School Code of Conduct
KORTRIGHT HILLS PUBLIC SCHOOL Updated: June 2024
CODE OF CONDUCT
GOAL
It is the policy of the Upper Grand District School Board to maintain a safe and inclusive
learning and teaching environment through the adoption of a Code of Conduct which
promotes responsibility, respect, civility, and academic excellence, and sets clear
standards of behaviour for all members of the school community. The goal is to create
a positive school climate where all members of the school community feel safe, included
and accepted.
INTRODUCTION
Our school Code of Conduct is based upon the provincial Code of Conduct and the
Upper Grand District School Board Code of Conduct (Policy 213), which apply to all
members of the school community; students, administrators, staff, parents and
guardians, community users, visitors, volunteers, etc. while on all school and board
property, school buses, at school-authorized events, and off site at school-sponsored
activities.
RIGHTS
Student rights include:
● to be treated with dignity and respect
● to be provided with activities that are success oriented and build on individual
strengths
● to receive a quality education
Parent rights include:
● to be treated with dignity and respect
● to be heard and to have concerns addressed
● to communicate with the school
Staff rights include:
● to be treated with dignity and respect
● to have a safe working environment
● to expect parents and students to be involved in creating a positive school
environment
STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR
A) Respect, Civility and Responsible Citizenship
All members of the school community must:
● respect and comply with all applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws
● respect and comply with all Ministry of Education, school board, and school
policies
● demonstrate honesty and integrity
● respect differences in people, their ideas and their opinions
● treat one another with dignity and respect at all times, both in person and online,
especially where there is disagreement or difference
● respect and treat others fairly, regardless of age, sex, gender identity, gender
expression, sexual orientation, race, colour, place of origin, culture, citizenship,
ancestry, origin, religion, creed, family status, marital status, socio-economic
status, employment, housing, disability
● respect the rights of others
● show proper care and regard for school property and the property of others
● take appropriate measures to help those in need
● seek school staff assistance, if necessary, to resolve conflict peacefully
● respect all members of the school community, especially persons who are in a
position of authority
● respect the needs of others to work in an environment that is conducive to
learning and teaching
● not use abusive language or swear at another person
● not use personal mobile devices during instructional time except under the
following circumstances:
○ for educational purposes, as directed by an educator
○ for health and medical purpose
○ to support special education needs
Students in Grades 7-12
Personal mobile devices must be stored out of view and powered off or set to
silent mode during instructional time, except when their use is explicitly
permitted by the educator.
Students in Grades 6 and below
Personal mobile devices must be stored out of view and powered off or set to
silent mode throughout the full instructional day, except when their use is
explicitly permitted by the educator.
B) SAFETY
All members of the school community must not:
● engage in bullying or cyber-bullying behaviours
Definition of bullying:
As defined in section 1 of the Education Act, bullying means aggressive and typically
repeated behaviour by a pupil where,
a) the behaviour is intended by the pupil to have the effect of, or the pupil ought
to know that the behaviour would be likely to have the effect of,
i) causing harm, fear or distress to another individual, including
physical, psychological, social or academic harm, harm to the
individual’s reputation or harm to the individual’s property, or
ii) creating a negative environment at a school for another individual,
and
b) The behaviour occurs in a context where there is a real or perceived power
imbalance between pupil and the individual based on factors such as size,
strength, age, intelligence, peer group power, economic status, social status,
religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, family circumstances, gender,
gender identity, gender expression, race, disability or the receipt of special
education
c) Cyber-bullying as defined in section 1 of the Education Act, is bullying by
electronic means including,
a) creating a webpage or a blog in which the creator assumes the identity of
another person
b) impersonating another person as the author of content or messages
posted on the internet; and
c) communicating material electronically to more than one individual or
posting material on a website that may be accessed by one or more
individuals
● commit sexual assault or sexual harassment
● traffic in weapons or illegal drugs
● give alcohol or cannabis to a minor
● commit robbery or theft
● be in possession of any weapon, including firearms
● threaten or intimidate another person
● cause injury to any person with an object
● be in possession of alcohol, cannabis (unless a medical cannabis user), or illegal
drugs
o Students must also not be in possession of electronic cigarette, tobacco or
nicotine products.
● use, or be under the influence of, alcohol, cannabis (unless a medical cannabis
user), tobacco, electronic cigarettes, illegal drugs or related products
● provide others with alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, electronic cigarette, cannabis
or related products
● inflict, or encourage others to inflict, bodily harm on another person
● engage in hate propaganda and other forms of behaviour motivated by bias,
prejudice or hate
● commit an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to school property, to
property located on the premises of a school or board facility, to the property of a
member of the school community
STUDENT ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES
Students are to be treated with respect and dignity. In return, they must demonstrate
respect for themselves, for others, and for the responsibilities of citizenship through
acceptable behaviour and adherence to the board and school codes of conduct.
