Students Rights and Responsibilities

Supporting Student Success 

Members of the Aspen View Public Schools community, including students, parents, staff, and trustees, have a shared responsibility to help students be successful in school. Safety and well-being are fundamental to our students thriving as learners and experiencing success and fulfillment both at school and in their lives. This Student Rights and Responsibilities document has been created to communicate clear expectations for how our students are expected to behave to ensure they become the best students and citizens they can be.

It is vital that all students, parents, staff, and community members understand that our school has a culture that is different than the culture that may exist in your own homes, businesses, in the media, and on the street. Living up to the expectations of our school culture will greatly assist in promoting a safe and caring school environment where students can learn, and a consistent set of expectations is experienced by all.

Parents support their child’s success and positive behaviour by:

• taking an active role in their child’s personal and academic
• reviewing expectations outlined in this document with their child and helping them develop the skills required to meet the school’s
• helping them to attend school regularly and
• encouraging and modelling collaborative, positive and respectful relationships with others in the school
• contributing to a welcoming, caring, respectful, and safe learning
• reporting to the school any circumstances which may impact student

Students are responsible for their behavior and effort, and are expected to:

• contribute a welcoming, caring, inclusive, respectful, and safe learning environment that commits to anti-racism and equity.
• learn, practice, and demonstrate positive personal and interpersonal skills and attributes.
• use their abilities and talents to gain maximum learning benefit from their school experience.
• attend school regularly and punctually.
• be accountable for behaviour which impacts others in the school, whether the behaviour occurs within the school building or during the school day or by electronic means.

School staff will help your child succeed by:

• providing a welcoming, caring, inclusive and safe learning environment that respects diversity, commits to anti-racism and equity, and fosters a sense of belonging.
• ensuring that students and parents understand the school’s expectations for student behavior.
• establishing supports and processes at the school to proactively guide positive student behavior.
• helping students develop and practice the skills and attributes to meet these expectations.
• working with students, parents and other school staff to address behaviour concerns, including implementing appropriate responses to address inappropriate student behavior.

 

Supporting Student Success Definitions

Active Learning

Definition: To participate in learning by engaging in classroom activities, assignments, and exams.

Expectation: Students take responsibility for their education by actively learning the curricula of their course load to the best of their ability.

Why?: By actively engaging in their learning, students are making the most of their education. Students are encouraged to access teacher support. Students who fall behind, choose not to complete assignments, and/or plagiarize/cheat on assignments or tests are not engaging actively in their learning. School is the perfect opportunity for students to discover the best way to learn for them; we encourage our students to make the most of their time with us.

 

Loitering

Definition: Spending time idly; lingering without purpose.

Expectation: Students are to be in class, not loitering in the hallways, bathrooms, or parking lot. If students are on spares, they are expected to work in the library or common area quietly, go to the common to socialize, go outside, or leave campus entirely.

Why?: Students who loiter in hallways disturb the learning environment in the classrooms.

 

Respectful Communication

Definition: Appropriate communication between staff members, between students, between students and staff, and between students, staff, and parents. Appropriate communication is the practice of non-heated conversations, positive body language, appropriate volume, tone, and choice of language, as well as active listening. It treats those involved with dignity, honours their rights, and recognizes the responsibilities they have to others without regard to race, religious beliefs, colour, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family or sexual orientation. This also includes all electronic communications such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, etc.

Expectation: Respectful communication is to be used at all times.

Why?: In showing respect, we are building strong relationships within our school. We are educating our students not only to be technically prepared for life, but also to be good citizens. We wish to help our students develop so they will interact appropriately in future places of learning and in the work environment. By using respectful communication, we demonstrate our partnership in creating a positive learning environment.

 

Respectful Treatment of and Interactions with Others

Definition: Using dignity, respect, inclusion, and fairness in the treatment of and the interactions with students, staff, and others.

