At West Vancouver Secondary School we have high standards for personal conduct as it involves other people, our environment, and our work. Moreover, we view the pursuit of appropriate conduct as a shared responsibility among students, parents, and staff members. Our Code of Conduct is based on respect and responsibility. It applies equally to students and staff, while in the building, while going to and from school, and while attending any curricular or extra-curricular activity.

The purpose of the West Vancouver Secondary School Code of Conduct and West Vancouver Schools District’s Code of Conduct is to establish and maintain a safe, caring, and orderly environment for purposeful learning and to establish and maintain appropriate balances between individual and collective rights, freedoms, and responsibilities. The code of conduct also outlines expectations for student behaviour. Please note that special considerations may apply to specific students if they are unable to comply with a Code of Conduct expectation due to having an identified disability of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional or behavioural nature.

West Vancouver Secondary School promotes the values expressed in the BC Human Rights Code, respecting the rights of all individuals in accordance with the law and prohibiting discrimination based on race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and age – in respect of discriminatory publication and discrimination in accommodation, service and facility in the school environment.

1. Treat other people with consideration.
2. Act in a positive, honest, and straightforward manner.
3. Respect others regardless of differences.
4. Promote the general welfare of our school.
5. Put a personal best effort into our work.
6. Respect public and personal property.
7. Attend all classes on time
8. Respect authority and adhere to classroom, school, and district rules.
9. Understand that it is the responsibility of the bystander to report and prevent incidents of harassment and bullying.

The Principal shall, in accordance with School Board policy, exercise paramount authority within the school in matters concerning the discipline of students. The board authorizes the Principal in School District #45 (West Vancouver) to suspend a student in violation of school rules for up to five school days, to adjust or terminate that suspension, and to delegate this
authority to other administrative officers.

At West Vancouver Schools, we believe that a fair and equitable district-wide school discipline policy will contribute to the quality of a student’s educational learning experience. Therefore, this district-wide discipline policy has been adopted.

It is important that all members of the West Vancouver School District Community, including trustees, district and school administration, teachers, support staff, parents and students understand that our expectations of student behaviour as laid out in this document encompasses student behaviour while the student is at any West Vancouver School District school site, while the student is going to or from school and/or while attending any school function or activity at any location regardless of the student’s reason for being at such function or activity.
It is the responsibility of the school board, administrators, teachers and employees to safeguard the health and safety of each student. The School Board and district administrators will support district personnel who, in dealing with students on disciplinary matters, act in accordance with the BC School Act, School District policy 5.10, and school rules. Paramount in any
dealing with students in disciplinary matters is adherence to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the B.C. Human Rights Code, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom and the Canadian Bill of Rights.

Parents and guardians have the legal responsibility for the behaviour of their children as determined by law and community practice. Parents/guardians are expected to exercise the required parental controls so that the student’s behaviour will be conducive to the development of self-discipline and will not be disruptive to the school’s educational program. The board also expects the co-operation and support of all parents in the application of this policy as it works towards the best interests of all students.

The Board of School Trustees recognizes the importance of a safe, caring and orderly atmosphere to the quality of student learning. The Board also recognizes the need for school-based discipline that supports such an atmosphere and expects the highest standard of deportment from its students as they fulfill their responsibilities as defined by the BC School Act and within the Codes of Conduct established for each school within School District #45.

More specifically, the Board expects that all students shall:

• Obey district, school and classroom rules
• Respect public and personal property
• Actively promote the general welfare of the school
• Refrain from violence or threats of violence
• Maintain courteous relations with fellow students, teachers, staff and people in general
• Work at their studies without disturbing others
• Attend school daily and promptly
• Maintain appropriate standards of hygiene, dress and language
• Be honest and straightforward in their dealing with others

The Board realizes that no policy will cover all situations; therefore, the building administrator(s) or designate will make a determination of consequence and/or disciplinary action when student actions are NOT specifically addressed in this or any other policy. All actions by an administrator or designate will be made on a case by case basis. In addition to this, the board realizes that students mature and behave differently at different stages of life.

The School District Code of Conduct outlines very general expectations for student behaviour. The School Board realizes that sometimes students may have difficulty understanding how the Code of Conduct should be applied in everyday school life. Therefore, we have provided a list of negative behaviours that would involve a breach of the Code of Conduct by students and which could result in disciplinary actions:

1. Skipping classes or excessive tardiness.
2. Vandalism or other incidents of defacing or damaging personal, school, or private property. Note: Students and or their
   parents/guardians are responsible for reimbursing SD 45 for costs incurred due to vandalism, graffiti and similar cases.
3. Abusing others physically, verbally, or psychologically. This includes fighting, bullying, cyberbullying, intimidation, threatening or violent behaviours,  extorting, or showing intolerance towards others because of their race, culture, dress, or other perceived differences 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.
4. Disrupting classroom learning, official school functions or the privacy of our school’s neighbours.
5. Possession or use of prohibited drugs, alcohol and tobacco products, (including being in the vicinity of others engaged
   in using prohibited drugs and alcohol). No smoking is allowed on school property or within a two block radius of the
   school.
6. Possession or use of firecrackers, fireworks, or items used to simulate fireworks.
7. Possession or use of weapons, including any object meant to simulate the appearance of a weapon.
8. Plagiarizing or cheating on tests, assignments or projects, or assisting someone else to cheat. Defiance of the authority
   of teachers and other employees; using profanity or confrontational behaviour in dealing with these adults.
9. Theft.
10. Using inappropriate language or dressing in a way that detracts from the learning environment.
11. Going to other schools during the school day, without permission from an administrator.
12. Operation of a vehicle or other means of transport in a dangerous manner on school property (including cars, bicycles,
    rollerblades and skateboards).
13. Using personal electronic devices not required for instructional purposes. Such items should not be brought into the
    classroom, and may be confiscated by the teacher and returned at a later date.

