DISTRICT CODE OF CONDUCT

Background

The District believes that a key role of school and District staff is to foster responsible student behaviour.

The District shares a responsibility with and a commitment to schools, parents and community to prepare students as responsible citizens, who contribute to a safe, caring and orderly school and a socially responsible society.

The District’s objective is to provide a school community which protects the rights of all students and allows each student to learn in a safe, caring and orderly environment.

Procedures

1. All school personnel are required to act as kind, firm and judicious parents when instructing and/or supervising students.Students shall not be subjected to physical discipline.
2. All members of the school community are encouraged to contribute to establishing and maintaining safe, caring and orderly schools.
3. All members of the school community will be relied upon to teach, model and encourage responsible behaviours.
4. The combined efforts of all school community members to maintain responsible actions are to include such practices as positively contributing to the classroom and school community, solving problems in peaceful ways, valuing individual diversity and defending human rights.
5. Members of each school community are to be made aware of the school’s code of conduct/citizenship.
6. The measures employed to encourage responsible student behaviour in a diverse community shall be respectful and strength based, and shall take into account individual student needs.
7. Principals are expected to have school-wide practices designed to foster values of respect, responsibility, compassion, honesty and fairness.
8. School codes of conduct/citizenship are to communicate clear expectations for acceptable responsible behaviour and describe appropriate consequences that include a range of interventions that are preventive and restorative.
9. School codes of conduct/citizenship must be consistent across grade levels and must be developed through a collaborative model that recognizes the critical role parents have in supporting responsible student behaviour.
10. School codes of conduct/citizenship will support respectful learning environments and encourage the acquisition of lifelong responsible attributes for all students.
11. School codes of conduct/citizenship must be consistent with the Ministry of Education’s guidelines detailed in the Safe, Caring, and Orderly Schools document.
12. School codes of conduct are to include one or more statements about what is unacceptable behavior including bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, intimidation, threatening or violent behaviours while at school, at a school related activity or in other circumstances where engaging in the activity will have an impact on the school environment.
13. School codes of conduct must specifically reference each of the following prohibited grounds of discrimination:
    1. Race
    2. Colour
    3. Ancestry
    4. Place of origin
    5. Religion
    6. Marital status
    7. Family status
    8. Physical or mental disability
    9. Sex
    10. Sexual orientation
    11. Gender identity or expression
    12. Age
14. Principals are to, during the first staff meeting in September of each school year, review with teaching and support staff, the contents of this Administrative Procedure.Staff hired through the year after the first staff meeting will review this Administrative Procedure during their orientation.
15. School personnel are to review the contents of this Administrative Procedure with newly selected teachers-on-call and will provide such teachers with a copy of this Administrative Procedure.
16. In order to promote responsible student behaviour, whenever it is possible and appropriate, school personnel are to consider the following:
    1. Ensure that students, staff and parents are aware of school codes of conduct/citizenship and restitution/restorative practices;
    2. Ensure that codes of conduct/citizenship are written in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s guidelines detailed in the Safe, Caring, and Orderly Schools document and the Provincial Standards for Codes of Conduct Order.
    3. Ensure that School Codes of Conduct are written in accordance with this Administrative Procedure.
    4. Establish practices and procedures that address inappropriate behaviour, are respectful, ensure accountability and promote responsible behavioural change;
    5. Ensure individual codes of conduct/citizenship are consistent across the levels (elementary, middle and secondary);
    6. Ensure interventions are timely, provide a link between the consequences and the inappropriate behaviour and offer an opportunity for students to learn from their mistakes;
    7. Ensure that consequences are fair and proportionate in consideration of the inappropriate behaviour;
    8. Seek help from administration, counsellors, or student services personnel as needed;
    9. Consult with parents as necessary;
    10. Document the inappropriate behaviour and interventions;
    11. Discuss disciplinary actions of a serious nature with the Principal before carrying them out and be aware of the limits set by law to the exercise of authority (e.g., a teacher does not have the legal authority to suspend the student).