Earl Kitchener School

Student Code of Conduct

September, 2006

1. Always do your best.
2. Be honest and tell the truth.
3. Be kind and courteous to everybody; don’t hurt others.
4. Be a good listener so everyone can learn.
5. Co-operate with your classmates and teachers.
6. Take good care of school property and your own stuff.
7. Take good care of our planet.
8. You are responsible for what you say and do.

Download the English version of the Student Code of Conduct. (pdf, 1 page)

Téléchargez la version française du code de conduite de l'élève. (pdf, 1 page)

We are pleased to present the above Student Code of Conduct, which was developed during the 2005 - 2006 school year with input from staff members, parents and students. The goal in updating the Code was to come up with a short, easily-remembered list of essential principles, stated in a positive manner and presented in child-friendly language.

Although it is specifically designed to be a student code of conduct, parents and staff members understand that leading by example is one of the most effective ways of teaching. In that sense, the Code applies to all members of the school community while at school and when participating in any Board-sponsored activity.

We recognize that the most valuable and effective motivation is internal: an innate sense of right and wrong which results in the personal satisfaction of having made a good choice. On the other hand, external motivators are sometimes also necessary. When it comes to external motivators, our emphasis at Earl Kitchener is on positive reinforcement (e.g. public recognition for positive behaviour) rather than negative “consequences”.

If it does become necessary to discipline a student for not complying with the Code of Conduct, we recognize that every child is unique and every situation is different. For this reason, we follow a policy of progressive discipline and recognize that there cannot be a hard and fast sequence of escalating consequences; school staff will deal with non-compliance in ways which include:

1. a one-to-one student-teacher conference to ensure that the student understands the behavioural expectations, why they are important, and the consequences for future non-compliance;
2. mediation of conflicts among students using trained peer mediators;
3. a note in the student’s agenda and/or a phone call home describing the non-compliance and requesting parental support for:
1. reviewing the rule in question with their son/daughter and discussing why it is important;
2. communicating to their son or daughter that it is also a parental expectation that the Code of Conduct be followed while a student is at school;
4. a written contract between the student and a staff member;
5. withdrawal of privileges (e.g. “time out” designed to remove the student from the activity or environment associated with the noncompliant behaviour);
6. referral to the Principal;
7. in-school withdrawal;
8. suspension and expulsion as provided for by the Board’s policies.

Please note that expectations concerning student behaviour, and the consequences for inappropriate behaviour, are also set out in policy documents developed by the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training and the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board. These documents are available on the Ministry and Board websites.