Skip to Main Content

Code of Conduct

EXPECTATIONS

All members of the CDDHS community are responsible for creating an inviting, safe, orderly school environment where everyone is treated fairly and can learn, grow and achieve success.

ACADEMIC RESPONSIBILITY & PLAGIARISM

Centre Dufferin is a community dedicated to learning.  All expectations, rules, policies and procedures must support this central purpose.  Plagiarism includes the use of images, quotes, ideas from an outside source without giving proper credit (endnotes/footnotes/bibliography).  Consequences may include resubmission of work, loss of marks and/or suspension.

ATTENDANCE & LATES

We believe that regular attendance and punctuality are required for academic success, and that both are desirable work habits.  The Education Act R.O. 2019, Reg. 298, s.23 (1) states:

(1) A pupil shall:

Students arriving late to school should report directly to their class.  Upon late arrival the student should quietly enter the class.  Morning students arriving after 9:15 am and afternoon students arriving after 12:45 pm must enter the school by the main entrance doors at the front of the school.  At the teacher’s discretion the late should be discussed at an appropriate time during the class.  Students with chronic lateness can expect consequences from teachers and/or administrators.

CONDUCT

NON-MEDICAL OR CLOTH MASKS

All students in the UGDSB will be required to wear non-medical or cloth masks indoors in school, including in hallways and during classes, allowing for appropriate medical exemptions. Outdoor times may be used as opportunities to provide students with breaks from wearing masks, so long as students maintain 2 meters of distance from classmates.  Students may wear their own non-medical masks, and families who cannot provide a mask for their child may request support from the school principal, and where available, a mask will be provided. Any logo or design on a mask will be subject to school dress code policies.

HAND HYGIENE AND RESPIRATORY ETIQUETTE

Schools will ensure that hand hygiene products are available in all rooms where possible and at school entrances (e.g. hand wash sink with soap dispenser or hand sanitizer). All staff, students and essential visitors will be expected to conduct proper hand hygiene, washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer, at the following times:

Respiratory etiquette includes:

PHYSICAL DISTANCING

Students are required to follow protocols in place to ensure physical distancing.  This includes following all directional signage and respecting the posted occupancy limits in bathrooms.  In the classroom, students will sit at their assigned desk and follow the instructions of their classroom teacher with respect to procedures for classroom equipment.

PROPERTY

All school property (including lockers) and the private property of students and staff are treated with care and respect at Centre Dufferin.  Neighbour’s property is private and should be treated as such.

VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL

Only essential visitors are permitted inside the school (e.g., maintenance personnel).  All other parents and visitors will not be permitted inside schools during the pandemic, except in case of emergency. At entry and dismissal times, parents are to remain outside the school and adhere to physical distancing protocols.

LOCKERS AND PERSONAL STUDENT BELONGINGS 

Students are asked to bring a minimal amount of personal belongings to school (please see below).

DRESS

Dress is a form of expressing individuality, however, staff and students at Centre Dufferin must dress in a manner which neither offends nor distracts others because of immodesty or offensive logos or language.  Appropriate dress is defined as student attire that is free of symbols of hate and/or gang membership, of images that portray violence, racism, sexism, death, abuse, alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, drug paraphernalia and/or obscene words and/or political or sexual statements.

Therefore, the following applies to both male and female students:

Students dressed inappropriately as deemed by the administration may be required to change into attire provided by the school.

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICT)

Students with cell phones or other personal electronic devices in classes can disrupt their own learning and the learning of others.  Therefore, these devices are only to be used for learning purposes at the discretion of the teacher.  Additionally, collection or confiscation of cell phones is at the teacher’s discretion, and may be turned over to the administration if the problem is reoccurring.

At CDDHS it is expected that students will respect the learning environment that is determined by their teachers.  It is also clear that ICT devices are expensive and valuable items.  As such, students are responsible for the care, maintenance and security of their personal devices.  No personal ICT devices should be left unattended.  Students are not to share devices with their peers due to COVID-19.

CHARACTER EDUCATION

There are universal attributes that schools and communities value. Character development is the deliberate effort to nurture these attributes and use them as a standard against which we hold ourselves accountable. They are key aspects of school life. They bind us together and form the basis of responsible citizenship.  They are a foundation for excellence and equity in education and for school communities that are respectful, safe, caring and inclusive.

At CDDHS we value:

Fairness               Responsibility                    Honesty                               Co-operation

Respect                Compassion                       Friendliness                        Perseverance

EQUALITY AND ANTI-BULLYING

CDDHS is a learning institution that is dedicated to equal opportunities for all students.  Discrimination of any type and for any reason is taken very seriously and will be addressed through education and progressive discipline.  Centre Dufferin is proud to support the entire student community and students of every race, religion and sexual orientation.

Bullying can occur in a variety of forms, ALL of which are forbidden in and around the school community.  Bullying can consist of (but is not limited to) physical bullying or violence, threats, and/or intimidation.  Social bullying including spreading rumours and exclusion as well as cyber-bullying via text and on social media sites is also prohibited in and around the school community.

Be aware that being a bystander makes you an accomplice to bullying, and at CDDHS we encourage all students to stick up for those in need and refuse to participate in any form of bullying.