John Howitt Elementary School Code of Conduct

At John Howitt Elementary School we believe that our students can be H.E.R.O.E.S!  We believe in our school and our larger community.   Our philosophy is that our students will meet our Howitt H.E.R.O.E.S. code (Honest, Encouraging, Respectful, On Time and Ready, Empathic and Safe). John Howitt is a friendly and safe place to learn. Along with your parents and guardians, we will work together with you to make your time at John Howitt very successful and enjoyable. John Howitt is committed to meeting the unique needs of students in a supportive, caring environment which promotes student learning and achievement, a sense of pride, responsibility, and accomplishment. The expectations of our code of conduct applies to students while they are at school, at school sponsored activities (e.g.: Field Trips or Sports Events), and any behavior beyond these times that affects the safe, caring, and orderly school environment. We believe that by following our school code of conduct we can make John Howitt Elementary a safe, caring, and orderly environment to grow and learn.  These are the characteristics and traits, as well as positive expectations we are promoting in our John Howitt community:

WE ARE PART OF A POSITIVE SCHOOL LEARNING COMMUNITY WHEN WE:

• Are courteous to staff, students, neighbours, and guests.
• Do our best and ask for assistance when needed.
• Accept ideas that are different from our own.
• Participate fully, willingly, positively, taking risks with our learning and supporting others to do the same.
• Collaborate with, and encourage, others.

Each teacher will also discuss with students what these expectations look, and sound like, in their classroom.

CODE OF CONDUCT GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

• BC Human Rights: Our school supports the values expressed in the BC 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, physical and mental disability, sex, or sexual orientation.
• Special Consideration: In application of our school’s Code of Conduct, special consideration may apply to students with unique learning needs if students are unable to comply due to having a challenge of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional, or behavioral nature.
• Prevention of retaliation: All reasonable steps will be taken to prevent retaliation against a student who made a complaint about any incident that breeches our Code of Conduct.
• Notifying outside agencies: School Officials have the responsibility to advise other parties/agencies of serious breaches of our Code of Conduct (i.e., Parents, District Staff, RCMP, Fire Department, Ministry of Children and Family Development). 

CONSEQUENCES

The following interventions and consequences are used to assist students in making the correct choices.  In all situations, communication to and from the home is the most important step in the process in helping students overcome problems. Students that have not followed our Code of Conduct shall receive firm, fair, and progressive consequences. These consequences are appropriate to students at an elementary school age (5-13 years old). 

At John Howitt, we also recognize that each child and each situation must be considered in terms of both the rights of the individual and the rights of the John Howitt community. We believe that our school community will adhere to a code of conduct that is educative, preventative, and restorative.

RESTORATIVE PRACTICES:

1. Focus on creating conditions for students to learn self-discipline, fix mistakes, and return to the group/class/school strengthened.
2. Meaningfully address the needs of all those who have been harmed by inappropriate actions.
3. Response to the harm is meaningful in addressing the needs of all involved.
4. Help students reclaim their self-esteem through self-evaluation, personal effort, and restitution.
5. Provide opportunities to model leadership.
6. Emphasize the importance of positive relationships in building community and, 
7. Speak to the obligation we all have to each other to move towards wholeness, restoration, and belongingness.

Participating in a meaningful consequence may include:

• A ‘do over’ opportunity.
• Face to face meetings to address the harm done.
• Group or classroom circles to restore equity, balance, and respect.
• An act of service to make a positive contribution to the class, school, or community.
• Reflective/think process that includes the opportunity to create a plan to restore the harm done.

BEHAVIOURS THAT REQUIRE ATTENTION ARE:

• Behaviours that:

1. Interfere with the learning of others, including their emotional well-being
2. Interfere with the orderly environment
3. Create unsafe conditions

• Acts, such as:

1. Bullying, harassment, racism or intimidation
2. Cyberbullying
3. Physical Violence
4. Retribution against a person who has reported incidents
5. Going on school roofs

• Illegal acts, such as:

1. Possession, use or distribution of illegal or restricted substances
2. Possession or the use of weapons
3. Theft or damage to property

POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES:

Choosing not to follow the John Howitt Code of Conduct may result in the following consequences and remedial measures.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION:

As the world of social media and various forms of electronic communication evolve there is a need to remind students that it is unacceptable to use such formats to intimidate or expose other students or staff to physical harm, ridicule, hatred, or contempt. This type of behaviour can have a significant negative impact on our school learning environment, even if these incidents begin outside the school building and grounds, or school day. Cyber-bullying can have not only a profound impact on students’ abilities to learn, but the school’s status as a caring and orderly learning and working environment. We will follow the School District 70 Administrative Procedure #5017 Cybersafety in response to any incidents of cyberbullying or inappropriate use of technology.

SCHOOL SAFETY

1.         Students may not leave the school grounds during the school day unless they have a note from a parent or guardian and/or permission from a teacher. 

2.         If students bring a lunch to school they are expected to eat it at school. Lunches must be eaten in the classroom.  

3.       On the rare days when students stay in the school during recess or lunch playtime they are expected to remain in their classrooms at recess and behave in an acceptable manner in accordance with the school’s code of conduct.  At noon hour, opportunities for choice activities in the gym, library, computer lab and quiet activities in the classroom may be available.   

4.         Students are not to ride their bikes, skateboards or roller blades on the school grounds during the school week between the hours of 8:15 and 4:00 p.m. 

5.         The following areas are ‘OUT OF BOUNDS’ to students:

               Main Parking Lot

               Kindergarten Parking Lot

               Bus Zone

6.         Throwing snowballs is not allowed on school grounds.