School Policies

Daily Schedule

  • 8:50 – 8:59 Homeroom – Period 1
  • 9:00 – 9:58 Period 2
  • 10:00 – 10:58 Period 3
  • 11:00 – 11:58 Period 4
  • 12:00 – 12:58 Lunch – Period 5
  • 1:00 – 1:58 Period 6
  • 2:00 – 2:58 Period 7
  • 2:58 Dismissal

Class Change Policy

Students will have an opportunity during the first five days of class in September to make changes or additions to their schedules. Requests for course changes will be considered in the following order or priority:

  • Changes necessary to meet graduation requirements or
  • Changes necessitated by failure of a prerequisite course.
  • Changes required to complete a school certificate program (eg. Screen Arts Certificate or Technology Certificate.
  • All other changes.

We will be unable to accommodate requests to change teachers within the same subject except in circumstances where adjudication of a written complaint against the teacher has determined this to be in the student’s best interest. This would normally follow a reasonable period in which remediation of the problem is attempted in the classroom. Students and parents are referred to the Eastern School District’s Policy Protocol for Complaints below for further information.

Protocol for Complaints

Eastern School District Code (KE) Section: School Community Relations Public Complaints

Eastern School Board will ensure, as near the source as possible, prompt and equitable resolution of student or parent/caregiver complaints.

Rationale

Eastern School Board recognizes that there will be occasions where complaints will be issued against the board or one of its employees. The purpose of this policy is to ensure there is a clear understanding of the board’s policy on this issue, and the process to be followed in the event that a complaint is being issued.

Scope

This policy is applicable to all schools, employees, parents and students under the jurisdiction of the Eastern School Board, as well as to any member of the public who wishes to issue a complaint against the board or one of its employees.

Procedures

  1. The Eastern School District will establish Administrative Regulations that govern the application of this policy.
  2. The Administrative Regulations will be reviewed by the CEO/Director of Education in collaboration with District Administration Staff.
  3. The board recognizes that there are many types of complaints which may come forward. Specifically,
    1. Complaints involving Child Abuse must be made directly to Child Youth and Family Services. Board procedures are listed in the policy entitled Child Protection (JLF).
    2. Complaints regarding Harassment are addressed specifically in the Board’s Respectful Working and Learning Environments Policy (ACA).
    3. Complaints by a teacher against another teacher must follow the “Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association Code of Ethics”.
    4. Complaints involving curriculum resource materials should be reported to the school principal.
    5. Complaints regarding the physical plant of a school or facility should be reported to the school principal who will inform the Maintenance Supervisor. Specifics regarding work requirements shall be entered in the School Board Maintenance Request System.
  4. All complaints, other than those referenced in 3.1 must be issued following a process defined by the Board in the Administrative Regulations which support this policy.
  5. A concern/complaint may be made by a student or parent/caregiver.
  6. Complaints, questions, or expressions of concern shall be dealt with in a manner that reflects mutual respect and fair process, and administrative procedures for dealing with these situations should ensure that:
    1. Complaints are handled as near the source as possible (eg. if a complaint involves a teacher the concern should first be addressed with the teacher; if unresolved, then the concern should go to the principal; if still unresolved, then it is moved to district office staff as outlined by the Administrative Regulations.)
    2. Complaints are investigated and resolved in a timely manner.
    3. Complaints are dealt with in a courteous and constructive manner.
    4. Personnel against whom complaints are made have an opportunity to respond.
    5. The student may be represented by a parent/caregiver at any level of the complaint.
  7. It is the expectation of the Eastern School Board that complainants will identify themselves when filing a complaint. Please note that anonymous complaints regarding child abuse shall immediately be reported to the proper authorities.

Student Behaviour Guidelines

Philosophy

As a high school focused on maximizing student achievement and personal growth, we at Holy Heart High School believe that everyone has the right to a safe, supportive and caring learning environment. We recognize that students work best in an environment where they are treated with respect and have a clear understanding of expectations, rules and consequences. This process will encourage students to take ownership for their own behavior and academic progress, thereby fostering lifelong learning.

