5300
DISTRICT
CODE OF CONDUCT
I. Introduction
The Rhinebeck Central
School District Board of Education (“Board”) is committed to providing a safe
and orderly school environment where students may receive and district
personnel may deliver quality educational services without disruption or
interference. Responsible behavior by students, teachers,
other district personnel, parents and other visitors is essential to achieving
this goal.
This commitment is consistent with the District’s mission, vision and
core values. The mission is to provide an excellent learning environment and
the dedicated development of every student’s generosity of spirit, passion for
learning, and ultimate success. The
vision is educating students to become ethical decision-makers, self-directed
learners, complex thinkers, collaborative workers, quality producers, and
community contributors. This aligns with
the District’s core values of Safety and Health, Resources, Respect, Responsibility,
Courage, Integrity, the Whole Child, Collaboration, Student Achievement, and
Recognition as the hallmarks of a quality education.
The District has a long-standing set of expectations
for conduct on school property and at school functions. These expectations are
based on the principles of civility, mutual respect, citizenship, character,
tolerance, honesty and integrity.
The board recognizes the need to clearly define these
expectations for acceptable conduct on school property, to identify the
possible consequences of unacceptable conduct, and to ensure that discipline
when necessary is administered promptly and fairly. To this end, the Board
adopts this code of conduct (“code”).
Unless otherwise indicated, this code applies to all
students, school personnel, parents and other visitors when on school property
or attending a school function.
While there are formal disciplinary procedures in
place, it is critical that parents and educators realize the importance of
communication and positive relationships in resolving discipline issues. The formal discipline process is often
unnecessary when parents, educators, and students have an opportunity to
develop cooperative partnerships. Collaborative discussions of this type often
lead to creative and student-specific solutions that support appropriate
behavior and educational achievement. If
parents or school officials believe that a student’s placement is not
appropriate, they should work together to recommend an appropriate change. Collaborative and cooperative partnerships
between parents, educators, and students are more likely to result in a change
that will meet the needs of the student, ensure improved learning
opportunities, and create a safe environment.
The
following key points from the publication Safeguarding
Our Children: An Action Guide (Dwyer, K. and Osher, D, 2000) highlights
certain principles that research or expert-based experience show have a
significant impact on the success of prevention and intervention plans for
students with behavior problems.
II. Definitions
For purposes of this code, the following legal
definitions apply:
“Disruptive student” means an elementary or secondary
student under the age of 21 who is substantially disruptive of the educational
process or substantially interferes with the teacher’s authority over the
classroom.
“Parent” means parent, guardian or person in parental
relation to a student.
“School property” means in or within any building,
structure, athletic playing field, playground, parking lot or land contained
within the real property boundary line of a public elementary or secondary
school, or in or on a school bus, as defined in Vehicle and Traffic Law §142.
“School function” means any school-sponsored trip,
extra-curricular event, or activity.
“Violent student” means a student under the age of 21
who:
1. Commits an act of violence upon a school
employee, or attempts to do so.
2.
Commits, while on school property or at
a school function, an act of violence upon another student or any other person
lawfully on school property or at the school function, or attempts to do so.
3. Possesses, while on school property or at a
school function, a weapon.
4. Displays, while on school property or at a
school function, what appears to be a weapon.
5.
Threatens, while on school property or at
a school function, to use a weapon.
6. Knowingly and intentionally damages or
destroys the personal property of any school employee or any person lawfully on
school property or at a school function.
7. Knowingly and intentionally damages or
destroys school district property.
“Weapon”
means a firearm as defined in 18 USC §921 for purposes of the Gun-Free
Schools
Act. It also means any other gun, BB gun, pistol, revolver, shotgun, rifle,
machine gun, disguised gun, paintball gun, pocket
knife, dagger, dirk, razor, stiletto, switchblade knife, gravity knife, brass
knuckles, sling shot, metal knuckle knife, box cutter, cane sword, electronic
dart gun, Kung Fu star, electronic stun gun, pepper spray or other noxious
spray, explosive or incendiary bomb, or other device, instrument, material or
substance that can cause physical injury or death when used to cause physical
injury or death.
