South River Public School

South River Public School

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South River Public School

CodeofConduct

2017-2018

Rationale

ThepurposeoftheSouth River Public SchoolCodeofConductis:

1.Toensurethatallmembersoftheschoolcommunity,aretreatedwithrespectand dignity.

2.Topromoteresponsiblecitizenshipbyencouragingappropriateparticipationinthe schoolcommunity.

3.Tomaintainanenvironmentwhereconflictanddifferencecanbeaddressed inamannercharacterizedbyrespectandcivility.

4.Toencouragetheuseofnon-violentmeanstoresolveconflict.

5.Topromotethesafetyandwell-beingofpeopleintheschools.

6.Topreventbullyinginschools.

TheNearNorthDistrictSchoolBoardwillcontinuetotakestepsandenactproceduresthat buildresiliency,enhancethesafetyandwell-beingofallindividualsinitsschoolsandpromote clearstandardsofbehaviour.TheSchool Board’sCodeofConduct and South River Public School’sCode ofConductwillreflect therequirementsoutlinedinPolicy/ProgramMemorandumNo.128 (December5,2012).TheOntariostandardsofbehaviourapplytoallindividuals(principals, teachers,otherschoolstaff,students,parents/guardians,volunteers,communitygroups,partners, etc.)involvedintheschoolsandactivitiesoftheNearNorthDistrictSchoolBoard.These standardsofbehaviourapplytostudentswhethertheyareonschoolproperty,onschoolbuses, travellingtoandfromschool,atschool-authorizedeventsoractivities,orinothercircumstances that could havean impact on theschool climate.

Our Mission to educate learners to their fullest potential in preparation for life-long learning.

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Boards shouldnotethatsubsection 301(2)ofPartXIIIoftheEducation Act, which outlines thepurposes oftheprovincialCodeofConduct,hasbeen revised toincludeprevention ofbullyinginschools. If a schoolboardentersinto agreement with athird partyto rentschoolspace,theboardmust includeinthe agreementarequirementthatsuchthirdparties followstandardsthatareconsistentwiththeprovincial CodeofConduct, in accordance with subsection 301 (3.1).

School Boardsare requiredto:

•revisetheirboard Code ofConduct and requireprincipalsto engagein reviews ofschoolCodes of ConducttoincorporatechangesintheprovincialCodeofConduct,asoutlinedinthis memorandum;

•informstudents,parents,teachers andotherschoolstaff,andothermembers ofthe school communityoftheterms oftherevisedprovincial CodeofConductandschoolboard Codes ofConduct.

Principals shall:

•consult with staff, SchoolCouncil, and students as appropriate;

•establish aschoolCodeofConductthatreflectstheprovincial and board Code ofConduct;

•involvetheSchoolCounciland other members of the school communityinan annual reviewofthe contentsof theschool Codeof Conduct;

•sharetheschool CodeofConduct with staff, parents and students at the beginningof each schoolyear;

•bringthe Codeof Conductto the attentionofstudents,parents/guardians and others who maybepresentin theirschool.

STANDARDSOFBEHAVIOUR

Respect, Civility, and ResponsibleCitizenship

All members of theschool communitymust:

•respect and complywith all applicablefederal,provincial, and municipallaws;

•demonstratehonestyandintegrity;

•respect differences inpeople,theirideas,andtheiropinions;

•treat oneanotherwithdignityand respectatalltimes, andespeciallywhen thereis disagreement.

Our Mission to educate learners to their fullest potential in preparation for life-long learning.

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•respectandtreat others fairly, regardlessof, for example,race, ancestry, placeoforigin, colour, ethnicorigin,citizenship,religion,gender, genderexpression,sexualorientation, identification, age, or disability;

•respect therights ofothers;

•showproper careandregardforschoolpropertyandthepropertyofothers;

•takeappropriatemeasures to helpthoseinneed;

•seek assistancefromamemberoftheschoolstaff,ifnecessary, to resolve conflict peacefully;

•respectall membersoftheschool community;

•respect theneedofothers tolearnand work in an environment thatis conducivetolearning andworking;

•notswear at another person.