Expectation: Students will respect the rights of others and will work toward creating an inclusive culture through their treatment of and interactions with others. They will refrain from, report and not tolerate bullying, degrading or exclusive behaviour directed toward others in the school, regardless of whether or not it occurs within the school building, during the school day or by electronic means including, but not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. Students will treat others with dignity, honour their rights and recognize the responsibilities they have to others without regard to race, religious beliefs, colour, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family or sexual orientation.

Why?: By treating and interacting with others respectfully, we are creating an inclusive school where everyone knows they have worth and value. This contributes to a learning environment that is well-ordered, peaceful, safe, non-threatening and conducive to learning.

 

Self-Advocacy and Self-Efficacy

Definition: Self-advocacy is the ability to speak-up for oneself and the things one believes are important—being able to ask for what is needed and/or wanted and being able to share one’s thoughts and feelings. Self-efficacy refers to one's belief in one’s capacity to be successful in one’s endeavours.

Expectation: Students will grow in their self-advocacy and self-efficacy over their time in junior high and high school.

Why?: The transition from adolescent to adult means learning to see oneself as able to achieve success because one has the ability to advocate for what is needed to be so. Being at EPC is the perfect opportunity for students to flex their independence. At EPC, students have the opportunity to grow in their decision-making and confidence. By moving from dependency to independency with the support of their Alpha Admin Advisor, teachers and parents, students set themselves up for success with a high school diploma which serves them as they enter into the world of post-secondary education and/or work.

Rights and Responsibilities

Our school Division recognizes the following fundamental rights and responsibilities:

• All students have the right to be treated with dignity, respect and fairness by other staff and
• Students, parents, staff, and trustees have a shared responsibility to create and support welcoming, caring, respectful, inclusive and safe learning
• All members of our school community are expected to respect diversity and not engage in any form of bullying, harassment, threats, intimidation, or discrimination on the basis of race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family status or sexual
• Students and parents have a right to be informed about Division and school expectations for student To support this right, all Student Rights and Responsibilities documents will be posted on the EPC school website.

 

Anti-Racism and Equity

All members of the Aspen View Public Schools community:

• have the right to learn and work in an environment that:
  • is free of discrimination, prejudice, and
  • recognizes diversity as a
  • supports each individual to be included and feel represented in their greater school

• have the responsibility to:
  • demonstrate respect for diverse cultural perspectives, traditions, languages, beliefs, and
  • learn and work together as a part of the broader school community to end racism and
  • report, not participate in, and not tolerate acts of racism or

These rights and responsibilities are communicated in the Alberta Human Rights Act and the Education Act and are reinforced in Division policies and regulations which are publicly available and include Board Policy 33 – Welcoming, Caring, Respectful and Safe Environments, Administrative Procedure 350 – Student Responsibilities, Board Policy 33 (Appendix A) – Student Code of Conduct and Administrative Procedure 355 – Student Code of Conduct and Discipline.

Student Behaviour Expectations

To ensure that Edwin Parr Composite School is a positive learning environment for everyone, all students are expected to comply with expectations set by our school Division, as well as school rules which are in place for the benefit of all members of our school community. These expectations apply to all students in the school community, including while learning and engaging with others both in-person and online.

Board Policy 33 (Appendix A) – Student Code of Conduct and Administrative Procedure 355 – Student Code of Conduct and Discipline outline that students are expected to behave in accordance with section 31 of the Education Act which states that, a student, as a partner in education, has the responsibility to:

• attend school regularly and punctually,
• be ready to learn and actively engage in and diligently pursue the student’s education,
• ensure the student’s conduct contributes to a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning, environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging,
• respect the rights of others in the school,
• refrain from, report, and not tolerate bullying or bullying behaviour directed toward others in the school, whether or not it occurs within the school building, during the school day or by electronic means,
• comply with rules of the school and the policies of the Board,
• cooperate fully with everyone authorized by the Board to provide education programs and other services,
• be accountable to the student’s teachers and other school staff for the student’s conduct, and
• positively contribute to the student’s school and

 

Furthermore, students are expected to:

• resolve conflict or seek assistance to resolve conflict in a peaceful, safe, and non-threatening manner that is conducive to learning and Strategies for addressing conflict between students may include counselling, mediation, or forms of restorative practice.
• use school and personal technology appropriately and
• ensure that they conduct themselves with academic integrity and refrain from and report all incidents of academic misconduct including, but not limited to, cheating and plagiarizing.