III.
Student Rights and Responsibilities
A. Student
Rights
The District is committed to safeguarding the rights
given to all students under state and federal law. In addition, to promote a
safe, healthy, orderly and civil school environment, all district students have
the right to:
1. Take part in all district activities on an
equal basis regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender
or sexual orientation or disability.
2. Present their version of the relevant events
to school personnel authorized to impose a disciplinary penalty in connection
with the imposition of the penalty.
3.
Access school rules and, when necessary,
receive an explanation of those rules from school personnel.
4.
Due process, as defined by applicable
law.
B. Student
Responsibilities
All district students have the responsibility to:
1. Contribute to maintaining a safe and orderly
school environment that is conducive to learning and to show respect to other
persons and to property.
2. Be familiar with and abide by all district
policies, rules and regulations dealing with student conduct.
3. Attend school every day unless they are
legally excused and be in class, on time, and prepared to learn.
4. Work to the best of their ability in all
academic and extracurricular pursuits and strive toward their highest level of
achievement possible.
5. React to direction given by teachers,
administrators and other school personnel in a respectful, positive manner.
6. Work to develop the social behaviors
necessary to interact with others in a positive manner.
7. Ask questions when they do not understand.
8. Seek help in solving problems that might lead
to discipline.
9. Dress appropriately for school and school
functions.
10. Accept
responsibility for their actions.
11. Conduct
themselves as representatives of the district when participating in or
attending school-sponsored extracurricular events and to hold themselves to the
highest standards of conduct, demeanor, and sportsmanship.
12. Students
may find themselves in the unique situation of possessing information that
could be potentially dangerous to themselves or others. They should report any and all situations or
suspicions about harmful acts to other students, to their teachers, or to other
school personnel. All suspicions should
be immediately reported. The identities
of students who report such situations or suspicions will be kept confidential
by school authorities until legally required to do otherwise.
IV.
Essential Partners
A. Parents
1. Recognize that the education of their
child(ren) is a joint responsibility of the parents and the school community.
2. Send their children to school ready to
participate and learn.
3. Ensure their children attend school regularly
and on time.
4. Ensure that absences are excused and provide
a written explanation for each absence to school authorities.
5. Insist their children be dressed and groomed
in a manner consistent with the student dress code.
6. Help their children understand that in a
democratic society appropriate rules are required to maintain a safe, orderly
environment.
7. Know school rules and help their children
understand them.
8. Convey to their children a supportive
attitude toward education and the district.
9. Build good relationships with school
officials, teachers, other parents and their children’s friends.
10. Help their children deal effectively with peer
pressure.
11. Inform school officials of changes in the home
situation that may affect student conduct or performance.
12. Provide a place for study and ensure homework
assignments are completed.
B. Teachers
1.
Lead by example in adhering to the code
of conduct.
2.
Maintain a climate of mutual respect
and dignity, which will strengthen students’ self-concept and promote
confidence to learn.
3. Be prepared to teach.
4. Demonstrate interest in teaching and concern
for student achievement.
5. Know school policies and rules, and enforce
them in a fair and consistent manner.
6. Communicate to students and parents:
a. Course objectives and requirements
b. Marking/grading procedures
c. Assignment deadlines
d. Expectations for students
e. Classroom discipline plan.
7. Communicate regularly with students, parents
and other teachers concerning growth and achievement.
C. Other School Staff
1. Lead
by example in adhering to the code of conduct.
2. Maintain a climate of mutual respect and
dignity, which will strengthen students’ self-concept and promote confidence to
learn.
3. Know
school policies and rules, and enforce them in a fair and consistent manner
4.
Promote a safe and orderly school
environment.
D.
School
Counselors
1. Lead
by example in adhering to the code of conduct.
2. Maintain
a climate of mutual respect and dignity, which will strengthen students’
self-concept and promote confidence to learn.
3. Assist students in coping with peer pressure
and emerging personal, social and
emotional problems.
4. Initiate teacher/student/counselor
conferences and parent/teacher/student/ counselor conferences, as necessary, as
a way to resolve problems.
