WDCS Code of Behaviour
The WDCS code is consistent with Ministry and Board policies and is reviewed annually. The code will apply consistently to the behaviours of all students, staff and visitors on school property, on buses and at school related activities.
At WDCS, we believe that students have a responsibility for doing things right, and that it is the job of parents as well all school staff members to help students behave appropriately.
Students should note that what constitutes acceptable behaviour at WDCS may be different from what is acceptable elsewhere. Whether in the classroom, in the halls or on the school grounds, students are expected to respect themselves, respect others, and respect their environment. Ways that you can demonstrate this through positive behaviour include:
- Appreciating the opinions, beliefs, customs and diversity of others regardless of race, creed, ethnic background or individual ability
- Acting in a kind, polite and helpful manner to others (saying please and thank you, holding the door for another individual, for example)
- Using appropriate language (avoiding swearing or hurtful comments, regulating your tone of voice, body language and facial expressions)
- Keeping your hands off other people and their possessions
- Cleaning up after yourself, taking ownership for your materials including your garbage, and putting waste in the appropriate places
- Working hard at all times to achieve your maximum potential
- Cooperating with others to help them succeed
- Dressing according to the dress code, in all areas of the school
- Taking responsibility for your own actions (admitting when you have made a mistake and accepting help, direction and/or consequences)
- Acting with maturity and being a positive role model for younger students
Students who experience difficulty demonstrating these expectations will be taught how to do better. If their actions have offended, injured or negatively impacted another, they will be expected to make the situation right, with or without the assistance of school staff. Learning how to behave properly takes a lot of time and effort, and as such we at WDCS believe that our oldest students should be the best behaved. It is in accordance with this belief that some privileges, like responsibilities, will increase with age and grade level. In addition to the list of positive behaviours on the previous page, students have specific expectations of their behaviour in the following areas:
Classrooms: Students are to arrive to class on time and be prepared to work. Within the classroom, students are expected to follow the instructions of their teachers and stay focused on assigned tasks. Students are expected to stand for O’Canada, and sit quietly during morning announcements. At the end of the class, students are dismissed by their teacher, not the bell. Students are expected to leave all exterior clothing, including hats, coats and backpacks in a designated storage space or locker outside of the classroom. Food or drink is not permitted in the classroom without the teacher’s permission. Electronic devices are expected to be off and away, unless a teacher gives permission to use them.
Hallways: Students are expected to walk quietly and in an orderly fashion in the hallways, keeping to the right. Students in the hallways during morning announcements are expected to stop and stand at attention for O’Canada. Students are not permitted to eat in the halls at secondary lunch and elementary nutrition breaks to avoid undue mess, clutter and disruption to classes from other panels. Students are expected not to loiter in the hallways after the first classes of the day have begun, even if on secondary lunch or a spare.
School Grounds: Elementary students must stay in designated areas of the school grounds and are not allowed to leave the property unless parental permission has been given to the office. At recess, elementary students should line up quickly and quietly at the sound of the bell, and should not enter the school without a staff member’s permission. Play on the school yard should reflect the list of positive behaviours on the previous page. No student should throw snowballs or use sticks or stones in any capacity while at school. Secondary students should avoid the designated elementary school grounds.
Students who need support in achieving the school expectations will be counseled by a staff member, possibly a school administrator. When assigning sanctions or consequences for student behaviour, a progressive discipline model will be utilized, and mitigating circumstances will be taken into consideration. Sanctions may include a discussion with a staff member, an apology, a detention with tutorial supports, removal of privileges, withdrawal from class, the implementation of a contract, or a suspension in or out of school. For severe infractions, a student may be suspended, excluded, or even expelled.
WDCS School Procedures
Attendance Procedures (For the Safe Arrival Program see Board Policy BP6810-D)
At WDCS, we believe that regular attendance is necessary for student success, and as such we have developed careful procedures surrounding the monitoring of student absenteeism. After an absence, a note must be brought to the office or a phone call made by the student’s parent or guardian, explaining the reason for absence. Unauthorized absences are considered truancies and are considered violations of the WDCS code of behaviour. Such absences are recorded and tracked. All truant students will be counseled by staff members upon recognition of such infractions, and sanctions may be issued. Ongoing and persistent absences will involve the Attendance Counsellor.