Safety

All members oftheschoolcommunitymust not:

•engagein bullyingbehaviours;

•commit assault,includingsexual assault;

•trafficin weaponsordrugs;

•givealcohol to aminor;

•commit robbery;

•bein possession of anyweapon, includingfirearms;

•use anyobject to threatenor intimidate anotherperson;

•causeinjuryto anyperson with anobject;

•bein possession of, or beunder theinfluenceof, or provide others with alcohol ordrugs;

•inflict or encourageothers to inflict bodilyharmon anotherperson;

•engagein hatepropaganda and other forms of behavior motivated byhateor bias;

Our Mission to educate learners to their fullest potential in preparation for life-long learning.

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•commit an act of vandalismthat causes extensivedamageto school propertyorto propertylocated on the premise ofthe school.

1.CODEOFCONDUCTFOR ALL PERSONS INSCHOOLS

Roles andResponsibilities

NearNorth DistrictSchool Board

TheNearNorth District SchoolBoardwill providedirection to schools toensureopportunity, academic excellence, andaccountabilityin theeducation system. TheNearNorth District School Board will:

•developpoliciesthat setouthowtheirschools will implementand enforcetheprovincial CodeofConduct and allother rulesthat theydevelop thatarerelatedto theprovincial standardsthatpromoteand support respect, civility, responsiblecitizenship,and safety;

•establishaprocessthatclearlycommunicatestheprovincialCodeofConduct and schoolboard codesofconducttoallparents, students, principals,teachers,otherschool staff, and membersoftheschool communityin ordertoobtain their commitmentand support;

•updatethis AdministrativeGuidelineas required bypertinentlegislation;

•seekinput fromschoolcouncils,theirParentInvolvement Committees, and their Special EducationAdvisoryCommittee;

•develop effectiveintervention strategiesandrespond toall infractionsrelated to the standards forrespect, civility, responsiblecitizenship, andsafety;

•provideopportunities for allofthestafftoacquiretheknowledge, skills, and attitudes necessaryto developandmaintain academicexcellencein asafelearningandteaching environment.

Whereverpossible,boards shouldcollaboratetoprovidecoordinatedprevention and interventionprograms and services,andshould endeavourtoshareeffectivepractices.

Principals

Under thedirection oftheNear North District School Board, principals takea leadershiprolein thedailyoperation ofaschool.Theyprovidethisleadershipby:

  • demonstrating carefortheschool communityanda commitment to academic excellencein asafe, inclusive and acceptingteachingand learningenvironment;

Our Mission to educate learners to their fullest potential in preparation for life-long learning.

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  • holdingeveryoneunder their authorityaccountableforhis or her behaviourand actions;
  • empoweringstudentsandstaffto bepositiveleaders in theirschool and community;
  • communicatingregularlyandmeaningfullywith allmembers oftheirschool community;
  • reviewingthe Codeof Conduct on an annual basis with School Council,Safe Schools Committeeandstaff and students whereappropriate;
  • at thebeginningof eachschoolyeartheCodeof Conduct must be communicated to all membersofthe elementaryand secondaryschoolcommunities (e.g., paper copy, school website, parentcouncil, synrevoice, staffmeetings,assemblies, review sections duringdailyannouncements, teacher/student review, posted in theschool, etc.);
  • ensuringthat progressivedisciplineprocedures aremaintained.

Teachers andOtherSchoolStaff

Under theleadership oftheir principals, teachers and otherschool staff membersmaintain orderin theschool and areexpected tohold everyonetothehigheststandardofrespectful andresponsiblebehaviour. As rolemodels, teachers and school staffuphold thesehigh standards when they:

  • help students work to their full potential and develop theirsenseofself-worth;
  • empower students to bepositiveleaders intheir classroom, school, and community;
  • communicate regularlyandmeaningfullywith parents;
  • maintain consistent standards ofbehaviour forallstudents;
  • demonstraterespect forallstudents,staff,parents,volunteers, and othermembers of the school community;
  • Preparestudents forthe full responsibilities of citizenship byexpectingthemto adhereto the standards ofbehaviour ofrespect, civility,and responsible citizenship.