5. Regularly review with students their
educational progress and career plans.
6. Provide information to assist students with
career planning.
7. Encourage students to benefit from the curriculum and extracurricular programs.
E. Building Administrators (Principals and Assistant Principal)
1. Lead
by example in adhering to the code of conduct.
2. Maintain a climate of mutual respect and
dignity, which will strengthen
students’
self-concept and promote confidence to learn.
3. Promote a safe, orderly and stimulating
school environment, supporting active teaching and learning.
4. Ensure that students and staff have the
opportunity to communicate regularly with the building administrator and
approach the building administrator for redress of grievances.
5. Evaluate on a regular basis all instructional
programs.
6. Support the development of and student
participation in appropriate extracurricular activities.
7. Be responsible for enforcing the code of
conduct within the designated parameters and ensuring that all cases are
resolved promptly and fairly.
F. Superintendent
1. Lead
by example in adhering to the code of conduct.
2. Maintain a climate of mutual respect and
dignity, which will strengthen students’ self-concept and promote confidence to
learn.
3. Promote a safe, orderly and stimulating
school environment, supporting active teaching and learning.
4. Review with district administrators the
policies of the board of education and state and federal laws relating to
school operations and management.
5. Inform the board about educational trends
relating to student discipline.
6. Work to create instructional programs that
minimize problems of misconduct and are sensitive to student and teacher needs.
7. Work with district administrators in
enforcing the code of conduct and ensuring that all cases are resolved promptly
and fairly.
G. Board of Education
1.
Lead by example in adhering to the code
of conduct and in conducting board meetings in a professional, respectful,
courteous manner.
2.
Maintain a climate of mutual respect and
dignity, which will strengthen students’ self-concept and promote confidence to
learn.
3.
Collaborate with student, teacher,
administrator, and parent organizations, school safety personnel and other
school personnel to develop a code of conduct that clearly defines expectations
for the conduct of students, district personnel and visitors on school property
and at school functions.
3. Adopt
and review at least annually the district’s code of conduct to evaluate the
code’s effectiveness and the fairness and consistency of its implementation.
V. Student Dress Code
Individual students and parents have the
responsibility for student dress and general appearance. Students are required to attend school in
appropriate dress that meets health and safety standards and does not interfere
with the educational process. Clothing
that contains sexual innuendo, or that glorifies or promotes drug, alcohol, or
tobacco use, or violence, or is otherwise materially
disruptive to the learning environment, as determined by the building principal
or his/her designee, is prohibited.
Students may be asked to wear appropriate protective
gear in certain classes (i.e. home economics, technology, P.E.). All undergarments must be covered. Strapless tops are not to be worn. Shirt bottoms must extend to the tops of
pants, shorts or skirts, both back and front.
Shorts and skirts should not be shorter than mid-thigh. Hats, clothing
and attire which have an expression (phrase, word or words) or insignia
(picture, symbol, patch, or pin) which is obscene, sexually suggestive, or
libelous (that is, which contains objectionable language, including insults,
whether directed to themselves or others), or which advocates racial,
religious, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation prejudice is
forbidden. Hats and coats may be worn in the hallways. However, individual teachers may prohibit
students from wearing hats or coats in the classroom. Appropriate footwear must be worn.
Footwear that is a safety hazard, in terms of walking and/or
participating in specific activities, will not be allowed.
If found wearing such attire, the student will be
required to change clothes prior to returning to class. Any student who
repeatedly fails to comply with the dress code shall be subject to further
discipline.
VI. Prohibited Student Conduct
The Board of Education expects all students to
conduct themselves in an appropriate and civil manner, with proper regard for
the rights and welfare of other students, district personnel and other members
of the school community, and for the care of school facilities and equipment.
The best discipline is self-imposed, and students
must learn to assume and accept responsibility for their own behavior, as well
as the consequences of their misbehavior. District personnel who interact with
students are expected to use disciplinary action only when necessary and to
place emphasis on the students’ ability to grow in self-discipline.
