INTRODUCTION

 

DISTRICT MISSION STATEMENT

Explore-Enrich-Empower

The Canandaigua City School District is dedicated to creating enriched, world-class educational experiences that engage all learners, foster meaningful exploration, and empower our school community to have their voices heard.

DISTRICT VISION STATEMENT

One Community, Transforming Lives

The Canandaigua City School District believes in building a community rooted in inclusion and love, where everyone recognizes the active role they play in educating our children and helping them find a sense of purpose in life.

The Board of Education of the Canandaigua City School District (“Board”) is committed to providing a safe and orderly school environment where students may receive, and District personnel may deliver quality educational services without disruption or interference. Responsible behavior by students, teachers, other District personnel, parents, and other visitors is essential to achieving this goal.

The District has a long-standing set of expectations for conduct on school property, at school functions, and with District computer systems. These expectations are based on the principles:

Respect leads to Civility

Responsibility leads to Accountability

Honesty leads to Integrity

Kindness leads to Compassion

Healthy Choices lead to Healthy Living

Effort leads to Perseverance

Acceptance, as it relates to diversity, is also an important District focus.

The Board recognizes the need to clearly define these expectations for acceptable conduct on school property, at school functions, and with District resources, identify potential consequences of unacceptable conduct, and ensure that discipline, when necessary, is administered promptly and fairly. Therefore, the Board adopts this Code of Conduct (“Code”). This Code has been developed in collaboration with teachers, Administrators, other school service professionals, students, parents, and community members, and reviewed by a small group of staff and administrators.

Unless otherwise indicated, this Code applies to all students, school personnel, parents, and other visitors when on school property, attending a school function or using District resources.

DEFINITIONS

For purposes of this Code, the following definitions apply:

“Behavior” is the way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially toward others. It is expected that students, staff, and visitors will conduct themselves in such a way that is in line with this Code of Conduct.

“Controlled substance” means a drug or other substance identified in certain provisions of the federal Controlled Substances Act specified in both federal and state law and regulations applicable to this code of conduct.

“Disruptive student” means a student under the age of 21 who is substantially disruptive to the educational process or substantially interferes with the teacher’s authority over the classroom.

“District resources” means the District’s computer systems and networks, any configuration of hardware, operating system software, application software, stored text, and data files. Examples include electronic mail, local databases, externally accessed resources (such as the Internet), DVD, optical media, clip art, digital images, digitized information, communications technologies, and new technologies as they become available.

“Gender” means actual or perceived sex and shall include a person’s gender identity or expression.

“Gender expression” is the manner in which a person represents or expresses gender to others, often through behavior, clothing, hairstyle, activities, voice or mannerisms.

“Gender identity”  a person’s gender-related identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that gender-related identity, appearance or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s physiology or assigned sex at birth. Everyone has a gender identity.

“Gender nonconforming” is a term used to describe people whose gender expression differs from stereotypic expectations. The terms “gender variant” or “gender atypical” are also used. Gender nonconforming individuals may identify as male, female, some combination of both, or neither.

“Internet-enabled device” any personal electronic device capable of accessing and/or connecting to the internet.

“Illicit drugs” means a controlled substance except for those legally possessed or used under the supervision of a licensed health-care professional or that is legally possessed or used under any other authority under the Controlled Substances Act of any other federal law.

“Parent” means the biological, adoptive or foster parent, guardian or person in parental relation to a student.

“Relationships” are the way in which two or more people regard and behave toward each other.

“Respect” is an act of treating everyone with dignity. This is demonstrated by: treating others with kindness and care, being polite and using manners, expressing thoughts and opinions in ways that are polite and courteous, using a polite tone of voice and body language, listening to others who are speaking to you, keeping one’s hands to one’s self and not violating others’ personal space.

“Responsibility” is an obligation to behave in accordance with social norms and being held accountable for one’s actions.

“Restorative Practices” are a response to student actions that violate the dignity, safety, or well- being of others by connecting the person responsible for the harm with those who have been harmed, in order to reach a resolution that guides, and assists the person responsible for the harm in accepting responsibility, apologizing for the harm, making meaningful reparation and improving the relationships between parties.

