Safe and Accepting Schools

Building positive places to learn and work together

As a parent, nothing is more important than your child’s safety and well-being. At the Peel District School Board, that’s our priority, too. We’re committed to providing a healthy, supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff. We know that students achieve their best when they feel safe, nurtured, welcomed, engaged, respected and included.

Years of research have shown that students are more successful at school and in life when they learn positive values from an early age. We work with parents and the community to help students develop social skills and appropriate behaviours as they learn and grow.

We help students to become responsible, respectful members of society. We:

set high expectations
reinforce positive attitudes and behaviour
promote safe, healthy choices and respect for others
encourage student participation and leadership
foster parent and community involvement

Character attributes in action

As part of the Ministry of Education’s focus on character development, we focus on important attributes or traits which form the standard for the behaviour of our students and staff. The six attributes—caring, cooperative, honest, inclusive, respectful and responsible—are taught in school, and are the basis of our working relationships in schools and worksites.

Read our school resource to physical activities that support Character Attributes in Action.

Climate for Learning and Working in Action

Download the Climate for Learning and Working in Action.pdf

Keeping our schools safe is a shared responsibility

Peel schools are among the safest places in our communities—and, together, we share responsibility for keeping our schools safe. When staff, students and parents work together, we can make a powerful difference.

The Peel board’s Safe and Accepting Schools Policy is based on the Education Act and the Ontario Code of Conduct. Each school also develops its own Code of Conduct, based on provincial and Peel board policies. Copies of the school Code of Conduct are available from the school or available on school websites.

The school's responsibility:

provide a safe, nurturing, engaging, welcoming, respectful and inclusive school climate
teach positive behaviour and good citizenship
teach respect for self and others
provide tools to resolve conflicts constructively and respectfully
encourage healthy, inclusive relationships
apply consequences for inappropriate behaviour
support victims of inappropriate behaviour
communicate openly and honestly