Code of Conduct

The purpose of Dragon Lake’s code of conduct is to establish and maintain a safe, caring and orderly school that will enable purposeful learning and positive social development for all students. As students grow they become more able to take responsibility for their behaviours. Younger students will be treated appropriately for their age, and as they continue to grow, they will be expected to take on a stronger leadership role. At Dragon Lake we believe effective discipline is about teaching the students to be respectful, responsible, and cooperative citizens. We believe in being proactive and positive with children at Dragon Lake. We believe that through the discipline process students should learn caring behaviours that are restorative rather than punitive. We value the importance of teaching students the necessary social skills.

Students and staff at Dragon Lake Elementary School have built a strong foundation with our Positive Behaviour Support program. Students are taught expected behaviours and given reinforcement when they are seen exhibiting these behaviours. The staff and students will continue to build upon this foundation regarding expected student behaviours.

The school will treat seriously behaviour or communication that discriminates based on race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and age (prohibited grounds set out in the BC Human Rights Code).

There is an expectation that Dragon Lake students will follow established behaviour guidelines while they are at school, going to and from school, and while attending any school functions at any location. Examples of expectations are listed below. Students will demonstrate they are respectful by using polite language, being sensitive to others, following school rules and respecting others’ rights. Students will demonstrate responsibility by finishing their work, being honest, responsible, dependable and conscientious. They will participate enthusiastically and make good choices. Students will demonstrate cooperative behaviours by playing together, helping one another, and sharing equipment at school.

Behaviours that:

• interfere with learning of others
• interfere with an orderly school
• are unsafe
• Acts of bullying that may include:
  • physical aggression (pushing, grabbing, hitting, pinching, spitting, tripping)
  • social alienation (gossiping, embarrassing others, ethnic slurs, cyber bullying, excluding others)
  • verbal aggression (put-downs, swearing at others, threatening others)
  • Retaliation against someone who has reported bullying

General Principals; Notification and Special Considerations

Consequences will be fair, reasonable, consistent and progressive. They will be restorative and preventative, rather than punitive (where appropriate).

The incident and consequence will be clearly explained to the student. Parents will be notified of any serious or chronic breach of conduct. School District Officials will be notified as required in District Policy. Police or other agencies will be notified as required by law. All serious incidents will be recorded for future reference.

Special considerations may apply to students with special needs, if they are unable to comply with a Code of Conduct due to having a disability of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional or behavioural nature.

Minor:

• Name calling, spitting, not letting others play, repeated lateness, going out of bounds without permission, littering, repeated failure to complete or hand-in assignments, not showing proper hallway/assembly behaviour. 

Consequences:

• These behaviours are handled by the classroom teacher or the attending adult. Chronic minors could result in a referral to the principal. Consequences may include: verbal reminder, removal from situation or activity, community service specific to the infraction, recess or noon hour detention, confiscation of property, child phones home, note in planner, problem solving sheet.

Middle:

• frequent lates, cheating, lying, abuse of school equipment, non-compliance, defacing school property, cyber bullying or threatening through social media, including email and texting.

Consequences:

• These behaviours are handled initially by the classroom teacher or attending adult, but are referred to the principal if they become chronic. Consequences may include: parent conference, behaviour plan, time out, in-school suspension, out of school suspension.

Major:

• Fighting, swearing, snowball/rock throwing, vandalism, refusal to comply with adults in the school, truancy, theft, threats, acts that compromise safety, repetitive minor infractions, disrespectful behaviour.

Consequences:

• These behaviours are immediately referred to the principal. Consequences may include: principal involvement, parent notification, behaviour improvement form, detentions, loss of privileges, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, documentation in student file, police involvement if needed.