen actions that contribute to mitigating situations that affect school coexistence and the exercise of human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights, identified based on the aforementioned particularities.

3. Design protocols for the timely and comprehensive attention to the most common situations that affect school coexistence and the exercise of human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights.

Article 73. Actions of the Attention Component: Attention actions are those that assist members of the educational community in situations that affect school coexistence and the exercise of human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights, through the implementation and application of internal protocols in educational institutions and the activation, when necessary, of the attention protocols implemented by the other actors that make up the National School Coexistence System within their competence.

Article 74. Classification of Situations: Situations that affect school coexistence and the exercise of human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights are classified into three types, which include at least the following procedures:

1. Type I Situations: This type includes inadequately handled conflicts and sporadic situations that negatively affect the school climate but do not cause harm to the body or health. Examples of these situations include:

• Disrespectful gestures or acts with sexual connotation.

• Situations where individuals are excluded or targeted based on gender or sexual orientation.

• Verbal aggression that makes others feel bad through insults, offensive nicknames, mockery, threats of aggression, and morbid expressions.

• Physical aggression and interactions that harass or invade another person's intimate space, which may or may not have a sexual nature.

• Pulling or disarranging clothing.

• Relational aggression that negatively affects one's status or image in relation to others.

2. Type II Situations: This type includes cases of school aggression, school bullying, and cyberbullying that do not constitute a crime and meet any of the following characteristics:

a) They occur repeatedly or systematically.

b) They cause harm to the body or health without generating any incapacity for any of the individuals involved.

Examples of these situations include:

• Repeated threats, physical, verbal, and emotional abuse.

• Repeated aggressive actions with a sexual nature, such as cyberbullying and sexual aggression due to homophobia and transphobia.

• Repeated use of homophobic or sexist nicknames and comments.

• Repeated unsolicited sexual compliments and touching.

• Sexually offensive messages written in public spaces such as bathrooms, walls, boards, and desks, as they can be considered school bullying.

3. Type III Situations: This type includes cases of school aggression that constitute alleged crimes against freedom, integrity, and sexual development, as referred to in Title IV of Book II of Law 599 of 2000 (Penal Code), or when they constitute any other offense established in the current Colombian criminal law.

Examples of these situations include:

• Cases where there are indications that a child or adolescent has been a victim of rape, whether by an adult or a minor.

• Children or adolescents who are sexually abused by a family member.

• Situations where a child or adolescent has been subjected to caresses or touching, and the aggressor has used physical force, deception, or intimidation.

• Cases where the victim has been sexually abused after ingesting any substance that has rendered them unable to resist or oppose sexual activity.

• Sexual activity with a child or adolescent with cognitive disabilities, where the aggressor takes advantage of their limitations to obtain consent or understanding of the nature of such an act.

• Any sexual activity involving an adult and a minor under 14years of age.

• A child or adolescent who, coerced by a third party, allows their classmates to touch parts of their body in exchange for money.

• A child or adolescent who is offered for sexual purposes to an adult in exchange for money.

• A child or adolescent who is harassed or stalked for sexual purposes by an adult.

• A child or adolescent who has been contacted by adults through social networks to engage in sexual activities.

• A child or adolescent who provides sexual services through a human trafficking network.

Article 75. Protocols of Educational Institutions - Purpose, Content, and Application: The protocols of educational institutions are aimed at establishing the necessary procedures to provide timely assistance to the educational community in situations that affect school coexistence and the exercise of human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights.

These protocols must define, at a minimum, the following aspects:

1. The manner of initiation, reception, and filing of complaints or information regarding situations that affect school coexistence and the exercise of human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights.

2. Mechanisms to guarantee the right to privacy and confidentiality of physical or electronic documents, as well as information provided by individuals involved in the proceedings and all information generated within them, in accordance with the Political Constitution, international treaties, Law 1098 of 2006, Statutory Law No. 1581 of 2012, Decree No. 1377 of 2013, and other applicable regulations.

3. Mechanisms to protect those who report situations that affect school coexistence and the exercise of human rights, sexuality, and reproductive rights from possible retaliation.

4. Strategies and alternative solutions, including pedagogical mechanisms, to consider these situations as opportunities for learning and the practice of citizenship skills within the educational community.

5. Applicable consequences that are proportional to the situation and the measures taken, and are in line with the Constitution, international treaties, laws, and coexistence manuals.

6. Ways to monitor cases and measures taken to verify the effectiveness of the solution. The protocols of Colegio Bolívar for the situations established in the School Coexistence Law are developed in the following articles of this Manual.

Article 76. Protocol for the Attention of Type I Situations: In accordance with the law, to address type I situations as referred to in numeral 1 of Article 40 of Decree 1965 of 2013, the following minimum procedure must be followed:

1. Immediately convene the parties involved in the conflict and mediate in a pedagogical manner for them to express their points of view and seek the repair of damages caused, the restoration of rights, and reconciliation within a climate of constructive relationships in the educational institution.

2. Determine an impartial, equitable, and fair resolution method aimed at seeking the repair of damages caused, the restoration of rights, and reconciliation within a climate of constructive relationships within the involved group or the educational institution. This action shall be documented.

3. Follow up on the case and commitments to verify the effectiveness of the solution or determine whether it is necessary to resort to the protocols established in Articles 43 and 44 of Decree 1965 of 2013.

Article 77. Protocol for the Attention of Type II Situations: In accordance with the law, to address type II situations as referred to in numeral 2 of Article 40 of Decree 1965 of 2013, the following minimum procedure must be followed:

1. In cases of harm to the body or health, ensure immediate physical and mental health care for those involved by referring them to the competent entities. This action shall be documented.

2. When measures are required to restore rights, refer the situation to the administrative authorities in accordance with Law 1098 of 2006. This action shall be documented.

3. Take measures to protect those involved in the situation from possible actions against them. This action shall be documented.

4. Immediately inform the parents, guardians, or caregivers of all students involved. This action shall be documented.

5. Create spaces for the parties involved and the parents, guardians, or caregivers of the students to express and clarify what happened while preserving the right to privacy, confidentiality, and other rights.

6. Determine restorative actions aimed at repairing damages caused, restoring rights, and promoting reconciliation within a climate of constructive relationships in the educational institution. Also, determine the applicable consequences for those who have promoted, contributed to, or participated in the reported situation.

7. The Coordinator of the School Coexistence Committee shall inform the other committee members about the situation and the measures taken. The committee will analyze and monitor the case to verify the effectiveness of the solution or determine whether it is necessary to resort to the protocol established in Article 44 of Decree 1965 of 2013.

8. The School Coexistence Committee shall document all occurrences and decisions in minutes, which shall be signed by all members and participants.

9. The Coordinator of the School Coexistence Committee shall report the case information to the application implemented in the Unified School Coexistence Information System.

Article 78. Protocol for the Attention of Type III Situations: In accordance with the law, type III situat ions as referred to in numeral 3 of Article 40 of Decree 1965 of 2013 must observe the following minimum procedure:

1. In cases of bodily harm or injury, guarantee immediate physical and mental health care for those involved, by referring them to the competent entities, which will be duly documented.

2. Immediately inform the parents or guardians of all the students involved, which will be duly documented.

3. The Coordinator of the School Coexistence Committee shall promptly and expeditiously notify the National Police of the situation, which will be duly documented.

4. Notwithstanding the previous provision, the members of the School Coexistence Committee shall be summoned in accordance with the terms set forth in the code of conduct, which will be duly documented.

5. The Coordinator of the School Coexistence Committee shall inform the participants in the committee of the facts that led to the meeting, while preserving the confidentiality of any information that could compromise the right to privacy and confidentiality of the parties involved, as well as the report made to the competent authority.

6. Even if a situation has been reported to the competent authorities, the School Coexistence Committee shall immediately take appropriate measures within the scope of its competencies to protect the victim, the alleged aggressor, and the individuals who have reported or are part of the situation, which will be duly documented.

7. The Coordinator of the School Coexistence Committee shall report the case information to the application implemented in the Unified School Coexistence Information System.

8. The cases subject to this protocol shall be monitored by the School Coexistence Committee, the competent authority, and the Municipal, District, or Departmental Coexistence Committee that has jurisdiction over the educational institution where the incident occurred.

Article 79. School Coexistence and Code of Conduct: Within the framework of the National School Coexistence and Education for Human Rights, Sexuality Education, and Prevention and Mitigation of School Violence System, and in addition to what is established in Article 87 of Law 115 of 1994, the codes of conduct must identify new ways and alternatives to encourage and strengthen school coexistence and the exercise of students' human rights, sexual and reproductive rights, which allow for learning from mistakes, respecting diversity, and resolving conflicts peacefully, as well as possible situations and behaviors that threaten the exercise of their rights.

The code of conduct grants the educator the role of guide and mediator in situations that threaten school coexistence and the exercise of human rights, sexual and reproductive rights. Students are granted an active role in participating in the definition of actions to handle these situations within the framework of the comprehensive care pathway.

DISCIPLINARY PROCESS

Guiding Principles, Disciplinary Offenses, Classification, Procedures, Corrective Actions, and Sanctions

The guiding principles serve as the basis for the development of any disciplinary procedure or action. They establish the framework within which one must act at all times, and the evaluation of the procedures will be determined by compliance with these guiding principles.

EQUALITY: All individuals are equal before the law, regardless of race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, origin, nationality or family background, language, religion, political or philosophical opinion.

