General Information

Balanced Day Schedule:

8:45 Yard Supervision before School

9:00 Student Entry

9:00 - 11:00 First Learning Block

11:00 - 11:50 Nutrition and Recess Breaks

11:50 - 1:30 Second Learning Block

1:30 - 2:10 Nutrition and Recess Break

2:10 - 3:30 Third Learning Block

3:30 Dismissal

Communication Between Home and School

The staff at Innerkip Central School believes that communication between home and school is very important. The staff is able to accomplish this objective through our school website, electronic newsletters through School Messenger, classroom newsletters, written communication in planners, telephone conversations, report cards, and parent/guardian teacher conferences (formal and informal).

Open communication between home and school is essential for student success. The first point of contact should always be the classroom teacher. In an emergency or to arrange appointments please contact the main office and we will either pass on the message or have the student speak to the parent/guardian. It is essential for your child's safety that the office staff is aware of any and all issues, so please use the office line to communicate.

The Student Planner

The planner is a tool to organize students' time and work. It is also for communication between home and school. Students and their parents/guardians can keep track of upcoming events, special days, assignments, homework, reminders and notes through the planner. If the planner is lost or destroyed students/parents will be required to pay the full replacement cost.

Visiting the School

All visitors, including parents/guardians, entering the school and playground areas must first report to the office and sign in the visitors log. As per our safe schools policy, all doors, except the front entrance, will be locked after 9:00 a.m. Upon departure, visitors must sign out in our log.

Parking

Parents/guardians and visitors are asked to park in the staff parking lot or on the street on the opposite side of the front of the school. The circular drive in front of the school is not to be used by parents/guardians dropping off/picking up their children or for parking while in the school as it is a fire zone area and is used for our buses and special transportation vehicles.

Vulnerable Sector Screening / Criminal Background Checks and Offence Declarations

TVDSB strongly supports the use of volunteers. Innerkip Central School is most appreciative of volunteers who commit their time to assist with numerous activities in our school, classrooms, and/or as part of school trips.

All volunteers must have an original Vulnerable Sector Screening / Police Check on file at the school. To obtain a police check, an Innerkip application form, signed by the principal, needs to be picked up at the school office and taken to the Drumbo or Hickson Township Office or to the OPP Detachment Office in Ingersoll, along with two pieces of identification, with at least one being a photo ID. It takes approximately two weeks to be processed before it is ready to be picked up and brought to the school. In busier times, it may take longer to process. Once a Vulnerable Sector Screening / Police Check is on file, an Offence Declaration has to be filled out and submitted to the school office each year in order to volunteer at the school, in classrooms or on field trips. If an Offence Declaration lapses, a new Vulnerable Sector Screening / Police Check is required.

Parent Portal

The following forms are available for parent authorization in the Parent Portal: Student Information Sheet, Emergency Contact List, Parental Consents for Release of Student Information, and Computer Use Agreement.

Attendance

Attendance, Absence, Late Arrival or Picking Up Early

Parents/guardians have the primary responsibility to ensure their child's safe arrival at school and to inform the school if a student will be late for or absent at any time. Your child's safety is our primary concern. TVDSB uses SchoolMessenger Safe Arrival Reporting System which allows parents/guardians to report student absences by phone (1-844-305-3756), website (www.tvdsb.ca/schoolmessenger), or smartphone app (App Store: SchoolMessenger, Google Play: SchoolMessenger). If the system does not receive a response from a parent/guardian, the school secretary will contact the parent(s)/guardian(s)/emergency contact(s) using all available contact numbers.

Please note: Parents/guardians are still required to personally sign their elementary child in/out at the school office for a late arrival (need late slip) or early departure. If the student is being picked up by another person, please write a note to the school. The student cannot be released to someone without consent. Late arrivals on a continuing basis are a disruption for both the student who is late as well as other students in the class.

Leaving School Grounds

All students are to remain on the school grounds at all time. A note of consent signed by a parent must be provided to the classroom teacher and the office before a student may leave the grounds during lunch.

Illness

Students who are not well enough to do their work and play outside are encouraged to stay home. If students become ill at school, someone will contact a parent/guardian to ask that the child be taken home as soon as possible. We do not have a suitable area to accommodate an ill child nor is supervision available.

Medical Conditions

It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to ensure the school is aware of any special medical needs or allergies of a child. Those parents/guardians who do will receive an Individual Plan of Care link via email to complete in August/early September.

