CODE OF CONDUCT

I.E. WELDON SECONDARY SCHOOL

At I.E. Weldon Secondary School, students are expected to strive to learn and practice the skills that will make them productive and successful citizens – at school and in our community. We expect that staff and parents will model these skills.

We are clear that in our school community that these are the skills we need to learn and practice:

All MEMBERS OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY must:

o Comply with all laws

o Show honesty and integrity

o Respect differences in people and their opinions

o Treat each other with dignity and respect especially during disagreements

o Respect and treat others fairly regardless of race, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, citizenship or disability

o Respect the rights of others

o Show proper care for school property and property of others

o Take appropriate steps to help those in need

o Seek help from school staff if necessary to resolve conflicts

o Respect persons in positions of authority and all members of the school community

o Respect the need for schools to be a safe and healthy place where learning and teaching can happen

o Keep their language respectful – which includes not swearing at staff

In addition, all STUDENTS must:

o Attend school

o Be clean in person and habits

o Dress appropriately

o Show self-discipline

o Treat staff, fellow students and invited school visitors with courtesy and respect – in both actions and words.

o Follow school policies and routines

o Show respect for school property

o Return school property on time and in reasonable condition

o Reimburse school for all or part of costs for replacing or repairing damaged or lost materials or those deliberately damaged

o Behave appropriately and safely on school buses

o Be respectful of others

o Put effort into doing well academically by participating in class and completing assignments.

o Be present for tests and exams and complete honestly.

o Obey reasonable order by any school staff and all reasonable classroom policies by teachers. This includes supply teachers, educational assistants, secretaries or custodians.

o Avoid public arguments with staff about perceived unfair treatment. Instead it is expected that student will seek to resolve by private talk with teacher or school counsellor or administrator

o Accept discipline from staff that attempts to correct student behavioural mistakes

o Obey the board policy on use of internet in schools

o Be responsible for personal electronic devices in the event of loss, theft or damage.

o Turn off cell phone and electronic devices (including MP3 players, iPODS) during class times and scheduled study periods.

o Ensure that the camera function of any electronic device is not used without staff permission.

o Be personally responsible for passwords and devices as well as any activity or content on these devices – including internet accessed by their passwords.

o Be accountable for content of any memory storage devices (i.e. USB memory sticks). Staff have the right to request to see the content.

o Alert a staff member if they know of harmful or harassment types of behaviours targeting any of their classmates via use of electronic devices or internet sites

o Be accountable for off-school property use of internet sites or electronic devices which may have a negative impact on the school environment

We know that certain behaviours are never acceptable in a safe and caring school community.

We agree that all of the following are unacceptable and subject to corrective disciplinary attempts by school staff in our school.

All MEMBERS OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY must not:

o Use bullying

o Commit sexual assault

o Be in possession of any weapon – including firearms

o Traffic weapons or illegal or restricted drugs

o Have, be under the influence of or give to others – alcohol or illegal or restricted drugs

o Give alcohol to a minor

o Commit robbery

o Cause injury to anyone or encourage others to do so

o Use a weapon to threaten or intimidate

o Cause injury to another with an object of any sort

o Promote hate propaganda or act in any way motivated by hate or bias

o Vandalize causing extensive damage to school property or property located on school grounds

o Cause a disturbance anywhere on school property which interrupts learning or school operations.

All STUDENTS must not:

o Use profane or improper language themselves or directed at anyone else.

o Use threatening words, gestures or physical assault against a person or their property

o Use displays of affection that are inappropriate for school setting (kissing, fondling, embracing)

o Harass by any means (verbal, physical, electronic device/internet) any member of our school community

o Use drugs, alcohol or tobacco on school property or at school events

o Smoke or use any other tobacco product on school property, busses or events

o Have, use, sell or give alcohol, illegal drugs or restricted prescription drugs (sold illegally for non-medicinal purposes) on school buses, field trips or school property.

o Be on school property where the use of alcohol or illegal drugs is still detectable

o Steal or vandalize the property of others

o Use camera capable electronic devices in areas others expect to be private (washrooms, change rooms) or where there is a known objection to taking pictures

o Connect PDA’s with internet capabilities to TLDSB network

o Use internet or electronic devices to threaten, harass or demean any other member of the school community especially when those actions interfere with that member’s ability to function in the school

o Access inappropriate websites

We know that discipline is a training method that teaches students proper behaviour and corrects behaviour mistakes. Use of discipline demonstrates that we value a safe and caring school.