Students

Students areto be treatedwith respect and dignity.In return, theymust demonstrate respect forthemselves, for others,and for theresponsibilitiesof citizenshipthrough acceptable behaviour.Respect and responsibilityare demonstrated when astudent:

  • comes to school prepared, on time, and readyto learn;
  • showsrespect forthemselves and forothers;
  • refrains from bringinganythingto school thatmaycompromisethe safetyand well-

Our Mission to educate learners to their fullest potential in preparation for life-long learning.

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beingofothers;

  • follows the established rules and takes responsibilityforhisor her ownactions;
  • the principal communicates the Code ofConduct to the students with the expectation of the students followingtheCodeof Conduct.

Parents/ Guardians

Parents playan importantrolein the education oftheir children,and can support the efforts of school staff inmaintainingasafe, inclusive, acceptingand respectful learning environment for all students. Parents fulfill theirrole when they:

  • show an activeinterest in their child's school workand progress;
  • communicateregularlywith theschool;
  • help their child beneat, appropriatelydressed, andprepared forschool;
  • ensurethat their child attends school regularlyand on time;
  • promptlyreportto the school their child's absenceor late arrival;
  • show that theyarefamiliar with the provincial Codeof Conduct, theboard's codeof conduct,andschool rules;
  • encourage and assist their child infollowingthe rules ofbehaviour;
  • assist school staff in dealingwith disciplinaryissues involvingtheir child.

CommunityPartners and the Police

Throughoutreach, partnershipsalreadyin placemaybe enhanced and newpartnerships with communityagencies andmembers ofthecommunitymayalso becreated.Communityagencies areresources that boards can useto deliverprevention or intervention programs.Protocols are effectiveways of establishinglinkages between boards and communityagencies and of formalizingthe relationships between them.Thesepartnerships must respectall applicable collectiveagreements.

Thepoliceplayanessentialrolein makingourschools and communitiessafer. Thepolice investigateincidentsin accordancewiththeprotocol developed withthelocal schoolboard. Theseprotocolsarebased on aprovincialmodel that was revisedin2016 bythe Ministryof CommunitySafetyand CorrectionalServices and theMinistryofEducation.

Progressive Discipline Plan

Progressive discipline is a non-punitive, whole-school approach that uses a continuum of preventative, corrective and supportive interventions, supports and consequences to address inappropriate behaviour and to build upon strategies that promote positive behaviours. Consequences include learning opportunities for reinforcing positive behaviour and assisting students to make good choices.

Preventative Strategies Include:

•Use of curriculum to develop understanding of the issues;

•Anti-bullying and violence prevention programs;

•Mentorship programs;

•Student success strategies;

•Character education;

•Citizenship development;

•Student leadership;

•Promoting healthy student relationships; and

•Promoting healthy lifestyles.

•Each school is also required to ensure that bullying prevention plans include: (1) awareness raising strategies (2) support strategies, including plans to protect victims and to support students who engage in bullying; and (3) reporting requirements (please refer to PPMs 144 and 145)

Positive Practices

To promote and support appropriate and positive student behaviours that contribute tocreating and sustaining safe, comforting and accepting learning and teaching environments that encourage and support students to reach their full potential, the Board and School supports the use of positive practices for: (1) prevention, and (2) positive behaviour management.

Positive Behaviour Management Practices Include:

•Collaborative and Proactive Solutions approach (CPS);

•Differentiated instruction and accommodations based on student need;

•Class placement (when possible);

•Positive encouragement and reinforcement;

•Individual, peer and group counseling;

•Conflict resolution / Dispute resolution;

•Mentorship programs;

•Promotion of healthy student relationships;

•Sensitivity programs;

•Behaviour Management Plan (BMP);

•Alternative or modified programming based on student data;

•School, Board and community support programs; and

•Student success strategies.

