School Suspension Guidelines for Sacred Heart School

A positive school climate means everyone — students, parents, staff and community members –feels safe, welcome and respected. Everyone has a role to play in promoting healthy relationships and contributing to a school climate which helps to encourage appropriate student behavior.

When inappropriate student behavior occurs, schools will use a progressive discipline approach which combines early and ongoing interventions to promote positive student behavior.

Schools consider a range of options to determine the most appropriate way to respond to each situation and help students learn from their choices, while taking into account their individual circumstances. In some cases, a suspension may be necessary.

Suspension will be considered whether the activity took place at school, at a school-related activity (e.g., a field trip), or in any other circumstances where the student’s behavior has an impact on the school climate (like cyber-bullying). Suspension ranges from one day –five days based of the severity of the behavior.

List of behaviors that warrant suspension

• Bullying, including cyber-bullying
• Committing an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to school property at the student’s school or to property on school premises.
• Inappropriate touching of the opposite sex entering the change-room or washroom.
• Opening the door while the bus moving.
• Physical Violence (Face punching, Private part touching and any violence towards a teacher).
• Sticking upper body outside of the window of the bus.
• Spitting on another
• Swearing at a teacher or at any person in a position of authority
• Uttering a threat to inflict serious bodily harm on another person.

List of behaviors that warrant detention

• Attitudes towards teacher (Refusing to do work, talking back, sucking your teeth, etc).
• Any derogatory terms towards other students regarding race , religion, sexual orientation, and disability.•Cursing at school or on the bus
• Pushing at school or on the bus
• Throwing objects with the intent to harm
• Slamming or punching of doors or windows.

Protocol for Suspension

WHEN: The school has to notify the parent (s) of a suspension before it begins. If the principal deter-mines that a child is putting others in danger or causing a major disruption, a short-term suspension can begin before you are given notice, but notice must be given within 24 hours.

HOW: The notice must be in writing and either hand-delivered by the school, emailed or phoned to a parent or guardian.

WHAT: The notice must contain the following things:
– The date that it took place.
– A description of the event (The description must have enough detail for the parent to understand what event took place).
– with whom the incident took place.
– How long the suspension will be and when parents, child, teacher and principal will meet, to discuss the returning of the child back to school (conditions).