Student Guidelines

Absence from School:  All students must provide a parental note explaining the reason for their absence from school.  A phone call to the main office (368-7000) or an email message will be accepted as a reasonable substitute if no parental note is available.  If an explanation is not provided, the student is deemed to be truant and will be disciplined appropriately. Adult students may write a note for themselves providing a legitimate reason.  Students are responsible for obtaining the missed work/notes from the teacher.  In addition, students are to make-up any missed quizzes or tests the day they return. Failure to do so may result in a mark of zero.

Academic Conduct: Students must write all tests and examinations in an honest manner and must not engage in plagiarism. Students are expected to come to school well rested and free from all substances (drugs and alcohol).

Accidents:  All accidents resulting in a personal injury or property damage must be reported to the Main Office.

Advertising:  All posters or bulletins must be approved and initialed by the Principal or Vice-Principal.

Announcements:  All students are expected to stand still and listen to the National Anthem and the morning announcements where ever they are in the building.

Assemblies:  Attendance at school assemblies is compulsory. Common courtesy is expected from all toward the peoplemaking a presentation or receiving special recognition.

Athletics:  All students are encouraged to participate in Intramural and Inter-school sporting activities.  Please see the Student Athletic Code of Conduct located on page 21 for complete athletic information.  Athletic fees must be paid before the first game.  Participation in athletics is a privilege and must be treated as such.

Buses:  Riding a school bus is a privilege not a right. All students are to sit in assigned seats.  The same behaviour expected of students in a classroom is expected when students are riding a bus.  Violation of the bus rules or inappropriate conduct may result in a suspension of all bus privileges for a specific period of time. Changing assigned busses is not permitted. Students transferring busses are not permitted to smoke during the transfer.

Cafeteria: Students are expected to assist in keeping the cafeteria clean and tidy by returning their trays, using the recycle containers and picking up their garbage.  Students who do not put their own garbage or litter away will be assigned “Cafeteria clean-up” duty.

Cell Phones:  Cell phones are not allowed in classrooms, they are to be turned off and out of sight.  Cell phones are not allowed to be used anywhere in the school during class hours,but may be used before school starts, during lunch or after school.  If a student is sent to the office because of a phone issue, the phone will stay in the office until the end of the day.  If there are repeat incidents, the phone will stay in the office until a parent can come to school and pick it up.

Change Room:  The school is not responsible for your personal items or any items left in the change room that go missing. Valuables should never be left in change rooms.  We recommend that valuables be left at home or in your hall locker for safekeeping.

Credit  Recovery:  Credit Recovery may be available to students who have failed one or more compulsory credits.  The credit recovery team reviews all potential credit recovery students, and based on student credit accumulation, attendance,past performance, behaviour and class size, makes the decision about student placement in a credit recovery class.Students should never assume that they will be a candidate for credit recovery, as the team may not make this recommendation.

Dances:  All dances are conducted in accordance with the guidelines established by the Students’ Council and Staff.  Students will abide by all school rules when attending. Students may sign in one guest (subject to approval by the administration). Guests must be signed in at the school office 2 days prior.  Students who violate the rules will be subject to black listing as well as regular school consequences.

Detentions: Detentions are served for one half-hour in the designated area (room A5) during lunch, between 11:45 and 12:15. Students may eat their lunch or work on homework assignments in this area during this time. Students arriving to the detention room late will be expected to stay later and in serious cases, be assigned an additional detention. Students who do not go to their detention will be automatically assigned a 1 day “In- school Withdrawal”.

Display of Affection:  Caring for others is important. There is ,however, a time and place for everything.  Students are to limit their display of affection for one another to holding hands.Failure to comply may lead to a report to the Vice Principal and/or disciplinary action.

Dress Code: Students are expected to be presentable in their attire and personal hygiene.  Students are not to wear: headgear in the school (including hats or bandanas worn in any fashion), coats in class, shorts or skirts must extend past the fingertips of an arm extended at your side, clothing with offensive logos, or any other clothing deemed to be inappropriate by staff ( i.e. spaghetti straps, exposed midriffs, exposed underwear, pajamas bottoms…). Consequences include: warning, detentions, and suspensions.

Drinks:  Bottles of water are permitted in class. We encourage the use of reusable bottles. No other beverages are permitted in classrooms.

Email:  Every student has an assigned email account for school use. These are more commonly  known as “rscloud” accounts. These accounts might prove to be extremely useful as external email accounts may not work in the school. Students will be issued an rscloud account in grade nine if they do not already have one from their elementary school.

Exams: Students are to write their exams as scheduled, unless a doctors’ note is provided. Students who miss an exam will receive a mark of zero for that exam. In the event that school is cancelled, scheduled exams take place the following day.

Explosive Devices:  Students playing with fire, fire crackers, or fireworks endanger themselves and others. Such conduct is prohibited on school property or buses. Parental involvement,suspension, expulsion and/or charges may result.

Facebook:  Students are not allowed on “Facebook” during class time.

Field Trip:  All school rules extend to field trips.  Additional expectations are set out on the consent forms.

