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Parents » Jr.-Sr. High School Code of Conduct

Jr.-Sr. High School Code of Conduct

I. Introduction
The Board of Education recognizes the need to clearly define expectations for acceptable conduct on school property, to identify the possible consequences for unacceptable conduct, and to ensure that discipline when necessary is administered promptly and fairly. To this end, the board adopts this code of conduct. Unless otherwise indicated, this code applies to all students, school personnel, parents and other visitors when on school property or attending a school function.
 
II. Definitions
For purposes of this code, the following definitions apply.
"Parent" means parent, guardian, or person in parental relation to a student.
"School property" means in or within any building, structure, playing field, playground, parking lot or land contained within the real property boundary line of a public school, or in or on a school bus. 
"School function" means any school-sponsored extracurricular event or activity.
"Insubordination" means failure to comply with reasonable requests, directives, instructions, procedures and/or rules issued by school personnel.
"Disruptive behavior" means interfering with the maintenance of a safe and orderly environment for teaching and learning.
"Violent student" means a student that willfully causes physical or emotional injury to any other person, or threatens to do so for the purpose of compelling or inducing such other person to refrain from any other act which he/she has the lawful right to do, or to do any act which he/she has the right not to do.
"Disciplinary removal" means the student is prohibited from attending the next scheduled meeting(s) of class.
"Academic misconduct" means a student presents another student's work as his or her own, and/or assists another student in the misrepresentation of work submitted.
 
III. Rights and Responsibilities of Students
  1. Students have the right to be secure in their property and person.
  2. Students have the right to an orderly school and classroom atmosphere that is conducive to learning.
  3. Students have the right to an environment that respects their rights to explore different points of view.
  4. Students are entitled to reasonable notice of rules and penalties.
  5. Students have the right to be governed by reasonable and purposeful rules that are enforced as consistently and equitably as possible.
  6. Students are entitled to be treated in a fashion consistent with the laws of the State of New York, the regulations of the Board of Regents, the decisions of the Commissioner of Education, and the constitutions of the State of New York and the United States of America.
  7. Students are entitled to file a grievance if they believe that their rights, as stated above, have been violated. The aggrieved student may file the grievance under the following procedure:
    1. Prior to filing the grievance, the student must comply with the discipline prescribed prior to the grievance.
    2. A written statement will be submitted to the administration stating the nature of the grievance.
    3. A grievance committee composed of an Administrator, Student Council President, and a member of the faculty will review the grievance, render a decision, and notify the student as soon as administratively feasible. 
  8. It is the student's responsibility to have knowledge and understanding of and abide by this code.
IV. Roles and Responsibilities of Essential Partners
  1. It is the parent's responsibility to have knowledge and understanding of and to review this code with their son/daughter.
  2. It is the teacher's responsibility to inform students of, enforce and document infractions of classroom rules. 
  3. It is the administration's responsibility to apply this code in an equitable and just manner.
  4. It is the board's responsibility to review this code annually and update it as necessary.
V. Student Dress Code
The administration and faculty expect that all students will be dressed appropriately and in good taste for the regular school sessions and respective school activities, and can insist on clean and decent clothing that does not disrupt a safe and orderly learning environment.
Bizarre items of attire or "costumes" will be prohibited on the basis of their disruptive effect on the teaching and learning processes. Skimpy clothing or items of clothing that are vulgar, obscene, and libelous or denigrate others on account of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or disability will not be permitted.
If, in the judgment of an administrator or teacher, the student is dressed in a manner that is deemed distractive to students or teachers in educational pursuit, the student will be asked to change.
 
VI. Personal Device Procedures
Our Mission: To create a distraction free environment in our classrooms. This means we want our students to be "personal device free" and fully engaged in our instructional settings. Students will have the option of leaving their devices at home, in their locker, in their backpack, or in classroom holders. Through research and our own pilot study, a fully engaged student is a highly successful student in the learning process. Disengaging from social media will help prevent outside distractions from interfering with academic growth. We want all students physically and mentally present every day as we strive to create more conscientious digital citizens and build healthy habits.
Yellow Zone (Staff Discretion) - Homeroom / Study halls / Hallways / Cafeteria / Library
Red Zone (No Personal Device Use) - Instructional classrooms / Bathrooms / Locker rooms / Auditorium / Detention
Failure to Comply:
1st Offense - Teacher stores in classroom or turns in to the office confiscated device until 2:15pm when student can pick up.
Two or More Offenses - Teacher brings device to the office after contacting the parent to pick up the device in the main office. We will only release the device to a family adult.
 