Administration of Prescribed and/or over-the-counter Medication to Students

The TVDSB has a policy concerning the administration of prescription medication to students by school personnel. Administration of prescription medication at school requires the parent/guardian to complete annually a form Authorization for Administration of Prescription Medication. This form requires a doctor's signature and kept on file in the main office. All medication is the responsibility of the parents/guardians and must be delivered to school in the original container provided by the pharmacist and is clearly labelled, specifying the student's name, the medication, the prescribed dosage, the frequency, the method of administration, and the dates for which the authorization applies. All medication is stored in a secure location. Staff will not administer non-prescriptive medication to students.

Allergies

There are students at Innerkip who are allergic to peanuts, peanut butter, peanut oil, nut products, and all foods containing traces of peanuts/nuts. If these students ingest or come into physical contact with these products, it may trigger a strong reaction (hives, itching, swelling, vomiting, coughing, difficulty swallowing or breathing, and life threatening anaphylaxis). In the event of an emergency, there is an emergency response plan in place and staff has received training on the use of the Epipen. We request that any snacks or lunch items sent to the school are nut free. Please do not send peanut butter substitutes (e.g., Wow butter, Soy butter) to school. These products are said to look like, smell like and taste just like peanut butter. TVDSB Senior Administrators have decided any products considered to be a peanut butter replacement are no more appropriate in schools than regular peanut butter because staff would have great difficulty in being able to differentiate between real peanut butter and the substitute. We continue to stress the importance of children not sharing any food, utensils or containers with classmates during nutrition breaks. In order to comply with Health Regulations, home baked goods are not to be sent to the school for staff or students. In addition, if peanut butter is consumed at home, it is very important for children to wash their hands and face with soap and water before coming to school. Students who have permission to leave for lunch should consume their lunch prior returning to school to avoid the possibility of cross contamination of any allergens.

Asthma

Parents/guardians of student with asthma need to complete an IPOC (Individual Plan of Care) by the end of the second week of school. If a student requires assistance with the puffer, authorization for administration of prescription medication form also has to be completed (requires doctor's signature).

Student Concussion Polices and Procedures

Schools are required to follow certain steps whenever a student suffers a concussion or whenever a concussion is suspected. Parents/guardians can access Concussion Policy and Concussion Procedure electronically or by contacting the school and requesting a copy. As with any potential injury, our first goal is prevention; concussion awareness and prevention is part of ongoing professional training for staff and is integrated into students' Health and Physical Education curriculum.

Since concussion can affect a student's ability to learn or to participate in activities, schools will work with parents/guardians and medical contacts to assist any student who has suffered a concussion. If an injury occurs on a weekend or after school, parents/guardians are asked to inform the school so that appropriate accommodations and support can be provided.

Healthy Snack and Nutrition Program

Innerkip Central School offers a well-balanced, healthy snack program, which complies with the Board of Health regulations, for all students during the second nutritional break on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Once we get approval, students may purchase hot food items through the LunchBox program. Flyers will be distributed during the first few weeks of school.

Emergency Drills

According to the Ontario Fire Code, a school must conduct six fire drills, three in the fall and three in the spring. During these drills, students practise exiting the building to a predetermined meeting place on school grounds. Two tornado/storm drills must be practised, one in the fall and another in the spring. Students will go to a predetermined spot and put themselves in the turtle position. Two code red /lock down drills are performed annually. The goal of this drill is for staff and students to practice how to react should an actual lock down situation occur. This is a drill, not a simulation. In a code red or lock down, all staff and students within the school are to remain in the classrooms. Doors and windows are to be locked. Students and staff are to remain away from windows and doors until otherwise notified.

Temperature Extremes

Administration may consider indoor recesses and cease outdoor activity when the temperature is at or lower than -15 to -20 C (considering the wind chill) or when a heat advisory is issued in the spring.

Transportation

Inclement Weather Bus Procedures

Transportation delays or cancellations may occur. Please listen to the radio (104.7 Heart FM or 101.3 FM) for a notice regarding Woodstock Region or all of Oxford County or use TVDSB website at www.tvdsb.ca for information regarding transportation. Parents/guardians may sign up to receive email notifications in the Parent Portal. Then, when there is a bus cancellation for your student's bus, you will get an email advising you to check www.mybigyellowbus.ca for details. Decisions to cancel student transportation services due to inclement weather are made in the best interests of student safety. If school vehicles do run, parents/guardians have the final decision whether or not to use the vehicle. If buses are cancelled due to weather, just for the morning, transportation will be provided upon dismissal. If buses are cancelled for the whole day, and a student attends school on such a day, parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring their child/ren arrives home safely. In the event of a transportation cancellation, there will be no transportation, morning or afternoon even when the school remains open.

