Minnewasta Code of Conduct
MINNEWASTA SCHOOL
June 2003
Revised: June 2006, May 2007
SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Minnewasta School is to provide a friendly, safe and respectful place where students, staff, parents/guardians and community work together to encourage lifelong learning. Minnewasta’s staff will use the best available resources to challenge all students in a caring and competent way knowing that each child is an individual.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Our mission can only be accomplished when we have an environment where student behaviour is appropriate, thus allowing maximum time for teaching and for learning. Alongside the academic curriculum, we believe that it is important for students to also learn:
- to value and respect themselves, other people and the world around them including their own property and the property of others;
- to accept and follow reasonable limits and clear directions;
- to make choices and be responsible for the consequences;
- to experience logical cause/effect connections;
- to own and solve problems;
- to choose what is right even when unsupervised.
DISCIPLINE
The long-term goal of discipline is to help students develop self-discipline so that they will freely choose to behave in responsible ways even when they are not under direct supervision. Real change in student behaviour is more likely when we teach students about appropriate behaviour, and then hold them accountable to behave as they have been taught. This is not the same as teaching students to be obedient in order to avoid some kind of punishment if they are caught.
CODE OF CONDUCT
An important part of helping students to learn responsible behaviour is to identify and promote constructive behaviour. Our Code of Conduct clearly outlines what we consider to be appropriate behaviour for all members of the school community. We will be proactive in teaching, practicing and reviewing these expected behaviours at school throughout the year, and we appreciate the support of parents/guardians in reinforcing these expectations at home and in the community.
The Code of Conduct consists of the following six points:
- We will work and play safely at all times.
- We will keep our hands and feet to ourselves. There will be no roughing, play fighting, bullying or fighting.
- We will be on time, be prepared to learn, and do our best each day.
- We will speak, act and write respectfully to all students and adults.
- We will solve our problems by talking.
- We will respect all personal and school property.
Minnewasta School Code of Conduct
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Expected Behaviour |
Student Responsibility |
Parent/Guardian Responsibility |
School Staff Responsibility |
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1. We will work and play safely at all times. |
• Come to school safely • Play in appropriate places (on school yard, away from voltage box) • Use supplies safely • Stay on task • Leave work & play spaces tidy • Walk quietly in school • Wait your turn (e.g. in line) • Include others so no one feels left out • No throwing of objects (e.g. stones, snowballs) • No weapons at school • Keep hands and feet to self • No roughing/play fighting/fighting or bullying • No gangs or gang activity at school • Go directly home (daycare, etc) safely after school |
• Teach and expect good manners and kindness from children • Discuss school behaviour with your child at home • Support rules and expectations of the school • Ensure that your child wears clothing appropriate for the weather and activities • Ensure that your child knows where to go after school and the safest way to get there • Teach your child the general safety rules (e.g. personal safety, bike and road safety) • Be a positive role model |
• Provide a safe environment and monitor it to keep it safe • Explain our expectations to students • Teach and expect good manners and kindness from children • Support the rules and expectations of the school • Hold students accountable for their behaviour |
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2. We will keep our hands and feet to ourselves. There will be no roughing, play fighting, bullying or fighting. |
• Listen to and follow the guidance of your parents/guardians and teachers about how to interact in positive ways with others • Work and play in ways |
• Teach children how to interact in positive ways with others • Hold children accountable for hurting others • Be good role models
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• Teach children how to interact in positive ways with others • Hold children accountable for hurting others • Be good role models
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MAKING IT RIGHT
All students are both capable and competent in making choices that are in keeping with the kind of people they strive to be. Making mistakes is a natural part of growing and learning. Whereas it is okay to make a mistake in judgement, the question asked of the student is, “Now, what are you going to do to fix it?” With this kind of an approach even misbehaviour can be seen as an opportunity to learn to do better. The responsibility for the action to “make things right” rests with the person or persons who made choices which negatively affected themselves or those around them. Students are encouraged to ask themselves, “What kind of a person do I want to be?”
