In light of its Mission Statement, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is committed to implementing the Catholic Code of Conduct in every school, which clearly reflects the need to provide a safe, caring, inclusive, and healthy Catholic school community. All community members will work together to develop spiritually, intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally by aspiring to the highest possible standards of Catholic behaviour, in living out Gospel values, and by fostering a Catholic culture of respect, responsibility and concern for the common good.
The Board recognizes that the Human Rights Code of Ontario has primacy over provincial legislation and school board polices and other administrative documents.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF STUDENTS
Students will exercise self-discipline in their respect for self, staff, fellow students, school property and the property of others. They will take full responsibility for their own actions and strive to live up to the expectations of the Catholic Code of Conduct and all other board/school/class expectations, policies and procedures. They will work towards achieving a virtuous lifestyle, high standards of personal conduct and academic performance, active participation in leadership and service initiatives, concern for the environment, and compassion for those in need.
Students fulfill these responsibilities by:
· coming to school prepared, on time, ready to learn, and properly attired;
· striving for excellence in personal conduct and academic performance;
· cultivating opportunities to develop talents and strengthen personal leadership skills;
· demonstrating courteous behaviour to all;
· contributing to an inclusive school culture by advocating that no student be excluded;
· defending the rights of fellow students by reporting and/or safely intervening when the rights of others are threatened or violated;
· cultivating a virtuous life through a commitment to Gospel values and service to others;
· participating respectfully in the faith life and liturgical practices of the school community (sacraments, retreats, religion curriculum, etc);
· participating in school programs related to wise stewardship of resources (e.g. reduce, reuse, recycle);
· accepting school discipline as a tool for personal growth, and as an extension of the responsibilities that would be exercised by a kind, firm and judicious parent;
· refraining from bringing anything to school that may compromise the safety of others; and
· acknowledging that school safety is a shared responsibility that depends on student commitment and involvement.
DPCDSB prohibits bullying in all its forms, as a serious offence against the dignity of persons created in God’s image, and as an affront to the integrity of Catholic learning communities...Bullying will not be permitted on school property either in classrooms or common areas, at school-related activities, on school buses, or in any other circumstances (including cyber-bullying: i.e., email, cell phone, pager, text messages, instant messaging, and websites) where engaging in bullying will have a negative impact on the Catholic school climate or disrupt the learning environment.
The Board considers harassment on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, colour, ethnicity, culture, citizenship, ancestry, origin, religion, creed, family status, socio-economic status, disability and/or any other immutable characteristic or ground protected by the Human Rights Code unacceptable and supports the use of positive practices to prevent such behaviour and authorizes principals, or their delegates, to impose consequences in appropriate circumstances, up to and including a referral to the Discipline Committee of the Board for expulsion from all schools.
DEFINITION
Bullying is typically a form of repeated, persistent, and aggressive behaviour directed at a person or group 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 occurs where there is a real or perceived power imbalance (Ministry of Education PPM No.144).
If you are feeling bullied by someone, TELL SOMEONE; someone cares.If you know someone who is being bullied, HELP THEM; it could be you.
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.
DEFINITION
Progressive Discipline in Dufferin-Peel is administered with a commitment to a model of Christ-centered discipleship and rooted in an effective management of student behaviours predicated on the belief that “fairness is not sameness,” and that all consequences for inappropriate behaviours must be discretionary – including decisions around suspensions and expulsions. To ensure that schools do not employ a “one-size-fits all” approach to disciplinary practice, consideration of mitigating factors will be used system-wide in the assessment, investigation, and follow-up of inappropriate student behaviours. In this way, personalized solutions will be reflectively undertaken with consideration for the unique individuals and circumstances involved.
A principal may consider whether to suspend a student if he/she believes that the student 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, or 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 student’s school or to property located on the premises of the student’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 any member of the school community;
9. Any act considered by the principal to be contrary to the Catholic Code of Conduct.
A student 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.
A principal may consider recommending an expulsion of a student if he/she believes that the student 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. Trafficking in weapons, illegal and/or restricted drugs
6. Committing robbery;
7. 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 student’s continued presence is injurious to the effective learning and/or working environment of others;
10. Activities engaged in by the student on or off school property that cause the student’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
11. Activities engaged in by the student 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;
12. The student has demonstrated through a pattern of behaviour that he/she has not prospered by the instruction available to him/her and that he/she is persistently resistant to making changes in behaviour which would enable him/her to prosper;
13. Any act considered by the principal to be a serious violation of the requirements for student behaviour and/or a serious breach of the Catholic Code of Conduct;
14. Where a student has no history of discipline or behaviour intervention, or no relevant history, a single act, incident or infraction considered by the principal to be a serious violation of the expectations of student behaviour and/or a serious breach of the Catholic Code of Conduct.
For more information about Safe, Caring, Healthy and Inclusive School policies and resources, visit www.dpcdsb.org.