Policy Short version and new cards Flashcards
What should a student be doing who is on suspension for more than five days?
Must be offered a program
May need a re-entry meeting depending on the length of the suspension
What do we need to consider when sharing personal information?
● there are laws that govern the release of personal information.
You find out a teacher’s documentation of grades was falsely created - made up.
What does this connect to?
Leadership PLR’s.
Profession conduct
This could be a case of professional misconduct because they have falsified a record.
Ontario College of Teachers
School board - superintendent
PLR’s: social Do this all while preserving their dignity, and with empathy. Try to understand what led to this and put supports in place so that it doesn’t happen again
A teacher keeps showing up to school in clothing that as not in alignment with the school dress code.
What does this connect to?
Leadership PLR’s.
Connects to professionalism - conduct unbecoming of a member and so also public confidence and also school climate.
Perhaps first an all-staff email to remind of dress policy - depending on the history with the staff member.
Next step a conversation with the staff member to address it directly - courageous conversation
PLR’s -
How should staff deal with such behaviour?
May include: Identify the behaviour. Ask them to stop. Tell them why it is wrong or disrespectful Ask them to stop in the future
How do we respond to a workplace violence situation?
● Notify police or emergency responders for immediate assistance
● Follow procedures in plan
If you suspend a student what do you need to do?
Let parents or guardians know within 24 hours
Follow up with a letter that tells
- reason for suspension
- length of suspension
- information on the right to appeal
- supervisory officers contact info in case they have questions
- if it’s a long term suspension also need to provide information about the program to which they will be assigned
What if a harassment problem can’t be resolved informally?
If it can’t be resolved informally, there are more formal procedures… would refer to the workplace harassment policy in the Ontario Workplace Health and Safety Act.
What do supervisors need to ensure workers know in terms of responding to workplace violence?
● How to summon immediate assistance (phone? Walkie How to report incidents
● How the employer will investigate
● Know, understand and be able to carry out any measures and procedures that are in place as part of the program (lockdown, hold and secure)
What are the steps of dealing with a harassment complaint?
Review the details of the incident or complaint
Investigate (including interviewing)
Decide if it’s workplace harassement
Report (including any corrective action being taken)
What are the four Achieving Excellence goals from Ministry?
Achieving excellence in instruction and student achievement
Ensuring equity
promoting well-being
Enhancing public confidence
Someone discloses that a staff member has abused a student (verbally, physically, emotionally, sexually or psychologically).
What does this connect to and who might we need to report to or consult with?
Connects to professionalism, well-being and public confidence. May be criminal action.
May need to consult or report to the ONtario College of teachers, possibly the police, and possibly Child and Family Services (check), depending on the actual situation. Inform and consult with Principal
A teacher has disclosed to you that a child shows signs of physical abuse. You tell the teacher it is their duty to report it to the Children’s Aid Society. They refuse.
What does this connect to?
Leadership PLR’s.
Professional conduct
Well-being
Public confidence
Children’s Aid Society
Board
Ontario College of Teachers
PLR’s: social - managing emotions of others - help them think through the situation - considering all factors and perspectives, with the aim of promoting good professional judgment - help them manage emotions in order to make a reasonable and professional decision
thinking - know that emotional/social is paramount to student success
What are some things that a safe school team should do?
- be aware of recent incidents of bullying and how they were addressed;
- compile resources for anti-bullying initiatives, and implement them;
- ensure that Safe Schools Incident Reporting Forms are accessible, well understood, and in use at your school.
Which Act governs workplace violence?
Occupational Health and Safety Act
A teacher is either:
- Failing to keep records as required by professional duties
- Failing to adequately supervise students under his/her supervision.
What does this connect to?
Leadership PLR’s.
Professional conduct
Public trust and confidence
Student safety
School climate
Ontario College of teachers
Board misconduct policies
PLR’s:
- problem solving
- knowledge of effective instruction - coaching conversation to find help teacher figure out how to keep records better - get to the heart of why it’s happening
- calm, supportive, but direct conversation
Proactivity
What actions should a Principal consider suspending for?
In consideration of mitigating and other factors?
Uttering a threat to inflict serious bodily harm to another person
Possessing alcohol or illegal drugs
Being under the influence of alcohol
Swearing at a teacher or another person in a position of authority
Committing an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to school property
Bullying
Any Board policies regarding suspensions
What is the reason for using progressive discipline?
Combines discipline with opportunities to continue their education. It allows Principals to choose consequences appropriate to students needs and behaviour.
