School Policies

website: www.sca.sd83.bc.ca            

e-mail: sca@sd83.bc.ca

Principal: Jared King – jking@sd83.bc.ca

Administration of Medication

We prefer arrangements to be made for students to take any medications at home.  However, if your child requires medication at school, please complete the “Request for Administration of Medication at School” form, which is available in the office.  Have the form completed by your doctor, sign it yourself and return it to the school as soon as possible.  This refers to medication taken on a regular or emergency basis.

Attendance

It’s important that students attend every day, although we know that there will be days they need to stay home for a variety of reasons. Please call the office, (250) 832-3122, or email the school mailbox, see above, to let our secretary know your child(ren) will be absent. If we notice a pattern of attendance that is affecting your child’s learning at school, the principal will call and have a conversation with you about how we can support their attendance. Please understand that we do have a wait list of students who would like to attend the school so we do want to make sure that students are attending when they can.

Bicycles, Skateboards and Scooters

Upon arrival, bikes and scooters must be walked on school property. Bike locks are recommended at all times. Skateboards must be carried upon arrival on school grounds and stored in lockers areas during the school day.

Bullying is Violence

At South Canoe, we take bullying very seriously. Bullying in any form is violence and it is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. The information below is meant to assist students should they need it. We are here to make sure your voice is heard.

What is bullying?

The definition of bullying is when an individual or a group of people with more power, repeatedly and intentionally cause hurt or harm to another person or group of people who feel helpless to respond. Bullying can continue over time, is often hidden from adults, and will probably continue if no action is taken.

While the bullying definition is broad and can occur in a variety of environments it usually is a relationship problem and requires relationship-based solutions. These are best solved in the social environment in which they occur: in a child or young person’s life, this is most often the school.

What bullying is not

  • single episodes of social rejection or dislike
  • single episode acts of nastiness or spite
  • random acts of aggression or intimidation
  • mutual arguments, disagreements or fights.

These actions can cause great distress. However, they do not fit the definition of bullying, and they’re not examples of bullying unless someone is deliberately and repeatedly doing them.

The South Canoe Code of Conduct applies while at school, at school related activities, and in other circumstances where engaging in the activity will have an impact on our school environment.

South Canoe Outdoor School promotes the values of The Canadian Charter for Human Rights and the BC Human Rights Code.

This means that we respect the rights of individuals in accordance with the law. The school will treat any infringement on these rights very seriously. This prohibits discrimination based on race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

In addition, with specific reference to sexual orientation and gender identity, in accordance with School District Policy we recognize:

  • Homophobic and gender-based comments, discrimination and bullying are demeaning to all regardless of their actual or perceived sexual orientation.

Any language or behavior that deliberately degrades, denigrates, incites hatred, prejudice or discrimination or harassment towards individuals on the basis of their real or perceived sexual orientation, or harassment towards individuals on the basis of their real or perceived sexual orientation will not be tolerated.

Violent Risk Threat Assessment Protocol

School District #83 and our school are part of the collaboration that occurs between government agencies to ensure the safety of students, staff, parents and others. The information below provides a description and an outline of the Violent Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) process in our district

  • Student behaviours that initiate a VTRA include, but are not limited to, serious violence or violence with intent to harm or kill, verbal/written threats, internet website/MSN threats, possession of weapons (including replicas), bomb threats, sexualized threats, and fire setting.
  • To keep our school safe and caring, staff, parents, students and community members must report all threat-related behaviours.
  • A threat is an expression of intent to do harm or act out violently against someone or something. Threats may be verbal, written, drawn, posted on the internet or made by gesture. Threats are taken seriously, investigated and responded to.
  • All threat making behavior by a student will be reported to the school administrator who will organize the response which may involve the RCMP, Ministry of Children and Families, SD 83 Central Office and others.

Smoking and The Use of Tobacco and Vaping Products

Healthy school and workplace environments are essential to the quality of learning and working. In accordance with SD 83 policy, South Canoe Outdoor School is a smoke-free facility which includes all buildings and property. Tobacco and vaping products of any kind are not permitted.  The use or possession of tobacco or vaping products by any student is a “Bottom Line Behaviour” and is immediately referred to school administration.

Consequences for Student Breaches of the South Canoe Outdoor School Code of Conduct

Kindness, Resilience, Independence and Curiosity are cornerstones of our beliefs and values at South Canoe. Behaviour that is, in any way, disrespectful or unsafe will trigger the progressive discipline process.

The progressive discipline process often starts in the classroom with an individual conversation or correction by the classroom teacher.  If inappropriate behavior continues, the classroom teacher will contact home and discuss the situation with a parent or guardian. However, repeat behavior will result in an office referral. In serious circumstances, an office referral is made immediately.