DUE PROCESS: Once the commission of a disciplinary offense is reported, in pursuit of justice, in accordance with the provisions of this handbook, the competent authority must initiate the corresponding investigation, guaranteeing due process, the right to defense, and the right to challenge the evidence, in compliance with the procedures established in the Colombian Political Constitution, this handbook, and the law.

LEGALITY: Aware of the primacy of the law over the will of individuals, once there is knowledge of a possible disciplinary offense, the competent authority, in its initial analysis, based on sound logic, objectivity, impartiality, etc., before initiating the corresponding investigation, must analyze whether the reported behavior falls within any offense described in this manual, the guidelines established by the school coexistence committee, or conduct classified as a crime under the law.

PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE: The Colombian Political Constitution, as the norm of norms, establishes the fundamental right of defense, which means that any person subject to a disciplinary investigation is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

RES JUDICATA: No student can be investigated or sanctioned twice for the same act. The act can be by commission or omission. It is an act when something prohibited is done. It is an omission when something that should have been done is not done. The act is defined by the circumstances of place, time, and manner.

FAVORABILITY: When two or more norms regulate a circumstance, the most favorable one for the student will be preferred.

FUNCTION OF DISCIPLINARY SANCTION: The sanction aims to provide integral reparation for the harm caused, establish prevention and correction policies to prevent the offense from recurring.

PRINCIPLE OF PUBLICITY: The student shall be informed orally and/or in writing, physically or electronically, of all actions taken during the investigation.

PRINCIPLE OF CONFIDENTIALITY: Only the student, parents or guardians, and those conducting the investigation should be aware of the investigation's details.

SCOPE OF APPLICATION: It applies to students who violate the rules within the educational institution as well as those who commit offenses outside, causing harm to the institution, its reputation, property, or in spaces or places where members of the educational community represent the institution due to their activities.

PROPORTIONALITY: Disciplinary sanctions or educational measures must correspond to the degree of evaluation of the offense committed, whether it is minor or Type I, serious or Type II, or very serious or Type III.

Article 80. Dress Code - Personal Presentation: Students must maintain good personal hygiene when attending Colegio Bolívar. Daily uniforms are not mandatory at Colegio Bolívar, except for physical education uniforms, in order to guarantee students' right to free personal development. At the same time, rules regarding attire are established to contribute to the educational process for all students, from El Nido to Twelfth Grade.

A. Clothing.

• All garments must be in good condition (without tears or rips) and should not depict pornography, obscene words, discriminatory messages, political propaganda, illegal products, or be offensive from the perspective of Colegio Bolívar Values.

• During physical education class, uniform is mandatory. The use of accessories that pose a risk to the students' safety is not allowed.

• The continuous use of footwear that guarantees student safety is mandatory. The use of flip-flops, backless sandals, heels, or platforms is not permitted.

• Students' attire must comply with the following specifications:

o Shorts, skirts, and dresses must reach at least mid-thigh.

o Undergarments should not be visible.

o Students cannot participate in school activities with bare torsos.

o For swimming activities, the use of swim shirts is recommended.

• The use of sunglasses is not allowed during class unless there is a medical condition.

• Visible tattoos cannot depict pornography, obscene words, discriminatory messages, political propaganda, illegal products, or be offensive from the perspective of Colegio Bolívar Values.

• The use of facial hair (beard or mustache) is allowed as long as the student keeps it properly groomed.

Article 81. Right to Petition: Every person has the right to present respectful petitions to the authorities, for reasons of general or particular interest, and to obtain a prompt solution (Colombian Political Constitution, Article 23). The educational institution has 15 business days from the receipt of the petition to provide a response.

Article 82. Special Offenses that Affect both Discipline and School Coexistence: Acts of bullying or school aggression may be considered as behaviors that affect school coexistence and disciplinary offenses within the category of serious or very serious offenses, according to the provisions of this Code of Conduct. Regarding a special conduct committed by a student of the institution that is simultaneously considered a serious or very serious offense and a Type II or Type III situation, the following two (2) parallel and independent processes will be followed:

a) Due Disciplinary Process: This will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

b) Protocol for addressing Type II or Type III situations that affect school coexistence, under the jurisdiction of the School Coexistence Committee.

Article 83. Disciplinary Offenses: Disciplinary offenses are the failure to comply with the duties outlined in this Code or any other acts described as offenses in this Code or any other mandatory document or acts that are considered inappropriate for the integral education of the students.

Also considered offenses are reprehensible behaviors in which students of the institution engage, even outside the school premises, when they do not represent the school in academic, cultural, or sports activities. However, the external conduct of the student must have a significant projection or influence that directly or indirectly affects the institution, compromises its good name, sets a bad example for the educational community, seriously affects individuals or institutions, or poses threats to the student's coexistence with other classmates, parents of the institution, or the school staff.

Article 84. Classification of Disciplinary Offenses: Disciplinary offenses or behaviors are classified as Minor, Serious, and Very Serious for the purposes of determining the disciplinary measures to be applied. The evaluation of offenses will also consider their nature and effects, the modalities and circumstances of the act, the determining motives, and the student's personal background.

Article 85. Minor Offenses: Minor offenses are considered to be any conduct that hinders the normal development of students' autonomy and responsibility and, secondarily, disrupts the normalcy of school activities. Behaviors or incidents that can be characterized as a Type I situation, according to the School Coexistence System, are highlighted. Among others, these offenses include:

1. Negatively affecting the learning environment or the normal development of school activities through undue disruptions in classes or general events of the educational community.

2. Engaging in acts of indiscipline in school spaces and activities that do not constitute serious or very serious offenses.

3. Inciting and/or participating in disorder on the school bus route, classrooms, or any area of the school.

4. Ignoring or failing to comply with the dress code requirements.

5. Repeated lateness in meeting the schedules and deadlines established by the school.

6. Unjustified absences from activities or meetings called by the school.

7. Leaving the classroom, school activity, or school premises without authorization or justification.

8. Organizing, promoting, or participating in gambling games involving bets within the school premises or outside when participating in an activity sponsored by the institution or on its behalf.

9. Selling products or services within the school without proper authorization. In the event of committing this offense, the products will be confiscated and later returned to the parents or guardians by the academic section principal

10. Inappropriate displays of affection between students.

11. Improper use of cell phones, sound or video players during class hours.

12. Disregarding the instruction to use seat belts on school buses and/or vehicles.

13. Manifest or notable discourtesy in addressing academic or disciplinary observations.

14. Use of disrespectful language and rude treatment towards classmates, teachers, or any other member of the educational community.

15. Neglecting personal hygiene and actions that affect the cleanliness of the school.

16. Consuming food in the classroom without authorization.

17. Not having the required work materials for classes without any justification.

18. Misusing the institution's property and facilities.

19. Disrespecting institutional and national symbols.

20. Driving vehicles within the school premises and its surroundings, except in cases permitted by the administration.

21. Violating the provisions established in sections regarding change of address, permits and passes, birthday celebrations at school, lost or found objects, and use of environmental section lockers, policies, and procedures in this Code.

Article 86. Pedagogical Measures, Corrective Actions, and Due Process for Minor Offenses: In the case of a minor offense, one or more of the following corrective actions and/or pedagogical measures may be applied, which are of a reflective, preventive, and formative nature. These actions can be led by the Academic Section Principal, Discipline Dean, Teachers, and/or Counselors.

The actions listed below are not hierarchical or sequential, and the selection of the appropriate action depends on the determination of the responsible leader.

In these cases, the following summary procedure will be applied. The authorized person applying one of the following actions must listen to the reasons and accounts of the involved student(s), verbally or in writing. Within a maximum period of three business days, the following actions may be taken, which will be notified verbally unless parents are notified, in which case it will be in writing:

1. Verbal reprimand: This is a call made by a Teacher, Counselor, Academic Section Principal, Administrative Staff, Transportation Monitors, or School Support Staff to a student to correct their behavior whenever a minor offense is being committed.

2. Exclusion of the student from the respective activity or group for a period ranging from fifteen mi nutes to one class hour, or a maximum of two hours in extracurricular hours. During this time, the student can reflect and/or work on their behavior. After that period, the student will be reintegrated into the activity or group. This temporary removal from class may be imposed by a Teacher, Counselor, Academic Section Principal, or School Director. If reflection periods are conducted during extracurricular hours, throughout the day, or even on Saturdays, the academic section must inform parents or guardians at least two (2) business days in advance.

3. Assignment of special activities during regular school hours or in extra hours after the school day: These activities may be defined and imposed by the Academic Section Principal or School Director on students who commit minor offenses, and they will be directly related to the specific offense committed.

4. Written admonition, which will be recorded in the student's files. This is a call for a student to correct their behavior whenever a minor offense is being committed. It will also be communicated to the parent or guardian via telephone call or email.

Paragraph 1. Notifications and Appeals for sanctions for minor offenses: Students who commit minor offenses will be allowed to provide their explanations orally or in writing before any pedagogical measure is imposed. If deemed necessary by the competent authority, parents will be informed when their children commit minor offenses.

There are no appeals available against the pedagogical measures derived from minor offenses. However, students and parents may submit requests for reconsideration regarding the imposed measures.

