PRAIRIE SPIRIT SCHOOL DIVISION

BOARD GOVERNANCE POLICY MANUAL 

Policy#13 - Safe and Respectful Schools

The Prairie Spirit School Division is committed to fostering and maintaining a safe, caring, respectful and inclusive school environment for its students, staff, parents, volunteers and others in the community. The Board of Trustees expects that schools and workplaces are directed to focus on safety and responsible citizenship based on Division values and applicable federal and provincial legislative requirements. Specifically, The Public Schools Act states that every school board shall ensure that each pupil within their jurisdiction “is provided with a safe and caring school environment that fosters and maintains respectful and responsible behaviours”. [Section 41(1) (b.1)] 

The Board of Trustees is committed to working in collaboration with all of its education partners to ensure and enhance the safety of the Division schools and school communities. 

The Superintendent and Secretary-Treasurer must ensure: 

• Each Principal establishes a code of conduct for pupils and staff.

• Each Principal establishes an emergency response plan for the school.

• The Division and each school have a threat assessment protocol.

• Codes of conduct, emergency response plans and threat assessments are reviewed at least annually. 

• Administrative procedures, operations and practices implemented in the Division are compliant with applicable federal and provincial legislative requirements and government directives, including but not limited to:  

• The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms  

• The Public Schools Act

• The Safe Schools Charter

• The Education Administration Act 

• The Public Service Act

• The Human Rights Code

• The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act  

• Criminal Code

• The Workplace Safety and Health Act

Specific Directives

In addition to the above, the Superintendent and Secretary-Treasurer must specifically ensure administrative procedures, operations and practices are implemented in the Division to address the following:

• Respect for Human Diversity

• To ensure members of the school community have the right to learn and work in a safe and inclusive environment where human diversity is respected and bullying, discrimination and harassment are not tolerated.

• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

• To ensure every Trustee and employee of the Division is responsible at all times for their professional and ethical conduct and conduct themselves with the highest degree of integrity, responsibility and accountability.

• Staff / Student Interactions

• To ensure clear expectations regarding behaviours and boundaries that might be considered by staff when interacting with pupils; and

• To ensure staff are always encouraged to be diligent in avoiding any conduct that is unprofessional; this is to say any act that does not represent a staff-pupil interaction that is required for learning and instruction, or that could be reasonably perceived as a breach of power or trust on the part of the staff member by others.  

  • • Appropriate Education Programming

• To ensure that each enrolled student is provided with adequate school accommodation, and they are provided access to Appropriate Education Programming for all students within their schools, particularly those with special learning needs. Appropriate Education Programming for most students is the provincial curriculum. Some students may require additional supports to access the curriculum, and a smaller number of students may require highly individualized learning outcomes in addition to or instead of the provincial curriculum. 

  • • Safe and Caring Schools

      1. • 1. 1. • Guided by Safe and Inclusive Schools legislation, every student in Manitoba deserves to feel safe and respected in school.  Providing a safe and caring school environment that fosters and maintains respectful and responsible behaviours is a top priority of Prairie Spirit School Division