Code of Conduct

John Maclure Community School

Code of Conduct

Heart of the City

 

Our Mission: 
John Maclure Community School is a school community that cooperates, achieves, respects, encourages and supports all students in order to prepare them with the knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes necessary to reach their goals.

Our Belief Statements:

  • We believe all children can learn.
  • We believe that all members of the school community should be treated with respect.
  • We believe that it is the right of every individual to learn to his/her potential, in an environment of quality instruction and encouragement.
  • We believe that collaboration within the school is the key to success.

 

Statement of Purpose:

At John Maclure Community School we will:

  • establish and maintain a safe, caring and orderly environment
  • protect students from discrimination (race, gender, religion, sexual orientation) as outlined in B.C.’s Human Rights Code

 

Human Rights Code:

  • assist each children feel safe, both physically and emotionally, in the school and on the playground
  • build and maintain a set of positive norms, behaviours, attitudes and values that determine how individuals act and interact with others
  • help students to recognize that respectful behaviour will impact on their career lifestyle and future

 

Conduct Expectations: At John Maclure Community School, it is expected that all members of the school community (students, staff, parents and guests) will:

  • respect the rights of others
  • respect the health and safety of others
  • respect the property of others
  • respect the school rules
  • have knowledge of our SOAR expectations
  • behave in a considerate and courteous manner
  • behave in a safe and responsible manner

 

Expectations for student behaviour are presented at the beginning of each school year and are reinforced throughout the year.  In order to assist students to achieve school-wide expectations, a variety of support systems are in place at John Maclure Community School.  These include:

  • instructional review of the Code of Conduct
  • school based counseling
  • multicultural support from the specialized ELL teachers
  • review of SOAR expectations
  • in class recognition for positive behaviour
  • class based consequences for minor violations of school rules
  • disciplinary record forms for more serious incidents and office consequences
  • contact with parents for escalating problems

 

Unacceptable Conduct:  Any conduct that negatively impacts upon the school learning environment may be subject to discipline.  The following behaviours are deemed unacceptable.  This list includes examples of unacceptable behaviours and is not intended to be all-inclusive.

Behaviours that:

  • interfere with the learning of others
  • interfere with an orderly environment
  • create unsafe conditions

   

Acts of Bullying:

  • bullying or threats in person or through social media
  • physical violence
  • retribution against a person who has reported incidents

 

 Illegal acts, such as:

  • theft of or damage to property
  • possession, use or distribution of illegal or restricted substances
  • possession or use of weapons

 

Consequences for Misbehaviour:  When dealing with misbehaviour, the teacher, principal, or noon hour supervisor will engage the student in a discussion of the incident with reference to this Code of Conduct.  Students will be given an opportunity to explain the reason for their behaviour choices.  As students become older and more mature, they are expected to assume increased personal responsibility and self-discipline.  There will, therefore, be an increasing set of consequences for continued inappropriate behaviour.  An escalating series of consequences are in place for misbehaviour.  Whenever possible and appropriate, consequences for breaches of a code will be restorative in nature rather than punitive. These include:

  • a discussion
  • a warning
  • a thinking paper and appropriate consequence
  • a follow up with a parent or guardian
  • referral to school administration
  • referral to school based team
  • referral to district personnel
  • action under District Regulations
  • action under the School Act

 

Special considerations may apply to students with special needs who are unable to comply with expectations due to having a disability of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional or behavioural nature.

The staff of John Maclure Community School will continue to ensure that positive behaviour is given recognition.  Students will also know when they have chosen behaviour that is unacceptable.  Our goal is to help students see that they are responsible for their own behaviour.

 

Minor Offenses:  Staff members will deal with minor offenses as they occur.  Students will know that they exercised poor judgment in that particular instance.  They will review the behaviour that is expected from them in the future.  Parents will not necessarily be contacted for minor offenses unless a pattern of repeated offenses occurs.

 

Major Offenses:  Major offenses are those behaviours, which threaten the orderly function of the school or the well being of others.  These behaviours can include open defiance, physical or mental abuse of others or continuous disruptive behaviour.

Major offenses will be handled through a formal process.  In such situations, open communication will occur between the teacher and/or administration, the parent and the student.

