Community Code of Conduct

The philosophy of Lauremont School o/a Toronto Montessori Schools (“TMS”) (the “School”) is to focus on developing a love of learning while guiding and challenging every student at all stages of learning. The School is dedicated to the education of students in a safe and caring community that fosters the development of character, courage, creativity and a passion for learning.

The School 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, included and accepted, and actively promote positive behaviours and interactions.

All students, parents, teachers and staff members have the right to be safe, and feel safe, in the school community. With this right comes the responsibility to contribute to a positive school climate. The promotion of strategies and initiatives, such as character development, along with the employment of prevention and intervention strategies to address inappropriate behaviour, fosters a positive school climate that supports academic achievement for all students.

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.

These standards of behaviour apply not only to students, but also to all individuals involved in the School community – parents, volunteers, teachers, and other staff members – whether they are on school property, on school buses, at school-related events or activities or in other circumstances that could have an impact on the school climate.

For all purposes of this Code of Conduct, reference to parents includes, where applicable, custodial and non-custodial parents and/or guardians; reference to the School community includes students, teachers, parents and guardians, administration, and volunteers.

1. Purpose of the Code

(i) To ensure that all members of the school community are treated with respect and dignity.

(ii) To promote responsible citizenship by encouraging appropriate participation in the civic life of the school community.

(iii) To maintain an environment where conflict and difference can be addressed in a manner characterized by respect and civility.

(iv) To encourage the use of non-violent means to resolve conflict.

(v) To promote the safety of people in the School.

2. Standards of Behaviour

By enrolling in the School, students automatically assume the obligation to comply with the provisions of the Code of Conduct. Central to the Code of Conduct is the understanding that each student will follow certain standards of behaviour. Self-discipline and a willingness to accept responsibility for one’s actions and conduct are fundamental to the Code of Conduct.

Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to services, goods and facilities, without discrimination because of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, age, marital status, family status, or disability. The School recognizes that inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour towards another member of the community requires a serious response.

Respect, Civility, and Responsible Citizenship

All members of the School community must:

respect and comply with all applicable federal, provincial, and municipal laws;
comply with the Code of Conduct;
demonstrate honesty and integrity;
respect differences in people, their ideas, and their opinions;
treat one another with dignity and respect at all times, and especially when there is disagreement;
respect and treat others fairly, regardless of, for example, race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, or disability;
respect the rights of others;
show proper care and regard for school property and the property of others;
take appropriate measures to help those in need;
seek assistance from a member of the School staff, if necessary, to resolve conflict peacefully;
respect all members of the School community, especially persons in positions of authority;
respect the need of others to work in an environment that is conducive to learning and teaching, including by ensuring that personal mobile devices are only used during instructional time for educational and other permitted purposes outlined herein and in the School’s Policy on Restrictions on Classroom Use of Personal Mobile Devices; and
not use disrespectful, disparaging, derogatory or abusive language towards another member of the School community.

For clarity, as per the school’s practice on student use of cell phone, personal mobile devices may be used during instructional time under the following circumstances:

for educational purposes, as directed by an educator;
for health and medical purposes; or
iPads to support specific education needs.

Please note that Grade 7 and 8 students are not permitted to use their cell phones at any time during the school day.

The School will comply with its duty under the Ontario Human Rights Code to provide members of the School community with reasonable accommodations for needs relating to protected grounds, to the point of undue hardship. Usage of a personal mobile device may be an example of such an accommodation.

Safety

Members of the school community must not:

engage in bullying behaviours, including cyberbullying;
commit sexual assault or sexual harassment;
traffic in weapons or illegal drugs;
give alcohol, tobacco or cannabis to a minor;
commit robbery or theft;
be in possession of any weapon, including firearms;
use any object to threaten or intimidate another person;
cause injury to any person, including with an object;
be in possession of, be under the influence of, or otherwise use alcohol, cannabis (unless the individual has been authorized to use cannabis for medical purposes), or illegal drugs;
be in the possession of, smoke, vape, or otherwise use tobacco or tobacco products while on School premises;
provide others with alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, or cannabis (unless the recipient is an individual who has been authorized to use cannabis for medical purposes);
inflict or encourage others to inflict bodily harm on another person;
engage in hate propaganda and other forms of behaviour motivated by hate or bias;
commit an act of vandalism that causes damage to school property or to property located on the premises of the School;
engage in vandalism, theft or disrespect for the property of others;
engage in physical or psychological intimidation of another person (either in person or using electronic devices);
be involved in any act or conduct that causes embarrassment or brings disrepute to the School;
engage in disrespect or a lack of courtesy towards another member of the School community.

Inappropriate Behaviour

Examples of inappropriate behaviour include, but are not limited to:

academic dishonesty;
uttering a threat to inflict bodily harm on another person;
swearing at a teacher or other person in authority;
committing an act of vandalism causing damage to School property or property located on School premises;
bullying, intimidating or threatening another person;
fighting;
using a weapon to cause or threaten bodily harm to another person;
committing physical assault on another person;
committing sexual assault or sexual harassment;
trafficking in weapons, cannabis, or illegal drugs;
harassment of any kind;
distributing hate material;
inappropriate use of electronic communications/media; including accessing inappropriate materials on the internet; posting or texting offensive, derogatory and/or degrading comments or images on personal or commercial websites (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, www.ratemyteachers.com and similar sites); or using fake or parody accounts to hide one’s identity online;
inappropriate use of AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to aid in the commission of any unacceptable act under these Standards of Behaviour;
unexcused absence from school activities; and
conduct injurious to the moral tone of the school or to the physical or mental well-being of others.

3. Responsibility of a Bystander

The School is committed to provide a healthy school environment that is nurturing, caring and respectful of everyone. The School teaches social skills that will serve students well throughout their lives.

