At Duke of Connaught...

We take pride in who we are and strive to achieve our personal best;
We are collaborative, cooperative and polite;
We are respectful of ourselves and others in all places at all times:
We care for our environment and put waste in its place:
We arrive on time and are prepared for the day ahead:
We work together to keep our school safe and caring and are committed to resolving issues in a restorative way.

At Duke, our Mission is:

To create a safe and caring school environment for our students, our staff, and our community. We strive to ensure students understand what is being taught and reach high levels of academic achievement.

The TDSB's Mission Statement:

Our Mission is to enable all students to reach high levels of achievement and to acquire the knowledge, skills and values they need to become responsible members of a democratic society.

The Rights of Our Students:

Every student will be respected and treated fairly in a positive school climate that is inclusive and accepting of all pupils, including of any race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status or disability.

Every student will learn in a positive school climate that includes a safe and clean environment where they will experience success, and develop to their full potential.

SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES

Student Responsibilities

Treat everyone with kindness and respect.
· Arrive on time and prepared for learning.
Have a positive attitude towards learning and always put forward your best effort.
Respect the school environment, both inside and outside of the school.
Respect the rights and property of others.
Resolve conﬂicts peacefully.
Ask an adult for support when you need help to resolve a conﬂict or feel unsafe.
Ask for assistance when you need support to understand an assignment or a concept.

Staff Responsibilities

Treat everyone with kindness and respect.
Be a positive role model.
Respect the rights of everyone and ensure confidentiality.
Encourage each student to do their best work.
Provide an appropriate environment for each student's individual learning style and ensure that the tools are provided to increase success.
Monitor workload and ensure students understand assignments.
Communicate information regularly on the progress and behaviour of students to parents, guardians, caregivers, and colleagues.
Provide support to ensure students understand assignments and concepts.
Encourage appropriate ways to deal with conflict and manage emotions.

Parent Responsibilities

Treat everyone with kindness and respect.
Be a positive role model and a partner in your child(ren)’s education.
Communicate with your child(ren)’s teacher and school administration, especially if you have a concern.
Support your child(ren) to arrive on time and be prepared for the day ahead.
Call the office (416) 393-9455 if your child(ren) is/are going to be late or absent.
Encourage and model appropriate ways to manage and solve conflicts peacefully.

Parent Concern Protocol

The TDSB has a detailed policy called The Parent Concern Protocol. Its main objective is to outline the steps for addressing educational concerns. Parents/Guardians/Caregivers are encouraged to speak directly with your child(ren)’s teacher, should you have a concern. Appropriate flexibility will be exercised in implementing these procedures to suit individual circumstances.

SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS

In the Playground

Play safely and be aware on the climbing equipment.
Play games that are non—contact.
Rough play is to be avoided.
in the winter, ice and snow should stay on the ground.
Keep our school yard clean. Throw garbage in the garbage bins.
Walk bikes on school property and lock them up to keep them safe.
Skateboards, rollerblades and scooters are to be carried on school property and stored during the day.

Punctuality and Attendance: A Critical Life Skill

Regular, punctual attendance is expected of all students. Students must be in line by 8:20 am and at the end of their lunch recess. Teachers will begin their instructional time promptly at these times.

Allergies / Medical Conditions

There are students and staff in our school who have life-threatening allergies to many allergens including dairy, nuts, heavy scents, among others. While these are the most common allergens, others might include shellﬁsh, berries, seeds, and insect bites. If these students or staff smell or come in contact with these allergens, they may have an anaphylactic reaction.

In order to decrease the risk of allergens for our students and staff, please do not send any food to school that is not specifically and solely for your child(ren). Please do not send snacks or lunches to school that contain peanuts or nut products.

All allergies need to be communicated to your child's teacher and/or the school.

The Use of Non-Board Electronic Devices

Each school has its own guidelines about electronic devices. At a minimum, cell phones and other personal communication devices must be turned off and kept out of sight during all instructional periods, except with the clear permission of the Principal or the Teacher.

Discussions in our classrooms are ongoing throughout the year about the impact of our digital footprints and how a positive attitude towards using technology supports collaboration, learning and productivity. Camera and/or video functions on mobile devices are not permitted for use on school property without clear permission from the Principal or Teacher.

Students are responsible for the care and security of their personal devices. The school is not responsible for any damage, loss or theft of these electronic devices.