It gives students opportunities to learn from the choices they made.
You find out a teacher has misrepresented their qualificatons. They are teaching French, but don’t actually have FSL qualifications.
What does this connect to?
Leadership PLR’s.
Professional Conduct
Public confidence
Possibly student achievement
Ontario College of Teachers.
Consult with P and Super.
Board policies related to teacher misconduct
True of false. Failure to adequately supervise or protect a child could be considered physical abuse.
Yes if it’s consistent and intentional
What does professional misconduct include?
Mis... Failing to Releasing ... Abusing ... Practicing under... Contravening... Failing to... Failing to ... Signing or issuing ... Falsifying a... Contravening a law... An act or omission... Conduct... Failing to ... Failing to ...
1) Misrepresenting oneself
2) Failing to maintain the standards of the profession
3) Releasing or disclosing information about a student to a person other than the student or, if the student is a minor, the student’s parent or guardian.
4) Abusing a student:
verbally
physically
psychologically or emotionally
sexually
5) Practicing under negative substance or dysfunction
6) Contravening a term/condition in his /her certificate of qualification
7) Failing to keep records as required by professional duties
8) Failing to adequately supervise students under his/her supervision.
9) Signing or issuing a document that the member knows is false or misleading (in professional capacity)
10) Falsifying a record relating to the member’s professional responsibilities.
11) Contravening a law if that contravention puts a student at risk or allows a student to remain at risk
12) An act or omission that would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional
13) Conduct unbecoming a member
14) Failing to comply with discipline
15) Failing to comply with the member’s duties under the Child and Family Services Act
What is the general responsibility of teaching members regarding use of social media?
Maintain professional boundaries.
What kind of complaints does the College of Teachers investigate?
Complaints must relate to alleged professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity of a member of the teaching profession.
What are the categories of child abuse?
- physical abuse
- sexual abuse
- neglect
- emotional abuse
For an informal resolution to workplace harassment, what might admin suggest to the complainant?
confront the person harassing them and let them know that the behaviour is not acceptable and get a commitment to stop the behaviour
Inform alleged harasser of concern and let them know about the Board’s policy on harassment
Provide a copy of the workplace harassment policies and procedures, or other related board policies to the alleged harasser
What is caregiver incapacity?
substance abuse or mental health concerns that have an impact on a child’s safety or well-being
What Act governs workplace harassment?
Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act
When a principal receives a report from a staff member about student behaviour, what must he do?
- Investigate all incidents (listen, document)
- Determine what disciplinary action will be taken
- Use progressive discipline to determine appropriate consequences and supports (restorative consequences where possible)
- Inform the parents of the student who engaged in the behaviour
- If the behaviour negatively impacted another student, inform those parents as well
What are the 3 mitigating factors to consider in determining whether to suspend?
Pupil does not have the ability to control his or her behaviour
Pupil does not have the ability to understand the foreseeable consequences of his behaviour
The pupils continuing presence in the school does not create an unacceptable risk to others’ safety
What does every school have to have for identifying and reviewing student placements?
Every school needs to have an IPRC (Identification, Placement and Review Committee) for identifying and reviewing students and their placements.
What student behaviours could be considered harassment? What are the consequences?
Bullying (which may include harassment) 1-20 days and police might be notified
Racial harassment 1-20 days and police might be notified
So need to consider workplace harassment procedures - may need to write a report.
When are behaviours under a 306 suspension a mandatory suspension?
If the actions are motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other similar factor
You find out a teacher has given a child a grade on a report card that they did not earn, because they were worried about the fact that they had not contacted parents about the student’s progress.
What does this connect to?
Leadership PLR’s.
Professional conduct: falsifying a report
Public confidence
Ontario College of Teachers
Ethical standards
Professional misconduct regulation
Board Policy
PLR’s: problem solving
Proactivity - knowing when a teacher is struggling - good relationships
What must a workplace program include?
● How to control risks
● What to do to summon assistance when workplace violence is likely to occur
● How to report
● How to investigate
So refer to the workplace violence program to find out what to do in terms of investigation and reporting.
How does professional use of technology relate to the Ministry goals?
Maintaining professional boundaries in all forms of communication is vital to maintaining the public trust in education.
What information must be shared with a parent or guardian of a student who behaved inappropriately?
What information can the Principal not provide?
The principal must tell parents or guardians
about:
• the incident
• the nature of the harm to the other student
• any disciplinary measures taken in response
to the incident
• the supports that will be provided for their
child in response to the incident.
