Code of Conduct/Behaviour

 Standards of Behaviour

 All members of the Catholic school community must:

•  Respect and comply with all applicable federal, provincial, and municipal laws including the teachings and laws of the Catholic Church
• Demonstrate honesty and integrity
• Respect differences in people, their ideas, and their opinions
• Treat one another with dignity and respect at all times, and especially when there is disagreement
• Respect and treat others fairly, regardless of, for example, race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or 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 assistance from a member of the school staff, if necessary, to resolve conflict peacefully
• Respect all members of the school community, especially persons in positions of authority
• Respect the need of others to work in an environment that is conducive to learning and teaching
• Not swear at a teacher or at another person in a position of authority

Safety

All members of the Catholic school community, including volunteers and visitors, must not:

• Engage in bullying behaviours
• Commit sexual assault
• Traffic weapons or illegal drugs
• Give alcohol to a minor
• Commit robbery
• Be in possession of any weapon, including firearms
• Use any object to threaten or intimidate another person
• Cause injury to any person with an object
• Be in possession of, be under the influence of, or provide others with alcohol or illegal drugs
• Inflict or encourage others to inflict bodily harm on another person
• Engage in hate propaganda and other forms of behaviour motivated by hate or bias
• Commit an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to school property or to property located on the premises of the school
• Use electronic devices during instructional activities unless such equipment is deemed necessary to achieve curriculum expectations of a Catholic school

Roles and Responsibilities

Principals

Under the direction of the 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 academic excellence in a safe teaching and learning environment
• Holding everyone under their authority accountable for his or her behaviour and actions
• Empowering students to be positive leaders in their school and community
• Communicating regularly and meaningfully with all members of their school community

Teachers and Other School Staff Members

Under the leadership of the principal, teachers and other school staff members maintain order in the school and are expected to hold everyone to the highest standard of respectful and responsible behaviour. As role models, teachers and school staff uphold these high standards when they:

• Help students work to their full 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
• Maintain consistent standards of behaviour for all students
• Demonstrate respect for all students, staff, parents, volunteers, and the members of the school community
• Prepare students for the full responsibilities of citizenship

Students

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. Respect and responsibility are demonstrated when a student:

• Comes to school prepared, on time, and ready to learn
• Shows respect for himself or herself, for others, and for those in authority
• Refrains from bringing anything to school that may compromise the safety of others
• Follows the established rules and takes responsibility for his or her own actions. 

Parents

Parents play an important role in the education of their children and can support the efforts of school staff in maintaining a safe and respectful learning environment for all students. Parents fulfill their role when they:

• Show an active interest in their child's schoolwork and progress
•  Communicate regularly with the school
•  Help their child be neat, 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
• Show that they are familiar with the provincial Code of Conduct, the Board's Code of Conduct, and school rules
• Encourage and assist their child in following the rules of behavior
• Assist school staff in dealing with disciplinary issues involving their child

Community Partners and the Police

In keeping with the mission and tradition of the Catholic school, partnerships are already in place with home and parishes, and new partnerships with community agencies and members of the community (e.g., Aboriginal Elders) may also be created. Community agencies are resources that schools can use to deliver prevention or intervention programs. These partnerships must respect all applicable collective agreements.

The police play an essential role in making our Catholic schools and communities safer. The police investigate incidents in accordance with the protocol developed with the Board and police services within the jurisdiction.