Code of Conduct

PRINCESS MARGARET SECONDARY

2024 – 2025 Student Code of Conduct

Welcome to the
Home of the Lions
12870 – 72 Ave., Surrey, B.C. V3W 2M9
Tel: 604-594-5458
Fax: 604-594-4689

PREPARATION FOR THE CHALLENGE

To be ready for tomorrow’s challenge, one must learn to set goals, manage time, problem-solve and think critically.

Administration

Principal Mr. R. Smalley

Vice-Principals Mr. D. Kidd (A-G)

Ms. V. Allard (H-O) Ms. K. Duff (P-Z)

PMSS STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

The purpose of the Student Code of Conduct is to provide a safe, caring and orderly school environment. This policy applies to any student who is on school property, who is in attendance at school or at any school sponsored activity or whose conduct at any time or any place interferes with, or obstructs, the safety or the welfare of students or employees. Items of appropriate student behaviour are mentioned below. However, it must be remembered that the behaviours cited in the Code of Conduct are examples only and not an all-inclusive list. There are rising expectations for behaviour as students mature through the years and the consequences for behaviour will take into account the student’s age, maturity and unique needs, as well as the severity and frequency of the actions. Consequences for behaviour will focus on being restorative in nature. Reasonable steps will be taken by the student to acknowledge, take responsibility for, and repair harm caused by their actions. Measures will be taken to prevent retaliation against a student who has reported a breach of the Code of Conduct; however, this must also be balanced with the school’s responsibility to advise or notify other parties of serious breaches when safety mandates it.

Assemblies

Assemblies are held at various times throughout the year for special purposes in an environment different from the classroom. These assemblies include holding pep rallies, hearing speakers or seeing performances. Performers and guests must always be treated with politeness and respect and appropriate audience behavior is expected.

Attendance

There is a direct relationship between attendance and academic success in school. Students absent from class are responsible for obtaining and completing assignments missed. It is a student’s responsibility to:

Attend all classes and to provide your teacher with an explanation of all absences.
Sign in and out when leaving or returning to the school during class time.
Have a parent or guardian phone the school in the morning if you are ill or have a family emergency.
Schedule, whenever possible, medical, dental or other appointments outside of class time.
If you are away for an extended period of time (more than 5 days) please complete the extended absence form which is located in the main office.
If you are absent from any class, without a valid reason, you may not be permitted to participate in any of that day’s extra-curricular activities or school sponsored events.

Lates

Students who arrive late should report directly to their classroom teacher.
Students who have excused lates, with parent/guardian or doctor’s note, should report to office prior to their return to class.
Teachers will assign consequences for students who are late for their class.
Vice-principals will deal with chronic attendance and tardiness problems.
Failure to sign in will be considered truancy.

Truancy

Any student found to be chronically truant or tardy from school will make up missed class time. Students sixteen years of age or over who do not attend school on a consistent basis may be placed on a performance contract or withdrawn from school.

Day to Day Behaviours

Appropriate student conduct is expected while travelling to and from school, at school or at any school sponsored function.

Head coverings that are worn for religious purposes may be worn at all times. All other head coverings that are in compliance with the PMSS Student Dress Code may be worn in all common areas of the

school with the exception that teachers will determine and communicate best practice for their own classroom.

Skateboards, roller blades, scooters and bikes or any other ride-ons are not to be used on school property.
Dress Code – A respectful and safe atmosphere is important to citizenship at Princess Margaret. Clothing is expected to be appropriate to a working and learning environment and respectful to colleagues and students.
The dress code attempts to balance individual liberty, social convention, functionality, community standards and school community values.
The school’s dress code is not intended to stifle freedom of expression; however, attire should not be distracting or offensive.
This guide will not only help students to dress appropriately, but also teach students to make good independent decisions regarding dress.

Inappropriate attire includes:

Obscene clothing
Attire that promotes alcohol or drugs
Anything that displays offensive language or images
Encourages racism or bigotry
Clothing presents a health or safety problem
Student’s attire causes a disruption to the educational process
Clothing displays threatening language or reference to violence
Derogatory and discriminating language displayed anywhere on student’s clothing

Detentions

Occasionally, teachers will assign detentions as a consequence for classroom behaviors. School detentions can be given for recurring tardiness and/or for an infraction of a classroom or school rule. It is your responsibility to serve the detention on the day it is assigned. If you have more than one detention on any given day, you must let both your teachers know and ensure that proper arrangements are made.