Article 87. Serious Offenses: Serious offenses are considered to be any behavior that significantly harms the harmony, justice, peaceful coexistence among members of the educational community, as well as the smooth functioning of educational activities, the physical or moral integrity of other students, and/or the good reputation of Colegio Bolívar. Therefore, to assess a student's behavior, their social conduct will be taken into account not only within the school premises or in activities organized and supervised by the school authorities but also any social behavior that is considered public and, in particular, that damages or calls into question the position or reputation of the school as an educational institution. This type of behavior hinders the proper functioning of the institution's educational activities. Behaviors or incidents that can be characterized as a Type II situation, according to the School Coexistence System, are highlighted. Among others, these offenses include:

1. Attacks on the dignity and rights of any member of the Educational Community.

2. Deliberately inducing members of the Educational Community to commit offenses.

3. Being an accomplice or covering up offenses against the Code of Conduct.

4. Engaging in fraud, plagiarism, or any other violation of academic rules; falsifying or altering signatures, books, documents, grades, or other school communications. Cheating or deliberately using unauthorized materials, devices, or mechanisms, information, and/or educational aids in any academic exercise. This may include the following behaviors:

a. Looking at or copying exams, tests, essays, or other work of another person or using a cheat sheet during an exam.

b. Submitting a research paper that has been bought or received from another source.

c. Submitting the same work more than once without permission from the teacher.

d. Using any unauthorized electronic equipment that contains or serves to obtain information for the exam or evaluation.

e. Using someone else's answers to complete homework or assignments.

f. Lying about the source of information or authorship of work.

g. Providing answers to other students from different sections of the same class.

5. Possessing, consuming, or supplying tobacco or smoking/vaping devices (e-cigarettes) or alcoholic beverages in any school activity or in activities organized by the school in other locations.

6. Displaying inappropriate behavior during drills or activities related to the emergency or disaster prevention plan.

7. Stealing, damaging, destroying, or attempting to harm the private property of the school or any member of the school community.

8. Transporting, possessing, or using items that may be dangerous or engaging in any other conduct that may jeopardize the health or well-being of other members of the School Community.

9. Behaving in or outside the school in a manner that damages or threatens its good name or that of any member of the educational community.

10. Using vulgar language within the school, on school routes, or in academic, cultural, artistic, or sports activities held outside the school premises.

11. Committing acts of physical or verbal aggression against any member of the educational community.

12. Manifestation of racial, social, ethnic, cultural, sexual, or religious discrimination.

13. Disrespecting gender identity or sexual orientation.

14. Repeating three or more minor offenses or unjustifiably disregarding the Pedagogical Measures for a minor offense.

Article 88. Pedagogical Measures, Corrective Actions, and Due Process for Serious Offenses: In the case of a serious offense, one or more of the following corrective actions and/or pedagogical measures may be applied, which are of a reflective, preventive, and formative nature. These actions will be led by the Academic Section Principal and Discipline Dean.

The actions listed below are not hierarchical or sequential, and the selection of the appropriate action depends on the determination of the responsible leader.

Once the disciplinary process is exhausted, the following actions may be applied:

In cases of fraud and/or plagiarism (item 4 of Article ___), the following Corrective Measures will be applied (one or all of the measures may be applied depending on the severity):

• A grade of zero for the assignment and/or evaluation.

• Notification to parents/guardians of the committed offense.

• Removal from the Honor Society (if applicable).

• Notification in the student's transcript upon accumulating 2 or more offenses.

• Notification to universities upon accumulating 2 or more offenses (Grades 9-12).

• Withdrawal or suspension, following the corresponding disciplinary procedure.

In other cases of serious offenses, the corrective actions may include (in addition to those established for minor offenses):

1. Temporary suspension within the school: the student will be present at the school to carry out their educational activities in the "detentions" classroom, completing academic assignments under the supervision of the assigned teacher. Students must attend the suspension with all necessary materials and be prepared to work. The academic section will keep an individual record of these suspensions. Reflection time may also be assigned during extracurricular hours depending on the severity of the offense. The type of activity, date, and duration will be determined at the time of imposing the measure, without exceeding ten (10) days. If the student fails to comply with the suspension, an additional one will be assigned. Failure to comply with a suspension without just cause will result in an out -of-school suspension.

2. Probationary Period or Conditional Enrollment: This consists of changing the student's Ordinary Enrollment to Conditional Enrollment, subject to review after a period of six (6) months from the moment the respective sanction becomes final.

3. Temporary suspension outside the school: This consists of the temporary cessation of academic activity for a period of one (1) to fifteen (15) days. During this time, the student may not attend the school or engage in activities related to the school. Students who are subject to this disciplinary measure must catch up academically on the day of their return to school. For extended suspensions, a recovery plan for the missed days will be agreed upon with the Academic Section Principal

4. Deprivation of representation: The Coexistence Committee, Academic Section Principal, or Discipline Dean may determine that the student shall not have the right to represent Colegio Bolívar in sports, cultural, civic, and/or social activities within and outside the school.

5. Revocation of mandate: If the student is part of the school government, their mandate may be revoked.

6. Commitment Agreement: It involves signing a commitment agreement before the School Director Its effect will be for the duration of the school year from the moment the respective sanction becomes final.

7. Temporary withdrawal: This involves the temporary removal of the student from Colegio Bolívar for a maximum period of one school year, with the purpose of continuing their studies in another educational institution duly endorsed by the Municipal Education Secretary. Once the student has successfully completed the school year at the other educational institution, they may reapply for reenrollment and continue their education at Colegio Bolívar. The student must demonstrate having passed the school year at the other educational institution, pass the reentry exams at Colegio Bolívar, and comply with the therapeutic and academic support recommended by the respective academic section.

Article 89. Very Serious or Gravest Offenses: Very serious offenses are those that injure or impair the dignity, physical or moral integrity of any member of the educational community, and that prevent the enjoyment of the right to education by other students in conditions of safety.

Some very serious offenses may also be identified as Type III situations according to the national coexistence system. This includes situations of school bullying that constitute alleged crimes against freedom, integrity, and sexual education, as referred to in the Penal Code, or when they constitute any other offense established in the current Colombian criminal law.

The classification of the offense will also take into account the following points:

A. Re-incidence in two or more offenses considered as serious or very serious or unjustified disregard of the Pedagogical Measures imposed for a serious offense.

B. Being an accomplice, remaining silent, or refraining from reporting the commission of a VERY SERIOUS offense or Type III situation.

The behaviors or incidents that can be characterized as a Type III situation, according to the School Coexistence System, are highlighted. Among others, these Very Serious or Gravest Offenses include:

Offenses related to harassment, threats, and physical violence:

1. Intimidating classmates to benefit from tasks, assignments, evaluations, or material possessions.

2. Defamation or violation of the good name, or false accusations against a member of the Educational Community.

3. Threatening, blackmailing, or bribing any member of the educational community to obtain personal or collective benefits.

4. Appropriating the belongings of others or the institution, engaging in fraud in any of its forms.

5. Verbal or physical aggression towards any member of the educational community.

6. Inciting hatred or violence, promoting dangerous or antisocial behaviors.

Offenses against sexual and reproductive rights:

1. Engaging in sexual activities within the school or in the context of any extramural program organized by the school.

2. Engaging in or coercing another person, willingly or against their will, within the school or in activities organized by the school, inducing abusive, demeaning, dishonorable practices, or in any way violating their sexual freedom or negatively influencing their sexual education.

3. Engaging in or inducing classmates to engage in improper sexual behavior that violates modesty and decency, such as prostitution, exhibitionism, pornography, sexual harassment or abuse, human trafficking, among others.

4. Sharing real or altered images of a sexual nature of members of the Colegio Bolívar community with others.

Offenses related to the use, sale, and incitement to try psychoactive substances, alcohol, and vaping devices:

1. Entering, carrying, ingesting, or being under the influence of alcoholic beverages, narcotics, or psychoactive substances on school premises or when acting on behalf of the school.

2. Carrying or using vaping devices with or without nicotine and/or cannabis, cigarettes, or other tobacco or cannabis-derived products, narcotics, or psychoactive substances on school premises or when acting on behalf of the school.

3. Carrying or consuming narcotics, psychoactive substances, or drugs within or outside the school.

4. Inciting, selling, distributing, giving away, or providing alcoholic beverages, vaping devices, tobacco or cannabis-derived products, narcotics, synthetic drugs, or medicinal products to minors INSIDE OR OUTSIDE the school.

5. Failing to comply with or refusing to undergo assessments or rehabilitation treatments when the consumption of psychoactive substances or alcohol has been detected or is presumed.

6. Student's refusal or family's non-authorization to undergo inspections, tests, medical evaluations, or laboratory tests when there is a presumption of possession or consumption of psychoactive substances or alcohol.

Security and public order:

1. Forming, belonging to, or inciting others to form or participate in gangs, illegal groups, and/or groups that commit acts that undermine the dignity of the human person or disrupt public order.

2. Inviting gangs, illegal groups, and/or groups dedicated to disrupting public order to threaten or assault any member of the educational community or to engage in acts of vandalism or criminal activities.

3. Bringing, carrying, or manipulating real, trauma, or BB guns, sharp objects or toys, explosives or pyrotechnic materials, flammable liquids, or other items that endanger physical integrity and life and/or toxic substances into Colegio Bolívar's premises, or when acting on behalf of the school.

4. Engaging in practical jokes (acid, allergens, gunpowder) and/or rough play that threatens the health or physical integrity of any person in the educational community.

5. Interfering, manipulating, or damaging security devices, including alarms, fire prevention systems and extinguishers, security cameras, smoke and vapor detectors.

6. Encouraging other students to participate in challenges or activities that jeopardize their safety and/or integrity, whether in person or through online platforms.

