GRSS School Code of Conduct 2024-25
GOLD RIVER SECONDARY SCHOOL
STUDENT-PARENT HANDBOOK
2024-25
________________________________________________________________________
Introduction
Our school is committed to providing an opportunity for all students to become successful, contributing members of our community and society. In doing so, everyone is expected to share in the responsibility of creating a safe, caring school environment that is based on a school culture of mutual respect and trust.
Our code of conduct is posted on our website and within our school. A copy is given to each classroom, student/family and staff member each September. This Code of Conduct applies to all students and adults who are part of the Gold River Secondary School Community.
The Board of Education will take all reasonable steps to prevent retaliation by any person against any student who has made a complaint of a breach of the Code of Conduct.
As per the BC Human Rights Code, no one shall publish, issue or display, or cause to be published, issued or displayed, any statement, publication, notice, sign, symbol, emblem or other representation that indicates discrimination or an intention to discriminate against a person or a group or class of persons which will cause exposure to hatred or contempt.
No one can deny or discriminate against a person or class of persons regarding any accommodation, service or facility customarily available to the public because of the race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation or age of that person or class of persons.
Respect – ʔiisaak
| Setting | |||||
| Whole School | Educational Setting | Buses | Assembly | Technology | |
| Self | · Use school appropriate manners, language and volume.
· School appropriate dress. · Be on time. · Follow the direction of staff. · Keep locker and combination secure. · Know and follow emergency procedures. |
· Arrive on time.
· Engage in your learning. · Follow classroom expectations. · Complete and/or submit required learning activities. · Electronics only with permission. |
· Be on time.
· Follow safety rules. · Enter and sit in an orderly manner. · Use caution when exiting/entering bus. |
· Enter/Exit in an orderly fashion.
· Sit in assigned area. · Remain seated for the duration of the assembly. · Electronic, food, and drink free zone. |
· Keep password secure.
· Use school approved sites. · Report incidents of cyber bullying. · Work stations are food and drink free zones. |
| Others | · Respect the personal boundaries and safety of others.
· Respect the opinions of others. · Use polite and encouraging words. · Share with and include others. |
· Support other learners.
· Include others. · Respect fellow learners’ work and workspace. · Be quiet when working (DL).
|
· Treat the driver and passengers with respect. | · Listen respectfully to the speaker or performer.
· Respond and participate appropriately. |
· Keep your hands on your own computer.
· Focus on your own work. |
| Property | · Take pride in your school.
· Use garbage and recycling containers. · Report problems to staff. · Clean up after self. · Ask before you borrow. |
· Take care of school equipment and resources.
· Return items that you borrow. |
· Treat the bus with respect.
· Report damage immediately to driver. · Leave the bus clean.
|
· Follow gym/lobby expectations.
|
· Respect available technology and hardware.
· Leave cables and peripherals attached.
|
Unacceptable Conduct
With clear expectations of acceptable conduct in place, a safe, caring and positive environment is promoted by everyone. Should unacceptable actions occur they will be dealt with through disciplinary action. Whenever possible, consequences must be preventative and restorative rather than merely punitive. Each student will be dealt with on an individual basis and consequences will take into consideration the intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional, or behavioral abilities of the student displaying unacceptable actions.
In our school community these actions are unacceptable:
Behaviours that:
- Interfere with the learning of others
- Create unsafe conditions
Acts of:
- Bullying, harassment or intimidation (including the internet)
- Physical violence
- Retribution against a person who has reported incidents
Illegal acts, such as:
- Possession, use or distribution of illegal or restricted substances
- Possession or use of weapons
- Theft of or damage to property
Examples of Interventions
Contact parents
Detentions
“Loss of privileges” (Direct Supervision)
Warning
Counselling
Written apology
Thinking paper-reflection
Problem solving
Verbal apology
Supervised School service
Re-entry meeting with parent, teacher, counsellor,
student & administration
Parents’ interview at school
Removal from situation
Restitution
Problem solving
Contracts
Suspension (In or Out of School)
Notifications
School officials have a responsibility to advise other parties of student interventions of this code of conduct.
Consequences
- Disciplinary action, whenever possible, will be preventative and restorative, rather than merely punitive.
- Students, as often as possible, will participate in the development of meaningful consequences.
