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Safe and Accepting Schools

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​A school bus sits idle in the front of an elementary school

The Safe and Accepting Schools team focuses on student support, interventions and staff learning to promote a safe, healthy and inclusive classroom for all students.​  The HDSB works together to build a positive place where students can learn, grow and inspire together.

Student safety is paramount in all we do.  The HDSB is committed to supporting equitable learning and working environments for our students and staff.  As parents and educators we know that children thrive when they feel safe, respected and included in their community.  We are committed to helping students become responsible and respectful members of our school community.

We promote this through a variety of ways:

  • Each school has a bullying and prevention strategy: HDSB Bullying Prevention and Awareness
  • A tool to report bullying anonymously
  • Code of Conduct for all HDSB Students, Families and Staff 
  • Progressive Discipline approach to support and engage students and parents/guardians 
  • Elementary Absence Check Systems
  • Controlled Access Entry at all Elementary Schools 

The following resources, administrative procedures and tools support our students, families and staff to ensure our classes are equitable, safe and supportive for all.  ​

​​​Safe & Accepting Schools Policy

The Halton District School Board recognizes that open dialogue and a whole-school approach are required, and that everyone has a role to play in creating a positive school climate and in preventing inappropriate behaviour, such as bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual assault, and violence.
 
View Safe & Accepting Schools Policy​

  Administrative Procedures​

Bullying Prevention & Intervention
Positive School Climate​​
​ Fair Notice Letter
​​
Suspension & Expulsion
Violence Threat Risk Assessment ​
​
​​
What is VTRA
Exclusion of Students
​
​
​ ​

​Halton Opportunities for Expelled and Suspended Students (H.O.P.E.S)

H.O.P.E.S.​ is an opportunity for suspended and/or expelled students to pursue both academic and therapeutic learning.

Learn more about H.O.P.E.S.​


​​Bullying Prevention and Intervention

Each school has posted on their school website their plan to support this policy and how they are working as a school community. Check your school's site for their current plan.

Recognizing Bullying​ ​

Rough Play

  • Usually friends or friendly towards each other​​
  • Often repeated with same players
  • Balance of power
  • Equal, consensual reaction
  • Not seeking power or attention
  • No intention to harm
  • Intent is fun – if goes wrong, then remorseful
  • Not regarded as a ​problem​​​​


 

 

Conflict

  • Usually acquaintances or friends
  • Can be occasional or ongoing
  • Conflict is centred around disagreement or a dispute or an issue 
  • Could centre around misunderstanding, misinformation, or no common ground
  • Power relatively equal
  • Equal or near equal emotional reaction
  • Not seeking power or attention
  • No intent to harm
  • Remorse and generally takes responsibility unless fearful of the consequences
  • Can be resolved on their own or with aid of third party​
​

Bullying​

  • Typically not friends; however may have had a relationship previously
  • Intentional target
  • Repeated and persistent
  • Unequal power
  • Bully’s reaction meets own intrinsic need for power and control (consciously or unconsciously)
  • Strong emotional, mental, and physical reaction for target
  • Attempt to gain power and control, possessions, or popularity
  • Intent to harm, humiliate, exclude, or victimize
  • Threats of physical or emotional harm
  • Bully may or may not show remorse
  • Bully may or may not know what they are doing is wrong
  • Bully may blame target or believe the target deserves it
  • Bully may deny there is a problem
  • Requires active intervention and support by third party
  • Target may not be able to articulate
​​


 

 

Types of Bullying

  • Physical Bullying may include hitting, kicking, tripping, pinching, pushing, and/or damaging property. 
  • Verbal Bullying may include name calling, insults, teasing, intimidation, homophobic or racist remarks, and/or verbal abuse. 
  • Social Bullying, sometimes referred to as covert bullying, is often harder to recognize and can be carried out behind someone’s back as it is designed to harm someone’s social reputation and/or cause humiliation. It may include lying or spreading rumours about someone, encouraging others to exclude someone socially, or playing nasty jokes one someone to embarrass or humiliate them and damage their social standing. 
  • Cyber Bullying is intentional and repeated harm through the use of computers, smartphones, social media, instant messaging, websites, and other online platforms. It may consist of deliberately excluding someone online, spreading nasty rumours or gossip, imitating others online or using their passwords, and/or sending abusive or hurtful tests, emails, posts, videos, or images.
​

​Safe & Accepting Schools Team​

Scott Podrebarac

Superintendent - Safe & Accepting Schools

Brent Coakwell

System Principal - Safe Schools

Dawn Reeve

Executive Assistant - Safe & Accepting Schools

Jonathan Guest
Matthew Braun​

Halton Opportunities Program for Expelled/Suspended Student (H.O.P.E.S) -Teachers

Vanessa Cvetko
Kelsey Hunter

Halton Opportunities Program for Expelled/Suspended Student (H.O.P.E.S)  - Specialized Behaviour Support Workers

Susie Rego
Emma De Bono

Halton Opportunities Program for Expelled/Suspended Student (H.O.P.E.S.) - Social Workers

Leeanne Fewkes
Neelam Ratansi Sahadeo
Melissa Vance​

Safe & Accepting Schools - Social Workers

Laurie Carriere
Heather Dawe
Keri Kuechler

Safe & Accepting Schools​ - Child Youth Counsellor​​

​​
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2050 Guelph Line
Burlington, Ontario, L7P 5A8

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