School Policies & Code of Conduct

On June 12, 2012, the Quebec National Assembly passed Bill 56: An Act to stop bullying and violence in schools, calling upon all Quebecers, not just students, parents, and school staff, to engage in a concerted effort to put an end to bullying and violence in schools.

Definitions 

Bullying: Any repeated direct or indirect behavior, comment, act, or gesture, including in cyberspace, whether deliberate or not, which occurs in a context where there is a power imbalance between the persons concerned and which causes distress and injures, hurts, oppresses, intimidates or ostracizes.

Violence: Any intentional demonstration of verbal, written, physical, psychological, or sexual force which causes distress and injures, hurts, or oppresses a person by attacking their psychological or physical integrity or well-being, or their rights or property.

RHS students are expected to treat each other as equals. As such, actions such as bullying will not be tolerated. Bullying is a willful, repeated and aggressive behaviour towards another with the intent to harm.

The following are all considered acts of bullying:

• Derogatory comments, racial, religious, or homophobic slurs and name-calling
• Threats and intimidation (physical, verbal, or written)
• Intentional exculsion and/or humiliation
• Manipulation of another individual
• Any of the above actions committed via SOCIAL MEDIA
• Physical violence
• Taxing and theft
• Body Shaming

These actions may occur at school, on or near school property, during or outside of school hours or through electronic communication/social media/cyberbullying.

REGARDLESS OF TIME, LOCATION OR MEANS, ROSEMOUNT HIGH SCHOOL WILL TAKE MEASURES AGAINST SUCH ACTS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS. 

If an RHS student is experiencing bullying in any form, they should immediately take measures to stop it. The first step is to tell a responsible adult such as a teacher, administrator, staff member or parent. Actions taken and consequences dealt will depend on the nature and severity of individual cases. Disciplinary action may include a suspension of up to 5 days. 

An alternative suspension program will be offered to suspended students to ensure that their academic progress is disturbed as little as possible. At this alternative suspension program, students will also receive counselling concerning the isues for which they received their suspension.

As a rule, we try to prevent bullying before it starts. This is a process in which all stakeholders hold responsibility.

Parents are encouraged to speak to their children about respect for others, take appropriate action at home when there are problems of this nature and cooperate with the school should an incident arise.

Teachers must be vigilant in their instruction and supervision of students and address any issues brought to their attention.

School administration and professional staff will educate students and raise awareness about the issue through classroom visits and awareness campaigns. Students are encouraged to seek help in situations of conflict before it escalates into a larger problem.

Whenever possible, a resolution between bully and victim will be sought through means such as meetings with our guidance counsellor, spiritual animator, and/or administration, outside counselling services for one or both parties, or a mediated agreement between both parties.

ALL MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY MUST:

• Treat one another with dignity and respect at all times;
• Respect the rights of others;
• Respect all members of the school community, especially persons in authority.

ALL MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY MUST NOT:

• Engage in bullying behaviour;
• Engage in hate propaganda and other forms of behaviour motivated by hate or bias;
• Encourage others to inflict bodily harm on another person.

REPORTING

Under Quebec’s anti-bullying law, Bill 56, students and staff have a duty to report incidents of bullying and/or violence in school. A report can be made with the administration or with a trusted adult staff member who will in turn speak to the administration.

Students and staff may also submit anonymous reports online at www.stopabully.ca.

RESPECT FOR OTHERS 

As an RHS student, you will be spending the majority of your day (and often many years) with the people around you. It is important to the function of the school that all its members conduct themselves with self-discipline and courtesy toward others. All students of RHS have an obligation to: 

• Act in a civil and respectful manner at all times;
• Contribute to a healthy and safe learning environment;

Rosemount High School has strict policies concerning personal conduct. Students are expected to: 

• Cooperate with their teachers and classmates, to behave in an acceptable manner and participate in class. NO STUDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR A TEACHER TO TEACH OR OTHER STUDENTS TO LEARN.
• Cooperate with staff members in the school. Rudeness or refusal to obey instructions will result in disciplinary action.
• Behave in an acceptable manner in the halls during the day. Boisterous play in these areas of the school is not permitted. Eating and/or drinking in the halls is forbidden except in the designated eating areas. Students are expected to keep these areas clean and students caught littering and/or vandalizing will face disciplinary action.
• Arrive to class ON TIME, and IN UNIFORM with all the required materials (textbooks, pens, pencils, phys. ed. uniforms, etc..) to perform the tasks expected of them.
• Be IN UNIFORM for the entire school day. STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CHANGE CLOTHES DURING RECESS OR LUNCH FOR SCHOOL SECURITY PURPOSES.
• Students are expected to use language which is appropriate to a civil and educational environment and which shows respect for others, including peers. Verbal abuse and swearing cannot and will not be tolerated.

