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Code of Conduct

Queen Elizabeth Elementary School

Code of Conduct

Queen Elizabeth Elementary School has a set of guidelines for conduct. These guidelines reflect our school’s philosophy of a safe and caring place, where everyone tries his/her best, treats others with kindness, and respects the environment.

Queen Elizabeth’s Code of Conduct is designed to promote cooperation among students, encourage respect for others, and safety when at school. It emphasizes:

  • Cooperation                                         
  • Courtesy
  • Care:   for Self

                        for Others

                        for the Environment  

Behaviour Expectations

At Queen Elizabeth School high standards of behaviour and attitude are fostered. Each student is expected to be responsible for his/her behaviour and learning. Staff expects students to:

1.   Be cooperative, considerate, and courteous in all situations;

2.   Act in a way that is safe for themselves and others;

3.   Respect the rights of teachers to teach and students to learn;

4.   Follow all staff instructions promptly and cooperatively; and

5.   Respect personal and school property.

These expectations apply to behaviour at school, during school-organized or sponsored activities, and behaviour beyond these times (including on-line behaviour) that negatively impacts the safe, caring, or orderly environment of the school, and/or student learning.

 

Queen Elizabeth Elementary School promotes the values expressed in the British Columbia Human Rights Code, respecting the rights of all individuals in accordance with the law - prohibiting discrimination based on race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex or sexual orientation - in respect of discriminatory publication and discrimination in accommodation, service, and facility in the school environment.         

Any form of racism will not be tolerated in our school.

 

Safety / Conduct Guidelines   

1.      For safety reasons, all students must stay on school grounds once they arrive in the morning and at recess and lunch unless written permission is received from parents.   

2.      To prevent accidents, bicycle riding, skate boarding, in-line skating, and scooters must be safely carried or walked on school grounds from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. No shoes with wheels are permitted. To prevent theft, bicycles must be locked in the racks provided.   

3.      In consideration of students with allergies or who are afraid of animals, no dogs should be on the school grounds without permission. All dogs must be leashed. 

4.      Only safe objects may be brought to school. Any weapons or objects used as weapons (sharp items, pellet guns, replica guns, knives etc.) will be confiscated and only released to parents. 

5.      Fireworks, firecrackers, or lighters are not permitted on school grounds.  

6.      Play behaviour must be respectful and non-violent. Fighting, play-fighting, and aggressive games are not permitted.   

7.      Only objects meant for play may be thrown or kicked on the playground. Rocks, sticks, sand, dirt, and water must stay on the ground.  

8.      Out of respect for our beautiful school and grounds, graffiti and littering are forbidden.  

9.      Language must be positive and encouraging. Swearing, teasing, name calling, personal insults, and bullying behaviour will not be tolerated.  

10.    Parents are discouraged from sending children to school before 8:30 a.m. unless they are participating in a staff supervised activity. Children should be picked up, or go home, promptly after school. Supervision is from 8:40 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. daily.  

11.    Students are encouraged to play outside as a way to promote healthy living with the option to remain inside during rainy days. It is expected that students will be engaged in a quiet activity such as reading, board games, or doing homework in the Intermediate lunch room.  

12.    Kindergarten to Grade 3 students play in the Primary playground, although Grade 3 children may use the gravel field for soccer. Students in Grade 4 to 7 may play on the grounds up to the oval track. For safety reasons, the woods are out of bounds for all unsupervised students.  

13.    Students should immediately report any problems on the playground at recess and lunch to the Supervision Aides.  

14.    For safety reasons, students need to return to class immediately when the bell sounds.  

15.    To prevent accidents, there is to be no running inside the school other than the gym. 

16.    For safety reasons, Primary students should go to the washroom in pairs.  

17.    While cell phones and iPods are permitted, they are to be turned off during instructional time and kept out of sight.  Moreover, students are strongly advised to keep expensive personal items at home; the school is not responsible for damage or theft.  

18.    While individual teachers may permit them within their classrooms, hats, caps, and hoods are not to be worn during assemblies, performances, or in the office.  Furthermore, while some teachers may allow gum chewing during instructional time, it is not permitted in other areas of the school during class time.  

19.    Written parental / guardian consent is required for all field trips. Verbal consent will not be accepted.  

20.    Because the school has only two phone lines for general use, the Office phone may only be used by students for important communication. A note from teachers or permission from Office staff is required. A pay phone is available for common needs.  

21.    All members of our school community are encouraged to show courteous and respectful behaviour at all times, greeting others, holding open doors, offering assistance to those in need, and using “please”, “thank you”, “excuse me”, “may I have....” etc.  

