Supervision of Students

Regulation

1. DURING THE HOURS OF SCHOOL OPERATION
   1. The principal shall ensure adequate supervision for the duration of the operational day; that is, that period of time extending from a minimum of 15 minutes prior to the commencement of instruction to a minimum of five minutes following the conclusion of the instructional day, inclusive of recesses and the noon hour.
      
      
   2. Students shall be provided access to the classrooms a minimum of five minutes prior to the morning and afternoon instructional period.
      
      
   3. Every attempt should be made to contact the parents prior to giving a student permission to leave the school (illness, to obtain supplies, etc.) during the instructional day.
      
      
   4. Every attempt should be made to advise parents of early dismissals; formal changes in hours of operation must be communicated to parents.
2. BEYOND THE HOURS OF SCHOOL OPERATION
   1. Provision shall be made for student access to the school prior to the operational time for personal or emergency reasons.
      
      
   2. The principal shall ensure adequate supervision for all school authorized activities during or beyond the hours of operation, on or off school premises.
      
      
   3. The principal shall ensure adequate noon hour supervision for:
      1. students authorized to spend the noon hour in the school,
      2. students transported by school (yellow) buses,
      3. a minimum of 15 minutes for all students prior to the commencement of afternoon instruction.
         
         Favourable consideration should be given to all reasonable requests from parents that their children be permitted to bring noon lunches to school in cases of family crisis, special health reasons, emergencies, or inclement weather. Under no circumstances should a student, who has brought a lunch, be sent home unless the home is contacted beforehand.
   4. On the way to and from school:
      1. The principal shall assume responsibility for the supervision of students utilizing transportation provided by the Division.
         
         The principal shall cooperate with and assist the community in assuring the safe and orderly conduct of all students on the way to and from school.
         
         The principal shall become involved in instances where student actions and/or behaviour beyond the hours of school operation detrimentally affects the welfare in individual students or the governance, climate or efficiency of the schools Education Act Sections 36(1)(b) and 37(1)(b).
   5. Volunteer and paid supervision:
      1. Provision may be made for the supervision of students during the hours of school operation by volunteer or paid supervisors.
      2. All such personnel are to be placed in a school subject to the approval, direction and authority of the principal, and thus would be considered agents of the Division for liability purposes.
3. DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER *
   (ELEMENTARY AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS ONLY)
   1. The principal shall formulate local regulations and procedures pertaining to the supervision of students during inclement weather with respect to:
      1. definition of inclement weather: the regulations must come into effect at or before -23 degrees C (-10 degrees F), and make provision for adverse weather conditions (storms, extreme winds). (Environment Canada's Weather Forecast),
      2. noon lunches,
      3. access to the school building.
   2. Students shall be provided access to the school building a minimum of 15 minutes prior to the morning and afternoon instructional periods.
      
      *(FOR ALL STUDENTS)
   3. On days when Environment Canada issues an Air Quality Health Index rating that is at 7 or higher, students should be kept indoors, and school windows closed. Air conditioning and HVAC air systems should remain on.
4. COMMUNICATION TO PARENTS
   The principal shall communicate to parents pertinent data pertaining to operational hours, school supervision procedures, inclement weather procedures, and school expectations of parents in terms of implementation of school supervision procedures.

*Amendment – to respond to air quality advisories due to smoke or other pollutants the Amendment under FOR ALL STUDENTS C 3., was added August 24, 2018.

References