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Progressive Discipline                         

 

Policy Statement

 

DPCDSB supports the comprehensive and consistent use of a progressive discipline approach, and shall reflect the model of Christian discipleship, in its implementation of the Catholic Code of Conduct.

  

Progressive Discipline Definition

 

Progressive Discipline is a step-by-step process of supporting positive behaviours and responding to and resolving a wide range of infractions and conflicts with appropriate interventions and consequences.  It helps to facilitate the renewal of relationships, and to ensure new beginnings for designated students within a nurturing learning environment.  Progressive discipline exists at all times for all students. Progressive discipline includes classroom management strategies and school-wide programs that teach pro-social skills, provides support for vulnerable students, promotes virtue formation, and fosters Catholic values.

 

When challenging behaviours occur, interventions are initiated to re-direct the student’s behaviours and encourage him/her to make amends. Consequences to help the student appreciate the seriousness of his/her actions are part of this educative process, along with on-going supports to ensure that negative behaviours are replaced with positive ones. At times, suspension or expulsion may be necessary as a just consequence and to protect the safety of others. A student on suspension or expulsion will have an opportunity to continue learning in an alternate setting.  Upon return to a regular day school, the student will be welcomed back with on-going support and monitoring.

 

Suspensions

 

A principal may consider whether to suspend a pupil if he or she believes that the pupil has engaged in any of the following activities while at school, at a school-related activity, or in other circumstances where engaging in the activity will have an impact on the school climate:

 
  1. Uttering a threat to inflict serious bodily harm on another person;
  2. Possessing alcohol, illegal and/or restricted drugs;
  3. Being under the influence of alcohol, illegal and/or restricted drugs;
  4. Swearing at a teacher or at another person in a position of authority;
  5. Committing an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to school property at the pupil’s school or to property located on the premises of the pupil’s school;
  6. Bullying;
  7. Any act considered by the principal to be injurious to the moral tone of the school;
  8. Any act considered by the principal to be injurious to the physical or mental well-being of members of the school community; or
  9. Any act considered by the principal to be contrary to the Catholic Code of Conduct.

 

A pupil may be suspended only once for an infraction, in any one incident and may be suspended for a minimum of one (1) school day and a maximum of twenty (20) school days.

 

Expulsions

 

A principal may consider recommending an expulsion of a pupil if he or she believes that the pupil has engaged in any of the following activities while at school, at a school-related activity or in other circumstances where engaging in the activity will have an impact on the school climate:

  1. Possessing a weapon, including possessing a firearm;
  2. Using a weapon to cause or to threaten bodily harm to another person;
  3. Committing physical assault on another person that causes bodily harm requiring treatment by a medical practitioner;
  4. Committing sexual assault;
  5. Activities engaged in by the pupil on or off school property that cause the pupil's continuing presence in the school to create an unacceptable risk to the physical or mental well-being of other person(s) in the school or Board;
  6. Trafficking in weapons; illegal and/or restricted drugs;
  7. Committing robbery; giving alcohol to a minor;
  8. An act considered by the principal to be significantly injurious to the moral tone of the school and/or to the physical or mental well-being of others;
  9.  A pattern of behaviour that is so inappropriate that the pupil's continued presence is injurious to the effective learning and/or working environment of others;
  10. Activities engaged in by the pupil on or off school property that have caused extensive damage to the property of the Board or to goods that are/were on Board property;
  11. The pupil has demonstrated through a pattern of behaviour that s/he has not prospered by the instruction available to him or her and that s/he is persistently resistant to making changes in behaviour which would enable him or her to prosper; or
  12. Any act considered by the principal to be a serious violation of the Catholic Code of Conduct.  

 Mitigating Factors:

 

The following factors must be taken into account if they would mitigate the seriousness of the activity for which suspension or expulsion is considered:

 
  1. The pupil’s ability to control his/her behaviour;
  2. The pupil’s ability to understand the foreseeable consequences of his/her behaviour;
  3. Whether the pupil’s on-going presence creates an unacceptable risk to the safety of any person;
  4. The pupil’s history and age; and IEP considerations;
  5. Whether a progressive discipline approach has been used with the pupil;
  6. Whether the activity was related to harassment;
  7. How the suspension/expulsion would affect the pupil’s on-going education.

For more information, see Parent Guide http://www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/Schools/Safe+Schools/