Hørsholm
International
School
HIS Mission Statement
Our mission at HIS is to inspire, encourage and support lifelong
independent learners within a global society.
HIS General Information
A-Z
The International Department of NGG
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A A A A A A A
Abbreviations
EC: Executive Committee
HIS: Hørsholm International School. The International Department of
NGG
IBO: International Baccalaureate Organisation
IB: International Baccalaureate
MYP: Middle Years Programme
NGG: Nordsjællands Grundskole og Gymnasium
PC: Parents Council
PYP: Primary Years Programme
Address
Hørsholm International School
Cirkelhuset
Christianshusvej 16
DK-2970 Hørsholm
Tel. (+45) 45 57 26 16
Fax (+45) 45 57 26 69
E-Mail: his@ngg.dk
Web page: www.ngg.dk
Administration
The school has a Principal, with responsibility for the whole NGG
institution and a Headmaster for HIS. HIS has three coordinators; one for
PYP and one for MYP. In addition, there is an administrative coordinator.
One secretary is employed in the front office at HIS.
Admission
Parents should contact the office at Hørsholm International School to
obtain an application for registration or download from the website
www.ngg.dk. There is a 3000 kroner registration fee for each student,
refundable on leaving the school with all materials returned. Parents
should read and fill out the registration form carefully and then schedule a
conference with the appropriate coordinator. All previous school records
should be presented along with a sample of past work.
Age Requirements
To enter Kindergarten 1 (K1) a child must be 4 years old on or before
September 30th.
To enter Kindergarten (K2) a child must be 5 years old on or before
September 30th.
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After School Activities
After school activities are provided on a private basis and vary from year
to year. The availability of classes depends on the number of students
wishing to enrol. Examples from previous years include football, arts and
crafts, chess, ballet, drama and English for fun.
After/Before School Care – Svanereden (K1 – Grade 3)
Childcare at NGG and HIS is called Svanereden (the Swan‟s Nest).
Svanereden is open to all children from K1 through grade 3 from both the
International and the Danish Departments before and after school. It
belongs to the whole NGG Institution and is financed by the parents
whose children use the facilities. They can participate in a variety of
activities, art projects, games, etc.
The most important aim of Svanereden is to offer a pleasant and secure
environment for the children. Different activities are offered from 12:00
to 16:00. The children need to sign up for these activities. They may
choose to sit down and just relax and talk to friends, or the older children
may want to get their homework done.
Opening Hours
Mornings 07:30 - 08:45
Afternoons 11:30 - 17:00
Enrolment and Withdrawal
Any parent wishing to enrol his son/daughter in Svanereden must contact
the school office for an application form. If at any other time a parent
wishes to take their child out of Svanereden, we request one month‟s
notice (to the first of the month), in writing.
Prices
In an effort to keep prices at a reasonable level, we have attempted to
organise payment to meet individual needs as much as possible. There
are three payment possibilities to choose from. Please ask for more
information at the office. Any changes require one month‟s notice (to the
1st of the month).
Holiday Care
Svanereden is open during all holidays with the exception of the month of
July and between Christmas and New Year. Parents must sign up at
Svanereden in order to receive holiday care. There is an extra payment
during the holidays.
Telephone
Svanereden has its own direct telephone line: 45 57 01 13
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Allergy
A letter is sent home at the beginning of each school year concerning
allergy and medication updating.
Approval of Absences
All absences must be approved, either in writing or by telephone. Written
excuses must be put into the Contact book. Planned absences must be
submitted in advance to one of the coordinators. Students are responsible
for contacting their teachers to obtain any missed work.
Arriving Late
Students reporting late to school are required to report to the front office
upon arrival.
Assemblies
The PYP have regularly scheduled assemblies throughout the school year.
These take place during the school day. HIS students will also join
monthly „Morgensang‟ assemblies in the Danish Department to further
the co-operation between the two departments.
