Mission Statement
In a safe, caring and supportive environment, the Arrow Heights Elementary School community encourages all students to strive for personal success in the progression of their social responsibility, intellectual development and emotional growth for life-long learning.
Principal’s message
Welcome to a new year at Arrow Heights Elementary! Our school prides itself on being a caring, safe, and inclusive place to learn. We look forward to helping all students develop in all aspects of their personal and academic growth. This Handbook and agenda are valuable tools to help you become involved, informed, and organized. Caregivers, please take the time to read through and discuss this section of the agenda with your child(ren). Should you have any questions or concerns, we encourage you to drop in or give us a call (250) 837-6360. Please be sure to check out the school calendar to plan for upcoming events, non-instructional days, and holidays.
General School Information
School Schedule
| Early arrival for students | 8:05 a.m. |
| Welcome bell | 8:25 a.m. |
| Classes begin for the morning | 8:30 a.m. |
| Recess Break | 10:00 a.m. |
| Classes resume for the morning | 10:20 a.m. |
| Lunch Begins | 12:00 p.m. |
| Bell – all students outside | 12:20 p.m. |
| Classes begin for the afternoon | 12:50 p.m. |
| Dismissal | 2:30 p.m. |
Visit our calendar & events page to view our weekly bell schedules, school and sports events, holidays, PD days, and more.
Home-School Communication
Parents/guardians are welcome to come to the school at any time; please report to the office upon arrival. If you have any concerns, questions, suggestions, etc., please feel free to contact the school. We welcome your input. Here is a list of some of the types of home-school communication occurring at A.H.E.:
- Informal Reporting: Includes regular teacher contact via telephone, email, or in person.
- Other Communication Channels: Newsletters are distributed monthly.
- Family Conferences and/or student-led conferences are held twice a year.
- Student Agenda: Teachers regularly leave and encourage school to/from home notes in the agenda.
- Activities/notices are posted on the school website.
How Can Parents Support Student Learning?
- Check and sign your child’s agenda each day. You may also use their agenda as a homeschool communication tool.
- Attend P.A.C. meetings.
- Come to our assemblies and special events!
- Contact your child’s teacher immediately if you have any questions or concerns.
- Choose one or more of the many ways to become involved at AHE.
- Become familiar with our school’s programs, policies, and operations.
- Support your child with their homework.
- Have your child read to you. Read to your child.
Parent Advisory Council
Our PAC group is a vital part of our school. As a primary voice of the parents, they meet monthly to discuss issues, ideas, or general concerns pertaining to our school. Meetings are usually the first Monday of the month. They also serve as a key support in planning special events like the Christmas Craft Fair, Book Fair, hot lunch days, and funding special initiatives and projects at the school. Arrow Heights PAC aims to assist the learning of our students while encouraging success and pride in our school and community. All AHE parents/guardians are encouraged to become involved with our PAC. Remember, you don’t have to be on the executive to come to PAC meetings. All AHE parents and guardians are a part of the PAC. Come out and help us continue to make AHE a great place to be!
Volunteers
Parents, grandparents, retired teachers, and other community members help with a wide range of activities. This wonderful support from our community helps to provide a successful and enriched school experience for our students. Please let your child’s teacher or the office know if you are able to volunteer in any way. At Arrow Heights, we encourage parents and other community members to become involved in our school.
Please keep in mind that confidentiality is essential. For the safety of our students, completed volunteer and criminal record check forms are required for those parents who work with children away from the near company of staff.
Student Activities
We are very fortunate to have dedicated staff and volunteers who are able to provide a wide variety of curricular and extra-curricular activities throughout the year. Some of these include Badminton, Volleyball, Cross Country Running, Basketball, House Games, Spirit Days, and Sports Day. Listen to the announcements for times to sign up or join these and other activities throughout the year.