Elementary Safe Arrival:
If a child is going to be absent from school or if there is a change to the end of day departure, please let us know in one of the following ways:
- Call the office @ 519-881-1780, press 1 for elementary safe arrival and attendance (messages can be left 24 hours a day, seven days a week)
- Send a note to the office or in your child’s planner
- Drop in to the office
- Send a text to 519-881-7486 (We will only accept texts from numbers on file at the school.)
Please include your child’s full name, grade, teacher’s name and the reason for their absence or change to the end of the day departure.
- Please notify the school by 9:00 am if your child is absent or late.
- Please notify the school of a change in departure routine by 2:00 pm.
- If you need to make changes after 2:00, please come in to the office personally.Bus manifests are finalized and printed at 2:00pm to ensure accurate information for dismissal time.
Please do not approach the classroom teacher with a verbal message regarding attendance. This information could be forgotten in the hustle and bustle of the morning and afternoon routines.
- Students who arrive at school late or have to leave school early MUST sign in or out at the office.Parents/guardians who are coming to pick up students during the school day must report to the office. The office will then page the classroom and have the student come to the office to meet the parent/guardian.Please do not go directly to the classroom, as this can be disruptive to other students in the learning environment.
- Please note that if your child needs to be absent from school for an extended period, we require a note to file in their student record.We strongly discourage planned absences during evaluation/examination periods.
- When entering the school during school hours please come to the office so we can assist you.If you wish to speak to your child’s teacher, we can help you arrange a convenient time to meet.Please DO NOT go directly to the classroom.Teachers are responsible at all times for the safety of all students in their classrooms and are not available during instructional time for parent/teacher conferences.
- We ask that you do not accompany students onto the playground, with the exception of Kindergarten children.Having parents on the yard leaves us vulnerable to trespassers and poses a safety risk to our students as staff on duty do not necessarily know all parents.
Secondary Attendance Procedures:
Automated Attendance Messages: When a teacher reports an absence, it is recorded on the student’s computerized attendance record. That data entry will initiate a School Messenger message home to ensure that parents are aware of the absence. The computerized message will state the period or periods missed. Period 1 is the first period that day, Period 2 the second and so on. School messenger will also be used to inform parents of important events such as parent/teacher night and report cards.
To ensure parental permission has been given, and to meet our legal responsibilities, a note or a phone call must explain every absence from a parent/guardian (or the student if he or she is over eighteen). Students are responsible for bringing a note the first day they return or having a parent call on the day of the absence. Phoning or sending a note in advance of a planned or known absence is preferred and will prevent evening computerized phone calls. The attendance answering machine is available 24 hours, 7 days a week. To report a student absence, please do one of the following:
- Call the office @ 519-881-1780 and leave a message at ext. 522 (Secondary)
- Send a note to the office.
- Text the school at 519-881-7486. (We will only accept texts from parent/guardian cell phone numbers on file at the school. Texts from student phone numbers will not be accepted, unless the student is 18.)
When sending a note or leaving a phone message/text about a student’s absence the following must be included:
- The first and last name of the absent student
- Name and relation of the caller
- The reason for the absence
- The date(s) that the student was or will be away
- The signature and name of a parent/guardian
An absence not covered by a phone call or dated and signed note from a parent/guardian will be considered a truancy.
Students at WDCS are expected to be in their classes on time. To ensure parental permission has been given, and to meet our legal responsibilities, students arriving after 9:00 a.m. must sign in at the office and those leaving before 3:20 p.m. must sign out at the office. Acceptable reasons for signing in or out are the same as those mentioned previously for absences. A late slip must be obtained from the office and given to the teacher when entering the classroom. Students may not leave class without permission. Parents can come to the office and the secretary can call into the class and have the student meet in the office.
Students who arrive in class after the bell are considered late, and these incidents will also be recorded and tracked. Students who are consistently late for class will be counseled and encouraged to develop strategies to help them arrive on time. Secondary students who accumulate ongoing lates will serve a noon-hour detention. Students who obtain a late slip from the office and do not attend the class will be considered truant. Students who continue to accumulate lates will be issued a one-day in-school suspension wherein they will be expected to complete an assignment related to responsibility, self-regulation or organization, in addition to completing work from their regular classes.
