Stoney Creek Public School Code of Conduct
Preamble
All stakeholders follow the Thames Valley District School Board Safe School Policy at all times. The Provincial and School Board Codes of Conduct Memorandum emphasizes that school codes of conduct reinforce that all students, staff and members of the school community have the right be safe and to feel safe and respected in the school community. School codes of conduct focus on prevention and early intervention strategies to address appropriate behaviour and indicate that schools will use progressive discipline as needed to support positive student behaviour.
Introduction
A school is a place that promotes responsibility, respect and academic excellence in a safe learning environment. Stoney Creek follows the Ontario Human Rights Code:
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/ontario-human-rights-code
Guiding Principles
All participants involved in the school system—students, parents/guardians, volunteers, staff members—are included in this Code of Conduct whether they are on school property, on school buses, bus stops or at school-authorized events or activities.
Roles and Responsibilities
School Boards
- provide direction to their schools
- develop policies that set out how their schools will implement and enforce the provincial code of conduct
Principals
- take a leadership role in the daily operation of the school
- commit to academic excellence and a safe teaching and learning environment
- hold everyone accountable for their behaviour and actions
- communicate with all members of their school community
Teachers and School Staff
- help students work to their full potential and develop their self-worth
- communicate regularly and meaningfully with parents or guardians
- maintain consistent standards of behaviour for all students
- demonstrate respect for all students, staff and parents or guardians
Students
Have a right to:
- a quality education
- be treated with respect and dignity
- be physically, verbally and emotionally safe
- feel comfortable approaching a school staff member with any concern
Have a responsibility to:
- come to school on-time and prepared to learn
- show respect for themselves, staff, students, and school
- refrain from bringing anything to school that may compromise the safety of others
- follow the established rules and take responsibility for own actions
Parents/Guardians
Parents/Guardians play an important role in their child’s education when they:
- ensure their child arrives at school on time (attendance is vital for student success)
- show an active interest in their child’s school work and progress
- communicate with the school
- help their child be appropriately dressed
- promptly report lates or absences to the school attendance line
- encourage and assist their child in following the Code of Conduct
Standards of Behaviour
In a safe and positive learning environment, school members:
- treat others with respect and avoid threatening, profane or abusive language
- avoid physical or verbal aggression, bullying, discrimination and harassment
- keep hands and feet off others and their property
- do not throw objects that may be potentially harmful (e.g. rocks or snowballs)
- play in designated areas
- are not in possession of weapons, illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco, lighters or matches
- dress appropriately
Definition of Bullying
Bullying can be defined as repeated and systematic harassment and attacks on others. Bullying can be perpetrated by individuals or groups and takes many forms including: physical violence, verbal abuse, extortion, and persistent and unwarranted exclusion from the peer group.
Dress Code
Thames Valley students come from diverse backgrounds and have diverse identities and experiences. Decisions about dress are personal and reflect individual expression of identity and socio-cultural norms and are therefore important to student well-being.
Dress codes in schools often create and maintain ideas about dress that is ‘normal’ or ‘appropriate’ that do not reflect students’ identities – including their gender identity, cultural identity, race and creed. As a result, dress codes can reinforce harmful stereotypes and treat certain groups of students differently than others, resulting in discrimination. They may also devalue students’ ability to exercise control over their own bodies by choosing how they dress. Thames Valley learning and working environments must be free from discrimination.
Recording Devices
Keeping in line with TVDSB policy, cell phones, cameras or sound recording devices are not to be used during the school day without teacher permission. Use of any device may result in confiscation.
All members of the school community must:
Respect the need of others to work in an environment that is conducive to learning and teaching, including by ensuring that cell phones and other personal mobile devices are used only during instructional time (as directed by an educator), for health and medical purposes and/or to support special education needs.
Consequences for Inappropriate Behaviour
Failure to follow the Code of Conduct will result in teaching of desired behaviour, followed by progressive discipline and appropriate consequences.
Expectations
All Members of the Stoney Creek Public School Community will:
Show respect and be treated with respect at all times.
Demonstrate respect for school property and the property of others.
Follow school and classroom rules cooperatively at all times.
Contact(s)