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Code of Conduct

MISSION

We provide inclusive, innovative, and engaging educational programming in a safe and caring environment.

CODE OF CONDUCT

The purpose of the code of conduct is to promote a safe, caring, and inclusive school culture where high levels of achievement occur within a positive school environment. River East Transcona School Division believes everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.

Division staff, students, parents/guardians and community members will promote the development of beliefs and attitudes that foster a safe, caring, and inclusive learning environment. Staff, students, parents/guardians, and community members are to behave in a respectful manner and comply with the code of conduct.

  • An active student voice will be encouraged in all schools.
  • Community-school initiatives will be encouraged.
  • A continuum of supports and services will be used to address the unique academic and behavioural needs of students.
  • Problem-solving and conflict-management skills will be developed.
  • Parents/guardians will initiate discussion about their child through the classroom teacher or school administration.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The division believes all staff, students, and parents/guardians have a responsibility to maintain a safe, caring, and inclusive environment.

Principals will:

  • Act as the disciplinary authority over the conduct of students while they are at school, on their way to and from school, and being transported by school bus.
  • Address unacceptable student conduct, including bullying, cyberbullying, and abuse of another student.
  • Notify the parents/guardians, as soon as reasonably possible, when it’s believed the student has been harmed as a result of unacceptable behaviour.

Staff will:

  • Provide relevant learning experiences based on the diverse needs of students.
  • Approach the education of students in a respectful manner.
  • Provide a classroom environment that is safe, caring, and inclusive.
  • Participate in creating a positive school culture.
  • Communicate information about student progress, attendance, and behaviour to students, parents/guardians, and administration.
  • Respect and demonstrate consideration for other cultures.
  • Respect confidential information about students and staff.
  • Support and implement proactive and reactive intervention strategies offered through a continuum of supports and services.

Students will:

  • Be polite, respectful, and co-operative to all people within the school community.
  • Develop self-discipline.
  • Resolve interpersonal conflicts and difficulties through discussions or by seeking assistance from school staff.
  • Demonstrate and support a safe, caring, and inclusive school environment.
  • Respect that fellow students have a right to a school environment free from violence.
  • Respect school property and the personal property of others.
  • Dress appropriately according to the RETSD dress code policy.

Parents/guardians will:

  • Recognize the authority of school staff to provide a safe, caring, and inclusive environment.
  • Communicate regularly with the school staff and advocate for their child’s success.
  • Ensure regular, punctual attendance and contact school staff when their child is absent.
  • Support and work collaboratively with school staff to ensure their child’s success and appropriate behaviour.
  • Encourage the peaceful resolution of conflict and discourage disrespectful, violent, or aggressive behaviour to solve a problem.

PROACTIVE STRATEGIES

The teaching and learning of expected student behaviour is an important part of being proactive and preventative. Staff and parents/guardians, as well as school plans, will encourage participation in activities that promote a safe, caring, and inclusive environment.

The following are the key components in promoting a positive school climate. School staff will:

  • Participate in creating a positive school culture.
  • Implement a continuum of schoolwide behavioural supports.
  • Develop, maintain, and strengthen their working relationships with parents/guardians, community members, and organizations.
  • Employ active supervision.
  • Implement validated prevention and intervention programs.

INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

The division believes effective student management teaches students appropriate behaviour and incorporates an appropriate range of consequences.

The division will apply a wide range of consequences for behaviour that interferes with safety, learning, and work. Which consequences are applied will depend on the severity of the incident, the diverse needs of the student, and the frequency of the behaviour. The following is a list of some options available when working with students regarding their behaviour:

Informal Interview

School staff talk with the student to reach an agreement regarding the student’s behaviour. The parents/guardians will be contacted, as required.

Parental Involvement

Contact might be made with the parents/guardians to discuss the specific behaviour of the student and steps that are necessary to change the behaviour unless police direct otherwise. The nature of contact could vary from a telephone conversation to a formal conference at the school with the parents/ guardians, the student, and school staff.

Student Involvement

Students who are 18 years of age or older must give their consent before parents are informed of the student’s behaviour.

Formal Interview

A conference is held with the student, the school team, and the parents/guardians to develop a plan for changing the student’s behaviour.

School-Based Student Services Staff Involvement

School-based student services staff may consult with divisional support staff when developing a behaviour intervention plan. Parents/guardians will be involved.

Detention

The student is detained at school for inappropriate behaviour. When detention exceeds 15 minutes beyond the regular school hours or causes a student to miss a school bus, the parents/ guardians will be informed.

Withdrawal from Classroom Setting

The student is temporarily removed to an alternate, supervised location to complete their assignments when inappropriate behaviour is deemed to have a negative impact on the classroom environment.

Removal of Privileges

The student’s privileges are removed under certain circumstances and can include restriction of access to the playground, library, cafeteria, lunchroom, or extracurricular activities.

Restitution

The student and/or parents/guardians are required to compensate for damages caused by the student.

Behavioural/Performance Contract

In some instances, the student may be required to meet specific behavioural outcomes identified in a written contract. Such expectations are developed and agreed upon by the school, the parents/guardians, and the student. Such an agreement is documented with copies provided to all concerned parties.

