Code of Conduct

Code of Conduct

The Dalewood community is committed to building and sustaining a positive school climate for all students in order to support their learning and to help each student reach his/her full potential. Throughout the year we offer programs, activities and lessons that focus on the building of healthy relationships, character development, and fostering a positive learning and teaching environment. Students, teachers & school staff, and parents in the Dalewood community all have expectations for how each will conduct themselves and treat others.

What is Bullying?
The Ministry of Education has established the following definition:

Bullying is typically a form of repeated, persistent, and aggressive behaviour directed at an individual or individuals that is intended to cause (or should be known to cause) fear and distress and/or harm to another person’s body, feelings, self-esteem, or reputation.

Bullying is a dynamic of unhealthy interaction that can take many forms. It can be physical (e.g., hitting, pushing, tripping), verbal (e.g., name calling, mocking, or making sexist, racist, or homophobic comments), or social (e.g., excluding others from a group, spreading gossip or rumours). It may also occur through the use of technology (e.g., spreading rumours, images, or hurtful comments through the use of e-mail, cellphones, text messaging, Internet websites, or other technology).
Bullying is not tolerated at Dalewood. Our school has a comprehensive intervention strategy to address incidents of bullying consistent with a progressive discipline approach. All students are encouraged to report bullying incidents, and our staff work together to ensure the identities of students who report incidents remain anonymous. Students wishing to report bullying can:
• talk with a staff member privately
• drop a note in our communication box
• e-mail our school
• have a parent contact the school
All reported bullying incidents are taken seriously by our staff, and will be fully investigated.

Students
Students are to be treated with respect and dignity. In return, they must demonstrate respect for themselves, for others, and for the responsibilities of citizenship through acceptable behaviour. Respect and responsibility are demonstrated when a student:
• comes to school prepared, on time, and ready to learn;
• shows respect for himself or herself, for others, and for those in authority;
• uses language and tone of voice appropriate to a school setting;
• does not engage in bullying behaviours (intimidation, verbal abuse, physical aggression, etc.);
• does not bring anything to school that may threaten or endanger the safety of others;
• follows rules and takes responsibility for his or her own actions.

Specific School Rules:
Dalewood students are expected to:
• use computers appropriately as outlined in DSBN’s computer user agreement;
• wear appropriate Dalewood physical education uniform and footwear;
• dispose of chewing gum before entering the school by placing it into a garbage container;
• leave CD players, MP3 players, and IPODS at home. Cell phones are not to be used at school and be left in lockers turned off;
• remove their hats when entering the school;

Possible Consequences for Unacceptable Behaviour:
It is important to actively promote and support appropriate student behaviours that contribute to and sustain a safe learning and teaching environment in which every student can reach his or her full potential. Progressive discipline will be used to address inappropriate student behaviour and to develop more positive social interactions. A range of strategies are used, and may include:
? discussion of behaviour and review of expectations;
? written work assignment addressing inappropriate behaviour;
? community services to the school and/or restitution for damages;
? withdrawal of privileges;
? detention of student;
? referral to counselling;
? withdrawal from class;
? suspension from school;
? expulsion from school.
Each inappropriate behaviour is unique and circumstances vary. The nature and severity of the behaviour, and the impact on the school climate are taken into consideration when determining the necessary response.

Teachers and Other School Staff Members
Under the leadership of their principal, teachers and other school staff members maintain order in the school and are expected to hold everyone to the highest standard of respectful and responsible behaviour. As role models, teachers and school staff uphold these high standards when they:
? help students work to their full potential and develop their sense of self-worth;
? empower students to be positive leaders in their classroom, school, and community;
? communicate regularly and meaningfully with parents;
? maintain consistent standards of behaviour for all students;
? demonstrate respect for all students, staff, parents, volunteers, and the members of the school community;
? prepare students for the full responsibilities of citizenship.

Parents
Parents play an important role in the education of their children, and can support the efforts of school staff in maintaining a safe and respectful learning environment for all students. Parents fulfil their role when they:
? show an active interest in their child’s school work and progress;
? communicate regularly with the school;
? help their child be neat, appropriately dressed, and prepared for school;
? ensure that their child attends school regularly and on time;
? promptly report to the school their child’s absence or late arrival;
? show that they are familiar with the provincial Code of Conduct, the boar’s code of conduct, and the school rules;
? encourage and assist their child in following the rules of behaviour;
? assist school staff in dealing with disciplinary issues involving their child.

