ÉCOLE GOLDEN EARS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Golden Ears Elementary Motto: Take care of yourself, take care of others, take care of our school
Statement of Purpose
At Golden Ears we believe that all students have the right to learn in a safe, caring and respectful environment. We also believe that children want to be helpful, that positive behaviors can be learned, and that teaching socially responsible behaviors requires modeling, time, consistency and practice. Home and school share this responsibility together for teaching safety and respect.
To help simplify our Code of Conduct we focus on respect, responsibility, and safety. Staff teach a range of strategies to help students understand what respectful behaviour looks, sounds, and feels like daily. We teach and reinforce effective approaches such as the “WITS” (Walk away, Ignore, Talk about it, Seek help) to help students learn to problem-solve with each other.
The purposes of the Code of Conduct are:
1. To foster a safe, respectful and welcoming learning environment for all students, staff and parents/guardians.
2. To encourage the development of responsible behaviour resulting in a positive reputation for students and the school community.
3. To clearly communicate behavioural expectations to the school community.
The Code of Conduct applies to all members of the school community at school, traveling to and from the school, at any school-related activity at any location, and in any circumstance/activity that will have an impact on the school environment.
Guests and Visitors to the School
For the safety of students and staff, we require that all guests, visitors and volunteers report to the office to sign in and receive a VISITOR identification pass as needed. Please don’t enter our building via doors
you find open without following the sign-in process.
The Parents Advisory Committee (PAC)
The Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) is a group of dedicated parent/guardian volunteers who help to create a wonderful learning environment for students. They also support parents/guardians as advocates, communicate with school staff and share Parental/guardian views to the principal. Their extra efforts help ensure Golden Ears is a welcoming and caring place for children to learn.
Initiatives include helping to build school spirit through various community events and assisting with the many extras that the students need such as field trips. Please join us at our monthly PAC meetings to share your talents and help make Golden Ears a great place for kids. ALL parents/guardians of students registered at Golden Ears are welcome!
Supervision
Supervision is provided at Golden Ears between 8:25 am and 2:20 pm. Several staff members are also always on duty during recess and lunch.
There is no supervision of students before or after school. The school is not responsible for children arriving early or staying late unless the teacher has requested it.
Entrance & Exit Procedures
To maintain a safe and settled school tone, students are to use their classroom’s designated exterior door when entering and exiting the building.
Please establish these designated exterior doors as waiting and meeting points with your child(ren)
Students & Traffic Safety
There is extremely limited parking within our parking lots, and these are reserved for staff only. The parking lots are closed to student drop off and pick up. Daycare buses and vehicles with Accessibly Parking decals are permitted in the parking lot. To reduce the number of vehicles around the school and our environmental impact, please consider walking or riding bikes/scooters to school.
Technology Policy
At Golden Ears, students are not permitted to use personal digital devices (phones, tablets, smart watches, gaming devices) during instructional and break times. When students need to use technology as part of their learning, they will use the devices provided at school. There may be situations when the school will permit a student to use a personal digital device for the purposes of inclusion and accessibility. Examples of those are digital literacy, communication, medical and health needs and as defined within an Individual Education Plan (IEP).
a. Cell phones, tablets and smart watches are permitted at school, but they must be switched off and put away in the student’s backpack during the school day. Students may only use these devices during instructional time, with teacher permission and under this teacher’s direct supervision.
b. At no time can students photograph, post, publish, or text any information about other students or staff.
c. Students who choose to bring personal devices to school do so at their own risk. The school cannot guarantee the safety for these student devices.
d. Please ensure your child understands this information. This policy is not new and should not be a surprise to them.
e. Students can request to use the classroom or office landlines to reach parents/guardians.
f. If parents/guardians need to reach their child at school, you can email the classroom teacher, email the office at ge_reception@sd42.ca or call the office at (604) 463-9513 and we will ensure your child gets the message. Texting/messaging your child during the school day is distracting to them and others.
Attendance and Punctuality
Regular school attendance is a major factor contributing to student success in school. We expect that Golden Ears students will attend school regularly and be punctual every day.
If your child will be absent, please advise us via the Parent Portal, emailing ge_reception@sd42.ca or by calling the school prior to 8:15 am. Please
advise your child’s teacher ahead of time if your child will be absent for an extended period of time.
Students who arrive after the 8:30 bell, but before 8:45, will be marked as “late” by their classroom teacher. Students arriving after 8:45, need to report to the office upon arrival to get a “Welcome” slip. For the safety of students, confirmation of any absence is required unless a phone call, email or Parent Portal message has been received by the office.
If parents/guardians need to pick up their children before dismissal:
• Parents/guardians need to contact their child’s classroom teacher (either via email or note in a planner) the day before. Please include the time you need to pick your child up so the teacher can send them to the office to wait for you and be signed out.
• If you need to pick up your child on short notice, please contact the office 30 minutes before you plan to arrive, and we will do our best to have your child ready at the office.
• Recess and lunch breaks are not good times to pick up students once they have gone outside. Please plan a pickup time before 10:20 or 12:00.
Recess/Lunch Time
At Golden Ears we eat our lunch from 12:00-12:15. While students are eating in the classroom, we expect them to:
● remain in their own classrooms
● talk quietly
● not be on any devices
● remain seated while eating
● treat each other and the school with respect
● clean up after themselves
● exit respectfully via the designated doors
We have “Westcoast Recess” and outside lunch time. Students enjoy the exercise and time outside with peers, so please always send outside clothing appropriate for the weather conditions. Since weather can be unpredictable and accidents or falls can occur, please send a spare set of clothes.
