Middle School Code of Conduct

I. PROPER STUDENT BEHAVIOR permits the orderly and efficient operation of the school and the maintenance of an environment in which maximum education benefits for all students may be achieved. Procedures discussed below will be administered to students who disrupt the educational process.

DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES

Discipline referrals are designed to serve those students who have difficulty completing school work on time or following school rules and regulations. Parents will be sent a Discipline Notice of the infraction and the action taken. All students will have the option of serving their detention time after school the day of the infraction or the following day. Failure to report for assigned detention will result in additional disciplinary action through the principal's office.

STEP 1 1st Discipline Referral - 30 min. detention and student/principal conference

STEP 2 2nd Discipline Referral - 30 min. detention and student/principal conference

STEP 3 3rd Discipline Referral - 45 min. detention and student/principal review

STEP 4 4th Discipline Referral - 60 min. detention and two weeks removal from all activities

STEP 5 5th Discipline Referral -Saturday Level I Detention (8:30-12:30) and removal from all activities for the remainder of the quarter

STEP 6 6th Discipline Referral - In-School Suspension - All Day

STEP 7 7th Discipline Referral - Level I Suspension (3 day suspension in-school, out of school, or at the Boys' and Girls' Home-placement determined by the principal)

*Before the student returns to school a problem solving team involving the student, parents, faculty, and principal will meet to write an individual responsibility plan for the student.

Subsequent Discipline Referrals will be handled on an individual basis which may include the steps outlined below:

STEP 8 Level II Suspension (5 day suspension out of school, or at the Boys' and Girls' Home)

STEP 9 Level III Suspension (10 day suspension out of school, or at the Boys' and Girls' Home)

STEP 10 Level IV Suspension or Expulsion - Meeting with the Board of Education for possible expulsion

In most cases students will earn their detention or suspension in the order listed above. There will be aggravating or mitigating circumstances that may cause the administrator to dispense punishment that is greater than or less than those listed above.

CURRICULAR & EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:

During the period of time that a student is on suspension that student will be excluded from all Denison Community School activities, either as a participant or a spectator, for the duration of the suspension. This does not include detention in Saturday School.

A. INSUBORDINATION: Insubordination is defined as the refusal of a student to obey a school rule, regulation or request of a teacher or school official. The level of detention or suspension to be determined by the administration.

B. TOBACCO: Students smoking, chewing, or having possession of tobacco will be subject to a minimum of STEP 5. Violators will be referred to local law enforcement authorities since tobacco use for minors is against state law.

C. ALCOHOL: Students who are under the influence of alcohol or are in possession of alcoholic beverages at school will be subject to a minimum of STEP 8 on the first offense.

D. VANDALISM: Students who destroy, damage, or deface school property; or who destroy, damage or deface property of school personnel or students when there is a connection between such vandalism and school events or an impact of such vandalism on school operations or efficiency shall be subject to a minimum of STEP 5 and restitution for damaged property.

E. STEALING: Students who steal will be subject to a minimum of STEP 5. Serious offenders will be referred to law enforcement authorities.

F. UNEXCUSED TARDIES TO SCHOOL & BETWEEN CLASSES: Students who arrive late to school without a valid excuse (oversleeping is not a valid excuse) and between classes will be subject to the following disciplinary actio

2nd offense - recorded; no penalty - warning

3rd offense - recorded: no penalty - warning

4th offense - detention; parent notification

5th offense - loss of pass log privileges

6th offense - eat last for the rest of the quarter

8th offense - loss of recess privileges

10th - 16th offense - 1 hour detention

Note: A student’s tardy offenses begin accumulating with each new quarter. Students are expected to be in class when the tardy bell rings. Individual teachers may require students to be seated by the time the tardy bell rings. The Denison Middle School has a four minute passing time between classes and it is felt that this is ample time.

G. TRUANCY: Truancy is defined as a student’s absence from school without permission from the parents/guardians and the school's administration. Truancy will result in the student making up double the time of the truancy in Saturday detention and/or in- school suspension to be determined by the principal.

The Second Truancy of any length automatically becomes a STEP 7 - LEVEL I SUSPENSION (Continued truancy will move to the next level of suspension.)

H. FIGHTING: Students involved in fighting will be subject to a minimum of STEP 5.

I. ASSAULT: Students who physically assault another student or a school employee will be subject to a minimum of STEP 7- Level I Suspension with notification of lawenforcement authorities.

J. POSSESSION OF DANGEROUS WEAPONS: A dangerous weapon is defined as a device capable of inflicting serious injury, i.e., gun, knife, etc. A dangerous object is defined as a device that can cause serious injury if used in a violent manner, i.e., baseball bat , chain, pipe, etc. Subject to the superintendent's recommendation to the School Board, federal law requires expulsion for 12 calendar months for students in possession and/or use of a dangerous weapon. Use of a dangerous object to injure or intimidate may also result in an expulsion, subject to the superintendent's recommendation to the School Board.

Possession of a dangerous weapon, i.e., pocket knife, without the intent to intimidate or cause injury will result in a suspension or detention by the administration.

Possession of a look-a-like weapon, i.e., toy gun, etc. will result in a detention or suspension. The length of the detention or suspension will be determined by the administration and will be based on the intent of the student. Possession of such an object with the intent of intimidating someone or disrupting the educational process will result in a lengthy suspension.