“School property” means in or within any building, structure, athletic playing field, playground, parking lot or land contained within the real property boundary line of a public elementary or secondary school; or in or on a school bus, as defined in Vehicle and Traffic Law § 142. School buses, whether owned and operated by the District or by a carrier the District contracts with for transportation of its students, are considered school property.

“School function” means any school-sponsored or school-authorized extra-curricular event or activity regardless of where such event or activity takes place, including any event or activity that may take place in another state or country.

“Sexual orientation”  a person’s emotional and sexual attraction to other people based on the gender of the other person. Sexual orientation is not the same as gender identity. Not all transgender youth identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, and not all gay, lesbian and bisexual youth display gender-nonconforming characteristics

“Violent student” means a student under the age of 21 who:

1. Commits an act of violence upon a school employee.
2. Commits, while on school property or at a school function, an act of violence upon another student or any other person lawfully on school property or at a school function.
3. Possesses, while on school property or at a school function, a weapon such as a gun, knife, explosive or incendiary bomb, or other dangerous instrument capable of causing physical injury or death.
4. Displays, while on school property or at a school function, what appears to be a weapon.
5. Threatens, while on school property or at a school function, to use a weapon.
6. Knowingly and intentionally damages or destroys the personal property of any school employee or any person lawfully on school property or at a school function.
7. Knowingly and intentionally damages or destroys District property.

“Weapon” means a firearm as defined in 18 USC § 921(a) for purposes of the Gun-Free Schools Act. It also means any other gun, BB gun, pistol, revolver, shotgun, rifle, machine gun, disguised gun, dagger, dirk, razor, stiletto, switchblade knife, gravity knife, brass knuckles, sling shot, metal knuckle knife, box cutter, cane sword, electronic dart gun, Kung Fu star, electronic stun gun, pepper spray or other noxious spray, explosive or incendiary bomb, or other device, instrument, material or substance that can cause serious physical injury or death, and any other instrument identified in the New York Penal Code as a weapon. In addition, this Code further prohibits the possession or display of any toy, facsimile or replica of a weapon.

 

STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Student Rights

The District is committed to safeguarding the rights accorded to all under local, state, and federal law and district policy. In addition, to promote a safe, healthy, orderly, and civil school environment, all District students have the right to:

1. Take part in all District activities on an equal basis regardless of actual or perceived, race, weight, color, creed, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or disability or socio- economic status.
2. Be respected as an individual and treated fairly and with dignity by other students and school staff.
3. Express one’s opinions, either verbally or in writing, as long as it is done so in a respectful manner.
4. Present their version of the relevant events to school personnel authorized to impose consequences.
5. Access school policies, regulations and rules and, when necessary, receive an explanation of those rules from school personnel.
6. Be provided with clear expectations regarding:
   1. Course objectives, requirements and state standards;
   2. Grading criteria and procedures;
   3. Assignment requirements and deadlines; and
   4. School and classroom rules and expectations regarding behavior.

2. Student Responsibilities

All District students have the responsibility to:

1. Contribute to maintaining a safe, supportive and orderly school environment that is conducive to learning and to show respect to other persons and to property.
2. Help make school a community free of violence, intimidation, bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
3. Be familiar with and abide by district policies, rules and regulations dealing with student conduct.
4. Attend school every day unless they are legally excused and be in class on time and prepared to learn.
5. Work to the best of their ability in all academic and extracurricular pursuits and strive toward their highest level of achievement possible.
6. React to direction given by teachers, administrators and other school personnel in a respectful, positive manner.
7. Use a polite tone of voice and appropriate body language, listening when others are speaking to you.
8. Be truthful when speaking with school officials regarding Code of Conduct violations.
9. Respect personal space.
10. Work to develop skills to manage their emotions and reactions and resolve conflict with others.

11. Ask questions when they do not understand.
12. Seek help in solving problems.
13. Dress appropriately for school and school functions.
14. Accept responsibility for their actions.
15. Conduct themselves as representatives of the district when participating in or attending school-sponsored extracurricular events and to hold themselves to the highest standards of conduct, demeanor, and sportsmanship.

ESSENTIAL PARTNERS

All members of our learning community – including students, staff, parents and engaged service providers – must assume responsible role in promoting behavior that enhances academic and social success. Courteous, respectful, and responsible behavior fosters a positive climate in the learning community.

