Student Transportation Policies and Procedures >

Toronto District School Board Index of Policies and Procedures > 


Attendance/Late Arrival
Students are expected to attend school regularly and arrive on time. We seek our parents' co-operation to ensure that children are in attendance and are punctual. Parents who have children on optional attendance at Briarcrest are responsible for their timely arrival at school.

Regular attendance is necessary to ensure a successful year at school. Being punctual shows respect for teachers, peers and the office staff. A student who attends school regularly and arrives on time is more likely to be successful at school.

Students arriving at school after the start of the National Anthem are expected to report first to the school office to sign in before going to their classroom. If a student arrives late repeatedly, a letter will be sent home to inform the parent. Habitual tardiness and unexplained absences will necessitate the involvement of our school social worker.

Conflict Management
Problem solving and conflict resolution are skills consistently encouraged and developed at Briarcrest. Students are encouraged to treat others the way they would like to be treated, be kind, be patient, and remember to share. All students are engaged in using the following conflict management strategies when solving problems:

•Think before you act!

•Am I being helpful or hurtful?

•Use the 1+3+10 rule: Take 1 step back from the situation. Take 3 deep breaths, to help you calm down. Count to 10, to think about how to solve the problem.

When solving conflicts, students will use a Story/Plan/Consequence form to document their actions and learning. This form will then be sent home for sharing and a parent signature. The form is to be returned to school the following day.

Consequences of Inappropriate Behaviour
Accepting responsibility and consequences for one's actions is part of learning about self-discipline and self-control. The severity of the consequence is determined by the frequency of the infraction. Each incident will be investigated with due consideration of the context in which it takes place, the impact of the behaviour on the safety of others, and the effects on the tone of the school. At all times, progressive discipline procedures will be followed with the principal’s discretion. Some of the actions listed below will be adopted:

•counseling, discussion, and/or warning given;
•withdrawal of privileges;
•informing parent/guardian (e.g., phone call, meeting, letter)
involvement of School Team, support staff, and/or outside agencies to recommend strategies;
•restitution for damages to property;
•formal suspension or recommendation for expulsion as per Ministry and Toronto District School Board’s policy guidelines.

Entry/Exit Doors
Students are expected to enter and exit the school through the designated doors during normal school hours. Students are not allowed to use the exit/entry doors to the parking lot unless accompanied by a parent or unless a teacher supervisor is in the area. Parents are asked to drop off and pick up children at the entry/exit doors. Please do not wait in the hallways. This will help to keep hallways free from congestion and prevent interference with established classroom routines.

Fire Drills and Lockdowns
Fire Drills and Lockdowns will be conducted throughout the year under the direction of the principal and the staff of the school. During the fire drill, all students learn to leave the school in a safe, orderly manner. Experience in meeting emergency situations like a lockdown helps to ensure your child's safety.

Leaving School Early - Signing In and Signing Out
Students will not be allowed to leave school unless there is a note in their agenda or the parents contact the school. There are times when a student must leave school early. At these times;

• parents are asked to send a signed note requesting early dismissal and stating the reason and time of dismissal,
•a parent must pick up their child at the main office and then enter the child's name, time leaving, and reason in the Attendance Binder,
•upon the student's return, the parent should sign in their child and let the office know that the student has returned before they proceed to class.

Lunch at School
A supervised lunch time program is available for all students in the school's gym and in the classrooms. However, we encourage our students to have lunch at home whenever there is an adult at home. Parents who wish to allow their child to go to another child's house for lunch are requested to send a letter with their child to the classroom teacher first thing in the morning. We expect students to be courteous and co-operative in the lunch area. A clean lunchroom and good table manners will result in a comfortable lunch atmosphere.

Students who stay at school for lunch are not permitted to leave the school grounds during the lunch hour. If students go home for lunch, we ask that they do not return until 12:00 p.m.

During rainy days, students remain in the library and gym throughout the lunch hour (kindergarten classes are in their rooms). Students who go home should not return until 12:10 p.m. These students are to enter and wait at the primary doors with a teacher supervisor.

Medication Brought to School
Before medication may be brought to school to be administered, the following protocol indicated by the Toronto District School Board must be followed:

•Medication During School Hours form must be obtained from the office,
•signed parental authorization must be provided and directions from the prescribing physician must be submitted,
•medication must be in a properly labeled container (pharmacist's label),
•medication is to be safely stored in the office.

Medical Alert - Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction most often triggered by certain types of food, such as peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, egg, and milk products. Insect stings, medicine, latex and exercise may also trigger an anaphylactic reaction. Like any other health-related issue, please inform your child's teacher if your child is susceptible to any allergy with serious reaction so that appropriate measures may be taken.

Currently, at Briarcrest, there are an increasing number of young children with a life-threatening allergy to nuts. The school recognizes that it is the parents' responsibility to provide for the nutritional requirements of their children. In most cases, however, where there are children at risk, the school community is generally receptive to procedures that help to protect the allergic child. Ensuring the safety of anaphylactic students in a school setting depends on the full co-operation of the entire school community. We, therefore, ask that you refrain from sending any nut/peanut products to school with your child.

Opportunities for Leadership Activities
We believe that student participation is an important key to school spirit and school community. We encourage students to participate in the many leadership opportunities provided for them at the school.

Safe Arrival Program
Telephone Number (416) 394-6183 (24 hour Service)
This program is established to ensure a student's safe arrival at school by the regular morning and afternoon entry times. The following procedure is put in place:

1.If a student is absent from the school, the parent should call the school prior to 8:25 a.m. or 12:10 p.m. The Safe Arrival program is a 24-HOUR SERVICE that is equipped with an answering machine to take messages. Please state slowly and clearly your child's name, grade and the reason for the absence or late arrival. Please do not leave confidential information on the Safe Arrival Line. A written note from a parent is also acceptable.
2.Parents are required to complete an Emergency Form at the start of each school year indicating current home and work telephone numbers and an emergency contact (i.e., relative, neighbour). Please notify the office, in writing, of any change to emergency information. This information will assist us in contacting someone in an emergency situation. If the school is unable to contact you or determine the whereabouts of your child, the school may have to inform the police of the situation.


Volunteers/Visitors
Volunteers and visitors are always welcome at Briarcrest Junior School. The Toronto District School Board requires that volunteers working with children obtain a police check and complete an annual offense declaration. Please see the office for further details.

Parents wishing to visit a classroom are required to make arrangements with the classroom teacher prior to the visit. On the day of the visit, parents are to sign in at the office and obtain a visitor tag.