VII. Prohibited Student Conduct
Students who violate 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 they engage in any behavior listed below on school property and/or at a school function. Disciplinary options are specified in Section VIII.
  1. Disorderly and Disruptive Behavior, which includes, but is not limited to bus misconduct; running in hallways; using profane, lewd, vulgar, or abusive language or gestures; obstructing traffic; willful acts that disrupt normal operation of the school community; trespassing; computer/electronic communications misuse, including violations of the district's acceptable use policy; and insubordination.
  2. Insubordination, which includes, but is not limited to failing to comply with the reasonable directions of school personnel; lateness for, missing or leaving school without permission; and skipping detention.
  3. Violent Action, which includes, but is not limited to committing an act of violence (such as hitting, kicking, punching, and scratching) upon another student, a teacher, administrator, or other school employee, or any other person lawfully on school property, or attempting to do so; possessing or threatening to use a weapon, including items commonly identified as weapons, such as guns, knives, etc., and/or any item that may be used to inflict harm; and intentionally damanging or destroying the personal property of others, including school district property.
  4. Any conduct that endangers the safety, morals, health or welfare of others, which includes, but is not limited to lying to school personnel; stealing; defamation; discrimination; harassment; intimidation through action or statement; hazing; selling, using or possessing obscene material; using vulgar or abusive language, cursing or swearing; smoking and/or possession of an e-cig, cigarette, cigar, pipe, or using chewing or smokeless tobacco; possessing, consuming, selling, distributing, or exchanging alcoholic beverages or illegal substances, 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 substance commonly referred to as "designer drugs;" inappropriately using or sharing prescription and over-the-counter drugs; gambling; indecent exposure; and initiating a report warning of fire or other catastrophe without valid cause, misuse of 911, or discharing a fire extinguisher.
  5. Academic Misconduct, which includes, but is not limited to plagiarism; cheating; copying; altering records; and assisting another student in any of the above actions.
VIII. Reporting Violations
Students are encouraged to report violations of the code of conduct to a teacher, the principal, the principal's designee, or the superintendent immediately.
 
IX. Disciplinary Procedures and Options
Students who are found to have violated the district's code of conduct may be subject to the following penalties, either alone or in combination. The school personnel identified after each penalty are authorized to impose that penalty, consistent with the student's right to due process. The amount of due process a student is entitled to receive before a penalty is imposed depends on the type of penalty being imposed. In all cases, the school personnel must inform the student of the alleged misconduct and investigate the facts surrounding the alleged misconduct. Students will have an opportunity to present their version of the facts.
 
If the conduct of a student is related to a disability or suspected disability, the student shall be referred to the Committee on Special Education and discipline, if warranted, shall be administered consistent with the separate requirements of this code of conduct for disciplining students with a disability. A student identified as having a disability shall not be disciplined for behavior related to his/her disability. The Board of Education is committed to ensuring that the procedures followed for suspending, removing, or otherwise disciplining students with disabilities are in accordance with Education Law 3214 and Part 201 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.
  1. Verbal warning - any member of the district staff
  2. Written warning - bus drivers, hall and lunch monitors, teachers, assistant principal, principal, superintendent
  3. Written notification to parent - bus driver, hall and lunch monitors, teachers, assistant principal, principal, superintendent
  4. Detention - teachers, assistant principal, principal, superintendent. The student is required to spend a period of time after school. Detention will not extend past the last provision of transportation by the district.
  5. Suspension from transportation - assistant principal, principal, superintendent
  6. Suspension from athletic participation - coach, athletic director, assistant principal, principal, superintendent
  7. Suspension from social or extracurricular activities - advisor, assistant principal, principal, superintendent
  8. Suspension of other privileges - assistant principal, principal, superintendent
  9. In-school suspension - assistant principal, principal, superintendent. Temporary removal of students from the classroom and their placement in another area of the school building designated for such a suspension where students will receive substantially equivalent, alternative education. A student assigned to in-school suspension for one-half day or longer will not be allowed to participated in any school activities for that calendar day.
  10. Removal from classroom by teacher - teachers, assistant principal, principal, superintendent. Teachers may refer disruptive students to an administrator for action consistent with Sections VI and VIII in the code of conduct (Alternative "A").

    A second alternative for teachers is to remove disruptive students from class for up to three days (Alternative "B"). If a student is substantially disruptive of the educational process and/or substantially interfering with the teacher's authority over the classroom, and/or the student's presence in the classroom represents danger to persons or property and/or an ongoing threat of disruption to the academic process, the student will be removed from class, and the administration will be notified immediately. In this case, the teacher, within 24 hours, will tell the student why he/she was removed, and give the student an opportunity to tell his/her story.

    If the student is substantially interfering with the teacher's authority over the classroom, but the student's presence in the classroom does not represent continuing danger to persons or property, nor an ongoing threat of disruption to the academic process, the teacher will tell the student why he/she is being removed, and give the student an opportunity to tell his/her story prior to removing the student from class. The teacher will then immediately notify the adminstration of the removal.

    Within 24 hours, the student's parents will be notified of the removal. If a parent requests, an informal conference will be held within 48 hours of the removal. Administrative review of the teacher's discipline report and the student's version of events may lead to upholding the removal, setting aside the removal, or initiation of suspension procedures if warranted.