All students will:
● come to school prepared, on time and ready to learn
● show respect for themselves, and for others, and for those in positions of
authority
● refrain from bringing anything to school that may compromise the safety of others
● follow the established rules and accept responsibility for their own actions
STAFF ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES
The Principal
Under the direction of the school board, principals take a leadership role in the daily
operation of a school. They provide this leadership by:
● demonstrating care for the school community and a commitment to student
achievement and well-being in a safe, inclusive, and accepting learning
environment
● holding everyone under their authority accountable for their own behaviour and
actions
● empowering students to be positive leaders in their school and community
● communicating regularly and meaningfully with all members of the school’s
community
● ensuring that a school Code of Conduct, based on the provincial Code of
Conduct and board’s Code of Conduct, is developed and communicated annually
to the school community
o Communications shall highlight the restrictions and requirements for
personal mobile device use and the consequences of non-compliance.
● modeling the standards of respect, civility and responsible citizenship
● reviewing the school Code of Conduct at least once every three years, and seek
input from school councils, staff, students, parents and guardians, and the school
community on the review
Educators and School Staff
Under the leadership of their principals, educators and other school staff maintain a
positive learning environment and are expected to hold everyone to the highest
standard of respectful and responsible behaviour. As role models, educators and other
school staff uphold these high standards when they:
● help students work to fulfill their potential, and develop their sense of self-worth
● empower students to be positive leaders in their classroom, school and
community
● communicate regularly and meaningfully with parents and guardians
● maintain consistent and fair standards of behaviour for all students
● demonstrate respect for one another, all students, parents, volunteers, and other
members of the school community
● prepare students for the full responsibilities of citizenship, in particular the skill of
respectful communication, both in person and online
● model the standards of respect, civility, and responsible citizenship. This includes
modeling appropriate use of personal mobile devices. Educators are not to use
personal mobile devices during instructional time, unless explicitly for work-
related purposes.
PARENTAL ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES
Parents play an important role in the education of their children and can support the
efforts of school staff in maintaining a safe, inclusive, accepting, and respectful learning
environment for all students. Parents fulfill their role when they:
● demonstrate respect for all members of the school community
● support the efforts of school staff in maintaining a safe and respectful learning
environment
● are engaged in their child’s schoolwork and progress
● communicate regularly with their child’s school
● help their child be appropriately dressed and prepared for school
● ensure that their child attends school regularly and on time
● promptly report to the school their child’s absence or late arrival
● become familiar with the provincial Code of Conduct, the board’s Code of
Conduct, and the school’s Code of Conduct
● encourage and assist their child in following the board and school codes of
conduct
● assist school staff in dealing with disciplinary issues involving their child
APPROPRIATE DRESS
Appropriate dress shall be free of images, logos or language that portray ethnic
prejudice, racism, sexism, vulgarity, gang-related markings, obscenities, profanity, hate
speech or pornography, or reference alcohol, drugs or related paraphernalia, or other
illegal conduct or activities.
Dress code implies a range of approved apparel and/or general dress protocols that are
deemed appropriate for students regardless of their race, age, ability, sex, gender
identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance,
socio-economic circumstances, or body type/size.
Please refer to the UGDSB Student Dress Code guidelines.
POLICE SERVICES ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES
Police services play an essential role in making our schools and communities safer.
The police investigate incidents in accordance with the guidelines established in the
COMMUNITY PARTNERS ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES
Community-based service providers are resources that boards can use to deliver
prevention or intervention programs. Protocols and collaborative agreements are
effective ways of establishing linkages between boards and community-based service
providers and of formalizing the relationship between them. These partnerships must
respect all applicable collective agreements.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHOOL’S CODE OF CONDUCT
Safe Schools Policy 503 (Student Discipline, Bullying Prevention and Intervention,
Suspension and Expulsion) provides direction to the school Code of Conduct in order to
support and maintain a positive school climate for all students, staff, and community.
The school Code of Conduct supports the use of positive practices, including prevention
and early intervention, as well as consequences for inappropriate behaviour. This
includes Progressive Discipline, and suspension and expulsion where necessary.
Before applying disciplinary measures, the discriminatory and disproportionate impacts
of disciplinary decisions on students protected by the Human Rights Code shall be
considered.
PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE
Progressive Discipline is a whole school approach that makes use of a continuum of
prevention programs, interventions, supports, and consequences to promote positive
behaviours. In developing a Progressive Discipline approach, preventative practices,
corrective and supportive strategies are used to reinforce positive behaviours. These
approaches build skills for healthy relationships and promote positive behaviours.
CONSEQUENCES
The school will use a range of interventions, supports and consequences that include
learning opportunities for reinforcing positive behaviour while helping students to make
good choices.