Code of Conduct

The TDSB and Duke of Connaught each have a code of conduct which have been established to ensure a caring and safe, inclusive, and accepting school climate that is kind, supportive, nurturing, positive and respectful to enable students to reach their full potential.

Duke's Code of Conduct shall apply to all members of the school community, including students, parents and guardians, teachers or other school staff members, volunteers, permit holders and visitors: on school property; while traveling on a school bus that is owned by the Board or that is under contract to the Board; in-school sports activities; in off-site school-sponsored activities.

To respond to inappropriate student behaviour, Duke uses a system of progressive discipline which is developed to support students in making appropriate, well-informed choices. Some examples of progressive discipline may include:

verbal reminder or warning
a ‘time-out" at recess or over the lunch hour
the offer of counseling (social work or guidance)
natural consequences appropriate for the situation
informal or formal meeting with parents/guardians
behaviour modification contract
formal suspension in keeping with the Board's Caring and Safe School's policies and procedures

Major incidents of a serious nature will be dealt with in accordance to the Board and Ministry guidelines and policies and may involve Toronto Police Services.

More information about the Code of Conduct

Topics within this page:

Duke Mission Statement
TDSB Mission Statement
Rights of Our Students

Shared Responsibilities

Student Responsibilities
Staff Responsibilities
Parent / Guardian / Caregiver Responsibilities
Parent Concern Protocol

School Expectations

In the Playground
In the Basketball Courts
In the Ball Courts
Punctuality and Attendance
Allergies / Medical Conditions
Non-Board Electronics

Code of Conduct

SCHOOL SAFETY

Lockdown and Fire Drills

At the beginning of each school year, our students and staff prepare for the year ahead by establishing the foundations for a successful year. One of the ways we know we can help students be successful is to create a safe environment in which to learn. Though no one ever wants to see an emergency happen at a school, it's important for school staff to be equipped to deal with those situations, should these occur.

The safety of students and staff is a top priority at Duke and to that end, as with all emergency drills, it is essential that we are prepared and understand the importance of procedures that will help ensure the safety of everyone in our school.

The TDSB has taken steps to ensure your child's safety while in school. Each school has developed emergency preparedness plans that include steps staff will take in the event of an emergency, how staff will get students away from possible dangers, and how students' families will be contacted.

One aspect of emergency preparedness is the lockdown and fire drill. All schools are required to conduct a minimum of two lockdown drills and six fire drills each school year. Lockdown drills, like fire drills, are an essential component to ensuring student and staff safety. It is important that all staff and students are prepared and know how to respond in cases of emergencies. The drills last approximately 5 minutes and ensure plans are effective and can also systematically identify any safety concerns.

Communication is also very important in any emergency situation. The emergency contact information kept on file is important in helping this happen. It lists the people who can pick up a student from the school. If you have not yet provided this information to the office or have updates to the information on file, please make sure our office staff have that information as soon as possible.

School Grounds & Winter Weather

Under regular winter conditions, here is our ongoing practice:

Caretaking staff clear snow and salt as required daily and it is a priority in all shifts.
Sidewalk at the front entrance of the school along Woodfield Rd. is cleared.
Pathways from Woodfield Rd to the main entrance, Door 7, Door 6 (Childcare), continuing to the west side or the building to student access, doors are cleared and salted.
Parking lots are contracted out by TDSB and are cleared and salted in accordance to this contract.
Schools with permits on weekends, such as our own, clear snow and salt as required on each shift (sand is added according to conditions), otherwise snow is cleared at the beginning of the shift on Monday mornings.
Should you encounter a pathway or Door entrance that is not easy to navigate or access, please contact our main office: 416-393-9455.

Cold weather alerts and reminders:
When very cold temperatures are expected the following is the TDSB’s operational procedure for severe weather.

When the temperature and/or windchill factor reach –28C or lower, there is no discretion for school staff and children remain indoors during the day due to risk of frostnip and frostbite.
When temperatures and/or windchill factor are –20 to –28C, or other inclement weather conditions warrant it, recesses may be shortened or cancelled depending on local conditions.
While we do our best to get outdoors for fresh air every day, that is not always possible. Of course, daily physical activity is always an important part of each and every day at school, so on those days where we cannot get outdoors during the day, our staff strive to provide students with alternative opportunities for activity during recess so that we can keep our bodies and minds active and alert.