Fire Drills:  Should you discover a fire, pull the nearest alarm sound, leave the building immediately. It is a criminal offence to set off a false alarm or to tamper with fire safety equipment. Regular fire drills are conducted throughout the school year. In the event of a drill, follow the directions of your teacher without question.

Gambling: Any form of gambling on school property is strictly prohibited.  Students engaged in such activities will have their playing cards confiscated and/or may face additional disciplinary consequences such as detentions or suspension from school.

Garbage: School custodians take great care to ensure that our school is clean, in good repair, and cared for.  Please place your garbage in the appropriate containers, not in the hallways or on cafeteria tables.

Guest Passes: Guest passes for a specific educational purpose may be obtained at least one day in advance from the Principal or Vice-Principal. All guests in the school must register in the main office.

Gymnasium: As with classrooms, no food or drink is permitted.  In addition, no student is to be in the gymnasium unsupervised. Note: The Mustang gym uniform is recommended for participation in all phys-ed classes, and costs $20.00 for shorts and tee shirt.

Ill Students:  Students who become ill after arriving at school and cannot continue with regular classes are to report to the Main Office so that they can be looked after and a parent/guardian contacted for pick up. Students failing to report to the office are considered truant.

Lockers and Locks:  Every student is assigned a locker, and must use this assigned locker for the duration of their time at MSS.  As such, students are requested to take care of their lockers.  Shared lockers are not permitted. Lockers are off-limits during class time unless a Hallway Passport is obtained from the teacher involved.  Students are not permitted to change lockers at anytime, unless with approval from Principal or Vice Principal.

Lost and Found:  Items lost or stolen should be reported to the Main Office immediately.  Items found should be taken to the lost and found located in the Main Office.  The owner may claim items in the office. Students  should  not bring  ANY valuables  to school (i.e. expensive jewelry, smart phones, large amounts of cash).  The school will not be responsible for any of the above items should they be lost or stolen.

Out of Bounds:  Halls during class time are out of bounds.  Students on spares are to be in the library, cafeteria or outside for the period. Students who are in this area are to use the washrooms in the cafeteria area only. During the day, buses are out of bounds to students. Students are not to go onto the school roof for ANY REASON.

Parking: Students who drive to school must park in the main lot on the south side of the school.  Students are not to loiter in the parking area. Snow machines are to be parked in the designated area at the back of the school near the Technology area. Locked bicycles should be left in the bike rack located near the south entrance of the school.

Plagiarism: “An important part of the secondary school experience is the writing of the essay, report or research paper.Information or ideas taken from another source must be properly acknowledged. Failure to do so is a  serious offense known as PLAGIARISM (literary theft).  Students found guilty of plagiarism will receive a “0″ on the piece of work in question,and may receive a suspension from school.  Repeat offenders may jeopardize post-secondary scholarships or bursaries. Where a teacher deems that the piece of work represents a significant component in the evaluation of the course, the student may be required to submit a new  project  for  a maximum  of  50%.  Visit  the www.lib.duke.edu/libguide/cite/works_cited.htm site for help with citing sources and writing a bibliography.

Preparation: Students are expected to be prepared for each class, with all necessary material.Students should havea ssigned work completed, handed in on due dates and be prepared for tests and examinations.

Punctuality (late to class/school):  Students are expected to be on time for each subject class. Being on time shows consideration and respect for other people.  Students who are late for class disturb the learning environment. Avoidable lateness will be subject to disciplinary action, consequences are as follows:

• Students will be expected to stay in class for severalminutes after class ends during the lunch period orafter school. If you arrive late, you will be expected toleave late.
• If you are deemed to be excessively late (10- 15 minutes) for any period, an office admit slip is required andstudents may be assigned a detention for theirtardiness.
• Once a student has accumulated a total of 20 lates in asemester, he/she will automatically be assigned anoffice detention every time he/she is late thereafter.

Respect for Others:  

a) Students will show respect and honour when interactingwith the school community. It is each student’s right to attend aschool free from physical, verbal or emotional abuse. Suchabuse, whether physical, verbal (oral or written), sexual orpsychological, that is bullying or discriminating on the basis ofrace, culture, religion, gender, language, ability, sexualorientation or any other attributes is unacceptable and is to bere

b)It is the responsibility of a student upon request to identify him/her self to any staff member in a cooperative manner and follow their direction.

Respect for Property:  Students will show respect for their school environment by caring for property of self, peers,teachers and the school building.

Scents: Rainbow District School Board promotes a “scent free environment”. All students and staff are to refrain from wearing strong perfumes, colognes, deodorants, etc.  Strong scent scan trigger fatal allergic reactions.

School Bags: It is school board policy to leave school bags in lockers. School bags present many safety issues (i.e. during a fire alarm, bags could be in the way of the door and could be tripped over).

Sign-out Procedure: Students are required to submit a note to the main office first thing in the morning if they wish to sign-out.  If students forget to bring a note they may sign out if we have “verbal consent” from a parent or guardian. This can be done through a phone call home from the office and speaking with a parent/guardian. Students not signing out are deemed to be truant and will be assigned consequences for skipping class.

