School District No. 8 - POLICY 310: Code of Conduct
Overview
School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) Code of Conduct has been established to maintain a safe, caring and healthy learning environment
It is the shared responsibility of students, staff, parents/guardians and the broader community (school community), to demonstrate positive conduct while attending any school or District related activity, at any location.
All members of the school community have an obligation to:
- Support learning
- Promote Safety
- Respect property, environment, personal space and privacy
- Model courtesy, compassion and respect.
All members of the school community must refrain from engaging in any in-person or digital communication or behavior that is considered to be:
- Interfering with the learning and working of others
- Bullying, harassing, intimidating, retaliating, discriminating or violence
- Unsafe or illegal including the possession, use or distribution of illegal or restricted substances, or the possession of weapons or replicas.
All members of the school community are expected to comply with the purpose and spirit of the BC Human Rights Code, including not engaging in discriminatory conduct on the basis of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or age.
Every effort will be made to support individuals and to determine the root causes of behavior. If the safety or educational program of others is compromised, or if there is an ongoing failure to meet the expectations of the Code of Conduct, a range of consequences will follow. Whenever possible, incidents will be resolved by discussion, mediation and restitution.
Policy
The Board of Education, School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake), expects students to treat others with respect and courtesy and to conduct themselves in a manner which contributes to and promotes a safe, caring and orderly learning environment in schools and at school activities.
The Board considers the conduct of any member of the school community that adversely affects the school environment to be a breach of the District Code of Conduct and to warrant appropriate forms of intervention. Special consideration may apply to students with special needs if these students are unable to comply with a code of conduct due to having a disability of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional or behavioural nature.
The Board of Education believes all individuals in the school district have the right to an environment free from discrimination and acknowledges that certain kinds of discrimination as prohibited by the BC Human Rights Code must be a part of a district and schools code of conduct.
The Board of Education therefore expects students to not, without a bonafide and reasonable justification, 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 class of persons;
- expose a person or group or class of persons to hatred or contempt because of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or age.
The prohibited grounds for discrimination are to be addressed by schools in their code of conduct.
District Code of Conduct
Expected Behavior
Respect
Students are expected to show respect for people, property, and the school's code of conduct. They are expected to act in a responsible manner and be respectful of the rights of others at school and school activities wherever held.
Responsibility
Students are expected to gradually assume more responsibility for themselves, as individuals and members of society. They are expected to become more responsible for undertaking, organizing and completing their school work and for contributing to and promoting a safe, caring and positive school environment.
Commitment
Students are expected to strive for excellence in all their school endeavors and comply with school expectations and rules for student work, attendance, behaviour, and deportment.
Attitude
Students are expected to participate willingly and diligently in their assigned work and to undertake school activities with a spirit of cooperation and fair play.
Compliance with the District Code of Conduct
It is expected that students will abide by the District and School Code of Conduct going to and from school, on school buses, at school, and at school activities wherever held.
