Procedures

Procedures

There are many procedures specific to George R. Gauld Junior School that guide our practices. Please find below helpful information about school procedures and a link to the

George R. Gauld Junior School Handbook

Cross Walk Safety

9 metres! 9 Metres is the minimum of how far cars are required to park away from the crosswalk! The cross walk on Melrose Street to the south of the school requires that cars not park with-in 9 metres of the cross walk. It is imperative that cars park farther away than 9 metres to ensure proper visibility of pedestrians crossing. Safety on the roadways outside of our school is everyone’s responsibility. Park 9 metres or farther away from the cross walk. Also, if you are entering the school parking lot to drop students off, please park in a properly designated parking spot. Do not park in the lane ways that cars drive down, do not block traffic moving through the parking lot.
THANK YOU! Please do your part to keep all of George R Gauld’s students and families safe.


Code of Conduct

YARFY...YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF

The Code of Conduct is the behavioural expectations for students and is based on the YARFY philosophy which fosters social interactions between students that are respectful, honest, kind and co-operative. Students take responsibility for their own behavior, they are expected to display responsibility, honesty, integrity, kindness and fairness and always do their part to behave well and make the school a better place for themselves and everyone.


Responses to Violations of the Code of Conduct

To ensure a positive and peaceful school environment we establish a framework to enable, support and maintain a positive school climate that focuses on progressive discipline and the promotion of positive student behaviour through our YARFY program and the TDSB Progressive Discipline policy.

Progressive Discipline is a TDSB policy that is a whole-school approach to student behaviour. It utilizes a continuum of interventions, supports, and consequences to address inappropriate student behaviour and to build upon strategies that promote positive behaviours. When inappropriate behaviour occurs, disciplinary measures are applied within a framework that shifts the focus from one that is solely punitive to a focus that is both corrective and supportive.

Progressive discipline is a process designed to create the expectation that the degree of discipline will be in proportion to the severity of the behaviour leading to the discipline and that the previous disciplinary history of the student and all other relevant factors will be taken into account. Progressive discipline must take into account the needs of individual students by showing sensitivity to diversity, to cultural needs, and to special education needs. In addition progressive discipline must be in keeping with Ministry of Education and Board policies on antiracism, ethno cultural equity and antidiscrimination education

The range of interventions, supports and consequences used by the Board and school are developmentally appropriate and include learning opportunities for students in order to reinforce positive behaviours and help students make good choices.

Some interventions and supports are:

  • counselling by the teacher, educational support staff, or principal;
  • class or office detention;
  • writing of a contract or a plan of action for future behaviour;
  • temporary removal from class;
  • a letter or call home;
  • informal or formal conferences with parental involvement as necessary;
  • replacement, repair or payment for lost or damaged property;
  • involvement of Student Support Services personnel or outside agencies;
  • removal of privileges or extracurricular activities;
  • formal suspension in keeping with the board and Ministry policies;

At GRG…
To ensure that George R. Gauld provides a safe and nurturing environment for all our learners, we have instituted a code of conduct and responses to violations of the expectations for student behaviour. The code of conduct was created by parents/guardians, staff and students and discourages inappropriate behaviour and contains procedures for encouraging appropriate behaviour.

Minor Infractions

  1. Going through the wrong doors
  2. Hats/bandanas worn in school
  3. Gum/food consumed in school
  4. Noisy in halls and stairs during entry,
    dismissal, or moving between classes
  5. Play fighting
  6. Running on the stairs or in hallways
  7. Skateboards/scooters/hockey sticks
    brought to school
  8. Out of bounds on school property
  9. Not entering school quickly and quietly
  10. Inappropriate clothing
  11. Littering
  12. *Provocation of any of the above

Major Infractions

  1. Racist/Sexist/Religious/Cultural slurs
  2. Hitting, bullying, or physical aggression
  3. Disrespectful/abusive language
  4. Defiance of authority
  5. Spitting
  6. Damaging school property or stealing
  7. Leaving school property without
    permission (includes lunchtime)
  8. Snowballing
  9. *Any dangerous activity or provocation of the above

Notes:

  1. All Minor infractions will be handled on the spot by the observing staff and recorded in the office. Further consequences may be provided by the child’s classroom teacher for each minor infraction.
  2. Any Major infraction that occurs in the school will be entered into the book as a “Major”, but will be dealt with appropriately by the classroom teacher.
  3. Three Minor infractions = a Major infraction.

Procedures to Discourage Inappropriate Behavior

There are specific consequences for students who do not show respect for others, for property, and for school routines. The entire school (to maintain consistency) will use the following procedures to deal with major infractions:

Step 1: For the first major infraction of a term, a student will be given a detention and counseling, outside of school time, and will write a description of what happened. The student’s name and offence will be recorded and filed in the office in the appropriate binder.

Step 2: For the second major infraction, the student will serve another detention. During these detentions, the student will write an action plan which includes:
What I Did, and What I will Do Next Time A telephone call may be made to her/his Parent/Guardian to discuss the majors and to state what the next consequence will be.

Step 3: For the third major infraction, or any major infraction deemed serious enough, the student will serve another detention. During this detention, an action plan for future behaviour will be written and additional counselling given. A telephone call will be made to her/his parent/guardian by the Principal. The detention will be supervised by staff.

Step 4: For subsequent infractions, or any major infraction deemed serious, the student could serve a one-day in school suspension. The student will work in isolation, under supervision in the office on assigned classwork. Parent/Guardian will be contacted and expected to participate in a conference with their child and the Principal.

Step 5: Subsequent infractions, or any major infraction deemed serious enough, the student will serve an out-of-school formal suspension. Again, parent/guardian will be contacted. The parent/guardian will be expected to accompany their child to school the day after the suspension is complete to discuss future behavior plans.