In our school, this is the philosophy and plan for corrective and supportive discipline.

· Discipline will be used when any classroom or school rules and/or routines are violated.

· Discipline will be used when student behaviour impacts negatively on the school climate of I.E. Weldon – even if that behaviour does not occur on school property.

· It is the goal of the staff to take into consideration the individual student and circumstances before making decisions about what type of discipline is most appropriate.

· While parental input is welcomed and considered, it is the responsibility of school staff and ultimately the school administration to make final decisions about discipline.

I.E. Weldon discipline practices will be used progressively over time based on the frequency and severity of misbehaviours.

Tier 1 – Used when student behaviour error is infrequent, minor and not severe

Examples:

· Counselling and warnings

· Detentions

· Logical Consequences (i.e.. parent contacts, healing of ruptured relationships, loss of marks, repayment of time, loss of privilege, withdrawal from class, restitution for damages)

Tier 2 – Used when a chronic pattern is identified. Use of restorative practices and further logical consequences will be used in behaviour contract/plan.

· Analysis of the difficulty + established expectations communicated by teacher/staff /support staff/administrator/student

· detentions

· NOTE: For specific misbehaviours – suspension may or must be considered.

Tier 3 – Used when severity and frequency identify a need for more long term and targeted intervention.

· Mandated participation in small group sessions (examples: small group interventions, Guidance counseling –individual or group, restorative practices/justice circle)

· Significant restrictions/substitutions – (examples: class or school transfers, revised timetable, reduced levels of freedom/increased allocation for supervision, loss of privilege)

Tier 4 –Used when severity and type of misbehaviour means consideration of suspension. See Boxed list below.

· Consideration of suspension (Progressive Discipline options from tiers 1,2, and 3 may be substituted)

· Consideration of suspension pending expulsion (Suspension may be substituted.)

Suspension for the following MAY be considered by Principal.

· Uttering threat to inflict serious bodily harm on another person

· Possessing alcohol or restricted drugs

· Being under influence of alcohol and/or illegal drugs

· 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 pupil’s school or to property located on the premises of the pupil’s school

· Bullying

· Any act considered by principal to be injurious to moral tone of the school

· Any act considered by principal to be injurious to physical or mental well-being of any member of school community

· Any act considered by the principal to be contrary to Board or School Code of Conduct

Suspension pending Expulsion MUST be considered by Principal

· Possession of a weapon, including possessing a firearm

· Use of weapon to cause or threaten bodily harm to another person

· Committing physical assault on another person that causes bodily harm requiring treatment by medical practitioner

· Committing sexual assault

· Trafficking in weapons or illegal or restricted drugs

· Committing robbery

· Giving alcohol or illegal/restricted drugs to minor

· An act considered by principal to be significantly injurious to moral tone of the school and/or to the physical or mental well-being of others

· A pattern of behaviour that is so inappropriate that the pupil’s continued presence is injurious to the effective learning and/or working environment of others

· Activities engaged in by the pupil on or off school property behaviours that cause the pupil’s continuing present in the school to create unacceptable risk to physical or mental well-being of other person(s) in the school or Board

· Activities engaged in by the pupil on or off property that have caused extensive damage to the property of the Board or to goods that are/were on Board property

· The pupil has demonstrated through a pattern of behaviour that s/he has not prospered by the instruction available to him or her and s/he is persistently resistant to making changes in behaviour which would enable him or her to prosper.

· Any act considered by the principal to be a serious violation of the Board or School Code of Conduct

· Conduct which is so refractory as to demonstrate that the student is unwilling to respect or respond to authority and/or respect the rights or dignity of other school community members, despite having been given a reasonable opportunity to do so.