School Policies

Inclement Weather Policy

2021/2022

It is understood that occasionally situations of severe inclement weather exist or are predicted during the school day; and on certain occasions BCA may have to close school as a safety precaution. Students and staff will be excused from attendance should the school be closed for inclement weather.

Procedures:

The decision to close BCA shall be made by 6:45 am. The decision will be based on Halton District School Board and their decision to close schools (not the same as cancelling transportation). If Halton District Schools are closed, then BCA will be closed. Exceptions to this rule can be made and BCA may close if we feel there are extenuating circumstances that threaten the safety of our students and staff. That decision will be made by the principal after looking at all variables.

Communication regarding the closing of school will be made by 6:45 am of that day. A message to all BCA families will be sent via Edsby and the local FM radio station CHFI 98.1 will be informed. In the event where a school closure is possible or predicted, advance notification will be sent home via Edsby. The message will stress that a final decision regarding closure will be made by 6:45 am on the day of the potential closure.

When school is closed due to inclement weather, all programs and activities offered at the school site will also be cancelled. Regardless of the decision related to cancellations, it is a parent/guardian decision to determine whether it is safe for their children to travel to school. We realize that many families travel from areas where the weather conditions may be quite different than they are at the school campus. Children will not be penalized for coming late or missing a day due to weather constraints. Our first priority is everyone’s safety.

Internet Policy

It is the goal of Burlington Christian Academy to provide a world-class education to all students. The Internet is a powerful tool to support superb learning. Our technical team has made every reasonable effort to ensure the Internet is used responsibly. BCA reserves the right to monitor network use, monitor files and file space. Students and parents should not expect their use of the Internet to remain private. We expect all students to use the Internet in an appropriate and responsible manner for educational purposes only. Access to the Internet is a privilege. We thank our parents for encouraging their children to be respectful of themselves and others whenever they use this tool to advance their learning. Electronic Policy Cell phones and personal audio devices are not to be used during school time and must be turned off. Cell phones must remain out of sight during school hours unless permission has been given by a teacher. If confiscated by the teacher/supervisor, they may be recovered by the student at the end of the day from the teacher. At a second removal, the parent/guardian of the student must pick up the phone at the end of the school day. Students may use their cell phone after school to call if permission is given by a teacher.

Uniform Policy

The following items can be purchased from our uniform provider, DGN Kilters. DGN Kilters has provided us with a suggested guideline of which items a student will need over the course of a school year. This can be found by clicking here.

Tops JK-8

All tops worn must be crested
Short sleeve golf shirt
Oxford long sleeve shirt
V-neck sweater
V-neck vest
Unisex cardigan
Performance hoody

Girls JK-8

Navy skort
Navy walking shorts
Girls tights – navy or black
Navy or Grey pants
Kilt

Note: Leggings are not considered pants by BCA and should not be worn as uniform pants.

JK-3 Girls

Navy crested tunic
Navy or Grey pants
Kilt

Boys JK-8

Navy or Grey pants (if non DGN, must be dark navy, not faded blue)
Navy walking shorts (if non DGN, must be dark navy, not faded blue)

Gym Uniform (Grades 3-8)

Crested grey performance t-shirt
Navy fight shorts or ATC profit shorts Footwear and Socks Socks/Leotards
Navy, white or black ankle socks when wearing running shoes
Navy or black socks or leotards (single colour) can be worn with skorts or tunics
Girls may wear footed navy or black tights with a skort or tunic. If the tights are not footed then they must wear matching socks to cover the bottom of the tights, to look like footed tights

Footwear

Shoes should be solid black, navy or dark coloured, with no colourful symbols/stripes or other markings. No boots should be worn indoors
Shoelaces should be dark coloured as well.
For gym classes, any proper non-marking soled running shoe can be worn, in any colour. It is important that students have proper running shoes that can be tied (laced/velcroed) securely to avoid injury.

Casual Day Dress Dress will:

Honour and glorify the Lord
Reflect modesty
Not be a distraction to the learning environment
Not advertise/promote alcohol, drugs, sex, or offensive material
Tank top straps must be at least three fingers width (lasagna, not spaghetti width)

Health, Safety, and Illness Guidelines

How do you decide whether to send your child to school or keep them home? If a child is sick, they should not be at school. Out of respect for their fellow students and the staff, sick children should not be at the school. Before returning to school, if your child is diagnosed with a contagious disease, such as strep throat, the child should be on prescribed antibiotics for a minimum of 24 hours. Your respect and cooperation is deeply appreciated.