In addressing inappropriate behaviour by students, schools will:
● utilize appropriate and consistent action to address inappropriate behaviours
within the practice of Progressive Discipline
● ensure the degree of disciplinary action is in proportion to the severity of the
behaviour exhibited, and that a student’s previous history and other relevant
factors are taken into account
● provide students with experience using conflict resolution, anger management
and communication skills
● document incidents requiring disciplinary measures
● consider mitigating factors
● make contact with parents and guardians of students under the age of eighteen,
or students over the age of 18 or those 16 or 17 years old who have withdrawn
from parental control (adult students), early in the disciplinary process and
involve them in a plan to improve the student’s behaviour until the behaviour is
acceptable; and/or
● utilize consequences such as short-term suspension, and respond as required
with long-term suspension or expulsion
The application of consequences, supports and interventions are determined by the
incident and the individual students involved. Consequences, supports and
interventions used include and are not limited to:
Examples of Consequences:
● verbal reminder
● warning
● review of expectations/rules
● written or verbal apology
● phone call home
● student contract sheet
● restitution
● in-school community service
● loss of in-school privileges
● loss of field trip privileges
● suspension from the bus
● suspension
● expulsion
Examples of Supports/Interventions:
● problem solving discussion with P/VP
● conflict mediation
● social stories
● discussion with parents (next steps, solutions)
● restorative justice with others involved
● Child and Youth Counsellor support
● positive reward system
● Attendance Counsellor support
● Student/teacher parent meeting
● case conference with school staff and/or Board
consultants
● referral to outside agencies
● Suspension/Expulsion Program
SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION
To maintain a safe and effective learning environment, suspensions and expulsions
may be imposed not only to deter inappropriate behaviour, but also to remove
individuals who pose a threat to the safety and well-being of others. The provincial
Code of Conduct specifies that for student actions that do not comply with the provincial
Standards of Behaviour, suspension and expulsion may be considered. The board’s
Safe Schools Policy (Policy 503) sets out the process for suspension and expulsion.
This policy specifies the student actions that may result in the principal imposing a
suspension, as well as the student actions that will result in the principal imposing a
suspension and considering an expulsion pending an investigation of the incident.
MITIGATING FACTORS
The principal will consider the following mitigating factors when considering the length of a suspension:
● whether the student has the ability to control their behaviour
● whether the student has the ability to understand the foreseeable consequences
of their behaviour
● whether the student’s continuing presence in the school does or does not create
an unacceptable risk to the safety of any other individual at the school
The principal will also consider the following factors:
● the student’s academic, discipline and personal history
● whether other Progressive Discipline has been attempted with the student, and if
so, the Progressive Discipline approach(es) that has/have been attempted and
any success or failure
● whether the infraction for which the student might be disciplined was related to
any harassment of the student because of race, colour, ethnic origin, place of
origin, religion, creed, disability, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation,
socio-economic status, citizenship, marital status, age, culture or harassment for
any other reason
● the impact of the discipline on the student’s prospects for further education
● the student’s age
INFRACTIONS THAT MAY LEAD TO A SUSPENSION
Police may be involved, and a suspension may be imposed for one of the following
infractions which has occurred on school property, during a school related activity or
event, and/or in circumstances where the infraction has an impact on the school
climate:
● uttering a threat, either verbal or written, to inflict serious bodily harm on another
person
● possessing alcohol or illegal drugs or, unless the student is a medical cannabis
user, cannabis
● being under the influence of alcohol or, unless the student is a medical cannabis
user, cannabis
● 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, including cyber bullying
● any activity that contravenes the board’s or school’s Code of Conduct
● committing physical assault on another person that does not require treatment by
a medical practitioner
● habitual neglect of duty
● not having an up-to-date medical/immunization record
INFRACTIONS FOR WHICH A PRINCIPAL SHALL IMPOSE A SUSPENSION, AND
MAY CONSIDER RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD THAT A STUDENT BE
EXPELLED
Police may be involved, and a student will be immediately suspended, an investigation
will occur and may lead to a recommendation of expulsion to the board’s Student
Discipline Committee for one of the following infractions which has occurred on school
property, during a school related activity or event, and/or in circumstances where the
infraction has an impact on the school climate:
● possessing a weapon, including a firearm
● using a weapon to cause or to threaten bodily harm to another person
● committing physical assault on another person that causes bodily harm requiring
treatment by a medical practitioner
● committing sexual assault
● trafficking in weapons or illegal drugs
● committing robbery
● giving alcohol or cannabis to a minor
● persistent bullying, if the pupil has previously been suspended for bullying, and
the pupil’s continuing presence in the school creates an unacceptable risk to the
safety of another person
● an activity that is motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on race, colour,
national or ethnic origin, language, religion, sex, age, mental or physical
disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or another
similar factor
Please review Policy 503 for additional information.