B B B B B B B
Bicycles
Students biking to school must place their bikes in the small area just
outside the main entrance. Bikes must not be in the way of cars or
walking paths.
Board
The NGG board consists of 6 parents, elected by the parents of the
Danish Department, as well as one ex-officio members from the first
board, one legal/financial member and a town councellor from Fredens-
borg and Hørsholm Kommune. The board has financial responsibility for
the school. They also employ and dismiss all teaching personnel after a
recommendation from the principal. The principal of NGG and a
representative from Støtteforeningen and the teacher‟s representative
from the Danish Department participate in Board meetings. HIS has one
observer parent on the board.
Breach of School Rules
The school has a Code of Conduct that explains the expectations and
rules for the students at HIS. This is sent out to homes at the start of the
school year and placed on the webpage.
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Bus Card
Students have to buy their own buscards for public transportation.
C C C C C C C
Cell Phones
Cell phones are not to be visible during school time for all students and
they must be turned off. A violation will lead to immediate confiscation
of the cell phone for the remainder of the school day. Consistent violation
will result in parents being called in to speak with the coordinator. We
regard the cell phone as a security device for the students to use before
and after school hours.
Change of Address and Phone Number
It is of great importance that parents notify the secretary of any changes
in address, telephone numbers, or e-mail address. In addition, all parents
are asked to provide the school with an emergency phone number where
someone familiar with the children will be able to be reached at all times.
Please make sure that all information is current throughout the school
year.
Channels of Communication
The Board and the school recognise the need for proper communication
between students, parents, teachers, administration and the Board. To
assist in achieving this objective, the following general procedures are
recommended:
Questions or problems concerning your son or daughter and his/her work
in school should be addressed to his/her homeroom teacher.
General questions concerning the operation of the school should be
addressed to one of the coordinators, Headmaster or Principal.
Children’s Health
If your child has had a communicable disease such as: measles, chicken
pox, lice, impetigo, pink eye, fever, vomiting, diarrhoea etc. please
inform the homeroom teacher and allow your child at least 24 hours
remission before he / she returns to school.
Christmas Bazaar
Each year the students and teachers from HIS and the Danish Depart-
ment, together with Støtteforeningen, organise a „Jule Bazaar‟ to raise
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funds for the school. The event takes place on the Saturday before the 1st
Sunday in Advent.
Class Money Box
The Parent‟s Council has decided that each class will have a money box
to be used for field trips, small items for the classroom, or other misc.
needs. You will be asked to pay 200 DKK at the beginning of the school
year. You may be asked to contribute an extra 100 DKK in January if the
class teacher finds it necessary. Please see Karin in the office if you
would like a receipt.
Class Representative for the Parent Council (PC)
Each class elects a class representative and a substitute at the beginning
of the year. The election normally takes place within the first few weeks
of school. The class representative is the voice between parents and the
Parent‟s Council. Class representatives do not deal with student/teacher
matters or aspects of the day-to-day work of the class teacher.
Code of Conduct
A separate document entitled Code of Conduct at the International
Department of NGG - Hørsholm International School (HIS) is given to
students early each school year. This code is discussed in class and should
be reviewed at home as well. The aim of the document is to outline day to
day school rules and to develop a moral framework within which
initiative, responsibility and sound relationships can flourish. The aim is
to provide an environment in which children feel safe, secure and
respected.
Contact Book
Each student has a blue contact book. The contact book is essential for
the flow of information between teachers and the parents. You can use
this book for letting the teacher know that your child has been ill or that
you would like a conference with a particular teacher, etc. The teachers
use the contact book to keep parents informed or to set up face-to-face
meetings. Please keep the blue cover from the book if you need new
pages. A replacement contact book costs 30 DKK if the original is lost.
Students should always bring their contact book to school.
D D D D D D D
Danish as a Foreign Language
The IBO organization stipulates that schools following the IBO
curriculum should teach the language of the host country as the first
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foreign language. It is also compulsory under Danish law to teach Danish
in all schools in Denmark. All students at HIS from grade 1 upwards are
taught four Danish lessons a week.