Sound/Gaming/Video Systems:  Personal sound/gaming/video systems are not permitted in classrooms unless requested by the teacher for a specific purpose. It is strongly advised that these systems be left at home. Loss or theft of personal sound systems is not the responsibility of the Main Office. Should any student choose to bring one of these systems to school, they must take full responsibility for it’s safety. Be aware that inappropriate use of a sound system may result in teacher confiscation of the system.

Spares:  Students on spare period one must  report to the library for attendance and to pick-up appointment slips. Students on spare throughout the remainder of the day may stay in the library, café, or outside but are not allowed to wander throughout the school or disturb classes by going to their lockers during class time.

Student Activity Fee:  The annual student activity fee collected during the Start-Up procedure is a voluntary amount that will be used to supplement a student’s school experience through materials and activities including the student agenda, lock,student recognition programs and school spirit activities.  No fees or costs are charged to students for participation in regular day school programs. It is recognized that there may be optional resources that students may purchase in order to enhance program.

Swimming:  Students are not permitted to swim during school hours (including lunch), unless it is a supervised school event.  Students are asked to stay off of the M’Chigeeng docks altogether.

Technology Use in Schools: The Internet and electronic devices have changed our world, offering unparalleled resources and associated challenges.  As the technology has expanded, so have the implications related to the safety and privacy of students and staff.

Use of computers is a privilege.  Any student found abusing any computer system either hardware or software will have his/her privileges removed.  Please refer to page 20 of this book for details on terms & conditions of use.

Rainbow Schools remind students and parents/guardians that cell phones, digital cameras, personal digital and other electronic devices can be disruptive and must not be activated in class or during examinations and or assessments without the permission of school staff.

Electronic devices must not be used in a manner that violates the privacy or dignity of others. This includes the use of cellphones and cameras (and similar devices) in washrooms,change rooms and any other areas where privacy prevails;taking photographs or a person or persons on school property and/or at school events without the permission of the person or persons being photographed; and posting photographs on the Internet and/or electronically transmitting photographs or a person or persons taken on school property and/or at school events without the permission of the person or persons in the photograph.

Using the Internet and electronic devices with care will ensure that the safety and privacy of students and staff remain first and foremost.

Teacher Absences: All students are expected to attend classes regardless of whether their teacher is in the school. All classes are supervised by a qualified replacement teacher,and teachers provide meaningful work for students to do in their absence.  Students not in attendance in class will be deemed truant.

Textbooks & Library Books: The school lends books to all students. Each student is responsible for them and must return them in good condition. The school must be reimbursed for any items lost or damaged, usually to the tune of $75 – $100, before textbooks will be issued for the following semester courses.

Tobacco: Smoking or holding lighted tobacco is prohibited on school property. Students involved in this action may be suspended and will be reported to the Sudbury and District Health Unit Tobacco Enforcement Officer. Students are expected to be in class during class time and not in the smoking area. Students found smoking during class time will be suspended.  Smoking between periods is not permitted and will be subject to detention and possible suspension. Chewing tobacco is prohibited at all times.

Trespassing:  Students are asked to respect the right of our neighbors and refrain from trespassing on their property. Trespassers on school property may be prosecuted according to the statutes of Ontario. Intruders are to be reported to the Main Office.

Truancy (skipping class):  Students shall attend all classes while at school.  Regular attendance is essential for success in school and in the workplace. If, as a result of skipping, a student misses any evaluation, a mark of zero will be assigned for that test or assignment. In addition, a “progressive discipline” process of detentions, in-school withdrawal, behaviour contract, referral to the Attendance Counsellor and possible suspension will be used with students who chronically skip classes.

Video Surveillance:  Video surveillance equipment is used at MSS for the following purpose; to enhance the safety of students and staff, to protect property against theft and vandalism, and to help identify intruders and persons breaking the law.  Video security surveillance equipment may be used on school buses for the same reasons. Personal information is being collected under the authority of The Education Act and used in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection Privacy (MFIPPA).

Virtual Library: MSS has created a Virtual Library for student use. The link to the VL is on the MSS website homepage, manitoulin.rainbowschools.ca. The usernames and passwords are available from the Librarian.

Washroom breaks:  Washroom breaks are a privilege, and may be restricted or removed if abused.  There are to be no washroom breaks during the first 30 minutes or last 10 minutes of class. Students must ask for permission, then have their Hallway Passports signed in order to go to the washroom.Breaks are to last no longer than 5 minutes (unless a doctor’s note has been provided in advance). Only one student is allowed out of the room at any one time.  Other students must wait to use the washroom and while waiting for their turn, students must remain in their seats and keep working at their assigned task.

Weapons: Students can expect a safe environment free from any weapon or dangerous objects. The carrying, use of, or threat of use of a weapon is illegal according to the Safe Schools Act 2007. A weapon is anything used for or intended for use as an instrument for inflicting bodily harm, or anything used or intended for use for the purpose of threatening or intimidating any person.  Students in possession of weapons will be subject to expulsion.  Laser pens are deemed to be weapons by the Ministry of Education and Training in Ontario and will be treated as such.