MACKENZIE HIGH SCHOOL

87 Brockhouse Way, P.O. Box 397

Deep River, Ontario  K0J 1P0
(613) 584-3361

www.renfrew.edu.on.ca/sec/mhs.ca

 

 

This agenda belongs to: _______________________________

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                                                Page

 

2009/2010 School Year Calendar.............................................. 2

Mandatory Community Involvement........................................... 3

Multi Subject Instructional Period (MSIP).................................. 3

Timetable................................................................................... 3

Mission Statement...................................................................... 4

RCDSB Code of Conduct.......................................................... 4, 5

School Cleanliness.................................................................... 5

Attendance, Notes, Lates, Dress Code..................................... 6

School Dances .......................................................................... 7

Smoking..................................................................................... 7

Alcohol & Restricted Drugs Policy............................................. 8

Technological Devices............................................................... 8

Computer Policy, Internet........................................................... 8, 9

Plagiarism.................................................................................. 9, 10

Fire, Lockdown & Evacuation Drills........................................... 10

Students over 18........................................................................ 10

2009/2010 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR

 

SEMESTER I – Term 1

September 1

Classes Begin

September 7

Labour Day

September 11

Last Day for Timetable Changes

September 15

School Council Meeting & Election

September 18

School Picture Day

September 24

Terry Fox Run

September 25

PA Day

October 12

Thanksgiving

October 14

Parent Interviews

November  2

PA Day

November 4

Take Your Kids to Work Day

November 7

End of Term 1

SEMESTER I – Term 2

November 18

Report Cards

November 20

PA Day

November 26

Last Day for Dropping Courses

December 17

Christmas Concert

December 19

Christmas Formal

Dec. 21 - Jan. 01

Christmas Holidays

January 25 - 29

Exams

SEMESTER II – Term 3

February 1

PA Day

February 2

Second Semester begins

February 15

Family Day Holiday

March 10

Parent/Teacher Interviews

March 15 - 19

March Break

April 8

Grade 10 Literacy Test

April 2 & 5

Good Friday / Easter Monday

April 15

End of Term 3

SEMESTER II – Term 4

April 28

Report Cards

May 5

Last Day for Dropping Courses

May 20

Spring Concert

May 24

Victoria Day

June 21 - 25

Exams

June 25

Graduation

June 28

PA Day

June 29 & 30

Board Designated Holiday

 

TIMETABLE

 

Periods on DAY 1 will run ABCDE and on DAY 2 will run BACED.

 

REGULAR DAY SCHEDULE

TIME

PERIOD

DAY 1

DAY 2

 

A

A

B

 

B

B

A

 

C

C

C

 

LUNCH

LUNCH

LUNCH

 

D

D

E

 

E

E

D

 

 

MSIP

 

Each student is required to attend a Multi Subject Instructional Period each day as part of their assigned time­table.  This time counts towards the number of instructional hours required to complete credits.  The MSIP period provides students with an opportunity for regular and daily consolidation of learning.  In addition to improving student learning, the MSIP provides a supervised environment in which to develop and improve study skills, time management and responsi­bility.  This period is to be treated like any other class, and attendance is mandatory.

 

 

MANDATORY COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

 

Every student who begins secondary school in Ontario is required to complete 40 hours of community involvement in order to receive a diploma.  Students are encouraged to obtain these hours early in grade 9 and 10 as it becomes more difficult to fulfill this mandate in the senior years.

 

                                                 


MISSION STATEMENT

 

Mackenzie High School is committed to promoting the personal growth and success of each student through a challenging and safe learning environment.

 

 

RCDSB CODE OF CONDUCT

 

All students, staff members, parents and school councils in Renfrew County District School Board are engaged in character education to promote safe, caring and respectful learning environments.  All schools are implementing character education by modeling and naming attitudes and behaviours that are expected in a civil society.  These include respect, responsibility, perseverance, initiative, caring, honesty, courage and optimism.

 

The promotion of strategies and initiatives such as Student Success and Character Development, and the employment of prevention and intervention strategies to address inappropriate behaviour, foster a positive school climate in which students can learn and teachers can teach.

 

When inappropriate behaviour occurs, schools will use a range of interventions, supports, and consequences that are developmentally appropriate, that include opportunities for students to learn from mistakes, and that focus on improving behaviour.  In some situations, short-term suspension may be a useful tool.  In the case of a serious incident, responses which are further along the continuum of progressive discipline, such as long-term suspension or expulsion, may be required.