Consequences
Should a student have difficulty following the Code of Conduct in or on any school board property including, but not exclusively limited to, the classrooms, cafeteria, hallways or grounds, staff will intervene. There will be consequences for misbehaving. These consequences could include, but are not limited to, warnings, cleanup duty, phone calls to parents, letters
to parents, detentions, suspensions, and where the situation warrants notification of the School Board and or the WVPD.

In all of these cases, the student’s goal should be to understand how he or she failed to follow the Code of Conduct, accept the consequences gracefully, and avoid making the same mistake again. Students who choose to defy consequences, or who persist in misbehaving, will be referred to an administrator. Consequences will be more severe and may involve referral to the administration, family conferences, or suspensions in-school or out-of-school.

When a student fails to adhere to the Codes of Conduct the staff and/or administration will follow a pattern of progressive discipline. Progressive discipline establishes a process of clear, timely, consistent, and documented communications with a student and their parent or guardian to reinforce an understanding of expectations, to provide an opportunity to correct an
inappropriate behaviour, to improve appropriate behaviour, and to assure due process. The goal of progressive discipline is to modify specific behavior and to encourage appropriate behaviour. The goal is not to punish the student, but to alert the student and/or parent to the need to correct inappropriate behaviours. Special considerations may apply to students with special needs, if they are unable to comply with the Code of Conduct due to having a disability of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional
or behavioural nature.

The Board of Education realizes that no policy will cover all situations. Therefore, the building administrator(s) or designate will make a determination of consequence and/or disciplinary action when a student’s actions are NOT specifically addressed in this or any other policy. All actions by an administrator or designate will be made on an individual basis.

Rising Expectations
When dealing with students, the administrator may adjust the consequence or disciplinary action based partially on the maturity level of the student, grade level of the student and the ability of the student to understand expectations and/or control their behaviour.

Reporting of Unacceptable Conduct
If a student reports that another student has breached the school’s code of conduct, the school will take all reasonable steps to maintain the student’s confidentiality.

WVSS Policy for Educational Integrity
Why do we value educational integrity?
• It promotes personal integrity.
• It creates respect for others and the integrity of others’ work.
• It promotes equal opportunity for all students to demonstrate their authentic learning.
What is educational dishonesty?
• Any behaviour that gains an unfair advantage for a student over the other students.
• Tutors should not assist students with assignments for assessment.
• Giving out information from an assessment to other students, either directly or digitally.
• Removing test material from the classroom either physically or digitally.
• Failing to show up on the agreed upon time for a test.
• Bringing unauthorized material into an exam room, or consulting such material during an exam.
• Communicating with another student during an exam.
• Plagiarism: taking work, words, ideas, pictures, information or anything that has been produced by someone else and submitting it for assessment as your own. Paraphrasing ideas or research without a citation also constitutes plagiarism. Students should seek the advice of their teachers if they have any questions about what is expected or whether something is common knowledge or needs to be cited.
• Copying: taking work from another student, with or without his or her knowledge and submitting it as your own.
• Collusion: helping another student to be educationally dishonest. This includes making your exam paper visible to another student so he/she can copy you; you are also cheating.
• Collusion versus collaboration: Ideas that are produced collaboratively must be presented in your own written work. Submitting the written work of another student as your own also represents collusion.
The staff at West Vancouver Secondary will support students at West Vancouver Secondary School by explaining this policy and teaching the academic skill of citation.
What will happen if you violate the principles of educational integrity?
• Parents may be notified by teachers.
• A record of the incident will be maintained by administration; counsellors may be notified.
• A mark of 0 may be given.
• The student may not be eligible to receive letters of reference or recommendation, school-based award or scholarships and may be taken off the Honour Roll.
Repeat offenses will result in more severe consequences, including suspension.
September 2015

West Vancouver Schools has developed a Risk Assessment Protocol that requires all staff to report any and all threat making behaviours whether they are verbal, written, or through actions. West Vancouver Schools has assembled threat assessment teams at both the school and the district level. Trained members consist of district administrators, district counselors, school administrators, school counselors, and West Vancouver Police liaison officers. Each secondary school has a school based team that includes the district administrator, the Principal or Vice-Principal, a counselor, and the school liaison officer.

Protocol:
A threat making behaviour is defined for these purposes as any action that makes the recipient of such behaviour feel
threatened.
For purposes of the District Threat Assessment Protocol these behaviours could include, but will not be limited to:

• Immediate Risk Student Behaviours which is a student in possession of a gun, or any other weapon while displaying
  threatening behaviour.
• High Risk Student Behaviours which include possession of a weapon, threats to destroy a school or school building,
  threats to kill or injure others (regardless of the method of delivery of such threats).
• Worrisome Student Behaviours including but not limited to drawing disturbing pictures, writing disturbing stories, etc.
  or internet harassment.

The protocol states that any West Vancouver School District 45 employee having knowledge of student threat making behaviour shall promptly report the information to the principal or designate who will respond accordingly.

All reported threats will be assessed by the school principal or designate and if deemed necessary the principal will contact the school team, the district team, or both.

Go here to download a copy of the WVSS Code of Conduct