Office referrals will result in consequences which depend on the circumstances. Consequences may include:

  • Restitution
  • Natural and logical consequences — missing recess time, etc.
  • Parent/teacher/student/administrator meeting
  • In or out-of-school suspension
  • School-based team meeting

First Office Referral

  • a meeting with the Principal; an office time out and referral sheet (age appropriate) will be completed by the teacher and the student; possible parent/guardian involvement if necessary.

Second Office Referral

  • a parent or guardian becomes involved; phone contact will be made with a parent by a school administrator

Third or Subsequent Office Referrals

  • possibly an in-school suspension. An in-school suspension involves the student completing their school work in the office under supervision. Nutrition break and lunch are taken at separate times from the rest of the student body. In-school suspensions often involve parent/student/ staff meetings and the development of a behavior plan for the future.

“BOTTOM LINE BEHAVIOURS”

These behaviours are immediately referred to the Principal. SD #83 Policy 1030.10R “Student Suspensions” (in or out-of-school) will be implemented.

  • Weapons — knives, guns, fireworks, sharpened sticks, etc.
  • Drugs or alcohol
  • Violent behaviour including: threats, serious hands on; hitting with sticks causing harm
  • Outright Defiance
  • Stealing
  • Vandalism
  • Smoking/vaping or possession of related materials
  • Serious Internet infractions — inappropriate phone usage, etc.

Computer Use and the Internet

Students have access to the internet as a support for their academics. This service is for educational purposes only. Wi-Fi is available throughout the school.  In order to access it please see the instructions on our school website.  Students who use the computer or software disrespectfully or for any educationally inappropriate reason will be referred to the administration and have their privileges suspended immediately. Students are directed not to share their password or user ID with anyone. Students who log on using another student’s ID will have their privileges suspended.

 Copying & Plagiarism

Students are expected to present their own work in their own words.  The substitution of work copied or taken from other students or from other sources such as the Internet, and presented as their own, is not acceptable and will result in an appropriate intervention.

Electronic Devices & Cell Phones

Students are discouraged from bringing valuables including iPods, cell phones, digital cameras. Electronic items should be kept in the student’s back pack during the school day including nutrition break and lunch time unless a teacher has given permission to use it for student learning.

Cell phones must not be visible during the day. Consequences:

  • 1st time – staff member will speak with the student and make note in an office file.
  • 2nd time – staff member will confiscate the phone (and deliver it to the office or keep it until the end of the day. Student may pick it up at the end of the day).
  • 3rd time – the phone is delivered to the office and held until the parents are called and informed.
  • 4th time – the phone is delivered to the office. Parents must pick up the phone at the office and discuss the situation with administration.

Valuable items are brought to school at the owner’s risk; the school is not responsible for any loss.

Field Trips

Field trips are organized in accordance with SD83 Regulation 8030.06R. Parental consent for a student’s participation is obtained through a Field Trip Consent Form. If there is a cost associated with the trip, no student will be excluded for financial reasons. As with all school-sponsored activities, the South Canoe Outdoor School Student Code of Conduct must be adhered to.

Students also have opportunities for trips in close proximity to the school. In these instances, students and supervisors walk to their destination. At the beginning of each school year, parents provide consent for local outings by submitting the Walking Field Trip Consent Form. This enables walking trips to be completed throughout the school year without additional consent forms being sent home.

Field Trip Receipts – Receipts are issued for funds collected for field trips. Please keep these receipts for your records. The school often wastes valuable time trying to verify payment for a field trip because the student or parent has misplaced a receipt. Thank you for your cooperation.

Field Trip Refunds – If a student experiences illness on the day of a field trip and does not attend school, no refund is issued. Costs for field trips are often determined and committed to well in advance and cannot be adjusted. As well, travel costs such as bussing are not reduced by the absence of one or two students.

Parent Volunteers– All parent volunteers are required to have a Police/Criminal record check on file at the school if they are driving students, or working independently with a group of students. Forms are available at the office and must be taken directly to the local RCMP station. Reimbursements provided. Parents that are driving children other than their own must fill out the volunteer driver checklist that can also be found at the office.

Freedom of Information and the Protection of Privacy (FOIPOP)

In School District #83, Student / Personal Information Consents are obtained every school year and are valid until September 30 of the next school year.  Pictures are not published in any form, or posted on the Internet without parental permission of the children in the photo. In order to protect the privacy and safety of students and their families, cameras are discouraged except under supervised use.

