Disciplinary Penalties/Procedures, Elementary Schools

Disciplinary Penalties/Procedures, Elementary Schools

STRATEGIES & PROCEDURES – ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Students are subject to the rules and regulations cited in the discipline code while appearing at or attending any school-sponsored activity* even when that activity is not taking place during normal school hours or on school premises (e.g., athletic contests, field trips, co-curricular activities, student events, etc.). The referrals (penalties, consequences) set forth are only guidelines for the determinations of each case by the Administration. As it is the desire of the Board of Education, all relevant factors are to be taken into consideration in determining an appropriate consequence or penalty. Thus, the Administration, when supported by relevant facts and appropriate circumstances, reserves the right to impose a more severe penalty based upon the severity of the incident.

Introduction

The district strives to create and maintain a positive learning environment for all students. To that end, the district supports Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) with all students and staff. PBIS is an approach to address student behaviors and includes proactive interventions and strategies for defining, teaching, and supporting appropriate student behaviors. Each school has a system of acknowledgements to recognize students and motivate them to be their best in the classroom as well as on the playground, in the hallways, the cafeteria, and on the bus.

The objective of a code of behavior for the Warwick Valley Central School District Elementary Schools is to establish guidelines that will foster a spirit of communication, cooperation, tolerance and respect among the students and other members of the school community. These guidelines should help school staff and children understand the need to model good behavior and to take responsibility for their own behavior. Maintaining a program of acceptable pupil behavior is of major importance.

The purpose of this code of behavior is to provide general regulations governing the behavior of elementary students. Each member of the school community is required to function in accordance with this code. This code shall be mandatory and enforced uniformly among the Warwick Valley Central School elementary buildings.

Students must assume responsibility for their own learning, be responsible learners and assume the responsibility for exhibiting conduct that does not infringe upon the right of another. The school has the right to expect reasonable and self-disciplined behavior from each student.
At the same time, the school must seek to protect the right of every student to an education and provide safeguards for the health, safety and rights of each individual.

Along with the Principal, faculty and staff, the students are responsible for creating and maintaining an atmosphere in which learning can take place with growth and pleasure for everyone involved.

* Riding to and from school on school bus is a school-sponsored activity.

It is the responsibility of all students, their parents and staff members to become familiar with the code of behavior that follows. Students must recognize that when they engage in unacceptable conduct, they will be subject to disciplinary action.

  1. Student Behavior
    Students have the responsibility of avoiding any behavior that is detrimental to their own or other students’ achievement of educational goals. Students must cooperate in maintaining reasonable orderliness in the school and in the classroom, take reasonable care of books and other instructional materials, and encourage a climate where learning is cherished. Most particularly, students must refrain from engaging in conduct that violates the provisions of this code of behavior and respect school property and the property of others.
  2. Attendance
    All students are required to report to school on time and be ready for a full day of learning unless they have excused reasons for being late. Students arriving after the school day begins will have to report to the attendance office where an admit slip will be issued. If an excuse from a parent is not presented, the tardiness will be shown as unexcused. An admit slip must be shown to the teacher upon entering class, or the absence is recorded as unexcused. After three unexcused tardies, the Attendance Monitor will notify the Principal.
  3. Disciplinary Options
    Warwick Valley Central School District Elementary Schools believe that discipline is a skill resulting from training and practice in choosing behavior appropriate for a specific situation. The act of choosing implies that the best discipline is self-discipline.
    With PBIS students experience supports based on their behavioral responsiveness to intervention. All students receive support through a three-tiered prevention model.

      1. Tier I: Universal classroom practices for all students.
      2. Tier II: Systems for student with at-risk behaviors that are not met at Tier I.
      3. Tier III : Systems for students with high-risk behavior.

A definition of discipline that is most compatible with the elementary school philosophy states: “Discipline is the ability to identify the character of a circumstance or situation to determine one’s most constructive role in it, to carry out that role directly, to sustain it as long as necessary, and to learn from the consequences of one’s actions. Such skill is learned; it is taught best by people who are willing to demonstrate it in their own lives.” (Wayson 1985)

At the elementary level, consequences for infractions will be decided on an individual case basis and dictated by circumstance.