ATTENDANCE
We ask that parents of a child who will be absent or late phone the school before 8:45 a.m. (1:25 p.m. for afternoon absences). We will telephone parents of children not accounted unless notified. An answering machine is available for your convenience whenever the office is closed.

ENTRY
1. Know which entrance to use. The front doors are only for staff and visitors. Please stay outside until the entry bell rings at 8:40 a.m. and at 1:20 p.m.
2. Upon entry through your assigned door, go directly to your locker and then to your home room. Get all of the books and equipment that you will need for the entire morning or afternoon.
3. If you have an early activity in the gym or library, you may use the front entrance. Do not enter the gym or library unless a teacher is present.

LUNCH ROUTINES
Dalewood students are strongly advised not to go to the local plaza for lunch. Students either eat at school or at home.
1. Students staying for lunch must remain in their home rooms during the Nutrition Breaks (10:20-10:40 a.m.; 12:40-1:00 p.m.). Food and drinks may not be consumed elsewhere in the school.
2. When you finish eating, be sure to clean up your area and place garbage and recyclable materials in the proper containers and then wait to be dismissed by a teacher.
3. Students staying at school for lunch must remain on school property for the entire lunch period. Regular lunch students are required to bring a written permission from a parent to leave at lunch.
4. Students wishing to go home for lunch will be permitted to leave at the 2nd Nutrition Break.
Students that stay for lunch are expected to conduct themselves in a quiet and respectful manner.

LATENESS
Students are expected to be in their homerooms five (5) minutes after the entry bell at 8:40 a.m. and 1:20 p.m. Students must develop effective time management skills to be successful. Students who are continuously late disrupt our school’s learning environment, and will face the following consequences:
Fourth (4) Late 15 minute detention with teacher
Fifth (5) Late 30 minute detention with teacher
Sixth (6) Late 30 minute office detention
Seventh (7) Late 30 minute office detention & parent conference with principal
Students arriving to school after entry MUST sign in at the office.

DRESS CODE
To help create a positive learning environment, students at Dalewood are expected to dress in an appropriate manner. A good rule of thumb is to arrive at school in a neat, tidy and presentable manner as you would to go to work. Clothing that is unacceptable at Dalewood include:
• suggestive or rude messages on shirts;
• pyjama bottoms, torn jeans, short shorts, cut-offs; and
• spaghetti straps, tank tops, tube tops, muscle shirts, bare midriffs.
Students with inappropriate clothing will be asked to change or cover up.

BICYCLES, SKATEBOARDS AND ROLLER BLADES
Students who use these forms of transportation must dismount and push/carry their bike, skateboard or roller blades onto the school property. Students are not to use these items on our property. We expect all students to wear appropriate safety gear. Students riding bikes to school must wear a helmet, it is the law.

THE TELEPHONE
Dalewood has a pay phone that has been installed by the Student Council for use at lunch and after school. Students should have 50 cents or a phone card in their lockers. Students will be granted use of the office phone only in an emergency (i.e. an illness).

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES
Electronic communication devices, while serving legitimate purposes, can also be used in an intrusive manner. The privacy, safety and dignity of others could be violated by the inappropriate use of audio and video recording devices. Electronic communication devices are disruptive if they are on in class, distracting the students’ attention away from their primary focus, which is learning.
It is the policy of the District School Board of Niagara that cellular telephones, pagers, and similar types of communication devices owned and/or carried by students are to be turned off and are not to be used on school property, with the exception that school administrators shall designate one or more areas of the school propery appropriate for the use of electronic communication devices provided it takes into account the provisions mentioned above.
The only approved location at Dalewood for students to use electronic communication devices is in the front foyer before the start of the day or at the end of the school day. Permission MUST first be granted by a staff member.

VALUABLES
We recommend all valuables be left at home unless they relate directly to your school work. CD players, MP3 players, IPODS and cell phones may not be used at Dalewood. If you must bring money to school, leave it with a staff member or lock it in your locker. Keep your locker combination a secret, this way your possessions will be safe. NEVER leave valuables in the gym change rooms.

LOCKERS
Lockers are assigned to every student by the homeroom teacher. Only ‘Dudley’ locks fit our lockers. Locks may be purchased at school for $5.00. Each student must give his/her homeroom teacher the lock combination and serial number, and must use only the locker that has been assigned. Lockers remain the property of the District School Board of Niagara and may be opened with authority of the principal.