Board Policies & Administrative Procedures

View All Procedures

Administrative Procedure 341: SUICIDAL AND VIOLENT STUDENTS

Background

The Division reserves the right to identify students in schools who are potentially physically dangerous to themselves or others.

Procedures

  1. Identification shall only be made by the appropriate officials and shared with staff who may come into contact with the student on a confidential student-interest basis.
     
  2. Whenever identification is made, effort must be made to assure the diagnosis is made by at least two (2) appropriate officials; wherever possible, medical confirmation is to be forthcoming.
     
  3. In cases of extreme danger to the school community from a violent student, caution must be taken to ensure the reaction is appropriate with the situation. However, it is better to be overly cautious than to make a decision leading to serious avoidable consequences.
     
  4. When any staff member becomes aware of a student ideating suicide, appropriate notification to the Principal is mandatory.
    1. In such cases, staff members may need to maintain constant contact with students until the appropriate assistance is available.
    2. Protocol requires information to be supplied to the Principal and parents of suicide risk.
    3. Further dispersal of information will then be determined pertaining to informing other staff members.
       
  5. Keeping the welfare of the student foremost, information about a suicidal/violent student is to be included in the confidential section of the student file. This information is to be flagged for the attention of the Principal, should the student transfer between any Division schools.
     
  6. Secondary school administrators and counsellors shall be provided with in-service opportunities providing basic training in recognizing students who may be considered suicidal or who have indicated violent tendencies. Such in-service shall:
    1. Be formally provided and maintained/reviewed as staff turnover requires,
    2. Include mental illness awareness,
    3. Be made available in released time professional development sessions.

Reference

Section 31 Education Act
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Alberta Human Rights Act
Ministerial Order (#042/2019)
Standards for Seclusion and Physical Restraint in Alberta Schools

 

Approved: August 21, 2018

Last Updated: August 9, 2021