STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT
The climate in our classrooms and the general atmosphere in our school building and on our playgrounds must be one of harmony and respect for all persons and property.
In order for us to develop a healthy learning atmosphere for the intellectual, emotional, and social growth of children as well as adults, we must work cooperatively for unity and consistency in our decision making. This means that all staff members, teacher paraprofessionals, and parents should be working together to deal with behavior problems among children correctly.
For the small percentage of children with serious behavior problems we may have to try a variety of methods to promote responsible behavior. We aim for each child to develop a true sense of his/her own worth and a feeling of belonging. We believe that a combination of encouragement and firmness will help the child recognize his/her misbehavior and then be able to work responsibly toward correcting it.
Rules and guidelines help define acceptable behavior. The Morris School has three rules: Respect Yourself, Respect Others, and Respect Property. With these three rules we hope to help children: (1) assume responsibility for their actions; (2) cooperate with each other; (3) show interest and tolerance for others; and (4) adopt socially accepted goals, and (5) act in a courteous manner. To these ends, the Morris School has set down the following guidelines.
GUIDELINES FOR STUDENT CONDUCT
When students show respect for others, they are demonstrating respect for themselves.
1. Students are expected to treat others with kindness, respect, and courtesy by their words and their deeds and will strive to practice cooperation in day-to-day encounters. Proper behavior should be guided by a sense of fairness to others as well as to one's self.
2. Students are expected to respect the rights and property of others.
3. Students are expected to accept responsibilities and perform their duties willingly.
4. Students are expected to use acceptable language in all areas of school life.
5. Students are expected to participate in all classroom activities and complete assignments to the best of their ability. Incomplete assignments are expected to be completed in a timely fashion.
6. Students are expected to courteously follow the directions of teachers and other school personnel whether in class, in the halls, on the playground, or in the cafeteria.
7. Students are expected to participate in making the school, classrooms, and playground neat, orderly, and attractive.
8. Students are expected to demonstrate respect for all guests and visitors to the school, including performers at all school assemblies.
9. Students are expected to walk in an orderly, quiet fashion within the school building.
10. Students are expected to exercise discretion with respect to dress and hair styles and avoid dressing in a fashion that may cause a disruption to the educational process.
11. Students are expected to be respectful in the cafeteria and follow all cafeteria rules.
12. Students are expected to follow the specific rules set down for the playgrounds and buses.
ROLES AND CONSEQUENCES
Within the school community each member has a specific role.
The student should strive to Respect Others, Respect Themselves, and Respect Property.
The classroom teacher is the key person in developing and enforcing guidelines for appropriate behavior in the school setting and working (privately or in classroom discussion groups) with students and parents to act on consequences as necessary.
The Head Teacher acts in an intermediary role, assisting school personnel in determining consequences for serious violations of student conduct.
Each parent has a vital role to play in the entire process of encouraging acceptable behavior from his/her children and participating in consequences in cooperation with the classroom teacher and other school personnel.
The Principal confers with students, teachers, and parents and tries to make decisions that will help the students develop responsible and respectful behavior.
The School Intervention Assistant assists teachers, other paraprofessionals, specialists, and the principal when a child's behavior is out of compliance with school rules and expectations. She does her work in the classrooms, on the playgrounds, in the cafeteria and in a room designated for in-school suspension. The intervention assistant provides activities that help students de-escalate, learn about appropriate social behavior and choices, and models appropriate responses to school rules and regulations.
There will be times when consequences for violations of the rules will be necessary. The following consequences are in direct relation to the infraction; teachers and parents should involve the student as appropriate in decision-making regarding fair and instructive use of these consequences.
The following serve as examples of elementary school misbehavior. It is impossible to give a response here for every conceivable infraction. We deal with each situation individually and try to respond appropriately using a range of consequences.
Changing behavior patterns of a misbehaving child sometimes takes a long period of time. The teacher or other adults who have direct contact with the child will continue to encourage the child's efforts to improve.