 

Student Attendance Expectations (Regular Attendance – It’s the Law)

Administrative Procedure 330 – Student Attendance

Lates/Attendance

Definition: Lates: coming after the usual, proper, or expected time. Attendance: being in the classroom and actively learning.

Expectation: Students are expected to arrive in class before the bell rings and attend class on a daily basis.

Why?: We are trying to reinforce the learning environment for students and teachers by seeing students  actively getting to class and being on time. Late students disrupt the learning environment. It is very difficult for students to be successful if they do not attend class or are consistently late. Regular attendance is strongly linked to student academic success and a student’s sense of belonging at school. The Education Act reminds parents and students that students are expected to attend school and be punctual every day. Students are only considered to be excused from attending school if they must be away due to:

• sickness or other unavoidable cause
• the day being recognized as a religious holiday by the religious denomination that the child belongs to
• suspension or expulsion
• an exemption from compulsory attendance granted by the Board for a defined period of time

LATES/LEAVING EARLY

Students who arrive to class after the bell or choose to leave early, will be marked accordingly in PowerSchool. If this behavior continues and interferes with student learning, students may be referred to an Administrator. If students are out of the class for more than ½ of a block, their attendance will be recorded as an unexcused absence.

 

Attendance – Interventions

Our goal in addressing attendance concerns is to provide assistance to students and their parents/guardians by addressing prevailing issues, thus enabling students to attend school faithfully and regularly.

If attendance and/or late arrival to class interferes with the learning process, appropriate interventions will be implemented to encourage and support regular attendance. These steps may include:

• Conversation with the student
• Contact home
• Parent – student – teacher meeting
• Involvement of Grade Administrator
• Restorative Conversation with Parent – student – teacher and in school support team
• Removal from class
• Referral to Alternative Programming

 

 

Responsible and Ethical Use of Technology

Policy 24 – Information and Technology   and Administrative Procedure 600 – Technology Acceptable Use

Our Division is committed to assisting students to become ethical, informed digital citizens. We strive to ensure that appropriate and responsible technology use supports high quality teaching and learning, while also ensuring a respectful, inclusive, and safe learning and working environment.

Technology refers to any computer, software, network, or internet access on any electronic device, including those owned by the student or the Division. Division technology is intended for educational purposes and cannot be used for purposes that are illegal, unethical, disrespectful, hateful, inappropriate, or that cause harm.

Students are accountable for their behaviour when using technology, including when a student’s online behaviour outside of the school building or beyond the school day impacts others in the school community.

 

Cell Phones/Smart Watches/Other Personal Electronic Devices

Definition: Any device capable of making a phone call, text messaging or accessing the internet.

Expectation: Cell phones, smart watches and other personal electronic devices are to be left at home or locked in the provided student locker. Although teachers may ask students to use their cell phone for instructional purposes from time to time, students using cell phones for personal (non-educational) reasons during class time may have their cell phone confiscated by the teacher.

Why?: The classroom is a place for learning. These devices may have applications which may be useful in  class, i.e. calculators, language translators and/or internet access. Phone calls, text messaging and social media must be done outside of class time. Emergent issues can be called into the office. There is also a concern regarding cell phone cameras, therefore it becomes a privacy issue. We encourage students not to bring valuable items to school. Students sign a Tech Use Agreement with the School Division and they are expected to uphold this.

Please Note: students who use any technology, personal or school-owned, inappropriately will be banned from use at school and, depending on the offence, may be referred to the RCMP.

