SDSS Code of Conduct

Statement of Purpose
• At South Delta Secondary School, we accept the responsibility of educating students about the behaviours that will contribute to a safe, caring and orderly environment for learning and working. As students develop through this important time in their lives, they must learn to responsibly exercise their own rights and freedoms as well as respect the rights of others and the larger group to which they belong.
• This Code of Conduct applies to students while they attend school or participating in school-sponsored activities. Students are also responsible for out-of-school behaviours that impact the safe, caring and orderly conduct of the school. Electronic communications that impact the school and students are behaviours that the school may address.

South Delta Secondary R.O.C.K.S.
Respect, Ownership, Community, Knowledge and, Safety

At SDSS it is expected that students will:
• Conduct themselves in a respectful manner when going to and from school, within school, on school grounds, during extended school activities and on school buses
• Apply themselves to the best of their ability in all aspects of their education
• Attend school and classes regularly and punctually
• Be respectful of the thoughts, feelings and heritage of others
• Respect the rights and property of others including photographs of others; do not take or post photos of other students without their permission
• Dress in a manner which is not offensive
• Contribute positively to a safe learning environment
• Report any incidents of threats, bullying, harassment, violence or intimidation to a responsible adult.

UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOURS
In general, behaviours that are illegal and unacceptable in the wider society are also unacceptable at school. It is impossible to list all possible examples here, but unacceptable school behaviours include:
• Failure to follow the direction of any staff member
• Interfere with the learning of others
• Inappropriate or abusive language
• Any effort to cause harm or discriminate against another person based on, but not limited to: race, religion, gender, physical or intellectual disability, marital or family status, sexual orientation or age, gender identity or expression.
• Interfering with the emotional or physical well-being of others
• Creating an unsafe situation
• Threatening, bullying, harassing and intimidating including by electronic means
• Physical violence and/or threats of physical violence
• Revenge or retribution against a student who has reported incidents
• Smoking/Vaping on school property
• Possession, use or distribution of alcohol and illegal or restricted substances
• Theft or damage to school property or the property of others
• Gang-related behaviours
• Possession of weapons or dangerous articles including pepper spray, laser pointers, firecrackers, knives and guns.

CONSEQUENCES FOR UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR
Consequences for unacceptable behaviour are intended to be thoughtful, consistent and fair under the circumstanceswith consideration for a student’s maturity and intellectual, social and emotional capacity. The severity and frequency of the misbehaviour will also be considered. Where appropriate, the consequence will provide a means for restitution and restorative actions and will involve the offender in determining a corrective plan of action.

Consequences for unacceptable behaviour may include:
– Teacher-assigned consequences
– Detention
– Office referral
– Community Service
– Restitution
– Suspension
– Parent meetings
– Referral to counsellors
– Reminder of expected behaviours
– Behaviour contract
– Loss of privilege (e.g. attendance at school activities)

SUSPENSION
• Students violating the school’s code of conduct, rules or policies may be suspended from school;
• The type and length of suspension varies depending on the violation and circumstances;
• Students may be suspended for one to five days and, in extraordinary cases, suspended to the Assistant Superintendent of Delta;
• In all cases, the school will notify parents and request a meeting with all parties;
• Repeat violations may lead to a withdrawal from SDSS.
• Suspension may result for any of the following:

Intimidation, threatening and bullying;
– Any threats to harm or injure students or staff whether written, spoken or via the internet and any high risk behaviour such as possession of weapons will be investigated by trained staff;
– Any investigation may include questioning of students in order to determine levels of risk;
– Parents of students directly involved will be notified;
– Parents and students are strongly encouraged to share any information they have about threat-making behaviour to a member of the staff.

Assault, fighting or violence;
▪ Any activity that threatens the safety of students or staff will result in immediate suspension;
▪ Any student who participates, promotes, encourages or attends a fight will be considered to have threatened school safety.
▪ Active observation of a fight may also lead to suspension.

Possession of drugs or alcohol;
▪ Possession, use and supplying of restricted drugs and/or alcohol is illegal and will not be tolerated on school
property or at school-sponsored events or activities;
▪ Students having, using or supplying drugs or alcohol at school will be suspended;
▪ Students knowingly in the company of others using or having illegal substances also face suspension.