BUS INFORMATION AND SAFETY EXPECTATIONS

Information about transportation policies and answers to some common questions can be obtained at the STS Southwestern Ontario Student Transportation Services website. STS is responsible for the coordination and delivery of school bus transportation. Please be aware that the school does not have the authority to change riders on the bus or to add riders to any bus for any reason. Please do not send notes to the school asking your child to go home with another student on another bus. Students will only be transported on a particular bus to and from their address/bus stop. Any questions about transportation please refer to the STS website or call 519-649-1160.

It is a privilege to ride a school bus. The safety of the students is our goal. Inappropriate behaviour may result in a loss of riding privileges. Students need to:

obey the instructions of the bus driver - His/her most important job is keeping all students safe
wait respectfully and safely at all bus stops
always walk when entering and exiting the bus
stay in their assigned seat unless instructed to change by the principal or the bus driver
keep their feet in their seat area and not in the aisle
stay seated (do not stand up or kneel on the seat) and remain seated until the bus has stopped at the stop
refrain from leaving garbage on the bus
use appropriate language
keep hands off other people and their property
refrain from throwing anything from the bus window
refrain from eating, drinking or chewing gum on the bus

School Library Learning Commons

Innerkip has an interesting library collection available to students. Children need to treat library books with respect, keep books in a safe place, carry them back and forth to school in a waterproof bag if necessary, and return them to school on time. If a book is lost or damaged, replacement costs will be charged to the student/parent/guardian. The average cost of most books belonging to the school is approximately $10.00 - $50.00.

Ontario Elementary Reporting

Reporting Student Achievement:

"The primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning." (Growing Success, pg.6)

Kindergarten students will receive a Communication of Learning: Initial Observations in November and two Communication of Learnings, one in February and in June. All elementary students in grades 1-8 in Ontario will receive an Elementary Progress Report in November and Provincial Report Cards in February and June.

As partners in supporting your child's education, parents/guardians are asked to review the reports and complete the bottom sections and return them to school. The signed portion will be filed in the Ontario Student Record.

Extra-Curricular Opportunities

Innerkip Central School offers a wide variety of extra-curricular activities. Staff lead these activities on a volunteer basis. Details about these activities are announced during opening exercises. Some of these activities take place after school and parent/guardian permission is needed.

Safe and Accepting Schools

General Information

Students have the opportunity to earn a Gotcha through their positive behavior (e.g., cooperation, respect, responsibility, etc.). Each Monday, two Gotcha slips are drawn from each container (Kindergarten, Primary, Junior, and Intermediate). The winners also receive a Gotcha prize and have a sticker placed in the front of their book.

Innerkip Central School's Website

Please check out our website. There is a Safe Schools section where our Safe School Action Plan, Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan (BPIP) and other guides are found. In addition, bullying may be reported anonymously on our school website. There is a quick link "Innerkip Cares - Reporting Anonymously" on the left side of the menu bar.

Difference between Conflict and Bullying

Conflict is a mutual disagreement or dispute, involving a difference of opinions, interests, etc., between two opposing groups or individuals. Conflict can create hostile feelings and attitudes. Conflict may lead to inappropriate behavior. It can be demonstrated through the following actions:

physical (e.g., hitting, pushing, tripping, etc.)
verbal (e.g., name-calling, making threats, making sexist or racist comments)
social (e.g., excluding others, spreading rumours or gossip)
technological (e.g., spreading rumours, images and/or hurtful comments through email, text messaging, MSN, cellphone, Facebook, Snapchat, etc.)

These behaviours are done by both groups or individuals (i.e., two-sided).

There are three parts to bullying. There is an intent to harm, hurt or humiliate another individual's body, feelings, self-esteem, reputation, etc. (i.e., it is one-sided). Bullying is a repeated and persistent activity (i.e., it happens over and over). Finally, there is a real or perceived power imbalance based on size, age, intelligence, race, status, etc. Bullying can involve many kinds of inappropriate behavior (e.g., physical, verbal, social, and technological - the same examples as above).

Code of Conduct

Introduction

A school is a place that promotes responsibility, respect, civility and academic excellence in a safe learning and teaching environment. A positive school climate exists when all members of the school community feel safe, comfortable, and are accepted. All students, parents/guardians, teachers and staff members have the right to be safe and feel safe, be listened to and heard, have concerns addressed, and be treated with respect and dignity in their school community. With this right comes the responsibility to contribute to a positive school climate.