Students who are legitimately absent for tests or other forms of assessment may complete these upon their return. Students who are truant for tests will receive a mark of zero. Students may be required to write the test at a later date to demonstrate curriculum expectations. Attendance at end-of-semester summative evaluations and examinations is compulsory. The examination dates for the school year are set in advance and are noted on the school year calendar. It is expected that vacations and other appointments will be avoided during the exam periods. Exam deferrals/excusals are approved only in special circumstances by the principal or with a medical note from a doctor.
Students under eighteen must bring a parent note, which states the date, time and reason for signing-in late or signing-out early. In unplanned cases such as illness, or if a sign-out note has been lost or forgotten, the student may ask the attendance secretary to contact home to obtain permission. Contact must be made with either the parent or the emergency contact listed on the office computer before the student will be allowed to sign out. Students who are over eighteen may sign in or out for themselves, but only with an acceptable reason. Students under the age of 18 are not allowed to leave school during instructional time without parental permission. Students who have been signed out with parental permission are expected to leave the school property.
Financial Assistance for Families
Participation in athletics and school trips can be expensive. We at WDCS would like to do our best to ensure that no student is unable to participate due to financial difficulty. However, we can only support you if you make us aware. All information will be kept confidential. If you need assistance, please contact the teacher or the principal. All conversations will be kept confidential.
Procedures for Resolving Conflict
In order for the school to respond to an incident or conflict, students must report any inappropriate or disrespectful behaviour to a staff member. School staff should be the first people you turn to in order to resolve conflict with another student. Even if this conflict took place off school grounds, it may impact the school climate and your ability to succeed or function appropriately at school. Reporting an incident is often difficult for students, but ensuring that adults are aware of the problem is usually the only way it becomes resolved.
Conflict between students comes in many forms, like verbal disagreements, name calling or physical altercations (pushing, shoving and hitting, for example). Some forms of conflict, like bullying, are serious infractions for which a principal must consider suspension (for other serious infractions, see the Board’s Safe Schools Policy BP 6820-D). Because the school takes such behaviour very seriously, it is important to know exactly what constitutes bullying.
According to the Ministry of Education (PPM 144), bullying is typically a form of repeated, persistent, and aggressive behaviour, directed at an individual or individuals 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 in a context where there is a real or perceived power imbalance (differences in size, strength, age, intelligence, economic status, social status, sexual orientation, gender, race, etc.) Bullying can take many forms. It can be physical (eg. hitting, pushing, tripping), verbal (name calling, mocking, or making sexist, racist or homophobic comments), or social (eg. excluding others from a group, spreading gossip or rumours). It may also occur through the use of technology (e.g., spreading rumours, images, or hurtful comments through the use of e-mail, cell phones, text messaging, internet websites or other technology).
WDCS employs a comprehensive intervention strategy to address incidents of bullying, including appropriate and timely responses to all incidents, but school staff cannot respond to what they do not know! Please ensure that all incidents of inappropriate behaviour or conflict are reported to a staff member in a timely manner. It’s the only way we can keep our school a safe place for all!
Illness at School
If a student is unwell during the school day and unable to attend classes, he or she must report to the office. Students are not allowed to be truant from class. The attendance secretary will attempt to contact parents and have the ill student picked up before the end of the day.
Bussing
Students who are assigned to a particular bus will only be allowed to ride on that bus in accordance with Board policy. Students who miss their assigned bus do not have the option of boarding an alternative bus. Transportation for birthday parties or sleepovers is the responsibility of the parent. The best way to remember this is, “One child, one seat, one bus”. In an emergency, you must speak to the principal. Elementary students will gather in the café at the end of the day to line up for busses so their attendance can be confirmed. Secondary students are expected to be responsible for themselves and get on their bus.
Elementary bus students who are off the bus and being picked up will be sent to the playground with the walkers, unless arrangements have been made to meet at the office. Staff members are present to supervise the dismissal of students.
Change in Address
All changes of address or phone numbers should be reported immediately to the school so that our records are up to date. This is extremely important in the case of emergencies. We must have an alternate phone number in case you can’t be reached. If this number changes please let us know. If an emergency arises, we need to be able to contact you or your emergency contact.
School Community Council
School Councils are a requirement of the Ministry of Education. School Councils are an independent advisory body acting as a forum for all school community stakeholders which:
- provide advice on action to be taken while respecting the responsibilities and duties of the principal, school personnel and the Board as outlined in the Education Act and in Board Policies
- will help identify priority issues as outlined in the Min. of Ed. Program Memorandum 122 and provide advice to the school community members who may take action
- Will provide ideas and opinions to assist the Principal in making decisions which should reflect the views of the school community and what is best for the students
- Will maintain a school-wide-focus on all issues. Council meetings will not include discussion about individual parents, students, staff, trustees or other council members
- Minutes from Council meetings are posted on the school’s website and can also be received in paper form by contacting the school. Special notices and information coming from Council meetings will be shared through the school’s various media platforms.