RESPECT FOR COMMUNITY 

• Show respect for our neighbours. Stay off their property, front steps, driveway, yard, laneways, vehicles, etc.
• Behave properly in the shops and restaurants around the school.
• RHS students are under no circumstance to enter the Rosemount Technology Center.
• RHS students are not permitted to enter C.E.G.E.P. Collège Rosemont buildings and grounds on their own accord.
• Avoid going up to the reservoir (track) located across the street from the school.
• Behave properly on the city busses. Do not loiter in the bus shelters or on school property.
• Students who create a public disturbance may receive a fine from the police and may have to appear in court.
• Students are not permitted to congregate in front of the 16th avenue student entrance after school.

RESPECT FOR SCHOOL PROPERTY 

• Respect for school property is a student obligation.
• Vandalism in any form will not be tolerated and is punishable by suspension. In some cases, it may be necessary to involve local law enforcement.
• Students (and their families) found guilty will have to pay for any damages and replacement costs.
• Writing on walls, desks, tables, chairs or in lockers, textbooks, washrooms, etc. is considered vandalism.
• Eating and/or drinking in the classrooms or hallways is not permitted except in the desigated eating areas.

STUDENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO… 

• be in the corridors during classes without a hall pass.
• remain in or around the school after 3:00 pm, unless participating in an extra-curricular activity under teacher supervision or serving a detention.
• invite outsiders into the school to visit them.
• share lockers or use lockers other than their own.
• use cell phones, gaming, or any other electronic devices in class or during exams.
• wear hats, bandanas, oversized headphones or caps in school
• bring backpacks/handbags to class
• change out of uniform during the school day.
• Access prohibited areas of the school building and grounds
• Loitering
• Vape, smoke in the school building, or on/near school premises. A student who breaks this regulation will automatically be suspended from school. 
• use cell phones or other electronic devices to record or film students, teachers, or staff without their consent be it written or verbal. 

DETENTIONS 

Teacher detentions must always be served. Failure to do so will result in further action; ie., contacting parents, the involvement of administration, etc.

The administration can assign an alternate format of a detention as they see appropriate such as tutorial time, homework program, etc. This may mean missing an athletic or extra-curricular responsibility, regardless of its importance. Only an administrator may change the date of a school detention at his/her discretion. It must be understood that school-administered detentions have priority, except in clearly established extenuating circumstances.

A suspension will be given to students who skip a school detention two (2) consecutive times without a valid reason. 

SUSPENSIONS 

Suspension penalties may be administered to students up to a maximum of 5 days as a result of (but not limited to) the following infractions:

• Disrespectful or insolent behaviour against students or staff.
• Use, possession, or distribution of drugs, alcohol, or other illegal substances.
• Bullying others (including cyber-bulling).
• Skipping one or more classes on any given day, even if it is a first offence. 
• Fighting, horseplay, pushing, hitting.
• Vandalism, theft, or destruction of property.
• Refusal to obey instructions
• Physical or verbal abuse towards others.
• Smoking or vaping on school property.
• Uttering threats, harassment, name-calling.
• Possession/use of dangerous items.
• Class disruptions/Lack of respect for others
• Chronic uniform violations or chronic unexcused tardiness.
• Skipping detention (2 consecutive times without valid reasons).
• Accessing prohibited area(s) of the building or grounds
• Loitering

An in-person meeting between a parent, the student, and a member of the school administration must take place at the school following a suspension for any reason. A student may not be readmitted to school until such a meeting takes place. A phone conversation with the parent is not sufficient.

SUSPENDED STUDENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO…

• Participate in any extra-curricular activities, such as dances, sports teams, band activities, shows, etc.
• Participate in school day trips or overnight trips. See “School Trips” section of the code of conduct.
• Visit the school or loiter outside the school building. Should they do so, the period of suspension will be automatically extended.