Guiding Principles

  • Effective discipline in a school directly impacts achievement levels.
  • Students, teachers, administrators, parents, and the community play a role.
  • Clear expectations for standards of acceptable behavior and consequences for breaching these rules are necessary.
  • The discipline policy needs to be communicated to staff, students, and parents on a regular basis.
  • Serious student misconduct involving violent or criminal behavior will result in involvement of the police.
  • Teachers will administer rules and procedures in a consistent and fair manner.
  • Preventative programs involving partnerships with community agencies will be developed to deal with some of the common underlying causes of misbehavior.

Obscene Language

Any form of obscene language will not be tolerated on the school premises and may result in a one (1) day in-school suspension.

Dress Code

Clothing

  • Students will not be permitted to attend classes with clothing that has messages that are of a sexual nature, pertain to drugs or alcohol, or exhibit profanity. Students will be asked to cover it up or be sent home to change.

Coats and Hats

  • Students are not permitted to wear coats or hats during class. All coats will be stored in lockers during school time. If a student comes to class with a coat, they will be asked to remove it. Hats are permitted to be worn outside of class time. Failure to comply with the teacher’s request to remove the hat or coat will be considered insubordination and warrant a minimal one-day suspension.

Media Players

Students are not permitted to wear headsets or use media players during class. Failure to comply will result in confiscation of the player by the teacher and returned at the teacher’s discretion.

Weapons & Other Hazardous Materials

Weapons or any other hazardous materials are not permitted on school property. Objects will be confiscated by school personnel, the police will be called, and the student will receive a minimal three (3) day suspension.

Drugs & Alcohol

Students are not permitted to possess, use or be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while on school property or while in attendance at any school related function. This also includes the misuse of any substance (prescribed or non-prescribed). An offence of this nature will result in a minimal three-day suspension, contact with parents, and possible involvement of school board officials and the police.

Smoking

Students are not permitted to smoke inside the school nor any place in front of the building that is deemed Holy Heart school property. A one (1) day suspension will be assigned to students caught smoking on school grounds. A three (3) day suspension will be assigned to students caught smoking inside the building.

Gambling

Gambling is not permitted in the school or on the school grounds at Holy Heart. Students caught gambling may be assigned a one (1) day suspension.

Violent Aggressive Behavior (Verbal/Physical)

Violent/aggressive behavior will not be tolerated at Holy Heart. The following actions can be taken depending on the severity:

  • a warning
  • phone call home
  • suspension (a minimum of one (1) and a maximum of five (5))
  • law enforcement officials shall be notified and charges may result.

Food Outside the Cafeteria

Students are not permitted to eat food during class unless special permission is granted by administration for medical reasons or special events.

Food is to be eaten in the Cafeteria. Student’s who have activities and/or meetings within the building at lunchtime must finish their lunches in the cafeteria before continuing on to their activities.

Fire Equipment

Tampering with fire safety equipment (including fire alarms) is an offense under the Criminal Code of Canada Student’s caught tampering with fire/safety equipment will be subject to the following penalties:

  • a minimum of three (3) to a maximum of five (5) days suspension
  • law enforcement officials will be notified and charges initiated as appropriate.

Student Absences: Truancy

Students will be considered truant if they are absent from any part of their required school day without permission from a parent/guardian. If a student is absent, he/she must present a note from a parent/guardian upon return. If a student has to leave school early, he/she must notify either the office or his/her homeroom teacher in advance. Students who skip school may receive a phone call to parents/guardian, a detention, or a suspension depending on the severity.

Students who are observed by their teachers as habitually truant from class without a note will be subject to the following procedures:

  • STEP 1 – Classroom teachers will assign a detention to any student who misses class without permission. (Teachers will document this in WinSchool using the Conduct section of Details.)
  • STEP 2 – Classroom teachers will call home to inform parent/guardian of absence after a student has missed two classes without a note. (Teachers will document the date and phone call to the parent/guardian).
  • STEP 3 – If a student continues to miss class, he/she will not be permitted in any classes and will be referred to the administration for suspension. A meeting will be held with parents prior to the return of the student to classes.