Adverse Weather, Billeting and Bus Cancellation Procedures
Bus cancellation information will be found at https://www.mybrucegreyschoolbus.ca. If the school is closed, no students can attend. When the school is open but buses have been canceled, parents must decide if their child will attend school that day. Transportation both to and from school on these days is the responsibility of the parent. If, due to adverse weather, buses are not able to return students to their homes at the end of the school day, students will be billeted to families in town according to the billeting information sheets submitted to the office at the start of the school year.
Excursions and Field Trips Procedures
All students who plan to participate in excursions, sporting events or field trips off school grounds will be required to submit a completed and signed Parental Information and Consent for Field Trips form (AF 5603), as supplied by their teacher or coach. Students who fail to return completed consent forms will not be allowed to participate in extra-curricular activities off school property.
Students should inform all of their teachers of absences due to extra-curricular activities, excursions or field trips ahead of time, especially if the absences will affect assessment and evaluation processes (absence on the day of a test or presentation, for example). Students are responsible for all work missed in their absence and should make arrangements with fellow students to obtain missed material.
Students may be denied involvement in extra-curricular activities, field trips or excursions if they are on suspension for behavioural or other issues, if their attendance is problematic, or if they are not succeeding academically in their courses. This decision will be made in consultation with school administration.
Students are not permitted to drive their own vehicles to or from any excursion, field trip or extra-curricular activity, including sporting events. Parents or guardians who wish to volunteer to chaperone or drive students on excursions must complete the appropriate forms available in the main office.
Procedures Surrounding Medication and Medical Attention
At the start of the school year, WDCS will send home forms that must be completed by a parent or guardian updating the school on student health and medical conditions, as well as emergency contact numbers. Throughout the year, please inform the school of any changes to student medical information (new allergies, the need for epi-pens, a change in doctor’s information, etc.) so that records can be updated accordingly. Parents or guardians must complete specific forms in order for any assistance to be given in the administration of medication at school. All medication should be transported to the school by parents or guardians so it reaches the office directly.
If a student has a critical medical issue, a parent must complete a written medical emergency plan (AF6805), which must also be completed and signed by your child’s physician. If a student is required to take medication while at school, that medication must be kept in the original labelled container. Parents must complete the appropriate form (Medication Assistance – Request for AF6802) for that medication to be administered by staff. Students who require asthma inhalers or Epipens should have those items with them at all times.
When a child has an accident or an altercation that results in a minor cut or bruise, he or she is sent to the office for immediate first aid treatment which may include cleaning the wound and a bandage if required. For an accident that we suspect to be of a more serious nature, the pupil will be brought to the office only if he or she is able to be moved. Immediate first aid will be given, and a parent or emergency contact will be phoned. If possible, arrangements will be made to take the student to either the doctor’s office or the Walkerton hospital. An adult, (a staff member, a relative or an emergency contact) will always accompany the child if the parent is not available, or if the child needs to be seen before a parent can attend. In more serious cases, an ambulance may be called.
Procedures for Dressing Appropriately
A school is a place of learning. Everyone is expected to wear clothing that appears clean, neat and presentable. Students must not wear clothing which displays profanity or obscene language or pictures, expresses racial, ethnic or sexist slurs, advertises drugs (for ex. Cannabis), alcohol or cigarettes, exposes underclothing. The principal shall have the discretion to determine the appropriate dress for special occasions. The decision as to whether or not an item of clothing is appropriate also rests with the Principal.
Procedures for Storing and Protecting Your Property
All valuable materials and possessions brought to school but not directly on your person should be safely secured in a locked environment, such as your locker, or left in the school office to be reclaimed at a later date. Do not leave valuables or large sums of money unattended. Valuables or money should not be left in clothes or backpacks inside the school’s change rooms. Elementary backpacks are stored on hooks in the hallway, so it is not advisable for students to bring valuables or money to school. Students are expected to bring any misplaced or lost items found on school property to the main office, and to report any misplaced or stolen items immediately to a school staff member. The school cannot assume responsibility for lost or stolen goods, but will attempt to aid the student in their recovery.
