St. Francis de Sales School

1602 Madison Rd.

DISCIPLINE POLICIES

(Code of Conduct)

Discipline is fundamental in Catholic education.  We ask the parents to assist the teachers in guiding their children in the acceptance of responsibility.  Our mission is to provide a safe and orderly academic environment for all our students.

At the beginning of each school year, the teacher will send home a list of the school and classroom rules.  The teachers in grades 4 through 8 also will send home the demerit plan and those in grades K through 3 the summary of the individual discipline plan.

The principal and every teacher in the school has the authority to apply appropriate disciplinary measures to a violation of any of the school’s regulations or policies.  The following is a list, non-inclusive, of acceptable and possible disciplinary measures:

• Teacher or principal speaks with the child

• Detention (it is the student’s responsibility to inform his or her parents if a detention is assigned for the following day and detention must be served on day assigned).

•  Demerits - Grades 4 through 8

• Conduct Referrals – Grades K through 3

• Individual Discipline Plans (Grades K through 3)

• If a child receives a conduct referral, detention form, demerit or note from a teacher, it is expected to be signed by the parent/guardian and returned to school the next day.  If not signed and returned, the child may face a consequence, (ex: loss of recess, demerit or another detention.

•  Parent –Teacher conference

• Special privileges denied

• Fines (Grades 4 through 8)

• Students are expected to pay the fine immediately or they are held responsible for turning the money in to the proper authorities the following day.  No additional money will be loaned to the student for bus fare, lunch, etc., if he or she has on record an unpaid fine or loan.

• In-school suspension

• Suspension

• Expulsion – It shall be the decision of the proper school personnel, after carefully weighing all  the facts and circumstances pertaining to the incident of misconduct, as to which corrective measures are appropriate or adequate.

 Code of Conduct

1. Disruption of School – No student by use of violence, force, noise, coercion, threat, intimidation, fear, active or passive resistance, or any other conduct, shall intentionally cause the disruption or obstruction of any lawful mission, process, or function of the school, or urge other students to engage in such conduct.

2. Damage, Destruction, Theft, or Misuse of School Property – No student shall intentionally cause or attempt to cause damage to school property including defacing or stealing or attempt to steal property.

3. Damage, Destruction, or Theft of Private Property – No student shall intentionally cause damage to private property, including that of other students, teachers, administrators, or other school employees, or steal or attempt to steal private property.

4. Assault Upon Another – No student shall intentionally cause or attempt to cause or threaten physical injury or intentionally behave in such a way as could reasonably be anticipated to cause physical injury to a school employee, fellow student, or any other person.

5. Verbal Abuse of Another – No student shall internationally direct to a school employee or another student words or gestures which are slanderous or degrading in nature or which are obscene, profane, or insulting.

6. Weapons and Dangerous Instruments – No student shall knowingly possess, handle, or transmit a knife, razor, ice pick, explosive, loaded cane, sword cane, pistol, rifle, shotgun, pellet gun, machete, or other object that reasonably can be considered a weapon.

7. Narcotics, Alcoholic Beverages and Stimulant Drugs

1.     Unless prescribed by a physician or dentist, or, in the case of legally obtainable non-prescription drugs, used with the consent of his/her parent/guardian, no student shall knowingly posses, use, transmit, or be under the influence of any narcotic drug, hallucinogenic drug, amphetamine, or other stimulant, barbiturate or other sedative, marijuana, inhalant, alcoholic beverage, or intoxicant of any kind.

2.     Unless possessed for a lawful purpose and with the consent of his/her parents/guardians, no student shall knowingly possess:

a.       Any instrument, article or thing whose customary and primary purpose is for the administration or use of a dangerous drug, i.e., any drug which, under F.D.A. regulation, Federal Narcotic Laws, of Ohio Statues, may be dispensed only on a prescription; or narcotic drugs available without prescription, or drugs intended for injectable use;

b.      Paraphernalia for the use of marijuana, i.e. any instrument, device, article or thing whether or not of crude or extemporized manufacture of assembly that is used or intended for use of any kin of the following:

(a)  Preparing marijuana for ingestion, inhalation or other introduction into the body;

(b)  Ingesting, inhaling or otherwise introducing marijuana into the body;

(c)  Enhancing their effect of marijuana upon the body;

(d) Testing the strength, effectiveness, or purity of marijuana.

3. Section 2925.37 O.R.C. makes it a crime to make, possess, sell, or attempt to sell a counterfeit controlled substance, i.e., something which appears to be a drug abuse substance, but is not,

4. A student permit shall be used for dispensing short term and long term prescription and non-prescription medications during school hours.