When working with students who have made mistakes, we encourage and promote actions that will restore relationships between the parties involved, and will help the students become stronger and more capable of handling similar situations appropriately the next time. A good restitution for misbehaviour should take some effort on the part of the offending student. The action taken should be tied to a higher value (e.g. we believe in fairness) so that the child doesn’t see this incident as an isolated event, but rather as part of a larger picture of how people treat each other. Internalizing good choices is the ultimate goal of discipline.
Students in each class are taught conflict resolution skills and other appropriate behavioural skills using the Second Step program and the Personal Safety program. A variety of other resources such as the
First Step to Success, Lion’s-Quest Conflict Management program, the conflict managers program, the anti-bullying program and videos that demonstrate problem solving strategies are used as well to develop these skills. Teachers and other school staff assist students to apply these skills as conflicts arise in various school situations.
|
Expected Behaviour |
Student Responsibility |
Parent/Guardian Responsibility |
School Staff Responsibility |
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3. We will be on time, be prepared to learn, and do our best each day. |
• Arrive in the classroom on time • Attend school regularly except when ill • Have all school supplies and take care of them • Display an “I can” attitude • Set goals • Do your work well and be proud of what you can do • Use time effectively • Get enough sleep • Have a good breakfast and lunch |
• Ensure that your child attends school regularly, (If picking up child, arrive promptly after school) • Ensure sufficient nutrition (limit sweets and “junk” foods) and sleep for your child • Make sure your child is clean and wears clean clothing • Provide needed supplies • Monitor your child so that she/he brings the necessary materials to school • Read correspondence from school • Encourage your child to do his/her best and acknowledge his/her effort and quality work • Teach responsibility • Provide time and a conducive environment for homework |
• Model good attendance and punctuality • Greet students as they arrive in the morning • Record student attendance • Bring our good attitudes to work • Be prepared for the students • Teach curricula • Encourage students to do their best and acknowledge their effort and quality work • Send information home to parents • Monitor students as they leave school to ensure that they take homework, etc with them • Discuss gaps in the adult/child responsibilities with the parents/guardians • Take responsibility for continuous professional growth |
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4. We will speak, act and write respectfully to all students and adults. |
• Use appropriate language and topic • Speak in conversational tones • Use your “company” manners |
• Use appropriate language • Speak in conversational tones • Treat children, other parents/guardians, teachers and school support staff with courtesy, fairness and dignity • Attend meetings and school functions and provide positive input and support for the school • Be good role models for your child establishing positive values and respect for others |
• Use appropriate language • Speak in conversational tones • Treat students, parents/guardians and colleagues with courtesy, fairness and dignity • Be good role models for your students establishing positive values and respect for others |
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Expected Behaviour |
Student Responsibility |
Parent/Guardian Responsibility |
School Staff Responsibility |
|
5. We will solve our problems by talking. |
• Try to solve the problem yourself, or with the help of a friend • Get help from the conflict managers • Talk with an adult if you cannot solve the problem yourself • Deal with the issue without attacking the person • Be willing to listen to the other person’s point of view • Look for win/win solutions |
• Take your concerns directly to the person involved (e.g. If you are concerned about something that your child says happened in class, talk with the classroom teacher first, then with the principal if necessary, etc) • Be willing to listen to the other person’s point of view • Look for win/win solutions |
• Take concerns directly to the person involved (e.g. If you have a concern with the behaviour of a student, speak directly to him/her, then to the parent/guardian, etc) • Deal with the issue without attacking the person • Be willing to listen to the other person’s point of view • Look for win/win solutions |
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6. We will respect all personal and school property. |
• Have the necessary supplies and keep them well organized in your space • Treat the school building, furniture, equipment and materials in a way that does not damage them • Use the internet at school responsibly (only with the permission and supervision of an adult) • Treat the belongings of others with care • Ask for permission before using or taking someone else’s things |
• Teach children to take care of their belongings and hold them accountable for this • Teach children respect for the school and other public property (including how it is paid for by your taxes) • Teach children respect for the property of others • Support the school in helping your child to face the consequences if s/he has damaged or destroyed property |
• Teach children to take care of their belongings and hold them accountable for this • Teach children respect for the property of others • Make the expectations explicit (e.g. vandalism) and hold students accountable • Use email and the internet responsibly and teach children to do the same |
INTERVENTION
There are times when the school staff must intervene to stop certain behaviours. We view this as one way to encourage students to think seriously about their behaviour and how it is affecting others around them. Minor infractions will be handled at the classroom level in conjunction with duty supervisors. For repeated minor infractions or major infractions the principal or acting principal will become involved.