1. When students arrive late to school (after 8:20am and/or after 1:20pm) they must report directly to the office. They will be indicated as late and receive a school detention. Once 3 consecutive lates have been accumulated the student will serve a detention. Once 3 detentions have been issued, the student will serve a 1 day suspension.
   • 3 lates = 1 detention
   • 3 detentions = 1 day suspension
2. Class attendance is done by period. Administration then ensures that all students were present and accounted for in all classes throughout the day. An automated report will be sent out through Mosaik during Period 1 and Period 4.
3. Students habitually late for school or any of their classes will receive a suspension.
4. Parents may call the school to inform us that their child will be late for school, however, a phone call does not necessarily excuse the student from a school detention. The decision to assign a school detention for tardiness rests with the school administration. 

Students’ grades and attendance go hand-in-hand. Please remember that excessive absences can lead to academic difficulties in the classroom. Attendance will be taken by teachers during each period of the day.

If a student will be absent from or late to school for a valid reason, a parent or guardian must enter the information on Mosaik by 9:00 a.m. 

Excused absences are those resulting from illness, injury, family emergency, team sport competition, field trip, court appearance, or religious observance. Proper documentation is necessary in order for an absence to be excused.

Classes repeatedly missed for any reason, without a note, will be counted as unexcused absences. Avoiding tests or assignment deadlines is not a valid excuse for missing a class.

Students who are not in class because of truancy (skipping) or school suspension are responsible for any assignments, tests or other work missed during that time.

In order to participate in athletics, performances, shows or other extra-curricular activities on a given day, a student must attend all classes. This means that a student must attend daily and be in every class without exception.

If a parent is away, the school must be notified of the guardian left in charge and the phone number of said guardian.

An early dismissal for medical or personal reasons is granted when the school is notified by a parent/guardian. The request may be made by phone or through Mosaik. All notifications for an early dismissal must be made brfore 9:00am on the day of the early dismissal. No early dismissal will be granted after 9:00am.

It is imperative that the school be given a phone number where a parent / relative / guardian may be reached during the day in case of an emergency. Please ensure that your contact information is up-to-date.

If a student leaves the school without proper permission or without following proper sign-out procedures, the absence(s) will be deemed “unexcused”, and treated as skipping. A note from parents/guardians received the next day may not clear the student. Consequences for skipping class will follow (i.e. automatic suspension).

Any student who becomes ill during the day must go to the Main Office. Before the student is released from school, a parent or guardian must be contacted and the student must sign out. A medical note should be brought to the Main Office upon the student’s return to school.

Secondary I – II students are recommended to stay on school grounds at recess and lunch time unless they have a note from a parent. These students are especially not permitted to go to the park across the street (the Rez).

Secondary III-IV-V students must maintain a solid attendance record throughout the year in order to be considered eligible for Graduation and any other senior activities, privileges, awards, and honors. Senior courses require a student’s presence and participation every day. Secondary V students are expected to attend classes regularly throughout the year.

Exam schedules will be given to students prior to the exam sessions and will also be made available on our school website. Make sure you are present on the date and time of your exams. Students and their families must make every effort to avoid absences on exam days, especially those set aside for High School Leaving Exams. Unexcused absences on these days will result in a grade of zero (0) on the missed exam. A student who is absent due to illness must present an official medical note signed by the physician who administered treatment.

As the school calendar provides a generous vacation schedule, we strongly discourage family trips which result in students’ missing school. Such absences hurt the student whose work is interrupted. Our curriculum is quite demanding, therefore class attendance is crucial. We strongly recommend that parents DO NOT plan trips during formal exam periods (i.e. midyear and final exams).

Every student will have some homework to do each evening. The type and amount of work will differ from one grade to another and will include formal assignments, projects and review work as well as studying for tests and exams. Homework is assigned daily. Please call the school to leave a message or send an email directly to the teacher if there is a problem. Teachers will contact parents if students are not doing their homework regularly.

When students miss school, they are responsible for getting assignments from other class members or their teachers. If the illness is more than three (3) school days in length, please notify the Main Office. The Office will collect assignments and send them home with a friend or relative of the student. Students must be prepared to make up tests and/or quizzes a few days after their return to school unless other arrangements for an extension have been made with teachers.