School Integrity:

1. Defying or disobeying an instruction given by a teacher, school official, or employee of Colegio Bolívar, or engaging in open insubordination that creates a situation endangering the safety, fundamental rights, or dignity of the members of the community.

2. Committing actions, making tendentious or reckless accusations that interfere with the normal operations of school systems or affect the academic or administrative activities of the educational institution.

3. Abandoning the school without authorization, fraudulently, or by deceit during school hours.

4. Filming, photographing, manipulating, or altering images of teachers or other members of the educational community within or outside the school with the intention of ridiculing, defaming, or threatening them.

5. Stealing, altering, hiding, damaging, falsifying, or tampering with signatures, seals, assessment records, minutes, certificates of study, notifications, or other documents, including magnetic media and information stored in the school's platforms and systems.

6. Inducing, manipulating, threatening, or forcing another person to commit an academic or disciplinary offense or engaging in any behavior that violates morality, law, health, and good conduct required by the school.

7. Engaging in academic dishonesty in external exams (e.g., SAT, PSAT, SABER 11, AP) and/or in activities of high academic value (senior project, final exams, etc.).

Norms and rights

1. Committing an act defined by law as a crime or offense and any act that contributes to criminal intervention, judicial involvement, loss of freedom, or placement in rehabilitation and observation centers for minors or therapeutic communities.

2. Engaging in acts that violate the dignity of any member of the community and their human, sexual, gender, and reproductive rights.

3. Appropriating, hiding, disappearing, or destroying belongings, items, documents, and personal belongings of classmates, teachers, administrative staff, or individuals, and/or property of Colegio Bolivar.

4. Publicly making statements that harm the good name of Colegio Bolívar or any member of the educational community, teachers, administrative staff, classmates, or individuals working within the educational institution.

5. Using fake documents and/or identification cards within or outside the Colegio.

6. Bribing or attempting to bribe school officials, teachers, or administrative or service staff to obtain educational, academic, or service benefits.

7. Disrupting the educational community of Colegio Bolívar by being involved in public scandals.

Digital environment and media use

1. Carrying, disseminating, or accessing any type of pornographic material through printed, virtual, digital, or other means within the school.

2. Inappropriately using educational, scientific, technical, or technological resources available at Colegio Bolívar that endanger the safety, fundamental rights, or dignity of the community members.

3. Creating, promoting, or following groups, pages, etc., on social media with the purpose of denigrating, affecting the fundamental rights of the community, sharing sexually explicit images, engaging in cyberbullying, or committing any other offense, without direct participation.

4. Publishing, creating, using, or showing any defamatory, inaccurate, racially offensive, abusive, illegal, obscene, profane, derogatory towards religion, culture, sexual orientation or gender, or threatening material in public or private messages.

5. Changing settings, deleting, or moving essential files of programs, apps, and the platforms and systems of the school.

6. Activities to "hack" and/or any attempt to bypass the security and/or filtering of the school network, create "Hotspots," or access and configure proxies or virtual private networks (VPNs) or actions that intentionally disrupt the functionality of the school's networks.

7. Obtaining unauthorized access to the school's computer resources, platforms, and systems, making copies or modifying files or other data, or obtaining and disclosing passwords belonging to other users.

8. Engaging in illegal or malicious activities, making insulting, pornographic, or obscene statements or disseminating them through electronic or in-person means.

9. Committing acts that constitute school bullying and/or cyberbullying, understood as any negative, intentional, methodical, and systematic behavior of aggression, intimidation, humiliation, ridicule, defamation, coercion, deliberate isolation, threat, or incitement to violence, or any form of psychological, verbal, physical, or electronic mistreatment against a member of the educational community by a student or several peers with whom there is an asymmetric power relationship, which occurs repeatedly or over a certain period within or outside the school.

10. Committing acts that constitute virtual school aggression (cyberbullying), understood as any behavior of intimidation using information technologies to exert psychological mistreatment within or outside the school.

Actions or behaviors not covered in this article but having similar connotations may also be considered Very Serious/Extremely Serious Offenses or Type III Offenses.

Paragraph 1. If any of the situations referred to in Article 40 of Decree 1965 of 2013 demonstrate a violation of the rights of the children and adolescents involved, the School Director or the Coordinator of the School Coexistence Committee must report the situation to the competent administrative authority with supporting evidence of the actions taken, so that, after the relevant verification, they can take appropriate measures in accordance with the provisions of Article 50 and following of Law 1098 of 2006. This is without prejudice to the educational institution continuing with the necessary disciplinary procedure to restore the school climate.

Paragraph 2. In the event that during due process it is observed that a crime may have been committed, the School Director shall inform the relevant authorities for further action within their jurisdiction.

Paragraph 3: It is important to recognize that alcoholism and drug addiction are treatable diseases, which is why parents of students who are detected with dependency problems will be required to seek counseling and undergo prompt and appropriate treatment in order to prevent academic and personal underperformance of the student (Article 19 of Law 1098).

Article 90. Pedagogical Measures, Corrective Actions for Very Serious/Extremely Serious Offenses: These are applied in relation to a student's conduct that transgresses the normal functioning of an educational institution. The objective of the applied sanctions or corrective measures is to encourage the student to reflect on their behavior and to foster personal growth. Disciplinary instances have autonomy in determining the corrective action, as long as they adhere to the provisions of this Handbook regarding the classification of offenses, strategies and procedures for coexistence, compliance with due process, as well as the conditions of proportionality, reasonableness, and necessity. These actions will be led by the principal of the academic section and the School Direct or.

The actions listed below are not hierarchical or sequential, and the selection of the appropriate action depends on the responsible leader's determination. After hearing the reasons and accounts of the involved student(s) and conducting due process, the following actions may be taken:

1. Temporary suspension within the school: The student must attend the school to carry out their educational activities in the "detentions" classroom for a period of more than 10 days and up to 30 days. Students must attend the suspension with all the necessary materials and be prepared to work. The academic section will keep an individual record of these suspensions. Likewise, reflection time may be assigned during extracurricular hours, depending on the severity of the

offense. The type of activity, date, and duration will be determined by the Principal of the academic section or the Discipline Dean, as applicable. If the student fails to comply with the suspension, an additional one will be assigned. Failure to comply with a suspension without just cause will result in a suspension outside the school. If a student repeats disciplinary offenses, the application of a Probationary Period or Conditional Enrollment may be considered.

2. Temporary suspension outside the school: Temporary cessation of academic activity for a period of more than 15 days and up to 30days. In this case, the student is not allowed to attend the school or participate in any school-related activities during the suspension period. Students who receive this disciplinary measure must catch up academically upon their return to the school.

3. Revocation of representation: The student is prohibited from representing Colegio Bolívar in sports, cultural, civic, and/or social activities within and outside the school.

4. Revocation of mandate: If the student is part of the school government, the School Director may revoke their mandate through a School Direct or's resolution.

5. Commitment Agreement: Signing a commitment agreement before the School Director. Its effect will be for the current school year from the moment the respective sanction becomes final.

6. Temporary withdrawal: The temporary withdrawal of the student from Colegio Bolívar for a maximum period of one school year, in order for the student to continue their studies in another educational institution duly accredited by the Municipal Education Secretary. Once the student successfully completes the school year at the other educational institution, they can reapply as a returning student and continue their education at Colegio Bolívar. The student must demonstrate that they have passed the school year at the other educational institution, pass the readmission exams at Colegio Bolivar, and comply with the therapeutic and academic support recommended by the respective academic section.

7. Non-renewal of enrollment contract for the following school year: Refrain from renewing the enrollment for the next school year for a student who has committed serious or very serious offenses with aggravating circumstances and who, after applying other corrective measures, shows no change in their behavior.

8. Cancellation of Enrollment Contract: Cancellation of enrollment for the involved student, indicating immediate and permanent exclusion and non-renewal of enrollment for the following school year, thus losing the status of a student at Colegio Bolívar.

Article 91. Criteria for Determining the Severity of Offenses: To determine the severity of offenses, the competent instance will take into account the following criteria, among others:

1. The degree of culpability and intentionality.

2. The severity of the impact on ongoing educational activities.

3. Lack of consideration for classmates, teachers, and other members of the educational community

4. The repetition of the conduct or behavior.

5. The student's representativeness within the educational community.

6. The disruptive effect of the conduct on the educational community.

7. The modalities and circumstances in which the offense was committed, considering the planning and preparation of the act.

8. Committing the offense by taking advantage of the trust placed in the student.

9. The degree of participation in the commission of the offense.

10. The determining motives behind the irregular behavior.

11. The involvement of multiple individuals in the commission of the offense.

12. Committing the offense to conceal or carry out another offense.

13. Committing the offense by taking advantage of the physical or psychological inferiority of other individuals.

14. Acceptance of the offense and intention to make amends for the damage caused.

Article 92. Criteria for Imposing Corrective Actions and Mitigating or Aggravating Pedagogical Disciplinary Measures: In all cases, corrective actions will be imposed based on the following criteria:

1. Proportionality between the offense committed and the corrective action to be imposed.

2. The structural, social, idiosyncratic, and psychological components that gave rise t o the conflict.

3. Reasonableness, meaning that the corrective action seeks pedagogical purposes.

4. Necessity of corrective action, which is expressed in the absence of an effective alternative means to preserve coexistence and ensure the appropriate formation of students.

5. Compliance with due process and the right to defense.

To determine the graduation of the corrective action, the competent instance will consider the following criteria, among others:

1. The social behavior of the student(s) involved in the offenses, both within the school premises and in activities organized and supervised by the school authorities, as well as in other public settings.