Step 6: Further major infractions will result in Steps 4 and 5 being followed.


Procedures to Encourage Appropriate Behaviour

Students who show respect for others, for property and for school routines, will be recognized for their efforts, both in the classroom and in the school. Teachers in the classroom will continue to use a variety of techniques to reinforce appropriate behaviour. In addition to these techniques, the entire school will use announcements, monthly assemblies and individualized positive feedback to reward appropriate behaviour.

How do our expectations relate to the lunchroom?

For students who remain at school to eat lunch:

  • Students are expected to eat in designated lunchroom areas at designated times, always
    keeping quiet discussions.
  • Students are expected to remain on school grounds unless they provide written permission.
  • Students are expected to respond to lunchroom supervisors, both in the lunchroom and on the
    school yard, in a courteous and respectful manner.
  • Please send the child’s lunch to school with him/her in the morning. This minimizes
  • disruption in the office, and ensures that your child will have time to eat in a relaxed manner
  • before dismissal from the lunchroom.
  • We encourage all students to bring a “litterless” lunch using materials for food storage that can be taken home and reused. All the rest of the garbage created by the student is to be taken home to be disposed of.
  • Each student is responsible for cleaning up his/her own eating area.
  • Glass containers or bottles are not allowed in the lunchroom.

Participation in our lunch program depends upon acceptable behaviour and co-operation.

Unacceptable behaviour may result in a loss of participation for a period of time.


School Routines

Attendance

Regular attendance is essential to student success in learning. Students are expected to be at school each day on time, prepared and able to learn. Students who arrive late for school must report to the office for a Late Slip. Chronic lateness or absence from school may be referred to Attendance and Counseling for support and investigation. Students who leave on extended absences for vacation and plan to return to the school must submit a written notification from the parent.

Safe Arrival

If your child will be absent from school for any reason, please call the school Safe Arrival line at 416-394-7830 and leave your child’s name, room and teacher’s name along with the reason for absence. If we do not hear from you and your child is absent, the automated computerized callout system will call parents/guardians at home and work contact numbers. Police may be contacted if parents cannot be reached. Our “voice Mail” service is available 24 hours a day.

Keeping our Records Current

Please notify Ms. Andreacchi, the office administrator whenever there is any change of information like:

  • phone numbers
  • emergency contact
  • home address

Dress Code

At GRG Junior School we set high standards for academic success, social development and behaviour. These standards are reflected in the degree of effort put into our studies, the respectful language we use, our consideration for others, and the manner in which we dress. Our school, in consultation with parents, has developed the following dress policy which is based on respect and safety:

The following dress code maintains these high standards:

  • Clothing or other items that could be interpreted as signifying gang associations are not permitted or clothing that depicts violence, profanity, inappropriate language, racial or
    gender discrimination or discrimination of any kind.
  • Shoulders and stomach area must be covered at all times; bottoms of tops must fall past tops of bottoms
  • Shorts and skirts must not be shorter than the point of the thigh where the end of the thumb touches when the arm is extended naturally
  • Tops with low necklines are not appropriate or adequate clothing
  • Children are strongly encouraged to bring both an indoor and outdoor pair of shoes
  • For Physical Education, running shoes, t-shirts and shorts are required for health and safety reasons.
  • During the winter months, a warm coat, boots, scarves, gloves or mittens are required.
  • Shoes are to be worn inside the school.

School Visitors

For the safety of all students in the school, all visitors to the school are asked to sign in at the office.

Student Pick-up and Drop-off

In order to ensure student safety, students must be met by an adult or student over 12 years of age at dismissal times. Parents picking up their children are asked to meet them outside the school doors in the playground. If you are planning to take your child out of school early, you will need to sign your child out at the office.

Volunteers

Volunteers require a TDSB Criminal Background Check in order to work directly with students and annually must complete the Annual Offence Declaration. Please call the office for details.

Parents are invited to volunteer their time and talents assisting with classroom activities and events, excursions, special events, School Council activities and helping with the preparation of materials for the classroom. By volunteering you can connect with your children, interact with the community, become involved in the school, meet other parents and enhance your child’s educational experience.

Medication at School

A parent may request to have prescribed medication administered to their child by school personnel. While it is the responsibility of parents to administer medication to their child, the Board is prepared to agree to undertake this responsibility on the following conditions:

  • the use of medication is prescribed by a physician;
  • the medication is essential for a student to continue to attend school;
  • it is necessary that the medication must be taken during school hours or during school sponsored events;
  • it is not appropriate for the student to self-administer the medication; and the student’s
    parent/guardian or other authorized adult is not reasonably able to attend at school to
    administer the medication.

The Administration of Prescribed Medication in Toronto District School Board Schools form must be carefully and fully completed by the parent and the child’s physician before medication is administered at the school. The instructions from the physician must be very clearly stated.

School staff will not administer prescription drugs or over the counter drugs unless authorized in writing by a physician. The school does not have health professionals who administer medication. Administration would be done by a consenting adult within the school who is not medically trained but acting in the place of the parent/guardian.

School Hours and Supervision

8:00 AM School Office opens
8:30 AM Supervision provided in north schoolyard
8:40 AM Entry Bell
10:05 – 10:20 AM Recess
11:30 AM-12:25PM Lunch
12:25 PM Entry Bell
1:45 - 2:00 PM Recess
2:55 PM Kindergarten Dismissal
3:10 PM School Dismissal
4:00 PM School Office closes

The main school yard is supervised from 8:30 to 8:45 a.m., each recess, and over the lunch hour each school day. The school yard is not supervised after 3:25 PM We recommend that children not be in the school yard beyond the supervised times unless with a parent.