ST. EUGENE CATHOLIC SCHOOL HANDBOOK AND
CODE OF CONDUCT
This code is
written for all members of the St. Eugene Community: students, staff, parents,
guardians and visitors.
It is
written to conform to Ministry of Education and Training,
Toronto
Catholic District School Board Policies and Community Directives
ST. EUGENE’S
SCHOOL VISION
“Learning and Walking with Jesus”
In a school community formed
by Catholic beliefs and traditions, the mission of St. Eugene, in harmony with
the mission of the Toronto Catholic District School Board, is to educate
students to their full potential. This is achieved by providing a safe and
welcoming learning environment that is an example of a Christian community, by
the integration of Gospel Values into the total learning experience and by
providing continual feedback on student progress. We seek to provide a Catholic education that
will enable our students to become responsible, self-disciplined, life-long
learners and members of a caring local and global community.
We
envision students who:
·
are
formed in the Catholic faith;
·
are
physically, emotionally and spiritually balanced to be open to and apply
Christian values to life’s opportunities, challenges and choices;
·
strive
for personal academic excellence in literacy, numeracy and technology;
- display self-worth and
self-respect;
- display a concern and
respect for others;
- demonstrate skills for
developing and maintaining personal wellness;
·
demonstrate
global perspective and community responsibility.
Our school community believes
that, by demonstrating our faith in God and respect for each other, we can
create a safe, caring and collaborative environment that promotes life-long
learning and celebrates the uniqueness of all individuals.
EXPECTATIONS-STUDENTS
Building upon our existing tradition of excellence, you are asked
contribute to this tradition by maintaining high personal expectations for
success and by following the expectations listed below. As a student of St.
Eugene you are expected to:
- Be a contributing member of the Christian climate of the school by
taking pride in being an active member of the school community;
- Wear a blue and white uniform everyday (NO LOGOS other than St. Eugene
School Logo);
- Accept responsibility for your education, decisions and actions;
- Attend school regularly, be punctual and participate fully in class
and school activities;
- Demonstrate respect for the building, school equipment and make strong
efforts in the conservation of school property and materials;
- Respect and protect self and others by engaging in safe play at all
times;
- Complete all assignments on time, to the best of your ability and with
academic honesty and integrity;
- To use your agenda to record homework, test and assignment dates;
- Use language that is not profane, demeaning or racist;
- Respect community members and their property while on excursions or in
coming to and leaving the school;
- Refrain from bringing dangerous, prohibited or valuable items to
school.
PARENTS
The parents
and guardians at St. Eugene play a very important role in their child’s
education. They are our students’ first and most influential teachers. The
development of positive partnerships will enable each child to progress
academically, socially and emotionally. As a parent/guardian of St. Eugene you
contribute to the personal success of your child when you:
·
Demonstrate a commitment to Catholic education, Christian
beliefs and sacramental preparation;
·
Become
informed and support school programs, co-curricular activities, rules and
routines;
·
Insist
on good attendance and punctuality;
·
Engage
in professional, on-going, and open communication with the school;
·
Create
a supportive home environment where your child is encouraged to practice skills
and complete homework on a daily basis;
·
Encourage
your child to accept responsibility for his/her own learning, behaviour,
decisions and personal property;
·
Work
as a team member with the staff in the best interest of your child;
·
Model
the importance of life-long learning.
STAFF
The
staff of St. Eugene is committed to excellence in education. Together we established these guiding
principles as a reflection of our values as professionals and teachers at St.
Eugene. They represent our shared
purpose and our collective commitment which will continuously guide us as
educators. Collectively we will:
·
Demonstrate
a commitment to Catholic education and practices, and Christian beliefs and
values;
·
Provide
an inviting, safe and supportive environment for all children to learn by
attending to our professional duties;
·
Enforce
school rules and regulations;
·
Respect
confidentiality and behave in a professional manner;
·
Continue
to develop and support positive professional relationships with our colleagues
and parents/guardians;
·
Demonstrate
a commitment to life-long learning;
·
Be
committed to communicating and to working cooperatively with all staff to
contribute to the success of the school’s vision;
·
Follow
the curriculum and the School’s Learning Plan;
·
Develop
our existing repertoire of instructional and assessment strategies;
·
Hold
high expectations for student achievement;
·
Provide
students with varied experiences to develop the student’s abilities;
·
Use
the modifications and accommodations outlined in the Individual Educational
Plan of identified students to develop success in integrated subjects;
·
Listen,
be fair and treat all students equally;
·
Appreciate
and build on cultural diversity.
