Progressive Discipline, Suspensions and Expulsions

Grand Erie is committed to building and sustaining a positive school climate for all students in order to engage, support, and inspire all learners to achieve and succeed. The Education Act requires school boards to ensure that measures are in place that consequence inappropriate behaviours and at the same time provide support for students to change those behaviours.

Progressive discipline can range from detentions to expulsions, depending on the infraction. There is a requirement for schools and school boards to consider all and any mitigating circumstances before issuing a consequence for inappropriate behaviours.

Mitigating circumstances may alter the consequence; however, it does not mean that there is no consequence. We know through research that suspensions and expulsions by themselves further alienate the very youth who are in the most need of developing strong positive relationships.
 

Suspensions

To meet the goals of creating a safe, caring and accepting school environment, Grand Erie supports the use of positive practices as well as consequences for inappropriate behaviour, including progressive discipline, which includes suspension and expulsion when necessary.

The Board does not support discipline measures that are solely punitive. Schools are encouraged to implement proactive positive practices and corrective supportive practices when necessary.
 

Expulsions

A student may be expelled either from his or her school only or from all schools of the Board. If the student is expelled from his or her own school only, he or she must be assigned to another Board program or another school.

In the notice of expulsion, parents/caregivers will be provided with information on either a Board program or another school to which the student has been assigned.