Attendance/Late Arrival
Regular attendance is necessary to ensure a successful year at school. Being punctual shows respect for teachers, peers and the office staff. Research consistently indicates that students who attend school regularly and arrive on time are more likely to be successful.
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 École John English Junior Middle School are responsible for their timely arrival at school.

Students arriving at school after the start of the National Anthem are expected to report first to the school attendance 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.
The John English automated attendance system will contact parents when a child has an unexplained absence. Parents will need to listen to the complete telephone message, indicate the reason for absence and confirm receipt of the message. The calls from this system will occur at 9:45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. If you know your child will be absent from school, please call, prior to 8:00 a.m., our Safe Arrival line at 416-394-7660 press 1 and leave a message indicating your child’s name and teacher’s name. If you receive a call in the morning about an absent child and your child will be absent in the afternoon, please call the school to inform us of the full day absence. The auto call system will also inform parents if a child arrived to school later than the start time of 8:50 a.m. or 12:35 p.m. These calls will begin at 6:00 p.m. and are for your information only as they do not require a response.

Also see: Safe Arrival Program

Conflict Management
Problem solving and conflict resolution are skills consistently encouraged and developed at John English. Students are encouraged to treat others the way they would like to be treated, be kind, be patient, and remember to share. Students are encouraged to try to resolve their own problems but if a resolution is not possible, they are encouraged to report the problem to a teacher who can assist with the situation. All students are engaged in using the following conflict management strategies when solving problems:

1. Be respectful of people and property
2. Solve conflicts peacefully
3. Take responsibility for your own actions
4. Act as a role model to others

When solving conflicts, students will use a reflection paper to document their actions and learning. This form may be sent home for sharing and a parent signature. The form is to be returned to school the following day. At other times, a teacher, vice-principal or principal may contact a parent directly to discuss the situation and consequences that are in place. Throughout the school day we work with students to resolve conflicts peacefully.

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 and type of 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 utilized:
• 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. Only those students who are making use of our Kiss ‘N Ride loop are to use the exit/entry doors to the parking lot. This area is supervised by a teacher and a parent volunteer. Parents are asked to drop off and pick up children at the entry/exit doors. The front doors are to be used by our students who take the school bus. 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 directly. 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 is to pick up their child at the main office and then enter the child's name, time leaving, and reason in the Attendance Binder
• the office staff will call your child down to the office when you arrive, please do not call ahead and ask for your child to be waiting at the office for you
• 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 cafeteria and lower gym. However, we encourage our students to have lunch at home whenever there is an adult at home. 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.

Kindergarten to Grade 5 students who stay at school for lunch are not permitted to leave the school grounds during the lunch hour. Grade 6 to 8 students must have written permission to leave the school property. If students leave the school at lunch, we ask that they do not return until 12:15 p.m.

During rainy days, students remain in the cafeteria and auditorium throughout the lunch hour (kindergarten classes are in their rooms). Students who go home should not return until 12:25 p.m. These students are to enter and wait at the auditorium doors with a lunchtime 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 John English, there are an increasing number of 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. Although we cannot guarantee that our school will be nut free, we do 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. Presently at John English, leadership opportunities available for students include JEL (John English leadership – Grade 7 and 8 students) team, PALS (playground leaders), Safety Patrollers and student council.

Safe Arrival Program
Telephone Number (416) 394-7660 and press 1 (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 for the day, the parent should call the school prior to 8:00 a.m. If the student will be absent in the afternoon, the parent should call the school prior to 12:05 p.m. The Safe Arrival program is a 24-HOUR SERVICE that is equipped with an answering machine to take messages.
2. When you call, please state slowly and clearly your child's name, your relationship to the student, the teacher’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.
3. Our automated call system will call the parent of any child with an unexplained absence. The call system will require parents to respond to a few questions about the student’s absence and then to confirm receipt of the phone call. If the automated call is not confirmed the system will call again.
4. 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, determine the whereabouts of your child or resolve the absence, the school may have to inform the police of the situation.

Students' Awards and Recognition
John English believes it is important to develop and recognize the whole student. More and more research indicates that focusing solely on one facet of student learning does not provide a foundation for success and well-being of the whole student. We wish to cultivate a sense of pride in accomplishments, big and small.

Character Assemblies and Student Recognition
Our teachers recognize the need for students to feel good about themselves as a prerequisite for effective learning. The whole school meets once a month to showcase the accomplishments of our classes. The focus of our assemblies is the ten virtues of character development as determined by the TDSB are Respect, Responsibility, Empathy, Kindness and Caring, Teamwork, Fairness, Honesty, Cooperation, Integrity, and Perseverance.

During these assemblies, individual students are also recognized for demonstrating characteristics that benefit both the student and the John English community.

Volunteers/Visitors
Volunteers and visitors are always welcome at École John English JMS. 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.
Parents wishing to drop off items (i.e., lunch, clothing, boots, etc.) for a child should do so at the office and the student will be called down to collect the items.