Academic Integrity/Cheating

All schoolwork submitted for the purpose of meeting course requirements must represent the individual efforts of each student. Any form of academic dishonesty is prohibited. Academic dishonesty, cheating, and plagiarism are defined as:

  • Copying or stealing another’s work and submitting it as one’s own
  • Allowing another person to copy work and submit it as his/her own
  • Doing another person’s work for him/her
  • Buying or selling work or answers
  • Providing another person with answers to homework, tests or quizzes
  • Copying or stealing teachers’ answer keys, or teacher’s edition texts
  • Copying work from books or the Internet without proper documentation

Any student caught cheating will receive a zero for the assignment, quiz or test involved. Parents/guardians will be notified and a report will be placed in the student’s discipline file. Subsequent offenses may result in the suspension.

Lateness

Students will be in their homerooms by 8:45 a.m. Students arriving late will be admitted by the home room teachers and recorded in WinSchool as late.

Students are given two (2) minutes to move from one class to the next. Students who arrive late for class will be recorded in WinSchool as late by the subject teacher.

Students may be excused for their lateness if they present a note (written by a parent or teacher).

Students who are observed by their teachers as habitually late for homeroom or class without a note will be subject to the following procedures:

  • STEP 1 – Assignment of an after school detention
    • (Teachers are required to document the date, time, and reason for the detention)
  • STEP 2 – Assignment of a second detention and a call home to a parent/guardian (Teachers will document the date and phone call)
  • STEP 3 – If a student continues to be late, he/she will not be pennitted in any classes and will be referred to the administration for suspension. A meeting will be held with parents prior to the return of the student to classes.

Detentions

All students are expected to serve the detentions they are assigned. If a student is assigned a detention on a day in which they have an extracurricular activity, they are not permitted to miss their detention.

If a student fails to serve an assigned detention, the following actions will occur:

1st Detention Missed

A phone call be made to the parents/guardian to inform them of the following: that their son/daughter missed detention; that he/she now has two (2) detentions to serve and will receive a suspension if either of these detentions are missed. (Teachers will document this phone call in WinSchool using the Conduct section of Details.)

2nd Detention Missed

If either of the above two detentions are missed, the student will receive a one (1) day suspension and will be required to serve a detention upon return to school.

Sexual Harassment

According to the Avalon East School District’s Respectful Working And Learning Environments Policy:

“Harassment of a sexual nature is unsolicited, one-sided, and/or coercive behavior that is comprised of sexual comments, gestures or physical contact that the individual knows, or ought to reasonably know, to be unwelcome, objectionable or offensive.”

Examples of behavior that can constitute sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:

  • unwanted and unnecessary physical contact like touching, grabbing or patting;
  • suggestive remarks or innuendoes about sex;
  • inappropriate remarks, jokes, or other gestures of a sexual nature causing embarrassment or humiliation;
  • inappropriate or unwelcome focus/comments on another student’s physical attributes, mannerisms, or characteristics;
  • leering or suggestive or insulting sounds;
  • unwanted questions or comments about one’s private life;
  • display or distribution of offensive material such as pictures, cartoons and graffiti in schools
  • sexual assault (a criminal offense)

“Resolution to many of these incidents will occur informally at a personal level. Employees and/or students are encouraged to be assertive and state their objections to people who harass or discriminate against them. Sometimes, in cases involving a student, this may require the intervention of an adult, most likely a teacher.”

“If issues are not resolved at the informal level, or they persist, then parties are required to submit a Complaint Form (Appendix A) to the School Principal and/or the Assistant Director of Personnel outlining the nature of the concern.” This form is available at:

http://www.aesd.ca/policies/Policv%20615%20-%20Harassment.pdf

Holy Heart High School- Discipline Policy

Addendum and errata – 2004 – 2005

  1. Cell Phones
    • Students are not permitted to use cell phones during class. Failure. to comply will result in confiscation of the cell phone by the teacher and returned at the teacher’s discretion.
  2. Hall Passes
    • Students should only be allowed to leave during class time with their teacher’s permission. This student should carry a hall pass while they are out of the classroom. Only one student should be permitted out of the class at a time.
  3. Lateness
    1. Students should be in their homeroom by 8:50.
    2. As a guideline, students who are late three times may be considered habitually late.