Our Student Code of Conduct exists to ensure that each student and staff member has access to a welcoming, caring, respectful, and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging. The Code of Conduct ensures that our school promotes a culture of wellness that:
- Establishes and maintains a welcoming, caring, respectful, and safe learning environment for all students, staff, families, and the greater community;
- Establishes and maintains an appropriate balance between individual and collective rights, freedoms, and responsibilities in the school community;
- Establishes and publishes expectations for student behaviour while at school, at a school-related activity, or while engaging in an activity that may have an impact on others in the school;
- Ensures that healthy environments exist in all schools that are free from fear, discrimination, and harassment while promoting inclusive strategies to ensure that every student is treated with respect and dignity.
As members of the Blueberry School Community, we are expected to:
- Engage in productive work
- Maintain a safe and clean environment
- Share space effectively
In keeping with a commitment to the Alberta Human Rights Act, in Parkland School Division everyone is accepted and experiences a sense of belonging. Every student, no matter their ability, disability, language, cultural background, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity, has meaningful contributions to make. The Division supports the endeavours of staff, students, parents, and the community to promote positive student behaviour and conduct throughout our community of schools.
All stakeholders, and especially the students themselves, will be encouraged to recognize their responsibilities in developing a culture of wellness and student self-discipline to work towards personal success and well-being in our school community.
- Students are expected to:
- Use their abilities and talents to gain maximum learning benefits from their school experiences;
- Contribute to a climate of mutual trust and respect conducive to effective learning, personal development, and social living;
- Cooperate fully with everyone authorized by the Board to provide education programs and other services;
- Comply with the rules of the school;
- Respect and comply with the rules of any school that the student is visiting;
- Account to the student’s teachers for the student’s conduct;
- Attend school regularly and punctually;
- Choose appropriate behaviours, with full understanding of the consequences that invariably follow their choices;
- Treat other students and staff with dignity, respect and fairness;
- Contribute to a learning environment that is free from physical, emotional, and social injustices and harm;
- Demonstrate, with increasing consistency, the School Code of Conduct;
- Positively contribute to the student’s school and community and, to the greatest extent possible, to a learning environment that is structured, peaceful, safe, non-threatening, and conducive to learning and optimal growth;
- Refrain from, report, and not tolerate bullying or bullying behaviour directed toward others in the school, whether or not it occurs within the school building, during the school day or by electronic means (social media).
- Students are accountable for:
- Demonstrating respect for authority;
- Demonstrating respect for others and their property;
- Demonstrating respect for school property, equipment and textbooks;
- Demonstrating respect for the diversity of all people.
- Students are prohibited from engaging in unacceptable behaviour within the school or on any school or Board-related trips or activities.
Technology
Personal Mobile Devices
In Parkland School Division, the use and access to technology during the school day is outlined by AP 670: Personal Mobile Devices. With awareness of this procedure and in alignment with the Ministerial Order (#014/2024), Blueberry staff have developed guidelines specific to our school.
AP 670 states:
- Students are prohibited from use of personal mobile devices during instructional time.
- Any Internet/network accessible, wearable technology shall be considered to be a personal mobile device, and therefore shall be prohibited during instructional time, (i.e., smart watches, smart glasses, smart headphones, or similar smart devices).
At Blueberry School:
- Personal mobile devices are to be powered off and placed out of sight (lockers or backpacks) if brought to school.
- Students from Kindergarten through Grade Six are to refrain from accessing cell phones and smart watches/smart devices while at school. These devices are to be on silent mode or powered off and stored out of sight (in lockers or backpacks).
- Students in Grades Seven through Nine are to keep cell phones and smart watches/smart devices on silent mode or powered off and stored in lockers while at school. Grade Seven through Nine students will be provided brief access to these devices during lunch break as directed and supervised by teachers.
- Smart Glasses are not permitted in classrooms for daily use due to concerns over privacy of other students and access to the internet that is difficult to monitor.
- Personal computers and tablets will be permitted at the discretion of the teacher and/or school administration during instructional time provided students use these devices for educational purposes and avoid accessing social media sites and applications, and refrain from communicating via these devices. As part of the yearly registration process, all students using technology accept Parkland School Division’s Responsible Use of Technology Agreement.
- Personal and school-provided computers and tablets will not be used during snack or eating times.
- All students are to refrain from accessing social media using school networks and school devices.
- The Principal may provide limited use of personal mobile devices in such circumstances as for health or medical reasons or to support educational needs.
If students choose not to follow our device guidelines, phones/devices will be securely stored in the office until the end of the day. If a student does not follow the guidelines after several instances, parent pickup of the device may be required.
If a student needs to communicate with parents while at school, they are welcome to use the community student phone in the front office. Please note that families may call the school in the event they need to speak to their child. Our secretaries will be happy to pass on any messages you may have.
Dress Code
We believe that we are preparing our students for the future. Students will need to make appropriate choices that demonstrate respect for themselves, others, and prepare them for the world of work. Appropriate clothing for the appropriate environment is a life skill. Students are expected to dress appropriately for the school environment:
- Clothing must cover undergarments and private body areas at all times.
- Clothing with lettering, logos, or images that are suggestive, promote drug use, alcohol use or illegal activity, sexually explicit or implicit language/images, etc. are not in keeping with our Code of Conduct and as such are not appropriate for the school environment.
- Indoor footwear is mandatory at all times, or as otherwise specified.
- Personal bags (backpacks, cross-body bags, purses, etc.) are to be stored in lockers or provided hooks for the duration of the school day.
Students wearing clothing that is not appropriate for the school environment will be supported in finding a solution to remedy the situation (i.e. putting on a sweater, calling home for some alternate clothing). Parents will be notified if an issue persists.
Discipline Policy and Consequences
We know that from time to time students will make mistakes. When these mistakes happen it is important for students to:
- Take responsibility for their actions
- Serve any consequences that may be given; Consequences may include any of the following: parental involvement, loss of privileges, alternate workspace, in-school/out of school suspension, or other consequences as determined by administration and as defined in Parkland School Division’s Administrative Procedure 160
- Learn from the mistake
- Understand that staff are here to support every student
Please refer to our Blueberry School Handbook for more information on our school policies and procedures.