District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) believes that 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, accepted, and agree that it is the responsibility of all individuals to actively contribute to a positive school climate.
The DSBN believes that to foster a positive school climate that supports student achievement and well-being, a focus should be on prevention and early intervention strategies to address inappropriate behaviour. These standards of behaviour apply whether on school property, on school busses, or other transportation means supplied by DSBN, at school-related events or activities or in any other circumstance that could have an impact on the school climate.
The provincial Code of Conduct outlined in PPM 128, revised April 28, 2024, sets clear provincial standards of behaviour.
All DSBN schools will have a link to policy G-08: Code of Conduct for Schools on their website and if applicable, in their school agendas or handbooks.
PURPOSES OF THE CODE
Subsection 301(1) of Part XIII of the Education Act states that “the Minister may establish a code of conduct governing the behaviour of all persons in schools”. Subsection 301(2) sets out the purposes of this provincial code of conduct, as follows:
- To ensure that all members of the school community, especially people in positions of authority, are treated with respect and dignity
- To promote responsible citizenship by encouraging appropriate participation in the civic life of the school community
- To maintain an environment where conflict and difference can be addressed in a manner characterized by respect and civility
- To encourage the use of non-violent means to resolve conflict
- To promote the safety of people in the schools
- To discourage the use of alcohol, illegal drugs and, except by a medical cannabis user, cannabis
- To prevent bullying in schools
STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR
Respect, Civility, and Responsible Citizenship
All members of the school community must:
● Respect and comply with all applicable federal, provincial, and municipal laws; and all Ministry of Education, School Board Policies
● 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 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
● 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
● Refrain from using abusive language or swearing at another person
● 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
- to support special education needs, as documented in the student’s IEP
Safety
All members of the school community must not:
● Engage in bullying behaviours, including cyberbullying
● Commit sexual assault
● Traffic in weapons or illegal drugs
● Give alcohol or cannabis to a minor
● Commit robbery
● Be in possession of any weapon, including firearms
● Use any object to threaten, intimidate, or cause injury to another person
● Be in possession of, or be under the influence of alcohol, cannabis (unless the individual has been authorized to use cannabis for medical purposes), illegal drugs or related products (for example, vape juice, a pipe or rolling papers)
○ For students, this would also include being in possession of electronic cigarettes, tobacco and nicotine products
● Provide others with alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, electronic cigarettes, cannabis or related products (for example, vape juice, a pipe or rolling papers)
● 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
● Record, take or share non-consensual recordings or photos of members of the school community
According to PPM 128, the following responsibilities are outlined to support a collaborative ownership of the code of conduct.
School Administrators
Under the direction of DSBN, school administrators 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 student achievement and well-being in a safe, inclusive, and accepting learning environment
● Holding everyone under their authority accountable for their own behaviour and actions. This may include engaging Public Health Units, such as Tobacco Enforcement Officers, to support education, prevention and enforcement when necessary
● Empowering students to be positive leaders in their school and community
● Communicating regularly and meaningfully with all members of their school community
● Model the standards of respect, civility and responsible citizenship
Teachers and Other School Staff
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 standard 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
● Prepare students for the full responsibilities of citizenship, in particular the skill of respectful communication, both in person and online
● Model the standards of respect, civility, and responsible citizenship. This includes modeling appropriate use of personal mobile devices. Educators are not to use personal mobile devices during instructional time, unless explicitly for work-related purposes
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 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
● Follow the established rules and take responsibility for their own actions
○ For students, this may include turning over items which do not comply with DSBN’s Code of Conduct such as mobile devices, nicotine products, and/or electronic cigarettes
Parents/Guardians
Parents/Guardians 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/Guardians 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 DSBN Code of Conduct, and, if applicable, the school’s Code of Conduct
● Encourage and assist their child in following the rules of behaviour
● Collaborate and hold conversations at home about the school expectations surrounding cell phone use and/or vaping
● Assist school staff in dealing with disciplinary issues involving their child
Community Partners
Through outreach, existing partnerships may be enhanced and new partnerships with community-based service providers and members of the community (e.g., Elders, Senators, Knowledge Keepers) may also be created. Community-based service providers and resources that boards can use to deliver prevention or intervention programs. Protocols are effective ways of establishing linkages between boards and community-based service providers and of formalizing the relationship between them. These partnerships must respect all applicable collective agreements.
Police
The police play an essential role in making our schools and communities safer. The police investigate incidents in accordance with the protocol developed with the DSBN. These protocols are 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.
REFERENCES
Policy D-01: Digital Technology Use by Students
Policy G-03: Equity and Inclusive Education
Policy E-15: Workplace Violence and Harassment Prevention
Policy G-01: School Volunteers
Policy G-02: Safe Schools
Policy G-04: Trespass
Policy G-05: Weapons
Policy G-06: Fireworks, Firecrackers, Pyrotechnical Displays
Policy G-07: Vandalism
Policy G-11: Assault/Threatening Incidents Involving Students
Policy G-12: Alcohol and Illegal Drug Use
Policy G-13: Use of Physical Intervention with Students
Policy G-26: Use of Mobile Devices by Students
Policy G-28: Student Discipline
Policy G-29: Safe and Accepting Schools: Bullying Prevention and Intervention
Policy G-38: Complaint Resolution Policy
Policy G-39: Human Rights Discrimination and Harassment or Occupational Health and Safety Workplace Harassment