The Innerkip Central School Code of Conduct applies to all school members, i.e., individuals involved in the school system - students, teachers, staff, parents/guardians, volunteers, community members-- whether they are on school property, on school buses or at school-authorized events or activities, or in other circumstances that could have an impact on the school climate. Everyone has a responsibility to promote a safe environment.

Responsible citizenship involves appropriate participation in the civic life of the school community. Active and engaged citizens are aware of their rights, but more importantly, they accept responsibility for protecting their rights and the rights of others.

Guiding Principles

The purposes of the code of conduct are:

to ensure that all members of the school community are treated with respect and dignity;
to promote responsible citizenship by encouraging appropriate participation in the civic life of the school community;
to encourage the use of non-violent means to resolve conflict;
to promote the safety of people in the schools;
to discourage the use of alcohol and illegal drugs;
to maintain an environment where conflict and difference can be addressed in a manner characterized by respect and civility.

Roles and Responsibilities

Students of Innerkip are to be treated with respect and dignity. In return, they must demonstrate respect for themselves, for others and for the responsibilities of citizenship through acceptable behaviour. Respect and responsibility are demonstrated when students:

- come to school prepared, on time, and ready to learn;
- work hard and complete work to the best of their abilities;
- show respect for themselves, for others and for those in authority;
- show respect for school property and the property of others;
- exercise self-discipline and self-control;
- refrain from bringing anything to school that may compromise the safety of others;
- follow the established expectations and rules and take responsibility for their own action.
- honour a "hands/feet off" policy;
- wear clothing that is appropriate and follows the school dress code

Parents/guardians play an important role in the education of their children and can support the efforts of school staff in maintaining a safe and respectful learning environment for all students. Parents/guardians fulfil this responsibility when they:

- show an active interest in their child's school work, learning habits, and progress;
- communicate regularly with the school;
- help their child be neat, appropriately dressed and prepared for school;
- ensure that their child attends school regularly and on time;
- promptly report to the school their child's absence or late arrival;
- show that they are familiar with the Code of Conduct and school rules;
- help maintain a positive learning environment;
- encourage and assist their child in following the rules of behaviour and exercise self-discipline;
- assist school staff in dealing with disciplinary issues involving their child.

Teachers and school staff, under the leadership of their principals, maintain order in the school and are expected to hold everyone to the highest standard of respectful and responsible behaviour. As role models, staff uphold these standards when they:

- help students work to their full potential and develop their self-worth;
- empower students to be positive leaders in their classroom, school and community;
- respect and reinforce school expectations;
- set reasonable consequences;
- communicate regularly and meaningfully with parents/guardians;
- maintain consistent standards of behaviour for all students, staff, parents/guardians, volunteers and the members of the school community;
- include parents/guardians and students in creating a positive environment;
- prepare students for the full responsibilities of citizenship.

Principals, under the direction of TVDSB, take a leadership role in the daily operation of a school. They provide this leadership by:

- demonstrating care for the school community and commitment to academic excellence in a safe teaching and learning environment;
- holding everyone, under their authority, accountable for their behaviour and actions;
- empowering students to be positive leaders in their school and community;
- communicating regularly and meaningfully with all members of their school community.

The police play an essential role in making our schools and communities safer. Police investigate incidents in accordance with the protocol developed with TVDSB. These protocols are based on a provincial model developed by the Ministry of the Solicitor General and the Ministry of Education.

Standards of Behaviour

Respect, Civility and Responsible Citizenship

All members of the school community must:

respect and follow all applicable laws;
demonstrate honesty and integrity;
respect differences in people, their ideas, and opinions;
treat one another with dignity and respect at all times, and especially when there is disagreement;
respect and treat others fairly, regardless of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability;
respect the rights of others;
show care and respect for school property and the property of others;
take appropriate measures to help those in need;
respect all members of the school community, especially persons in positions of authority;
respect the need of others to work in an environment that encourages learning and teaching.
seek help from school staff, if necessary, to resolve conflict peacefully;
use language that is respectful and free from profanity.
respect the need of others to work in an environment that is conducive to learning and teaching, including by ensuring that cell phones and other personal mobile devices are used only during instructional time (as directed by an educator), for health and medical purposes and/or to support special education needs.