PROCEDURES FOR SERIOUS MISBEHAVIOR
1. Procedures for Extreme Behavior (Classroom, School Building, Playground)
Examples of extreme behavior problems which may occur at school are:
* A child leaving school premises without permission.
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A child physically harming or threatening a staff member or student..
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A child destroying or using school property improperly.
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A child swearing in the presence of others.
If such action occurs, the adult in charge will notify the Principal or Head Teacher. The child will be separated from other students and/or removed from the area. During the course of the day, the Principal or Head Teacher will confer with the child, contact the child’s parents, and will work toward resolving the problem, including assigning an appropriate consequence from the continuum of consequences. The problem and its resolution will be discussed by the Principal and/or Head Teacher, the parent, and the child before the child returns to class. The adult initially involved with the misbehavior will write up a disciplinary slip or incident report.
2. Procedures for Very Serious Misbehavior
Examples of very serious behavior problems are:
* A child being habitually tardy to school.
* A child disrupting the classroom or instruction.
* A child making fun of another student.
* A child playing dangerously on the playground.
The adult in charge will react strongly to an instance of very serious misbehavior, reinforce the rules, and determine an appropriate consequence. If necessary, the adult in charge will notify the Head Teacher and/or Principal. A discipline notice will be sent home and the adult and student will work together to establish a consequence. Depending on the situation, the staff will meet to determine if the behavior warrants referral for other services or outside supports.
3. Suspension Procedures
A student may be suspended by the Principal or his designee when the student: (a) poses a threat to the physical well-being of himself or any other student or staff member; (b) is causing and may continue to cause substantial interference with the educational process; (c) intentionally causes or attempts to cause substantial damage to school property or private property or steals or attempts to steal school property of substantial value; (d) knowingly possesses or transmits any firearm, knife, explosive, or other dangerous object on school grounds or at a school function; (e) knowingly possesses, uses, transmits, or is under the influence of any narcotic drug, hallucinogenic drug, amphetamine, barbiturate, marijuana, alcoholic beverage, or intoxicant of any kind; (f) repeatedly and/or intentionally defies the valid authority of supervisors, teachers, or administrators; (g) repeatedly and/or willfully violates the accepted rules and regulations of the Morris School.
In rare cases a teacher may encounter a child who is upset for any number of reasons and who is seriously disrupting a classroom. The only solution may be to have the child leave the classroom environment and stay at home for a short period of time or in school under close supervision. The responsibility for sending a child home for gross misbehavior, including classroom and building disruption, rests with the Principal. The decision is made after consultation with the classroom teacher, Head Teacher, and Special Needs personnel if the child is receiving special help.
In-School Suspension may be deemed an appropriate temporary action for a child who is seriously disrupting the educational setting or consistently misbehaving in any school area. The intent of In-School Suspension is to minimize out-of-school suspensions while maintaining a continuing program for students. Students will be required to perform schoolwork while in In-School Suspension. Such work will be assigned by the appropriate classroom and/or resource room teachers. The teacher or other adult in charge will initiate the procedure by consulting with the Head Teacher and the Principal. The parent will be informed of the decision for in-school suspension. The in-school suspension typically will be for a one to three day period.
The decision for a longer suspension, dependent on the nature and severity of the misbehavior, will be the duty of the Principal after consulting with the parents, all personnel directly involved with the child, and the Superintendent of Schools, if necessary. The Principal will determine the length of the suspension, will arrange for homework assignments, and will determine how the child will return to school.
- Exclusion or Expulsion Procedures
Exclusion or expulsion is defined as that formal action voted by the School Committee, acting upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, which excludes a student from regular classroom instruction for any period of time exceeding ten (10) school days. To impose expulsion, the School Committee must find that: (a) the continued presence of the child in school would endanger the physical safety of others or cause substantial interference with the right of others to pursue an education; or, (b) the student violated school regulations as defined in the reasons for suspension at least three (3) times during one (1) school year and that each violation was serious enough, in the absence of other violations, to warrant suspension.