To assist the staff to provide intervention strategies, a record keeping program has been implemented. Any school personnel observing inappropriate behaviour by students anywhere inside the school, outside the school or on the way to or from school will complete a discipline slip and submit it to the child’s classroom teacher. The slip will note the infraction, as well as the time the infraction took place and any circumstances surrounding the incident. The classroom teacher will record the infraction and provide the necessary intervention.
These records will show a student’s infraction history for the school year. This history will be taken into account when assigning consequences for inappropriate behaviours. In cases where a student is not involved in an infraction for a two month period, a new incident may be treated as a first infraction.
HARASSMENT POLICY
Western School Division is committed to protecting its students and its staff from harassment and has adopted an official Freedom From Harassment Policy.
GUIDELINES FOR EATING LUNCH AT SCHOOL
Eating lunch at school is a privilege. We will teach the students what kind of behaviour is expected when staying at school for lunch. We will then expect students to behave accordingly. Inappropriate behaviour while eating at school will result in removal of the student from the classroom.
STEP 1
After the first incident of inappropriate behaviour, the student will eat alone (out of the classroom) at school for one day.
STEP 2
After the second incident of inappropriate behaviour, the student will eat alone at school for five days.
STEP 3
After the third incident of inappropriate behaviour, parents will be asked to make alternate lunch arrangements away from school for five days.
- The parent(s)/guardian(s) will be notified when their child has been involved in inappropriate behaviour during lunch.
- In cases where a student is not involved in an infraction at lunch for a two month period, a new incident may be treated as a first infraction.
In the case of major infractions, steps may be omitted at the discretion of the principal.
GUIDELINES FOR DEALING WITH MINOR INFRACTIONS
Consequences for minor infractions will be determined by the teacher.
When a child persists in choosing the same inappropriate behaviour repeatedly, the teacher may choose to involve the principal or initiate a team response including the parents/guardians.
GUIDELINES FOR DEALING WITH MAJOR INFRACTIONS
The following behaviours are considered to be major infractions because they show significant disrespect for others and/or property:
- Physical contact to cause harm
- Throwing objects to cause harm
- Bullying, threats, harassment or intimidation
- Defiance of authority
- Disrespectful/abusive language
- Inappropriate sexual language or behaviour
- Damaging/stealing property
- Other
Major infractions will result in a conference with the principal or acting principal. There will be a guaranteed response to all major infractions at the discretion of the principal, or acting principal, in consultation with the teacher(s), based upon the child’s age and development, the severity of the incident and the number of major infractions the child has been involved in. The response will always include a reflective time for the child to think about what s/he has done and how it has affected others. The child will be asked to write/draw/dictate an action plan for how to act more appropriately in the future. The list of consequences and strategies on the next page provide exemplars of how we might respond. The school maintains the right to deal with special circumstances in special ways.
The parent(s)/guardian(s) will be informed when their child has been involved in a major infraction. Pink slips will be sent home with the student. Please read them and sign them (to show us that you have seen them) and return them to school the following day.
CONSEQUENCES AND STRATEGIES
The following are examples of consequences and/or strategies that may be considered in response to inappropriate behaviour:
- Informal/formal interview with child
- Make an apology
- Phone call home by student/teacher/principal
- Outdoor recess with restrictions (e.g. remain on brick area, out when classmates are in, walk with the duty supervisor)
- Loss of a privilege (e.g. intramurals, outdoor recess)
- Time out
- Detention at noon (School Board policy prohibits this at recess)
- Carry out a restitution chosen by the child
- Teacher/student/parent/guardian/principal conference
- Involvement of school counsellor
- Make amends monetarily or through school-based community service
- Out of class/In-school suspension
- Develop and implement an IBP (Individual Behaviour Plan) or IEP (Individual Education Plan)
- Out-of-school suspension
- Threat assessment (likelihood of person to harm self or others)
- Involvement of school division support services/community agencies and/or police
- Alternative educational settings
- Other