Litterless Lunches
To help teach the students how to better take care of the environment Golden Ears has a litterless lunch policy. As part of this process students are asked to pack out whatever they don’t eat within their lunch each day.
Emergency Closing of Schools
For purposes of announcing emergency closures prior to opening of schools please check the school district website (www.sd42.ca) and watch for updates on local TV stations.
Bicycles, Skateboards & Scooters
For safety reasons, all members of our community are required to “walk their wheels” upon arrival on school property. Bicycles and scooters must be walked to and locked in the courtyard. Safety rules must be followed at all times. Students must wear a safety helmet.
NOTE: The school cannot assume responsibility for personal property brought to school.
• threatening behavior towards others (i.e. swearing, hurtful remarks, gossiping, inappropriate gestures)
• physical altercations of any kind
• continuous repetitive disruptive behavior
• defiance towards teaching staff
• theft, vandalism, or mistreatment of school or others personal property
• dressing in clothing which is inappropriate for an elementary school and learning (i.e., no clothing referencing drugs, alcohol, sex or foul language)
• teasing and/or bullying, on or off school grounds, including messaging or social media posts
During non-instructional times students are expected to:
Conduct Expectations
Respect for Human Rights: In fostering a community of respect, inclusion, fairness and equity, we expect all members of our school community to not be discriminatory towards others because of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, ability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or age.
As members of the school community, we believe in:
• a school-wide “hands off” policy where everyone can work and play safely
• speaking and acting towards others in a respectful and non-threatening way
• completing work to the best of our ability
• avoiding disturbing others during class time
• using common areas within the school quietly
• following School District #42 policy regarding weapons, replica weapons, matches, lighters, laser pointers, cigarettes, violence, alcohol, and drugs
• playing without fighting
• staying on the playground unless going home for lunch or picked up by a caregiver
• refraining from throwing objects that could cause injury or damage to property (rocks, sticks, snowballs)
• walking bicycles, skateboards and scooters while on the school grounds
• leaving expensive and valuable items at home
Certain behaviours will be considered unacceptable, including but not limited to:
• enter and exit the school by assigned doors and refrain from loitering in hallways or washrooms
• follow recess and lunch hour school rules and listen to supervisors
Expectations for student conduct for younger students differ from those for older students as they do for students with diverse needs who are unable to meet expectations due to varying abilities. It is expected that as students move through successive grades, become older and more mature that they will be more socially responsible.
Responses to Conduct Issues
Responses to unacceptable conduct will be thoughtful, consistent and fair. The focus of any intervention will be preventative and restorative in nature, rather than merely punitive.
Wherever possible, students will be encouraged to participate in the development of meaningful interventions through discussion and mediation.
Decisions will be made with respect to the individual.
Responses to conduct issues will take into consideration the student’s age, maturity and past
conduct. Interventions will not discriminate against a student who cannot meet an expectation because of a disability.
Reasonable steps will be taken to prevent retaliation against the person who reported a code of conduct issue.
Every effort will be made to support students. However, if there are ongoing conduct issues after having implemented interventions, progressive discipline may include, but is not limited to, referral to an intervention committee, suspension, change of program, change of school, or involvement of the police when behaviour includes a criminal code violation.
When responding to breaches in the Code of
Conduct, school officials may inform a student’s parent(s), the parents of other students who were involved, school district officials, the police or other agencies or the parents of all students when the whole school community needs to be reassured that a serious situation is being addressed.
Reporting To Parents/Guardians
There are five reporting periods in each school year. The Ministry of Education regulates three formal reports and two informal reports to parents/guardians (i.e. telephone calls, class newsletters, student self- evaluations). The formal reports are usually in December, March and June. These conferences and reports include a description of each child’s progress in relation to the curriculum in intellectual, social, human and career development. These reports contain information about:
• what your child is able to do
• areas requiring further attention
• ways of supporting your child’s learning
Parents/Guardians have a critical role to play in the education system. By regularly attending conferences and meetings, you can help give your child the best educational opportunities possible. Please attend all conferences and call the school if you have any questions or concerns.
Parent/Guardian Appeal Procedure
Field Trips
Field Trips are an important part of a students’ educational experience. These practical firsthand experiences within the community are meant to provide a connection to the learning in the classroom.
Parents/guardians must give permission before we allow the child to participate. Driver authorization and abstract forms are required for all drivers transporting children other than their own. These forms MUST be completed BEFORE the day of the fieldtrip to ensure the volunteer is cleared to transport students. This will ensure the teacher can plan rides accordingly.
Field trips are a part of the curriculum, and all students are expected to participate. No student will be denied the right to participate in a field trip due to financial constraints. In such cases, parents/guardians are encouraged to speak to the teacher or principal (such information is kept in confidence).
Fire/Earthquake/Emergency Drills
All classes practice both fire and earthquake drills. As per District and Fire Regulations, school FIRE DRILLS are held at least six times each school year. The goal is to exit the building quickly and in an orderly manner. Students are expected to vacate the building immediately, regardless of their footwear.
If a parent/guardian is concerned about a decision made by a teacher, the parent/guardian first has an obligation to raise the concern with the teacher directly. If the concern is not resolved, the parent/guardian may request a meeting with the teacher and the principal to discuss the issue. If, after this meeting, the parent/guardian is still dissatisfied with the decision made or action taken, a meeting with the principal and the assistant superintendent may be requested to resolve the matter.