Supervision of Students

Objective

To align with the expectation that students are provided with welcoming, inclusive, safe and healthy learning and working environments.

To provide direction to school staff related to the supervision of students during the hours of school operations and during any additional times outlined in this administrative regulation.

To support the safety and well-being of students and staff by outlining the weather and outdoor environmental conditions that need regular monitoring. 

Definitions

Air Quality Health Index, as defined by Environment Canada, measures the air quality in relation to a person’s health on a scale from 1 to 10. The higher the number, the greater the health risk associated with the air quality.

Extreme cold is defined, for the purpose of this regulation, as a weather condition involving any temperature that is equal or below -23 degrees Celsius with or without the windchill, according to Environment Canada.

Extreme heat is defined, for the purpose of this regulation, as a weather condition involving high temperatures and/or high humidity that can pose health risks, such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Inclement conditions refers to outdoor conditions that pose a risk to the safety and/or well-being of individuals.

Inclement conditions include, but are not limited to, storms, rain, tornadoes, wind, air quality, extreme cold and extreme heat.

Independent student refers to a student as defined in the Education Act, S.A. 2012, c.E-0.3, as amended from time to time. A non-independent student does not meet the criteria outlined in this definition. 

Responsibility

The principal is responsible for:

Ensuring appropriate supervision is provided to all students, in alignment with the direction outlined in this regulation.

1. Ensuring appropriate supervision is provided to all students, in alignment with the direction outlined in this regulation.
   
   
2. Establishing procedures that support safety and well-being during inclement conditions, including but not limited to plans for recess, outdoor learning classrooms, extracurricular activities, outdoor off-site field trips, and access to indoor safe spaces to seek shelter from changing outdoor conditions.
   
   
3. Ensuring staff are aware of their responsibility to monitor inclement conditions, or changing outdoor conditions that may pose a risk to the safety and/or well-being of individuals who are outdoors, and to make a contingency plan to return to a safe indoor space during inclement conditions.
   
   
4. Communicating to parents/guardians information pertaining to inclement conditions, operational hours, school supervision and expectations of parents/guardians in respect to student drop off and pick up times. 

Regulation

1. DURING THE HOURS OF SCHOOL OPERATION
   1. The principal will ensure that reasonable supervision of students is provided for the duration of the school day. This includes a minimum of 15 minutes prior to the commencement of instruction and a minimum of five minutes following the conclusion of, inclusive of recesses (when applicable) and the lunch period.
      
      
   2. Students will be provided access to the classrooms a minimum of five minutes prior to the morning and afternoon instructional period.
      
      
   3. Lunch period supervision will be provided for:
      1. Students authorized to spend the lunch period in the school.
      2. Students transported by school (yellow) buses.
      3. A minimum of 15 minutes for all students prior to the commencement of afternoon instruction.
   4. Volunteer and paid supervision:
      1. Provision may be made for the supervision of students during the hours of school operation by volunteer or paid supervisors.
      2. All such personnel are placed in a school subject to the approval, direction and authority of the principal in alignment with Human Resource administrative regulations, and thus would be considered agents of the Division for liability purposes.
   5.  Students in Kindergarten to grade six are not permitted to leave the school without the permission of a parent/guardian.
      1. Under no circumstances should a student who has brought a lunch be sent home unless the parent/guardian is contacted beforehand.
      2. Parents/guardians of students in Kindergarten to grade six will be notified of absences by the school.
   6.  Students in grades seven to nine are not permitted to leave the school without the permission of a parent/guardian. An exception is made for students in grades seven to nine who attend an open campus school and are only permitted to leave the school during the lunch period, as set out by the open campus expectations.
      1. Parents/guardians of grades seven to nine students will be notified of absences by the school.
   7. Students in grades ten to twelve are permitted to leave the school during the lunch period and when they are not scheduled for a class.
      1. Parents/guardians of grades ten to twelve students will be notified by the school of absences for any scheduled classes.
      2. There will be no notification of absences for independent students.
         
         
2. DURING INCLEMENT CONDITIONS
   
   1. Students will be provided access to the school building a minimum of 15 minutes prior to the morning and afternoon instructional periods.
      
      
   2. When Environment Canada issues an Air Quality Health Index rating that is at 7 or higher for the location of the outdoor activity, students should be kept indoors, strenuous activities should be reduced or ended, and school windows closed. Air conditioning and HVAC air systems should remain on.
      
      
   3. Heat warning information from Alberta Health Services will be used to inform contingency planning during extreme heat. During extreme heat, staff should be monitoring students for signs of:
      1. Heat exhaustion, including confusion or lack of coordination, dizziness or fainting, nausea or vomiting, heavy sweating, headache, or extreme thirst.
      2. Heat stroke, including confusion and lack of coordination, dizziness or fainting, very hot, red skin without sweating.
         
         
   4. When temperatures are equal or below -23 degrees Celsius with or without the windchill, according to Environment Canada, students will remain indoors.
      
      
   5. When there is thunder and lightning in the area, students will remain indoors (i.e., students should remain indoors if thunder can be heard, as this means that they may be within striking distance of lightning).
      
      
   6. In the event that outdoor conditions change to inclement conditions while students are outdoors, staff will enact contingency plans to access a safe indoor space.
      
      
   7. Principals will consider the cancellation or rescheduling of outdoor activities, including field trips, due to the risk of inclement conditions.

C. BEYOND THE HOURS OF SCHOOL OPERATION

1. Supervision of students may be provided for students prior to and after operational hours for emergency circumstances, at the discretion of the principal.
   
   
2. Supervision for students participating in school organized activities, on or off school premises, will be provided for the duration of the activity.
   
   
3. On the way to and from school:
   1. The principal will assume responsibility for the supervision of students using transportation provided by the Division.
   2. The principal will cooperate with and assist the community in addressing student behaviour that occurs on the way to and from school.
   3. The principal will become involved in instances where student actions and/or behaviour beyond the hours of school operation detrimentally affects the school community and/or its members, as per the Education Act. 

References