GLS Mission Statement
Our school strives to create a safe, inviting environment, which encourages and challenges students to learn and develop to their potential.
GLS Vision Statement
Our vision is to provide an exemplary education for all students built on the principles of mind, body, spirit and values.
GLS Belief Statement
At Gull Lake School, we believe in a welcoming and safe environment where everyone interacts respectfully and supportively in all areas of education.
At Gull Lake School, we believe in challenging ourselves and encouraging others to excel in academics, athletics, activities, and life.
At Gull Lake School, we believe that everyone has the right to speak, learn, and interact with others without getting laughed at or judged.
At Gull Lake School, we believe we can excel in academics, extra-curricular, and school spirit.
The School Day
8:50 a.m. Warning Bell; Proceed to first class
8:55 a.m. First Class Begins
10:00 a.m. First Break
10:05 a.m. Second Class Begins
11:10 a.m. Second Break
11:15 a.m. Third Class Begins
12:15 p.m. Noon Hour
12:55 p.m. Warning Bell
1:00 p.m. Fourth Class Begins
2:00 p.m. Fourth Break
2:05 p.m. Fifth Class Begins
3:05 p.m. Bus Students Dismissed
3:10 p.m. Students Dismissed
SCHOOL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Attendance and Dismissal:
Morning: A warning bell will ring at 8:50 a.m. to inform students to proceed to their first class. Students should be in their first class by the 8:55 a.m. bell to be considered present. All students who arrive after 8:55 a.m. must report to the office to sign in.
Afternoon: A warning bell will ring at 12:55 p.m. to inform students that they should proceed to their fourth class. A student should be in class by the 1:00 p.m. bell to be considered present. All students who arrive after 1:00 p.m. must report to the office to sign in.
End of Day: At the 3:05 p.m. bell bus students will be dismissed from their fifth period class. Town students and all other students not taking the bus that day are to remain in their fifth period class until the 3:10 p.m. bell rings.
Regular Attendance: Students must attend all classes indicated on their timetables unless permission to be absent has been obtained from the teacher.
Attendance Policy
The following reasons for absenteeism will be excused and considered extenuating circumstances:
• Weather/bussing problems
• Illness (with a Physician’s note or prior parental notice)
• Medical/Dental Appointments (with a Physician’s note or prior parental notice)
• School-sponsored extra-curricular activities
• Funerals
• Other reasons at the discretion and prior approval of the principal or vice principal)
Student absences for reasons not listed above will be counted as:
• Cleared- absences in which parent/guardian notice has been given.
• Uncleared- absences in which no parent/guardian notice has been given.
The Education Act, Section 156 (1), (2), (4) and (5) legislates regarding regular and compulsory attendance.
(1) Every parent, guardian or other person having charge of a pupil who is of compulsory school age shall take all steps that are necessary to ensure regular attendance of that pupil:
a) at the school determined or authorized by the board of education of the school division in which the pupil resides and for the period during which the school is in operation in each year.
(2) Every person who contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than $100.
(4) On a conviction for an occurrence pursuant to subsection (2), the judge may in his or her discretion, order the person convicted to post a bond in the penal sum of $200.00, with any securities that may be required, on the condition that the person shall cause the pupil to attend school as required and, on breach of that condition, the bond shall be forfeited to the Crown.
Reporting Absenteeism: Parents are expected to inform the school about any absence and provide a reason for the absence. To expedite this reporting, the school has installed an answering machine on which parents may leave messages at any time of day. The number to call for reporting absenteeism is:
(306) 672-3740
Lates: Students who are late for class are expected to sign in at the office before going to their class.
Signing In and Signing Out:
Signing In:
a. Students who arrive at school late for class should sign in on the sign-in sheet in the office. Students who do not sign in will be considered absent.
Signing Out:
b. Students who leave the school during the school day are required to sign out at the office.
Responsibility for Work:
No matter what the reason for absenteeism, (including illness and school-sponsored activities) students are responsible for the work they miss while away from class.
a. Planned Absences: In any circumstance in which the student knows he/she will be missing class (appointments, school-sponsored activities), the student must contact his/her classroom teach¬ers prior to the periods/days missed to collect the assignments/work he/she will be missing. In these circumstances, we expect the student to have the work completed upon his/her return to school.
b. Unexpected Absences: In the case of illness or other unexpected absences, a student should collect assignments upon returning to school and complete them within a reasonable time afterward. A "reasonable time" will generally be considered no longer than the length of the absence itself. Lengthy illnesses will require special arrangements.
c. Students who do not complete assigned work under the conditions of (a) and (b) above may be asked to serve detention at noon hour or before or after school.
d. Missing Tests: Students who choose to skip school, and, as a result, miss tests, quizzes, or exams, may be assigned a mark of zero on that evaluation.
e. Driver Training: Driver Training students may make arrangements with individual teachers to miss a class in order to drive. The student should notify the teacher(s) involved before leaving to drive.
f. Court Appearances: Students shall leave to go to court only when they have a ticket or a subpoena. Students are not allowed to go to court for someone else, to go as an observer, or to go as a witness without a subpoena.
Fees/Forms
1. Student Fees: $10.00 ($7.00 for Kindergarten Students) will be collected from each school student when they register for classes.
2. Other Fees: Other fees may be collected, depending on the student's course load or preference. These include:
• Yearbook Fee – $30.00 for those students wishing to purchase a yearbook.
• PAA and Arts Costs: Some projects may be charged for if a project will go home.
3. Forms: The following 5 forms are to be completed and returned to the school within the first week of the school year:
a) Registration form
b) Health form
c) Technology form
d) Media Release Form
e) Gull Lake Advance Form
Failure to submit forms/fees will result in denial of opportunities and privileges associated with the forms/fees.
