Statement of Purpose

Complying with the BC Human Rights Code, our school’s code of conduct is as follows:

• to establish and maintain safe, caring and orderly environments for purposeful learning.
• to establish and maintain appropriate balances between individual and collective rights, freedoms and responsibilities.
• to clarify and publish expectations for student behavior while at school, while going to and from school, and while attending school functions or activities at any location.

Conduct Expectations

Expectations are clearly communicated to students, staff, parents and the community regarding behaviours that constitute acceptable and unacceptable conduct for all, as well as the increased expectations for students as they age and/or mature.

Expectations for acceptable conduct include the following:

• respecting self, others and the school, as well as personal space and property. This includes wearing clothing and footwear that is non-offensive, and  conforms with health and safety requirements for the intended activity.
• engaging in purposeful learning activities in a timely manner.
• helping to make the school a safe, caring and orderly place by:
• developing a common language and widespread approach emphasizing good manners, consideration of others and sportsmanship;
• teaching and encouraging the practice of the WITS Program;
• encouraging student leadership
• acting in a manner that brings credit to the school community.

Expectations for unacceptable conduct include the following:

• behaviours that:
• interfere with the learning of others
• interfere with an orderly environment
• create unsafe conditions
• acts of:
  • bullying, harassment or intimidation
  • physical violence
  • retribution against a person who has reported incidents
• prohibited grounds of discrimination from sections 7 and 8 of the Human Rights Code:  Race, Colour, Ancestry, Place of origin, Religion, Marital status, Family status, Physical or mental disability, Gender, Gender Identity or Expression,  Sexual orientation, and Age
• illegal acts, such as:
  • possession, use or distribution of illegal or restricted substances
  • possession or use of weapons
  • theft or damage to property

Increased expectations for students as they progress through the grades, and mature include the following:

All students are expected to more fully understand and demonstrate behavioural expectations.

There is the expectation that as students become older, more mature and move through successive grades that:

• they will become more engaged in learning.
• they will demonstrate increased personal responsibility, self-discipline, and consideration of others.
• if they demonstrate inappropriate behaviours, consequences will increase, as will the nature of their efforts at restitution.

Consequences

Parents and guardians should be the first and foremost providers of discipline for their child’s behavior both at home and at school.  They should be active in implementing modifications that may be required when problem behaviours present themselves at school along with the school personnel.

The severity and frequency of unacceptable conduct, as well as the age and maturity of the students is considered when determining appropriate disciplinary action.

Specifically:

• responses to unacceptable conduct are pre-planned, consistent and fair.
• wherever possible, disciplinary action is preventative and restorative.
• wherever possible, students are encouraged to participate in the development of meaningful consequences and/or restitution for violations of the established code of conduct

All reasonable steps will be taken to prevent retaliation by a person against a student who has made a complaint of a breach of a code of conduct.

The following consequences may be given to the student depending on the seriousness of the misbehavior:

• Student, after the discovery process (What happened? Who did what?  How did the other person feel?), is asked to assume responsibility for their inappropriate behavior, and assist in developing a plan for  restitution when the child is ready.
• Student, through a discussion process, is asked to detail appropriate alternative courses of action (e.g. WITS).
• Communication with parent(s)/guardian(s) and school staff.
• Early recess and/or lunch recess detentions.
• Written action plan/behavior contract through the counselor, teacher and/or principal.
• “In-school” or “Out of school” suspension.
• Access to school district and/or government support mechanisms such as: counseling, Ministry of Children and Families, behavioural consultant, psychologist, health official.

While student suspensions are used as a last result and after all preventative measures have been attempted, there are times when a student’s behavior does result in suspension even when there have not been any previous offences.  Such behavior could include physical violence, theft, or open defiance.  Suspensions could range from one to five days in length.  [Our school has a Zero Tolerance policy regarding bullying and physical violence.]

 Notification

 We have the responsibility to advise other parties of “serious” breaches of the code of Conduct which may include one or more of the following:

• parents of student offender(s) – in every instance
• parents of student victim(s) – in every instance
• school district officials – as required by school district policy
• police and/or other agencies – as required by law
• all parents/guardians – when it is deemed to be important to reassure members of the school community that school officials are aware of a serious situation or incident and are taking appropriate action to address it.