Student Leadership
Each year we invite students to join Student Leadership to work to provide positive experiences for the school. The group meets weekly during the year to plan special events such as dances, fundraisers for charity, Spirit Days, and many other exciting activities.
Student Services
Indigenous Support
Our district Elementary Indigenous Education Advocate provides a range of activities, support, and information for Indigenous and Nonindigenous students. She can be contacted through our school. If your child has Indigenous heritage, be sure to let the office know.
Counseling
Our district counsellor works with students at our school each week. Should you feel your son or daughter would benefit from counseling support, please contact Mrs. Mair or your child’s teacher.
Learning Support
Our Learning Support teacher works with Educational Assistants, specialists, and classroom teachers to develop supports for students as needed.
Speech-Language Services
Our district speech language pathologist will work with students in our school and across our District to assist with speech and language development. Contact the school for more information.
Library
Our Teacher Librarian and our Library Clerk maintain a wonderful and up-to-date collection of resources, including numerous electronic resources. Books and magazines may be borrowed for up to two weeks. Our library also contains a small parent resource section.
Busing
Many of our students are transported to and from school via the district busing service. Students are reminded that this service is a privilege. They are required to behave in a respectful and responsible manner as per our school code of conduct and district expectations to ensure safe transportation for all students.
Lockers
Lockers remain the property of School District 19. Students whose classes are in the intermediate wing are provided a locker as a convenience. Students are responsible for keeping their lockers clean and orderly. Students are encouraged to use a school combination lock. Combinations or spare keys will be kept by the student’s classroom teacher.
Recess and Lunchtime
We encourage students to be active during recess and lunch and request all students be outside during these times unless organized activities are available. There is staff outside at recess for anyone who needs help and noon hour supervisors during lunch. Students who can go home for lunch are encouraged to do so. This break can be very good for many students. For the safety of the student, please inform the school if your child will not be at school during lunch. Students who regularly stay at school for lunch will require a note from home to leave the grounds. Students who stay at school are expected to remain in their classes for the first 15 minutes to ensure they sit for a healthy lunch. All students will be required to be outside by the second lunch bell.
Absence and Late Arrival
Please have your family call the school if you are absent or late on any given day or if you will have an extended absence due to a holiday. Please expect a call from the school if you forget. Students arriving late must report to the office before going to the classroom.
Student Sign In and Out
Please sign in / out at the office
if your child is coming late, returning to school from an appointment, or leaves the school during the day due to illness, appointments, etc. The Sign In/Out Book is on the counter at the front office.
Illnesses and Accidents
Please help keep all children healthy by keeping your child at home if they are sick. Generally speaking, if he/she is too sick to go outside at recess and/or lunch, then he/she is too sick to be at school. When an accident or illness occurs at school, first aid will be administered, and the parent/caregiver notified. The school district will accept financial responsibility if a staff member needs to call an ambulance. Please ensure the school has an emergency contact in the event you are unavailable or cannot be reached.
Medication
School employees may only administer medication if a medication request form has been completed by the child’s parent and physician. Forms are available at the school office. If your child has a serious allergy or life-threatening illness, please inform the principal ASAP.
Home-study
The purpose of home-study in the Primary Grades is to develop personal responsibility and to reinforce learning outcomes with an emphasis on reading. Parents are encouraged to read with their child for 10 to 20 minutes nightly, including spending time discussing story meaning, events, and vocabulary. In the event of an absence, work may be sent home to ensure students’ progress with their classmates. The purpose of homework at the Intermediate level is to review area(s) of difficulty as identified by the teacher for an individual child, work on projects assigned in class, complete work not finished in class, and prepare for tests. It is our belief that home-study is a shared responsibility between the student, parent, and school. We will ensure parents are aware of work to be completed and the due date to be returned to school through the student agenda. We request parents assist their son or daughter through the monitoring of assignments to ensure students meet their responsibility of completing the work assigned.
If your child seems to be overwhelmed with homework on a regular basis, please contact their teacher.
