The board of education expects all students to conduct themselves in an appropriate and civil manner, with proper regard for the rights and welfare of other students, district personnel and other members of the school community, and for the care of school facilities and equipment.
The best discipline is self-imposed, and students must learn to assume and accept responsibility for their own behavior, as well as the consequences of their misbehavior. District personnel who interact with students are expected to use disciplinary action only when necessary and to place emphasis on the students’ ability to grow in self-discipline.
The board recognizes the need to make its expectations for student conduct while on school property or engaged in a school function specific and clear. The rules of conduct listed below are intended to do that and focus on safety and respect for the rights and property of others. Students who will not accept responsibility for their own behavior and who violate these school rules will be required to accept the penalties for their conduct.
Students may be subject to disciplinary action,
up to and including suspension from school, when, on School Property or in
relation to a School Function, they:
A. Engage in conduct that is disorderly. Examples of disorderly conduct include:
1. Running in hallways.
2. Making unreasonable noise.
3. Using language or gestures that are profane, lewd, vulgar or abusive.
4. Obstructing vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
5. Violation of traffic laws and regulations.
6. Engaging in any willful act which disrupts the normal operation of the school community.
7. Trespassing. Students are not permitted in any school building, other than the one they regularly attend, without permission from the administrator in charge of the building; nor in any facility within a building that is unattended.
8. Loitering
9. Computer/electronic communications misuse, including any unauthorized use of computers, software, or internet/intranet account; accessing inappropriate websites; or any other violation of the district’s acceptable use policy.
10. Unauthorized
use of personal electronic devices/equipment (i.e., cell phones MP3 devices,
and other personal electronic gaming devices deemed inappropriate by the
administration).
B. Engage in conduct that is insubordinate. Examples of insubordinate conduct include:
1. Failing to comply with the reasonable directions of teachers, school administrators or other school employees in charge of students or otherwise demonstrating disrespect.
2. Leaving school without permission.
3. Skipping detention.
4. Truancy from class, school, scheduled activities; unexcused absences.
C. Engage in conduct that is disruptive. Examples of disruptive conduct include:
1. Failing to comply with the reasonable directions of teachers, school administrators or other school personnel in charge of students.
2. Substantially interferes with the educational process and/or the authority of any responsible staff member.
3. Repeatedly violates school rules.
D. Engage in conduct that is violent or threatening. Examples of violent or threatening conduct include:
1. Committing an act of violence (such as hitting, kicking, punching, and scratching) upon a teacher, administrator or other school employee or attempting or threatening to do so.
2. Committing and act of violence (such as hitting, kicking, punching, and scratching) upon another student or any other person lawfully on school property or attempting or threatening to do so.
3. Possessing a weapon. Authorized law enforcement officials are the only persons permitted to have a weapon in their possession while on school property or at a school function.
4. Displaying a weapon, or displaying in a threatening manner what appears to be a weapon.
5. Threatening to use, attempting to use, and/or using any weapon.
6. Threatening harm to self or others.
7. Intentionally damaging or destroying the personal property of a student, teacher, administrator, other district employee or any person lawfully on school property, including graffiti or arson.
8. Intentionally damaging or destroying school district property.
E. Engage in any conduct that endangers the safety, morals, health or welfare of others. Examples of such conduct include:
1. Lying to school personnel.
2. Stealing the property of other students, school personnel or any other person lawfully on school property or attending a school function, or attempting to do so.
3.
Defamation, which includes making false or unprivileged
statements or representations about an individual or identifiable group of
individuals that harm the reputation of the person or the identifiable group.This can include posting or publishing video
recordings, audio recordings or pictures (written material, cell phones,
Internet, YouTube, etc.);
4. Discrimination, which includes the use of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability as a basis for treating another in a negative manner.
5.
Harassment, which includes an action or statement, or a
pattern of actions or statements, directed at an identifiable individual or
group which are intended to be or which a reasonable person would perceive as
ridiculing or demeaning, including but not limited to all forms of harassment
prohibited in the District’s anti‑harassment policy, which is incorporated as a
part of this Code of Conduct;
6. Intimidation, which includes engaging in actions or statements that put an individual in fear of bodily harm.
7.