Late Procedure

Our school expectation is that students are to, “be where they are supposed to be and be on time”.  To ensure optimal learning conditions, prompt attendance is necessary.

Little Recess

There will be a formal break of 20 minutes (K-6) and 10 minutes (7-8) for students to move around, have a snack and socialize. This takes place at 9:35-9:55 and 9:45-9:55.

Lunch Routine

The lunch break is 40 minutes long .  All students will be outside for 40 mins then eat with their teachers for 15-20 mins afterwards. We have food available to students who don’t have enough to eat and will notify parents if students are consistently needed food as sometimes they will eat our food without eating what parents have provided first.

During lunch break the school provides paid supervisory care for all students; 70:1 Supervisor to student ratio.

When the students are eating their lunch outside or in the classroom, we expect them to remain seated, talk quietly, treat each other and their school with respect, and clean up after themselves.  Students are expected to keep the school grounds free of litter.

 Parking Lot Safety

Parents are asked to drop off and pick up their children following the designated traffic flow procedure.  If you need time to get your child prepared and out of the vehicle, please park along the side of the road and walk them to the school, using the crosswalk if necessary (Crossing Guard provided). Please only cross the road at the cross walk.

The bus lane is only to be used as a Flow and Go lane and not for parking both before and after school. Please pull up as far as you can to allow other vehicles to enter the flow lane and do not exit onto the road until the vehicle in front of you has moved forward. This may require you to have to wait in the lane for a little, but please don’t be impatient and stick to the protocols.

ABSOLUTELY NO U-TURNS BY THE SCHOOL (BOTH BY BUS LANE OR IN BY STAFF PARKING LOT). IF YOU NEED TO TURN AROUND PLEASE USE KLAHANI PARK PARKING LOT. Ideally, please turn down 60th St and enter the highway again at Drivers Auto.

Reporting

Three formal reports and two informal reports are done each year as per the Ministry Reporting Order. These will detail students’ progress and level of achievement at school.  Parents, please take the time to review your child’s report card with them and set personal academic goals for the following term or school year. Reporting dates are set for November (Goal-Setting Conference), March (written) and June (written). There will also be two informal reporting periods. Informal reports can take many forms.

 Scents

Spray deodorant and perfumes are not permitted to be used in school due to potential allergic reaction from students and staff.  As a school we are “scent aware” and we will work with students to make sure that this is a safe place for all.

Sickness

Good health is necessary for effective learning.  Students who become ill during the day are to go directly to their teacher.  Our policy is to get students who are sick home as soon as possible.  Our practice will be to call parents and ask that the students be picked up.  As such, it is important that parents keep work and emergency phone numbers current.

Signing In and Out

Any time a student is late, they must sign in at the office.  If a student needs to leave early for an appointment, they must sign out at the office and sign back in again when they return.  A note or a phone call to accompany this is mandatory.  Students may not leave the school grounds without parent permission.

Stick Play and Fort Building

At South Canoe we want students to be about to create and build in a safe manner. We encourage safe play with sticks and expect students to adhere to the following expectations when playing with sticks and building forts. We will be using the language “Green Stick” and “Red Stick” for our primary students.

Green Stick Play

  • Digging, building, creative play, forts
  • Sharing sticks, not stockpiling sticks
  • Returning sticks to the forest when done

Red Stick Play

  • Hitting, pointing sticks, sharpening sticks to a point, using as guns or other weapons
  • Not sharing sticks, being possessive of sticks
  • Throwing sticks at others
  • Damaging our trees and surroundings with sticks
  • Destroying others’ forts

Students may not destroy another fort that is currently occupied; no fort raiding.

Students are equal partners in forts; no bosses/leaders/supreme chancellors/etc.

Zero tolerance for hitting with sticks (bottom line behaviour) — if a student hits or throws a stick at another student they will 1.) Be referred to the principal – lose stick privileges for the next day, 2.) Lose stick play privileges for a week, 3.) Lose stick privileges permanently.

If hitting with a stick causes harm to another student there may also be additional consequences (loss of recess time, in or out-of-school suspension) as per bottom line behaviour school policy (see above).

At the end of recess time, sticks are to be returned to the forest areas or designated loose parts play areas.

Valuables

Unfortunately, every year a few students have valuables go missing. To prevent this:

  • Leave valuables at home, including iPods, jewelry, electronic games, cash, etc..

The school is not responsible for the loss of valuables.

Visitors

To help us maintain the security of the building and safety of the students, all visitors (including parents) are expected to check in at the school office immediately upon entering the school.  Parents dropping off lunches, homework, planners for their child are asked to leave it at the office, and we will page your child during the break.