Sanford Collegiate Code of Conduct
1. Overview of the Code of Conduct
The Red River Valley School Division Administrative Procedure A3, the Manitoba Provincial Code of Conduct, and The Public Schools Act guide the School Code of Conduct. It reflects our commitment to creating a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment where all students and staff can learn, work, and grow. This Code is reviewed annually by October 31 and can also be found on the school website www.sanford.rrvsd.ca
2. Rights and Responsibilities
The Code outlines the rights and responsibilities of students, parents/guardians, and staff.
Students
Rights: to feel safe, included, and able to learn without disruption.
Responsibilities: Be respectful to self and others. Attend school regularly and on time. Follow school and classroom rules. Use technology appropriately. Actively contribute to a safe and inclusive environment.
Parents/Guardians
Rights: to be informed, welcomed, and involved in their child’s education.
Responsibilities: Ensure regular attendance and punctuality. Communicate with school staff about student needs and concerns. Support school policies and Code of Conduct. Encourage respectful behaviour and responsibility at home and in the community.
Staff
Rights: to a safe, respectful workplace with support in managing behaviour.
Responsibilities: Model respectful and professional behaviour. Provide engaging and safe learning environments. Apply the Code of Conduct fairly and consistently. Communicate with students and families regularly.
Principal/Administrator
Rights: To expect cooperation from students, staff, and parents/guardians in maintaining a positive school climate. To access support and resources from the Division to address student, staff, and school needs. To make decisions regarding interventions and disciplinary consequences, including suspensions and recommendations for expulsions.
Responsibilities: To model respectful and responsible behaviour consistent with the school’s values. To ensure consistent application of progressive discipline. To investigate reports of misconduct fairly, promptly, and respectfully, while considering the developmental and social-emotional needs of students. To notify parents/guardians promptly regarding disciplinary matters, including suspensions or potential expulsions, and ensure their right to participate in the process. To ensure appropriate educational programming continues for students who are suspended or expelled, in compliance with The Public Schools Act. To support staff in implementing preventative and proactive strategies that promote positive behaviour, student engagement, and community connectedness.
Unacceptable Behaviours
In accordance with provincial and divisional requirements, the following behaviours are unacceptable:
- Abusing another student physically, sexually, or psychologically (including verbal, written, or electronic forms).
- Theft
- Harassing or discriminatory behaviour
- Making threats towards students and staff. (Administrative Procedure G18) Fair Notice
- Bullying or cyberbullying, Discrimination based on protected characteristics in the Human Rights Code.
- Trafficking in drugs or sex
- Behaving in an unsafe manner on the bus, (Administrative Procedure I16)
Vandalism (Administrative Procedure C6)
- A school environment free from prescription or non-prescription drugs, marijuana, or alcohol or the inappropriate use of other substances. (Administrative Procedure G6)
- Possessing, using, or being under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, or illegal drugs at school.
- Gang-related insignia and activities (Administrative Procedure G5).
- Hazing
- Self- or peer-exploitation
- Possession of weapons as defined by the Criminal Code (Canada). (Administrative Procedure G7)
- Inappropriate or unsafe use of technology, including social media, text messaging, and personal devices. (Administrative Procedure F9)
4. Interventions and Disciplinary Consequences
The school employs progressive discipline to teach responsibility and repair harm, while ensuring the safety of all. Interventions and consequences depend on the severity and frequency of behaviours. (Administrative Procedure G9)
Possible responses may not be applied in a progress manner but may include:
- Warning and restorative conversations
- Apologies and restitution
- Contacting parents/guardians
- Loss of privileges
- Counselling, mediation, or education
- Behaviour contracts or attendance agreements
- In-school or out-of-school suspension
- Referral to outside agencies or police involvement when appropriate
- Recommendation for expulsion (serious incidents only) (Administrative Procedure G10)
5. Appeal Process
If students or parents/guardians disagree with a disciplinary decision, they may:
1. Discuss the concern with the teacher or staff member involved.
2. Meet with the school principal.
3. If unresolved, contact the Superintendent.
4. Appeal to the Board of Trustees.
Appendix A: Definitions
bullying
“A damaging social process that is characterized by [a real or perceived] imbalance of power driven by social, societal, and institutional norms. It is often repeated and manifests as unwanted interpersonal behaviour among students or school personnel that causes physical, social, psychological, and emotional harm to the targeted individuals or groups, and the wider school community.” (UNESCO)
It may be direct or indirect; it may take place through written, verbal, physical, and sexual forms of expression. Various forms of electronic communication may be used (See: cyberbullying).
case manager
A member of the school-based student support team designated by the principal to coordinate the team’s collaborative work to meet individual student needs through the student-specific planning process and student-specific plan (SSP) development and monitoring.
cyberbullying
Bullying behaviour by means of various electronic communication, including social media, text messages, direct messages, websites, email, or using AI-generated content (e.g., audio, images, video, or text).
cyber flashing
When a person receives uninvited requests for sexual images or messages, or is sent unsolicited sexual images or messages. (Canadian Centre for Child Protection, “Online Sexual Violence”)
doxing
Publicly releasing someone’s personal, identifying information, such as their name, address, phone number, email address, or school, online without their consent. (“Doxing,” Cambridge Dictionary)
expulsion
When a determination is made that a student has engaged in severe behaviour that is found to be injurious to the school environment and/or deemed an imminent safety risk to students and staff, and the student must be removed on a long-term basis. An out-of-school suspension lasting longer than six weeks shall be considered an expulsion. Expulsions may be administered by the school board only. Expulsions may occur from the school the student is attending, but not from the entire school division. If a student is expelled, the expulsion will last until the school board rescinds the expulsion or the end of the current school year, whichever comes first.
in-school suspension
An instance in which a student is temporarily removed from their regular classroom(s) for at least half a school day for disciplinary purposes but remains under the direct supervision of school personnel. Direct supervision means school personnel are physically in the same location as students under their supervision.
in-school team
The core team, other school staff, and parent(s)/caregiver(s) who have the knowledge and skills to identify student needs and develop and implement a plan to meet those needs.
managed move
The transfer of a student to a new school or program that is characterized by careful planning and full support by both the outgoing school and receiving school or program.
out-of-school suspension
An instance in which a student is dismissed from school for disciplinary purposes for a finite period of time when their peers are expected to be in attendance.
parent(s)/caregiver(s)
Refers to parents and caregivers and is used with the recognition that in some cases only one parent /caregiver may be involved in a child’s education or that the significant adult in the life of many students may not be their parent. The term may also apply to a student who has reached the age of majority.
reasonable accommodation
The school’s obligation to address students’ diverse needs that stem from the protected characteristics specified in Manitoba’s Human Rights Code, such as physical or mental disabilities, and that affect the individual’s ability to access educational/school services or facilities. The measures to accommodate diverse needs will be reasonable and required unless they demonstrably cause undue hardship due to cost, risk to safety, impact on others, or other factors.
sextortion
When someone threatens to release personal sexual images or videos of another person unless demands are met, often for money, more sexual content, or sexual favours. (Canadian Centre for Child Protection, “Sextortion”)
swatting
The deliberate, malicious, and illegal act of reporting a false crime or emergency to evoke an aggressive response from first responders or law enforcement agencies to attend someone’s residence or place of work.