Division-Based Student Services Staff Involvement

Division-based student services staff might become involved to assist in developing appropriate proactive and reactive approaches for unacceptable behaviour. This plan might include a level of counselling or supports for the student that is beyond the school staff’s capabilities. Parental/guardian permission will be obtained for assessments and/or interventions.

Outside Agency Involvement

In some circumstances, the student’s behaviour may involve violation of the law (e.g. drugs, theft, or assault) and police involvement will be required; parents/guardians will be informed immediately of such action, unless police direct otherwise. Other circumstances may require a referral to Manitoba Child and Family Services or other community-based programs/agencies. In all circumstances, the safety of the student and others will be the key factor for determining such action.

Suspension

Suspension is the temporary stopping of a student’s right to attend school. When a student’s conduct is deemed injurious to the welfare of the school or the school’s educational purpose, suspension is sometimes necessary to ensure the safety of other students in the school. Suspensions are applied when other disciplinary measures have been found to be ineffective or when the student’s behaviour disrupts the learning of others, endangers fellow students, teachers or school officials, or damages property.

In-School Suspension

School administrators might assign a student to an in-school suspension. Teachers will provide the student with appropriate work during the in-school suspension. Parents/guardians will be contacted when such action is taken.

Out-of-School Suspension

The following staff may approve an out-of-school suspension:

  • A teacher may suspend a student from class for not more than two days.
  • A principal may suspend a student from school for not more than five days.
  • A superintendent or designate may suspend a student from school for not more than six weeks.

Expulsion

Expulsion is applied when a student’s behaviour has been a serious danger to other students, teachers, school officials, or school property, or when the behaviour has been shown to be habitual. Expulsion is a function of the board of trustees.

Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA)

The purpose of the VTRA process is to use the best knowledge, skill, and experience available to assess high-risk threatening behaviours so appropriate interventions can be identified to protect individuals from harm and ensure a climate of safety in schools and the community.

All high-risk behaviours will be taken seriously and high-risk students will be assessed accordingly. When a high-risk threat to self-harm or harm others occurs, it is essential to assess safety, put in place required interventions to analyze appropriate next steps and determine appropriate consequences.

No student who has posed a threat of harm to themself or others will be permitted to attend school until safety concerns have been addressed.

APPEAL PROCESS

River East Transcona School Division recognizes that, on occasion, concerns may arise. Parents/guardians of students may raise their concerns or appeal decisions as follows:

Appeals of Disciplinary Decisions

Students and parents/guardians must follow the board of trustees’ established appeal process:

  1. The decision of a teacher is first to be discussed with the teacher. If the parties are unable to arrive at an agreeable solution, this decision may be appealed to the principal.
  2. The decision of the principal may be appealed to the assistant superintendent.
  3. The decision of the assistant superintendent may be appealed to the superintendent.
  4. The decision of the superintendent may be appealed to the board of trustees. A letter outlining the concerns should be sent to the board of trustees in care of the board chair.
  5. Exceptions are suspensions in excess of five days and expulsions. In these cases, the appeal goes directly to the board of trustees. These are explained below.

Appeals of Suspensions or Expulsions

  • For suspensions over five days, parents/guardians have the right to make presentations to the board of trustees.
  • The board of trustees has the authority to confirm or modify the suspension or reinstate the student.
  • Parents/guardians have the right to appeal a student expulsion to the board of trustees.

SAFE & CARING SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

As citizens, we share a responsibility to work together to provide school environments where all students feel safe and respected, thereby allowing them to reach their full potential. River East Transcona School Division is committed to fostering inclusion for all people.

The RETSD Code of Conduct is consistent with the Safe Schools Charter of Manitoba (Province of Manitoba, S.M. 2004. c. 24), which sets forth guidelines that apply to student and staff behaviour. Behaviours that will not be tolerated in schools and that will be dealt with immediately include but are not limited to the following:

  • Bullying: a behaviour that is intended to cause or should be known to cause fear, intimidation, humiliation, distress, or other forms of harm to another person’s body, feelings, self-esteem, reputation, or property. It is also behaviour that is intended to create or should be known to create a negative school environment for another person.
  • Cyberbullying: bullying by means of any form of electronic communication, including social media, text messaging, instant messaging, websites, or email.
  • Abusing physically, sexually, or psychologically in writing, verbally, or otherwise.
  • Inappropriate use of email, the internet, digital cameras, cellphones, cellphone cameras, text messaging sent by cellphone, or other personal electronic communication devices, including accessing, uploading, downloading, or distributing material the school has determined objectionable; students taking photos, video recordings, audio recordings, or images of staff or students on school property without the permission of authorized school personnel.
  • Discriminating unreasonably on the basis of any characteristic set out in subsection 9 (2) of the Manitoba Human Rights Code.
  • Using, possessing, or being under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, or illicit drugs at school.
  • Gang involvement on school property.
  • Possessing a weapon as “weapon” is defined in Section 2 of Canada’s Criminal Code.

REFERENCES

Applicable Policies Include:

This code of conduct serves as fair notice that incidents of threat to self-harm or harm others will be actively investigated. Because of the serious nature of such incidents, the investigation will continue even if the parents/guardians cannot immediately be contacted. Continued efforts will be made to contact the parents/guardians.

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