Bicycles brought to the school should be secured with a lock to a bike rack, and should not be ridden on school property. Scooters and hover boards are not allowed to be ridden within the halls or throughout the parking lot at any time, for safety reasons. Secondary students may store scooters in lockers. Elementary students must determine a safe location in consultation with their teachers. Motorized vehicles parked in the school parking lot should be parked appropriately and locked to prevent theft. A reasonable speed limit of 10 km/hr is recommended in the school parking lot to ensure accidents and damage to vehicles does not occur.
To ensure the safety of your property, all visitors with legitimate business in the school are required to report first to the main office and sign in. All other casual visitors will be considered to be trespassing. Trespassers should be reported immediately to the nearest staff member or to the main office. Students found in the company of trespassers will be held responsible for their presence.
Procedures for the Use and Care of School Property and Materials
Students are responsible for textbooks, library books, sports uniforms, supplies and equipment loaned to them, and will be charged for loss (if not returned promptly) or damage. Secondary lockers are the property of the Bluewater District School Board and are assigned at the beginning of the school year on loan to students. The lock used must be a Dudley combination lock purchased from the school office). A lock that is not registered with the office will be removed. Students are entitled to one locker only. Do not share your locker, share your combination, mark or deface your locker, or leave your locker unlocked and unattended. The school does not assume responsibility for the loss of articles from your locker. You are expected to keep your locker neat and tidy. The school administration has the authority to examine any locker when it is deemed necessary to protect the health/safety of the school community. Elementary desks are also the property of the Bluewater District School Board and the expectations are the same as for secondary lockers.
Procedures for Fire, Lockdown and Severe Weather Drills
The fire alarm is a continuous loud sounding of the buzzers, which are located in the corridors. When the buzzers sound all students and staff must leave the building immediately, moving quietly and quickly toward the designated exits. Anyone who wilfully, without reasonable cause, pulls a fire alarm can be charged under the Criminal Code. The school will hold at least six fire drills each year to ensure that students and staff are familiar with the routine of exiting the building.
Throughout the year as well, the school will hold at least lockdown drills where students practice remaining quietly in a designated area of their locked classrooms, so as to not be noticed by a potential intruder. Staff and students are to immediately go into lockdown when the message: “This is a lockdown.” is broadcast over the PA system. Teachers will lock the classroom doors and remove the attendance lists. Everyone in the room must be seated away from lines of sight, and remain calm and quiet. The use of cell phones or any other electronic device is prohibited during this time, and you are to disregard school bells and alarms. If you are outside of the building when a lockdown occurs, do not enter the building. Move away from the school to a safe area. Remain in your secure location until released in person by appropriate personnel. Disregard any PA announcements saying that the lockdown has ended.
Severe weather drills will also occur once throughout the school year. When the announcement sounds on the PA system, students are expected to vacate their classrooms and sit with their classes in a sheltered area of the school. Once there, students should assume a protective position by kneeling on their knees and elbows with their foreheads on the floor and covering their heads with their hands. Students remain in this position until an announcement has been made that the situation has passed.
Procedures for Secondary School Dances
At the secondary level, each WDCS student may sign in only one guest from another secondary school. The names of these guests and their sponsors must be included on a list in the main office two days prior to the dance. All guests must enter the dance with their WDCS sponsor, and bring their school ID or photo ID in order to be admitted. Care providers will be admitted free of charge.
All conduct at dances is governed by the WDCS code of behaviour. Guest conduct at dances is the direct responsibility of their WDCS sponsor. No locker visits are permitted during dances. Food and drink are not permitted in the dance area. Backpacks, coats or other items in bags must be checked into the supervised coat room prior to entering the dance area.
Dances run from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM, with doors closing at 9:00 PM. Students are not admitted into the school prior to doors opening except in an emergency, nor after the doors close without prior permission of the administration. Students leaving the dance will not be re-admitted. Students under the influence of alcohol, cannabis or illicit substances will not be allowed to enter.
