Code of Conduct

J. Alfred Laird Elementary School 

Code of Conduct 

Our Code of Conduct helps our school to be a safe and caring environment, where all students are encouraged to create, think and learn. Our code of conduct is based on three pillars:  

I can take care of myself by: 

• Taking responsibility for my words and actions 
• Speaking positively about myself 
• Asking for help when I need:  
• a break 
• materials or tools 
• instructions repeated 
• Being “ready to learn” and participating to the best of my ability in all activities 
• Attending school every day 
• Getting enough sleep and choosing healthy foods 
• Exercising regularly and spending time outdoors 
• Following adult directions 
• Keeping my space organized and tidy 
• Putting my cellphone away while I’m at school  
• Using playground equipment safely and appropriately (I can follow the recess rules). 

I can take care of others by: 

• Welcoming everyone with kind words and a smile 
• Using school-appropriate language 
• Telling the truth 
• Including others, cooperating, and treating everyone with respect 
• Caring about the needs of others and accepting their differences 
• Valuing the feelings, ideas, stories, and experiences shared by others 
• Actively listening to understand the views of others 
• Respecting the learning needs of others 
• Waiting and taking turns 
• Going to a teacher or trusted adult when others are being unsafe 
• Keeping my body to myself 
• Playing fairly and by the rules 
• Being a good digital citizen. 

I can take care of this place by: 

• Showing care and respect for the natural world
• Only taking the supplies I need and using them wisely
• Being respectful of other people’s belongings
• Behaving appropriately in shared spaces
• Cleaning up after myself and others
• Taking pride in the appearance of my school and community
• Putting garbage in its place.

If I am unable to follow our school’s Code of Conduct, my teachers and the principal will help me learn to make better choices. They will always start by giving me a reminder and a chance to change my behaviour. If that does not work, they may choose to: 

• Contact my parents; 
• Give me some calm-down time; 
• Provide a different space in the school where I can work; 
• Remove privileges (such as having my phone at school, or going outside for recess) until I have shown I can manage myself; 
• Help me make a plan for how I am going to make things right; 

If I am being unsafe or I have intentionally hurt someone, I will have to go home. That’s because every person in our school deserves to feel safe. When I return to school, school staff will help me make things right with those I have hurt. When I have done my repair work, I will be welcomed back by our school community, who all care about me, and want me to be successful at school.   

Bullying will not be tolerated at J. Alfred Laird. Bullying is when someone repeatedly hurts or scares another person on purpose. It can include actions such as: 

• Punching, shoving and other acts that hurt people physically 
• Spreading bad rumours about people 
• Keeping certain people out of a group 
• Teasing people in a mean way 
• Getting certain people to “gang up” on others 

If someone is choosing bullying behaviour, parents will be contacted. The person bullying someone else will be required to stay at home until a clear plan can be put in place.  That person will be removed from situations where they have contact with the victim, which could mean that they will lose recess privileges, or be moved to a different class, or a different school. The school will work with the family to access community services, such as police and counselling, to help the person to understand the impact of their actions and make better choices. 

Updated October 2022