Code of Conduct

Mission

At Brechin Elementary School we are dedicated to working together within a safe, caring, and orderly learning environment to enable all students to reach their full potential as life-long learners and contributing global citizens. We are committed to nurturing respectful, healthy, working partnerships with our families and our neighbouring community.

Values

At Brechin Elementary School we value respect for others, respect for learning and respect for the environment and ourselves. We teach, model and practice these guidelines:

• Be Responsible
• Be Respectful
• Be Cooperative
• Be Safe
• Be a Ready Learner

Vision

Our vision is for our students to reach their full potential as caring, self-motivated people with good self-esteem and high standards. Our students are preparing to be contributing members of the global community through the development of life-long learning skills while developing empathy for others.

Brechin Elementary School Code of Conduct

Purpose

• To establish and maintain a safe, caring and orderly environment for purposeful learning.
• To clarify and publish expectations for student behaviour at school, going to and from school, and while attending any school function or activity at any location.
• To promote the values expressed in the BC Human Rights Code respecting the rights of all individuals (see SD68 Website for complete information)
• To outline our School Wide Behavior Management Plan.

Conduct Expectations

Specific conduct expectations for safe, responsible, respectful, cooperative and ready learning behaviours are outlined in the positive behaviour matrix. The behaviours are taught, practiced and modeled by all staff and students.

Acceptable Behaviour for Brechin Students

• Respect self, others, the learning environment and the environment.
• Attend school regularly and on time.
• Engage in purposeful learning activities in a timely manner.
• Help to make the school a safe, caring and orderly place.
• Inform an adult, in a timely manner of incidents of bullying, harassment or intimidation.
• Act in a manner that brings credit to Brechin Elementary School.
  

Unacceptable Behaviour for Brechin Elementary Students

Examples of such undesirable behaviour would include but are not limited to:

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 an incident.
• Discrimination, as outlined in the BC Human Rights Code, based on race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex or sexual orientation.

Illegal acts, such as:

• Possession, use or distribution of illegal or restricted substances.
• Possession or use of weapons.
• Theft of or damage to property.

These expectations apply to behaviour at school, during school-organized or sponsored activities, and behaviour beyond these times (including on-line behaviour) that negatively impacts the safe, caring or orderly environment of the school, and/or student learning.

INCREASING EXPECTATIONS AS STUDENTS MOVE INTO HIGHER GRADES

As school is a place of ongoing learning, the expectations for acceptable behaviour increase for students as they become older and more mature and move through the successive grades. Therefore students will be expected to demonstrate:

• Increasing personal responsibility and self-discipline.

And will receive:

• Increasing consequences and restitution for inappropriate behaviour.

Consequences

The severity and frequency of unacceptable conduct, as well as the age and maturity of the student will be taken into consideration in determining appropriate consequences for unacceptable behaviour. The consequences are

• Pre-planned, consistent and fair.
• Preventative and restorative rather than punitive wherever possible.
• Created with the direct involvement of the student so that they are purposeful and meaningful.

Please note: Special circumstances may apply to students with special needs if these students are unable to comply with the Code of Conduct due to a disability of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional or behavioural nature.

Minor Misbehaviour/Incidents

A. Students who make choices that interfere with the learning of others, are unkind or disrespectful or are unsafe will:

1. Participate in a problem solving discussion with an adult. The student, with support, will describe what behaviour needs to be changed and will be assisted in making a better choice. The student/staff discussion will be done in a respectful, quiet manner, with the emphasis on reinforcing the use of W.I.T.S. (walk away, ignore the behaviour, talk it out or seek help) to solve the problem.

B. If not effective:

2. The student will walk with an adult to observe other students playing or will be moved to a location that is a better choice for the student to be successful (in classroom or on the playground). The adult/student will discuss the problem with statements such as “I am noticing that you need additional support in making a better choice so I am …”.

C. If not effective:

3. The adult will have a ‘one on one’ dialogue (“I am concerned, I have watched you push another student and not stop after I have asked that you do so”) and provide the student with a time out to think about making a better choice (“When you are able to stop pushing you may try again”). The minor incident will be recorded in the office for documentation purposes. Students may attend the support room or be sent to a triad classroom for a time out or to complete a think paper at this time as well.

Escalating Misbehaviour and/or Major Incidents

Students who continue to make choices that are unsafe, irresponsible, uncooperative, disrespectful, or fail to demonstrate ready learning after steps 1, 2 and 3 have been used OR who have received five (5) or more “Minor Incident” notations may be referred to the office.

First referral:

1. A referral form must be filled out by the sending adult.
2. A problem solving session will be conducted. Student(s) will identify where they could have made better choices, where they need to apologize and what needs to happen to make things right. School privileges may be withdrawn for a period of time.
3. The student and/or staff member will phone home and inform parents if possible.
4. The referral form will go home for signature and returned.

Second referral:

1. (steps 1 and 2)
3. The principal will contact the parents and may set up a meeting at school to discuss the matter in person.
4. School privileges will be withdrawn for a longer period of time.
5. The counselor may be involved and a specific behaviour plan may be developed.

Suspension:

For severe offences the student is brought to the office, the parent is contacted by the school and a formal letter of suspension describing the incident, the length of the suspension (usually 1-5 days) and the plan of restitution and responsibilities (work, letters of understanding or apology etc.) will be written. A re-entry meeting will be held prior to the student returning to school after a suspension. Please refer to the School District website for the policy on suspensions.

Notification

School Officials have a responsibility to advise other parents of serious breaches of this code of conduct.

• Parents of student offender(s) in every serious incident.
• Parents of student victim(s) in every serious incident.
• School District Officials as required by school District Policy.
• Police and/or other agencies as required by law.
• All parents when deemed to be important to reassure community members that school officials are aware of a serious situation or incident and are taking appropriate action to address it.

School staff members may involve parents earlier.
Parents are always encouraged to call the school if they have any concerns or questions.

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