Code of Conduct

CODE OF CONDUCT

Voyageur is a caring, respectful, and safe school. We are a compassionate community of learners.  We believe all kids can learn and thrive in our school and community. Voyageur staff members focus on teaching and supporting our students with their self-regulation. Self-regulation is the ability to remain calm, focused and alert.

 

Safe & Caring Schools are Free from Acts of:

  • ¨ bullying, cyber-bullying, harassment and marginalization
  • ¨ threat and intimidation, violence in any form and abuse in any form
  • discrimination in any form based on race,  ancestry, place of origin, gender, sexual          orientation, gender identity or expression,  religion, marital status, family status, physical disability, or mental disability, and age (as set out in B.C. Human Rights Code and Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms).
  • retribution against a person who has reported incidents.
  • misuse of cyberspace/cell phones/electronic   devices/computers—students are to be aware that they may be subject to discipline (or, if applicable, confiscation of personal property) for misuse of technology if it negatively impacts the school environment.

BC Human Rights Code

Voyageur Elementary School promotes the values expressed in the BC Human Rights Code, respecting the rights of all individuals in accordance with the law — prohibiting discrimination based on race, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status,   family status, physical or mental disability, gender, or sexual orientation, gender    identity or expression and age — in      respect of discriminatory publication and discrimination in accommodation, service and facility in the school environment.

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of Voyageur School’s code of conduct is to establish and maintain a safe, caring and orderly school that will enable purposeful learning and positive social development for all students.  At Voyageur, we believe effective discipline is about teaching the students to be kind and caring citizens.  We believe in being proactive and positive with all children at Voyageur.  We believe that through the discipline process, students will learn caring behaviors that are restorative.

 

Unacceptable Conduct & Consequences

Unacceptable Behaviors: Name-calling, spitting, classroom disruption, hands-on, excluding others, going out of bounds without permission, littering, disrespectful hallway/assembly behavior, inappropriate use of technology.

Consequences may include Verbal reminder/conversation, student removed from   situation or activity, community    service specific to the infraction, recess or noon hour detention, confiscation of      property, child phones home, note in     planner, written   apology, written reflection, school jobs, projects, posters, thinking    papers, restitution, conflict resolution    discussion.

Major Unacceptable Behaviors

Fighting, swearing, snowball/rock throwing, vandalism, theft, threats, acts that compromise safety, repetitive minor             infractions, repetitive disrespectful behavior, all forms of bullying, harassment, Intimidation, violent behavior, inappropriate use of technology.

Consequences may include Principal involvement, parent notification, detentions, loss of privileges, in-school suspensions, out-of-school suspensions, documentation in student file, police involvement.

Unacceptable Conduct 

Unacceptable behaviors do not follow the guidelines of behaviors in the school environment.  Examples include:

- interfering with the learning of others

- interfering with an orderly school

- unsafe behaviors

Mean/Rude is not thinking about what we say or how we say; disrespectful.

Conflict is a disagreement or a difference of opinion or   interests between equals resulting in unacceptable conduct. The people involved in a conflict may disagree strongly and   emotions may run high. 

Bullying is when a person is the target, over time, of repeated negative actions. This occurs when there is a perceived power imbalance so the person being victimized feels that they are powerless. 

Acts of bullying may include:

- physical aggression (pushing, grabbing, hitting, pinching, spitting, tripping)

- social alienation (gossiping, embarrassing others, ethnic slurs, excluding others)

- verbal aggression (put-downs, swearing at others, threatening others)

- retaliation against someone who has reported bullying

- cyber bullying, Student use of social media at school is prohibited.

Procedures

Each incident will be treated on its own merit with consideration given to the students’ age, maturity and extenuating circumstances where applicable.

1. For minor infractions, staff will be responsible for intervening and assigning consequences.

2. For major infractions, the principal will be involved in the process. Parents may be contacted.

 

Conduct Expectations

There is an expectation that Voyageur students will demonstrate caring, respectful, and safe behavior while they are at school, are going to and from school, and while attending any school function at any location.  Some examples are listed for each:

Caring

     Students will be caring by displaying kindness and concern for others.

Respectful     

     Students will by demonstrate RESPECT FOR THEMSELVES by being the best they can be, by completing their work to the best of their ability, and by asking for help if they need it.

     Students will demonstrate respectful behaviours by TREATING OTHERS as they would like to be treated, by listening to others, by using respectful language, and by caring for school property and the environment.

     Students will demonstrate RESPECT by ENCOURAGING others to join in their games, being inclusive, being polite, and accepting and celebrating diversity.

Safe    

     Students will demonstrate SAFETY by walking in the school, keeping hands and feet to themselves, alerting adults of safety issues in the school and on the playground, and using materials and equipment in the intended manner.