Dress Code:
Students are expected to maintain reasonable standards of personal hygiene and cleanliness and to dress in a manner that is in keeping with the establishment and maintenance of a positive school climate. Parents are asked to ensure that students dress with good taste. Students are responsible that their dress is in good taste, appropriate for specific learning activities and not offensive through the display of words or visuals that involve and/or promote drugs or alcohol, are sexual in nature or demeaning to any individual or group.
Students are to refrain from wearing hoods at any time inside the school. Students are also not permitted to use or wear any electronic devices while inside the classrooms unless specifically permitted by the classroom teacher. This includes cell phones, CD players, MP3 or iPod players or similar devices.
Attendance and Punctuality:
Students are expected to attend classes and be on time except for illness, family need or those occasions when a staff member requires a student to be present for a discussion requiring immediate resolution.
Parents are expected to notify the school by phone or a signed note when a student will be absent or late due to illness or family need. If this is not done, it will be recorded as an unexcused absence or late.
If a student leaves the school during the day and is not returning to school for the remaining classes, it will be an unexcused absence if the office is not notified by a phone call or signed note from a parent.
Students who arrive late to school in the morning or after the lunch break are asked to sign in at the office before going to class. If a student is late between classes, they will be dealt with by the classroom teacher.
Visiting GRSS:
All guests are asked to report to the office when entering or leaving the school premises.
Ethical Use of Technology:
Students and parents/guardians are required to read, agree to, and sign the GRSS Acceptable Use of Technology Policy before students are allowed to access technologies in support of their learning. The staff realizes that enforcing such a policy is challenging and is no substitute for students exercising appropriate, responsible, ethical behavior. Students violating the school’s ethical use of technology policies will be subject to loss of privileges to use technology in support of learning and subject to the school’s reasonable discipline policy.
Electronic Device Policy
For the purposes of promoting student safety and maintaining a focused learning environment GRSS restricts the use of personal digital devices during hours of instruction. Personal digital devices, defined as any devices that can access the internet (such as cellphones, tablets, smartwatches, and gaming devices), are not to be used during the following hours of instruction 8:55am and 3:42pm
Personal digital devices may be used on school grounds outside of instructional hours, such as before and after school, recess, and lunch breaks.
Teachers may make exceptions to allow the use of personal digital devices for instructional purposes and to promote digital literacy. Such exceptions will be appropriate for the ages and developmental stages of the students involved.
Exceptions to the restriction on personal digital devices will be made in the following circumstances:
- to support student accessibility and accommodation needs, such as the use of assistive technology for students with disabilities or diverse abilities. Such exceptions will be outlined in the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) where applicable.
- to support students medical and health needs. Parents / guardians should contact the school principal to discuss any medical needs that may require an exception to the restriction on personal digital devices.
- to support equity and learning outcomes. Students who do not have access to the internet outside of school, or have limited access to the internet outside of school, may be allowed to use personal digital devices in order to complete schoolwork and foster connections with peers and family.
Videos and photographs are never to be taken with personal electronic devices at school.
Students, staff, and visitors are to follow all of the above expectations. Consequences for violating this policy:
1st offence
- person is to give their device to the staff member when asked
- it will be taken to the office and returned to student after meeting with administration
2nd offence
- person is to give their device to the staff member when asked
- it will be taken to the office
- student and parent/guardian will meet with the Principal or Vice-Principal
3rd offence
- device to office
- meeting with parents/guardians to discuss a plan for student access to device at school
Smoking:
As of September 2, 2007 and March 31, 2008, our school is completely tobacco-free, as a result of recent changes to the Tobacco Sales Act, now renamed the Tobacco Control Act.
This means that from the moment students, staff or visitors enter school grounds, they can no longer smoke or use tobacco, or hold lighted tobacco, at any time, day or night, whether or not school is in session. All of these restrictions include the use of vapes and vaping devices. These restrictions are covered in SD84 Administrative Procedures (AP) 363 – Smoking and Vaping on School Property.
Each year the school will conduct a smoking awareness/cessation program available to all students.
Emergency Drills/Procedures:
During all emergency drills or on the occasion of a genuine emergency all members of the school are expected to follow known and posted procedures, respond positively to all requests from school or emergency personnel and act in a manner that is appropriate to the situation.