Procedures Surrounding the Use or Possession of Illicit or Illegal Substances
Alcohol, cannabis, or illegal drugs are not to be brought onto, or consumed on, school property during any school activity. Likewise students under the influence of or in possession of alcohol, cannabis or illegal drugs are not to be on school property. Police will be involved and suspensions will be issued should these substances be identified in connection with any student. Students requiring assistance with drug or alcohol dependency should consult a guidance counsellor, public health nurse or a community agency such as New Directions Counselling Services at 1 -800-265-3133
The Smoke Free Ontario Act states that it is illegal for anyone to sell, buy for, or give cigarettes or vape products to anyone under the age of 19. If you are caught supplying cigarettes or vape products you will be subject to a fine. Under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017, smoking tobacco or cannabis and vaping of any substance is also now prohibited on school property or within 20 metres of the school property; breaking this law could result in a heavy fine as well. The school does not make available a designated area for students to smoke or vape. To report someone supplying tobacco, cannabis or vape products to persons under 19 years of age, call the Grey Bruce Public Health Unit Tobacco Enforcement at 376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456, or the police, or speak to a school staff member. Due to the change in laws surrounding cannabis, we will no longer be accepting candies or home baked goods for classroom celebrations or bake sales.
Breakfast Program Procedures
A breakfast program operated by volunteers will exist at both the elementary and secondary levels. Healthy food options are available to students daily. Volunteers are always welcome, and donations of money and supplies are always appreciated. Elementary breakfast club will also be offering healthy lunches on Wednesdays. Ordering will be in conjunction with the elementary food contract ordering
Elementary Food Contracts
We will be offering subs on Mondays, pizza on Fridays, and chocolate/white milk on Mondays and Fridays. Ordering is expected to be completed through School Cash Online only. The ordering deadline is the 15th of each month. If you have difficulty ordering, please stop into the office for some assistance.
Contacting a Teacher
Parents wishing to contact their child’s teacher are encouraged to call the office or email the teacher directly through their board email address. Teachers will respond as quickly as possible. Please refrain from contacting the teacher at home, calling the teacher’s personal cell phone or engaging teachers in conversations about school issues in public venues. Teachers check voice mails regularly. Parents are encouraged to contact the teacher if any concerns may arise, as the partnership between school and home is valued. The Bluewater District School Board Communication policy requires that the first contact be with the teacher. If the resolution is not satisfactory, the second contact is the principal or vice-principal.
Student Achievement
What students believe about themselves and their opportunities, and what their peers and the adults in their lives believe about them, significantly influences the choices students make and the degree to which they achieve their goals. The education and career/life planning program policy for Ontario schools is based on three core beliefs, namely that: all students can be successful; success comes in many forms; there are many pathways to success. (Creating Pathways to Success pg. 9)
Evidence of student achievement is collected over time from three different sources: observations, conversations, and student products. Using multiple sources of evidence increases the reliability and validity of the evaluation of student learning (Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario Schools (2010), Pg. 39).
Grade 1 to 12 evaluation is based on four achievement categories:
Knowledge and Understanding: Subject –specific content acquired in each grade, and the comprehension of its meaning and significance
Thinking Skills – The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes
Communications – The conveying of meaning through various forms
Application – The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts
Educators from grades 1 to 12 also report on progress in learning skills and work habits:
Responsibility
- I fulfill my responsibilities and commitments within the learning environment
- I complete and hand my work in on time
- I take responsibility for my behaviour
Organization
- I create plans and follow through with them
- I prioritize my work and use my time well
- I find, gather, evaluate and use information, technology and other resources to complete tasks
Independent Work
- I monitor, rethink and upgrade my work to achieve my learning goals
- I use my time well to complete my work
- I follow instructions without constant reminders
Collaboration
- I take on many roles and ensure work is shared equally
- I respect the ideas, opinions, values and traditions of others
- I help find solutions to conflicts and build group consensus
- I share my ideas and learning with others
- I ask questions to promote quality thinking and support good decisions
Initiative
- I seek out new ideas and take advantage of learning opportunities
- I am creative and take risks
- I have lots of questions, and I like to find the answers
- I feel confident trying new things
- I ensure fairness for everyone
Self-Regulation
- I set goals and work to achieve them
- I ask for assistance when I need it
- I know what interests me, what I am good at and what I struggle with; I use that understanding to help me learn
- I take advantage of learning opportunities and choices to achieve my goals
- I keep at it when the work is challenging
Adapted from Growing Success Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools 2010, p 11
Elementary Reporting Schedule
Progress Reports:
Progress reports will be sent home in the third week of November. These are a summary of how your child is progressing to that point. Progress reports do not include marks. Parent teacher interviews will be held at the end of the third week (approximately) of November. The November Professional Development Day, as well as the evening before, is set aside for these interviews. You will receive information to schedule an appointment to discuss your child’s progress. You are encouraged to bring your child to these interviews. Please remember to return the report card envelope.