Those responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

1. Parents

All parents are expected to:

1. Recognize that the education of their child(ren) is a joint responsibility of the parents, the students, and the school community.
2. Send their child(ren) to school ready to participate and learn.
3. Ensure their child(ren) attend school regularly and on time.
4. Ensure absences are excused and properly documented.
5. Insist their child(ren) be dressed and groomed in a manner consistent with the student dress code. See Section VII “Student Dress Code.”
6. Help their child(ren) understand that in a democratic society, appropriate rules are required to maintain a safe and orderly environment.
7. Know school rules and help their child(ren) understand them so that their child(ren) can help create a safe, orderly, respectful, supportive environment.
8. Build good relationships with teachers, other parents, and their child(ren)’s friends.
9. Convey to their children a supportive attitude toward education and the district.
10. Help their child(ren) deal effectively with peer relationships and peer pressure.
11. Inform District officials of changes in the home situation that may affect student conduct or performance.
12. Tell school officials about any concerns or complaints in a respectful and timely manner.
13. Provide a place for study and ensure homework assignments are completed.
14. Be respectful and courteous to staff, other parents/guardians and students while on school premises.
15. Teach their children respect and dignity for themselves and other students regardless of actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender/gender identity, or sex which will strengthen the child’s confidence and promote learning in accordance with the Dignity for All Students Act.

2. Teachers

All teachers are expected to:

1. Maintain a climate of mutual respect and dignity for all regardless of actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and expression) or sex, which will strengthen students' self-worth and promote confidence to learn.
2. Be prepared to teach.
3. Promote a safe, orderly, and stimulating school environment, free from intimidation, discrimination and harassment, supporting effective teaching and learning.
4. Deliver instruction effectively.
5. Demonstrate interest in teaching and concern for students and student achievement.
6. Know District policies and rules, and enforce them in a fair, timely, and consistent manner.
7. Communicate to students and parents:
   1. Course objectives and requirements
   2. Grading procedures
   3. Assignment deadlines for students
   4. Student expectations
   5. Classroom behavior and consequences plan
8. Communicate regularly with students, parents, and other teachers concerning growth and achievement.
9. Be responsive to parent and student communications.
10. Participate in school-wide efforts to provide adequate supervision in all school spaces, in conformity with the Taylor Law.
11. Be responsible for enforcing this Code of Conduct and making any timely notifications as required by this Code of Conduct.
12. Address issues of harassment or any situation that threatens the emotional or physical health of safety of any student, school employee or any person who is lawfully on school property or at a school function.
13. Address personal biases that may prevent equal treatment of all students and staff in the school or classroom setting.
14. Maintain confidentiality in conformity with federal and state law.
15. Be open to active participation in resolving conflicts through a restorative process.

3. Other School Personnel

All school personnel are expected to:

1. Recognize that the education of student(s) is a joint responsibility of the parents, the students, and the school community.
2. Maintain a climate of mutual respect and dignity for all regardless of actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious

practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and expression) or sex.

3. Assist students in coping with emerging personal, social, and emotional issues and concerns.
4. Promote a safe, orderly, and stimulating school environment, free from intimidation, discrimination and harassment, supporting effective teaching and learning.
5. Initiate teacher/student/counselor conferences and parent/teacher/student/counselor conferences, as necessary.
6. Regularly review with students their educational progress and career plans.
7. Provide information to assist students with educational and career planning.
8. Encourage students to benefit from the curriculum and extra-curricular programs offered by the District and available within the community.
9. Make known to students and families the resources in the community that are available to meet their needs.
10. Participate in school-wide efforts to provide adequate supervision in all school spaces.
11. Address issues of harassment or any situation that threatens the emotional or physical health or safety of any student, school employee, or any person who is lawfully on school property or at a school function.
12. Know school rules and help student(s) understand them.
13. Be responsible for enforcing this Code of Conduct and making any timely notifications as required by this Code of Conduct.
14. Maintain confidentiality in accordance with federal and state law.
15. Address personal biases that may prevent equal treatment of all students and staff.
16. Address issues of harassment or any situation that threatens the emotional or physical health or safety of any student, school employee, or any person who is lawfully on school property or at a school function.
17. Promote a trauma-responsive approach to addressing student behavior by supporting professional development, providing safe work environments, forming trusting relationships with students, allowing for student choice and autonomy, and encouraging student skill-building and competence.
18. Be open to active participation in resolving conflicts through a restorative process.