If you are only in the country for a few years and you and your family are
non-Danish speaking, you might think that it is unnecessary for you and
your child to learn to speak Danish. For your family‟s successful stay in a
foreign country, at least some basic knowledge of the language is needed.
We offer beginner, intermediate and advanced levels from Grade 1.
Students are assessed and placed appropriately, with regard to their skills
in Danish.
Demission Forms
Each student must complete and return, to the HIS office, a yellow
demission form, when leaving the school. A month‟s notice is required.
Dentist
Students in Denmark can get free dental care through the school dentist at
the public schools. Call your Kommune for information about where your
child‟s dentist is located.
Deposit
Each student at NGG/HIS is asked to pay a deposit. The deposit is paid
back within 12 months after the student leaves the school and the proof of
deposit is signed and retuned. If, however, the student has been granted
any kind of support or scholarship from NGG or the „Støtteforeningen‟
the claim of refund is annulled . This also applies if a reduction in the
school fees has been granted. An amount for missing or damaged books
will be deducted from the deposit before it is refunded.
Dropping off/Picking up Children
You are asked to respect the speed limit of 20km/h and the parking
regulations outside school premises.
Parents are asked to leave the classrooms and corridors by 8.55 in the
morning. K1 parents are allowed to pick up their children in the
classroom at the end of the school day, but please take into consideration
that other classes are in progress.
Parents picking up children in grade K2-5 are asked to wait in the HIS
aula or outside school or in the NGG entrance hall until the dismissal bell
rings. Please remember there are students working next to the entrance
hall, so please try to arrive just at pick up time.
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E E E E E E E
Election of the Parents Council
Class representatives and substitutes are elected at an election evening
held in the beginning of the school year. The class representatives jointly
make up the Parents Council. Parents Council Chairman, Vice Chairman,
Secretary, as well as sub-group coordinators and members for the
Executive Committee are elected at the first meeting of the Parents
Council.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee (EC) is the working group under the Parents
Council (PC). It consists of 5 members from the PC.
Exemption from Recess or Physical Education
Students requesting an exemption from recess or physical education
classes must bring a note in the blue contact book from their parents
explaining the reason for the request and the desired length of exemption.
With the exception of health reasons, students are expected to participate
fully in recess and physical education classes.
F F F F F F F
Field Trips
All students will occasionally go on field trips that are designed to further
the subject material in the curriculum. The length of field trips may vary
from half a day to several days. PYP and MYP classes may go on
overnight trips – information about these is sent out by the class teacher
involved.
If the class money box is running low students may be asked to cover the
cost of a field trip lasting only one day, and are expected to cover the cost
of field trips lasting several days.
Fire Drills and Emergency Procedures
Fire and emergency evacuation drills are held at the school. Each
classroom teacher reviews emergency procedures with his/her class
regularly and at least once a month so that all students are prepared to act
responsibly in the event of a real emergency.
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Foreign Language:
Starting from the first grade, students begin learning a second language.
In the PYP, the students begin with Danish. They will continue with
Danish as their only second language until they reach the MYP. Here,
they will continue studying Danish and also be required to study French
in 6th grade and then choose between French, German or Spanish from 7th
grade onwards, as their third language.
G G G G G G G
Grade Placement and Promotion
A child‟s grade level placement should allow for success academically
and socially without undue stress or frustration. The placement of new
students is based on the age of the student on or by 30/09, an assessment
and a record of previous school experience.
The school reserves the right, in exceptional circumstances, to place
children at a level outside their age range. The criteria for advancement to
the next grade level is based on two things: assessment by the current
classroom teacher of how effectively the child has met the academic and
socialisation levels of his/her present grade, and also how effectively
he/she will meet the following year‟s levels.
