Procedures

The principal and the staff are expected to act as reasonable and prudent parents when students are in their charge and shall exercise supervision of students as may be necessary to establish a safe school environment, a positive climate for learning, and absence of bullying and harassing behaviour.

1. Responsibility is delegated to the principal to arrange for the supervision of students as follows:
   1. Before school, at recesses, during the noon hour, and after school;
   2. Within the school facility and on the school grounds;
   3. During the loading and unloading of school buses on school premises; and
   4. During all co-curricular and extracurricular activities, including off-campus activities.
2. The principal, in consultation with the staff, shall establish written procedures to be followed while carrying out supervision responsibilities. Such procedures shall be annually reviewed by the principal and staff to ensure they are appropriate and that expectations are reinforced.
3. Sufficient supervisors shall be assigned to ensure reasonable and prudent coverage and visibility for all designated areas of the school building and school grounds open and accessible to students.
4. An appropriate supervisor to student ratio shall be provided for school-sponsored/ authorized activities occurring off-site.
5. Both professional and support staff may be assigned supervision responsibilities. Student teachers at the PS-III level may be included in the supervision schedule respecting their reduced teaching load. Student teachers at the Ed 2500, PS-I and PS-II should only be used to accompany and assist other staff assigned to supervision duties.
6. Assignment of supervision duties should be made on an equitable basis, taking into account other school-related activities in which staff are involved.
7. Staff shall engage in active supervision, ensuring they are present and visible throughout the entire supervision period. When students are outside of the school building before or after school and at scheduled breaks, it is expected supervisors will be outside with them. Active supervision implies moving constantly throughout the designated area and interacting directly with students.
8. School procedures should be established to ensure orderly entrance and exit of the school building at the beginning and end of the school day.
9. Except when performing outside supervision, teachers and support staff assigned to students or classrooms should ensure they are present at the entrance to their classrooms prior to the commencement of each class to provide supervision for students in the hallway and while they are entering the room.
10. Bullying or other harassing behaviour is not tolerated at any time, and it is expected school staff encountering such incidents while on supervision will take immediate, appropriate steps to intervene in accordance with Administrative Procedure 352 – Bullying Behaviours in Schools.
11. Supervisors shall report all accidents or incidents of a serious nature to the principal/ designate at the earliest possible opportunity, providing relevant information, in writing, as required.
12. Where off-campus activities involve an overnight stay, at least one supervisor shall be of the same gender as the students taking part in the activity (i.e., male for male students, female for female students, male and female for students of both genders). A similar requirement should be followed for off-site activities occurring during the school day.

Education Act

Cross Reference:
AP 260 - Community-Based Activities, Field Trips, Excursions and Tours
AP 352 – Bullying Behaviour in Schools