Code of Conduct - Captain Meares Elementary Secondary School

CMESS Student Conduct Policy 2025-2026

Purpose

The Captain Meares School conduct policy has been created to ensure a safe, caring and orderly school environment that supports and upholds our school mission and the BC Human Rights Code. The staff of Captain Meares Elementary Secondary School is committed to creating and maintaining a learning environment free from discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or age. The Code of Conduct applies to students while at school, at a school related activity or in other circumstances where engaging in the activity will have an impact on the school environment. This includes cyber-bullying and other abuses of others through the internet or social media.

As per the BC Human Rights Code, no one shall publish, issue or display, or cause to be published, issued or displayed, any statement, publication, notice, sign, symbol, emblem or other representation that indicates discrimination or an intention to discriminate against a person or a group or class of persons which will cause exposure to hatred or contempt.

No one can deny or discriminate against a person or class of persons regarding any accommodation, service or facility customarily available to the public because of the race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, or age of that person or class of person.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or Expression

Students will:

Be free to express themselves with reference to sexual orientation and gender identity without discrimination.
Recognize and Value the diversity of sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions.
Protect the dignity of all people across the sexual orientation and gender spectrum
Practice equitable treatment and inclusion for all people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions.

Student Conduct Digital Device Use

For the purposes of promoting student safety and maintaining a focused learning environment, Captain Meares Elementary Secondary School, will restrict the use of personal digital devices during hours of instruction. Personal digital devices are defined as any devices that can access the internet (such as cellphones, tablets, smartwatches, and gaming devices).

Personal devices may not be used in school or on school grounds when school is in session without the express permission of the school principal.

At no time may a student record or stream audio or visual material including photographs using any digital device during instructional hours in school or on the school grounds without the express permission of the school principal.

Student Conduct Digital Device Use Exceptions

The principal may make exceptions to allow the use of personal digital devices for instructional purposes and to promote digital literacy. Such exceptions will be appropriate under the following circumstances:

To support student accessibility and accommodation needs, such as the use of assistive technology for students with disabilities or diverse abilities. Such exceptions must be outlined in the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) where applicable.
To support student medical and health needs, parents/guardians must contact the school principal to discuss any medical needs that may require an exception to the restriction of personal digital devices on a case-by-case basis.
To support equity and learning outcomes. Students who do not have access to the internet outside of school, or have limited access to the internet outside of school may be allowed to use personal digital devices in order to complete schoolwork and foster connections with peers and family on a case-by-case basis.

Student Expectations

You are responsible for your own actions.
It is the responsibility of the school and the home to teach, model and reinforce appropriate behaviour.
All behaviour has consequences.

Acceptable Behaviours

Respect yourself, others and property.
Act in a safe manner at all times.
Be actively engaged in your educational program.
Show self-discipline in your actions.
Inform staff member of bullying, intimidation and harassment behaviours.
Act in a manner that brings credit to the school.

Unacceptable Behaviours (The “Bottom Line”)

Bullying – Bullying is an act of violence. It is intentional repeated hurtful acts, words or other behaviours committed by one or more persons against another in an obvious or subtle way. Bullying will not be tolerated and may result in immediate suspension.

Drugs and Alcohol – Drug and Alcohol use, including possession, sales and usage will not be tolerated. A teacher needs only reasonable suspicion for suspension.

Insubordination – Open and willful defiance of a reasonable directive by a District employee will not be tolerated. Insubordination may result in an immediate one-day suspension.

Attendance – If a student is in open defiance of the attendance rules and expectations, the Principal will take necessary steps to correct this behaviour.

Profanity – Willful and violent swearing, inappropriate threatening gestures directed towards any District employee may result in suspension.

Discrimination – Any language or behavior that deliberately degrades, denigrates, labels, stereotypes, threatens or incites hatred, prejudice, discrimination, harassment towards others on the basis of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identification will not be tolerated and may result in immediate suspension or other form of discipline as decided by the Principal.

Parents will be informed and involved in the resolution of breaches of the Student Conduct Policy.

Disciplinary Procedures

Discipline and the consequences of unacceptable behaviour will be restorative rather than punitive. Positive Behaviour Support and Restitution Self-Discipline are the models followed in the school. Consequences of unacceptable behaviour will take into account the students’ age, maturity and special needs. Special considerations may apply to students with special needs if these students are unable to comply with the conduct policy due to a disability of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional or behavioural nature.

Classroom

Teachers may decide on the actions necessary to redirect student behaviour. Teachers may choose from among the following options:

speak to the students about their behaviour
send students to the office for a time out (this sometimes needs to be the classroom where the principal is teaching)
inform parents
send homework not done due to off-task behaviour
arrange appropriate restitution and consequences in partnership with principal, student and parents school

For serious misbehaviour such as violence, bullying, unsafe actions, possession of contraband, theft and vandalism, the following steps may be taken:

the incident is investigated, usually by the principal, and notes will be kept
parents will be informed and included in planning a response depending on the student’s behaviour record, responses to the behaviour may be developed with the student
students may be dismissed from school until the parent or guardian, the student and the principal can meet to plan an appropriate response
serious behaviour problems may result in student disciplinary measures such as suspension, rather than on restitution
discipline is progressive (consequences become more serious with increasingly severe misbehaviour or increasing frequency of behaviour)

Note: In the event of a suspension that would exclude the student from school, the student will be provided with independent class work based upon the prescribed curriculum for that child for the duration of that exclusion.

Note: In all cases, the Principal will make the final decision in any disciplinary issue arising from breaches of the Code of Conduct.

Safety and Security

In general, students may not leave school grounds during the school day except at noon hour. Specifically, students may not leave school grounds during the morning break or during instructional time except when a note or telephone permission has been obtained from a parent or legal guardian. Visitors to the school must present themselves at the school office to obtain permission to enter the school.

Smoking

The Tobacco Control Act (section 2.2) forbids the use of all tobacco products on school grounds. Students violating this law will be subject to Board discipline Policy, including suspension from school.

Dress Code

Students are expected to maintain a high standard of personal cleanliness and appropriate dress. The purpose of the dress code is to promote positive social behaviour in a pleasant school climate.

Students are required to:

Dress appropriately wearing clothing which is in good taste and is appropriate for specific learning activities as required by teachers and administrators.
Wear appropriate footwear at all times.

When, in the judgment of a teacher or administrator, a student’s appearance or mode of dress is inappropriate according to reasonable school standards, the student will be required to make modifications to their attire. Students who refuse to comply will be subject to the school discipline procedure.

Attendance

Regular attendance and punctuality are necessary for both student success and for the orderly functioning of the school. Parents are encouraged to support student success by insuring that students arrive at school on time. Parental permission is requested for all absences. Parents are asked to contact the main office at 250-934-6305 to report excused absences. Students who are absent are responsible for completing any missed work.

If a student is going to be absent for an extended period of time, parents should advise the school. If sufficient notice is provided, teachers may provide work in advance of a planned absence. It is not always possible to replace class time with self-study packages and students must be prepared to seek help when they return to school. It is the student’s responsibility to make up missed work.

Reporting Violations of the Code of Conduct

The administration of Captain Meares Elementary Secondary school will take all reasonable measures to ensure that there will be no retaliation against anyone who reports violations of the school code of conduct.