Administrative Procedure 909 – Code of Conduct
Standards of Behaviour
Respect, Civility, and Responsible Citizenship
All members of the Catholic school community must:
a) respect and comply with all applicable federal, provincial, and municipal laws including the teachings and principles of the Roman Catholic Church;
b) comply with all Ministry of Education, school board and school policies;
c) demonstrate honesty and integrity;
d) treat one another with dignity and respect, both in person and online, especially when there is disagreement or difference;
e) respect and treat others fairly, regardless of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, or disability;
f) respect the rights of others;
g) show proper care and regard for school property and the property of others;
h) take appropriate measures to help those in need;
i) seek assistance from a member of the school staff, if necessary, to resolve
conflict peacefully;
j) refrain from using abusive language or swearing at another person;
k) respect the needs of others to work in an environment that is conducive to
learning and teaching;
l) 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 purposes; and
● to support special education needs.
Safety
All members of the Catholic school community must not:
a) engage in bullying behaviours, including cyber-bullying;
b) commit sexual assault or sexual harrassment;
c) traffic in weapons or illegal drugs;
d) commit robbery or theft;
e) be in possession of any weapon, including firearms;
f) threaten or intimidate another person;
g) be in possession of alcohol, cannabis, and illegal drugs
● including, possession of electronic cigarettes (vaping), tobacco and nicotine products
h) use, or be under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, electronic cigarettes, illegal drugs or related products
i) provide others with alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, electronic cigarettes, cannabis and related products
j) inflict or encourage others to inflict bodily harm on another person;
k) engage in hate propaganda and other forms of behaviour motivated by hate or bias;
l) commit an act of vandalism that causes damage to school property, to property located on the premises of the school or to the property of a member of the school community; or
m) record, take or share non-consensual recordings or photos of members of the
school community.
Enforcement Relating to Alcohol, Tobacco, Electronic Cigarettes, Recreational Cannabis and Related Products and Illegal Drugs
The Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 prohibits smoking (tobacco and cannabis) and the use of electronic cigarettes (vaping) at schools, on school grounds, and all public areas within 20 metres of these grounds. Anyone smoking or vaping on school property is guilty of an offence and if convicted may result in a fine under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017.
○ The Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 also prohibits the sale and supply of tobacco or e-cigarettes to anyone under 19 years of age. Anyone who sells or supplies tobacco or an e-cigarette to a student under 19 years of age is guilty of an offence and if convicted may result in a fine under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017.
At minimum, in the case of these substances being found in the possession of students, parents must be notified, and the student must surrender the item(s) to the educator or administrator. Principals have discretion under PPM No. 145 Progressive Discipline and Promoting Positive Student Behaviour and PVNC Catholic Administrative Procedures 908 and 910 to consider a range of responses to address this behaviour including suspension.
School Board Policy on Enforcement of Restrictions to Student Personal Mobile Device Use
For students in grades 7 to 12, their 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 under the circumstances outlined in policy.
● If the educator sees a personal mobile device that is not stored out of view, they must require the device be handed in for the instructional period and the device must be placed, by the student, in a storage area in a location in the classroom designated by the educator or principal.
For students in grades 6 and below their 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 under the circumstances outlined above.
● If an educator sees a personal mobile device that is not stored out of view, they must require the device be handed in for the instructional day and the device must be placed, by the student, in a storage area in a location designated by the educator or principal.
The student is responsible for their personal mobile device, how they use it and the consequences of not following the school board’s policy on personal mobile device use.
If the student does not hand in their personal mobile device when required, they must be sent to the Principal’s office. Principals have discretion under PPM No. 145 Progressive Discipline and Promoting Positive Student Behaviour and PVNC Catholic Administrative Procedures 908 and 910 to consider a range of responses to address this behaviour including suspension.
Responsibilities:
Principals and Vice-Principals are responsible for:
Under the direction of Board, principals take a leadership role in the daily operation of their 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 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; and
● ensuring the Board’s Code of Conduct is published annually (eg. student agenda book) and available to students, staff, and parents (eg. School website).
Teachers and Staff are responsible for:
Under the leadership of their principals, teachers and other school staff maintain a positive learning environment and are expected to hold everyone to the highest standards of respectful and responsible behaviour. As role models, teachers and other 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 and fair standards of behaviour for all students;
● demonstrate respect for one another, all students, parents, volunteers, and other members of the school community; and
● prepare students for the full responsibilities of citizenship.
Students are responsible for:
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 behavior. Respect and responsibility are demonstrated when students:
● 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; and
● follow the established rules and take responsibility for his or her own actions.
Parents/Guardians are responsible for:
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:
● are engaged in their child’s schoolwork and progress;
● communicate regularly with the 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 school rules;
● encourage and assist their child in following the rules of behaviour;
● assist school staff in dealing with disciplinary issues involving their child.
Community Partners and Police:
In keeping with the Board’s Strategic Plan, Vision and Mission, partnerships are already in place with home and parishes, and new partnerships with community agencies and members of the community may also be created. Community agencies are resources that schools can use to deliver prevention or intervention programs. These partnerships are in alignment with Board Policies and Procedures.
In addition, the police play an essential role in making our Catholic schools and communities safer. The police provide support and investigate incidents in accordance with the 2016 Police/School Board Protocol based on the Provincial Model for a Local Police/School Board Protocol, 2015, developed by the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and the Ministry of Education.