The principal cannot name or provide information about the student who was harmed by the incident.
Where do we find the procedure for parent appeals to suspensions?
Student behaviour, discipline and safety regulation
You find out a teacher who was driving students to a sports event put an extra student in the back seat and they didn’t have a seat belt for.
What does this connect to?
Leadership PLR’s.
Student safety
Legal system
Professional conduct
Board Police Ontario College of Teachers Standards of practice Ethical standards Professional misconduct regulation
Personal Leadership Resources
Problem solving
Proactivity
Who is required to report a behaviour that could be considered for a suspension or expulsion.
All school board employees are required to
report in writing to their principal any incident
that must be considered for suspension or
expulsion.
A parent complains that a teacher shared private information about a student at a cocktail party or to another teacher on staff.
What does this connect to?
Leadership PLR’s.
Teacher professional conduct
- sharing information about a student
- maybe student wellbeing
Public confidence
Board Ontario College of Teachers Standards of practice Ethical standards Professional misconduct regulation
Proactive
Problem solving
What are the other factors that can be considered, if they would mitigate the seriousness of the action
- pupils history
- whether a progressive discipline approach has been used
- whether the action for which they might be suspended or expelled was related to harassment of the pupil because of his or her race, ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, or sexual orientation or to any other harassment
- how the suspension or expulsion would effect pupils ongoing education
- age of the pupil
- whether the behaviour was a manifestation of a disability they are identified with
- whether a student with an iep was given appropriate accommodations
- for a student with an IEP, will the suspension or expulsion result in aggravation or worsening of the students condition
What are some things a Principal should do to minimize risks to safety?
Ensure people trained in First aid are easily identified.
Ensure everyone knows about students who have allergies or special needs/accommodations
Ensure that students and staff have necessary training to safely undertake an activity and know how to report situations that seem unsafe
Be aware of board polices regarding intervening in violent or aggressive situations between and among students
Determine whether parental consent might be needed for special activities or whether additional volunteers would make it safer
Know what safety equipment is needed for special activities (Science equipment such as safety glasses, fire blankets)
What are the two main responsibilities of Principals?
Instruction and discipline of students
Organization and management of the school
What governs our professional conduct?
Standards of practice
Ethical standards
Professional misconduct regulation
What are some things a school staff can do in relation to improving mental health and well-being?
- equitable teaching practices (inquiry, developmental, differentiation)
- promote belonging (buddy bench, buddy ledge)
- caring adult/mentor programs
- know how to recognize mental health issues, including signs and words of aggression and suicidal intent, and report them immediately
- make everyone aware of how your school’s Safe and Accepting Schools Team can be of help.
- be aware of services that provide phone, in-person and online counseling to students as identified by your school or employer.
What are the standards of the profession that members are bound to maintain?
- Be committed to students and students learning
- Be current in professional knowledge
- Apply professional knowledge and experience to promote student learning - and refine practice through ongoing inquiry and reflection
- Promote and participate in the creation of collaborative, safe and supportive learning communities - and apply ethical standards in participation
- Be committed to ongoing professional learning - recognize that professional learning is informed by experience, research, collaboration and knowledge.
Which act sets province-wide standards for average class sizes at both the elementary and secondary levels and other elements of curriculum and Special Education
Education accountability act
A teacher’s words or actions in a PLC are constantly critical and causing other teachers to shut down.
What does this connect to?
Leadership PLR’s.
Well-being - safe and accepting school climate
Professional standards - promoting collaboration
Student achievement because collaboration has one of the greatest effects/impacts on staff professional learning and school improvement
PLR’s: problem solving
knowledge of what makes a school work
stay calm - brains read brains
What are school staff responsibilities when a student wishes to discuss healthy relationships, gender identity and sexuality?
They are expected
to provide contact information about professional
supports – such as public health units,
child and youth workers, mental health workers,
help phone lines – or other community agencies
that offer the appropriate type of confidential
support. This could include, for example, a
sexual assault centre, Kids Help Phone
What information must be shared with a parent or guardian of a student who was harmed by another student?
What information can the Principal not provide?
The principal must tell parents or guardians
about:
• the incident
• the harm to their child
• what steps were taken to protect their child’s
safety, including any disciplinary measures
taken in response to the incident
• the supports that will be provided for their
child in response to the incident.
The principal cannot name or provide any
other personal information (e.g., referral to
counselling), about the student who has
engaged in the incident.
What kind of learning environment is essential for student achievement and well-being?
A safe and accepting learning environment is essential for student achievement and well-being
