At Balaclava, our school motto is “When we look after ourselves and we look after one another, we all succeed”.
We strive to promote responsibility, respect, citizenship and academic excellence in a safe learning and teaching environment.
Attendance and Punctuality
Good attendance is essential for success at school. Lateness and absenteeism have an adverse effect on student achievement. Students are expected to attend on time and on a regular basis.
Please register for SafeArrival, a student absence reporting system within the School Messenger communication platform. SafeArrival makes it easy for families to report student absences and allows school staff to respond quickly and thoroughly to all unexplained absences through notifications. SchoolMessenger will also notify you of other important announcements. To find the School Messenger reporting system, go to: go.schoolmessenger.ca and create an account. To report an absence, select Attendance, then Report An Absence.
For more information about the Safe Arrival system, go to: https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/secondary/supports/safearrival/
HWDSB Code of Conduct
As members of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board community (HWDSB), each of us has a responsibility to contribute to a positive school climate that is inclusive an accepting of all students an staff, and that promotes the prevention of bullying and harassment. The HWDSB Code of Conduct Policy sets out the expectations for behavior consistent with the Provincial Code of Conduct.
As a student at HWDSB, to show respect and responsibility to myself and others, I will:
-come to school prepared, on time and ready to learn
-treat one another and those in authority with dignity and respect at all times, even when there is a disagreement
-refrain from bringing anything to school that may compromise the safety of myself or others
-follow the established rules and expectations and take responsibility for my own actions
-promote the safety of people in schools by preventing bullying and using non-violent ways to resolve conflict
-demonstrate responsibility for actions or behaviour on or off school property or outside
The above section is only a sample of the HWDSB Code of Conduct. The full version is posted to the HWDSB website. Please visit the link below to find information about Safe Schools, Cellphones, Vaping, Student Dress Guidelines and more.
We encourage all families, students and volunteers to visit the webpage to learn about their roles and responsibilities. The full HWDSB Code of Conduct can be found at: https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/code-of-conduct/
Clothing at School
Physical Education – clothing must be appropriate for participating safely in physical education classes. Running shoes are to be worn. Shorts or sweat pants and t-shirts are examples of appropriate clothing. For safety reasons, students may be asked to remove jewelry.
Footwear – suitable footwear should be worn at all times. A second pair of shoes to be worn inside the school, especially during the winter and inclement weather may be left at school.
To see more information about HWDSB Student Dress Guidelines, please go to: https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/student-dress-guidelines/
Transportation
HWDSB provides our students with safe and secure transportation to and from school for eligible students by Hamilton-Wentworth Student Transportation Services (HWSTS). At Balaclava, this takes the form of traditional yellow-and-black school buses.
General Rules for Students on School-Related Transportation:
-Obey the instructions and rules of the vehicle driver and cooperate with the driver, student patrollers, assistants and other students
-Show respect for the rights of others and for property
-Do not leave garbage or unwanted items on the bus
-You are responsible for any damage you cause to vehicles or property
-discuss problems you have traveling to and from school with a trusted adult (a parent, guardian, teacher, principal or vehicle driver)
-make sure you are away from the danger zone of a school bus by staying 10 giant steps away from it
-never cross or play behind a vehicle
-bus privileges may be suspended for unsafe actions that endanger the student or others on the bus. A warning will be given prior to the suspension of bus privileges
Visit the HWSTS website for more and to sign up for the HWSTS parent portal: https://www.hamiltonschoolbus.ca/
Updated on Tuesday, December 03, 2024.