Khowhemun Elementary Code of Conduct

Khowhemun Elementary Code of Conduct

Code of Conduct 

Khowhemun Elementary’s Code of Conduct has been developed in collaboration with staff, students, and families to maintain a positive and welcoming school environment.  The Code of Conduct is in alignment with Cowichan Valley School District Administrative Procedure 104: District Code of Conduct and Policy 25: Identity, Belonging and Connection, as well as Safer School Provincial Standards for Codes of Conduct Ministerial order.  As per the Ministerial Order, all Cowichan Valley schools’ Codes of Conducts have at their core, the intention to be educative, preventative, and restorative in practice and response.

Educative, Preventative, and Restorative

Conduct decisions will align with District and Ministry Policy Guidelines and will be employed with consistency and equity. Whenever possible, responses will be educative, preventative, and restorative, rather than punitive. Students, as often as possible, will be encouraged to participate in the development of meaningful outcomes to promote learning and growth. The primary function of addressing student conduct will be to correct, educate, and develop positive, contributing members of the school community.

Educative	Preventative	Restorative
Providing learning opportunities to understand and reflect on how their actions have impacts.	Proactively creating conditions that keep undesirable actions from happening.	Supporting students to participate in repairing,rebuilding, reinstating,redressing relationships.

Statement of Purpose

Khowhemun Elementary’s School Code of Conduct exists to provide everyone at school with a safe, orderly, and caring learning and working environment.  The Code of Conduct can be simplified into three simple statements: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe.  The Code of Conduct is continuously taught, practiced, and reinforced.  Upholding the expectations within the Code of Conduct is the responsibility of all members of Khowhemun Elementary’s learning community (students, staff, and families).  The Code of Conduct is the responsibility of everyone while on school premises, when traveling to and from school, and at all extra-curricular events, programs, and activities.

At Khowhemun Elementary, the S-O-A-R acronym is used to describe a set of values and goals that all students and staff are consistently working towards: Self-aware, On-task, Achievement, and Respect.  Most specifically, “S-O-A-Ring” is connected to the “Be Responsible” descriptor of the Code of Conduct.  Explicitly teaching students to S-O-A-R guides them to be active participants in their learning and positive contributors to the learning environment and school community.  At Khowhemun, “SOARing to new heights” reflects the dedication of Khowhemun Elementary to learning and upholding the school’s Code of Conduct.   

Khowhemun Elementary School will address all behavior or communication that discriminates based on race, colour, political belief, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex or sexual orientation, age, criminal summary or convictions, retaliation, or lawful source of income (as per prohibited grounds set out in the BC Human Rights Code).  Khowhemun Elementary strives to be a place where all learning community members feel welcome, belonging, and enjoy positive experiences.  The expectations outlined in the Code of Conduct document will provide clear expectations for behaviour and actions, guidelines for addressing breaches of the Code of Conduct, and reinforce the importance of ongoing educative, preventative, and restorative practices and experiences.  

Acceptable Student Conduct

Khowhemun Elementary is a learning community where people learn and work together to encourage behaviours and choices that foster positive experiences for all students, families, and staff.  We believe that everyone has the right to learn and work in a safe and positive learning environment.  To establish this atmosphere, everyone must show respect, be responsible , and act in a safe manner.   Below are detailed expectations for how the Code of Conduct is to be demonstrated and upheld at Khowhemun Elementary.  

	Be Respectful	Be Responsible	Be Safe
When learning (classroom, gym, library)	participate in your learning and support the learning of othersuse a quiet voicework cooperativelyactively listen to staff and peersbe kind and helpful	be self-aware and proud of your choices be on time and stay on-taskalways try and do your best – achieve your goalsrespect yourself and others follow the rules and meet expectations  care for yours and others’ belongings, and the school	use your W.I.T.S.*report problems or safety concerns maintain a calm body wear inside shoes
When playing and connecting (playground/ school yard)	Speak kindly and use appropriate languagebe friendly and inclusivelisten to your peers and staff work cooperativelyshare equipment and take turnsshow good sportsmanship	be self-aware and proud of your choices be on time and stay on-taskalways try and do your best – achieve your goalsrespect yourself and others follow the rules and meet expectations  care for yours and others’ belongings, and the school	use your W.I.T.S.*report problems or safety concerns maintain a calm body always have “hands off” use equipment appropriately stay within the boundaries
When developing independence (washrooms, bus, hallways)	talk quietlybe polite to othersdo not vandalize the school or touch other people’s property be patient and wait your turnmaintain a calm body	be self-aware and proud of your choices be on time and stay on-taskalways try and do your best – achieve your goalsrespect yourself and others follow the rules and meet expectations  care for yours and others’ belongings, and the school	use your W.I.T.S.*report problems or safety concerns maintain a calm body walk; please do not runalways wear shoes
When in community (field trips, events, and activities)	appreciate and be open to new experiences and opportunities be a role model; represent your school well do not vandalize property	be self-aware and proud of your choices be on time and stay on-taskalways try and do your best – achieve your goalsrespect yourself and others follow the rules and meet expectations  care for yours and others’ belongings, and the school	use your W.I.T.S.*report problems or safety concerns maintain a calm body always make safe choices
When Eating (snack time, lunch eating, special events)	while eating, be seated do not touch the food of others or take more than you need be calm and quiet be friendly and inclusive	be self-aware and proud of your choices be on time and stay on-taskalways try and do your best – achieve your goalsrespect yourself and others follow the rules and meet expectations  care for yours and others’ belongings, and the school	use your W.I.T.S.*report problems or safety concerns maintain a calm body wash handsclean up any spills or messesdo not share food