 

Standards of Behaviour

 

All members of the school community must:

  • respect and comply with all applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws;
  • demonstrate honesty and integrity (e.g. avoidance of plagiarism);
  • respect differences in people, their ideas and opinions;
  • treat one another with dignity and respect at all times, and especially when there is disagreement;
  • respect and treat others fairly, regardless of their race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or physical characteristics;
  • respect the rights of others;
  • employ non-violent means to resolve conflicts;
  • show proper care and regard for school property and the property of others;
  • adhere to administrative procedures with regard to the use of technology;
  • take appropriate measures to help those in need;
  • respect all members of the school community, especially persons in positions of authority;
  • respect the need of others to work in an environment that is conducive to learning and teaching; and
  • attend to responsibilities in a punctual manner.

 

Safety

 

All members of the school community must not:

·         engage in bullying behaviours;

·         commit sexual assault;

·         traffic in weapons or illegal drugs;

·         give alcohol to a minor;

·         commit robbery;

·         be in possession of any weapon, including firearms;

·         use any object to threaten or intimidate another person;

·         cause injury to any person with an object;

·         be in possession of, or under the influence of, or provide others with, alcohol or illegal drugs;

·         smoke on school premises; on school buses or in taxis; or on school outings, trips or excursions;

·         inflict or encourage others to inflict bodily harm on another person;

·         engage in hate propaganda and other forms of behaviour motivated by hate or bias;

·         commit an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to school property or to property located on the premises of the school.

from Administrative Procedure 140

 

 

School Cleanliness

 

Students need to help take responsibility to maintain a clean school environment.   Hallways need to be kept clean from litter.  Neither food nor drinks are permitted in the auditorium, computer labs, gym or library.  Food should be consumed in the cafeteria or designated area of the school at lunch time.  All garbage from lunch and snacks should be put into garbage cans.  Recycling bins should also be used accordingly.

 

ATTENDANCE

 

Regular attendance is a major factor contributing to student success.

 

Attendance is taken in all classes and reported to the office.  Students are expected to attend all classes and absences should result only for valid reasons such as illness.

Mackenzie’s attendance policy will include the following procedures:

 

·         students who must leave the school during the day are expected to report to the main office to sign out with a dated note from a parent/guardian;

·         students who become ill during the school day should obtain the permission of the teacher and report to the main office.

 

 

NOTES/CALLS TO SCHOOL

 

Absenteeism from school should occur only for valid reasons, such as illness or a medical appointment.  Absences must be explained by a phone call or a note from a parent/guardian and should be presented at the main office prior to returning to class.  Every effort is made to ensure that parents/guardians are aware of student absences.

 

If a student wishes to take part in a family holiday during the school year, his/her guardian must request permission from the school principal.  The student must take responsibility for the completion of all school work that was missed during the absence.

 

 

LATES

 

Students are expected to be on time for school in the morning, after lunch, as well as for each class period.  Lateness causes a disturbance to the instructional process in the classroom.  Lates will result in disciplinary action.  Frequent lates will result in more severe action including parental contact and exclusion from class.

 

 

Dress Code

 

Students should dress appropriately for school.  Clothing that promotes alcohol or drugs are not acceptable.  Other clothing items that are too short or too revealing are not appropriate for school.  The inappropriateness of the items will be determined by school administration should there be a need.  This dress code applies to all students.  Students who dress inappropriately will be calling home to get more appropriate attire.  Refusal to adhere to the dress code will result in consequences.

 

 

SMOKING

 

The smoking area is out of bounds to grade 9 students.  Smoking or use of tobacco products in the school building or on school grounds, on school buses or in taxis, at school-related functions or excursions is strictly prohibited.  Contravention of these regulations shall result in the following disciplinary action:

1.   Ist Infraction

      Meeting with administration.  Detention assigned.

2.   2nd Infraction

      The student and parents/guardians will be advised by administration and community involvement activities will be assigned.

3.   Further Infractions

      Further infractions of this regulation indicate breach of the Code of Conduct and a range of consequences up to and including suspension will be considered.

 

 

SCHOOL DANCES

 

You should be aware of the following expectations regarding school dances:

 

1.      No smoking is allowed anywhere in the school building or on school property.

2.      Food and beverages cannot be taken into the gym area.

3.      School dances are open only to county secondary school students in good standing (including secondary school students from the separate schools).

4.      Guest passes must be requested from the office by 1:00 p.m. on the day of the dance.

5.      If you bring a guest, you must accompany your guest through admission and accept full responsibility for the behaviour of your guest.

6.      You will not be allowed re-entry to the dance once you leave.  If you go outside, you may not return to the dance unless accompanied by a staff member.

7.      The doors open at 7:30 pm; start time is 8:00 pm; doors close 9:00 pm and dance ends at 11:00 pm.

All students and guests must abide by the Renfrew County District School Board’s Drug and Alcohol Policy (C1).