SUPPORT
STAFF
The
responsibilities of the members of the support staff at St. Eugene are very
diverse. However, the support staff at
St. Eugene is committed to fulfilling their responsibilities to ensure the
safety, well-being and success of every student. Collectively we will:
·
Demonstrate
a commitment to Catholic education and practices, and Christian beliefs and
values;
·
Promote
a safe and nurturing environment that is conducive to development of each
student;
·
Be
committed to working cooperatively to
contribute to the success of the school’s vision;
·
Carry
out our responsibilities in a flexible, dedicated, professional manner;
·
Be
effective team members by contributing our knowledge and expertise;
·
Be
committed to life-long learning.
CSAC
The
St. Eugene’s Catholic School Advisory Council (CSAC) plays an important role in
achieving the school’s overall vision.
Its primary function is a forum through which parents and members of the
school community can contribute to improving student achievement school performance. It does so by working cooperatively with
students, teachers, support staff and other members of the school community to
raise funds and to consult with the principal to assist St. Eugene’s students to
achieve their ultimate potential. CSAC contributes to achieving these
objectives when it:
·
Demonstrates
a commitment to Catholic education, Christian beliefs and sacramental
preparation;
·
Consults
and works cooperatively with the principal to identify and solve problems in
accordance with school and board policies and procedures;
·
Assumes
a leadership role, along with the St. Eugene School community, in raising funds
to enrich the educational experiences;
·
Promotes
meaningful parental and community involvement and actively seeks the views of
the school community;
·
Communicates
regularly with the school community regarding its activities.
CELEBRATIONS
Part
of our on-going commitment to promoting the positive values of a professional
learning community,
we
believe that frequent and regular celebrations will provide living examples of
the values of our school.
At St. Eugene,
we will celebrate:
·
Our
Catholic Faith through celebration, ceremonies and daily Christian rituals;
·
Individual
and collective learning and accomplishments of students, staff and parents who
work towards supporting the school’s vision and to continuous school
improvement;
·
Birthdays,
special events and milestones;
·
Community
and Relationships.
OUR
CATHOLIC FAITH
The
school day reflects our witness to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Gospel values
permeate our school environment. The following highlights the Catholic
dimension of our school community:
Our Parish
Our school community’s
parish is All Saints Catholic Church.
Close communication is maintained throughout the year between the school
and the parish so that all of us will benefit from the spiritual guidance and
leadership of the parish priest, Father Andrzej, and the pastoral assistant,
Elsa.
Liturgical Celebrations
As a Catholic school, our
spiritual development is one of our main objectives. In addition to our Religion and Family Life
Programs, there will be a series of liturgical celebrations throughout the
year. Parents, guardians, family,
friends and community members are always welcomed to join us. Please check our newsletter for the dates and
times of our celebrations.
Sacraments
The school staff and the
church staff will prepare the students of St. Eugene Catholic School for the
following Sacraments:
Reconciliation……………….Grade 2
Holy
Eucharist ……………...Grade 2
Confirmation………………...Grade
8
St. Eugene Catholic School Code of Conduct
The
purpose of the St. Eugene Catholic School Code of Conduct is to develop a sense
of self-discipline in our students that comes from a healthy respect for
themselves and others around them. Our
Code of Conduct is intended to make clear to students, parents, and staff what
will and will not be tolerated. We care
deeply about the students in our school and we want them to be safe and happy
in our school community so that they can pursue their studies and
extra-curricular activities to the best of their abilities at all times.
Our
expectations reflect our commitment to supporting the Toronto Catholic District
School Board policies on Violence Prevention, Race and Ethnic Relations, Sexual
Harassment and Inclusive Language.