4. Building Administrators

All administrators are expected to:

1. Promote a safe, orderly and stimulating school environment, supporting active teaching and learning for all students regardless of actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, (including gender identity and expression) or sex.
2. Ensure that students and staff have the opportunity to communicate regularly with the principal/administrators and have access to the principal/administrators for redress of grievances.
3. Maintain confidentiality in accordance with federal and state law.
4. Evaluate on a regular basis all instructional programs to ensure infusion of civility education in the curriculum.
5. Support the development of and student participation in appropriate extracurricular activities.
6. Provide support in the development of the code of conduct, when called upon. Disseminate the code of conduct and anti-harassment policies.
7. Be responsible for enforcing the code of conduct and ensuring that all cases are resolved promptly and fairly.
8. Participate in school-wide efforts to provide adequate supervision in all school spaces.
9. Address issues of harassment or any situation that threatens the emotional or physical health or safety of any student, school employee, or any person who is lawfully on school property or at a school function.
10. Address personal biases that may prevent equal treatment of all students and staff.
11. Promote a trauma-responsive approach to addressing student behavior by supporting professional development, providing safe work environments, forming trusting relationships with students, allowing for student choice and autonomy, and encouraging student skill-building and competence.
12. Be open to active participation in resolving conflicts through a restorative process.

5. Athletic Coaches and Co-Curricular Advisors

All coaches and advisors are expected to:

1. Maintain a climate of mutual respect and dignity for all regardless of actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex.
2. Develop and maintain a climate of mutual respect, which will strengthen students’ self-esteem and promote confidence to play and learn.
3. Promote a safe, orderly, and stimulating school environment, free from intimidation, discrimination and harassment, supporting effective teaching and learning.
4. Emphasize the proper ideals of sportsmanship, ethical conduct and fair play.
5. Stress values developed from participating with integrity and high character.
6. Know school rules and assist in their enforcement.
7. Help students to understand school rules.
8. Recognize that the purpose of athletics and extracurricular activities is to promote the educational, physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being of the individual players.
9. Encourage leadership, use of initiative, and good judgment by all participants.
10. Address and report incidents of discrimination and harassment that are witnessed or otherwise brought to a teacher’s attention to the building administrator and/or Dignity Act Coordinator.
11. Maintain confidentiality in accordance with federal and state law.
12. Address personal biases that may prevent equal treatment of all students and staff.

6. District Superintendent

The Superintendent is expected to:

1. Maintain a climate of mutual respect and dignity for all regardless of actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex, which will strengthen students’ self-esteem and promote confidence to learn.
2. Make student achievement and character development the primary focus of the District.
3. Promote a safe, orderly, and stimulating school environment, free from intimidation, discrimination and harassment, supporting effective teaching and learning.
4. Review with administrators the policies of the Board and local, state, and federal laws relating to school operations and management.
5. Inform the Board of educational trends relating to student discipline.
6. Work to create instructional programs that minimize problems of misconduct and are sensitive to student and teacher needs.
7. Work with administrators in enforcing the Code and ensuring that all cases are resolved promptly and fairly.
8. Maintain confidentiality in accordance with FERPA.
9. Address issues of harassment or any situation that threatens the emotional or physical health or safety of any student, school employee, or any person who is lawfully on school property or at a school function.
10. Address personal biases that may prevent equal treatment of all students and staff.