Violence Policy
Definition: For the purposes of this policy, violence is defined as any act of physical aggression or intimidation, which results in discomfort, embarrassment, pain, or physical injury to another. Violence can be a deliberate act, or it may be the result of negligent, thoughtless, or reckless behavior.
Clarification: Although, for the purposes this policy, acts of verbal aggression, intimidation, and emotional abuse are not defined as violent, it should not be misinterpreted that the staff will accept or condone these behaviors. Such behavior is not acceptable in a school environment and will be dealt with in much the same manner as any physical violence.
Scope: Under the School Act, the school has jurisdiction over students from the time they leave home to come to school until they arrive at home on their way from school. Therefore, this policy may be exercised to deal with incidents which happen beyond school’s physical boundaries and beyond school hours. This includes time spent on the bus and time spent in school-sponsored activities such as extra-curricular travel.
1. Violence against another student (first instance):
1. Parent(s)/guardian(s) of the student and victim will be contacted.
2. Depending on the severity of the circumstances, the student may be required to serve an in-school suspension of up to two days.
2. Violence against another student (second instance):
1. Parent(s)/guardian(s) of the student and victim will be contacted.
2. Depending on the severity of the circumstances, the student will be required to serve an in-school suspension.
3. The student may be referred to a student counselor.
3. Violence against another student (third instance):
1. Parent(s)/guardian(s) of the student and victim will be contacted.
2. The student will be required to serve an in school suspension.
3. The student will be referred to a student counselor.
4. Violence against staff: Any incident of physical violence by a student against a member of staff will be dealt with in the following manner:
1. The student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) will be contacted immediately.
2. The student may be immediately suspended.
*The Principal my recommend other consequences for any instance of violence, at any time!
Extra-Curricular Policy
1. Academic Requirements: No precise academic standing must be maintained for students to participate in extra-curricular activities; however, if extra-curricular activities are seriously impinging on the performance of a student, the principal may, at his/her discretion, curtail a student's extra-curricular involvement.
2. Part-Time Students: Part-time students are not eligible to participate in extra-curricular activities.
3. Other Factors: Poor attendance, poor attitude, or poor work habits may also result in a student's extra-curricular involvement being curtailed. The principal or vice-principal, in consultation with the teacher(s) and the coach or supervisor involved, would take such an action.
4. Students who are suspended from school will not be involved in any extracurricular activities for a period of 7 days.
Parking
1. Restrictions: All student cars must be parked orderly and appropriately in the school parking lot. Avoid triple parking to block in cars. Students are discouraged from making a left hand turn out of the parking lot at noon and after school to avoid elementary school student dismissal.
2. Driving Caution: Students must exercise caution at all time in driving vehicles into, out of, or within the student parking lot. Since students are the responsibility of the school at all times during the school day - whether or not they are on the school grounds- students who drive dangerously, either in the parking lot or in town, may have to turn their keys in at the office from 9:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
3. Staff and students are not to park in the designated handicapped parking spots.
4. Plug ins are for staff use only.
Dress
1. Guidelines: The school does not want to interfere with the way students dress. As long as students exercise some discretion, such intervention should prove unnecessary.
2. Clothing: While on school grounds and during school-sponsored activities, students are not allowed to wear or use clothing, supplies, or equipment that displays, printed or implied, any reference to alcohol, drugs, or racist, profane, or sexist attitudes. Any clothing worn should not make others feel uncomfortable. Appropriate body coverage for school is mandatory.
3. Footwear: Since students must remove wet or muddy footwear upon entering the school, they should have another pair of shoes at school to replace those removed. This is especially important during an emergency when students might be sent out in very cold or very wet weather. Students should not be in school in bare feet.
4. Phys. Ed. Clothing: Students should wear shorts (or sweats) and running shoes to Physical Education classes and during any physical activity in the gym. Because of problems with marking the gym floor, only non-marking running shoes will be allowed.
Physical Education
Requirements:
1. Jewelry is not to be worn during any physical activity program run by the school. This includes intramurals and extracurricular programs.
2. Eye goggles are to be by all students participating in floor hockey or badminton. We advise students to purchase their own goggles for these activities.
3. CSA approved hockey helmets are to be worn by all students during skating periods. No shinny is to be played during skating periods.
Communication
1. Messages for Students: If possible, phone calls for students should be made during breaks. Messages will be taken unless it is a pressing or urgent matter at which time the student will be called from class.
2. Cell phones: Are not permitted for use in the school from 8:55 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. and 12:55 p.m. - 3:10. They are to be turned off and left in student lockers during those times. Students caught using cell phones during these times will have the cell phone confiscated. If students need to make phone calls during the school day they are to use school phones.
3. Musical Devices:
Devices such as IPods, MP3 players etc. are to be used at the discretion of the classroom teachers. They may not be used during examinations
Other Rules
1. Damage to School Property: Students must respect school property and exercise caution and care in handling equipment. They will be required to pay for any school property they destroy, break or damage, whether that damage is intentional or accidental.
2. Drugs and alcohol are not tolerated in Gull Lake School. Students suspected to be under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol will be removed from class and parents/guardians will be required to pick them up. The judgment to ascertain whether a student is under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol will be made by school administration. Students will face further consequences and will be required to attend counseling from Student Services or another agency regarding the impact of drugs and alcohol as per school division policy.
3. Smoking: Gull Lake School is a designated smoke-free building and grounds. Students who smoke may do so only if they are off the school grounds entirely. They may leave the school grounds only before school has begun, during the noon hour, or after school. Students are reminded that while their vehicles are in the school parking lot, they are still on the school grounds. Students found smoking on the school grounds or leaving the school grounds at an unauthorized time to have a cigarette may receive a suspension of up to three days. The same also applies to chewing tobacco.