 This Code of Conduct was last revised in the Spring of 2008.
Cedar Grove School Code of Conduct
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of the Cedar Grove school community is to enable all learners to develop their individual potential and to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to contribute to a respectful, cooperative and responsible learning environment.
Students have the right to attend Cedar Grove School without being harassed, or intimidated, by anyone.
As a school community, we establish and maintain safe, caring and orderly environments for purposeful learning.
The Code of Conduct clarifies expectations for student behaviour while at school, while going to and from school, and while attending any school function or activity at any location.
*Under The BC Human Rights Code people are protected from discrimination (including written statements and drawings), denial of services or access by virtue of their race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, political belief, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, age (applies to persons 19 to 64 years of age) and unrelated criminal or summary convictions.
Acceptable Conduct: It is the expectation at Cedar Grove Elementary that all persons will at all times use the Key Words, which follow, to guide their choices of behaviour:
BE…
• respectful
• responsible
• cooperative
• kind
To show respect is…
to treat with deference, esteem, or honour; to avoid degrading or insulting or injuring or interfering with or interrupting behaviour; to treat with consideration, and refrain from offending or corrupting or tempting others
Some examples of what this would look like…
Being kind and sensitive to how others are feeling
Being a good listener
Respecting school, personal, and borrowed property
Using respectful and polite language at all times
Being honest
Respecting the opinions, feelings, and cultures of others
Holding the door for those in need
Treating yourself and others well
Using basic etiquette
Using appropriate voice level for working and playing
Hats to be worn during transition times only when inside the building
No play fighting or horseplay
Responsibility is…
to be morally accountable for your decisions; to be reputable, respectable, and evidently trustworthy; to see oneself as the primary cause in the result
Some examples of what this would look like:
Responding to requests
Participating and giving your best effort
Being honest
Keeping the school and grounds clean by picking up garbage - even if you didn’t create it
Walking in the school
Being on time – school starts at 8:45 and you should be in the school at least 5 minutes before then
Being responsible for your actions, words, and belongings
Reporting problems to an adult
Using planners daily
Having appropriate supplies, textbooks and notebooks
Completing assignments and homework
Accepting consequences for actions
Dressing appropriately for the weather
To cooperate is…
to work or act together towards a common end or purpose; to acquiesce willingly; be compliant
This would look like:
Following the reasonable directions of adults promptly and politely
Being ready to learn by 8:45, after recess, and following the lunch break
Working and playing together
Taking turns
Using words to solve problems
Playing fair
When in doubt, let the other person go first
To be kind is…
to be friendly, generous, or warm-hearted; to show sympathy or understanding; to be charitable; to be humane; considerate
This would look like:
Helping others
Doing random acts of kindness
Being forgiving
Speaking kindly at all times
Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes
Being considerate
Giving others the benefit of the doubt
Using manners
Offering helpful and encouraging comments
Behaviour Expectations
We believe that children want to be helpful, that positive behaviours can be learned, and that teaching socially responsible behaviours requires modeling, time, consistency and practice. Behavioural expectations held for students rise as they become older, more mature and move through successive grades.
Below are some examples of behaviours which meet, and do not meet expectations in the four aspects of Social Responsibility.
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Behaviour which is not meeting expectations
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Behaviour which is meeting expectations
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Contributing to the class and school community
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• Expressing anger inappropriately (abusive, rude language, rude body language
•Interferring in other students’ learning
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•Being friendly and kind
•Cooperating with others
• Responding to requests and completing assignments and homework
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Solving problems in peaceful ways
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• Behaving in unsafe or hurtful ways (hitting, kicking, verbal put downs)
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•Considering others’ points of view (empathy)
• Using effective strategies for solving conflicts
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Valuing diversity and defending human rights
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• Bullying (repeated physical aggression, name calling, threats or exclusion in a context where there is intent to harm and an imbalance of power
• Destroying property
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• Sticking up for others when there is injustice
• Including and helping others
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Exercising democratic rights and responsibilities
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• Putting one’s own needs before those of the group
• Wasting materials or littering
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• Following classroom and school rules
• Making a difference in the community
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Consequences for Socially Unacceptable Behaviour:
Because students develop at different rates and in different ways, we expect that some students will display behaviours that are not yet within the widely-held expectations for their age level. Our mandate is to work with students so that they are eventually able to meet expectations. Students, as often as possible, are encouraged to participate in the development of meaningful consequences for violations of the established code of conduct
We are charged with providing a safe environment for all of our students. Therefore, we will not tolerate any behaviour which compromises another’s physical or emotional well-being. In the event of unacceptable behaviour (unkind, disrespectful, irresponsible and uncooperative), appropriate consequences or displinary action will follow.
Certain behaviours are totally unacceptable at Cedar Grove School and will result in immediate discipline, which may include an in-school or at-home suspension.
These behaviours are:
• fighting and violence against other students or staff members,
• bullying, harassment and intimidation, defiance,
• retribution against a person who has reported incidents,
• possession, use, or distribution of illegal or restricted substances,
• possession or use of weapons,
• theft or damage to property
The criteria for determining appropriate consequences will:
• be made known to the offender and applied in the event the unacceptable behaviour is repeated.
• be in keeping with the child’s developmental level
• be dependent on the nature of the behaviour, including its intent, severity and frequency
• include possibilities for repairing relationships
• maintain the dignity of all parties
Consequences may include:
• completion of Living the Code Form (students will be required to fill out a form that describes what they did, tell how it was a problem and think about other choices they could have made)
• a letter of apology, acts of kindness or school service
• phone calls home to parents
• establishing a behaviour contract
• self evaluation using the Social Responsibility Performance Standards rubric
• a regular, formal review of behaviour together with parent/student/teacher conferences
• some loss ofrecess/lunch hour privileges
• a detention, in-schoolor formal suspension. (Parents receive written notification regarding in-school or formal suspensions. A copy of the letter for a formal suspension is kept in the student’s file.