Unsafe Behaviors

To meet District-wide requirements and to comply with the Safe &

Caring Schools Policy 9410, Regulations 9410.1 and Disciplinary Guide 9410.2, the Safe and Caring Schools Department provides the following list of core inclusions:

Safe and Caring School Environments are free from:

Acts of bullying, cyber-bullying, harassment, threat, intimidation, violence in any form, abuse in any form, discrimination in any form, theft, vandalism.
Bullying is defined as a form of aggression with the following three characteristics: intentional; power imbalance between aggressor and victim, and; repetitive in nature and occurs over time. Intoxicating or banned substances, weapons (or replicas of weapons) and explosives, intruders or trespassers.

Students at PMSS will not engage in or introduce the elements listed above onto the school campus.

Fieldtrips

When on a fieldtrip, students are representatives of Princess Margaret

Secondary School. Students are expected to follow the Student Code of Conduct and field trip rules. A breach of this code may result in a referral to the administration.

Use of Technology

Personal Digital Devices are defined as any personal electronic device that can be used to communicate or to access the internet, such as a cell phone, tablet, laptop, or smartwatch. These devices are important tools which can be used to enhance learning and prepare children for the world in which they will work and live. Personal digital devices provide support for children who rely on these tools to access learning through services such as translation, adaptations for Individual Education Plans, medical support, health needs, or to provide equity of access to resources. The classroom teacher is responsible for the learning environment in the classroom, for guiding children to use personal digital devices appropriately, and for determining when personal digital devices should be used.

The safe and responsible use of personal digital devices is expected by all Surrey School District students, employees, volunteers, parents, guardians, and community members who are on school district property or interacting with students or staff. This includes the following:

Those using personal digital devices need to abide by the school code of conduct as well as all Provincial and Federal laws and the British Columbia Human Rights Code. This includes not using personal digital devices to engage or participate in bullying or harassment, discrimination, or defamation of character.
At both elementary and secondary schools, personal digital devices can be used during class time to enhance learning at the direction of the classroom teacher. These devices should be used in a way that is respectful of other’s learning and does not distract others in terms of light, sound, or by other means.
At elementary schools, it is expected that personal digital devices are to be put away during non-class time such as recess and lunch. Exceptions to this are for students who need digital devices for medical or health reasons, translation, accessibility, or other student-specific reasons.
Personal Digital Devices should not be used during lock down procedures or drills. The use of personal digital devices during this time may impact the emergency safety response.
Surrey School District staff and students should not be recorded, visually or audibly, for any reason without their prior consent.
The Surrey School District is not responsible for lost, missing, or damaged personal digital devices that students choose to bring to school.

Internet Use (School)

Princess Margaret Secondary provides internet access and e-mail accounts for authorized users. School internet access is a privilege, not a right. Violations of District School Acceptable Use Guidelines are serious transgressions of school rules. Consequences may include: cancellation of internet use privileges; exclusion from certain courses; and suspension from school. Violations of Canadian law may be referred to the police. Users will be held legally and financially responsible for their actions.

Internet Use (outside)

Students involved in using the internet to acquire or send inappropriate material will face school consequences. Any use of the internet to bully, intimidate, or harass any staff or students will result in school consequences that may include suspension and/or a call to police.

Laser Pointers

Laser pointers are deemed potential weapons and are banned from school premises. Possession and/or use of laser pointers in the building and/or on the grounds may result in suspension.

Fighting

Any students involved in the promotion of a fight, involvement in the act of fighting, being a spectator of a fight, and/or filming a fight can be suspended.

Grad Pranks

Students participating in any activities that put student or staff safety at risk will be subject to full disciplinary consequences. Any actions that harm, disrespect or vandalize the students, staff and/or the school are not acceptable. Consequences may include but not be limited to covering financial cost of repair, being denied the right to participate in grad activities, and/or suspension.

Loitering

Students are required to respect our neighbors by not loitering on or around our neighbors' property. No student is permitted to loiter in the student parking lot during the school day.

Sign Out

Any student wishing to leave the building during the day, except for study blocks, must sign out at the office. A note or phone call home will be required. Failure to sign out will be considered truancy.