Safety

All members of the school community must not:

engage in any form of bullying, whether it is in person or through technology, like email or cell phones;
commit sexual assault;
traffic weapons or illegal drugs;
commit robbery;
give alcohol to anyone under the legal drinking age;
be in possession of any weapon, including firearms;
use any object to threaten or intimidate another person;
injure anyone with an object;
be in the possession or under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, or give them to anyone else;
inflict or encourage others to inflict bodily harm;
engage in hate propaganda or other types of behaviour caused by hate or bias;
commit an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to school property or to property on the school premises.

Consequences

Inappropriate behaviour has a negative impact on our school community. School staff deals with incidents that violate our Code of Conduct on an individual basis, considering student circumstances, using progressive discipline. Consideration of student circumstances may include: individual mitigating factors, the nature and severity of the behaviour, the impact on the school climate, and consultation with parents/guardians. Progressive discipline is a whole school approach that uses a continuum of corrective and supportive interventions.

Our goal is to help students see that they are responsible for their behaviour and in control of themselves. Consequences will be age appropriate and might include, but are not limited to any combination of the following.

Early and on-going interventions may include:

verbal reminders;
review of expectations;
parent/guardian contact;
conflict resolution;
detentions.

Further on-going interventions may include:

parent/guardian meetings;
behavioural contract;
withdrawal of privileges;
withdrawal from a class;
restitution for damages;
restorative practices;
suspension;
expulsion;
referral to a Board-based behaviour program;
referral to a community agency and/or police involvement.

Please see Innerkip's Safe School Action Plan and Bullying Prevention Intervention Plan, located on our Safe Schools website.

The Innerkip Central School Code of Conduct is reviewed annually by our School Council.

Dress Code

The Dress Code includes all participants involved in the school system - students, parents or guardians, volunteers, teachers and other staff members whether they are on school property, school busses or attending school authorized events or activities.

All clothing should be suitable for active participation in daily school programs with an emphasis on learning and respect for self and others. In essence, clothing is not to be revealing or in violation with the specifics of the dress code. These statements on suitable dress are to assist parents, guardians, and students in selecting appropriate clothing to wear to school. The school is a place of learning, not "the beach" or "a backyard barbeque".

Specifics:

Footwear should be appropriate for safe participation in all types of school activities and recess. Barefeet are not allowed.
Footwear must be worn at all times in the school for safety reasons. Parents/guardians are asked to provide "indoor shoes" for their child/children.
Students are required to have a pair of running shoes designed for safe, active participation in the gym.
Clothing that promotes alcohol, drugs, sex, violence, profanity, discrimination, slang or put-downs may not be displayed on any clothing or accessories.

Compliance and Consequences

Students who come to school dressed inappropriately will be asked to remedy the situation (e.g., turn offensive clothing inside out, cover the offensive clothing, cover, call home to arrange for a change of clothing, etc.). Non-compliance could result in a warning, parent/guardian contact or other disciplinary action as required. All dress code violations will be dealt with on a case by case basis.

Code of Conduct for Use of Technology

Several of the projects in which students will be involved at school include the use of the Internet. With access to computers and people all over the world also comes the availability of material that is not consistent with educational goals. The Thames Valley District School Board focuses on supervision and student awareness, supplemented by Internet filtering of potentially inappropriate materials. On board-owned devices, warning pages appear for potentially inappropriate sites, and these sites are blocked on personal devices using the wireless network. On a global network it is impossible to control all materials, and an industrious, determined student can uncover controversial information. The value of the information and interaction available on this worldwide network, when combined with supervision and student awareness, makes the Internet a benefit to students' educational experiences. For students to access their own devices at school, a Bring Your Own Device contract must be completed. For more information, you can view our Code of Conduct for Technology Use.

Tobacco, Cannibas and Smoke-Free Environment

Students, staff and visitors are prohibited from smoking or vaping on school board property and within 20 metres from any point of the perimeter of any school board property. This includes the smoking or holding of lighted tobacco or cannabis (marijuana), and includes a ban on the use of e-cigarettes and electronic smoking devices. Students and staff that have a legal medical document authorizing them to use medical cannabis will be able to do so on school board property, but only in a non-smoking or non-vaping form (e.g., capsules, edibles and oils). Students, staff and visitors are also prohibited from using shisha, smokeless tobacco and/or cannabis products (unless medically prescribed) and all related accessories. This code of conduct is in effect 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and on school buses, or during any part of an official school field trip, including athletic team trips and school club excursions.

Failure to comply with this code of conduct may result in internal student discipline (e.g., warning, notification to parents/guardians, withdrawal of privilege, suspension, etc.) and/or charges and fines issued by an Officer of a Provincial Enforcement Agency.

Contact(s)