Code of Conduct

Sundridge Centennial Public School

Code of Conduct 2017-18

Sundridge Centennial Public School is committed to ensuring that all children have the opportunity to maximize their learning potential in a safe and positive environment and to become responsible citizens of the school and community. The purpose of the code of conduct is to promote this responsible citizenship and to maintain an environment where conflict and difference can be addressed in a manner characterized by respect and civility.

STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR

Respect, Civility, and Responsible Citizenship:

All members of the school community must:

respect and comply with all applicable federal, provincial, and municipal laws;
demonstrate honesty and integrity;
respect differences in people, their ideas, and their opinions;
treat one another with dignity and respect at all times, and especially when there is disagreement;
respect and treat others fairly, regardless of, for example, race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, identification, age, or disability;
respect the rights of others;
show proper care and regard for school property and the property of others;
take appropriate measures to help those in need;
seek assistance from a member of the school staff, if necessary, to resolve conflict peacefully;
respect all members of the school community;
respect the need of others to learn and work in an environment that is conducive to learning and working;
not swear or make degrading comments to another person.

Safety:

All members of the school community must not:

engage in bullying behaviours;
commit assault, including sexual assault;
traffic in weapons or drugs;
give alcohol to a minor;
commit robbery;
be in possession of any weapon, including firearms;
use any object to threaten or intimidate another person;
cause injury to any person with an object; • be in possession of, or be under the influence of, or provide others with alcohol or drugs;
• inflict or encourage others to inflict bodily harm on another person;
engage in hate propaganda and other forms of behavior motivated by hate or bias; commit an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to school property or to property located on the premise of the school.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ALL PERSONS IN SCHOOLS

Roles and Responsibilities of the Near North District School Board:

The Near North District School Board will provide direction to schools to ensure opportunity, academic excellence, and accountability in the education system. The Near North District School Board will:

develop policies that set out how their schools will implement and enforce the provincial Code of Conduct and all other rules that they develop that are related to the provincial standards that promote and support respect, civility, responsible citizenship, and safety;
establish a process that clearly communicates the provincial Code of Conduct and school board codes of conduct to all parents, students, principals, teachers, other school staff, and members of the school community in order to obtain their commitment and support;
update this Administrative Guideline as required by pertinent legislation;
seek input from school councils, their Parent Involvement Committees, and their Special Education Advisory Committee;
develop effective intervention strategies and respond to all infractions related to the standards for respect, civility, responsible citizenship, and safety;
provide opportunities for all of the staff to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to develop and maintain academic excellence in a safe learning and teaching environment. Wherever possible, boards should collaborate to provide coordinated prevention and intervention programs and services, and should endeavour to share effective practices.

Roles and Responsibilities of Principals:

Under the direction of the Near North District School Board, principals take a leadership role in the daily operation of a school. They provide this leadership by:

demonstrating care for the school community and a commitment to academic excellence in a safe, inclusive and accepting teaching and learning environment;
holding everyone under their authority accountable for his or her behaviour and actions;
empowering students and staff to be positive leaders in their school and community;
communicating regularly and meaningfully with all members of their school community;
reviewing the Code of Conduct on an annual basis with School Council, Safe Schools Committee and staff and students where appropriate;
at the beginning of each school year the Code of Conduct must be communicated to all members of the elementary and secondary school communities (e.g., paper copy, school website, parent council, synrevoice, staff meetings, assemblies, review sections during daily announcements, teacher/student review, posted in the school, etc.);
ensuring that progressive discipline procedures are maintained.

Roles and Responsibilities of Teachers and Other School Staff:

Under the leadership of their principals, teachers and other school staff members maintain order in the school and are expected to hold everyone to the highest standard of respectful and responsible behaviour. As role models, teachers and school staff uphold these high standards when they:

help students work to their full potential and develop their sense of self-worth;
empower students to be positive leaders in their classroom, school, and community;
communicate regularly and meaningfully with parents;
maintain consistent standards of behaviour for all students;
demonstrate respect for all students, staff, parents, volunteers, and other members of the school community;
Prepare students for the full responsibilities of citizenship by expecting them to adhere to the standards of behaviour of respect, civility, and responsible citizenship.

