1. Statement of commitment

The school does not tolerate bullying, cyberbullying, harassment or discrimination. This policy is aligned with the standards introduced by the Accepting Schools Act, 2012, with the Ontario Human Rights Code, and with the school's Code of Conduct and Safe Schools Policy.

Every report is taken seriously, is acted on, and is recorded. Consequences are progressive and proportionate, and they are applied with regard to the age and circumstances of the student, because the purpose is to stop the behaviour and to change it.

2. Where this policy applies

It applies to students, parents and guardians, teachers, staff and visitors, in every school setting.

• The Vaughan campus.
• The student portal and every associated digital space, including course discussion forums and messaging.
• School organised events.
• Conduct outside school hours, including on social media, where it has a negative effect on the school climate or on another member of the school community.

3. Definitions

• Bullying. Repeated and aggressive behaviour by an individual or a group, where there is a real or perceived power imbalance based on factors such as size, strength, age, peer group power, economic status, social status, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, family circumstances, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, disability or the receipt of special education. The behaviour is intended to cause, or the person ought to know it is likely to cause, harm, fear or distress, including psychological harm or harm to reputation.
• Cyberbullying. Bullying by electronic means. It includes sending threatening, mocking or intimidating messages through the portal or by email, posting malicious comments in a discussion forum, creating exclusionary or targeted groups online, impersonating another person, and sharing another student's private information, coursework or images without consent.
• Harassment. A course of vexatious comment or conduct that is known, or ought reasonably to be known, to be unwelcome.
• Discrimination. Unequal treatment on a ground protected by the Ontario Human Rights Code, including race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or family status, or disability.

4. Prevention

Prevention is part of ordinary teaching, not a separate exercise.

• The expectations in this policy and in the Code of Conduct are set out at orientation and are visible in the portal throughout every session.
• Every cohort discussion forum is moderated by the assigned Ontario Certified Teacher, who reads the exchanges as part of assessing participation and so sees the tone of the group.
• Teachers make individual contact with each student every week, which gives a student a private route to raise something without posting it.
• Digital citizenship, respectful communication and the responsible use of school systems are addressed in course orientation material.

5. Roles and responsibilities

• Students. Treat others with dignity and respect. Do not take part in bullying, harassment or discrimination. Report what you experience or witness.
• Teachers and staff. Monitor classrooms and online forums, intervene as soon as it is safe to do so, and report every incident to the Principal. Where a member of staff has reasonable grounds to suspect a child is or may be in need of protection, the personal duty to report to a children's aid society under section 125 of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 applies and is not discharged by telling the Principal.
• Parents and guardians. Raise a concern with the school promptly, and support the school's response.
• The Principal. Investigate promptly, decide, communicate the decision in writing, apply consequences, support the student affected, and record the matter.

6. How to report

• To your teacher. Send a message through the student portal, or speak to any member of staff at the Vaughan campus.
• To the Principal. For a serious or continuing incident, write to the Office of the Principal at info@amcantech.org, or use the Contact Us page.
• Immediate danger. Call 911 first, then tell the school.

A bystander who reports in good faith is protected from reprisal. Reports are handled discreetly and information is shared only with the people who need it in order to respond. The school cannot promise complete confidentiality, because the duty to report and the law more generally may require it to pass information to a children's aid society or to the police.

7. Investigation and consequences

The Principal investigates promptly. The student complained about is told what is alleged and is given the opportunity to respond before any decision is made. The outcome is given in writing, with reasons, to the student and, for a student under 18, to the parent or guardian. Every substantiated finding is recorded in the student's Ontario Student Record.

Consequences are progressive and take account of the severity of the conduct, whether it is repeated, the student's age and history, and whether the student has a disability or a special education need that relates to the behaviour.

Where conduct may be criminal, for example uttering threats, distributing intimate images, or a hate motivated offence, the school involves the police.

8. Support for the student affected

• Accommodation or an extension for coursework affected by the incident, under the Accommodation and Human Rights Policy.
• A change of cohort or of assigned teacher where that is practicable and helps.
• Referral to community counselling or mental health services, and information about the supports available.
• A follow up with the student after the matter is closed, to confirm the behaviour has stopped.

9. Reprisal and false allegations

Retaliation against any student, parent, guardian or member of staff who reports in good faith is itself a breach of this policy and is dealt with under section 7.

Knowingly making a false or malicious allegation is a breach of the Code of Conduct and is dealt with in the same way. A report that turns out not to be substantiated is not a false allegation, and a student who reports honestly is never penalised for it.

A student, or the parent or guardian of a student under 18, who disagrees with a decision made under this policy may use the Dispute Resolution and Academic Appeals Process.

How courses are delivered: the two attendance formats

Every course at this school is delivered online and asynchronously. There are no set class times. The school offers two attendance formats and the student chooses one at enrolment. Every one of the school's 26 courses is available in both formats in every session, and a student may ask to change format between sessions.

The course is identical in both formats: the same learning portal, the same unit materials, the same 110 scheduled instructional hours, the same weekly milestones and deadlines, the same assessments and rubrics, the same assigned Ontario Certified Teacher, and the same final mark composition. The format determines where a student studies, not what the course is or how it is taught. Students in both formats share one cohort discussion forum.

Attendance at the Vaughan campus is a facility the school provides, not a requirement of any course. A student in the on-site format who studies remotely on a given day is not marked absent and loses no mark, because attendance at this school means completion of the weekly milestones, not physical presence. No course requires a student to be physically present at any time, except where the student chooses to write the final examination on site. Every course therefore remains an online learning credit under Policy/Program Memorandum 167 in both formats.