First Term Reports:
In February, you will receive the first term report. This report will contain marks and comments about the student’s progress academically and with respect to Learning Skills. If you wish to discuss this report with the teacher, please contact the teacher to set up an interview. Please remember to sign and return the parent portion of the report, as well as the report card envelope.
Final Reports:
At the end of June, you will receive the final report card for the year. This report will include marks and comments outlining your child’s progress throughout the year. Marks are based on the most recent, most consistent achievement of your child.
Secondary Reporting Schedule
Interim Reports (October and March):
Approximately 6 weeks into each semester, Interim Report Cards will be sent home with your child. This report is a good indicator of how well your child is doing in their courses and provides a good overview of their learning skills. Teachers use this report card as a way of keeping parents informed half way through the term before the midterm report card is sent home. An interim report will be given for each class your child is taking. The interim report card is based on limited assessment tasks, but it is a good first indicator of how well the semester has begun or if stronger work ethic or an improvement in learning skills are needed.
Along with the interim report, there will be parent teacher interviews. Interviews will take place in our cafetorium in the evening, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm; no appointments made ahead of time. Please watch for the announcement of the date. Students are encouraged to attend the meetings with their parents. Teachers will be sitting at a desk in the cafeteria and their names will be posted in order to find them easily. All parents are encouraged to come to meet the teachers to have meaningful discussions about how your child is doing and ask any questions you may have. Administration and support staff will also be there to meet if necessary.
Midterm Reports (November and April):
Half way through each semester you will receive a midterm report with marks and comments for each course in which the student is enrolled. If you wish to speak to the teacher after receiving the midterm report, please call and make an appointment.
Final Reports (February and June):
A final report will be completed at the conclusion of each course. These will be sent home in February for first semester and will be available beginning the second week of July for pick up at the school for second semester. Second semester report cards will not be mailed. If parents are picking up report cards for students over 18, a note from the student will be needed.
Secondary Exams
Midterm Exams:
Some courses may have midterm examinations. These are written during regular class time
In-Class Final Exams:
In some courses, it may be desirable to have an examination or a portion of the examination (i.e. a laboratory exam) in-class during the week immediately prior to the final examination schedule. This could occur because of the need for specific equipment that could not be made available in sufficient quantities during exams or to provide a better opportunity to evaluate students
Formal Examinations:
- Formal examinations will be held at the end of each semester.
- Culminating activities, which often include an exam, are worth 30% of the final mark
- Students who choose not to write the exam may receive a mark of “Incomplete” or zero for the portion of the final mark allotted to the exam.
- Students must write their examinations in the scheduled time.Exceptions to this are at the discretion of the principal (e.g. death in family, serious illness)
- Students must refrain from making any plans (e.g. appointments) which would conflict with the examination time period. Please do not schedule work commitments, family holidays, etc. during the exam periods.
- Exemptions from the final exam will be at the discretion of the principal in consultation with the parent and teacher (i.e. bereavement, serious illness).Official documentation will be required
- During the exam schedule, students are expected to stay in the exam room at least until the minimum required time of 75 minutes elapses.When done exams early, students should use the time to reread and edit their work
- When exiting the exam after 75 minutes, students may travel quietly through the halls to the front foyer or the nearest exit.Students cannot access their lockers while exams are in progress
- Students who are late for a formal examination should report to the office
- If the student misses their exam, the teacher, and administration will determine if the student is still permitted to write the missed exam
Procedures for When Plagiarism is Suspected
“Plagiarism is defined as the use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another without attribution, in order to represent them as one’s own original work” (Ministry of Education Growing Success, p. 151). WDCS also considers using an electronic translator to translate French assignments an act of plagiarism. Students suspected of plagiarizing will have their work scrutinized by both teachers and school administration. If plagiarism is confirmed, students will receive consequences consistent with the school’s progressive discipline policy; mitigating circumstances and/or the number and severity of the infraction(s) will be taken into consideration. Teachers will decide consequences in consultation with administration, which may include re-doing part or all of the assignment, completing an alternate assignment, mark deduction or suspension. Student names will be recorded in a registry for future reference by teachers.