K. EXTORTION: Extortion is defined as obtaining money, property, or services of any sort by reason of threat. Any student who commits an act of extortion will be subject to a minimum of STEP 5.

L. SWEARING OR INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE: Students who swear or use inappropriate, vulgar language will receive a disciplinary referral.

M. ENDANGERING OF HEALTH AND SAFETY: Any student action which is of such a nature that it endangers the safety of students or staff of the Denison Community Schools will be brought to the attention of the Board of Education and may result in long-term suspension or expulsion.

N. HARASSMENT: Harassment of students and/or school employees will not be tolerated in this school district. School district includes school facilities, school district premises and non-school property if attending a school sponsored or school related activity or function. This includes incidences that are off school property but are related to a person being a student in our school or an employee of our district.

Harassment includes, but is not limited to, racial, religious, national origin, age, disability, and sexual harassment. Physical and/or verbal threats or intimidation are also harassment and will not be tolerated. Students or school personnel whose behavior is found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to an investigation which may result in disciplinary action. Reports of harassment shall be made to the guidance counselor or the principal.

O. DISMISSAL FROM CLASS: Being sent to the office from class is a serious violation of the discipline policy. Individual teachers are in charge of the discipline in their classrooms and will handle routine discipline problems.

Students sent to the office for major discipline problems will be assigned detention and a referral notice sent home. Students who continue to be discipline problems in classes may be suspended or removed from class and given an "F" on their permanent record.

II. THIS CODE OF STUDENT BEHAVIOR WILL BE IN EFFECT:

A. While students are on school property

B. While students are being transported on school transportation vehicles

C. While students are attending or participating in school activities, either home or away

D. In any situations or circumstances related to the need to uphold the good order and discipline of the school.

III. PROCEDURES GOVERNING SATURDAY SCHOOL

Saturday School will be held for students who require disciplinary action. Saturday detention allows students the opportunity to serve their disciplinary obligation while attending school full time and there by taking full advantage of the opportunities of regular attendance. All school rules in the Code of Student Behavior apply to students while attending Saturday suspension. In addition the following guidelines apply for Saturday detentions:

Saturday detentions will be held from 8:30 A.M. until 12:30 P.M.
The student is responsible for his/her own transportation to and from the high school building.
The door to the detention room will be locked at 8:30 A.M. If a student assigned to a Saturday detention is not in the room by that time, or fails to successfully serve the detention, the student will be required to make-up double the time in the in-school suspension room upon his/her return to school.
If a student receives a detention on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, his/her detention session will start on Saturday of that week. If the detention occurs on Thursday or Friday, it must be served a week from the following Saturday. The Saturday detention will run consecutively until the detention is completed. The exception is that there will not be detention on the Saturdays during vacation periods.
Parents will receive letters informing them of the dates and rules of the Saturday detentions.
Administrators may still remove a student from the school setting with a suspension if they feel it is necessary. A combination of Saturday Schools and other suspensions may be used.
Standards of Saturday detention student behavior:
- Students will not be allowed to use the phone
- Students may not leave their seats
- Students may not talk to other students
- Students must bring books, paper, pencils, pens
- Students may not bring recreational articles
- Students may not bring food or beverages
- Students will spend time in quiet study or reading
- Magazines will be furnished by the school
- Students will follow the instructions of the teacher.
- No recreational use of the Internet will be allowed.
Students will be given one warning for violations of the above standards. Students will be asked to leave the Saturday sessions for a second violation. If a student is asked to leave, he/she will be assigned double the time in in-school suspension.
Authority to defer a Saturday School detention lies with the principal. This will be allowed on rare occasions, (ie. funerals, etc.) Work obligations are not valid for changing detention time.

IV. DUE PROCESS
Before a student is subject to disciplinary action under the Code of Student Behavior, the following minimum steps of due process must be offered to that student.

The student must have been informed of the conduct which is expected or prohibited.
Prior to disciplinary action a hearing will be held with the student at which time notice is given as to what he or she is accused of doing.
An opportunity should be given during the hearing for the student to present his or her side of the story.
The administrator must make the decision relating to disciplinary action based upon the incidents which have been appraised from the knowledge gained.

V. EXPULSION: BOARD ACTION

A. Board expulsions are extreme measures of discipline to be employed only when all available school resources are unable to cope constructively with pupil misconduct. The removal of a student from the educational environment for any lengthy period of time is viewed as a severe form of punishment to be used sparingly.

B. Students whose actions are of such a serious nature as to warrant expulsion may be recommended for expulsion regardless of the number of, or absence of, any prior offenses.

C. A student, upon reaching a LEVEL II SUSPENSION will have his/her discipline record reviewed by the Principal. Severity of the offenses may warrant further disciplinary action.

D. A student, upon reaching a LEVEL III SUSPENSION may be taken to the Superintendent for possible disciplinary action.

E. A student, upon reaching a LEVEL IV SUSPENSION will be taken to Board of Education for possible disciplinary action.

F. Upon the recommendation of the Principal or his/her designee, and after giving at least five days written notice to the student of time and place of Board meeting and hearing upon the question of expulsion, the student may be expelled from the school by the Board of Directors after such hearing for serious or repeated violations of discipline.

G. The procedures to be followed in student expulsion hearings before the Board of Directors are set forth in Board policy Number 502.3R, titled “Hearing Procedures.”