As a general rule course changes are granted only if:

1. An error has been made in level or course placement, OR
2. A student is repeating a course with the same teacher.

Any requests for course changes must be made at the Main Office by submitting the course change request form by the indicated deadline in September. Course changes are not permitted after the indicated deadline.

Complete sets of textbooks are supplied to students without charge. These books are the property of the School Board and must be returned to the school at the end of the year or upon withdrawal from the school. Any lost or damaged books must be paid for by the student. Final report cards will not be issued to students in June until all textbooks and library books are returned and/or lost or damaged books are paid for.

The school year is divided into three terms. The end of each term is followed by the distribution of a Student Report. Parent/Teacher Interviews are held following the first two terms. All report cards will be made avaiable on Mosaik. Report cards will no longer be printed by the school. The last report card of the year, issued at the end of June, contains the final school mark.

For courses subject to external examinations by the Ministry of Education (MEQ), the marks appearing on the June report cards are the school results submitted to the Ministry. The school results are used by the Ministry along with the examination results to produce the final mark which is mailed to the student in July by the MEQ.

Please notify the school immediately of any change of address, email or telephone. It is extremely important that up-to-date phone numbers—where parents and students can be reached—be provided to the school.

Physical Education is compulsory for all students in Secondary 1 to 5. Only a note from a doctor can excuse a student from gym for medical reasons. RHS phys.ed. uniforms and running shoes are required for all students. The uniforms can be purchased from our official uniform supplier. Students must lock their belongings in the locker room. Students are not permitted to enter or use our gymnasiums or weight room at any time without the presence of a staff member. Note: students must be aged 16 or older to use the weight room.

Important Reminder: Parents are encouraged to subscribe to personal insurance particularly as this relates to your child’s participation in physical education and sports. Fees incurred for ambulance services, medical/dental/ocular services and any other services related to an injury will not be assumed by the school. Any questions should be addressed to a member of the administration.

Each student is assigned a locker for books and street clothing. Students are not permitted to share lockers. Students are responsible for the content found in their locker. Students must purchase their own lock. A lock must always be used.

Students may purchase a second lock to use in the gym locker room.

Combinations/keys should not be given to any other individual. While all reasonable precautions are taken to protect students’ property, the possibility of theft is not completely unavoidable. Although proper use of a good lock will help to prevent theft, the only way to ensure that you will not lose expensive articles or items of value is to leave them at home. THE SCHOOL WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST OR STOLEN ITEMS. The school reserves the right to inspect lockers regularly, search lockers based on reasonable grounds, and remove locks where safety concerns arise.

When the fire alarm sounds, always behave as though it is a real fire. If you are part of a class or supervised activity, the teacher will direct you to your designated fire exit. If you are the first to reach exit doors, hold them open until those people following you have exited. Do not talk and do not run. Stay with your class or group at all times. During an authorized practice fire drill, all students are to proceed to the meeting point which is on the school soccer field. Be warned that it is a serious criminal offence to pull a false fire alarm. In the event of a real fire or emergency, the evacuation centre where RHS students must assemble is the Collège Rosemont located across the street from RHS at 6400, 16th avenue.

21st CENTURY CLASSROOM

Rosemount High School believes that access to the tools and resources from the worldwide network and the understanding of when and how these tools are appropriately and effectively used is essential to every student’s education. However, the use of technology to access educational material is not a necessity but a privilege. This access will benefit the learning environment. When the rules are abused, privileges will be taken away. Students bringing their own device to school must adhere to the Student Code of Conduct as well as to the English Montreal School Board’s policies, particularly Internet Acceptable Use and Internet Safety. Instances of probable inappropriate use will be investigated.

ELECTRONIC/SMART DEVICES

Students are NOT permitted to bring electronic devices (i.e. cell phones, earbuds, headphones, smart watch) to class. No other devices from home are permitted. Any electronic devices brought to school must be stored in lockers during class time, homeroom, and passing time. Use of these devices is restricted to before & after school, and during recess & lunch. All students must adhere to this RHS Technology Code of Conduct. Devices that are misused will be confiscated and submitted to administration. Administration will record the infraction.

First offence: a detention will be issued and the confiscated device (cell phone, ear buds, headphone, smartwatch, etc.) will be returned at the end of the school day.

