Useful Information
School Uniform
The uniform consists of a white shirt, school tie, school jumper (navy pullover, vee-neck, with gold and royal blue stripes at neck-line), a grey flannel trousers and navy school jacket.
Available from: Laura’s Schoolwear, Dosco Industrial Estate, South Douglas Road, Cork.
Plain black shoes (no logo) and black socks must be worn.
Only the official school jacket is permitted.
Each student must also have a suitable outfit for Physical Education, consisting of a football jersey, a pair of shorts, football socks and gym shoes.
All jackets, pullovers, etc., should be clearly marked with the student's name.
Only Students wearing the school uniform are admitted to school.
Book Lists
Please find here the latest booklists for 2023/2024
Canteen
Hot and cold food is available to buy in the cafeteria at 1 p.m. every day except Wednesday. A wide variety of healthy and nutritious food is on offer ranging from light snacks such as salads, rolls and soup to dinners of spaghetti bolognaise or chicken curry.
Times
Classes begin at 8.45 a.m. and finish at 3.30 p.m. except on Wednesdays when classes finish at 1 p.m.
Classes are 40 minutes duration. Students must be in school for 08.40 a.m. each morning.
Breaks
Mid-morning break is from 10.45 a.m. to 11 a.m. with lunch from 1.00 p.m. – 1.30 p.m.
All students must remain on the school grounds at all times during the school day and are supervised by teaching staff during break times.
Attendance
When a student is absent a note from his parent(s) (in the student journal) explaining the absence is required or an email to the year head. The school may also telephone/sms parents/guardians, on occasion, about absences.
Signing Out
All students must be signed out from the school office. We would encourage parents to make appointments outside school time to minimise disruption of learning.
VSWare
Teachers will use Vsware to communicate with parents regarding a students homework and class participation during the week. This is a huge advantage for everyone. Students start each academic year on 100 points and have the opportunity to earn points for class participation, subject engagement and good homework. However, they can also lose points for poor engagement and homework. Parents/guardians receive texts updating them on all points lost or gained.
School Journal
Each student will be provided with a school journal, which is used to record homework assignments. Teachers and parents/guardians may also use the journal to communicate with each other.
Mobile Phones and other ICT Devices
Students are permitted to bring mobile phones to school but must have them switched off during class unless asked to use them for educational purposes by a teacher. Where a student is found with a mobile phone or music system switched on in class, without permission, the device will be confiscated for a period of four days in the first instance with longer periods for repeat offenders. A student who refuses to surrender the device will be suspended from attending school until such time as he agrees to comply with school rules.
Book Lending Scheme
A book lending scheme is operated by DCS which enables parents to access books at a more favourable cost.
The textbooks will be the property of Douglas Community School and must be returned to the school when finished. Any lost or damaged books must be replaced. This encourages students to be responsible for their books, a positive learning experience for any teenager.
The school will purchase the required books and the student can collect the books during his first days in Douglas Community School.
Part-time Work
Students should not take on part-time employment during school term. Students who do so are jeopardising their education and long-term future. Excuses for absence, punctuality, uniform and homework related to part-time employment will not be accepted.
Homework
A reasonable amount of homework is assigned to students. Parents are requested to support your son's education by ensuring all homework is completed to a high standard. Your son's education is a partnership between the school and home. Persistent failure to complete homework is a breach of discipline, and, if persisted in, will result in appropriate sanctions.
Student Insurance Policy
Insurance cover for all registered students has been arranged by the school to cover the costs of medical treatment of injuries. This covers the student for all school related activities. Details are available from the school. A large number of students participate in school sporting activities of one kind or another however very few have suffered injuries over the years.
Code of Behaviour
The Code of Behaviour agreed with representatives of students, staff and parents/guardians was adopted by the Board of Management in May 1999 and revised in 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2018.
The school rules are based on respect. The vast majority of our students meet the highest standards of behaviour. Failure to meet these standards results in sanctions as per the Code of Behaviour.