The following shows the age requirements in each grade. (Age as of
30/09):
K1: 4 years
K2: 5 years
Grade 1: 6 years
Grade 2: 7 years
Grade 3: 8 years
Grade 4: 9 years
Grade 5: 10 years
Grade 6: 11 years
Grade 7: 12 years
Grade 8: 13 years
Grade 9: 14 years
Grade 10: 15 years
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H H H H H H H
HIS NEWS - School Newsletter
A school newsletter is sent out electronically or as a paper copy. The
newsletter contains school events, students‟ work, news from the
administration and important upcoming events. Anyone wishing to add
news items can submit it to the editorial team. It is published by a group
of parent volunteers. Also available on the website: www.ngg.dk.
HIS Office Hours
The school office is open from 8:30 am - 2:30 pm each week day. Calls
outside of these times are recorded on the answering machine. In an
emergency - and if you cannot reach anyone at the HIS office – call the
NGG office on 45 57 23 21(Open Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 3:00 pm).
Holiday Plan (Year Plan)
The holiday plan is given to all families at the beginning of the school
year. It is also available on the website: www.ngg.dk
Home Page
HIS homepage can now be found under: www.ngg.dk.
Home Room
Here is a list of the home room teachers from K1 to Grade 10 for 2007-
2008:
K1 Jennifer Bienas & Ritu Krishnan (assistant)
K2 Sharon Makin & Daniela Olafsson (assistant)
Grade 1 Lucia Knust Larsen
Grade 2 Karen Bøttger
Grade 3 Michelle Jensen
Grade 4 Natalie Jensen
Grade 5 Ieva R Kristoffersen
Grade 6 Julia Murphy
Grade 7 Derek Scott
Grade 8 Signe Rask Nielsen
Grade 9 Michelle Anière Bentsen
Grade 10 Jan Alling
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Homework
Students are expected to do homework when it is set and to return it to
school when asked. The amount of homework set is dependent on grade
level.
I I I I I I I
Information Evening
An information evening will be held for parents shortly after the begin-
ning of the school year. The purpose of the Information Evening is to
allow parents to view the school, become acquainted with their child‟s
curriculum and to meet the faculty of the school. Further, elections for
parent representation on the Parents Council normally take place on this
evening. We encourage all parents to attend.
In-Service Days
Approximately every second month throughout the year, there will be in-
service days for teachers. In-service days are essential for teachers to
continue working on the development of the curriculum as well as
working as a team to meet the needs of the students. In-service days give
teachers an opportunity to learn from their colleagues, share ideas and
solve problems, all of which are to the benefit of the students. The school
day will be a half-day for the students with classes ending at 11:30.
Insurance
As is the norm in Danish schools, NGG does not have an insurance policy
covering liability, accidents or theft/damage of personal belongings.
Parents are encouraged to take out their own insurance for their children.
K K K K K K
Kindergarten 1
Hørsholm International offers an early learning programme for children
who are four years old.
Children beginning school, regardless of their age, must be toilet trained.
Children in K1 attend school from 8.55am –2:25pm, five days a week.
Due to the popularity of the programme, if space is limited, priority is
given to siblings and to children who will continue into our kindergarten
(K2).
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L L L L L L L
Library
HIS has its own library with English literature, dictionaries, resource and
academic text books. There is also a fair selection of Danish literature. A
mother tongue section is being further developed as well as an HIS
student writing section. One of the teachers has responsibility for
coordinating the development and use of the library supported by a team
of parent volunteers.
Lost and Found Box
NGG has a lost/found box located in the M hallway.
Lunch Services
Students at all grades eat snack and lunch in their own classrooms.
Students may bring a packed lunch and snack to school or order food
from the canteen. Students pay for food with cash. A menu for the school
canteen is sent home at the beginning of the year and is also posted in
each student‟s homeroom. The class teacher will take the lunch order in
the morning and lunch is collected just before 11:30 by a classroom
monitor. Parents are asked to send healthy snacks such as fruit and/or
nuts. Sugary snacks and crisps should be avoided.