Second offence: a detention will be issued; the confiscated device will be returned at the end of that day and the student will lose the privilege of having any electronic devices at school for at least five (5) school days. The student will surrender their devices to the main office before classes begin each morning and retrieve it at the end of the day.

Third offence: a detention will be issued, and a parent will have to schedule an appointment to discuss the issue and collect the confiscated device from the school during regular hours. Additionally, the student will lose the privilege of having their devices at school for at least two weeks of school.

Fourth offence: one-day suspension and a meeting with parents, with additional consequences to be determined by the administration.

Students are forbidden to photograph or record any student or adult without their permission and will face disciplinary action. Students are not to use portable speakers in the school. Ear buds should be stored during class time. A reminder that all electronics are prohibited during all evaluations and violators will be considered cheating if any device is found in their possession.

At Rosemount, students are expected to be honest in the preparation for and writing of tests and assignments. At no time may a student present as his/her own work ideas or writings taken in full or in part from a published work, another student, or some other source.

Plagiarism consists of (but is not necessarily limited to):

• misrepresenting someone else’s work as one’s own: e.g. copying another student’s paper or an article from a journal or website; buying an essay from a term-paper mill;
• patchwriting: writing a paper by simply patching together blocks of text, perhaps with slight modification, taken from one or more sources;
• paraphrasing or summarizing information from a source without citation;
• quoting material without the proper use of quotation marks (even if otherwise cited correctly);
• translating a work from one language to another without citation.

Cheating consists of (but is not necessarily limited to):

• using unauthorized notes or other aids in a test or exam, or copying from or being influenced by another student’s work during an evaluation or assessment;
• giving unauthorized aid to another student; allowing another student to copy or use one’s test, exam, paper, or homework;
• receiving excessive assistance with homework or take-home tests from a tutor, parent, or fellow student;
• using translating software or translations of texts studied in class without the permission of the teacher;
• submitting the same work for credit to more than one teacher, unless both teachers give their permission;
• misuse of technology, including, but not limited to, cell phones, calculators, laptops;
• using the intellectual property of another individual without acknowledging the source;
• file sharing without the teacher’s permission.

Plagiarism and cheating, or any other form of academic dishonesty, results in a zero grade for that assignment plus further sanctions, which may include suspension. Cheating or any attempt to cheat during class tests, quizzes, or exams will also result in the student receiving a zero grade for that assessment plus further sanctions.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The use of AI is prohibited without consent of the teacher for any given assignment in class. The use of AI will be considered a form of cheating when the tool is used without permission.

Skateboarding and in-line skating are outdoor activities. They are not to be used in any manner at any time inside the school building. We also encourage students not to bring these items to school. The School will not be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items, including skateboards. Students who choose to bike to and from school must have their bicycle locked outside the school and at no time should they be brought inside the building. The school, however, will not be responsible for stolen or damaged bicycles

Only authorized sporting equipment may be used in the gymnasium under staff supervision. Under no circumstances are students permitted to play with sports equipment such as balls, hockey sticks, skateboards, etc. in the school hallways, foyers or in classrooms. These items will be confiscated by teachers.

Rosemount High School recognizes the academic achievement of its students by placing them on the Honor Roll at the end of a term. Students who have earned an overall average of 80%-89% are placed on the Honor Roll. Students who have earned an overall average of 90% or more High Honors List.

The Diplôme d’études secondaire (Quebec high school leaving diploma) is issued by the MEESR to students who successfully complete a minimum of 54 credits from Secondary 4 and 5 courses, with at least 20 credits at the Secondary 5 level. Students must also obtain credits for the following courses:

Secondary 4:

• Mathematics
• History and Citizenship
• Science and Technology
• Art education (music, drama, art, or dance)

Secondary 5:

• English Language Arts (language of instruction)
• French Second Language
• Ethics and Religious Culture OR Physical Education and Health

At Rosemount, a Bilingual Certificate is awarded to a graduating student who followed the French Immersion Program and successfully completed Français Langue Maternelle in secondary 4 and 5.

If a parent or guardian decides to remove their child from a trip, no refund of any deposit, fundraising, or any other monetary contributions, will be forthcoming to the parent or guardian. This also applies to a student who is removed from a trip because of a violation of the code of conduct. In this case, there will be no refund.

For all trips outside Quebec, mandatory comprehensive insurance MUST be purchased from the travel company.