Safe Positive Schools
INTRODUCTION
During the 1995/96 school year, the Catholic Board of Education approved a broadly-based consultative process conducted by the Catholic Schools Principals' Association. This process was designed to solicit input and promote dialogue on the theme of developing safe, positive schools. Consultations conducted directly involved over 1000 staff members, parents, and students.
One of the recommendations from the consultation stressed the importance of Saskatoon Catholic Schools developing a school division code of conduct. This code forms the basis for school codes of conduct to be communicated to students, staff and parents.
It is envisioned that all parents, staff and students will become aware of this code and that a more specific code will be developed for each Catholic School.
The code is intended to express the expectation that Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools are safe, positive Christian communities.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Board of Education mission statement expresses the view that:
- Education in the Catholic tradition is the lifelong process of seeking and coming to know God in the fullness of creation,
- The purpose of the Saskatoon Catholic Schools Board of Education is to assist parents and the local Church community in the formation of students in heart, mind, body, and spirit,
- Catholic schools strive to provide an atmosphere of love in which students are inspired by hope in Jesus Christ and have their faith strengthened through the power of the Holy Spirit.
THE MISSION STATEMENT AND STUDENT CONDUCT
The Mission Statement commits the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Board of Education to the following principles:
- Catholic schools are to be communities of love, freedom, and service.
- Catholic schools are to inspire hope by encouraging the growth and affirming the worth of each person.
- Catholic schools are to celebrate learning illuminated by faith and informed by Christian wisdom.
- Catholic schools are to assist students to interpret social and human relationships in the light of the social teachings of the church.
- Catholic schools are to encourage the spiritual growth of staff members and foster the gift of eternal spiritual youth.
These principles express the vision of Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools and provide the framework for all policy and practices.
THE Greater SASKATOON CATHOLIC SCHOOLS CODE OF CONDUCT
A Code of Conduct defines the values and vision of the school division in which all relationships are conducted in a respectful and dignified manner. Catholic Schools share with parents the responsibility to develop students' personal and social skills to achieve this vision; consequently,
- each person within a school has the right to feel emotionally and physically safe,
- each person has the responsibility to contribute to a safe, positive learning environment,
- each school community has the responsibility to establish a process for developing a school code of conduct.
EXPECTATIONS
The Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Board of Education has the following expectations:
For Students
- to attend school regularly and conform to the rules of the school,
- to participate willingly in their learning,
- to respect others' safety, well being, and property,
- to be accountable for their behaviour and responsive to reasonable, related, and respectful consequences,
- to participate in creating a safe, positive environment conducive to learning,
- to be involved in developing a school code of conduct.
For School Staff
- to participate in creating a safe, positive environment conducive to learning,
- to be involved in developing a school code of conduct,
- to involve their students in developing classroom discipline practices which utilize reasonable, related, and respectful consequences,
- to model, teach and reinforce appropriate behaviour.
For Parents/Guardians
- to support their child(ren) in regular and punctual attendance at school,
- to participate in creating a safe, positive, learning environment at their school,
- to work and cooperate with the school to resolve concerns involving their child(ren).
STUDENT DISCIPLINE AS A BASIS FOR THE CODE OF CONDUCT
Catholic education is based on the principle of self-discipline. This principle includes exercising good judgement and Christian understanding in personal and social relationships. Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools support the following as guidelines in the development of a Code of Conduct for each school:
- Discipline is a set of skills that allows for effective learning; discipline is not punishment.
- Discipline enhances self-knowledge, self-esteem, and self-confidence.
- Discipline is part of the total teaching-learning process which promotes the development of integrity, accountability, personal ethics and self-management.
- Discipline recognizes and respects cultural diversity and individual differences.
- Discipline policies adhere to generally accepted principles of fairness and equity.
- Discipline policies guide intervention strategies for students.
- Discipline policies are dynamic and flexible.
DEVELOPING A SCHOOL CODE OF CONDUCT
The Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Board of Education encourages that each school establish a school code of conduct. This should be done through a consultative process which engages parents, students, and staff in establishing behavioural expectations for students.
The following process is suggested for developing a school code of conduct:
- Clarifying the Purpose
A school code of conduct becomes the standard against which students' behaviour, school and classroom rules and procedures are evaluated.
- Developing the Code
School staffs need to work in partnership with parents/guardians in establishing appropriate limits for students and in developing consequences that are reasonable, related, and respectful.
The following steps are suggested to guide the development of a code:
- form a school code of conduct committee involving the school community,
- establish basic operating principles consistent with the school vision and mission,
- discuss the operating principles with the larger school community,
- select the operating principles for the code of conduct based on the expectations expressed by staff, parents and students.
- Teaching the Code
School staff must make clear the expectations of the code.
- Discuss with students appropriate and inappropriate behaviours,
- Clarify student understanding of identified behaviours,
- Include parents in teaching the code,
- Establish a minimum number of rules,
- Establish reasonable, related and respectful consequences.
- Expressing and Reinforcing the Code
The entire school community shares in reinforcing the code and therefore must be made aware of the expectations expressed in the code. The following will help with this responsibility:
- Publicize the code to all students and families,
- Model the code in relationships at school,
- Acknowledge and reinforce students following the code,
- Review and refine the code on a regular basis.
- Enforcing the Code
Parents and students must understand the expectations and the consequences when a student chooses to exceed established limits of behaviour. The following will assist in enforcing the code:
- Check for understanding,
- Problem-solve when disagreements occur,
- Consult with parents.
Consequences may include:
- discussing, problem solving, reviewing, counselling,
- loss of privileges, detention, reprimand, action plan,
- removal from class, suspension, expulsion,
- referral to Student Services,
- restitution, community services,
- alternative programming, alternative placement,
- referral to community agencies.
When a principal suspends a student, the principal will follow appropriate School Division policies and legislation. A student may be suspended for such behaviour as:
- intimidation, harassment, or behaviour that threatens the safety of students or staff,
- possession of illegal drugs or alcohol,
- theft or damage to school or others' property,
- overt opposition to authority.
CONCLUSION
This code of conduct is intended to assist students, staffs and parents/guardians in establishing appropriate expectations for personal and social conduct. This will happen if all individuals accept personal responsibility for their attitudes and actions. In Catholic Schools this intention is guided by the gospel message which forms part of the Mission Statement:
"I pray that your inward eyes may be illumined; so that you may know what is the hope to which God calls you." --Ephesians 1:18
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