Expulsion or exclusion is a very serious disciplinary measure. It can be imposed only by the School Committee and only after the student has had full procedural protection.
DISCIPLINING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
An underlying principle of Chapter 766 is that a student who has been found by an evaluation team to have special needs and whose program is described in an Individualized Educational Plan must be treated in a manner that most resembles his/her peers who do not have special needs while at the same time considering his/her unique programming needs. The following procedure must be followed with respect to the suspension (including in-school suspension) of any child on an Individualized Educational Plan (I.E.P.):
a. The I.E.P. for every special needs student will indicate whether the student is expected to meet the regular discipline code or if a modification is required. If a modified discipline code is required, it will be written into the I.E.P.
b. The Principal will notify the Director of Special Education of the suspendable offense of a special needs student and a record will be maintained of such notifications.
c. When it is known that the suspension(s) of a special needs student will accumulate to 10 days in a school year, a review of the I.E.P. will be held to determine the appropriateness of the student's placement or program. The TEAM will make a finding as to the relationship between the student's misconduct and his/her handicapping condition, special education placement, and/or implementation of the I.E.P., and either:
1. design a modified program for the student, or
2. write an amendment to provide for the delivery of special education services during the suspension and any needed modification of the I.E.P. relative to discipline code expectations.
d. The Director of Special Needs shall notify the Department of Education as required by state policy.
DUE PROCESS
The school will follow definite procedures ("due process") in providing a protection of rights in the event the student is disciplined for violation of school rules. For any discipline short of suspension, due process consists of notifying the student of the violation (usually verbal) and affording the student an opportunity to respond before the measure is employed. If being detained after school is part of the disciplinary action, the student is entitled to a verbal or written notice of the violation and an opportunity to respond before detention is assigned. A 24-hour notice of detention will be given when there is a problem of transportation or safety.
Due process for any type of suspension includes verbal or written notification to the student and parent of charges, and the opportunity for the student to present her/his side of the story. Notice of the reason for suspension and an
opportunity to present her/his side of the story will occur before being asked to leave school grounds, except when a student presents an immediate threat to school officials, another student, or her/himself, or clearly endangers the school environment. In this case, the notice and opportunity to speak will be provided within 48 hours (excluding weekends, holidays, or school vacations.)
The procedure prior to an expulsion or exclusion is more elaborate than those preceding a suspension. The additional protection provided a student in an expulsion case includes having an attorney present at the hearing (at the student's expense), confronting all witnesses, and complainants, and conducting the hearing before the School Committee.
PROCEDURE FOR PARENTAL COMMUNICATION/APPEAL WITH SCHOOL PERSONNEL CONCERNING A DISCIPLINE PROBLEM
A parent who is concerned about disciplinary action taken against his/her child should follow this procedure:
(1) Contact the school and speak with the staff member directly involved in making the decision for corrective action. Parents may contact staff members during the regular workday (8:30 am-3:15 pm for grades PreK-5). If a staff member is unable to take a telephone call, the call will be returned within 24 hours (i.e., by the next school day).
(2) If a parent contacts an administrator about a disciplinary problem, the administrator will check that the parent has first discussed the issue with the staff member involved. If the staff member has not been contacted, the administrator will inform the staff member about the call and ask the staff member to make contact with the parent.
(3) If this approach does not lead to resolution of the problem, an administrator may be asked to mediate.
(4) The proper channeling of concerns from parents is as follows:
a. Teacher or other staff member d. Superintendent
b. Head Teacher e. School Committee
c. Principal
EXAMPLES OF BEHAVIORAL SITUATIONS AND POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES
1. A child who misbehaves on the playground may be assigned any of a number of consequences depending on the individual circumstances. They may include separation from the other students to losing recess privileges to assisting the paraprofessionals as a playground monitor. Consequences for a child who is involved in continuous minor infractions of playground rules will be determined by the paraprofessional on duty in consultation with the Head Teacher.