Unacceptable Student Conduct

Khowhemun Elementary values the social-emotional well-being and education of students and the importance of maintaining a positive school culture.  All members of the school community have an obligation to refrain from participation in unacceptable behaviours or actions that discredit themselves, others, or the school. Unacceptable conduct includes but is not limited to list provided below.

Behaviours that:

• Interfere with the learning or work of others
• Interfere with an orderly environment
• Impact the social-emotional well-being of others
• Create unsafe conditions

Online or In-Person Acts of:

• Bullying, harassment, racism or intimidation
• Physical violence
• Retribution against a person who has reported incidents

Illegal acts, such as:

• Possession, use, or distribution of illegal or restricted substances
• Possession of weapons or replicas
• Theft of or damage to property

Rising Expectations

As students grow older and more mature, it is our expectation that they will be held to a progressively higher standard of personal responsibility and self-discipline and will accept increasing consequences for inappropriate behaviour.

Khowhemun Elementary’s Code of Conduct includes special consideration for age and ability: 

Khowhemun Elementary will be understanding of and sensitive to students with diverse abilities that interfere with their ability to understand or follow the school’s Code of Conduct expectations. 

Special considerations may apply in these circumstances. Some students externalize behaviours that may appear to violate the Code of Conduct.  These circumstances will be approached with sensitively and case by case in an educative, preventative, and restorative way.  Khowhemun’s Code of Conduct will not discriminate against a student who cannot meet a behavioural expectation because of diverse abilities.  

Consequences of Unacceptable Conduct

Consequences have the following expectations:

• Responses to unacceptable conduct should be consistent, and equitable.
• Wherever possible, consequences should be educative, preventative, and restorative, rather than punitive or disciplinary.
• As often as possible, students should be encouraged to participate in the development of meaningful consequences for violations of the Code of Conduct.
• We will always consider culturally appropriate and/or culturally sensitive approaches to conduct and consequences of conduct. 

Examples of consequences include, but are not limited to, 

• Conference/conversation with all affected parties
• Notification of parent(s)/guardian(s)
• Restitution (school or community based) 
• Referral to School Based Team
• Removal from classroom, playground, or privileges
• Referral to counselling or supportive interventions
• Activation of the VTRA protocol and involvement of Safe Schools Team
• Informal or formal suspension from school
  

Steps to Address Unacceptable Conduct:

Notification

When concerns pertaining to Khowhemun Elementary’s Code of Conduct take place, a school administrator or teacher will inform the parent/guardian of all student(s) involved.  

In the event of a serious breach of the school’s Code of Conduct, school district officials, law enforcement, and/or other agencies may also be informed. 

When deemed necessary, and following consultation with school district officials,  the school community will be informed of serious situations and incidents.  

Prevention of Retaliation

Khowhemun Elementary does condone retaliation against a person who has reported a breach of the Code of Conduct.  The goal is to eliminate any acts of retaliation by focusing on education, prevention, and restorative practices with the parties involved.  Any acts of retaliation will be taken seriously and addressed in consultation with school district officials.   

Student Suspension

Suspension is one of many strategies in a complex problem-solving restorative process designed to support the student to address unacceptable conduct. Student suspension may be employed as part of the larger intervention process, which will be educative, preventative, and restorative.  A parent or guardian, and the Associate Superintendent, will always be notified by the administration in the case of a student suspension. 

Personal Digital Devices

Personal digital device means any personal electronic device that can be used to communicate or access the internet, such as a cell phone or tablet.  Students are discouraged from bringing personal electronic devices to school and are encouraged to use the time at school as an opportunity to connect with peers, experience the outdoors, and partake in healthy physical activity.  To promote online safety and focused learning environments, the use of personal digital devices is restricted during school hours (8:25 am – 2:08 pm).  The school is not responsible for any electronic devices that may become lost, damaged or stolen while at school.  

Concluding Statement: 

Cowichan Valley Schools, including Khowhemun Elementary, ultimately strive to educate all students to be good citizens and make good choices. When student behaviour does not align with the Code of Conduct, an educative, preventative, and restorative approach is utilized. When discipline is involved, our philosophy is to be as least punitive as possible to promote a change in student behaviour.