Information from the Office

 

A school should be a place that promotes responsibility, respect, civility, and academic excellence in a safe learning and teaching environment. A positive school climate exists when all members of the school community feel safe, included, and accepted, and actively promote positive behaviours and interactions. Building and sustaining a positive school climate is a complex challenge requiring evidence-informed solutions.

 

A whole-school approach, which involves all members of the school community, is important in
supporting efforts to ensure that schools are safe, inclusive, and accepting. It is an effective approach to making systemic changes that will benefit all students and the broader community.

 

All students, parents, teachers and other school staff have the right to be safe, and to feel safe, in their school community. With this right comes the responsibility to contribute to a positive school climate. To foster a positive school climate that supports student achievement and well-being, AMDSB focuses on prevention and early intervention strategies to address inappropriate behaviour.

 

The provincial Code of Conduct sets clear provincial standards of behaviour. These standards of
behaviour apply to students whether they are on school property, in a virtual learning environment, on school buses, at school-related events or activities, in before- and after-school programs, or in other circumstances that could have an impact on the school climate. They also apply to all individuals involved in the publicly funded school system – principals, teachers, early childhood educators, other school staff, parents, school bus drivers, volunteers, and members of various community groups.

 

Responsible citizenship involves appropriate participation in the civic life of the school community.
Active and engaged citizens are aware of their rights, but more importantly, they accept responsibility for protecting their rights and the rights of others.

 

 

All members of the school community must:

● respect and comply with all applicable federal, provincial, and municipal laws
● 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 equitably 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
● respect the rights of others
● demonstrate honesty and integrity
● 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, including by ensuring that personal mobile devices are only used during instructional
time for the educational and other permitted purposes outlined in this Code of Conduct
● not swear at a teacher or at another person in a position of authority

 

 

All members of the school community must not:

● engage in racist and/or hate propaganda and other forms of behaviour motivated by hate or bias
● engage in bullying behaviours, including cyberbullying;
● commit sexual assault
● traffic in weapons or illegal drugs
● 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, or be under the influence of alcohol, cannabis (unless the individual has been authorized to use cannabis for medical purposes), or illegal drugs
● provide others with alcohol, illegal drugs, or cannabis
● inflict or encourage others to inflict bodily harm on another person
● commit an act of vandalism that causes damage to school property or to property located on
the premises of the school.

 

 

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 students:

● come to school, so we can meet them where they are at
● 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 take responsibility for their own actions
● use personal mobile devices during instructional time only as permitted under the following circumstances:

 

Parents:

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 fulfil their role when they:

● are engaged in their child's schoolwork and progress
● communicate regularly with the 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 and the board's Code of Conduct,
● encourage and assist their child in following the rules of behaviour
● assist school staff in dealing with disciplinary issues involving their child
● remind children to use personal mobile devices during instructional time only as permitted by
the educator

(May 2022)