The Board and School recognizes that, in some circumstances, positive practices might not be effective or sufficient to address inappropriate student behaviour. In such circumstances, the Board and School supports the use of progressive discipline consequences up to and including expulsion from all schools of the Board.

Early and Ongoing Intervention Strategies - Progressive Discipline Consequences

A teacher or the principal- as appropriate, shall utilize early and/or ongoing intervention strategies that are developmentally appropriate to stop and prevent future unsafe or disrespectful or inappropriate behaviours.

•Intervention Strategies may include:

•Oral reminders;

•Review of expectations;

•Written work assignment addressing the behaviour, that have a learning component;

•Volunteer services to the school community;

•Conflict mediation and resolution;

•Peer mentoring;

•Consultation between two (2) or more of the parties;

•Referral to a community agency for anger management or substance abuse, counseling/intervention;

•Detentions;

•Withdrawal of privileges;

•Withdrawal from class;

•Restitution for damages;

•Restorative practices;

•Transfer to another class or school;

•Short-term suspension;

•Long-term suspension;

•Expulsion

In all cases where ongoing intervention strategies are used, the student’s parents/guardians should be consulted (unless the student is 18 years of age or older or 16 or 17 years of age and has withdrawn from parental control) at each step of the progressive discipline process.

Factors to Consider Before Deciding to Address Inappropriate Behaviour

Before applying any progressive discipline consequence, the principal shall consider whether the progressive discipline consequence might have a disproportionate impact on a student protected by the Human Rights Code, including but not limited to race and disability, and/or exacerbate the student’s disadvantaged position in society, and whether accommodation to the point of undue hardship is required.

ACCESS TO SCHOOL PREMISES

Persons who are on school premises without being authorized by the provincial regulation, “Access to School Premises,” have committed an offence and can be charged under the Education Act (s. 305).

•Persons who are permitted on school premises include:

  • Students enrolled in the school
  • Parents/guardians of students enrolled in the school,
  • Persons employed or retained by the Board,
  • Persons engaged in lawful purposes (e.g., deliveries, voting and other persons authorized by the Board), and
  • Persons invited by the principal to the premises for a purpose or an event who are on the premises for that purposes or event.

•Authority to be on school premises does not entitle a person to have access to all areas of the school premises. The Principal shall inform groups or individuals using the school about the specific school restrictions and/or permissions.

•Boards have the authority to lock the school premises when the premises are not being used for a purpose authorized by the Board.

•Despite being an authorized person to be on school premises, if, in the judgement of the principal, that authorized person’s presence is considered to be detrimental to the safety or well-being of another person on the premises, the authorized person may be asked to leave the premises. This does not apply to a student enrolled in the school or to a student attending a program for suspended or expelled students that is located on the school premises.

•Schools will require school visitors to report their presence on the premises in a specified manner. A person is not permitted to remain on school premises if that person fails to report as required. This does not apply to a student enrolled in the school or to a student attending a program for suspended or expelled students that is located on the school premises.

•The schoolprincipalwilldevelopaplanforcommunicatingtheaboveinformation regardingaccesstoschoolsandschoolpremisesineachschoolyear.Thisplanwillincludethepostingofappropriatesignsthatconformwithstandardstobedeveloped board-widetomeethealthandsafetyaswellasaccesstoschoolpremisesexpectations. Theplanmayalsoincludetheuseofnewslettersforcommunicatingwiththeschoolcommunityandthedistributionofthisguidelineand/oreditedcopiesofitwiththeadditionofinformationspecifictothat school.

•The schoolprincipalmayprovidenoticepriortocontactingthepolicetoenhancethepossibilitythattheunauthorizedpersonmayleavethepremiseswithoutthenecessityof chargesbeinglaid.

•Personshaveaconstitutionalrighttoaccesspollingstationsattheschoolduringan election.

ACCESSBYSUSPENDED ANDEXPELLED STUDENTS

Suspendedandexpelledstudentsaredeniedaccesstoschoolboardpremisesasaconditionoftheirsuspensionorexpulsion.Theprincipalmaydeemthat such students arenotathreattothesafetyorwell-beingofapersonontheschoolpremisesandallow accesstoapublicfacilityontheschoolpremisesforalawfulpurpose(e.g.,usingapubliclibrary). Studentsattendingaprogramforsuspendedorexpelledstudentsthatislocated ontheschoolpremisesdohavetherightofaccesstoschoolpremises.