2. The structural, social, idiosyncratic, and psychological components that gave rise to the conflict.

3. The degree of damage to Colegio Bolívar's image and its function as an educational institution.

4. The age, psycho-affective development, mental and volitional aspects, as well as personal, family, and social circumstances of the accused student.

5. Premeditation, treachery, and advantage when committing the offense.

6. The student's reaction to the process and their disciplinary situation.

7. Agreeing to improvement commitments and failing to fulfill them.

8. Making amends or compensating for the damage caused before the sanction is imposed.

9. The student's disciplinary record.

10. Acting out of noble or altruistic motives.

11. Being induced to commit the offense by another person who is older and/or more mature psychoaffectively.

Article 93. Principles of Due Disciplinary Process: The application of the disciplinary process involves conducting an inquiry into the actions that may constitute serious or extremely serious offenses. This strategy is based on the presumption of innocence of the students and is carried out with due process and the right to defense as elements prior to determining and applying corrective actions. Its purpose is to protect the members of the educational community from behaviors that harm them and to ensure the responsibility and co-responsibility of the students. In no case may the decision of the second instance worsen the sanction imposed by the first instance.

In special cases or when circumstances warrant it, at the discretion of the respective instance, the identity of students, families, and/or employees testifying within a specific disciplinary process may be protected. Security camera recordings may also be considered as evidence within disciplinary processes.

On the other hand, the pedagogical measures or disciplinary sanctions are the strategies, means, and decisions adopted by Colegio Bolívar to strengthen the student's sense of self-discipline, leading them to reflect on the committed offense, how to restore the damage caused, and to change their attitude towards compliance with institutional rules.

The school authorities are autonomous in determining the pedagogical measure or corrective action, as long as they adhere to the provisions of this Handbook regarding the classification of offenses, strategies and procedures for healthy coexistence, compliance with due process, as well as the conditions of proportionality, reasonableness, and necessity.

In any case, no corrective action shall represent scorn for the student or in any way affect their personal dignity. No student shall be subjected to cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment.

When appropriate, in the case of minor offenses or improperly handled relationships among members of the educational community, mediation may be used. Mediation is a tool that involves supporting conflict resolution through dialogue within the community. This mechanism seeks to achieve negotiated solutions, not only among members of the same group but also among different groups within the school community (students, parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators). It aims to bring the conflicting parties closer, proposing communication strategies, and facilitating the achievement of an agreement that restores good relationships and treatment.

It is understood that any parent or guardian may represent the student before the institution. Therefore, if they are called to appear before any disciplinary instance of the school, the presence of one of the parents and/or guardians will suffice for all legal and institutional proceedings related to the student's school life to be considered served and notified.

Article 94. Due Disciplinary Process for the Imposition of Pedagogical Measures or Corrective Actions resulting from the commission of Serious and Very Serious Offenses:

1. The member of the educational community or any external person who observed the offense or became aware of the incident shall report it to the Principal of the academic section and/or the Dean of Discipline, who, together with the section counselor or Coordinator of School Coexistence, will analyze the situation and determine if it warrants the initiation of the disciplinary process and/or a school coexistence process. If there are grounds to initiate the disciplinary process and/or present it before the School Coexistence Committee, the person shall be asked to formalize the information about the alleged offense through a written statement.

2. As a precautionary measure, depending on the severity of the alleged offense, while the due process is underway and a final decision is made in the disciplinary procedure, the Section Principal may, when deemed pertinent and necessary, decree the temporary suspension or provisional withdrawal of the student from the school. Likewise, in cases of flagrancy, teachers or school administrators may take the necessary measures to prevent the continuation of the behavior, without prejudice to the respective determination of responsibility and the imposition of sanctions provided for in this code at a later time.

3. The Principal of the respective section and/or Dean of Discipline shall notify the student of the complaint and the initiation of due process, and a meeting of explanations with the student and the parents or guardians shall be convened, either through a phone call or email. The Principal of the respective section, the Dean of Discipline, and the section counselor may make a provisional assessment of the behavior indicated as a disciplinary offense.

4. During this meeting of explanations, the student involved will give his/her free and spontaneous version in the presence of his/her parents or guardians. Minutes will be signed by the participants. If the parent or guardian does not attend the school's call or refuses to sign, the section counselor will be called as a witness to the notification, delivery of evidence, and explanations. No individuals other than members of the educational community, such as students, parents, guardians, teachers, counselors, or administrators, will be allowed to attend this meeting.

5. The student and his/her family have three (3) business days, after the signing of the minute, to submit in writing or verbally other evidence, to challenge the initial evidence against them, and to provide the necessary evidence to support their explanations and defense.

6. The Principal of the academic section, together with the Dean of Discipline and the counselor, will review the student's disciplinary situation and prepare a decision minute within a maximum period of 6 (six) business days from the receipt of the committee's recommendation (if applicable) or from the date of the explanation meeting. These minutes must include: the observed event, the investigations, the student's free version, evidence of charges and explanations, and any recommendations or corrective actions deemed necessary, as well as strategies for repairing and reconciling with the victim, if necessary. A copy of this minute shall be sent to the student's parents or guardians and the School Director

7. Regarding the imposition of corrective actions established by the Section Principal for serious or very serious offenses (excluding temporary withdrawal, cancellation of the enrollment contract, or non-renewal of the contract for the following school year), both the student and the parents or guardians may file an appeal with the Director of Colegio Bolívar within three (3) business days following the date of notification of the disciplinary decision or receiving the decision minutes.

8. The appeal regarding the decision of the Section Principal shall be granted suspensive effect and shall be resolved by the Director of the school within ten (10) business days following the submission of the appeal. During this period, the School Director may request additional meetings with the parties involved or additional evidence. The resolution by the School Director must be duly motivated and consistent. This administrative act must be notified to the student and the parents personally, by email, or certified mail.

Corrective Actions or Disciplinary Sanctions directly affecting the student's continuity in Colegio Bolívar, such as Temporary Withdrawal, Non-Renewal of the Enrollment Contract for the following school year, or Immediate Cancellation of Enrollment and Dismissal from the Institution, shall be taken exclusively by the Director of the school or their delegate, based on the recommendation of the Section Principal, after following the procedure established in sections 1 to 7. The Section Principal shall inform the student and parents of this recommendation and send the case file to the School Director’s Office. The Director shall issue the decision minutes within a maximum period of six (6) business days, and during this time, they may meet with the parties involved and request additional evidence.

The student and the parents or guardians have the right to file a Motion for Reconsideration with the School Director (Art. 41, section 7 - Law 1098) and, alternatively, an appeal with the Board of Directors against the Resolution imposing the sanction within three (3) business days following the notification of the decision.

• The Motion for Reconsideration shall be resolved by the School Director within three (3) business days following the expiration of the term to file it. If the Director does not reconsider their decision within the three (3) days they have to resolve the motion, the complete case file shall be transferred to the Board of Directors to decide on the appeal.

• The appeal , which shall be considered by the Board of Directors, shall be resolved within ten (10) business days following the receipt of the case file. The decision shall be notified in accordance with the provisions of this code of conduct.

If no appeals are filed within the specified period, the decision shall become final.

Paragraph 1: The Committee may invite a member of the educational community who is knowledgeable about the facts, with voice but without vote, in order to gather additional information.

Paragraph 2: In the event of a conflict of interest or a cause of disqualification as established in Article 11 of Law 1437 of 2011, the Administrative Contentious Code, it shall be referred, by the party with knowledge, to the School Director, who shall decide immediately within a period of three (3) days and, if necessary, assign an ad hoc official to continue the process.

Likewise, a student may be permanently dismissed if:

1. They continuously struggle with the process of learning English, affecting their performance in other subjects taught in that language (reading, comprehension, oral and written production).

2. They have been non-promoted for two consecutive school years.

3. They fail a second year, even if not consecutive, and their case shall be analyzed by the Evaluation and Promotion Committee, based on their academic performance, behavior, and attitude. The committee may recommend whether they should continue at the school or not.

4. Upon receiving a warning letter from the Director, they do not comply with the stipulations therein or fail the academic year.

5. The parents do not comply with improvement plans, requested tutorials, external referrals suggested for their children, or assigned duties outlined in the Code of Conduct

CHAPTER VI SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

CHAPTER VI. SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

Article 95. Meetings between Teachers and Parents. Meetings between parents and teachers are essential for a continuous understanding of the student's development and progress. The secretary of each section will make the necessary arrangements to schedule these meetings. When necessary, professionals of support (counselors, specialists) and/or the Section Principal will participate in these meetings.

Article 96. School Communications: The school has established communication channels such as the website www.colegiobolivar.edu.co, the Bolivar Connected APP, the "Make Bolivar Better" suggestion box, the Direct or's Letters, online school newsletters and magazines, the Tribuna magazine, and the Annual Calendar. The school also has a messaging channel through institutional WhatsApp and emails sent from different departments. Through these means, various events taking place at the school and news of interest to the Bolivar Community are communicated.

Article 97. Access to Students or Teachers during Class Hours: As a general rule, teachers and students should not be interrupted during class hours. If a parent needs to deliver an item to one of the students, they should hand it over to the secretary of the corresponding section, who will ensure its delivery at the appropriate time. The best way to resolve any problem in this regard is to ensure that students have everything they need for the day prepared before leaving home: notebooks, textbooks, materials, PE uniforms, money, permissions, etc. It is prohibited for parents to visit their children when they are in class.

