School Safety

All students and school staff should feel safe and respected in Nova Scotia schools.
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development works with Regional Centres for Education, the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial, school staff and many other partners to make sure Nova Scotia schools are places where students can focus on learning and staff can safely do their jobs.

Provincial School Code of Conduct Policy Update

We are updating the Provincial School Code of Conduct Policy to improve how we respond to, record and track incidents of unacceptable behaviours and to ensure that Nova Scotia schools are safe, caring and inclusive spaces for students to learn and staff to work.
Throughout summer and early fall 2024, the Department met with and held online consultations with school staff, School Advisory Councils (SACs), and partners including the Nova Scotia Teachers Union to hear what they wanted to see in an updated Policy.
We are now looking for student, school staff, family, partner and community feedback on our first working draft of the updated Provincial Code of Conduct Policy.
Read the working draft now and participate in the online consultation:
 

Consultations and Policy update milestones to date

  • Ongoing: school-based focus groups with teachers and school staff
  • October 2024: public consultation on the draft updated Policy
  • September 2024: School Advisory Council (SAC) province-wide conference with plenary session on the Policy update
  • September 2024: online survey for school staff
  • September 2024: school safety meeting with school support staff labour partner leaders from CUPE, NSGEU and SEIU
  • August 2024: Public School Administrators Association of Nova Scotia focus groups
  • Spring 2024: in-person consultation with Ministerial Advisory Committees
  • Spring 2024: online survey for School Advisory Council members (SACs)
  • Spring 2024: in-person consultations with school staff in all roles
  • November 2023: creation of safe and inclusive schools Leadership Table
The Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development also receives input on the Policy update on an ongoing basis from the Public School Administrators Association of Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia Teachers Union during safe and inclusive schools Leadership Table meetings.