Behaviour
We expect everyone at Discovery School to treat others with respect, kindness and courtesy. We also expect you to co-operate with all the teachers, not just your own, follow instructions, and keep to the “rules of the school”. If you are disruptive in the classroom or playground, your teacher may place you in isolation for a while. If you continue to be disruptive, you may be placed on an in-school suspension or contract. A contract is a document that you, your parents and your teacher sign. It spells out exactly what behaviour is expected of you. From the day it begins, you will have a set number of written warnings if you break the contract. After receiving those warnings, we may ask you to leave Discovery School.
Disciplinary consequences contract may be for any - or all - of the following:
- Homework/Plagiarism
- Attitude
- Insolence
- Swearing or inappropriate language
- Drugs/cigarettes/e-cigarettes/alcohol/weapons
- Disruption
- Theft
- Destruction of Property (The student and his/her family will be held accountable for payment or replacement.)
- Dress code violations
- School expectations
- Absenteeism/Unpunctuality
- Bullying/Cyberbullying
- Harassment (Verbal, Psychological, Sexual, Racial, Religious, Electronic, Hazing, Mobbing, Stalking)
- Intimidation
School Statement for Bully Prevention
At Discovery we are committed to providing a safe haven for students. We are a diverse environment that promotes respect of others regardless of a person’s race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. To prevent bullying, harassment and intimidation, we work closely as a staff to promote pro-social behaviours, supervising students closely and intervening before behaviours have a chance to escalate. It should be noted that the staff of Discovery School are experienced educators and are aware that students have non- physical disagreements that are a healthy part of growing up. The school recognizes that students with learning disabilities do have difficulty from time to time with social communications, which may manifest as periodic minor behavioural/social issues to be dealt with. Discretion will be used defining behaviour that crosses the boundary into bullying. Bullying will not be tolerated.
We have a designated, trained ERASE Bullying staff member committed to keeping out community feeling safe and sharing ERASE strategies. See www.erasebullying.ca for more information.
All students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with school rules as outlined in the School Expectations section of the Student Handbook. Furthermore, students are expected to endorse and display the Christian virtues imparted in the school Career Program. We respect one another and tolerate each other’s differences and learning needs.
Homework
To be successful, you have to work towards your own potential, do your best and keep up with in-class and homework assignments. You must meet homework deadlines for assignments to have any value for you. You must re-do homework that does not show your best effort.
If there are unusual circumstances that mean you cannot complete your homework, you must have a note of explanation from your parents in your school logbook. If you do not have a note in your logbook, you will be required to complete the assignment.
Tips to make homework easier
- Choose one place, the same place every night to do your homework.
- Choose a quiet place where you will not be distracted. Do not work in front of the T.V!
- Eat before you begin your homework so that you aren’t distracted by hunger, and nothing will be spilt on your books.
- Remember - your teacher knows you very well. They will not give you anything you can't handle.
- Make sure you have all your materials, pencils, pens, eraser, etc, before you start.
- Be confident and take your time.
- When you have completed your work, put all your books back into your knapsack together with your signed logbook. Double check that you have everything packed that you brought home from the school.
- If there is something you do not understand, ask an adult or older sibling to help you, but don’t let them do the work for you – the assignment is to help YOU learn!
- Tell your teacher about anything for which you needed help. She needs to know. Homework is YOUR independent work and YOUR responsibility, not that of your parents.
Absences
If you have been absent from school it is your responsibility to find out what you have missed and catch up. Missed tests for Middle School and higher will have to be written when you return to school. Remind your parents to call the school if you are absent.
Logbook
Your logbook is a special book for recording your homework and any special assignments. It will help you organize your time, and will let you look back at how much progress you’ve made.
At the end of each day, in class, your teacher will give you time to record your homework and any important information such as field trips, newsletters, etc. Your parents must sign your book each day before you return to school. We will ask them to reward you for comments that the teacher will write like, Excellent Day - Good Attitude.
You must remember to take your logbook home with you every night, get your parents to look at it, and when done put it in your school pack immediately so you remember to bring it back to school the next day.
Staying on school grounds
Students in the older grades are allowed, with parents permission, to leave the school property at lunchtime. Students must meet behavioral and homework expectations to maintain this privilege. Students living in the area may go home for lunch if a signed waiver is on file in the office. No other student is allowed to accompany them to their home. These privileges may be suspended at any time if the staff do not consider you to be acting responsibly.
Eating at School
Eating healthy food is good for your body – and helps you concentrate, too. That’s why we promote healthy eating by not allowing gum, pop or candy at school. Microwaves are in each classroom for student use.
Dress code
We do not have a school uniform, but like all independent schools we do have a dress code. You are expected to dress appropriately for school and school sponsored activities. The principal has the right to decide whether or not your appearance is acceptable.
You may wear:
- Clean T-shirts and jeans that aren’t tattered or torn
- Walking shorts, when appropriate to the weather
- T-shirts with slogans that are in good taste and appropriate to the Christian values of our school
- Neatly trimmed, well-groomed hair styles.
You may not wear:
- Halter tops, tank tops with shoulder straps less than three finger widths, or short-shorts/skirts
- Dirty or tattered T-shirts and jeans
- T-shirts with slogans that are in bad taste or inappropriate to the Christian values of our school
- Extreme or outlandish hair styles
- Hair dyed in unnatural colours (green, purple, etc.)
- Long dangling earrings for boys or girls are not allowed.