Article 98. Separated or Divorced Parents: The parent who has legal custody of the child must inform the school, by letter accompanied by a copy of the legal documents, to be added to the student's file. Unless there are written agreements and the secretary of the corresponding section is informed, the student may only leave the school on the assigned bus or in the company of the parent who has legal custody. If the other parent wishes to pick up the child from school, they must bring a letter signed by the parent with legal custody.

If there is a document demonstrating shared custody by both parents, both have the same rights to pick up their child, when necessary, without needing written authorization from the other parent.

Separated parents who do not live with the student and wish to receive information from the school must make their request in writing to the Office of Development and Community Well-being.

Article 99. Change of Address: A written notice must be given to the Office of Development and Community Well-being when there is a change of address or phone number.

Article 100. Permissions and Passes: To travel in a bus or car different from the assigned one, the student must submit a written request from the parents to the secretary of the corresponding section no later than 11:00 a.m. on that day, in order to obtain authorization from the section principal. These authorizations will be limited according to the availability of space on the buses. Permission will not be issued if the request is made by phone.

Students may only leave the school on the assigned bus or authorized car.

The use of passes for leaving school is regulated by the Student Handbook of each section. Passes are issued only with written authorization from the parent.

Article 101. Celebrating Birthdays at School: Birthday parties or any other celebrations are not allowed at the school. It is acceptable for parents to bring or send a cake to share with classmates. Invitations, entertainers, surprises, or decorations for the classroom are not allowed. It is prohibited to distribute invitations that are not extended to the entire group to which the student belongs.

Article 102. Lost and Found: Lost and found items within the school should be taken to the respective office, where owners can claim them upon identification. After two weeks, if they are not claimed, these items will be donated to one of the institutions in the school's social service program.

Article 103. Textbooks and Reading Books: The school provides most of the textbooks and reading books to the students. The care of loaned books is the responsibility of the student. In case of loss or damage, the value will be determined according to the market price of the book, and parents will be required to pay for it. Causing damage to the books used for instruction in different subjects is considered a violation of the school's regulations.

Article 104. Makeup Work and Exams: Teachers will give students the opportunity to make up for missed assignments and exams due to an absence, provided there is a written excuse that, in the opinion of the section principal, is valid (illness, force majeure, etc.), and it is submitted within five (5) calendar days following the date of the absence. The dates for submitting the makeup work or taking missed exams must be arranged with the teacher of each subject.

Article 105. Transfer to Another School: When a student's transfer to another educational institution is decided, it must be informed in advance to the Admissions Office, the Office of Development and Community Well-being, and the corresponding Section Principal. This allows for the timely delivery of legal papers and academic certificates.

Article 106. Student Records: The cumulative file kept for each student consists of all official records and data directly related to the students, including all material incorporated year after year. It is for internal use by the school and is absolutely confidential. The information specifically includes identification data, completed academic courses, level of performance, grades, standardized test results, observations from teachers and counselors, as well as reports on behavior.

Article 107. Access to Records:

1. Parents or legal guardians of the student may access these records by submitting a written request to the Section Principal or School Director

2. Parents or legal guardians of the student, or the student themselves if they are 18 years of age or older, may request an interpretation of the records and have the right to request explanations about them, upon written request. If differences of opinion arise, parents may file a letter stating their position in the student's cumulative file.

3. Only individuals authorized by the school have access to these records. All school data will be handled in accordance with the policy established for this purpose.

Article 108: Transmission of Information to other Individuals and/or Institutions (Transcripts):

1. In order to transmit student records to another school in which they wish to enroll, parents or guardians, or even the student if they are of legal age, must submit a written request to the Office of Development and Community Well-being.

2. To receive any certificate and/or student record, the individual must be in good standing with the institution.

Article 109. Sale of Items: It is prohibited to sell any type of item within the school. The Section Principal may authorize sales on certain occasions for charitable purposes.

Article 110. Fundraising for School Activities:

1. Students may carry out fundraising activities in the school, provided they have the express authorization of the Principal of each Section.

2. The sale of items for personal benefit is considered a violation of the school's regulations.

3. Fundraising for a student or teacher organization must be approved by the respective Section Principal and must be supervised by a sponsoring teacher.

4. Ten percent (10%) of the funds raised by any student organization at Colegio Bolivar must be donated to projects of the school's Social Service Program.

Article 111. Organizations and Publications: It is important for students to participate in clubs, publications, projects, and other productive activities. The formation of student organizations and all publications must be approved by the Section Principal and must adhere to the community's acceptance limits and must not contain offenses or defamation. The school reserves the right to edit all publications generated within the institution.

Article 112. Use of Phones and Media in the School: Students must request permission from the Section Principal to use the phone in the offices, as its use is only for emergencies. The same applies when a phone call is received for a student who is in class. Regarding the use of cell phones, Preprimary and Primary students should not bring electronic devices (cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, etc.) to school. Middle and High School students are not allowed to use cell phones during school and extracurricular activities. Cell phones must be turned off and stored during class hours, unless expressly authorized. Improper use of cell phones may result in confiscation. More detailed information can be found in the handbooks of each academic section.

Article 113. Policies on Proper Use of Technology: Students are responsible for the ethical use of their access accounts to the school's network, computers, and other electronic devices. The purpose of the following policy is to guide students towards the correct use of these resources. The school may restrict or cancel access to such resources at any time if deemed necessary to safeguard the security and availability of the systems. Other disciplinary measures may be imposed as indicated in the code of conduct, the manuals of each section, or as explained in this document.

Students must respect the use of technology resources in the school and follow the instructions of the personnel from the Systems Department, teachers, and Technology Assistants (TAs). This includes following the following guidelines:

• Do not consume food, candy, or beverages in areas where computer equipment is located.

• Report any software or hardware issues to your teacher immediately.

• Remember that rough games or inappropriate jokes can cause harm to other students or the equipment. • Use only your access account to the network. Protect your password, do not share it, and change it periodically.

• Immediately report to the Systems Department any loss, theft, or damage to your account or password.

• Use only the programs authorized by the school. If you need to install a program, software patches, or updates, please contact the Systems Department.

• Save all your files only in your personal network folder unless your instructor requests another location for storing information.

• Unnecessary information should be deleted or transferred to removable digital media (CDs, DVDs, USB drives, etc.).

• You are responsible for the websites you visit, the files in your personal folder, and all the material you receive through your network account.

• When using technological resources, adhere to the regulations of national laws and the school regarding plagiarism and the appropriate use of information resources and citations.

• Use technology devices in a way that does not violate the privacy of others or interfere with the productivity of other users.

• Personal use of computers and email should not interfere with the use of computers by students who need them for schoolwork.

• Conserve consumable resources such as paper, ink, and floppy disks.

• Do not disclose personal information, such as password, full name, address, telephone number, and credit cards, through the school network.

• Report any suspicious behavior or privacy violation to the teacher, Systems Department, or TA.

• Disconnect from the network once you have finished and leave the workstation organized.

• Cell phones must be turned off during class hours.

• The use of laptops, music players, USB drives, and other digital devices is not allowed during class or exams unless explicitly permitted by the teacher.

Students should not inappropriately use the available technology resources at the school in ways that distract or attempt to cause problems for other users, are illegal or defamatory, interfere with the normal operation of the school's systems, incite hatred or violence, jeopardize the safety or well-being of others, promote drug use, promote pornography or obscene material, incite dangerous or antisocial behavior, are threatening or offensive, or could harm the reputation of the school.

Students are advised that there will be consequences if they engage in inappropriate activities as described below:

Category 1 – Inappropriate activities that will result in disciplinary measures:

Students who engage in any of the following inappropriate activities will be disciplined. This may include conferences with parents, loss of computer use privileges, loss of goals, suspension from classes, or expulsion from the school. The activities included in this category are considered serious as they int erfere with the normal operation of our system or may be harmful to members of our community. Even first-time offenders may face serious consequences.

• Hacking: Under no circumstances should students attempt to modify network resources without authorization. Students engaging in suspicious activities such as tampering with the school's security software, snooping, falsifying their identity, or hiding files will be considered a threat to the school's network security.

• Files: Students should not store inappropriate files in their directories or on any of the school's computers.

• Privacy: Students should not attempt to use or interfere with others' private resources, such as their account, access password, email, or files. Students should not take images of other community members without their explicit consent. Students should not distribute images of community members without their consent.

• Games: Students should not install games on school computers. Students should not play games unless authorized by a teacher as part of an academic activity. Students should not save game files on the school network.

• Email: Students should not send inappropriate messages via email.

• Internet: Students should not access inappropriate websites or create pages that threaten the integrity of the Bolivar Community or promote antisocial attitudes.

• Dishonesty: Students should not engage in activities that promote dishonesty, including plagiarism, sharing files for cheating, or stealing others' electronic work.

• Copyright: Students should not copy and paste texts, graphics, or photos from copyrighted websites without proper recognition or permission from the intellectual author.

• Licenses: Students should not use programs for which the school does not have a valid license.

• Security: Students should not send information about other individuals that may jeopardize their safety.

Category 2

–

Inappropriate activities that will be reported:

Students engaging in the following activities cause annoying problems and interfere with the use of computers by others. Often, these actions distract the resources and time of the technology staff to restore network resources.

These students can expect to be summoned by the Section Principal, have a report prepared by the Systems Department, and may lose the privilege of computer use. Repeat offenses may result in Category 1 consequences.