SUSPENSION POLICY

The Near North District School Board’s policies and related administrative guidelines addressing suspensions and expulsions provide direction for its schools and take into consideration consistency, clarity and procedural fairness, while treating suspensions and expulsions as necessary option on a continuum of progressive discipline measures. The primary purpose underlying the implementation of all disciplinary measures is to achieve a positive consequence for the student and the school.

Persons Who Can Suspend

Suspensions can be imposed by:

  1. A principal.

A Principal shall consider whether to suspend a student if he/she believes that the student has engaged in any of the following activities while at school, at a school-related activity, or in any other circumstance where engaging in the activity will have an impact on the school climate:

  • Uttering a threat to inflict serious bodily harm or another person.
  • Possessing alcohol or illegal 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 that is an activity for which a principal may suspend under a policy of the board.

TOBACCO-FREE ENVIRONMENT

The Near North District School Board will provide learning and working environments, free from tobacco products (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, blunt wraps, chew, plug, snuff, snus, etc.) and tobacco like products and by-products (e.g., electronic cigarettes, cigars, pipes, vaping devices, cartridges of nicotine solutions, hookah, pipes or any other apparatus to smoke shisha or other plant matter that may or may not include, tobacco, etc.).Please refer to Table 1.

The Near North District School Board has an interest to ensure that all students and their families, volunteers and staff have a safe and healthy learning and working environment. In accordance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA), the board recognizes that this environment is one that is free from the harmful effects of the use of tobacco products and tobacco-related accessories.

The Near North District School Board will declare, establish and maintain a tobacco-free environment. This means that smoking and/or holding lighted tobacco products, as well as consuming or using any tobacco products, shisha or imitation tobacco products (including all forms of vaping, containing tobacco or not) is prohibited anywhere on board property, school board vehicles or in vehicles parked on board property at all times.

This procedure applies to all students, staff, trustees, parents, visitors, volunteers, community partners, facility renters, contractors and individuals on board property, in school board vehicles or in vehicles parked on board property, at all times.

This procedure applies during all school-sponsored or school-related events, and out-of-classroom programs and activities approved by, or under the jurisdiction of the Near North District School Board.

In accordance with the SFOA, exceptions are made for the traditional use of tobacco for cultural or spiritual purposes and every effort will be made to accommodate the individual in an appropriately designated space (indoor or outdoor).

ENFORCEMENT

The Smoke Free Ontario Act (SFOA) was designed to protect the health of all Ontarians by banning smoking in all enclosed workplaces and enclosed public places in Ontario. The Act prohibits smoking or holding of a lit tobacco product in schools as defined by the Education Act and it is enforced by the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit.

A person found to be using tobacco products or tobacco-like products (including but not limited to those found in Table 1. below) on Board property is subject to disciplinary action:

If a person is found smoking or holding lit tobacco products, The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit shall enforce the Smoke Free Ontario Act (SFOA) including:

  • issuing warnings, laying charges or issuing summons to persons who are found smoking or holding lit tobacco products on school property;
  • notifying the school principal of offences that occur on school property beyond the school and/or work day; and
  • referring offenders to cessation support within the school or community and/or providing them with educational materials.

The principal and/or designate shall enforce this Tobacco-Free Environment Policy which includes one or more of the following actions:

  • issuing warnings to persons found to be using tobacco products or tobacco-like products on Board property;
  • documenting any incident of policy violation;
  • notifying the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit of offences that violate the Smoke Free Ontario Act so that enforcement of the Act can take place;
  • reviewing consequences for repeat offenders, in accordance with Board Procedure, Student Discipline and Progressive Discipline for Employees, or with the Director of Education or designate; and
  • referring offenders to cessation support within the school or community and/or providing them with educational materials.

The following table outlines examples of common tobacco products and their accessories:

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