Common Pediculosis (Head Lice)

Anyone can get head lice and young children who play closely together are susceptible. It is recommended that parents check their children regularly for itching and the presence of small whitish nits (eggs) fastened tightly on the hair shaft near the scalp, and report any occurrences to the Principal. Parents will be notified if anyone in their child’s classroom has reported head lice. If you have any questions about head lice, contact the Healthy Kids Line (905) 546-3596.

Medication

Please administer medication at home whenever possible. No medication (including acetaminophen) will be given to a student. When medication must be administered by school personnel, it will be kept at the office. Permission for a student to self-administer any medication should be brought to the attention of the teacher.

Life Threatening Allergies

BCA is a peanut/nut sensitive school. If touched or eaten, foods that contain even a small amount of nuts may be life threatening to students with allergies. We ask that students not bring any food products that contain peanut or nut products in their lunches. If your child has an allergy and requires medication to be administered in case of an incident, please contact the office. A Medication Form needs to be completed and will be kept with the medication in a central location accessible to staff.

Medical Emergency

School staff trained in First Aid will attend to most scrapes and cuts. More serious injuries will be reported to the parents. If necessary, Emergency Services will be called. It is the responsibility of parents to provide up-to-date emergency contact information on the Student Information Form included in the Registration Form. If during the year, any of the information changes, please inform the school office.

Immunization

The Immunization of School Pupils Act requires that all children be immunized against Hepatitis, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella, unless exempted. Halton Public Health works with BCA to offer the required immunization clinics. Parents are informed when it is time for student immunization.

Fire Drills/Emergency Evacuation/Lockdown

Fire drills are conducted three times during the fall and three times during the spring. Lockdown drills will be conducted twice a year. Detailed plans for fire drills, lockdowns, and emergency evacuations are shared with all staff. The fire plan is posted in every room and will be taught to students before the first fire drill and reinforced throughout the year. A lockdown plan is also shared with staff and students. It is the policy of BCA that all visitors check in with the office staff before entering the school. Visitors are required to sign the guest book before entering any other part of the building.

School Closure Policy

If the school is closed for any reason, families will be notified via Edsby and the closure will be posted on our social media sites. The goals of this policy are to balance the risks associated with travel for each of the participants with the desire to maximize the instructional time for our students. BCA will be closed when any one of the following three area Halton schools are closed: Glenview Public School, Aldershot Elementary School or Central Public School.

If the above schools are not closed but the School Principal deems it prudent to close BCA, the School Principal may decide to close the school. It is understood that the decision to close was based on weather information that was predicted to result in seriously hazardous driving conditions for the BCA community.
Even when the school is open and the weather may be in some question, it is always the responsibility of the parent to decide whether it is safe to take their child to school for that particular day. The discretion for safety associated with transportation for a child is the sole responsibility of the parent or guardian.

Lost and Found

Parents are advised to clearly label all clothing items, lunch containers and footwear so we can help locate their owner if lost. Parents should check the lost and found from time to time if items are missing. Small items (e.g. watches) will be kept at the office. Unclaimed contents will be donated to charity at Christmas, March Break, and end of the school year.

Lunch Program

Monday to Thursday

BCA offers the convenience for parents to order a healthy, nut-free lunch meal made in a licensed kitchen for their child(ren) through Axxis Catering. If you are interested in ordering hot lunch for your child(ren), please follow these steps:

1. Visit https://bca.hotlunches.net in a browser.

2. Click Click here to register.

3. Use the Access Code BCHL to begin creating your account. Complete the registration form and click Register Now.

4. Under the Students menu:

a) Add your child’s name and homeroom.

b) Order the specific meals for your choice of days.

5. Click Save.

Fridays

Fridays are Pizza lunch day. Order forms are distributed in September. Proceeds go to assist in paying for Grade 8 graduation and other special school programs.

Snacks (Popcorn and Juice Boxes)

Available Monday to Friday, popcorn and juice boxes are sold during recess times, subject to availability, with proceeds going to above noted areas.

Refund Policy

Should there be a need for a reduction of services, a calculation will be made to determine the appropriate amount. When a student leaves during the school year, the refund calculation will be based on the end of the month following the month in which a student departs BCA. All refunds are subject to a 20% administrative charge. The capital levy is not refundable.