    In the case of a disciplinary removal of an Elementary School student, the length of the removal will not exceed 60 minutes. The Elementary School teacher(s) will select the 60-minute disciplinary removal period for each day.
  11. Short-term suspension (five days or less) from school - principal, superintendent, board of education. The suspending authority must provide the student a verbal explanation of the basis for suspension, notify the parents of the right to request an immediate informal conference with the Principal, and provide written notice to the parents including a description of the charges against the student and the incident for which suspension is being considered. The notice and opportunity for an informal conference shall take place before the student is formally suspended unless the student's presence in school poses a continuing danger to persons or property or an ongoing threat of disruption to the academic process.
  12. Long-term suspension (more than five days) from school - superintendent, board of education. Student and parents shall be given notice of their right to a fair hearing. The hearing officer shall make findings of fact and recommendations as to appropriate measure of discipline to the Superintendent. An appeal of the decision of the Superintendent may be made to the Board in writing to the District Clerk within 10 business days of the date of the Superintendent's decision.
  13. Permanent suspension - superintendent, board of education.
X. Minimum Periods of Suspension
  1. Any student, other than a student with a disability, found guilty of bringing a weapon onto school property will be subject to suspension from school for at least one calendar year.
  2. Any student, other than a student with a disability, who is found to have committed a violent act, other than bringing a weapon onto school property, shall be subject to assignment to in-school suspension, short-term suspension, or long-term suspension.
  3. Any student, other than a student with a disability, who engages in conduct which results in removal from the classroom by teacher(s), or is assigned to in-school suspension, or suspended from school for classroom disruption on five or more occasions during a school year will be subject to a PINS petition, if the student is under 16. If the student is 16 or over, a suspension from school will result for the fifth and all subsequent classroom removals.
XI. Corporal Punishment
Corporal punishment is any act of physical force upon a student for the purpose of punishing that student. Corporal punishment of any student by any district employee is strictly forbidden.

However, in situations where alternative procedures and methods that do not involve the use of physical force cannot reasonably used, reasonable physical force may be used to:
  1. Protect oneself, another student, teacher, or any person from physical injury.
  2. Protect the property of the school or others.
  3. Restrain or remove a student whose behavior interferes with the orderly exercise and perfomance of school district functions, powers and duties, if that student has refused to refrain from further disruptive acts.
XII. Visitors to the Schools
Anyone who is not a regular staff member or student of the school will be considered a visitor. The following rules apply to visitors:
  1. All visitors must report to the main office of the school building they are visiting, sign the visitor's register, and obtain a visitor's identification badge, which must be worn at all times while on school property.
  2. Any unauthorized person on school property will be reported to the principal or his or her designee, and will be asked to leave.
  3. All visitors are expected to abide by the rules for public conduct on school property contained in this code of conduct.
XIII. Public Conduct on School Property
For purposes of this section of the code, "public" shall mean all persons when on school property or attending a school function, including students, teachers, and district personnel. Members of the public shall conduct themselves in a respectful and orderly manner, and are expected to be in proper attire.
  1. Prohibited Conduct
    No person, either alone or with others, shall:
    1. Intentionally injure any person or threaten to do so.
    2. Intentionally damage or destroy personal or school district property
    3. Disrupt the orderly conduct of classes, school programs, or activities.
    4. Distribute or wear materials that are obscene, advocate illegal action, appear libelous, obstruct the rights of others, or are disruptive to the school program.
    5. Intimidate, harass, or discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
    6. Enter any portion of the school premises without authorization or remain in any building or facility after it is normally closed.
    7. Obstruct the free movement of any person in any place to which this code applies.
    8. Violate the traffic laws, parking regulations, or vehicle restrictions.
    9. Possess, consume, sell, distribute, exchange, or be under the influence of alcoholic beverages or controlled substances.
    10. Possess or use weapons, except in the case of law enforcement officers or as specifically authorized by the school district.
    11. Loiter.
    12. Gamble.
    13. Refuse to comply with any reasonable order of district officials.
    14. Willfully incite others to commit acts prohibited by this code.
    15. Violate any federal or state statute, local ordinance, or board policy.
  2. Penalties
    1. Visitors - Authorization to remain on school property may be withdrawn; shall be subject to ejection if they refuse to leave the premises as directed.
    2. Students - Subject to disciplinary action.
    3. Tenured faculty members - Subject to disciplinary action in accordance with Education Law 3020-a.
    4. Staff members entitled to the protection of Civil Service Law 75 - Subject to immediate ejection and disciplinary action in accordance with Civil Service Law 75.
    5. Other staff members - Subject to warning, reprimand, suspension, or dismissal in accordance with their legal rights.
  3. Enforcement
    The building principal or his or her designee shall be responsible for enforcing the conduct required by this code. Local law enforcement authorities may be contacted to assist in removing a person refusing to stop prohibited conduct and/or posing an immediate threat of injury to persons or property.