2. A child who breaks or damages school property will pay for the cost of repair or replacement. When this occurs in the classroom, the decision for consequences will be made by the teacher and/or the Principal or Head Teacher. Otherwise, the decision will be made by the Principal.
3. A child who writes on walls, desks, or floors will clean all markings with soap and water.
4. A child who throws papers or food on floors or on the playground will pick up the area. Consequences will be assigned by the adult on duty.
5. A child who destroys a school book or workbook will be charged an appropriate replacement amount.
6. A child who takes or damages another person's property will make restitution. The decision for consequences for a child who continually takes the belongings of others will be made by the classroom teacher in consultation with the parent.
7. A child who is disruptive in the classroom will be disciplined by the classroom teacher dependent on the teacher's judgment of the severity of the disruption. The child may be sent to the office for a short time until the teacher and child may confer alone.
8. A child who continually violates school rules, especially those regarding the rights and property of others and those relating to the safety of other students or school personnel may lose the privilege of attending a school event or class
field trip. The final decision rests with the Principal, normally after consultation with the Head Teacher, classroom teacher, and parents.
9. A child who refuses to complete an assigned task in the classroom may be kept in at recess or after school to finish the work if the teacher feels it is in the best interest of the child. Additional work may be assigned as a consequence for incomplete or untimely assignments. The teacher will call the parent in advance so that transportation can be provided. (Advance notice will vary according to availability of parent transportation and time needed to make arrangements).
SCHOOL BUS RULES
Students should:
* be on time at the designated bus stop.
* take care not to damage the property (lawn, shrubs, trees, house, etc.) at the bus stop.
* stay off the road while waiting for the bus, wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before approaching it, and refrain from crowding or pushing while boarding.
* have written permission to leave the bus other than at home or school.
* help look after the safety of small children.
* follow instructions of the bus driver.
* be courteous and respectful to the bus driver and other students.
* use acceptable language on the bus.
* sit in the bus seat while the bus is in motion and refrain from changing seats.
* respect the rights and property of others (clothing, books, lunches; bus seats, windows, etc.).
* refrain from opening and closing windows and emergency doors.
* refrain from eating or throwing food and wrappings on the bus or out of the bus windows.
* allow other students to pass in the aisle without interference.
* enter and leave the bus at designated stops in an orderly manner
BUS MISBEHAVIOR PROCEDURES
The bus driver shall write up incidents of school bus misbehavior and give a copy directly to the student and follow it with a copy to the Principal. The Principal shall discuss the infraction with the student and his parents. If the Principal feels, after conferring with a representative of the bus company, that bus privileges for this child should be suspended for a period of time, he will make this decision and inform the bus contractor and the parent. The bus driver at no time shall put a child off the bus. He/she is obligated to transport the child either to his home or to school and then refer the incident to the Principal immediately.
PLAYGROUND RULES
Children must:
* include all children in games or other activities.
* use the playground equipment with care and safety toward other children.
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play fairly in all game activities without hurting or harming any person.
* use the playground for fun and enjoyment.
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keep the playground free of food and papers.
* carry playground balls and bats into buildings in an orderly fashion.
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share the use of playground equipment and play areas with fellow students.
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report any disorderly conduct or emergency situations to the teacher paraprofessional at once.
* play only in designated areas of the playground.
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be helpful and courteous to the paraprofessionals at all times.
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keep all snacks off play structures.
* refrain from sharing snacks (for allergy and dietary reassons).
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use only whiffle balls, rubber balls, and plastic bats.
* not engage in violent or aggressive play (i.e., wrestling or king-of-the-hill type activity)
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ask permission to retrieve any balls that go out of the playground.
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play only touch football.
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not throw rocks, wood chips, or snow.
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reenter the building from the playground only with the specific permission of the paraprofessional on duty.
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not bring items such as Game Boys, Walkman, or other headset gear to recess.
* immediately and respectfully follow directions and guidelines from the adults on duty.