   As digital citizens, students have the following responsibilities:

• Demonstrate respect and integrity.
  • Understand that expectations for conduct and academic integrity while online, including when using personal devices and outside of school hours, are consistent with school and Division expectations (for example, students should only join online classes in which they are enrolled).
  • Use good judgment and participate appropriately in online environments such as meetings, chats, and other applications, and when posting or sharing digital content.
  • Communicate in a manner that is appropriate, respectful, and inclusive at all times.
• Be safe and secure.
  • Protect passwords and personal information of self and others including photos, name, age, address, and other contact information.
  • Students must ensure they log in only to their assigned Aspen View account and log off devices and meetings when finished.
  • Obtain permission before downloading files, including games, music, and movies.
  • Report, and refrain from searching, viewing, downloading, or sharing, any illegal or inappropriate content.
  • Do not record or share any audio or video of in-person or online classrooms or other learning activities.
  • Obtain consent before photographing, recording, or sharing a photo or recording of another person.
• Respect and protect property.
  • Demonstrate proper care and security of personal and Division technology.
  • Understand that students are responsible for the care and security of personal devices brought to school.

Unacceptable Behaviour

Any behaviour, whether or not it occurs on school property, or within the school day, which disrupts the educational atmosphere of the school or which interferes with the rights of others to learn, to be respected or to feel safe is unacceptable. Unacceptable behaviour includes, but is not limited to:

1. BULLYING AND CONFLICT

Bullying is defined in the Education Act as repeated and hostile or demeaning behaviour by an individual in the school community where the behaviour is intended to cause harm, fear, or distress to one or more other individuals in the school community, including psychological harm or harm to an individual’s reputation. Bullying also includes the distribution of an intimate image of another person knowing that the person depicted in the image did not consent to the distribution or being reckless as to whether or not that person consented to the distribution.

Bullying can take different forms:

• physical (e.g., pushing, hitting)
• verbal (e.g., name-calling, threats)
• social (e.g., exclusion, rumours)
• electronic (e.g., using technology to harass or threaten)

Conflict occurs when there is a breakdown in relationships between individuals that results from a disagreement or misunderstanding. While conflicts may require adult intervention, they are a natural part of how students learn to navigate relationships.

All students are expected to refrain from, report and not tolerate bullying or bullying behaviour directed toward others in the school, whether or not it occurs within the school building, during the school day or by electronic means. Students are also expected to resolve conflict or seek assistance to resolve conflict in a peaceful, safe, and non-threatening manner that is conducive to learning and growth.

 

SMOKING/TOBACCO/VAPING USE

• Provincial Legislation, Division Policy, and MCHS Policy state that smoking is not permitted on school premises. This also includes e-cigarettes (“Vapes”).
• Vaping in the school or on surrounding grounds is NOT permitted and may result in suspension.

ALCOHOL AND ILLEGAL DRUGS

• Students may not be in possession of or under the influence of alcohol/drugs while at school or on school-sponsored activities.
• “Dealing” in such substances is a crime, and therefore is treated most seriously.
• When appropriate, the police may be contacted.

THEFT AND/OR VANDALISM

• These are illegal acts.
• Students are asked to report incidents of theft/vandalism to the office.

HARASSMENT (face to face and online)

• Unwanted verbal or physical behavior towards another person is not acceptable.
• Involvement in a fight during school time is grounds for a suspension. A repeat offense may result in a recommendation for a disciplinary hearing.
• Sexual harassment is discrimination on the grounds of gender and is a violation of an individual’s rights.
• Unwanted sexual advances or unwanted verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature is illegal under the provisions of the Individual’s Rights Protection Act. Sexual harassment can include such things as pinching, patting, leering, obscene jokes, pornography, innuendoes, name calling, and use of social media as a method of harassment.
• Students are expected to report incidents of harassment to appropriate school staff.

WEAPONS

• Students may not carry knives, chains, firearms, or other items that could be used to injure and/or intimidate.
• This is a “zero tolerance” issue and is treated very seriously.
• Any weapons-related incidents will result in a Violent Threat Risk Assessment.

PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

Please refrain from inappropriate personal contact. Show respect for yourself and others by acting appropriately. Displays of affection considered inappropriate include, but are not limited to:

• affectionate kissing.
• groping.
• intimate stances, poses, embraces, or caresses.

USE OF PROFANITY

The use of inappropriate language is unacceptable in a school setting. When profanity is directed to another person, it is particularly inappropriate and offensive. This is a serious matter that could lead to suspension. Profanity directed towards staff may result in a suspension.

FORGERY/PLAGIARISM

It is unacceptable to falsify notes, signatures, telephone calls, or school ID cards. Using the thoughts and words of someone else without proper citation is plagiarism. Individual cases will initially be dealt with at the classroom level; however, these are serious offences.

SCHOOL BUS BEHAVIOR

The driver has the authority to make reasonable rules to ensure safety. School buses are considered an extension of the classroom. Students must meet the school’s standard for appropriate behavior when riding on a bus while being transported to school or on any school-sponsored activity.

Students who compromise the safety of the school bus or are disrespectful to the driver, may have their ridership privileges suspended.

MULTIPLEX BEHAVIOR

The staff at the Multiplex has the authority to make reasonable rules to ensure safety. The Multiplex considered an extension of the classroom. Students must meet the school’s standard for appropriate behavior when at the Multiplex during lunch or while on any school-sponsored activity.

Students who compromise the safety of the Multiplex or are disrespectful the staff or facilities of the Multiplex, may have their Multiplex privileges suspended.

NOTES:

a) Grade 7 students are not permitted to be off EPC campus at any time.

b) Grades 8-10 are only permitted to be at the Multiplex during lunch time.

c) School ID must be available at any time while at the Multiplex. Refusal to provide School ID when asked by Multiplex staff will result in removal from the Multiplex.

d) The upstairs lounge at the Multiplex is closed to EPC students.

e) Behaviours deemed inappropriate by Multiplex staff will be reported to EPC administration; regardless of whether or not the behaviours occurred during ‘school hours’.

                         School Responses to Unacceptable Behaviour

Our Division acknowledges the importance of responsive discipline which involves a continuum of interventions that aim to build a sense of community in schools, facilitate healthy relationships, support behavioural changes, repair harm, and hold students accountable.

Aspen View Public Schools’ Board Board Policy 33 – Welcoming, Caring, Respectful and Safe Environments, Administrative Procedure 350 – Student Responsibilities, Board Policy 33 (Appendix A) – Student Code of Conduct and Administrative Procedure 355 – Student Code of Conduct and Discipline. outline the following:

Unacceptable behaviour may be grounds for disciplinary action which provides the student with an opportunity for critical learning and reflection in the areas of personal accountability and responsibility, the development of empathy, as well as communication, conflict resolution, and social skills development.

The specific circumstances of the situation and of the student are taken into account when determining appropriate responses to unacceptable behaviour.

When a student engages in unacceptable behaviour, consequences and responses may include, but are not limited to:

• temporary assignment of a student to an alternate supervised area within the
• temporary assignment of a student to an alternate learning
• short term removal of
• interventions such as positive behaviour supports, contracts, counselling, restorative
• replacement or reimbursement for loss of, or damage to
• in-school or out-of-school
• referral to Attendance
• recommendation for

Students are expected to cooperate with investigations by school administration. When contemplating and conducting a reasonable search of student property (including electronic devices), school administration must balance a student’s reduced expectation of privacy in relation to school matters, with the need to provide a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging for students and staff.

At Edwin Parr Composite School, we believe in a restorative model, where a breach to the EPC Student Rights and Responsibilities Plan is, in fact, a violation of the respectful relationships that we value in our community that is predicated on the value of belonging. Incidents of misconduct are handled with an emphasis on communicating and understanding the specific harm that was done and with restitution to those who have been harmed, in addition to learning from mistakes and prevention of future harm.