• Students should not install or download programs without the authorization of the teacher or Systems staff.

• Students should not change the computer settings, such as the cursor, color, screensaver, or wallpaper.

• Students should not send emails that cause annoyance to others, such as spam, chain emails, or junk mail.

• Students should not use school computers for commercial purposes (e.g., creating a website and selling advertisements).

• Students should not use their network folders to store personal documents unrelated to the school, such as MP3 files, music videos, and personal photos.

• Students should not use computers as entertainment centers for listening to music.

• Students should not use websites for chatting unless authorized by the teacher for academic use.

Rules for the proper use of ICT:

• Updates to the "Bring Your Own Device" (BYOD) policy may occur at any time. The latest version of the BYOD policy always prevails and supersedes previous versions of the policy.

• The use of laptops will be allowed at the discretion of teachers and school counselors.

• Student lockers are the only secure facilities for storing laptops and are the students' responsibility.

• Students are responsible for their personal devices at all times. School staff do not assume responsibility for lost or damaged devices. Any defective or damaged laptops must be left at home.

• The purpose of using laptops in school is strictly educational. Playing on laptops is NOT allowed.

• Laptops are only for use during instructional time.

• Laptops are a daily requirement and the only permitted device. Tablets are not acceptable (unless acting as a temporary replacement).

• Any unauthorized creation or distribution of videos or images of students and staff is strictly prohibited.

• Hacking of any kind is prohibited. Any attempt to bypass the school's network security and/or filtering, circumvent security, create hotspots, or access and configure proxies or virtual private networks (VPNs) is strictly prohibited and considered a serious offense.

• Seeking to obtain or obtaining unauthorized access to information resources, making copies or modifications to files or other data, or obtaining and communicating passwords belonging to other users is strictly prohibited and considered a serious offense.

• Using technological resources to harm other members of the community or using technology that causes harm to others is strictly prohibited and considered a serious offense.

• Presenting, publishing, creating, using, or displaying any defamatory, inaccurate, racially offensive, abusive, illegal, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, or threatening material, whether public or private, is strictly prohibited and classified as a very serious offense.

PROHIBITED USE:

• Allowing anyone else in the school to use your laptop.

• Using the laptop in school for any purpose other than learning.

• Using chats, web messages, emails, or social networks to send or post offensive, defamatory, threatening, or inappropriate messages harmful, disrespectful, or threatening to others.

• Carrying the laptop while the screen is open.

• Using the laptop in the courtyard during recess and lunchtime, or on the way to or from school. Students can only use laptops outside of class with explicit instructions from the teacher.

• Accessing inappropriate websites, data, or images on their laptops.

• Using the laptop to access social networks or play games at any time while on school premises.

• Using the Internet to harass, harm, discriminate, or threaten the safety of others.

• Using the laptop to take photos/videos at the school, unless the teacher grants permission for use in a class activity.

PRIVACY:

The software and online platforms, content residing in the "colegiobolivar.edu.co" / "colegiobolivar.org" domain through Google Apps, and Internet browsing conducted during school hours may be reviewed. Students and parents should be aware that laptops are subject to inspection by school administrators if there is suspicion of the laptop violating the student code of conduct. If the laptop is locked or passwordprotected, the student may be asked to unlock the laptop (which can be done by the section principal). The aforementioned circumstances will always be accompanied by the Student Representative and the section counselor. The school may cancel a subscription or change a student's password at any time.

Article 114. Evacuation Procedure: The school has an evacuation plan for emergencies such as fire, earthquakes, floods, threats, and public order situations. Each Academic Section Principal or Administrative Department must announce the need for evacuation within a pre-established area. During such an event, students must leave their books in the classrooms and proceed to the designated area. The details of the evacuation procedures can be found in the handbooks of each academic section and on the school's website.

Article 115. Bodyguards: The school is aware of the concerns some parents have for the safety of their children, which leads them to take precautions such as having permanent bodyguards for their travel. However, it is the school's policy that no one may enter the school premises carrying any firearms. All bodyguards must be registered with the school's Security Office.

Article 116. Carrying Weapons: To ensure the safety of all individuals on the school campus, the carrying of any kind of weapons, including knives, firearms, or blunt weapons such as bats, brass knuckles, martial arts weapons, or chains, is strictly prohibited. The only possible exception may occur when short sharp or blunt instruments are used by students in academic or sports activities, always under the supervision and approval of the respective teacher. In the event of a reported and proven violation of this provision by a student, immediate expulsion of the student should be considered.

Article 117. Use of School Buses: The Student Code of Conduct also applies during the time that students are on the school bus for daily routes, extracurricular activities, or field trips. A monitor accompanies the students on all routes to help them follow the rules of good behavior and maintain the safety of everyone. Students who do not behave according to the established rules (see section handbooks) will be reported to the principals of their respective academic sections. If necessary, the section principals will communicate with the parents regarding the suspension of transportation service for a few days.

When students disembark at locations other than their home, they must carry the corresponding permission slip in their hand and hand it to the monitor or driver when boarding the bus. The same applies to permanent passes. Preprimary students cannot use a different bus than the one assigned or disembark at a location other than their home. These route changes are subject to the available capacity on each bus. Parents should refer to the handbook of their respective section.

Article 118. Medical Service: Colegio Bolívar provides a well-equipped medical service to attend to emergencies that may occur during school hours. This clinic is staffed by a doctor. The school recognizes that some students may require the use of prescription medications. In such cases, the school doctor is the only authorized person to administer these medications. It is the responsibility of parents to keep their children's medical records up to date.

Article 119. Use of Lockers: Each Middle and High School student is assigned a locker to securely store their belongings and materials related to schoolwork. The rules governing the use of lockers will be provided to students at the beginning of the school year. It is essential to use locks for added security. The lockers are the property of the school, and the school has access to them even without the student's permission.

Article 120. Attendance:

A. School Schedule

El Nido: 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (extracurricular activities until 2:30 p.m.)

Kinder 4 to Grade 12: 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Extracurricular Session: 2:40 p.m. to 4:20 p.m.

Students may arrive at the school a maximum of thirty (30) minutes before the start of classes (7 a.m.). They should not remain before or after classes without explicit authorization from their teacher or Section Principal and with a specific purpose. Any student arriving after 7:30 a.m. must report to the office of their corresponding section to collect an admission pass to class.

Colegio Bolívar requires an 85% attendance rate. Learning takes place at school, and as a result, absences hinder students' learning. A student fails the school year if they have been absent, excused or unexcused, for 15% or more of the allotted time, except in the following cases:

• Decree 2845 of 1984 (Article 48).

• Educational trips, academic trips, and sports trips that have been approved by the Section Principal

Each academic section will specify when an excuse is considered valid and how absences will be counted for compliance with the law.

Extracurricular Session. The school offers voluntary extracurricular sports and recreational activities to students. This session starts at 2:40 p.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m.

B. Justified Absences

In cases of illness, legal matters, sports representation, or domestic calamities, absence is considered excused. The following should be noted:

• When a student is sick, they should stay at home. If the condition lasts for more than three days, the section secretary should be notified, explaining the circumstances and attaching the appropriate medical certificate

• In the case of a contagious or serious illness, a medical certificate must be provided for readmission to class.

• When a legal matter must be attended to or a family calamity occurs, the corresponding section secretary should be informed.

• When a student participates in a sports activity representing the city, department, or nation, permission will be granted as long as they inform the relevant office at least two days in advance, allowing for the planning of academic catch-up work.

• In all cases, upon returning to school, the student must submit a note from the parents explaining the reasons for the absence.

• It is the student's responsibility to catch up on all academic assignments by seeking support from teachers when necessary.

C. Tardiness

Each section of the school will determine, according to its Student Handbook, the actions to be taken in the case of tardiness. The policies defined in this regard should be clearly communicated and understood by students in the respective sections.

D. Avoiding Attendance at School

Not attending school when parents and teachers expect the student to be present in the institution is a safety and disciplinary issue. Such cases will be considered a serious offense.

E. Other Absences

Extending vacations or long weekends seriously interferes with the academic progress of the student and the group while promoting an irresponsible attitude toward commitments. The school expects parents not to plan vacations or different activities when the student should be at school. Each academic section has established procedures to handle this situation, outlined in its handbook

F. Excuses After an Absence

After an absence, students must submit a written excuse on the first day they return to school. Only students who bring an excuse signed by one of the parents or the guardian will be allowed to make up academic work that was not completed during their absence.

G. Leaving School Before the End of the School Day

Students may leave school before the end of the school day only when they have permission.

H. Pedagogical Outings

The school periodically schedules pedagogical outings to complement academic work. Every student must have written authorization from their parents or guardians to attend these outings. Students who are not authorized by their parents must attend school to engage in academic activities.

The behavior of the school's students reflects their image in any place, activity, and social group they are part of. In this case, all discipline rules and regulations valid within the school apply. There are also specific regulations that govern the steps and precautions to be taken before, during, and after the trip, as well as during the stay at hotels and participation in events. These regulations will be communicated to students and parents when they participate in the mentioned activities.

CHAPTER VII ADMISSIONS

CHAPTER VII. ADMISSIONS

The legal entity that owns Colegio Bolívar is a private nonprofit association dedicated to providing public education services, protected by the constitutional guarantee contained in Article 38 of the Political Charter and by the legal provisions that establish the institutional autonomy of private entities.

