Effective Date: September 27, 1999
Responsibility: Superintendent of Program and Schools
1.0 Noon Supervision
Provincial regulations and collective agreements ensure that staff have a minimum, uninterrupted lunch break that is not less than forty consecutive minutes. Elementary students who remain at school for lunch must be supervised throughout the lunch break. It is the principal’s responsibility to ensure that supervision duties are assigned and that clear guidelines are in place to ensure the safety and security of students.
2.0 Additional Noon Monitors
In addition to using teaching staff for supervision, elementary school principals may obtain some additional paid, non-professional, lunch hour supervisory time from a Board allotment of 8000 hours per year. Principals must explore all possible options for deploying teachers for noon supervision before making a request for additional noon monitors.
3.0 Criteria for Assigning Noon Monitors
Factors that will be considered for having noon monitors assigned include:
3.1 Total school enrolment of less than 160 full-time equivalent students;
3.2 Special circumstances related to full day/alternate day junior kindergarten and/or kindergarten students; and
3.3 The needs of exceptional students (identified in consultation with the special education coordinator).
4.0 Role of Noon Monitors
The noon monitor’s tasks may include not only supervision of students who are eating lunch but also supervision of students inside or outside related to noon activities as directed by the principal or the principal’s designate. The noon monitor shall report to the principal or designate any contravention of the rules and regulations of the school where they affect discipline, safety, or the presence of unwelcome school visitors.
5.0 Hiring Noon Monitors
When replacement of a noon monitor is necessary, the Principal shall advertise within the school community, hire the most suitable applicant and subsequently advise the Manager of Human Resources of the decision. When an increase in the complement of noon monitors is being requested, the Principal shall contact the Manager of Human Resources for an authorization form, and instructions. No increase in the complement shall occur before authorizations are in place.
