Code of Conduct
Statement of Purpose:
The Code of Conduct at A.R.E.S has been created to ensure we have a safe, caring and orderly school environment for all students and staff.
At A.R.E.S. we incorporate the Circle of Courage model into our schoolwide culture. It is a model of youth empowerment and resiliency, which recognizes that in order for youth to be emotionally healthy, they need to feel a sense of belonging, mastery, independence and generosity. Research shows that children who are socially and emotionally healthy are the best learners; children who display positive social-emotional traits are successful in school. Our goal at A.R.E.S. is to actively incorporate the Circle of Courage philosophy and the four universal needs of all children (Belonging, Independence, Generosity, & Mastery) into our schoolwide culture, which will empower students to develop greater personal responsibility, leading to greater resiliency.
BC Human Rights Code:
Adam Robertson Elementary School promotes the values expressed in the BC Human Rights Code to ensure all students feel a sense of belonging, respecting the rights of all individuals in accordance with the law – prohibiting discrimination based on race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression – in respect of discriminatory publication and discrimination in accommodation, service and facility in the school environment.
Acceptable and Expected Behaviour:
It is expected that students will abide by the District and School Code of Conduct while going to and from school, on school busses, at school, and at any school activities wherever held, in a manner that is consistent with the values and actions we encourage at A.R.E.S.
| Belonging | Genorosity | Independence | Mastery |
|
Including others Respecting personal boundaries Taking turns, playing fairly, demonstrating sportsmanship Respecting the learning of others Respecting the property of others Being accepting and inclusive of all people Respecting the rights of others Building positive relationships with others Being involved in the school community |
Using kind words and actions Being considerate of others: Walking calmly, staying on the right, quiet in the hallway, etc. Helping others when they are hurt Finding an adult when something/someone is unsafe Being respectful and polite to others Contributing to the school community Demonstrating empathy and understanding Sharing ideas and work with others Engaging in helpful and thoughtful activities Supporting younger students without being asked |
Arriving on time, prepared and ready to learn Cleaning up after oneself and caring for the classroom and school Making positive choices Using equipment safely and with care Returning equipment after use Gradually assuming more responsibility Completing assignments Using self-control Maintaining a positive attitude Working independently and making good decisions Being trustworthy and taking responsibility for one’s actions Setting goals and working towards them |
Demonstrating leadership Putting in one’s best effort Striving for excellence Committing to teams/clubs, etc. and following-through with expectations Solving problems creatively Leading by example Creating opportunities for others Persisting until a task is completed Managing loss or failure positively and with a willingness to try again Being motivated to succeed Being a positive role model |
Unacceptable Behaviour
| Belonging | Generosity | Independence | Mastery |
|
Excluding others and leaving people out Disregarding personal boundaries Playing unfairly, using poor sportsmanship Interfering with the learning of others Taking, damaging, or disregarding the property of others Being non-inclusive, avoiding certain people Disrespecting the rights of others Forming negative relationships with others Not showing care for the school community Hurting others (verbally, physically, or emotionally) |
Using unkind words and unkind actions, swearing, being physically aggressive Being inconsiderate of others: Running in the hall, being disruptive Not showing care when someone is hurt Not seeking adult help when someone or something is unsafe Being disrespectful and rude to others Not contributing to the school community – littering, etc. Lacking empathy and understanding for others Not willing to share Not willing to help others Disregarding younger students |
Arriving late, unprepared and not ready to learn Not attending regularly Not showing care for the classroom or one’s personal space Making negative choices Using equipment unsafely and without care Not returning equipment after use Unwilling to assume responsibility Not completing assignments Using poor self-control Maintaining a negative attitude Not working independently and making poor decisions that impact others Being untruthful and unwilling to take responsibility for one’s actions Not caring about one’s personal goals or working toward them |
Following others without thinking of the negative consequences Not trying or putting in effort Joining clubs/teams but not attending or doing one’s part Unwilling to solve a problem peacefully or solving it in a negative way Being a poor role model or not standing up for others Preventing others from engaging in positive opportunities Giving up quickly Handling loss or failure inappropriately, with a poor attitude and poor sportsmanship Being unmotivated to succeed – giving up easily Being a poor role model |
Unacceptable Behaviour and Conduct:
Unacceptable behaviours and conduct (listed above) will not be accepted while at school, at a school-related activity or in other circumstances, where engaging in the activity will have an impact on our school environment. Conduct also applies to student use of electronic and social media. In addition, the following major infractions will be dealt with by administration according to SD8 policy
SD8 Policy Manual, Policy # 340 :
Any act deemed illegal, including:
possession, use or distribution of illegal or restricted substances
theft or damage to property
Any act of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, intimidation, threatening or violent behaviour
Retribution against a person who has reported an incident
The school will treat seriously, behaviour or communication that discriminates based on race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or age (prohibited grounds set out in the BC Human Rights Code).
Consequences:
The focus at Adam Robertson Elementary is to help students assume greater personal responsibility for their negative actions, by creating an individualized plan that leads to healthier choices in the future. We value all students and respond to situations individually --- recognizing the diversity in needs, personal history, previous experience, age, as well as level of comprehension --- so that each student feels safe, respected, while assuming greater control of their actions as they move forward.
When a student does not demonstrate age-appropriate social-responsibility, we view the situation as a learning opportunity and respond with the following considerations:
Responsibility for not being socially-responsible must be recognized by the individual
Harm (social, emotional, physical) must be acknowledged in order to grow and move forward
The student’s age, life-experiences, maturity, and special needs are taken into consideration
Fair, reasonable, consistent and progressive consequences will be developed with the best interest of the student in mind
Consequences will be restorative in nature rather than punitive
Preserving relationships will be a priority
Consequences will align with our A.R.E.S. vision and goal to develop greater student resiliency, while incorporating the four Circle of Courage domains.
The student will be supported in following through with some form of reparation for harm
Communication & Notification:
The incident and consequence will be discussed with the student and dealt with by the staff involved
Staff inform Principal or Vice Principal – they meet with student/staff, if deemed necessary, and determine the appropriate course of action
Parents will be notified of any serious or chronic breach of conduct
School District Officials will be notified as required in District policy
Police or other agencies will be notified as required by law
All serious incidents will be recorded for future reference
Special considerations may apply to students with special needs, if a student is unable to comply with a Code of Conduct due to having a disability of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional or behavioural nature.
The board will take all reasonable steps to prevent retaliation by a person against a student who has made a complaint of a breach of a code of conduct
District Code of Conduct
Student/Parent Appeal Process