Our School Code of Conduct is also reflective of our
Catholic Virtues of the Month as well as the Ontario Catholic Graduate
Expectations (OCGE). All members of our
school community are reminded to live by these guiding principles which we highlight
monthly. We encourage all students to
follow the path of Jesus and live by the golden rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated.
What is discipline?
·
It
teaches children responsibility
·
It
shows children why a particular attitude or behavior is not acceptable
·
It
teaches children the relationship between cause and effect
·
It
helps children to take corrective measures to solve the problems they may have
caused
·
It
teaches children to make appropriate choices in the future
·
It
teaches children to learn and grow from their mistakes
Progressive Discipline
Progressive
Discipline is a whole-school approach that utilizes a continuum of
interventions, supports and consequences. It includes prevention measures and
initiatives; early and ongoing intervention strategies; and strategies to
address inappropriate behavior.
Interventions and consequences increase when the concerning behavior is
persistent, the concerning behavior escalates, or where there is a serious
infraction to the Code of Conduct.
Teachers will use the progressive discipline approach when dealing with
student infractions of the behavior code.
Examples of the progressive
discipline approach include:
ü
Discussion
between teacher and student
ü
Think
papers, letters of apology
ü
Contact
with parent by telephone or in person
ü
Loss
of privileges
ü
Removal
from class
ü
Guidance
or social work support/ referral
ü
Progressive
Discipline Incident Report
ü
Meeting
with the Principal
ü
Warning
of Suspension
ü
Suspension
*Each
student and situation is unique. Compassion and understanding of the student
and circumstances are an intrinsic part of progressive discipline.
As of Feb 1,
2008, all schools in the TCDSB are following the same code of
conduct with local provisions integrated to reflect the needs of the school
community. This code can be accessed at www.tcdsb.org. We encourage parents to read this code on
line.
Code of Behavior
Students
are expected to conduct themselves in a safe and responsible manner inside and
outside of the school. This includes any activity on school property, and also
during school excursions where students are expected to act responsibly as respectful
ambassadors of St. Eugene Catholic School. Although the following list is not
exhaustive, it provides a sampling of inappropriate and unacceptable behaviors
that will be addressed using the Progressive Discipline model.
·
Hands
on (e.g. pushing)
·
Spreading
rumors
·
Teasing
·
Being
disruptive in class
·
Not
completing homework/habitual neglect of duty
·
Rough
play
·
Malicious/intentional
hands on/fighting
·
Swearing
or use of inappropriate language (verbal or gesture)
·
Habitual
defiance or non-compliance
·
Racist
or sexist comments
·
Bullying
(including cyber/internet)
·
Weapons
·
Vandalism
·
Uttering
threats
·
Swearing
at a teacher or person of authority
·
Trafficking
illegal drugs; possession of illegal substances at school
·
Any
other reported incident deemed by administration, TCDSB, or Ministry of
Education to be inappropriate or cause harm to one’s self or another individual
BUS
SAFETY
To
ensure the safety of all students who take the school bus to and from school,
the following must be adhered to:
·
Respect
the bus driver and the teacher on duty at all times;
- Line up promptly and
quietly, and take assigned seats quickly and remain in them;
- Speak quietly and respectfully
to each other, to the driver and to community members;
- Keep hands and heads
inside the bus;
- Refrain from throwing
objects from the bus;
- Respect rights and
safety of others;
- Refrain from eating or
drinking on the bus.
Transportation privileges may
be revoked if a student behaves in an inappropriate or unsafe manner. Where this is the case, parents are
responsible to transport their child to and from school in the result of a
suspension of privilege.
PLAYGROUND
SAFETY
In order to enjoy the adventure
playgrounds in a safe and responsible manner students are expected to:
·
Stay
inside school boundaries;
·
Play
in a safe supervised manner;
·
Refrain
from using hard balls, with the exception of basketballs. Soccer balls are only to be used on the grass.
·
Students
are not permitted the use of skateboards, roller blades, or scooters on school
property
DRESS
CODE
In striving to achieve and
maintain the values that are represented by our Catholic School Board, our
school is committed to standards of neatness, cleanliness, modesty, and good
taste.