Roles and Responsibilities of Students:

Students are to be treated with respect and dignity. In return, they must demonstrate respect for themselves, for others, and for the responsibilities of citizenship through acceptable behaviour. Respect and responsibility are demonstrated when a student:

comes to school prepared, on time, and ready to learn;
shows respect for themselves and for others;
refrains from bringing anything to school that may compromise the safety and well-being of others;
follows the established rules and takes responsibility for his or her own actions;
the principal communicates the Code of Conduct to the students with the expectation of the students following the Code of Conduct.

Roles and Responsibilities of Parents/ Guardians:

Parents play an important role in the education of their children, and can support the efforts of school staff in maintaining a safe, inclusive, accepting and respectful learning environment for all students. Parents fulfill their role when they:

show an active interest in their child’s school work and progress;
communicate regularly with the school;
help their child be neat, appropriately dressed, and prepared for school;
ensure that their child attends school regularly and on time;
promptly report to the school their child’s absence or late arrival;
show that they are familiar with the provincial Code of Conduct, the board’s code of conduct, and school rules;
encourage and assist their child in following the rules of behaviour;
assist school staff in dealing with disciplinary issues involving their child.

Dress Code

Students attending school who are deemed to be wearing inappropriate clothing will be counselled and in some cases asked to change their clothing or cover up. Parents and Students should refer the following guidelines:

-Indoor shoes are required for the classroom and the gym.

-Bottoms of tops must overlap the tops of bottoms.

-Clothing must cover underwear.

-Hats and coats are only worn outdoors.

-Logos, prints, and pictures must be appropriate for a school setting.

Progressive Discipline Plan

Every school in Ontario is required to have a Progressive Discipline Plan. Through progressive discipline, principals determine appropriate consequences and/or supports to help students improve their behaviour, while taking into account their individual circumstances. The goal is to help prevent inappropriate student behaviour from happening again, while building upon strategies to promote positive behaviours. When schools use progressive discipline, the following should be taken into consideration:

The students’ stage of growth and development
The nature and severity of the behaviour
The impact of the behaviour on the school climate

Principals must consider a range of options to determine the most appropriate way to respond to each situation and help the student learn from his or her choices. These will include different supports and consequences, but may include:

a reminder or warning
problem-solving session with students and staff
time out
recess detention
verbal or written apology
loss of privileges
extra assignment
phone call home
behaviour report or plan
student contract
meeting with student and parents
meeting with principal
in school suspension for all or part of the day
restitution
restorative justice
referral to outside agency or community resource (including Police, Children’s Aid Society)
Suspension
Expulsion from school

Access to School Premises

Persons who are on school premises without being authorized by provincial regulations have committed an offence and can be charged under the Education Act.

Authority to be on school premises does not entitle a person to have access to all areas of the school. Despite being an authorized person to be on school premises if, in the judgement of the principal or designate, that person’s presence is considered detrimental to the safety of another person the premises, the authorized person may be asked to leave. Our school will require school visitors to report their presence on the premises by signing into our visitor’s log and by wearing a visitor’s tag.

Suspension Procedures

Suspension –the infractions for which a suspension may be imposed by the principal include:

Uttering a threat to inflict serious bodily harm on another person:
Possessing alcohol, illegal and/or restricted drugs;
Being under the influence of alcohol;
Swearing at a teacher or at another person in a position of authority;
Committing an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to school property at the student’s school or to property located on the premises of the student’s school;
Bullying;
Any other activity for which a student may be suspended under a policy of the Board

Procedure:

Where a principal has determined that it is appropriate in the circumstances to

impose a suspension, the principal is required to affect the following procedural steps:

Within 24 hours of the decision, the principal must make all reasonable efforts to orally inform the adult student or the student’s parent/guardian of the suspension
The principal must inform the student’s teacher(s) of the suspension;
The principal in conjunction with the student’s teacher(s) must organize school work to be provided for the student to be completed during the duration of the student’s suspension;
The principal must promptly provide written notice of the suspension to the student, the student’s parent/guardian), superintendent, and Superintendent Responsible for Student Discipline;
The written notice of suspension will include:
1. The reason for suspension;
2. The duration of the suspension, including the student’s date of return to school;

Information about the ASP to which the student is assigned, where the student is suspended for six (6) or more school days;

Information about the right to appeal the suspension, including the provision of a copy of the relevant policies and guidelines governing the appeal; and
The contact information for the Superintendent Responsible for Safe Schools to whom the notice of appeal must be given.

If it is not possible to provide the letter to the student or to the student’s parent/guardian,the letter shall be mailed, couriered, faxed or emailed to the home address within 24 hours.
Where the student has been suspended for two or more school days the principal shall ensure that school work is made available to the student on the following school day.

Expulsion Procedures

Suspension Pending Expulsion

Where a student is suspended for an activity referred to in Section 310(1) of the Education Act, the principal shall conduct an investigation to determine whether to recommend to the Discipline Committee of the Board that the student be expelled.

Procedural Steps When Imposing a Suspension Pending Expulsion

When imposing a suspension pending expulsion the principal is required to effect the following

procedural steps:

Within 24 hours of the decision, the principal must make all reasonable efforts to orally inform the student’s parent/guardian of the suspension
The principal must inform the student’s teacher(s) of the suspension;
The principal in conjunction with the student’s teacher(s) must organize school work to be provided for the student to be completed during the duration of the student’s suspension;
The principal must promptly provide written notice of the suspension to the student, the student’s parent/guardian the Superintendent of Program and Schools, and the Superintendent of Safe Schools;
The written notice of suspension will include:
1. The reason for suspension;
2. The duration of the suspension;

Information about the ASP to which the student may be assigned if the suspension is for six (6) or more days;

Information about the investigation that the principal will conduct under section 311.1 of the Education Act to determine whether to recommend that the student be expelled;
A statement indicating that,
1. there is no immediate right to appeal the suspension,
2. if the principal does not recommend to the board that the student be expelled following the investigation under311.1 of the Education Act, the suspension will become subject to appeal under s.311.2 of the Education Act, and
3. if there is an expulsion hearing because the principal recommends to the board that the student be expelled, the suspension may be addressed by parties at the hearing.

Principal’s Investigation

The principal shall conduct an investigation promptly following the suspension of the student to determine whether to recommend to the Discipline Committee that the student be expelled.

Decision Not to Recommend Expulsion

Following the investigation and consideration of the mitigating and other factors, if the principal decides not to recommend to the Discipline Committee that the student be expelled, the principal must:

Consider whether progressive discipline is appropriate in the circumstances;
Uphold the suspension and its duration;
Uphold the suspension and shorten its duration and amend the record accordingly; or
Withdraw the suspension and expunge the recor

Decision to Recommend Expulsion

If a principal, in consultation with the Superintendent of Safe Schools, determines that a recommendation for expulsion is warranted, and the student’s parent/guardian(s), may elect to sign a consent to expel the student. This process, outlined below, is completed with the Superintendent of Safe Schools.

Step 1

The student’s parent/guardian(s) will confirm with the Principal their willingness to sign a consent to expel.

Step 2

The student’s parent/guardian(s), or the student, will meet with the Superintendent of Safe Schools to receive the Principal’s Report and sign a consent to expel.

Step 3

The Discipline Committee will review the signed consent to expel and then sign this consent on or before the 20th day of the student’s suspension.

Step 4

The Superintendent of Safe Schools will sign the decision of the Discipline Committee letter.

Step 5

A copy of the decision of the Discipline Committee letter will be sent to the parent.