Promoting the Safety and Well-being of Children and Youth

Minister Launches New Safe and Caring Schools Policy

Education and community partners joined the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Education, today at St. Teresa's Elementary School in St. John's, for the launch of a revised Safe and Caring Schools Policy. The policy will guide new school-based protocols and practices to combat all forms of bullying, harassment and inappropriate behaviour, and is designed to provide students with the ability to recognize, and avoid, activities which can put them in harm’s way.

“We started with the premise that every child deserves to feel safe, protected and accepted for who they are, within the school environment and, indeed, in all aspects of their lives. This revised Safe and Caring Schools Policy is the result of extensive review and consultations, and gives all of us who care about the well-being of children and youth more effective tools to deal with emerging issues around bullying and exclusion, the inappropriate use of technology, high-risk behaviours, and other issues which can negatively impact our students’ ability to learn and develop into healthy, caring, confident, successful individuals.”
- The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Education

Highlights of the new Safe and Caring Schools Policy, which is part of the Provincial Government’s over-arching Violence Prevention Initiative, can be viewed in the backgrounder below.

“The Provincial Government is committed to creating a safe, respectful school environment throughout Newfoundland and Labrador to help raise awareness and prevent all forms of violence and abuse. The Safe and Caring Schools Policy supports administrators, teachers and students in promoting practices which create positive attitudes and behaviours towards violence prevention. All students in our province have the right to learn in a safe, supportive environment where violence and abuse are unacceptable.”
- The Honourable Joan Shea, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women (Acting)

Minister Jackman said today's presence of representatives of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association (NLTA), the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of School Councils (NLFSC), law enforcement officials, school district personnel, students, and community-based groups is recognition that the issues around bullying and student safety transcend the school environment. They require the involvement and co-operation of all sectors of society.

The minister further noted that the Provincial Government will introduce legislation which will support and strengthen the implementation of the revised Safe and Caring Schools Policy.

“The NLTA believes that safe and caring schools are a responsibility of all partners involved in education. True safe and caring schools can only exist if all partners have a mutual respect and concern for each other. We are pleased that government continues to see the importance of safe and caring schools in this province and we are supportive of any initiative which promotes a safe, caring and nurturing environment.”
- James Dinn, President, Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association

Revisions to the policy include, but are not limited to:

• A definition of bullying;
• The introduction of a bullying intervention protocol which provides specific information to school staff as to how to prevent and respond to reported incidents;
• A requirement that all schools maintain a database of reported incidents and actions taken;
• A template for developing a school’s code of conduct; and,
• The requirement that all school communities develop and implement a plan to teach safe, respectful and responsible behaviour, including the use of technology and social media.

“School councils across the province have taken a special interest in Safe and Caring Schools initiatives, as there is nothing more important to parents than the safety and emotional well-being of their children. School councils play an important role in the school development process, and recognize how it takes both education and community partners to nurture positive behaviours, and reduce the likelihood of bullying and other inappropriate behaviours.”
- Nathan Whalen, President, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of School Councils

The revised Safe and Caring Schools Policy can be viewed at: www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/. 

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to supporting important social programs, strong communities and the health and well-being of children, families and seniors.

QUICK FACTS

• The Provincial Government has launched a revised Safe and Caring Schools Policy.
• It is designed to guide school communities in their efforts to provide safe, caring and inclusive learning environments for all students.
• The revised policy is the result of an independent review of the previous policy, followed by extensive consultations with students, parents, teachers, administrators, school district personnel and community partners.
• The policy will be introduced this school year, with full implementation to take place in September 2014.

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BACKGROUNDER
Components of the Safe and Caring Schools Policy (2013)

The Provincial Government’s revised Safe and Caring Schools Policy (2013) provides consistent school-based guidelines and procedures which establish clear expectations and direction for all members of the school community in order to provide students with a secure environment in which to learn, grow and succeed. Major components of the policy are as follows:

Violence and Bullying Prevention
This includes a definition of the term “bullying” to be applied consistently, in all schools, and a protocol for school staff members to follow whenever they witness, or become aware of, a bullying incident.

Definition of Bullying
Bullying is typically repeated behaviour that is intended to cause harm to another person or persons. A person participates in bullying if he or she directly carries out, assists or encourages the behaviour in any way. Those that engage in bullying behaviour are perceived to be in a position of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal, social and/or electronic. In some circumstances bullying is an illegal activity.

Bullying Intervention Protocol
Every school will be required to implement a process for responding to incidents of bullying behaviour, including physical, verbal, social and electronic bullying. The protocol outlines both prevention and intervention strategies and appropriate responses to the behaviour. Incidents of bullying must also be documented, reported to parents or guardians, and there must be some form of action or consequence.

Code of Conduct
Every school will be required to establish a code of conduct, a template of which will be provided to all schools. The code of conduct will identify standards of appropriate and inappropriate behaviours (including, but not limited to, bullying), provide pro-active school and classroom strategies to teach and reinforce appropriate behaviours, and outline possible consequences for failing to comply with the code of conduct.

Data Collection
Incidents of bullying and other inappropriate behaviours will be consistently documented, province-wide, and data collected and analysed for the purpose of improving student behaviour and the safety of the school environment. This electronic database will not only provide information about bullying instances, but also patterns of behaviours, and effective interventions.

Digital Citizenship
Every school will be required to develop a plan to teach students about the appropriate use of technology. This includes Internet safety, literacy, etiquette, rights and responsibilities, and respectful usage – including the importance of refraining from any form of cyber-bulling, or the transmission of inappropriate comments or images (e.g., sexting). This will be addressed through the curriculum, resources supplied to schools, and through schools’ targeted initiatives.

Social Emotional Learning
Schools will promote social emotional learning, also known as “character education”, through curriculum and school-based initiatives. The topics would include: respect for self and other, appreciating differences, recognizing emotions, managing feelings, empathy, developing healthy relationships, managing conflict, problem-solving, and ethical and social responsibility.

Inclusive Education
Schools will continue to promote the acceptance and inclusion of all individuals regardless of differences such as economic status, ethnicity, religion, culture, body image, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ability, or any other individual characteristic. Classroom and school-based practices will be inclusive, celebrate diversity, and provide opportunities for collaboration and team building.

Stakeholder Responsibilities
All members of a school community have a responsibility for developing and maintaining a safe, caring and inclusive school environment. The revised policy outlines the roles and responsibilities of the Department of Education, school districts, schools, students, and parents. A collaborative approach among all education and community partners allows students to learn, grow and succeed in a supportive environment.

2013 12 02                                     10:25 p.m.