Code of Conduct

J. H. Bruns Collegiate is a welcoming, safe and caring school community – an environment in which effective teaching and learning occurs.   Students and staff are expected to demonstrate the importance of respect for themselves, others, and property.   Our expectations revolve around two beliefs, respect and responsibility.  These powerful words guide the standard of behaviour at our school.

Statement of Beliefs

Our school code of conduct is based upon the following beliefs as stated in Policy JK – Supporting Student Behaviour:

• Students demonstrate expected behaviours, when they have the knowledge and skills to do so. 
• When a student exhibits concerning or serious behaviours, we understand that they behave this way due to lagging skills and have difficulty coping with the demands of the situation. 
• The purpose of intervention is to decrease or stop the concerning or serious behaviour and to teach or create the conditions for expected behaviours.

When supporting and responding to student behaviour, students’ unique needs, developmental stage and age will be considered providing opportunities for learning and growth that maintain students’ dignity and promote positive relationships. 

Pedagogy, practices and strategies to support student behaviour will: 

• be informed by current educational and behavioural research;
• comply with:
  1. The Public Schools Act (Manitoba);
  2. The Education Administration Act (Manitoba);
  3. Appropriate Educational Programming Regulation 155/2005;
  4. Appropriate Disciplinary Consequences in Schools Regulation 92/2013;
  5. Safe and Caring Schools: A Policy Directive Enhancing Proactive Supports to Minimize the Use of Seclusion (2021); 
  6. Safe and Caring Schools: A Policy Directive Enhancing Proactive Supports to Minimize the Use of Suspension (2023); and
  7. Appropriate Educational Programming – Standards for Student Services Programming: Standards for Student Services (2022), which includes the Student Specific Planning process; 
• be developed collaboratively with the appropriate school staff, parent(s)/guardian(s)/caregiver(s) and community supports personnel; 
• employ a whole-school approach to creating positive supportive, safe, intellectually engaging classroom settings in which all students can be successful; 
• teach social and emotional skills using developmentally appropriate supports and learning opportunities; 
• reflect an understanding of factors that promote student success and create the conditions for student emotional, academic and intellectual engagement; and 
• reflect an understanding of the risk and protective factors that can affect student behaviour.

Provincial Requirements

• Students and staff must be respectful and must observe the code of conduct.
• The following will result in an intervention, a response, and/or a consequence:
  1. abusing another person verbally, in writing, electronically, or otherwise in the following ways: physically, sexually, emotionally, or psychologically
  2. exhibiting bullying behaviour toward another person (as defined in section 1.2 of the The Public Schools Act (Manitoba))
  3. discriminating on the basis of any characteristic set out in subsection 9(2) of The Human Rights Code (Manitoba)
  4. using, possessing, or being under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, or illicit drugs at school
• The following may not occur on school sites: 
  1. gang activity
  2. possessing a weapon, as weapon is defined in section 2 of the Criminal Code (Canada)
• Students and staff must adhere to divisional policies (including but not limited to Policy IJNDC – Internet and Information Systems Use: Staff and Students and Policy GBEF/JICJ –Use of Cell Phones in Schools) respecting the appropriate use of the following:
  1. the Internet, including the use of AI-generated content (e.g., audio, images, video, or text), social media, text messaging, direct messaging, websites, and email
  2. cameras, cell phones, and other electronic or personal communication devices
• Policy JK – Supporting Student Behaviour shall guide decisions relative to behaviour intervention, response, or consequence due to non-observance of the school code of conduct.
• In the event of disagreement, parent(s)/guardian(s)/caregiver(s) shall follow: 
  1. the Louis Riel School Division Protocol for the Resolution of Concerns; or
  2. Policy JBB – Appropriate Educational Programming: Dispute Resolution in cases where concerns arise regarding appropriate educational programming for students with a Student Specific Plan.

School Expectations

All students, staff, and visitors must:

• behave responsibly
• be respectful of self and others
• show concern for and acceptance of others
• take responsibility for our actions

Students are expected to:

• demonstrate respect for the rights, roles, and responsibilities of other students and staff
• demonstrate respect for the school and school property
• demonstrate respect for the property of others
• attend school regularly and arrive on time for school
• follow guidelines for appropriate school attire
• ensure that all assignments and tests demonstrate academic honesty

Staff are expected to play a critical role by modeling respect and support for the above expectations.

Staff will intervene when students do not:

• follow the school expectations of respect and responsibility
• maintain academic integrity (involved in plagiarism, cheating, etc.)
• uphold their academic responsibilities for homework, assignment completion, and test preparation

Students are referred to a vice-principal or principal when interventions by staff have not worked or when a more serious situation has occurred.

All interventions, including consequences for violating the Code of Conduct, are intended to preserve the dignity, privacy, and self worth of all involved.

Interventions/consequences may include, but are not limited to:

• conversation with student and school staff
• communication with parent(s)/guardian(s)
• loss of privileges
• temporary removal from classroom
• referral to student services teacher, vice-principal, or principal
• mentoring
• in-school community service
• restorative practices such as peace/community circle
• behaviour contract
• formal conference with student, school staff, and parent(s)/guardian(s)
• referral to psychologist, social worker, occupational therapist, or other clinical supports
• referral to school or community-based service (in- or out-of-house counselling group, addictions services, anger management, mental health services, etc.)
• flexible daily schedule as documented in a student-specific plan
• restitution
• police involvement
• in-school suspension
• continued learning at a designated off-campus location
• out-of-school suspension
• expulsion