The Student Suspension Process as it relates to pre-suspension, short-term suspension, long-term suspension, hearing procedures and the appeals process is in Policy 7313.

At the discretion of the Principal, teacher or staff member, students not following the discipline policy will be subject to the following set of elementary school student discipline guidelines:

Elementary Schools Student Discipline Guidelines (Infractions & Consequences)

  1. Level One
    1. Infractions
      1. Inappropriate behavior;
      2. Inappropriate/profane language or gesture;
      3. Disruptive behavior;
      4. Disrespectful behavior;
      5. Dress code violation;
      6. First bus incident
      7. Non-instructional display or use of cell phones, headphones/earpods, digital cameras, digital phones, watches with phone capabilities, personal imaging equipment, radios, personal audio, or electronic games during the school day.
    2. Consequences – All infractions should be handled within the framework of class or school rules and by the staff involved with the student at the time of the infraction. Any number of the following consequences may be applied.
      1. one-to-one reminder on appropriate behavior;
      2. one-to-one reminder and/or reprimand on the inappropriateness of the infraction and a reminder on exercising appropriate behavior;
      3. one-to-one warning that a repeat of the infraction will lead to further consequences (Level II type);
      4. use of a related behavior modification technique or activity;
      5. use of isolation, loss of privileges or detention;
      6. make an apology, amends, fixes damage, or makes restitution; and
      7. contact teacher, parents or guardians.
  2. Level Two
    1. Infractions
      1. Repeated Level One Infractions;
      2. Dishonesty;
      3. Insubordination;
      4. Forgery;
      5. Truancy;
      6. Misuse of technology;
      7. Harassing or Bullying behaviors;
      8. Second bus incident.
    2. Consequences – The student infraction(s) may need to be documented and referred to the Principal if Level One Consequences have failed to correct the behavior. The student’s parents will be contacted immediately by teacher and/or Principal. Any number of the following consequences may be applied.
      1. at the direction of the Principal and/or Associate Principal, a student discipline file and anecdotal record may be initiated;
      2. one-to-one meeting with the Principal where the infraction will be reviewed, made part of the written record of the student discipline
        file maintained by the Principal, and recommendations will be made for appropriate behavior so the infraction is not repeated;
      3. severe reprimand by the Principal on the inappropriateness of the infraction and a warning that a repeat of the infraction will lead to
        further consequences (Level III);
      4. use of a related behavior modification technique or activity by the Principal;
      5. use of isolation, loss of privileges or detention (as directed or conducted by the Principal);
      6. after-school detention;
      7. counseling; and
      8. fixes damage and/or makes restitution.
  3. Level Three
    1. Infractions
      1. Repeated Level Two Infractions;
      2. Endangering the health, safety and/or welfare of self or others;
      3. Physical aggression;
      4. Possession of a weapon, firearm, or other dangerous/illegal substance;
      5. Vandalism;
      6. Theft;
      7. Third bus incident.
    2. Consequences – The student’s parents will be contacted immediately by the teacher and/or Principal. A discipline file will be established. Any number of the following consequences may be applied.
      1. parental visit to school and conference with Principal;
      2. in-school detention and/or loss of privileges;
      3. after-school detention;
      4. ½-day suspension;
      5. 1-day suspension;
      6. 1-3 day suspension;
      7. 5-day suspension;
      8. 5+ days’ suspension with Superintendent’s Hearing;
      9. counseling and intervention; and
      10. fixes damage and/or makes restitution.

** Definition of bullying: threatening, stalking or seeking to coerce or compel a person to do something; engaging in the nonverbal, verbal, written, cyber or physical gestures and/or conduct that threatens another with harm, including intimidation through the use of epithets or slurs involving race, ethnicity, natural origin, religion, religious practices, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability that substantially disrupts the educational process. It is usually, but not necessarily, repeated over time.