Community Hours for Secondary Students
All students are required to complete 40 hours of unpaid community involvement in addition to their regular courses. The Bluewater District School Board has produced a guideline that is provided to students to assist them in fully understanding this graduation requirement. A copy of the guidelines is available in the guidance area. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that his/her community service hours are documented and submitted to the Office. Students who have not completed their community service hours will not graduate, may not be accepted into a post-secondary program, and will not graduate with their class at commencement.
Note: Students may count eligible activities they have completed any time after finishing Grade 8.
Immunization
The Immunization of School Pupils Act (1982) requires that all students be immunized against diphtheria, measles, mumps, poliomyelitis, rubella and tetanus, unless exempted by a statement of medical exemption or by a statement of religious belief. Failure to be immunized will result in suspension from school. Immunizations are tracked by the Health Unit, not the school. The list of students who are not up-to-date will be provided to the school by the Grey Bruce Health Unit and suspensions will be issued based on the information provided. Parents must communicate with the Health Unit if they wish to discuss the suspension.
Doctors’ offices do not automatically send this information to the Health Unit. The Health Unit is required by law to have immunization records for all students registered in all schools. To ensure that all records up to date for your child, please notify the Health Unit of any immunizations given since your child has turned four years of age.
It is recommended to receive these boosters as soon after your child turns four, and not delaying until a later age. Immunization protects children from many serious diseases that are easily spread in schools.
You can do this by: Scanning the yellow immunization record and emailing to
[email protected]; Fax to: 519-376-7782 or Call: 519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456
Kindergarten Registration
Early Kindergarten registration for the next school year is held each year in October or November. Watch for the dates being announced and please share with any families who have children who will be starting JK in the following school year. At any time from the beginning of the school year, you can stop into the office to pick up a registration package and confirm the date. We will continue to accept registrations throughout the year, even if you miss the early registration date.
Accident Insurance
The Bluewater Board does not carry accident insurance for students. Student Accident Insurance is available to parents, at low cost, to provide benefits for dental injuries and other accidents that may occur through participating in sports and other activities. The basic insurance can be purchased for as little as $3.50/year to cover accidents that occur during school hours. A package will be sent home each September.
Concussion Management
A concussion can have a big impact on how you think, how you feel, your actions and physical abilities. Symptoms may occur right away, or days and even weeks after hitting your head. You could experience headache pain, find it hard to concentrate, have blurred vision, become forgetful or really tired, you could even be sensitive to light, feel dizzy or unbalanced, become more emotional or sad. You may experience any one of these symptoms or a combination of them. These are all signs that your brain needs more time to heal and you may not be ready for school or physical activity.
The concussion management procedure (AP 6814-D) provides a detailed outline to allow students and parents to be part of “Return to Learn” and “Return to Physical Activity” process. Whether you hit your head at school, or on the weekend please keep your teachers and school administrators informed about what happened and how you are feeling. Students are required to work through the “Return to Learn” and “Return to Physical Activity” steps prior to returning to class and physical activity. These steps include consultation with a medical professional to confirm symptoms have subsided.
Internet Access Policy
When using school technology (such as computers, tablets, printers, digital cameras, and other technology), the following requirements must be met:
- Follow the board’s Safe and Accepting Schools policy, the school’s Code of Conduct, administrative procedure AP2820-D “Student Internet Access” and model the Bluewater District School Board Character Attributes;
- Parents/guardians/students acknowledgement and agreement of the appropriate use is required for internet access;
- Elementary students/parent(s)/guardian(s) are required to submit the Elementary Information and Technology Acceptable Use Agreement form annually, and secondary students are required to acknowledge that they have read, understand and will comply with the Acceptable Use Agreement pop-up window two (2) times per year;
- Students must always ask permission before using school technology;
- Students must treat all school technology with respect;
- Students may only visit Internet websites for educational purposes as assigned and monitored by teachers;
- Good manners and respect must be used when sending e-mails or messages to anyone on the computer;
- Students must respect others’ privacy and personal information when using school/Board technology;
- Students must tell a teacher right away if there are problems with a computer;
- Students must tell a teacher right away if something they see on the computer screen makes them uncomfortable;
- Computers must be shared fairly if students are working with a partner;
- Students must only use their own login, unless their teacher tells them to use a different login; and
- Students must keep personal information private (e.g., not publishing photos, names, addresses, or phone numbers on the internet, including the name and address of the school).