Archwood School wishes to ensure that it provides a welcoming, safe, and caring school community – an environment in which effective teaching and learning can occur. It is expected that all students will conduct themselves appropriately at school, to and from school, and at divisional and school-sponsored activities in the larger community.

We Believe That…

Effective teaching and learning occurs best in a positive school climate where students behave appropriately.

Teachers and other adults have an ongoing responsibility to prepare students for their role as citizens and to model these attributes in their daily interactions with students. Teachers regularly reinforce student learning about friendship, caring, empathy, citizenship and respect*. Student learning in these areas is maximized when school and home share the responsibility of teaching and reinforcing appropriate behaviour. As staff members, we will model respectful behaviour that reflects the values and positive behaviour expected in this Code of Conduct.

Our expectations revolve around three guiding beliefs:

BE RESPECTFUL     BE SAFE     BE RESPONSIBLE

Students are expected to:

• behave responsibly, and in a respectful manner
• show concern and tolerance for others
• demonstrate respect for the rights, roles and responsibilities of other students and staff
• demonstrate respect for the school and the property of others
• adhere to provincial (see below), divisional, and school policies respecting
  • appropriate use of electronic mail and the Internet, including the prohibition of materials that the school has determined to be objectionable
  • illegal drugs and alcohol
  • bullying, harassment, and discrimination
  • weapons and violence
  • gang related behaviours
• attend school regularly
• arrive on time for school
• follow guidelines for appropriate school attire**
• ensure that all assignments and tests demonstrate academic honesty
• comply with this code of conduct

Our goal is student self-discipline.

We believe that students can learn to manage their own behaviour. All of us make mistakes and mistakes are an opportunity to learn. Staff members will offer guidance as students learn to meet their needs in appropriate ways. Where possible, students will be encouraged to fix their mistakes through restitution*** in order to be strengthened from the experience, and to become the person that they would like to be. Restitution, as part of discipline creates a balance that allows for learning from mistakes, learning different behaviors, and making amends.

School staff plays a critical role by modeling respect for and support of the above expectations.

Staff will intervene when students:

• are disrespectful
• utter threats
• are disruptive and interfere with the learning of others
• use profanity (including language and/or gestures)
• do not maintain academic integrity – plagiarism, cheating etc.
• deliberately fail to complete school work

Students are referred to administration when the following occurs:

• serious physical harm to and/or assault on an employee or another student (including using a weapon)
• weapons on the school grounds (including school buses and bus stops)
• serious damage to property (including fires that are set on school property)
• chronic behaviour problems
• staff members and/or other students are threatened
• direct defiance of an adult

Staff members will also intervene in the following unacceptable or intolerant behaviours as outlined in the Public Schools Act:

• bullying or abusing physically, sexually, or psychologically (orally, in writing or otherwise)
• discriminating unreasonably on the basis of any characteristic set out in subsection 9(2) of The Human Rights Code
• using, possessing, or being under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs at school or school sponsored events
• gang related behaviours at or to and from school
• possessing a weapon, as “weapon” is defined in section 2 of the Criminal Code (Canada), on school sites

Including disciplinary consequences for violating this code of conduct, all interventions are made with the intent to preserve the dignity and self worth of all involved. Interventions/ consequences may include:

• counseling
• formal conference
• temporary withdrawal from the classroom
• removal of privileges
• detention
• restitution
• clinician referral
• performance contract
• police involvement
• in-school suspension
• out-of-school suspension
• expulsion

* Classroom beliefs will be developed by each class annually, reviewed periodically throughout the year, and shared with parents. Staff members meet regularly to discuss strategies to help students meet their needs and to develop plans.

**Guidelines: Clothing and personal gear should be respectful of the learning environment and the people who are in it. Our clothing should not be offensive in any way, or unsuitable to the school setting. This would include:

Logos, emblems or phrases that display disrespectful language, violence, drug use, gangs, racism, sexism or ethnic prejudice.

Bare midriffs, revealing clothing, exposed undergarments, video games, headphones (MP3 players, CD players, etc.), using cell phones during school hours, hats and other headwear are not permissible. Exceptions are headwear worn for medical or religious reasons, approved learning-related activities and, special activity days.

*** Restitution means:

To create the conditions for the person to fix the mistake and return to the group strengthened. (Diane C. Gossen - Restitution: Restructuring School Discipline, 1998)

When thinking about the concept of restitution, most people generally think of restitution to the victim. While this is important, the major focus needs to be on self-restitution, where the offender restores him/herself back to the person he/she wants to be.

Restitution is mostly about gaining self-balance. Each of us has pictures in our heads of the way we want things to be. The higher level pictures reflect the values we hold. These pictures are like mental magnets – they pull our behaviour to match what we have decided is important. We may have pictures of ourselves as a caring, competent, and responsible people who are always growing and self-actualizing.

When we perceive ourselves to be out of balance, we seek to restore ourselves back to the people we picture ourselves to be. This process of restoring oneself is an ongoing self-reparation.

Successful people make restitution to themselves all the time. Often it is almost automatic. The restitution process is a creative art and is especially challenging when the reparation is not immediately evident.