7. Board of Education

The Board is expected to:

1. Collaborate with student, teacher, administrators, and parent organizations, community, school safety personnel, and other school personnel to develop a Code that clearly defines expectations for the conduct of students, District personnel, and visitors on school property and at school functions.
2. Promote a safe, orderly and stimulating school environment, supporting active teaching and learning for all students regardless of actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex.
3. Adopt and review at least once per year the District’s Code to evaluate its effectiveness, fairness, and consistency of its implementation.
4. Lead by example by conducting Board meetings and Board business in a respectful, responsible, caring, and honest manner.
5. Appoint a Dignity Act Coordinator.
6. Maintain confidentiality in accordance with federal and state law.
7. Develop and recommend a budget that provides programs and activities that support achievement of the goals of the code of conduct.
8. Collaborate with student, teacher, administrator, and parent organizations, school safety personnel and other school personnel to develop a code of conduct that clearly defines expectations for the conduct of students, district personnel and visitors on school property and at school functions.
9. Address issues of harassment or any situation that threatens the emotional or physical health or safety of any student, school employee, or any person who is lawfully on school property or at a school function.
10. Address personal biases that may prevent equal treatment of all students and staff.
11. The Board will promote a trauma-informed approach to addressing student behavior by supporting professional development, providing a safe school environment, encouraging the forming of trusting relationships with students, allowing for student choice and autonomy, and encouraging student skill-building and competence.
12. Be open to active participation in resolving conflicts through a restorative process.

DECLARED PANDEMIC

The health and safety of the children and adults in our schools is paramount. Health and safety considerations must always come first. The Canandaigua City School District will follow the guidance provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, New York State Department of Health, Ontario County Public Health, and our School Physician regarding safety protocols related to a declared pandemic.

 

DIGNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS ACT

The Board is committed to providing an educational environment that promotes respect, dignity, and equality. The Board recognizes that acts of discrimination and harassment, including bullying, taunting, or intimidation, are detrimental to student learning and achievement. These behaviors interfere with the mission of the District to educate its students and disrupt the operation of its schools. Such behavior effects not only the students who are its targets, but also those individuals who participate in, and witness such acts.

To this end, the Board condemns and strictly prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment, including bullying, taunting, intimidation, against students by students and or employees on school property, which includes (among other things) school buses, at school functions, which means school sponsored, extracurricular events or activities. Harassment can include, among other things, the use, both on and off school property, of information technology, including, but not limited to, e-mail, instant or text messaging, blogs, chat rooms, pagers, cell phones, gaming systems and social media websites, to deliberately harass or threaten others. This type of harassment is generally referred to as cyberbullying.

1. Definitions:

1. Harassment: Harassment is defined as the creation of a hostile environment by conduct or by verbal threats, intimidation or abuse that has or would have the effect of unreasonably and substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance, opportunities or benefits, or mental, emotional or physical well-being; or conduct, verbal threats, intimidation or abuse that reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause a student to fear for his or her physical safety. Such conduct, verbal threats, intimidation or abuse includes, but is not limited to conduct, verbal threats, intimidation or abuse based on a person’s actual or perceived:
   • race ? disability
   • color ? sex
   • weight ? sexual orientation
   • national origin ? gender (which includes a person’s
   • ethnic group actual or perceived sex, as well as
   • religion gender identity and expression
   • religious practice

2. Bullying: Bullying is defined as unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying can occur before and after school hours, in a school building or places like a playground or bus, during or on the internet. Bullying generally involves the following characteristics:

1. An Imbalance of Power: Children who bully use their power, such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity, to control or harm others.
2. The Intent to Cause Harm: The person bullying has a goal of causing harm.

3. Repetition: Bullying behaviors generally happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.

Examples of bullying include, but are not limited to:

1. Verbal: Name-calling, teasing, inappropriate sexual comments, taunting, and threatening to cause harm.
2. Social: Spreading rumors about someone, excluding others on purpose, telling other children not to be friends with someone, and embarrassing someone in public.
3. Physical: Hitting, punching, shoving, kicking, pinching, spitting, tripping, pushing, taking or breaking someone’s things, and making mean or rude hand gestures.
4. Cyber:  harassment or bullying happens through any form of electronic communication.

3. Hazing: Hazing is defined as a person intentionally or recklessly engaging in conduct during the course of another person’s initiation into or affiliation with any organization, which creates a substantial risk of physical injury to such other person or a third person and thereby causes such injury.

Please refer to the Dignity for All Students Act Coordinators:

Mrs. Sarah Callahan is our District DASA coordinator.

Building DASA coordinators are:

Mrs. Michelle Reynolds for our primary school

Mrs. Lindsay Lazenby for our elementary school 

Mr. Theron Chinn for our middle school

Mr. Eric Jordan for our high school