 

RCDSB POLICY CI

ALCOHOL & RESTRICTED DRUG

 

      The Renfrew County District School Board prohibits persons who are under the influence of, or have in their possession, restricted drugs or alcohol to enter school premises, attend sponsored functions, or use any school facilities.  When a school employee suspects that a student has consumed, or has in his or her possession, restricted drugs or alcohol, during school hours, on school premises (anytime), on school buses or at a school related or sponsored function on or off campus, the employee is obligated to inform the principal or designate who will determine the nature of the offense and take appropriate action:  i.e., involve the police regarding charges to be laid, inform the parents, and suspend the student.  If there is a second offense, the student will be excluded from all student and school activities for a specified period, the minimum being one year.

This is a condensed form of the regulation

 

 

TECHNOLOGICAL DEVICES

 

Cell phones, text messaging and communication devices are not to be used (nor be visible) in the school.  I-Pods and MP3 players may not be used in classrooms or during detentions.  If a student violates these school policies, the electronic device may be confiscated and submitted to the office for student or parent to collect.  The school is not responsible for students’ personal electronic devises in the event of loss, damage or theft.

 

 

COMPUTER POLICY

 

The computing systems at Mackenzie are intended to support its educational purposes and to enhance its educational environment.  All Mackenzie computer users should be aware that they have access to valuable and sensitive resources, and that their computing practices can adversely affect others.

Students will NOT:

·         bring food or drink into the computer lab;

·         attempt to access someone else’s workspace;

·         copy software;

·         alter, destroy, remove, and/or disclose data, infor­mation, equipment or software;

·         save on the hard drive unless authorized to do so;

·         participate in malicious or unethical use;

·         do anything to interfere with the continued use of the system by all users;

·         load any software onto computers;

·         use profane, obscene or discourteous language as filenames or file contents;

·         be or use abusive, racist, sexist, or disrespectful behaviour;

·         play games on the computers.

Users are ultimately responsible for any and all use of their computing accounts.  Users should maintain secure pass­words for all accounts assigned to them.  Users must use computing facilities and services only for the purposes for which they were authorized.

 

 

INTERNET

 

When using the Internet connection at Mackenzie, these guidelines should be followed:

1.      Discuss/explore only appropriate and educational subjects.

2.      Never post home addresses or home numbers – neither yours nor other students.  Use school’s address and phone number only – even if you think you “know” your correspondent.

3.      NEVER send your picture to someone. 

4.      Mackenzie H.S. will report illegal activities to the authorities.

 

The first offence for violating this agreement is the withdrawal of all computer access for a period of one week.  A second offence will result in a period of a month, and a third offense will result in a semester.  Depending on the offense, penalties of suspension and criminal prosecution are also possible. 

Remember that nothing you do on the network is private and can be tracked by the Network Administrator.

Mackenzie High School reserves the right to deny user privilege for any student.

 

 

PLAGIARISM

 

Plagiarism, as defined below, is forbidden.

The staff and administration of Mackenzie High School believe academic dishonesty conflicts with a high school education and the free inquiry of knowledge.  Plagiarism, cheating, forgery, facilitating or aiding academic dishonesty, unauthorized access or otherwise manipulating student records/work and computer programs are all forms of dishonesty that corrupt the learning process and threaten the educational environment for all students.

     

Plagiarism is stealing.  Students that plagiarize will:

1.      Write a letter of apology to the teacher.

2.      Letter will be sent to parents and a copy filed in OSR.

3.      Serve a one day “in school suspension” for completion of 1,4,5.

4.      Complete a Plagiarism remediation package.

5.      Re-do the assignment to a satisfactory level.

6.      Serve a 2 week suspension of computer privileges.

7.      Receive an automatic “N” in the Work Habits section of the report card for that course.

8.      If plagiarism reoccurs, a range of consequences up to and including suspension will be considered.

 

Process

 

A teacher, having determined conclusively that plagiarism has occurred, will inform the principal.  The principal will meet with the student and teacher to confirm that the evidence is conclusive.  The principal will follow the steps outlined above.  Students have the right to appeal for removal of the form letter from their OSR one year from its placement in their file.  This appeal must be addressed to the principal.  Should the appeal be upheld, the principal will inform the student and teacher (in whose class the plagiarism occurred) in writing, that the letter has been removed.

 

 

STUDENTS OVER EIGHTEEN

 

Students who are 18 years and older may request and sign a form for school communication to go directly to the students.

 

 

FIRE, LOCKDOWN & EVACUATION DRILLS

 

Mackenzie High School will be conducting several safety drills – fire, lockdown and evacuation during the course of the year.  These drills are meant to prepare students to take precautions in the event of an emergency.  In each case more than one drill may occur.  Our practice is to advise staff and students when a drill is conducted for the first time.  However, subsequent drills are conducted without advance notification.