Students in K1 – grade 8 will NOT be allowed to go to the canteen during
lunch time. Students in grades 9-10 may go to the canteen themselves
during these breaks. A McDonald‟s is located in front of the school. Only
students from grade 10 are allowed to have lunch at McDonald‟s, but they
are NOT allowed to bring food from McDonald‟s back to school.
M M M M M M
Medical Assistance
HIS follows the policy of the Ministry of Education, which mandates that
every school must have an association with a nurse. During the course of
a student‟s schooling, usually in K2, the nurse will conduct a hearing and
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vision examination. There are several teachers with First Aid Training
and Certification on staff.
Music School
NGG has its own Music School, which offers a wide range of musical
possibilities both as individual lessons or as group lessons, in Danish. A
leaflet is sent home in the beginning of the year to the students in the
Danish department. See the NGG office for more information.
MYP – Middle Years Programme
The MYP is a five-year programme covering the grades 6-10. Unlike the
PYP, a different teacher teaches each subject, but each class still has a
homeroom teacher, who will take care of possible class or personal
problems, help to organise activities and trips, and generally encourage a
positive social atmosphere in the classroom. All scheduled subjects are
compulsory. The final year of the program is considered a grade 10, and
students will have subject exams and be expected to complete a personal
project.
N N N N N N
NGG
Nordsjællands Grundskole and Gymnasium: the institution of which HIS
is one department.
P P P P P P P
Parents Council
HIS has a very active and strong Parents Council (PC). The council acts
as a bridge between the parents and the administration. They play a vital
role in the continued improvement of HIS. You have many opportunities
to get involved and are encouraged to do so. The Parents‟ Council
consists of a class representative from each class.
Parent / Teacher Conference
Parent / teacher conferences are scheduled twice a year. In PYP a third
student-led conference is held in the spring. The conferences serve to
assist parents and teachers in sharing information about the student‟s
progress and needs. Dates for the conferences will be given at the
beginning of the school year.
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Pasta/Pizza
Volunteer parents serve a warm dish of pasta with sauce on Tuesdays and
pizzas on Fridays. Order forms are available at the start of the year.
Physical Education
The students must bring proper clothes and shoes for P.E. lessons.
Students in the older primary grades and beyond need soap and a towel as
showering is a must if the PE lesson is at the start or in the middle of the
school day. A school T-shirt and gym shorts are for sale in the NGG
office.
Public Transport to/from the School
Bus routes 150S, 353, 354, 384 stop just outside the school. These routes
change periodically so please check at your local bus stop. The 150S
provides easy access from/to Kokkedal Station with subsequent easy
access to Copenhagen and Helsingør and all stops in between.
PYP – Primary Years Programme
Throughout the PYP program, the class teacher teaches all core subject
areas following an integrated approach. PYP subjects include Language,
Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Personal and Social Education,
Arts and Music. Students K2 and up will have specialist teachers in Art,
Music, ICT and Physical Education. Students in grade 1 and beyond will
also have a specialist Danish teacher.
R R R R R R R
Report Cards / Progress Reports
The developmental nature of students within the primary years and the
middle years demands different systems of evaluation at different grade
levels. In consideration of this, the varying grade levels use different
report systems.
In PYP, reports and conferences are spaced throughout the year. The first
report and conference session is in November/December. The second
conference in February, and the student led conference is in May. Final
reports come out in June.
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In the MYP there is a mid term evaluation in late September. Then the
first two term reports in November and February are immediately
followed by parent/teacher conferences. Grades are based on IB
assessment guidelines. The third term report (issued on the last day of the
school year) also includes year grades and (for 9th and 10th grades ) exam
grades.
Parents are urged to contact the school for an appointment with the
classroom teacher at any time if concerns or questions exist. Please use
the blue contact book if possible.
S S S S S S S
Schedule
PYP and MYP
Lesson numbers follow NGG scheduling.
