Policies

Policy Statement:

The Board is committed to establishing and maintaining a welcoming, caring, culturally respectful, and emotionally safe learning and working environment for all members of the school community. This includes protecting the rights set out in the Alberta Human Rights Act (also referenced or enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Alberta Education Act) that protect against discrimination on the basis of any of the following grounds:

• Race;
• Religious beliefs;
• Colour;
• Gender;
• Gender identity;
• Physical disability;
• Mental disability;
• Age;
• Ancestry;
• Place of origin;
• Marital status;
• Source of income;
• Family status; and
• Sexual orientation.

as provided for in the Alberta Human Rights Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

All students and staff have the right to learn and work in an environment that promotes equality of opportunity, dignity, respect, and recognition of diversity. To this end, the Board is committed to providing an environment that:

1.  supports the positive mental health of students and staff. 
2. is free from harassment, bullying, discrimination, and violence. 

It is the collective responsibility of all those involved with the division including trustees, employees, students, parents/guardians, volunteers, and visitors to create and maintain positive cultures within our schools and other educational settings.

1. Students, staff, volunteers, and trustees shall adhere to their respective Codes of Conduct and school codes of conduct.
2. The Safe and Caring School Policy will be respected and supported by all students, staff, volunteers, and trustees
3. This policy covers behavior not only at Division schools but also at any school-related functions. This applies whether contact is face-to-face, by phone, fax, e-mail, Social media, or Intranet, or by any other means of communication and includes but is not limited to threatening, harassing, intimidating, assaulting, or bullying, in any way, any person within the school community including aggressive behaviours such as “cyber” hate messaging and websites created in the student’s home, in cyber cafes or other settings. 
4. To create, maintain and address concerns relating to threats, bullying, harassment, safety, and/or intimidation, such incidents must be identified and reported. The Board encourages reporting to a safe adult or in the case of an employee, to the person identified in the Occupational Health and Safety Act and AP 407: Public Interest Disclosure Act (Whistleblower Protection).
5. The Board supports the establishment of student organizations and student-led activities that promote equality and non-discrimination, including but not limited to gay-straight alliances, queer-straight alliances, diversity clubs, anti-racism clubs, and anti-bullying clubs.

Palliser School Division is a public body bound by the provisions of the Freedom of Information and the Protection of Privacy Act. Any disclosure of personal information must be done in accordance with this Act.

This policy serves as a foundation policy to setting overarching, high-level direction to a set of comprehensive administrative procedures as listed in the References section.

Scope and Limitations of Superintendent:

None

Information and Monitoring Requirements:

All complaints coming forward will be documented and recorded in Board minutes.

Reference:

Alberta Human Rights Act, Sections 3(1), 4, 5, 7, 8

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Section 15(1)

Education Act, Section 35(1)(1) 

Occupational Health and Safety Act, Section 3(1), 4, 5, 37(1)

Teaching Profession Act

Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard

AP310 -  Safe and Caring School Environments

AP352 -   Bullying Behaviour in Schools

AP171 – Harassment of Students or Employees

AP205 – Controversial Issues

AP319 – Safe Interventions with Students

AP340 - Student Code of Conduct

AP 407: Public Interest Disclosure Act (Whistleblower Protection)