Teasing
and bullying that is ridiculing or demeaning or causes discomfortof the recipient.This would include a communication (verbal,
written electronic or graphic) an/or physical conduct based on an individual’s
actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, political
affiliation, sexual orientation, sex, age, marital or veteran status, or
disability;
8. Hazing, which includes any intentional or reckless act directed against another for the purpose of initiation into, affiliating with or maintaining membership in any school sponsored activity, organization, club or team.
9. “Internet
bullying” (also referred to as “cyberbullying”) including the use of instant
messaging, e-mail, Web sites, chat rooms, and text messaging, when such use
interferes with the operation of the school; or infringes upon the general
health, safety and welfare of students or employees; 10. Hazing,
which includes any intentional or reckless act directed against another for the
purpose of initiation into, affiliating with or maintaining membership in any
school sponsored activity, organization, club or team; 11. Selling,
using or possessing obscene material; 12. Using
vulgar or abusive language, cursing or swearing; 13. Possessing
tobacco, tobacco products, and associated paraphernalia including, but not
limited to, lighters and matches; 14. Possessing,
consuming, selling, distributing or exchanging alcoholic beverages or illegal
substances (and associated paraphernalia), or being under the influence of
either. “Illegal substances” include,
but are not limited to inhalants, marijuana, cocaine, LSD, PCP, amphetamines,
heroin, steroids, look-alike drugs, and any substances commonly referred to as
“designer drugs”; 15. Inappropriately
using, possessing, or sharing prescription and/or over-the-counter drugs; 16. Gambling; 17. Indecent
exposure, that is, exposure to sight of the private parts of the body in a lewd
or indecent manner; 18. Initiating a report, warning or threat of fire or other
catastrophe (including but not limited to a bomb threat or a threat of harm
from a chemical or biological substance) without valid cause, misuse of 911, or
discharging a fire extinguisher; and 19. Sexual
harassment which includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors,
taking, sending, receiving or forwarding sexually explicit videos, pictures or
auditory recordings and other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a
sexual nature.
F. Engage in misconduct while on a school bus. It is crucial for students to behave appropriately while riding on district buses to ensure their safety and that of other passengers and to avoid distracting the bus driver. Students are required to conduct themselves on the bus in a manner consistent with established standards for classroom behavior. Excessive noise, pushing, shoving and fighting will not be tolerated.
G. Engage in any form of academic misconduct. Examples of academic misconduct include:
1. Plagiarism.
2. Cheating.
3. Copying.
4. Altering records.
5. Assisting another student in any of the above actions.
H.Instigating or encouraging
another person to violate this Code of Conduct, or facilitating and/or
assisting the same.
Disciplinary action, when necessary, will be firm, fair and consistent so as to be the most effective in changing student behavior. In determining the appropriate disciplinary action, school personnel authorized to impose disciplinary penalties will consider the following:
1. The student’s age.
2. The nature of the offense and the circumstances which led to the offense.
3. The student’s prior disciplinary record.
4. The effectiveness of other forms of discipline.
5. Information from parents, teachers and/or others, as appropriate.
6. Other extenuating circumstances.
As a general rule, discipline will be progressive. This means that a student’s first violation will usually merit a lighter penalty than subsequent violations.
Students who are found to have violated the district’s code of conduct may be subject to penalty, either alone or in combination, as outlined below. The school personnel identified after each penalty are authorized to impose that penalty, consistent with the student’s right to due process.
1. Oral warning – any member of the district staff
2. Written warning – bus drivers, hall and lunch monitors, coaches, counselors, teachers, principals, superintendent
3. Written notification to parent – bus drivers, hall and lunch monitors, coaches, guidance counselors, teachers, principals, superintendent
11. Short-term (five days or less) suspension from school – principals, superintendent, board of education
12. Long-term (more than five days) suspension from school – principals, superintendent, board of education
13. Restitution of damaged or stolen goods or property
14. Legal action through Family Court and/or law enforcement agencies. 15. Under certain circumstances, a permanent suspension may be warranted. However, permanent suspension is an extreme penalty that the Commissioner of Education has held is generally educationally unsound except under extraordinary circumstances such as where the student exhibits an alarming disregard for the safety of others and where it is necessary to safeguard the well-being of other students.