Traffic Safety and Parking
To assist us in keeping students safe, we request that parents do not use the school parking lot to drop off or pick up children. Parking is available on Park Drive beyond the bus zone and crosswalk. Please have your children use the marked crosswalk when crossing Park Drive. We encourage all children and parents to walk or bike to school when possible. If driving your child to school is necessary, please:
- Park in the designated areas only.
Bicycles, Skateboards, Rollerblades, and Scooters
Bike racks are provided at the front of the school, and all students are encouraged to lock their bikes. Students are to carry their skateboards and roller blades inside the school and should be safely stored during the day. In order to keep our students safe and to reduce damage to our playground environment, bikes, skateboards, or roller blades are not to be used on school grounds. Blades may be worn on school grounds when arriving or departing.
Dress Code
In keeping with our Code of Conduct, students are expected to dress in an appropriate manner for a school and work setting. Clothing that is too revealing or with offensive words, slogans, or pictures is inappropriate for school. We also ask that all members of the school community refrain from wearing headwear (unless for religious purposes) indoors so as to preserve a professional working environment.
Inside Shoes
To help keep our school clean, students are expected to change into inside shoes once they enter the building. Gym shoes may be used as inside shoes.
Internet Access at AHE
Every student who accesses the Internet at school must have a signed “Consent, Waiver, and Indemnity” form on file in our school. Students may only access sites that are considered educational and/or directly relate to curricular outcomes. Students who violate this rule or any others specified in the School District agreement form will not be provided school Internet privileges.
Electronic devices at school: Cell phones, gaming devices
The school recognizes the need for parents and their children to remain in close contact for safety reasons. Cell phones do, however, create a distraction for students during class time, and we, therefore, require students to keep cell phones in their lockers during the school day. Please call the school (250) 837-6360) should there be an emergent need to contact your son or daughter. We encourage students to remain as active as possible during recess and lunch periods and therefore recommend leaving electronic devices at home.
Our School Code of Conduct
Cooperation, Achievement, Respect, Enthusiasm, Safety
Our code of conduct helps guide our school towards achieving the goals described in our mission statement. Students are encouraged to understand their responsibilities as learners and citizens of our school community by consistently practicing the elements of our code of conduct. Our code of conduct applies to all members of our school community in all environments associated with school functions. All participants are guided by our code of conduct while acting as ambassadors of our school.
Annual review of our code of conduct occurs with students, parents and staff to encourage the promotion of the expectations in the code of conduct.
Conduct is consistently monitored to ensure codes reflect current and emerging situations that contribute to school safety.
Student Recognition
To support our work with students achieving our code of conduct and behaviour expectations students are recognized for their positive efforts
through regular in class celebrations, and through our C.A.R.E.S. Card individual recognition program.
Encouraging Appropriate Behaviours
At Arrow Heights we will teach, identify and expect positive behaviours. Although our students consistently demonstrate appropriate choices, there are occasions when some may demonstrate behaviours that are deemed inappropriate. Behaviours that require intervention are identified in the following way and act as a guideline for students, parents and school staff. We foster a growth mindset, and each child will be given the opportunity for restitution to help resolve and learn from the behavior.
Behaviour Interventions
Minor Behaviours
Guidelines
Expectation violations that are disruptive to learning or are without regard to others or the school environment. Behaviours typically are unintentional infractions with no intent to harm and are generally isolated or rare incidences.
Response
Infractions are primarily teaching opportunities which may result in a reminder of school expectations resulting in a correction. Student restitution/resolution and/or consequences appropriate to the infraction may be imposed as necessary.
Moderate Behaviours
Guidelines
Behaviours that may be chronic, more serious in nature, unsafe, disrespectful or hurtful. Moderate infractions are typically intentional and purposeful and may affect the tone and safety of the school.
Response
Student restitution/resolution and parent/guardian contact. Restorative action and/or consequences appropriate to the infraction may be imposed. Reflection form will be used to encourage improvement and will go home to be signed.
