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suspension/expulsions and attendance services

Risk and Resiliency team

The Calgary Board of Education's Risk and Resiliency Team supports school communities in responding to critical student needs. The focus of the work of the Risk and Resiliency Team is to provide integrated responses for students experiencing significant difficulty, such that it might impact their inclusion in the community school. The team consists of Assistant Principals, Specialists, Teachers, Family/School Liaisons, Attendance Officer, and Behaviour Support Workers.

The Risk and Resiliency Team provides direct services to schools in the areas of:

  • attendance
  • Restorative Response Intervention
  • suspensions (Grades 8 - 12)
  • community partnerships
  • shelter liaison and
  • Student Health Partnership

The Risk and Resiliency Team works through an intake process whereby the team comes together to plan and coordinate supports and services.

For further information contact the Risk and Resiliency Team at 403-817-7667.

Suspensions/Expulsions

  • Personnel from the Suspension Team meet with students who have been suspended from their community school for longer than 5 days to determine whether the student will be re-instated in the community school or expelled in accordance with Section 24 of The School Act and CBE Regulation 6001. (see links below)
  • Following the decision by the Suspension Team, students must then be returned to the suspending school or directed to an appropriate available educational program.
    • For suspensions Grades 8 - 12 please contact the Risk and Resiliency Team 403-817-7667
    • For suspensions Grades 1 - 7 please contact your Area Office.

Useful Links:

Attendance Services

  • Attendance Services assists schools in ensuring the attendance of students in accordance with The School Act and CBE policy. (see links below)
  • In consultation with the School Learning and Area Learning Team, Attendance Services assists schools in the development and implementation of an Attendance Improvement Plan. This may involve interventions such as; community counselling, program modification or other interventions unique to the student.
  • Should the Attendance Improvement Plan fail to improve a student's attendance, a referral to the Attendance Board may be initiated. Attendance Services becomes actively involved in the possible modifications to the plan, which may include legal intervention.

For further information contact the Risk and Resiliency Team at 403-817-7667.

Useful Links:

Restorative Response Intervention (RRI)

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What is R.R.I.

Restorative Response Intervention is a process designed to assist schools with incorporating Restorative Justice strategies into school disciplinary practices.

The restorative discipline “perspective focuses on needs and resulting obligations more than on making sure people get what they “deserve.” (From the Little Book of Restorative Discipline, p. 14)

Principles of R.R.I

  • Punitive measures alone are not often sufficient to foster changes in behaviour.
  • Students need the opportunity to explore their roles and responsibilities in relation to conflict.
  • Positive and respectful relationships are key to maintaining healthy learning environments.
  • Students need specific supports and strategies to navigate social relationships.
  • School staff and students can at times benefit from an external and neutral lens to deal effectively with conflicts
  • Changes in attitude and behaviour require; time, commitment and follow through.

Key Goals to Restorative Discipline

  • To understand the harm and develop empathy for others
  • To listen and respond to the needs of the students impacted
  • To encourage accountability and responsibility through personal reflection within a collaborative and structured planning process (facilitator lead)
  • To reengage the students involved back into the school community
  • To support caring climates and healthy school communities
  • To support schools in reflecting on effective discipline practices, build capacity with school community and create change where reasonable        (adapted from The Little Book of Restorative Discipline for Schools, 2005)

Calgary Police Services
Information about gang-related activities.

Shelter Liaison Service

The Shelter Liaison Service provides educational information and advocacy to support the continuity of learning and a positive school experience for children living in a women’s shelter. The purpose is:

  • To help students transition from school to school
  • To help parents access educational resources
  • To support teachers in meeting student needs
  • To respect confidentiality and privacy
  • To provide a learning environment that maintains a sense of normalcy for children
  • To support Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic School District students

Start Smart Stay Safe

The Start Smart Stay Safe Children and Families Project is a collaborative initiative between the Calgary Police Service, the Calgary Board of Education, the Calgary Catholic School District, and Mount Royal University’s Center for Child Well-Being. The initiative began with the Calgary Police Service seeking to work more collaboratively with schools and community partners. The intention was to support schools in a meaningful way and to move the focus of community policing toward education and prevention and away from the perception of policing as limited to law enforcement.

In September, 2010 the Operational Team for the Start Smart Stay Safe project was convened to action the vision for an initiative that would support educators and families in building the resilience of its children in schools and in their communities while at the same time building relationships with the Calgary Police Service as a proactive and positive presence. The partnership will be the first of its kind to support a Canadian policing agency to undertake the development and delivery of a collaborative, educational initiative intended to support all young persons.

The Start Smart Stay Safe Children’s Project will be developed, piloted and evaluated for children from Kindergarten to Grade 6 in both the Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic School District over the next three years. Participating schools will have the opportunity to welcome police officers into classrooms and school community and to inform and support a shift in paradigm in education and law enforcement toward a strengths-based model of responsible citizenship.

The project will be developed for Grades 7-12 following the complete evaluation of the K-6 pilot. In addition to the Children’s project, the initiative will be supported by a fully integrated and complementary family component, which will be developed based on research, community consultation, and the use of a community development framework.

It is anticipated that this initiative will help strengthen children, families and communities, and in the long-term, decrease victimization and youth involvement in criminal activities.

» For more information you may contact the Learning Services Department or call the Risk and Resiliency Team 403-817-7667.

» Standards for Special Education (June 2004), Alberta Education

» Do you have questions about supporting your student with exceptional needs? Please visit Alberta Education's Special Education Resources for Parents web page.

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Web Administrator: L. Diemert
Last Modified: November 9, 2011