Allergies and Alerts:

Peanuts:  For the past several years, our school community has made great efforts to become a peanut sensitive school.  We have several students who have severe, life-threatening allergies to peanuts and peanut by-products.  We are asking for your continued support and cooperation as we do our best to ensure the safety of all students attending Ocean View.

Scents:  We are a scent aware school.  With the growing awareness of events that cause disturbances in learning, there are students, teachers, and parents at Ocean View Elementary that have allergies to perfumes and products that range from mild to strong scents.  If you plan to visit the school, please be aware of these individuals and refrain from wearing scented perfumes.  Thank you.

Visitors:  For the safety of all our children, it is essential that every visitor sign in at the office and wear a visitor ID, even if you are at the school on a regular basis and even if staff know you.  In our continuous effort to maintain an inviting but safe and secure school, we must know who is in the building at all times and the purpose of their visits.  All doors are locked after the 8:30 bell except the main office door which is locked after 8:45.  We ask that all visitors comply with these requests.

Telephone Usage:  The office telephones are used by office staff only.  In case of emergency, illness, or extenuating circumstances, students are able to phone home.  We encourage students to come to school prepared with all necessary belongings and to make after school arrangements in advance.

Lunchtime and afterschool:  As you are aware, Ocean View is a very busy school.  We need your cooperation in making lunchtime and after-school arrangements before your child leaves in the morning.  It is very disruptive to students and staff when classes are interrupted continuously.

Communication with Parents and Guardians:  There are several ways in which Ocean View Elementary communicates with home to keep parents/caregivers informed of their child's progress and provide information about activities and issues occurring at school:

1. Curriculum night and special event nights are held throughout the year to give families an opportunity to meet teachers, see student work samples and learn about various programs, curriculum outcomes and expectations.
2. The Parent/Teacher Organization (PTO) meets monthly.  These meetings are open to everyone.
3. School newsletters are sent home (mostly via email) on a monthly basis to keep families up to date on any pertinent school information.
4. Parent and Guardian visitation appointments are held twice a year (first term and second term).  There are three reporting periods during the school year.  Report cards are sent home in first term, second term and at the end of the year.

Dismissal:  Parents are asked to remain outside the building while waiting for children.  It is difficult for classes to navigate the hallways when adults congregate outside the classrooms.  In addition, we are attempting to teach independence and responsibility early in our children's schooling.  Parents can greatly assist by meeting their children at their designated exit door.

Students on Medication:  Over the past few years, there have been significant changes to the HRSB's policy regarding the administration of medication.  These changes have been made to ensure student safety and that proper medical protocol is followed.  These policies apply to common, over the counter medications such as Tylenol, cold medications, etc.  The appropriate forms may be obtained at the office.

Student Behaviour and Discipline:  At Ocean View Elementary, we believe that student behaviour and discipline is a shared responsibility among staff, students, and families.  Staff will always strive to treat students with respect and expect the same in return.  Furthermore, we feel it is our reponsibility to help students understand that for every right, they have a corresponding responsibility.

The Positive Effective Behaviour Supports (PEBS) program was implemented during the 2005-2006 school year and continues to thrive at Ocean View.  It recognizes the positive things that students do each and every day.  Furthermore, it helps students take responsibility for inappropriate behaviour and teaches students what appropriate behaviour looks like in each school setting.  The PEBS program functions under the assumption that "if it's predictable, it's preventable."

Initiatives to support the PEBS program will be implemented periodically and we will notify students/families well in advance.  The following have already been implemented at Ocean View.

1.  GOTCHA Awards:  these can be given to students by any staff member of Ocean View.  It recognizes the positive things students do in the school or on the playground.  Furthermore, whole classes are eligible to receive a class GOTCHA for collective achievements. The individual student GOTCHAs are collected in a grade primary to grade 1 bin and a grade 2 to grade 3 bin.  Each month, we have a draw from each bin and the winners receive a GOTCHA DRAW prize at a student assembly.
2. Our school matrix shows students what appropriate behaviour looks like in each school setting.  Teachers spend time with students explicitly teaching the PEBS matrix (see the attached file below).
3. Community partnerships:  developing a strong connection with the larger community is an important aspect of the PEBS program.  We have established a strong connection with the local RCMP who have come in and talked with our students about safety, rights, responsibilities and the law.

Rules for Peacemaking:

1. Find out what the problem is by talking to each other.
2. Attack the problem, not the person.
3. Listen to each other with an open mind.
4. Treat a person's feelings with respect; the same way you would like to be treated.
5. Take responsibility for what you say and do.

Race Relations, Cross-Cultural Understanding & Human Rights:  Ocean View Elementary staff recognizes the fundamental importance of positive self-concept and identity in all people.  Discrimination will not be tolerated in a school which seeks to promote harmony, mutual understanding, and respect for every person.  Discrimination may occur on the basis of race, nationality, gender, age, religion, political or ethnic affiliations, family status and physical or mental ability.  It shows itself in many different forms.  Some of the more common behaviours include:  name-calling, jokes, slurs, discourteous or condescending treatment, graffiti, threats, insults, physical abuse, and violence. 

All members of our community have a responsibility to deal with such expressions of discrimination and as a school we take an active role in eliminating all forms of discrimination by:

1. Having a conflict resolution strategy in place.
2. Ensuring that all students have equal access to all programs.
3. Ensuring that all learning resources provide students with opportunities to develop positive self-esteem.
4. Providing an environment free from stereotypes.
5. Providing staff and students with educational opportunities to develop the knowledge, attitudes, and sensitivity necessary for the promotion of human rights.
6. Providing positive role models of inclusion, tolerance, and acceptance.
7. Teachers assess literature in the classrooms to ensure it is free of bias and stereotypes.