Intellectual Dishonesty/Cheating

Intellectual dishonesty occurs when a student deliberately uses another person’s work (written, electronic, and visual) and presents it as his or her own with the intent to deceive. Cheating also occurs when a student allows his or her work to be used in this way.

Examples of cheating and plagiarism include, but are not limited to:

Using ideas or words from books, magazines, song lyrics, internet, or other.
Submitting someone else’s work as your own.
Using unauthorized notes, books, or other materials during an exam.
Writing or taking an exam for or as another student.
Obtaining or providing unauthorized information prior to or during an examination through verbal, visual, or any unauthorized use of books, notes, and other materials.
Altering or changing answers after the exam has been submitted.
Altering or changing grades after the grades have been awarded.
Borrowing and/or copying another student’s homework and presenting it as your own.
Use of internet, translators, electronic devices, cell phones or AI to complete assignments unless authorized by a teacher.

At the Teacher’s discretion – consequences may include

Students do not receive credit or a mark for work falsely submitted, or falsely obtained in an exam or test. Parents will be informed, and additional honest work and assessment will be required.
Students referred to the administration.
A written record of the infraction filed in the office.
Depending on the circumstances (including a second offence), suspension may occur.

Smoking and Vaping

Smoking or vaping is NOT permitted on school grounds. Students violating this policy will be subject to a suspension and the confiscation of the vape or cigarettes. A parent or guardian would need to come to the school and pick up confiscated items.

Substance Use

Students using, in possession of, receiving, distributing, marketing, conscious association or under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance will be subject to suspension and may be required to see a Substance Use Counsellor as a condition of re-instatement. (See District Safe and Caring Schools Policy 9410, Regulations 9410.1 listed above under Unsafe Behaviors.)

Student Motor Vehicles/Parking

Student parking is a privilege and any student wishing to drive their car to school MUST park in the student-designated area and have their car registered with the school. Cars parked on school property without a permit are subject to being towed away at the owner’s expense. Reckless or discourteous driving will not be tolerated and may result in immediate loss of parking privileges. New drivers must display a new driver sign and have no more than one passenger in the vehicle unless the passenger(s) is an immediate family member. The school is not responsible for damage incurred while parking in the lot.

Theft

When a student takes or removes the property of the school or of other persons without permission, it is considered theft. Students may be referred to the office administration for disciplinary action and may also be referred to legal authorities for action.

Vandalism and Property Damage

Students who destroy or vandalize school property or the property of others will be required to pay for losses or damages. If students willfully destroy school property, suspension may be necessary. If a student should happen to damage something by accident, he/she should report it to a teacher or the office immediately.

Visiting Other Schools

No students are to be on or around the property of other schools unless under the direct supervision of a teacher or unless permission has been obtained prior to going to the school. Students who disrupt the normal operation of another school may be suspended from school or possibly suspended to the School Board for placement in another educational program.

Conducting Searches

The Principal, Vice Principal or Board-approved designate may conduct random locker searches to ensure compliance with school board policy regarding intoxicating or controlled substances and weapons.

A Principal or Vice Principal may conduct or authorize a search of a student, personal property or locker if there are reasonable grounds to believe that policy has been or is being violated and that evidence of the violation will be found in the location or on the person of the student searched.

The following may constitute reasonable grounds in this context:

information received from a student believed to be credible;
a teacher’s or administrator’s observation; or
any combination of sources of information which the relevant authority considers to be credible.

Where the Principal or Vice Principal or designate conducts a search or interview with a student and the student is subject to school-initiated disciplinary action only, the following guidelines will be observed:

the reason and purpose of the search or interview will be clearly stated to the student(s);
the search or interview will be conducted in a private area in a respectful manner which recognizes the right to a fair hearing and avoids threat or duress; and
searches will be conducted in the presence of a second adult.

Possible Consequences for Infractions of The Code Of Conduct Depending on the nature and severity of the situation, one or more of the following may happen:

A conference with the student and the vice principal.
A student's parent or guardian may be notified.
A referral to an after-school program
A conference with student, parent/guardian and or counsellor.
Assigned duties before, after school or at lunch.
A detention at lunch or after school.
A referral to a counsellor
A referral to an outside agency
The student suspended from school (Level 1).
The student suspended to Board (Level 2).
The police contacted.

Student Suspension

Principals and Vice Principals are authorized to suspend a student from attendance at school in keeping with district policy and regulation and will make reasonable accommodation to continue the student’s education program during the period of the suspension.

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