At St. Eugene, all students from JK to grade 8 are expected to wear a
blue or white collared (turtlenecks accepted) uniform on a daily basis. Students are expected to wear navy blue
bottoms (pants, skirts, tunic, and long shorts) and a white shirt/blouse/turtleneck
or navy blue/white golf shirt-short/long sleeved preferably with the St. Eugene
logo. Parents can purchase more formal
pieces by calling InSchoolwear at
416-356-7597 or by visiting www.inschoolwear.com. School crested tops are now available for
purchase in white and navy blue polo t-shirts in short/long sleeves, navy blue
hoodies, and tunic dresses. A third
color (burgundy) has been introduced to our uniform wear for this Fall of
2014. Our navy blue/white school
uniforms can be coordinated with a crested burgundy vest, a crested burgundy
cardigan or a crested burgundy tie. The
uniform is one way to encourage respect, responsibility and safety in our school. It distinguishes St. Eugene from other
schools and gives our students a sense of pride.
LUNCH TIME EXPECTATIONS
Students
eat lunch in their classrooms under supervision of our lunch time staff/supervisors. Students who stay for lunch must respect the lunch
supervisor and the staff on duty at all times. Lunch privileges may be
suspended if students behave inappropriately during the lunch hour. All students who are expected to remain at
school for lunch must remain on school property during the lunch hour. For safety reasons, no permission will be
granted to students to leave the school property during the lunch hour
period. If they remain, they are
expected to:
·
Bring
a litterless nutritious lunch;
·
Leave
their classroom/lunchroom in a quiet orderly fashion under teacher supervision;
·
Remain
seated, talk quietly, tidy up and recycle.
CARE OF SCHOOL MATERIALS AND PROPERTY
In order to minimize losses,
and maintain our school and school materials in good condition, it is expected
that:
·
All
school materials are to be returned in the condition that they were handed out
to the student;
·
Students
will treat ALL school property
with care and respect.
SCHOOL
OPERATION
SCHOOL HOURS 8:30 a.m - 3:00 p.m. Lunch: 11:15 - 12:15 p.m.
Supervision
begins at 8:00 AM and ends at 3:00 PM upon dismissal. Outside these times there
is no supervision in the yard or in the school.
Safe
Arrival/Attendance
To
ensure the safe arrival of each student parents are requested to:
·
Inform the school of any
absence before 8:30 by telephone or by sending a note to the office for known
absences;
·
Ensure
that students arrive punctually,
beginning their day by lining up outside with their classes.
If punctuality or attendance
is a persistent concern, communication to the parent will be made prior to
initiating a report with the school social worker.
PARKING
LOT AND BUS ZONE
Parents/guardians must
not stop or park in the bus zone.
This is extremely important for the safety of all children, including
the ones being dropped off.
DISMISSAL
Unless
students have permission to participate in after-school activities, it is
expected that students must leave the school area at 3:00 p.m. Parents are requested to make a written
request to the teacher if a student is to be picked up from school early or if
their dismissal routine has been changed in any way. It is especially important that the school is
informed if someone other than the immediate family is picking up the
student. All students who are picked
up before dismissal, including JK/SK students, must be picked up at the office
and signed out. NEW*** Respectfully, Grades 1 – 8
students will be dismissed directly to the school yard by their classroom
teachers. Parents/guardians will meet
and greet their children on the school yard at dismissal time.
SECURITY AND STUDENT SAFETY
The
Education Act includes parents, guardians, clergy and school board members in
its definition of visitors. In order to maintain a safe supervised environment for the
students the following procedures are in place:
·
All
doors will be closed during the school day;
·
All
parents and visitors must enter via the front door, sign in and wear a
visitor’s pass
·
All
parents are asked to pick up and drop off their children at grade appropriate
doors (on the playground);
·
Parents
are asked to inform the school of any custody issues and provide Legal
documentation when available;
·
Confidential
issues regarding students will only be discussed with parents/guardians and
appropriate staff;
·
Any
suspicion of abuse of the children will be reported to the appropriate
authorities as required by law;
·
Fire
drills and lockdown procedures are practiced on a regular basis. Children are to wear indoor shoes at all
times.