A plan of action will be decided upon for major offences, discussed by all parties concerned and acted upon.  The consequences for major offenses will be decided for each individual case.

 

Notification:  Depending on the nature of the offense, the appropriate people will be notified.  This list may include: parents of the offender, parents of the victim, school district officials, police and/or other agencies as required by law.

 

School Dress Code:  You are at school to learn. In order to do that well, try to be clean, neat, dry, and warm.  In addition:

  1. Be modest and respectful of yourself and others: girls, your shirt straps should be at least “two-fingers” wide, shorts must be in good taste and midriffs need to be covered, please don’t wear make-up; boys, leave your “muscle-shirts” at home, and take your caps off when you enter the school.
  2. Look your best: groom hair so that it is clean and safe for any school activity.
  3. Value your mind: as per district policy, do not wear clothing that promotes the use of alcohol, tobacco, narcotics, or other stimulants or has suggestive, rude or disrespectful comments on them..
  4. These are habits that are helpful in establishing self-respect and confidence. Hats and outside shoes are to be removed upon entering the building.  Coats and outside footwear are to be neatly stored in the areas provided in the classrooms.

Students are to dress for the weather.

 

Care of Personal and School Property:

Students are expected to respect school and personal property, equipment and resources.  Student work areas are to be neat and tidy.  The school and grounds are to be clean and litter free.  Gum chewing is not allowed at school.

 

Extra-Curricular Activities:  Students are considered to be ambassadors of John Maclure Community School when they are participating in extracurricular activities and field trips.  Consequences for misbehaviour will result in disciplinary action in one or more of the following forms:

  • Discussion of the incident with a supervisor
  • Removal from participation in activity
  • Immediate return to school
  • Further actions upon return to school
  • Exclusion from subsequent activities

Tobacco, alcohol and/or illegal drugs are not permitted on school grounds.  These products are dangerous to students, as well as being illegal. Possession of these products will result in firm disciplinary consequences.

 

School District No. 34 Code of Conduct: The Abbotsford School District expects all students to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the respect of others:

  • be honest and forthright
  • treat others with respect and courtesy
  • attend regularly and punctually
  • work to the best of their abilities

It is also expected that students will maintain a climate, which is free of:

  • lying                                   
  • cheating
  • theft              
  • intimidation
  • violence                          
  • weapons
  • prejudicial behaviour 
  • racism
  • illegal substances   
  • harassment
  • inappropriate language

Conduct by any student that adversely affects a school’s climate or operation, including disruption of the learning environment, shall be considered a breach of the District Code of Conduct, warranting appropriate forms of intervention that may include suspension.

 

Parents Please Note:

  • Smoking on school property is strictly prohibited.
  • Policy prohibits dogs on school property.

 

Parking/Drop off & Pickup Expectations:

  • Please adhere to the No Parking signs and use the lower parking lot.
  • Please enter/leave all parking areas safely.
  • Please follow directions of those directing traffic to keep kids safe

 

As a reminder: Students use of personal digital devices at school

All schools in our district follow AP345: Student Use of Personal Digital Devices in Schools. Personal Digital Devices can include phones, headphones, smartwatches, air pods, tablets, etc. Of note to families and students:

  1. Without permission of the school administrator, personal digital devices are not to be operated during regularly scheduled hours of instruction or during any school sponsored activity such as a field trip or assembly.
  2. Personal digital devices are to be powered off during instructional time, during a school sponsored activity, during recess and lunch breaks and stored in the student's backpack. Students who do not follow the expectations can expect some or all of the following:
    1. Request to turn off the device and place in the student's backpack
    2. Conversation/reminder about the importance of following the code of conduct
    3. School Administration notified, and parent/guardian notified
    4. Student asked to leave personal digital device with the school administrator until the end of the day or an arranged time
    5. Repeated occurrences may result in an escalation of consequences.

It is highly encouraged that personal digital devices are kept at home. If students do bring their devices to school, they are to remain in the student's backpack. The security and storage of personal digital devices are the sole responsibility of the owner/user. The school/District assumes no responsibility for the safety, security, loss or repair or replacement of personal devices.

 

John Maclure Code of Conduct