At Elizabeth Ballantyne School we believe that each child is a unique individual with the potential to succeed in both a social and educational setting. Fostering self-esteem, pride and achievement will lead to the development of children who are active, independent and productive members of the school, their family, and society.

Core Characteristics

In order to provide a safe and secure environment that is conducive to learning, we focus on helping each child develop these six core characteristics:

1. Trustworthiness, which includes integrity, honesty, reliability and loyalty.

2. Respect, which includes the following 'Golden rule' (treat others as you want others to treat you), tolerance and acceptance, non-violence, and courtesy.

3. Responsibility, which includes duty, accountability, pursuit of excellence, and self-control.

4. Fairness, which includes justice and openness.

5. Caring, which includes concern for others and charity.

6. Citizenship, which includes respect for authority and the law, and doing one's share.

   Every child is important but no child is more important than any other. We expect our students to act safely, intelligently, and courteously. We believe that the core characteristics of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship develop through the co-operative support of staff, students, and visitors.

Philosophy

Elizabeth Ballantyne School provides a safe learning environment for students when on school property or on school sponsored activities off-site.

The school is a place in which students are encouraged to freely express their views, opinions and beliefs. At the same time, students are expected to accept the views, opinions and beliefs of others, no matter how different from their own, without malice or prejudice.

At Elizabeth Ballantyne School, we:

• Encourage all individuals to have pride in their uniqueness and in their accomplishments.
• Respect the rights and property of others.
• Attend school, be punctual, and be prepared to work to the best of our ability.
• Contribute positively to establish and maintain a safe and healthy environment for all to learn and succeed.
• Conduct ourselves in a manner that brings credit to ourselves, the school, and the community.
• Appreciate and understand the differences of others including those of capability, gender, religion, or ethnic and cultural background.

Discipline Policy

The school will take necessary means to stop unacceptable behavior and ensure that students conduct themselves in accordance with the Code of conduct.

The goal of the school's discipline policy is to change a student's unacceptable behaviors to ones that are appropriate.

The objective is to instill in students' self-discipline, a clear understanding of right and wrong, and the knowledge that there are consequences to their actions.

The underlying principle of the discipline policy is zero tolerance for unacceptable behaviors.

The consequences of unacceptable behavior may include warnings, 'reflections', phone calls to parents, meetings with parents, detentions, in-school and out-of-school suspensions, classroom intervention, referrals to professionals, involvement of the authorities, such as the police, and restitution* - financial or other form - where property has been damaged.

Behaviors resulting in Immediate Intervention

Behaviors or actions that harm or threaten to harm other students or staff will not be tolerated under any circumstances. The following behaviors will initiate an immediate intervention:

• fire setting
• harassment
• intimidation
• possession of dangerous objects, weapons, cap guns, penknives, peashooters, caps, firecrackers, slingshots
• racial, religious or ethnic discrimination
• threat of harm
• violence, which includes pushing, shoving, hitting, rough play or play fighting, taxing or other dangerous behaviors.

Following any such incidents, students and parents of all those involved will meet with the principal, involved teachers, and, if necessary, the police.

Further actions deemed necessary by the principal and permitted under the law and the EMSB policy may follow.

For cases in which a student's behavior is a clear threat to other students, teachers, or staff, the students will be immediately suspended and sent home with parents, guardians, or other custodians.

Behaviors resulting in Reflection

Less serious than Immediate Intervention behaviors but just as unacceptable, are the following behaviors:

• class disruption, which includes speaking out of turn, not following instructions, disturbing others, playing or talking after the bell rings
• disrespect which includes rudeness, profanity, gum chewing, lying or cheating or breaking any other school rule
• leaving the school without permission
• throwing snowballs
• vandalism, which includes stealing, and defacement or destruction of personal and school property

Any child who exhibits any of these behaviors will be disciplined.

The goal of the discipline is to change unacceptable behavior to acceptable behavior through education rather than punishment. Therefore, the least punitive consequences that will lead to behavior change will be given first.

The list of consequences that may be used include, on order of severity:

• discussing acceptable alternatives to an unacceptable behavior followed by positive recognition for improved behavior
• natural logical consequences of misbehavior, for example, loss of recess privilege, cleaning up graffiti, etc.
• timeout from class to focus on more appropriate behavior

Students and their parents are held accountable for actions that violate this Code of Conduct and Discipline Policy. For a major or recurring discipline problem, a student may be suspended from school for up to 5 days at a time in accordance with EMSB policy.

The Code of Conduct also applies on the school bus and in the schoolyard.

Prohibited Toys

Electronic toys, games or devices, such as Walkman and Game Boys, are not permitted in the school or the schoolyard at any time.

Prohibited toys will be confiscated for a period to be determined by class teachers.

Certain, harmless toys may be permitted by class teachers regularly or on special occasions.

Valuable teaching time will not be spent in searching for forbidden toys. If these toys are brought to school it is at the student's own risk.

Detentions

Whenever possible, parents are informed the day before a student is to stay in after school. If this cannot be done, students are always permitted to use the office telephone to call family or care givers and make appropriate arrangements for late departure from school.

Restitution

Where public property has been broken, damaged or stolen and not returned, the school will take all necessary means to ensure restitution. Restitution may take various forms. The cost of repair or replacement is the responsibility of the students involved.

Field Trips

The school organizes educational and recreational field trips. In order for a pupil to be included in a field trip, behavior, completed assignments and the ability to follow school rules will be taken into consideration. Therefore, in consultation with colleagues, a teacher will determine which pupils will attend.