DISCOVER MOREParent Service Charter

KIS MISSION

At Kinabalu International School we are dedicated to providing an excellent education in a caring and respectful environment, challenging students to achieve their full potential as successful global citizens.

GUIDING STATEMENTS

  • We celebrate individual and cultural diversity
  • We are honest, responsible and accountable for our actions
  • We treat others with dignity and respect
  • We are supportive of each other and recognise the importance of each other’s well-being
  • We work with others to make the world a better place

AIMS

  • To provide an internationally recognised curriculum
  • To encourage global citizenship, providing students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to participate positively in the world
  • To provide a range of opportunities that challenge students to develop a wide range of skills
  • To achieve positive growth and life-long learning
  • To ensure a safe, secure and well-equipped learning environment for all

KIS COMMUNICATIONS

Open and effective communication is vital to the health and well-being of the school community and crucial to the efficiency of our organisation. All communication needs to be timely, relevant, well-targeted, clear and concise. Good communication is interactive in nature and relies upon and engenders trust and respect between the relevant parties. All members of the KIS community have a responsibility to communicate as clearly as possible.

Telephone Communications

  1. When at our desks, ensure that all calls are answered as promptly as possible.
  2. Always answer with a friendly greeting using our name.
  3. Listen and repeat the caller’s request and assist accordingly.
  4. Allow callers to express themselves without interrupting.
  5. When transferring a call, first inform the caller of the contact person’s name and also inform the recipient of the caller’s name.
  6. Avoid or limit hold time.
  7. Take messages when needed, ensuring the date and time of the call is noted, the caller’s contact information is collected and the nature of the call recorded.
  8. Return missed calls as promptly as possible.

Emails

  1. Respond to email messages within one working day.
  2. Communicate professionally and be open and frank, whilst ensuring that there is empathy, understanding and respect for students and their parents or caregivers.
  3. When referencing the school’s website, provide a link to the page where the specific information the parent is seeking can be found.

Letters

  1. Use the KIS letterhead for all letters, as well as specific letterheads for the Board of Management and Parent Teacher Association.
  2. Communicate professionally and concisely, ensuring the recipients of the letter are supplied with all relevant information in a manner that is easy to digest.
  3. Place a copy of letters to parents on the Letters for Parents section of the website for ease of future reference.

Walk-Ins and Visitors

  1. Greet everyone with a smile and a positive, friendly salutation.
  2. Treat all visitors professionally, with respect and remain courteous throughout the interaction.
  3. Maintain eye contact and speak clearly, using plain English or Bahasa, depending on the needs of the visitor.
  4. Ensure all visitors sign in using the school visitor system and display their visitor badge at all times.
  5. Ensure all visitors return their temporary visitor badge and sign out upon exiting the campus.
  6. Give visitors specific directions when referring them to other locations on campus.

Difficult Situations

  1. Not accept violence, abuse, or threatening behavior towards our staff or other school users, such acts will be dealt with appropriately, including visitors / parents being asked to leave the school campus immediately. We reserve the right to inform the police.
  2. Allow everyone to express their concerns by listening before speaking.
  3. Empathise with the individual and not argue.
  4. Maintain a professional demeanour.
  5. Repeat and rephrase what the individual is saying to make sure we understand the situation.
  6. Refrain from assigning blame.
  7. Focus on providing options and alternatives.
  8. Refer the individual to a colleague with a higher level of authority if we can’t reach a resolution with them.
  9. Thank the individual for bringing the situation to our attention.

PARENT COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL

Parents or Guardians wishing to contact staff about a matter related to school have a number of options. Parents can telephone the school office and leave a message for the staff member concerned or may email the staff member. Arrangements will be made for the staff member to contact parents as soon as practical. If the matter is urgent, contact is made to the Heads of School or to the Principal.

If the matter is related to curriculum or class matters, then the request is made to the classroom teacher. If not available and the matter is urgent, contact should be made with the Head of Department or Head of School.

We welcome constructive feedback at all times so that we may continue to improve upon the high standards we expect of all our students and staff.

PARENT COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

KIS takes very seriously any complaints or concerns that parents may have. We encourage parents to bring these to our attention as soon as possible, in order for us to rectify a problem, address an issue or explain the school’s position before the concern becomes more serious. By getting feedback, both positive and negative, we can continue to address any issues affecting the development of the school.