The Swartz Creek Community Schools Parent-Student
Handbook, which is distributed to parents and students at the beginning of
each school year, outlines the district’s policies and practices as they relate
to student behavior and discipline.
However, in an effort to more fully explain the program used
at
What
is the goal of the Gaines discipline policy?
It is the goal of
Why
do we have rules?
Rules and their enforcement help provide a safe and orderly
environment in which our students and staff can learn and work in a positive
environment that both values personal safety and a respect for property. The staff and principal of
What
happens when a student violates a rule?
The Classroom Teacher Each teacher is encouraged to develop his/her own classroom rules in collaboration with the students. Consequences of rule violations in the classroom are to be explained to students and parents at the beginning of each school year. Classroom rules and consequences are reviewed by the principal. Referral of a student to the principal by the classroom teacher may be part of the consequences for any given classroom.
The Principal Students may be referred to the principal for disciplinary action by a teacher or any staff member, including bus drivers.
The principal believes that discipline/punishment should be progressive. This means that the severity of punishment increases as the severity of infractions and the frequency of infractions increases. That is, a student who is in violation of school rules for the fifth time is more likely to receive more severe punishment than a student who has violated a rule for the first time. However, some infractions require that more severe disciplinary action be taken initially.
Disciplinary action taken by the principal may include:
· Verbal reprimand: meeting with the student and issuing an oral warning.
· Written reprimand: meeting with the student and issuing a written reprimand (Discipline Notice to Parents) which is forwarded to parents for their information and for their signature and return to confirm receipt.
· Loss of privileges/additional work: loss of recess privileges for a day or more; additional assignments or written work; supervised work to clean up an area; loss of field trip, assembly, or other similar privileges.
· Detention: the student may be required to stay at school for an additional time before or after the regular school day.
· In-School Suspension: the student is removed from the student body and is restricted to the office for the entire school day. The student is required to work quietly and in an orderly fashion throughout the school day. This discipline depends largely on the cooperation of the student. If he or she will not comply with the ISS procedures, he or she will be suspended from school for an equal amount of time. Class work completed during ISS will be accepted for credit.
·
Out-of-School Suspension: the student is
not allowed to be on school property during the time of his or her suspension
from school. Class work completed during
· Long-Term Suspension or Expulsion: these circumstances are outlined in the Parent-Student Handbook.
What
types of behavior are violations of school rules?
(The following list is meant to be descriptive but cannot be considered to be all-inclusive.)
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Pushing,
kicking, tripping, or rough play |
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Fighting
or other violent actions directed at others |
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Improper
use of school equipment |
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Disobedience
or defiance toward an adult |
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Being
uncooperative with an adult |
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Disrespectful
behavior toward a student: putdowns, teasing, etc. |
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Disrespectful
behavior toward an adult: being argumentative or sassy |
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Running
in the halls |
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Disruptive
behavior in classroom |
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Stealing
or cheating |
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Damaging
school property |
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Breaking
cafeteria rules |
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Breaking
playground rules |
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Inappropriate
language ·
Breaking
bus rules ·
Possessing,
using, threatening to use, or transferring a weapon ·
Possessing,
using, or transferring tobacco products, drugs or alcohol |
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What
about bus rules and violations of those rules?
Students are provided with the bus rules and procedures at the beginning of each year in the form of a letter given to them by their bus driver. Additionally, rules and procedures are explained in the Parent-Student Handbook and Board of Education Policy number 5131.1P.
The bus is considered to be an extension of the classroom, and therefore, the student shall be required to conduct him/herself on the bus in a manner consistent with established standards for classroom behavior.
One underlying principle is involved: students on the bus must act in a manner that will allow for the safe and orderly operation of the school bus. The driver is responsible to operate the bus in a safe manner that will protect the well being of each rider. Actions by students that interfere with the safe operation of the bus will be acted upon by the bus driver, transportation supervisor, and/or the building principal.
Bus drivers will attempt to contact parents with regard to violations of safe bus riding procedures. Principals will also be notified of the infraction of bus rules and procedures by individual students. The principal will handle these in a manner similar to those used in handling classroom or other school infractions.
However, please be aware that a student who does not obey the bus rules may have his or her bus riding privileges suspended by the building principal or transportation supervisor. Parents and students, as is the case with other disciplinary actions, have the right of appeal. Please see the Handbook for more details.