Major Behaviours
Guidelines
Behaviours that are illegal, violate the human rights, wellbeing and safety of others or have the potential to impact the personal safety of the student.
Response
Parent contact and conference including limits to classroom or school contact as necessary for personal safety and safety of others. District protocols including district Threat Assessment Protocols will be followed and multi-agency consultation may occur for support.
- Whenever possible and appropriate, consequences for breaches of the code are fair and reasonable and restorative in nature.
- Age, maturity, and special needs of students are considered when determining appropriate action.
- School officials may have the responsibility to advise other parties of serious breaches of the code of conduct (e.g. parent, school district officials, police and/or other agencies as per fair notice guidelines).
- All reasonable steps will be made to prevent retaliation against a student who has made a complaint of a breach of a code of conduct.
Community School Threat Assessment: Fair Notice
What behaviours warrant a Student Violence Threat Assessment to be initiated?
A Student Violence Threat Risk Assessment will be initiated for behaviours including, but not limited to: serious violence or violence with intent to harm or kill, verbal/written threats to harm or kill others, online threats to harm or kill others, possession of weapons (including replicas), bomb threats (making and/or detonating explosive devices), fire setting, sexual intimidation or assault and gang related intimidation and violence.
Duty to report
To keep school communities safe and caring, staff, parents/guardians, students and community members must report all threat-related behaviours.
What is a threat?
A threat is an expression of intent to do harm or act out violently against someone or something. Threats may be verbal, written, drawn, posted on the Internet or made by gesture. Threats must be taken seriously, investigated and responded to.
What is a Site-Specific Threat Assessment Team?
Each school has a Site-Specific Threat Assessment Team. The team may include the principal, teachers, counsellor(s) and a member of the local police agency.
What is the purpose of a student threat assessment?
The purposes of a student threat assessment are:
- To ensure the safety of students, staff, parents and others
- To ensure a full understanding of the context of the threat
- To understand factors contributing to the person of concern’s behaviour
- To be proactive in developing an intervention plan that addresses the emotional and physical safety of the person of concern
- To promote the emotional and physical safety of all
What happens in a student threat assessment?
All threat-making behaviour by a student shall be reported to the Principal who will activate the protocol for the initial response. Once the team has been activated, interviews may be held with the student(s), the person of concern, parents and staff to determine the level of risk and develop an appropriate response to the incident. Intervention plans will be developed and shared with parents, staff and students as required.
Can I refuse to participate in a threat assessment process?
It is important for all parties to engage in the process. However, if for some reason there is a reluctance to participate in the process by the person of concern or parent/caregiver, the threat assessment process will continue in order to promote a safe and caring learning environment.
Collection Notice
The School District is subject to personal information privacy laws and will undertake the collection of this information in compliance with the requirements of such laws, including by limiting collection to information that is relevant and necessary to address a risk or threat and by ensuring that information is collected from online sources is only obtained from open source sites. The School District will not collect information as part of a threat assessment unless there is reason to believe that a risk exists. Information collected as part of a threat assessment may be provided to law enforcement authorities in appropriate circumstances.
Non-Discrimination
At Arrow Heights Elementary School we are committed to providing a CARING environment and as per the Human Rights Code (RSBC 1996) that is based on the equality of persons and is free from discrimination. A person must not imply or present any statement or communication (written, spoken, electronic or drawn) that intends to, or indicates discrimination against a person, group or class of persons, or is likely to expose them to hatred or contempt because of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation or age. Accommodation service or facility must not be denied without a bona fide and reasonable justification.
Bullying vs. Conflict
Bullying is a persistent pattern of unwelcome or aggressive behaviour that often involves an imbalance of power, and/or the intention to harm or humiliate someone. Conflict on the other hand is generally a disagreement or difference in opinion between peers who typically have equal power in their relationships. It’s usually an inevitable part of a group dynamic.