8. Failure to Obey Instructions – No student shall fail to comply with reasonable instructions or requests of teachers, student teachers, substitute teachers, security personnel, principals, or other authorized school personnel during any period of time when he/she is properly under the authority of such school personnel.

9. Use of Tobacco – No student shall smoke, use or possess any substance containing tobacco, including, but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, a pipe, a clove cigarette, and chewing tobacco, or use tobacco in any other form at anytime anywhere on school premises and/or at any school activity regardless of its location.

10. Removing or Altering Student Records – No student shall remove any student record from its official place of deposit without the permission of the record custodian, or alter, or in any way change such record.

11. Extortion – No student shall obtain something of value from another person by physical force, threat, or intimidation.

12. Trespass – No student shall be present in an unauthorized place on school property or refuse to leave any such place when ordered to do so by authorized personnel.

13. Pornography – No student shall have in his/her possession, or display to another person any pornographic material.

14. Leaving School Premises – No student shall leave the school premises during the school day or be absent from a scheduled class without permission from his/her teacher or from other school authorities or without other justifiable reason.

15. Truancy – No student shall be absent from school without written authorization for such absence from a parent/guardian.

 Some Do’s and Don’ts

• There is to be no food or drink anywhere, any time except in the cafeteria at lunchtime, and breakfast in the classroom unless special permission is granted by the principal for a special occasion.

• No chewing gum is permitted at any time on school property before, during or after school.

• Students must have teacher permission and a hall pass to be out of the classroom during class time.

•  No non-educational items (toys, radios, CD players, tape recorders, DVD players, electronic games, cell phones, etc.) are to be brought to school without permission from the teacher. The school will not assume responsibility for these objects if they are lost or stolen.  They may be confiscated by the teacher.

• Show respect for teachers, tutors, fellow students and any other persons affiliated with the school.

• Show respect for school property and the personal property of others.

• Be in school each day on time.  School starts promptly at 8:30 AM.

• Move in halls and on the stairways in silence.  Other classes are in session.

• Take care of your things so you don’t have to buy new ones.

• Leave school promptly after dismissal.

• Since we have a telephone in each classroom, cell phones are not necessary from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM.  Cell phones MUST be turned into the office each morning before classes start and may be picked up at dismissal at 3:15 PM each afternoon.  Confiscated phones will not be returned to the student.  First violation, the cell phone will be given to the parent.  Second violation, cell phone will be held in the office until June.

• Lockers are the property of the school and therefore may be entered by school authorities at any time.  No food will be left in student lockers.

SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION

• In case of a serious offense, accumulated demerits or  accumulated conduct referrals, a student may be suspended by the principal.  This suspension will be conducted at home.  Parents will be notified in writing and may be required to come to school for a conference before the child is readmitted.

• A student on suspension will be required to make up missed school work during detentions following the suspension.  Failure to make up work will result in zero credit for days absent.

• If the student remains and a third suspension is incurred, it may result in an expulsion

• A single, very serious offense may also be cause for expulsion.

• The ultimate goal is self-discipline, but teachers and other adults in the school are responsible to guide and direct each student in achieving this goal.  The school staff seeks to maintain safe, secure, peaceful, orderly environment free from attitudes and actions that interfere with learning.

FIELD TRIPS

Field trips that have been planned by any teacher are an important part of a child’s instruction in a particular area of knowledge or experience.  Individual classes will be making these field trips throughout the year, but no child may attend unless a permission slip has been signed by the parent/guardian and is on file in the school office.  Verbal permission by telephone is not acceptable.

When on a field trip, students are expected to be on their very best behavior – for their own safety and education and because they are representatives of the school.  A field trip is a special privilege.  Some students may be denied the option due to behavior concerns.  Dress Code is at the discretion of the school.

GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING

Limited guidance and counseling services are available for every student in the school.  The principal or teacher will make a confidential referral to the social worker, if a specific need or concern about a child arises.  Parents may also request that a child be referred for counseling.  After conferencing with the counselors, the principal and/or pastor has the right to insist that student and/or family participate in professional counseling outside of the school in order to remain enrolled in school.

HEALTH POLICIES

Under the direction of the school nurse, complete health records are maintained for each student.

Any child who is not in compliance with the immunizations which are required by law will not be admitted to school.  New students in grades 1 though 8 have a period of one month to produce records of immunization.  Kindergarten students are required to have up to date immunization records on file before the first day of school.

Routine tests of vision, hearing and scoliosis are made in certain grade levels.  Speech, hearing and vision screening is done for each child new to the school each year.

PRESCRIPTION AND NON-PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION

          Whenever it is absolutely necessary that medication be given to the students during the school day, St. Francis de Sales has adopted the following policy regarding the dispensing of medication by school personnel during school hours.