CELL
PHONES
Some students bring their
cell phones to school. We are sensitive
to our parents’ concerns regarding the safety and whereabouts of their children
while travelling to and from school.
Cell phones are not allowed at any time during the school day. Cell phones MUST BE TURNED OFF. The use of camera and video features on the
cell phone is prohibited at school for safety reasons. Violation of this rule will result in the
confiscation of the cell phone. Your
cooperation and support is greatly appreciated.
PERSONAL
PROPERTY
The lost and found box is located in the first floor near
the recycling grey boxes. Parents and
students may check for lost items. The school will not assume responsibility
for lost or damaged cell phones and/or electronic games. In addition, students who bring money to
school must be responsible for it.
MEDICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Unavoidably, children do get
sick or injured at school. The staff
does its best to make the child comfortable and, if possible, staff trained in
first aid will attend to injuries. It is crucial that home, work and emergency
phone numbers are always up to date.
Please call the office immediately
after any change.
In emergencies:
·
Parents
will be notified if their child becomes sick or seriously injured at school;
·
Minor
injuries will be dealt with by staff and parents will be informed through the
agenda or via phone call;
·
Serious
injuries may result in transportation, by car or ambulance, if parents cannot
be reached, to the nearest hospital.
Students with illnesses such
as colds or a flu which are serious enough to prevent them from participating
in physical education classes, recesses, and outdoor activities must remain at
home until their condition improves. This will benefit the child and prevent
the spread of illness to others.
Medication
·
If
a child is required to take medication at school, parents must contact the
principal directly to ensure that the required documentation is completed prior
to any medication is administered.
·
All
students must have a completed medical history form filed in their Ontario
Student Record.
·
Please be advised that TCDSB
staff is not able to dispense non-prescription medication to students.
ANAPHYLAXIS
In our
school, as in most others in the city, there are children who suffer from
severe and life-threatening allergic reactions when in contact with peanuts or
other food products. This means that
contact or exposure to these products, even in the minutest quantities, can
cause severe life-threatening reactions.
No other area of health awareness requires such close cooperation by
everyone in the school setting. As a
result, we ask that nut products not be used in any form for lunches, snacks or
treats. Teachers take specified
precautions about foods in the classroom.
We urge that all parents, or other care-givers who may prepare lunches
or snacks, be aware of this restriction.
EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSURE
The school may be closed or classes
may be cancelled for a temporary period
in the case of an emergency arising out of severe inclement weather, fire,
breakdown of heating plant, the failure of an essential utility or similar
emergency when the health, welfare or safety of children are in jeopardy. In such cases the school staff will endeavor
to contact the parent or guardian to ensure that the child is picked up. In cases where no adequate supervision can be
ensured, the children will remain in the care of the principal and staff until
the parent/guardian can assume responsibility for their children.
HOMEWORK
In general,
the purpose of homework is to foster effective work habits and develop self-discipline,
independent thinking and responsible attitudes.
It should also encourage good study habits. Throughout the child’s school life, homework
should enable the child to practice the skills necessary to succeed in the work
place of the future: independent learning, self-motivation and time
management. The TCDSB suggests
approximately 10 minutes each night per grade level as a homework guideline.
REPORTS,
INTERVIEWS AND COMMUNICATION
Ongoing
home/school communication is vital to the development of the child and the
relationship between staff and parents. Provincial Report Cards are sent to
parents twice a year; the original is placed in the O.S.R. and parents are
asked to return the signed report cards to the school as soon as possible. Interviews can be made at any time during the
school year, by parents or teachers, to arrange a mutually convenient
appointment. Student agendas provide an excellent ongoing opportunity
for communication.
CATHOLIC
SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL
All
parents are welcomed and encouraged to attend.
CSAC acts as an advisory body to the school in determining community
needs and formulating policies that will address these needs. The council is a valuable asset to the
school. Dates and times of CSAC meetings
for 2014-2015 will be announced early in the year.
For
complete TCDSB Policies please visit www.tcdsb.org. For updated information on the School
Learning Plan, EQAO assessment information, please visit www.tcdsb.org
and select St. Eugene Catholic