If a student has been bullied, intimidated or threatened or has witnessed such behaviour, they need to confide in an adult at the School. If the School is not aware of an incident, it cannot act. Students are not tattling by contacting an adult; they are, in fact, upholding the School’s core values and demonstrating courage by appropriately standing up for themselves. No one has the right to bully, intimidate or threaten another person. It takes courage to stop such behaviour in a mature and responsible way.

If a member of the school community (students, staff/faculty, parents or alumni) witnesses an act of peer bullying, intimidation or threats, they are a bystander and are expected to take steps to help. It is part of their responsibility as a member of the school community.

4. Roles and Responsibilities

The Code of Conduct recognizes that all members of the school community, including the Head of School, teachers, other staff members, students and parents have an obligation to comply with the standards of behaviour outlined in this policy. Each member of the school community has the following roles and responsibilities:

The School

The School will provide direction to promote student achievement and well-being and to ensure accountability in the School. It is the responsibility of the School to:

develop policies that set out how the School will implement and enforce its Code of Conduct and other rules that promote and support respect, civility, responsible citizenship and safety;
review policies regularly with students, staff, parents, volunteers and the community;
seek input from the Board of Trustees, parents, students, staff members and the school community;
establish a process that clearly communicates the Code of Conduct to all parents, students, staff members, and members of the school community in order to obtain their commitment and support;
develop effective intervention strategies and respond to all infractions related to the standards for respect, civility, responsible citizenship, and safety; and
provide opportunities for all of the staff to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to develop and maintain academic excellence in a safe learning and teaching environment.

Head of School

Under the direction of the School, the Head of School takes a leadership role in the daily operation of the School. The Head of School will provide this leadership by:

demonstrating care for the School community and a commitment to academic excellence in a safe, inclusive, and accepting teaching and learning environment;
holding everyone under their authority accountable for their own behaviour and actions;
empowering students to be positive leaders in their School and community;
communicating regularly and meaningfully with all members of the School community; and
providing an example of respect and civility for all members of the School community.

Teachers and Staff Members

Under the leadership of the Head of School, teachers and other school staff members maintain a positive learning environment and are expected to hold everyone to the highest standard of respectful and responsible behaviour. As role models, teachers and school staff uphold these high standards when they:

help students work to their full potential and develop their sense of self-worth;
empower students to be positive leaders in their classroom, School, and community;
communicate regularly and meaningfully with parents;
maintain consistent standards of behaviour for all students;
demonstrate respect for all students, staff, parents, volunteers, and the members of the School community; and
prepare students for the full responsibility of citizenship.

Teachers shall also assist the Head of School in maintaining close co-operation with the School community and in establishing and maintaining consistent disciplinary practices in the School. In addition, teachers and staff members must assist the Head of School by reporting incidents and assisting the Head of School in conducting an investigation.

Students

Students 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, properly dressed in their uniform, on time, and ready to learn;
adhere to School uniform or dress code rules;
show respect for themselves, for others, and for those in authority;
refrain from bringing anything to School that may compromise the safety of others; and
follow the established School rules and take responsibility for their own actions.

Parents and Guardians

Parents and guardians play an important role in the education of their children and have a responsibility to support the efforts of School staff in maintaining a safe and respectful learning environment for all students. Parents and guardians fulfill their role when they:

are engaged and show an active interest in their child’s schoolwork and progress;
communicate regularly and respectfully with the School;
help their child be appropriately dressed, including in uniform as required, 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;
become familiar with the School rules and the School’s Code of Conduct;
encourage and assist their child in following the rules of behaviour;
support school staff in dealing with disciplinary issues involving their child;
support and model respectful behaviour in all communication and contact with other members of the School community.

It is crucial that the School maintains a positive and constructive working relationship with parents and guardians. If this working relationship becomes dysfunctional or otherwise harmful to the educational environment, the School reserves its right to discontinue the respective student’s enrolment, deny re-enrolment for the following School year, or take such measures as the School deems appropriate to ensure and maintain a positive, safe, and productive educational environment.

5. Sanctions

All School community members are responsible for observing both the letter and the spirit of the School’s policies and procedures. As a general principle, the School reserves its right to apply a full range of sanctions, including expulsion, to any offence committed by a student. Although the specific provisions set out in this Code of Conduct outline steps that the School normally will take in the event that a student contravenes, or attempts to contravene, the provisions of a Code of Conduct, they do not take away from the ultimate discretion of the School to apply any sanction that is appropriate in the particular circumstances of an offence, including the expulsion of a student.

When exercising its discretion to determine the appropriate sanction to apply to an offence, the School will take into account:

the particular student and the circumstances;
the nature and severity of the behaviour; and
the impact on the school climate, including the impact on students or other individuals in the school community.

The range of sanctions that the School will apply to offences include:

meeting with appropriate person(s) (such as peers, faculty, administrators);
removal from a school activity, special program or recess to complete work or a special assignment designated by the teacher;
detention;
probation;
in-school suspension;
behaviour or performance contract with the involvement of the student, teachers and parents;
financial restitution, reparation or service in a case where damage is caused or maintenance work made necessary;
formal suspension from school, with conditions to return to school to be discussed with parents and students in accordance with the school policy; and/or
expulsion from school.

The School reserves the right to expel a student when the continued attendance of that student would not be in the best interests of that student or the School. The School also reserves the right to expel a student when their behaviour is in breach of the Code of Conduct, seriously jeopardizes the School’s ability to guarantee the dignity and safety of its students and/or interferes with learning, or involves conduct which is injurious to the School’s moral tone or to the physical or mental well-being of others. In these circumstances, the School will make reasonable efforts to assist the student’s family in securing suitable alternative education arrangements.