Possession of any weapon, firecrackers, or fireworks;
▪ Delta School Board policy prohibits the possession of any weapon including: pepper spray, knives, guns, laser pointers or any objects that are intended to be used as weapons;
▪ Possession of fireworks/firecrackers at school is prohibited;

Vandalism and Property Damage
▪ Students who destroy or vandalize school property or the property of others will face disciplinary action and be required to pay for the losses or damage;
▪ The School Act says that students and their parents are liable for any School Board property that is damaged either with intent or through negligence.

Harassment
▪ Students who create an unpleasant or hostile situation with uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct may face suspension. This includes gender, racial, or sexual harassment.

NOTIFICATION
It is understood that communication is essential between home and school. As well, notice will be given to the parents and students within each school of the range of responses that schools may apply to breaches of the Code of Conduct including threat-making behaviours.

Therefore, for breaches of the Code of Conduct, notification may occur as follows:
• Parents of student in breach of the Code of Conduct
• Parents of student victim(s)
• School and District personnel – where appropriate
• Police and/or other agencies – where deemed appropriate or where required by law
• All parents of the school community – when deemed important to reassure members of the school community that school and district officials are aware of a serious situation or incident and are taking appropriate action to address it.
• When the breach of the Code of Conduct is criminal in nature, police will be
consulted prior to public notification.

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
In order to further protect the well being of our students, social media devices may be subject to
search and seizure any time there is reasonable grounds to believe that the device has been used to access, possess, or distribute pornographic images as defined by the Criminal Code. If possession and/or distribution of pornography has occurred, parents will be contacted and the school liaison officer may be involved.

STUDENT THREATS TO SAFETY – FAIR NOTICE
The safety of our students is a top priority for all of us in the Delta School District. When a threat or violent incident occurs it is taken very seriously and a student threat assessment is started. As partners in educating our youth, everyone in the community has a duty to report all threat-related behaviours. These threats include expressing an intent of harm to themselves, another person or property, or acting out violently against them. Whether the threat is spoken, drawn, made with gestures or on social media, they must all be taken seriously. We will investigate and respond to all harmful threats to our students.

ATHLETIC CODE OF CONDUCT
The actions of a student-athlete are a reflection of themselves, their team, their school, and their community. However, student-athletes must remember that their participation in school sport is a privilege, not a right. Therefore:
1. Adherence to school policies with respect to attendance, behaviour, and scholastic achievement is a requirement of team membership.
2. No student athlete shall practice or play for any school team on a day that she/he was not in class, without prior and satisfactory notice to the coach/school administration.
3. Student-athletes will:
Treat Everyone with Respect

1. a. Including team-mates, coaches, opponents, event organizers, spectators, and officials.
b. Respect and accept, with dignity, the decisions of officials.
c. Be generous in winning and graceful in losing.

2. Exercise Self-Control at all times
a. Remember that there is no place in sport for drugs or alcohol.
b. Refrain from the use of foul or profane language.
c. Refrain from the use of physical force outside of the rules of the game.
d. Play Fair
e. Play within the rules and the spirit of the rules of the game at all times.

SDSS SPECTATOR CODE OF CONDUCT
Spectators are encouraged and welcomed to attend SDSS sporting activities and to abide by the following code of
conduct.
Spectators will:
1. Treat Everyone with Respect
a. Cheer in a positive manner for all competitors.
b. Respect the decisions of officials.
c. Not interfere with the play or competition
d. Be courteous and respectful to other spectators, competitors, coaches, organizers and officials.
2. Exercise Self-Control at all times
a. Respect the rules and regulations of the facility.
b. Refrain from the use of foul or profane language.
c. Refrain from the use of drugs, alcohol, or physical force of any kind.

Clothing Guidelines

The guidelines for clothing at South Delta attempts to balance the individual’s right to choose and school values. Staff and students are expected to dress in ways that are appropriate for their particular roles in school and show respect for self, others, and the school at all times.

Students should make good independent decisions regarding clothing and dress appropriately at all times, keeping in mind that school is a professional environment that requires clothing to be respectful and safe.

Clothing worn at school should be appropriate for all learning environments; and

  • should be free of inappropriate writing, messages, or images.
  • should be free of language that advocates illicit drugs, alcohol, any tobacco product, sex, violence, offensive language, discrimination and/or racism.
  • should be free of insignias, symbols or adornments that denigrate or promote hatred of a person or persons, including, but not limited to, clothing that denigrates or promotes hate based on race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or age.
  • should be free of pornographic, profanity, or obscene images.