It is our school mission to maintain a safe, positive, and supportive learning environment for all.
All members of the school community including students, parents and guardians, volunteers and school staff, whether they are on school property, on school buses, at school-authorized events, online or in any other school related situation have a responsibility to behave appropriately, take responsibility for their own actions, and respect and honour the school Code of Conduct.

Our Responsibilities:

All members of the school community are expected to:

• Accept differences-treat one another with dignity, respect and fairness, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability or any other attribute
• Use appropriate language (in-person/online)-no put downs
• Show proper care and regard for school property and the property of others
• Take an active role in ensuring punctuality, regular attendance, reporting absences or late arrivals and ongoing communication with the school
• Be an Upstander-use good judgement and make wise choices while supporting others to do the same and resolve conflicts in a peaceful and constructive way
• Abide by school protocols (ie. Parking lot protocol, pick up and drop off procedures)

Student responsibilities include:

• Arrive at school on time, prepared to learn, and to work in a manner that is respectful of all learners
• Follow school rules and take responsibility for his/her own actions
• Complete homework as assigned; practising honesty and integrity by not participating in or encouraging plagarism and misrepresentation of original work
• Dress in a manner that follows the TVDSB Dress Code
• Not to physically harm others (keep hands and feet off)
• Do not bring tobacco products, lighters, matches, alcohol, weapons, illegal substances on school property or on the school bus
• Do not use ipods, MP3 players, cell phones and/or other electronic devices during instructional time without teacher permission

(revised and adopted by Masonville School Community, June 2018)

Consequences for not following the Code of Conduct may include:

• Reminders or warnings
• Loss of privileges
• Parental involvement
• Suspension
• Restitution for damaged property
• Police involvement
• Expulsion

Progressive Discipline

Progressive discipline is a whole school approach that uses a continuum of corrective and supportive interventions and consequences to address inappropriate student behaviour. This
continuum builds upon strategies that repair the harm caused in relationships that have been damaged. Consequences include learning opportunities to reinforce positive behaviour and
encourage students to make good choices. Depending on the severity of the infraction, suspensions and/or expulsions may be considered. 

Suspension

Activities leading to possible suspension:
A principal shall consider whether to suspend a pupil if he or she believes that the pupil has
engaged in any of the following activities while at school, at a school-related activity or in
other circumstances where engaging in the activity will have an impact on the school climate:

• Uttering a threat to inflict serious bodily harm on another person.
• Possessing alcohol or illegal drugs.
• Being under the influence of alcohol.
• Swearing at a teacher or at another person in a position of authority.
• Committing an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to school property at the pupil’s school or to property located on the premises of the pupil’s school.
• Bullying.
• Any other activity that is an activity for which a principal may suspend a pupil under a policy of the board.

Suspension, Investigation and Possible Expulsion:

Activities leading to suspension, pending expulsion
A principal shall suspend a pupil if he or she believes that the pupil has engaged in any other of
the following activities while at school, at a school related activity or in other circumstances
where engaging in the activity will have an impact on the school climate:

• Possessing a weapon, including possessing a firearm.
• Using a weapon to cause or to threaten bodily harm to another person.
• Committing physical assault on another person that causes bodily harm requiring treatment by a medical practitioner.
• Committing sexual assault.
• Trafficking in weapons or in illegal drugs.
• Committing robbery.
• Giving alcohol to a minor.
• Any other activity that, under a policy of the board, is an activity for which a principal must suspend a pupil and, therefore in accordance with this Part, conduct an investigation to determine whether to recommend to the board that the pupil be expelled.

Electronic Devices

Cell phones, pagers, MP3 players, camera phones, iPods, etc. are not to be used on the yard or during school time unless approved by teaching staff for a specific educational purpose. Grade 6, 7 and 8 parents and students will be asked to review and sign a “BYOD” (Bring Your Own Device) contract in September. 

As students acquire more technology, we find it increasingly important to protect instructional time. The schools’ concerns about the use of cell phones and other handheld devices include:

• loss of instructional time
• taking pictures of other students on school property (violates freedom of information legislation)
• access to age inappropriate language and/or images
• cyberbullying
• safety of students from strangers

Please discuss the appropriate use of technology with your student. The consequences for using cell phones or ipods on the yard or during instructional time without staff permission include removal of the device to the office, parent contact, and/or possible suspension for persistent opposition to authority. When students B.Y.O.D. (bring your own device), they are expected to place them face down, turned off, in the right hand corner of their desk, may be asked to keep them in their backpack or may be asked to deposit them in to a basket on the teacher’s desk at the beginning of class. They may use them when the teacher directs them to do so. 

The school includes lessons throughout the year on a variety of media, and it is our goal for students to understand when, where, and how it is appropriate to use technology.