Sparta Twp Public Schools

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PreK-2 Student Code of Conduct

It is the obligation of each student to obey regulations and the school authorities who enforce them.  Therefore, Helen Morgan School and Alpine School have established standards for acceptable student behavior.  The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to achieve the following purposes:

1. Foster the health, safety, social, and emotional well-being of pupils;
2. Support the establishment and maintenance of civil, safe, secure, supportive, and disciplined School environments conducive to learning;
3. Promote achievement of high academic standards;
4. Prevent the occurrence of problem behaviors
5. Establish parameters for the intervention and remediation of pupil problem behaviors at all stages of identification; and
6. Establish parameters for school responses to violations of the pupil discipline/code of conduct that take into account, at a minimum, the severity of the offenses, the developmental ages of the pupil offenders, and pupils’ histories of inappropriate behaviors.

While the possible consequences for any given infraction are listed below, the appropriate chosen consequence does not necessarily have to be sequential, and will ultimately be determined by the school administrator or designee.  Furthermore, guidance referrals and other culminating interventions are utilized to assist appropriate child development.

To assist students in choosing appropriate behavior, there is a description of potential infractions and the possible disciplinary consequences for those infractions.

Classroom Discipline:  Discipline handled at the discretion of the classroom teacher.  Administration not involved at the current time, unless the classroom teacher considers the behavior to be a major classroom incident.

Suggested Classroom Discipline Progression

1. Verbal Warning
2. Parent Notification (Phone Call, E-mail, Letter/Notice)
3. Teacher Detention, Parent Notification (Phone Call, E-mail, Letter/Notice)
4. Teacher Detention(s), Parent Phone Call
5. Refer to Administration, Parent Phone Call

*Individual student classroom discipline will be documented in the “Student Behavior Log” including:  date of incident, description of student behavior, discipline action taken, method of parent contact.

Administrative Discipline:  Student behavior needing discipline in areas outside of classroom, repeated classroom misconduct, or major classroom incident.

Administrative Discipline Actions

1. Verbal Warning (Unless on a referral from classroom teacher where prior action was taken)
2. Administrative Lunch and/or Recess Detention(s)
3. After School Administrative Detention(s)
4. In-School Suspension
5. Out of School Suspension
6. Referral to I&RS Team

*At any time a student may be referred to the school guidance counselor. 

Bus Discipline Actions

1. Verbal warning
2. Bus Seat Moved
3. Three Day Bus Suspension
4. Further bus suspension

*Further action may take place at the judgment of the administration. 

Consequences and Remedial Measures for Acts of Harassment, Intimidation, or Bullying

1. Consequences

Consequences for a pupil who commits and act of harassment, intimidation, or bullying shall be varied and graded according to the nature of the behavior, the developmental age of the pupil, and the pupil’s history of problem behaviors and performance.

a. The consequences may include, but are not limited to, the examples listed below:

1.  
   1.  
      1. Admonishment;
      2. Temporary removal from the classroom;
      3. Deprivation of privileges;
      4. Classroom or administrative detention;
      5. Referral to disciplinarian;
      6. In-school suspension during the school week or the weekend;
      7. After-school programs;
      8. Our-of-school suspension (short-term or long-term);
      9. Reports to law enforcement or other legal action;
      10. Expulsion; and
      11. Participating in school district-sponsored programs.

     2.  Remedial Measures

Remedial measures shall be designed to correct the problem behavior; prevent another occurrence of the problem; protect and provide support for the victim of the act; and take corrective action for documented systemic problems related to harassment, intimidation, or bullying.

 Definition of Infractions

Abusive Language:  Improper, insulting or course language directed to a staff member or student.

Bus Misconduct:  Failure to comply with rules of bus including safety procedures or disturbance of others.

Cheating: Act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, esp. in a game or examination

Defacing School Property:  Any act of vandalism including defacement, damage, or destruction to school property.

Defiance:  An open or bold act of resistance to or disregard for authority. 

Dishonesty, Lying, Forging:  Any act in which a student behaves in a manner where the intention is to deceive a member of the staff or faculty. 

Disrespectful to Staff:  Responding/acting in a rude, impertinent aggressive manner and/or using threatening abusive language.

Disrespectful to Student:  Responding/acting in a rude, impertinent aggressive manner and/or using threatening abusive language. 

Disruptive/Inappropriate Behavior:  Behaving in a manner which disrupts or interferes with educational activities. 

Extortion: The practice of obtaining something, esp. money, through force or threats.   

Falsifying an Alarm:  An emergency alarm, such as a fire alarm, that is set off unnecessarily. 

Fighting:  Exchange of mutual physical contact such as hitting, with or without injury.  If clear and sufficient provocation is established, both students need not receive the same disciplinary action. 

Harassment, Intimidation or Bullying any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents, that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic, that takes place on school property, at any school-sponsored function, on a school bus, or off school grounds, that substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students. 

Insubordination/Defiance:  Failure to comply with a proper and authorized direction of instruction of staff.

Obscene Language:  Saying or making gestures that convey a grossly offensive, obscene or sexually suggestive message. 

Obscene Note/Letter to Student:  Any written expression directed at a student that is obscene, profane, abusive or inappropriate in nature. 

Physical Contact (Intent to Harm):  Physical contact that was aggressive in nature and the intent was to cause harm or injury another student. 

Physical Contact (No Injury):  Physical contact to a student where that student was disturbed or made to feel uncomfortable.  (Pushing, kicking, pulling, grabbing, etc.) 

Physical Contact (With Injury):  Physical contact to another student where that student was harmed or injured by the action that was a result of aggressive behavior or horseplay. 

Physical Contact (With Object):  Physical contact to another student where an object was used and that student was disturbed, made to feel uncomfortable, or injured. 

Sexual Harassment: Harassment in a social situation, involving the making of unwanted sexual advances or obscene remarks. 

Threatening Behavior:  Behavior by actions or words that can be viewed as a threat to staff member or student. 

Weapons Possession:   Any student in possession of an object that could be considered a weapon including but not limited to guns, knives, razors, or lighters/matches.