22.    Students clothing should be suitable to the weather and classroom activities for that day.

 

Consequences for Unacceptable Behaviour: School Discipline Plan 

Queen Elizabeth School strives for consistency and fairness with consequences for unacceptable behaviour as staff endeavour to teach students to make positive decisions and resolve conflicts in peaceful and appropriate ways.  

It is expected that, as students develop with age, they will demonstrate increasing maturity, self-regulation, decision-making ability, and leadership in their decisions and actions. Special considerations may apply to students with Special Needs if they are unable to comply with the Code of Conduct because of a disability of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional, or behavioural nature.  

Unacceptable conduct includes, but is not limited to:  

  • Willful and repeated disrespect toward a teacher or to any other employee of the Board carrying out responsibilities approved by the Board;
  • Behaviour of student breaches the District Code of Conduct or policy and/or has a harmful effect on others or the learning environment of the school’
  • Failure to comply with the School Code of Conduct

Section 1: District Code of Conduct

Consequences for student misbehaviour are determined on an individual basis. Restorative rather than punitive consequences will be assigned whenever possible. Serious rule infractions may result in withdrawal of privileges or suspension from school. 

Supervision Aides are responsible for students at recess and lunch and have the authority to make decisions regarding problems. The teacher and / or administrator will be notified if concerns are frequent or serious.  

In determining appropriate responses for unacceptable behaviour, staff and administration take into consideration the following:

  • the type of incident
  • the degree of harm caused to the victim or school community
  • the age and personal history of the individuals involved
  • the involvement of a group with one individual as a target
  • the special needs of students
  • the presence of a weapon

Queen Elizabeth staff has agreed upon the following process to address student behaviour that is not yet meeting expectations:

1.      Most problems are minor and infrequent, and can be solved / settled through the following steps:  

         a)      Staff member speaks directly with the student(s).

         b)      Student(s) will be asked to identify their inappropriate behaviour or poor decisions.

         c)      Student(s) will be asked to think about, and verbalize, what would have been a better decision and behaviour.

         d)      A mild consequence may be assigned that is designed to encourage more positive actions in the future.

         e)      Intervention at this level may involve a class meeting.  

2.      If additional intervention is required to solve the problem, the following steps are employed until the problem is resolved:  

         a)      Staff contact parents and inform them of the problem.

b)      Staff and student meet with parents; an administrator may be involved. The problem and behaviour intervention plan will be documented.  

3.      For behaviour that is more serious or is a repeat of previous minor violations, the following consequences may be assigned:

         a)      Student(s) will be asked to write an apology.

         b)      Student(s) will be asked to perform community service.

         c)      Student(s) will lose privileges.  

4.      The school will treat seriously behaviour or communication that discriminates based on race, colour ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex or sexual orientation (prohibited grounds set out in the B. C. Human Rights Code).  

In accordance with the School Act, the Vancouver Board of Education authorizes the principal to suspend a student from attendance at school for up to five days for serious offences.  

For very serious behaviour concerns including weapons offences, vandalism, racism, arson, theft, truancy, violence causing injury to another person, wilful disobedience, or causing major disruption in a classroom or school event, the following steps will be taken:  

         a)      Parent(s) will be called.

         b)      Student(s) may receive an in-school suspension. (Student works in the Office for a specified length of time.)          

         c)      Student(s) may receive a formal suspension from school and be sent home. (Parents will be contacted and a registered letter mailed.) Before returning to school, the student and parent will be required to meet with administrator(s).

         d)      As circumstances warrant, any or all of the following may be notified:

                  •     Classroom Teacher

                  •     Principal / Vice-Principal

                  •     Parents / Guardians

                  •     School Staff

                  •     Area Counsellor

                  •     District Staff

                  •     Ministerial Agencies

                  •     Police Liaison Officer

                  •     911

                  •     Other Schools  

How Parents and Guardians Can Help

1.      Support the Queen Elizabeth Code of Conduct throughout the year.

2.      Contact your child’s teacher if you have any concerns or questions.

3.      Make sure your child is on time for school.

4.      Report student absences to the school by informing the classroom teacher in advance or by leaving a voice mail message on the school answering machine before 8:30 a.m.

5.      Review and sign the student agenda each day; monitor homework and assignments.

6.      Supervise online communication and instant messaging at home.

7.      Respect parking regulations in school zones.    

Who Parents Can Call for Help or Information

  • Your child’s teacher
  • Principal / Vice-Principal
  • Area Counsellor
  • First Nations Worker



 

 

 

 

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