Activities to support learning
Parents’ Council and other home-school cooperation
The Hillatie School has a Parents’ Council, which is made up of parents in grades 1-9 and school staff. All have their own deputy members. The meeting is always held in the autumn.
The Council is led by the Home and School Team, which will be headed by Marje Raatikainen for the academic year 2023-2024. In addition to the Parents’ Council, the Student Council and the Supporting Teachers’ Association also work as a permanent Home and School team.
The PTA plays an important role in developing and supporting the school’s activities. Its role is to act as a cooperation body between home and school. The PTA promotes interaction between pupils, parents, teachers and school management and contributes to the development of the school by taking a stand on current issues and by making suggestions to the school staff and supporting the school. The aim is to promote open and transparent cooperation between parents and the school.
Parents’ evenings are also organised during the school year, covering both general and thematic issues. For example, parents’ evenings are organised for ninth-graders on co-option, parents of eighth-graders on TET and parents of seventh-graders on optional subjects.
In addition to parents’ evenings, class teachers and supervisors invite parents to parents’ evenings. A request for a parents’ meeting can also be made by the parent.
Tackling bullying in schools
In our school, we work to prevent and reduce bullying and tackle bullying.
Our school has introduced a programme of activities to strengthen community spirit and promote friendship skills. In addition, we organise activities for godparents and buddies. Parents and pupils are encouraged to contact school staff in the event of bullying.
Suspected cases of bullying are investigated in accordance with the school’s policy. If bullying is suspected, the homes of those involved will be contacted at an early stage.
Student councils
All pupils in the school are members of the student council. Its purpose is to increase school spirit and develop students’ ability to work together with school staff and partners. The Student Council decides on the activities of the Pupil Council. The council is made up of the pupils in the classes. In the academic year 2023-2024, the Student Council will be led by teacher Teija Varrio-Majava and mentors Eemeli Hernesaho and Juha Kostamo.
Support teacher activities
In 1972, the Mannerheim Children’s Welfare Association started tutoring in Finland. It is a school-based support system based on the idea of peer support. The aim is to promote good friendships, school fun, solidarity and a safe and supportive atmosphere at school.
A support pupil is an ordinary, voluntary pupil from 8th to 9th grade who wants to contribute to the school community and help other pupils. The activities are led by teacher Katariina Tervonen and tutor Eemeli Hernesaho.
Recess periods
During the break, the older ones are there to support the little ones and join in with their groups as they choose. They may also organise some activities. The activities are mainly aimed at pupils in grades 1-4. The buddies are from Year 7A.
Mentoring
Fifth-graders act as godparents for first-graders, sixth-graders for second-graders. They help them with various aspects of school work. For example, in PE lessons, the godchildren can help the younger ones to put on their skates.
Staff teams
To develop the school’s activities, various teams have been set up to maintain and develop the activities of their respective areas of responsibility. These teams include, for example, the safety and well-being team, the celebrations team, the half-time team and the learning support team. Each of the school’s teachers and other staff is part of one of these teams. The teams meet regularly.
