A Handy Book
For a society to be orderly and function well, people need to understand and follow a set of rules and expectations. Some of these rules are actual laws. For example, a person playing music at maximum level at 2:00 in the morning can be required to quiet down by the police so that neighbors can sleep. Other “rules” are more subtle but still expected – like waiting in line and not cutting to the front.
Dalat is a community that on any given day has about 800 people from 23+ countries represented. To function well we need to establish rules and expectations for our students, staff, and parents. Our “Student and Parent Handbook” is an important document for us as a community. It helps define our community: who we are, what we value, what we believe, how we live and journey together, and what the expectations are for those who have chosen to become part of our community.
For our students, the handbook communicates their responsibilities, obligations, and expectations for a successful experience at our school. At the beginning of each year, we take time to make sure our students review and understand all the different aspects of daily life at Dalat. A very important point we make with them is that ignorance of the rules and expectations does not exempt them from the consequences.
For our parents, the handbook helps them to understand the student expectations, answers many questions they might have throughout the year, and is a resource to access when needed. A significant amount of time has been invested in the handbook to address the many different facets of school life at Dalat. The handbook covers a range of topics including attendance, student activities, academic expectations, student discipline, digital citizenship, student safety, special events, financial policies, and much more. Dalat does expect that parents will have a copy of the handbook (physical copy in hand or by accessing it online). Parents are expected to use the handbook to access information and to encourage their children to do the same.
The handbook is available on the Dalat website. The following link will provide access to the downloadable version of the handbook:
Karl Steinkamp is passionate about Dalat International School and training up young people to make a positive impact on their world, walk with integrity, and follow Christ. Karl was a student at Dalat and returned with a degree in education as a student teacher, high school principal, and now Dalat Director since 2006. 