2nd lesson 8:55 - 9:40
rd
3 lesson 9:50 - 10:35
4th lesson 10:45 - 11:30
Lunch Break 11:30- 11:55
5th lesson 11:55 - 12:40
6th lesson 12:50 - 13:35
7th lesson 13:45 - 14:30 (end of PYP day)
8th lesson 14:30 - 15:15
th
9 lesson 15:25 - 16.10
The finishing time can vary from day to day according to MYP schedules.
PYP finishes every day at 14.30.
School Photographs
Individual and class photographs are arranged each September for all
students. Advance notice will be given as to when the class and/or group
photos will be taken. Parent signature is needed before the take. The price
of the pictures will be provided with the photo set, at which point parents
may decide whether to purchase or not.
Smoking
No HIS students are allowed to smoke on or around the school premises
or on any type of school trip or activity.
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Student Council
The students in grades 3-10 have a Student Council with one representa-
tive and one substitute from each class. They meet regularly to plan
student body activities and help shape the policy of student affairs. One
teacher is involved in coordinating the work of the Student Council each
year.
Støtteforeningen
„Støtteforeningen‟ (The Support Association) is the support group at
NGG. It holds various events (for instance the Christmas Bazaar and the
Bingo Night) throughout the year to raise money for the school. All
departments at NGG can apply to the Støtteforeningen for money for
items that may be needed.
Staff Room
Parents are requested to respect that the staff room is for staff only. If you
need to see a teacher, please do not go to the teacher in the staff room.
You can either see the teacher in the classroom prior to school start or at
the end of the day. You may use the contact book at any time to send a
message to your child‟s teacher.
Supplies
All curriculum books are supplied by the school and must be returned to
the class teacher. In order to protect the books issued to them, students are
encouraged to cover their schoolbooks. Books that are ruined must be
replaced at the publisher‟s price. Students are responsible for bringing
supplies such as pencils, pens, coloured pens, erasers, ruler, scissors,
markers and glue sticks to school each day.
Students should supply their own dictionaries. Each teacher will
give their students a list of additional supplies he/she feels they will need.
The supply list may vary from grade to grade.
T T T T T T T
Transportation Permission
Throughout the year classes may be taken on class trips, in and around
Hørsholm, Copenhagen and environs. The transport will be by bus, car or
train. The school has two public transportation cards which class teachers
may sign up to use on these daily outings. Class teachers will send home
a permission form for each outing which must be returned in order for the
student to take part.
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Parents are asked to sign a general transportation permission at the
beginning of each school year.
Transitional Classes
The transitional classes are our alternative term for grade 5 in the PYP
and grade 6 in the MYP. In order to harmonise between the two different
programmes we introduce some elements of the MYP approach into 5th
grade and we retain some elements of the PYP approach in the 6th grade.
We also try to arrange a number of practical activities where the 5th and
6th grades work together. The strategy is to combine preparing the PYP
students for a change of approach while – one year later when the change
occurs – not exposing them to a sudden and total switch, in teaching and
learning situations. For the first year in the MYP the students are
protected from having too many changes of teacher during each day. The
number of subjects is restricted to ten. This allows, in grade 6 especially,
a year of gradual maturing and development in a more sheltered learning
environment (than would otherwise be the case), while putting into
practice some of the new skills and approaches to learning that were
already introduced, gradually, during grade 5. We believe that this offers
a more successful start to the MYP than the “sudden change” approach
and that the students cope better with 7th grade and above due to this
period of planned adjustment.
V V V V V V V
Volunteer Opportunities
There are many opportunities available to assist the school in serving the
interests of our students. Parents interested in volunteering may fill out
the Parent Volunteer Form (available in the front office). We appreciate
your time and willingness to help in any way.
W W W W W W
Website
As we endeavour to become more “green” we will be putting more school
and class information on the school website www.ngg.dk.
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The school newsletter is also on a link. Please help us to eliminate paper
copies by using the website as the starting point for information from the
administration office and teachers.
Revised September, 2007/Jo/St/Fk
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