As an autonomous, independent, and private entity, the school has the right to establish its own statutes and regulations, set criteria and priorities for the admission of students to be enrolled in the educational institution, and implement its educational policies in accordance with its criteria and values, all under the supervision of the competent authorities.

Based on this fundamental autonomy, the Admissions Process at Colegio Bolívar begins when the applicant's family submits the duly completed Application for Admission form, along with all the required documentation, to the school's Admissions Office. This procedure per se does not imply the acceptance of the applicant into the school program offered by our institution.

The Admissions Process conducted by the school consists of several stages during which the following aspects are evaluated, among others: the qualities of the applicants and their families, the availability of spaces for each grade level offered, the belonging and seniority of families in the school community, personal references, the parents' ability to pay, and other additional criteria that are important to get to know the applicants and their families. These stages must be completed in their entirety before the school makes the final decision to accept or deny the applicant's admission to the institution.

Article 121. Admission Criteria: The school carries out the student selection process based on the following criteria:

1. Review of the duly completed application for admission and the additional documents requested, according to the guide for completing the application for admission.

2. Analysis of data collected from the following sources of information:

• Meetings with small groups of parents who wish to enroll their children in the school.

• Information from the applicant's nursery or educational institution (School Report).

• Observations of the applicants in playgroups.

• Interviews with each family and parents' report on the family context (Profile of the Child).

• Required letters of recommendation.

3. Availability of spaces for each grade level offered.

4. The admission of the applicant to the school shall not be denied based on considerations of nationality, race, or political or religious creed.

5. The admission of the applicant to the school is approved or rejected by the Admissions Committee, which is a committee delegated by the Board of Directors of the school. The specific names of the members of the Admissions Committee will be kept confidential for security reasons. The applications of the applicants are reviewed by the section director and academic counselor, with the endorsement of the Admissions Committee, and the following are determined:

• The potential of the applicant to benefit from the available educational services.

• The school's ability to meet the educational needs required by the applicant.

6. Additionally, the following aspects will be taken into consideration, prioritizing the admission of an applicant:

• Applicants from families with children already enrolled in the school.

• Children of individuals working for the Bond Holding Companies of the school who are sponsored by these companies.

• Children of the school's teaching staff.

• Applicants returning to the school after a period of voluntary absence (reentries).

• The order and date of receipt of the application, as availability of spaces allows.

7. The aspiring student must take admission exams established by the school. All applicants for grades one to twelve must undergo assessments in basic math, English, and Spanish skills. They must also submit academic records from their previous institution, demonstrating good academic performance as well as good discipline.

8. To be accepted into the school in a grade other than Kinder 4, the applicant must demonstrate a level of English bilingualism equivalent to that of students enrolled in the corresponding grade at the school, unless the candidate meets the profile requirements for entering a specific program, taking into account the student's profile in relation to the program's requirements.

9. Applicants who meet all admission criteria and requirements will be admitted to the corresponding grade level, subject to space availability.

Article 122. Admission and Continued Enrollment Conditions: The admission of families and applicants to the school is subject to the following conditions:

1. Parents and the applicant must accept the considerations indicated in the Application for Admission form.

2. Parents and the applicant must accept the conditions established in the Enrollment Contract, this Code of Conduct, and the Institutional Educational Project (PEI), from the moment of enrollment and throughout their tenure at the institution.

The student must demonstrate adherence to the principles and values of the school, comply with discipline rules, and respect the traditions of the Educational Community.

Applications for enrollment in eleventh and twelfth grades will only be accepted if the applicants are:

A. Children of individuals associated with the Bond Holding Companies.

B. Children of professional and teaching staff.

C. Children of families who have recently moved to Cali from another country or city.

Such applicants must meet all the requirements of the regular admissions process. These applications must be directly approved by the Board of Directors of the school.

Once the entire admissions process described here has been completed, the Admissions Committee of the school will decide. The school reserves the right to admit or not admit a specific applicant or their family based on the considerations and criteria mentioned in this chapter. The decisions made by the school's Admissions Committee regarding the admission or non-admission of applicants are final and cannot be appealed, and the reasons for reaching such decisions are completely confidential. Therefore, no explanation will be provided in any case.

Article 123. Admission Ages: Through the Early Admission Program, the school offers aspiring families the possibility of obtaining priority in the admission process for applicants under four (4) years old who wish to enter the school. The Nido (Nursery) offers its services starting at 18 months of age.

Students entering the first year of schooling, Kinder 4, must have turned four (4) years old no later than June 30th of the year of enrollment, and so on. Students are assigned to class groups based on their age. However, factors such as their history, aptitude and achievement measures, physical and emotional development, and other determining factors are also considered.

Article 124. Renewal of Enrollment Contract: For the renewal of the enrollment contract, returning students must present a certificate of clearance for all fees issued by the school and meet other requirements indicated in the relevant enrollment guide.

Article 125. Loss of Student Status: The status of a student at the school is lost due to:

A. Expiration of the enrollment contract term.

B. Non-renewal of the enrollment contract.

C. Cancellation of enrollment and withdrawal from the institution.

D. Events of force majeure or duly proven fortuitous events.

E. Other causes established in the Institutional Educational Project, the enrollment contract, and this Code of Conduct.

Article 126. Readmissions: Any student who has voluntarily withdrawn can apply as a reentry following the regular admissions process. Students who withdraw under the DEFINITIVE WITHDRAWAL / EXPULSION category cannot initiate the reentry process.

CHAPTER VIII

EDUCATIONAL COSTS

CHAPTER VII I. EDUCATIONAL COSTS

Article 127. Enrollment Contract and Payments: The Enrollment Contract, signed by the student's parents and/or guardians, establishes, among other aspects, the criteria governing tuition payments, fees, periodic charges, and other established fees, as stated in the Institutional Educational Project (PEI). Each school year, the amounts for enrollment, tuition, periodic charges, and other established fees are approved by the Board of Directors in accordance with the guidelines provided by the Ministry of National Education and the Education Department of the Municipality of Cali.

The payment of the annual fee must be made in monthly installments before the first fifteen (15) days of each month, as follows:

Enrollment: One annual payment.

Tuition: Eleven monthly payments (August to June).

*Note: In an Extraordinary General Assembly of the Association of Parents of Colegio Bolívar held in the second semester of the 1995-1996 school year, at the request of the parents, it was agreed to defer the annual cost of education into twelve (12) payments: one payment for enrollment and eleven (11) payments for tuition, in order to reduce the monthly fee. This explains the August installment.

Enrollment: This is the amount paid when formalizing the student's enrollment in the school or when renewing the enrollment each academic year. Its value is equal to ten percent (10%) of the annual fee. This amount must be paid once a year.

Tuition: Represents 90% of the annual fee paid as consideration for the student's right to participate in the educational services offered by the school during the respective academic year. This cost includes books and school materials. The form and payment methods are established in the respective enrollment contract.

As an additional benefit, the school offers families the Asobolívar Education Fund. This fund is backed by an insurance company authorized by the Financial Superintendence through a group insurance policy. Its purpose is to provide a long-term solution in case of the insured parent's death or total and permanent disability. Detailed and complete information about the Asobolívar Education Fund is available to all parents at the Development and Community Welfare Office, as well as the Financial Department of the school. If a parent decides to send their child on an exchange program, they must bear a percentage of the costs for the school year in which the student is absent if they wish to maintain the coverage of the Asobolí var Education Fund.

Article 128. Voluntary Costs:

A. Extracurricular Activities: This extracurricular program enriches the comprehensive education offered by Colegio Bolívar and incurs an additional cost for the institution and the parents. The program takes place after school hours and is voluntary.

B. Transportation Service: The school offers transportation service to families who require it and are within the coverage area of the school routes

C. Pedagogical and Sports Outings: Pedagogical and sports outings complement the comprehensive education of our students, allowing them to discover and develop different interests and talents in areas parallel to academics. These outings provide our students with pedagogical, cultural, and sports options, among other areas.

D. Inclusion Teacher or Shadow: When a student's needs require it, the school will provide an inclusion teacher or shadow who will accompany the student during the school day to provide academic and pedagogical support.

E. Others: Any other voluntary cost, different from those mentioned above, will be established with the parent's acceptance.

The rates for enrollment, tuition, periodic charges, and other established fees are determined based on the study of costs and educational services conducted by the Administrative Directorate, specifically considering the results of the Self -Assessment and Classification process required for private educational institutions, which the school must carry out annually. The increases applied to these rates are approved by the Ministry of National Education and the Municipal Education Department.

Article 129. Conditions for Enrollment Renewal:

A. Enrollment is renewed each year only when the student demonstrates satisfactory performance and good behavior.

B. The school reserves the right not to renew enrollment in cases of non-compliance with the current enrollment contract (Article 201 of Law 115 of 1994):

1. The student experiences continuous difficulties in the English learning process that affect their performance in other subjects taught in that language (reading, comprehension, oral and written production).

2. The student has not been promoted for two consecutive school years.

3. The student fails a second year, even if not consecutive, and their case will be analyzed by the Evaluation and Promotion Committee based on their academic performance, behavior, and attitude, and said committee may recommend whether the student continues at the school or not.

4. After receiving a warning letter from the School Director, the student fails to comply with its stipulations or fails the academic year.

5. Parents fail to comply with improvement plans, requested tutoring sessions, external referrals suggested for their children, or assigned duties in the Code of Conduct.

Additionally, it should be noted that the school reserves the right to withhold or issue any type of official document to a student or their parents if they are not in good standing, academically, disciplinarily, or financially, in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of National Education.