Notification
In the case of serious breaches of the code of conduct, we have a responsibility to advise other parties. For example, parents of the victim and the offender (in every case); school district personnel, police or outside agencies (as required by school district policy or law); the parent community at large (if the offense is deemed to be a safety issue for all)
Rising Expectations
We believe that as our students become older, more mature, and move through successive grades, our expectations of them should rise. There should be increasing personal responsibility and self-discipline. There will also be increasing consequences for inappropriate behaviour.
Bicycles/Skateboards/Roller blades/Scooters
We encourage all students to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. Students who wish to ride a bicycle, scooter, skateboard or roller blades to school must wear a helmet. When students reach the school grounds, they must get off their bike (or other equipment) and walk to the bike racks or building.
When leaving, bikes must be walked off the school grounds. This rule applies to skateboards, scooters and roller blades as well. Students may not ride in proximity to the main building or adventure playground, until after 4:00 p.m.
Recess/Noon Hour
On out days, students are expected to go outside unless they have a specific teacher approved reason to be inside.
On in days students may choose to go to the resource room or library, the computer lab or the gym when supervision is available. Once students have made a choice, they are expected to remain there. Students may also choose to go outside, however they are encouraged to have proper rain gear and must stay outside until the end of recess or lunch.
Leaving the School Grounds at Lunch
Students must have written permission from a parent if they are leaving the grounds at lunch. They also must sign out at the main office, and sign back in on their return.
Cell Phones/Cameras/Electronic Equipment
Students are encouraged to keep expensive electronic equipment, cameras and cell phones at home to protect against being lost, stolen, or used inappropriately. If students bring cell phones, electronics to school they must remain turned off and in their backpacks during the school day. Inappropriate use of cell phones at school could lead to the cell phone being taken away and returned to the parent at the end of the day. Students are not to use the cell phone to take photos or text messages at school.
Out of Bounds
For the safety of all students, during recess and lunch all students are expected to stay in bounds on the school playgrounds. All bushes around the perimeter of the school are out of bounds. Students are expected to stay in areas where they can be seen by supervisors at all times.
School Dress Code
Students are expected be neatly and appropriately dressed for school. Students are reminded that school is a student and teacher workplace. Clothing needs to be appropriate so as not to distract or be offensive to others.
Properclothing does not include:
•beach wear, bare midriffs or backs, clothes that reveal undergarments
•short tops, muscle shirts, tank tops, short shorts, and short skirts
•t-shirts with spaghetti straps unless there is a t-shirt with sleeves worn underneath
•inappropriate language, negative messages, or any reference to tobacco, drugs,or alcohol
The use of heavy make-up is not appropriate at an elementary school.
Your appearance reflects your good judgement and your respect for yourself andothers.
For safety, proper footwear needs to be worn at all times. Bare feet will not be allowed.
If it looks like it might rain or is cold outside, please make sure your child has a jacket with them.
Students who are inappropriately dressed may be asked to cover up, change, turn the article inside out, or some similar action. Non-compliance can result in warnings, parental contact, or other disciplinary action as required. The student may be sent home and may not be readmitted until proper clothing is worn. Teachers/supervisors should refer dress code violations to the office when appropriate.
Conclusion:
This code of conduct has been created and revised by our school community, including students, parents and school staff. It will be consistently taught and actively promoted. The code of conduct is based on recent research and will be reviewed and updated regularly.
“Enhancing our children’s moral intelligence is our best hope for getting our kids on the right course so that they do act as well as think right.” (Michelle Borba, 2001)
Cedar Grove Mission Statement on Bullying
Cedar Grove Elementary School is working toward being an environment free of bullying behaviour.
We work together to:
Resolve conflict peacefully
Include others in all activities
Respect differences
At Cedar Grove we are teaching students to identify bullying behaviour and give them strategies to deal with it. All children are the victims of occasional teasing behaviour or aggression, but some children are repeatedly targeted. Bullying is a relationship problem that requires relationship solutions. Bullying is a form of abuse at the hands of peers that can take different forms at different ages. Bullying is defined as repeated aggression in which there is an imbalance of power between the child who bullies and the child who is victimized (Juvonen & Graham, 2001; Olweus, 1991; Pepler & Craig, 2000). Through research, we understand bullying as a disrespectful relationship problem:
- Children who bully are learning to use power and aggression to control and distress others.
- Children who are victimized become increasingly powerless and find themselves trapped in relationships in which they are being abused. (www. PREV Net.ca)
What Parents Can Do to Support Their Children
Children learn how to get along by watching adults.
• Model appropriate ways of getting along with others, showing empathy for
others, managing angry feelings, accepting differences, and coping with peer
pressure.
• Monitor your child’s T.V.watching. Discourage programs that model antisocial
and aggressive behaviour.
• Help your child find ways to express anger that do not involve verbally or
physically hurting others. When you get angry, use it as an opportunity to
model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it.
Children learn by doing.
Teachy our child problem-solving skills. Acknowledge your child when he or she follows through.
• Teach your child how to stick up for themselves through assertive, not
aggressive, behaviour
• Involve your child in group activities that will enhance their interpersonal skills.
Invite your child’s friends to your home and have lots for them to do.
Boredom can breed bullying.
• Discuss with your child examples of bullying that he or she notices on
television, at school or in the neighbourhood.
• Help your child understand the consequences of bullying
• Help your child understand the value of accepting and celebrating
individual differences, and not teasing others who are different.
Please encourage your child to talk about bullying which they may have experienced or observed.
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