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Student Conduct

LTCSS STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT POLICY

Rationale

In keeping with its mission and its Safe and Caring Policy, the Living Truth Christian School Society is committed to:

  • Providing all students with a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe environment that will cultivate physical, intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual growth.
  • Teaching our students to be respectful and caring toward each other, even and especially when students disagree with each other.
  • Publishing as part of student registration and school start information written expectations for student behaviour (to students and parents) while at school, at school-related activities, or while engaging in activities that may have an impact on others in the school.
  • Enforcing all school rules without partiality.
  • Keeping accurate records of serious or repeated offenses.


Expected Conduct

Consistent with Section 12 of the School Act and in keeping with the mission and vision of Living Truth Christian School, each student is responsible for acting positively in support of a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment by:

  1. Acting at all times in keeping with the vision and mission of the school
  2. Respecting both self and others as individuals possessing inherent dignity as being created in the likeness of our Creator
  3. Conducting oneself in a manner that respects others as individuals loved by God, regardless of their group identities and personal characteristics
  4. Refraining from, reporting, and refusing to tolerate bullying at any time or place, electronically, in print, or in person
  5. Informing a responsible, trusted and caring adult in a timely manner of incidents of bullying or harassment
  6. Attending school regularly and punctually
  7. Diligently and actively pursuing learning
  8. Being accountable for individual behaviours to teachers and school staff
  9. Cooperating with school staff to make the school a positive learning environment for all
  10. Knowing and complying with the rules of the school and graciously submitting to correction when it is given.

Unacceptable Conduct

Unacceptable behaviours that may negatively affect a member of the Living Truth Christian School community or the school’s learning environment, whether or not the behavior occurs within the school building, during the school day or by electronic means, will not be tolerated. Unacceptable behaviours include, but are not limited to:

  1. Acts of bullying, harassment or intimidation. In keeping with Living Truth Christian Schools’ commitment to address and reduce bullying and harassment, no student is permitted to treat anyone in a bullying or harassing manner, regardless of that person’s group identity. (See examples of bullying behaviour below)
  2. Physical violence.
  3. Acts of retribution against an individual who has intervened to prevent bullying or who has informed about bullying or other unacceptable behaviour.
  4. Criminal activities including those involving illegal or restricted substances, possession or use or threat of use of weapons, and theft or damage to property.

Specific Examples of acceptable behaviour

  1. Inadvertently causing a student to feel uncomfortable while discussing controversial topics relevant to educational outcomes including matters of human sexuality, religion, ethics and morality, and culture, law and politics;
  2. Civilly disagreeing with an individual on matters of opinion and academic debate, such as human sexuality, religion, ethics and morality, and culture, law and politics; and 
  3. Minor physical force, such as what is required for sports and physical activities like soccer, floor hockey and basketball.

Specific Examples of unacceptable behaviour (bullying and harassment)

  1. Name-calling, insulting, accusing, and all other purposeful attempts to hurt or degrade individuals;
  2. “Making fun” of individuals or otherwise purposely attempting to embarrass or disrespect individuals by commenting negatively on the personal characteristics of an individual; 
  3. Any threats, including threats to disclose personal information or to attempt to damage an individual’s reputation; 
  4. Purposeful attempts to intimidate others through words or actions that are reasonably considered to be threatening; and
  5. Pushing, slapping, punching, grabbing and all other acts of physical aggression.

Consequences

The school will investigate each instance of unacceptable conduct and pursue appropriate disciplinary action in a manner consistent with principles of fundamental justice and the school’s student discipline policy, taking into consideration the age, maturity and individual circumstances of the of the student(s) involved as well as the student’s past behaviour or any special needs that the student has. In grave circumstances, an individual found to have engaged in unacceptable conduct may be subject to possible suspension or expulsion.

Remediation and Support

In order to foster a positive learning environment, Living Truth Christian School will engage in reasonable and caring efforts to support both the individual(s) who may have been the subject or victim(s) of unacceptable behaviour and to support perpetrators of unacceptable conduct to improve their conduct.

Supportive actions Living Truth Christian School may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Involving parents early in the remediation and support process
  2. Mentoring of individual students by older students
  3. More focused attention to individual students
  4. Regular follow-up meetings of specific teachers with individual students
  5. Student peer support groups
  6. Counselling
  7. Restorative justice processes.