The Board recognizes the need to make its
expectations for student conduct while on school property or engaged in a
school function specific and clear. The rules of conduct listed below are
intended to do that and focus on safety and respect for the rights and property
of others. Students who will not accept responsibility for their own behavior
and who violate these school rules will be required to accept the penalties for
their conduct.
Students may be subject to disciplinary action, up to
and including suspension from school, when they:
A.
Engage in conduct that is disorderly.
Examples of disorderly conduct include:
1. Running in hallways.
2. Making unreasonable noise.
3. Using language or gestures that are profane, lewd, vulgar or abusive.
4. Obstructing vehicular or pedestrian traffic, or reckless driving.
5. Engaging in any willful act which disrupts the normal operation of the school community.
6. Trespassing - Students are not permitted in any school building, other than the one they regularly attend, without permission from the administrator in charge of the building.
7. Trespassing - Students are not permitted to be in any unauthorized area of any school building without permission from the administrator in charge of the building.
8. Computer/electronic communications misuse, including any unauthorized use of computers, software, or internet/intranet account; accessing inappropriate web sites; or any other violation of the district’s acceptable use policy.
B. Engage in conduct that is insubordinate.
Examples of insubordinate conduct include:
1. Failing to comply with the reasonable directions of teachers, school administrators or other school employees in charge of students or otherwise demonstrating disrespect.
2. Lateness for, missing or leaving school without permission.
3. Skipping detention.
C.
Engage in conduct that is disruptive.
Examples of disruptive conduct include:
1. Failing to comply with the reasonable directions of teachers, school administrators or other school personnel in charge of students.
2. Interrupting or interfering with the orderly conduct of classes, school programs or school activities.
D.
Engage in conduct that is violent.
Examples of violent conduct include:
1. Committing or threatening an act of violence (such as hitting, kicking, pushing, shoving, wrestling, punching, spitting and scratching) upon a teacher, administrator or other school employee or attempting to do so.
2. Committing or threatening an act of violence
(such as hitting, kicking, punching, spitting and scratching) upon another
student or any other person lawfully on school property or attempting to do so.
3. Possessing a weapon. Authorized law enforcement officials are the only persons permitted to have a weapon in their possession while on school property or at a school function.
4. Displaying what appears to be a weapon.
5. Threatening to use any weapon.
6. Intentionally damaging or destroying the personal property of a student, teacher, administrator, other district employee or any person lawfully on school property, including graffiti or arson.
7. Intentionally damaging or destroying school district property.
E. Engage in any conduct that endangers the
safety, morals, health or welfare of others. Examples of such conduct include:
1. Lying to school personnel.
2. Stealing
the property of other students, school personnel or any other person lawfully
on school property or attending a school function.
3. Defamation, which includes making false or unprivileged statements or representations about an individual or identifiable group of individuals that harm the
reputation of the person or the identifiable group by demeaning them.
4. Discrimination, which includes the use of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender or sexual orientation (refer to BOE Policy 0120) or disability as a basis for treating another in a negative manner.
5. Harassment, sexual (refer to BOE Policy 0120) or otherwise, which includes a sufficiently severe action or a persistent, pervasive pattern of actions or
statements directed at an identifiable individual or group which are intended to be or which a reasonable person would perceive as ridiculing or demeaning.
6. Intimidation, which includes engaging in actions or statements that put an
individual in fear of bodily harm.
7. Hazing, which includes any intentional or reckless act directed against another for the purpose of initiation into, affiliating with or maintaining membership in any school sponsored activity, organization, club or team.
8. Selling, using or possessing obscene material.
9. Using vulgar or abusive language or gestures, cursing or swearing.
10. Smoking a cigarette, cigar, pipe or using chewing or smokeless tobacco.
11. Possessing, consuming, selling, distributing or exchanging alcoholic beverages or illegal substances, or being under the influence of either. “Illegal substances” include, but are not limited to, inhalants, marijuana, cocaine, LSD, PCP, amphetamines, heroin, steroids, look-alike drugs, and any substances commonly referred to as “designer drugs.”
12. Inappropriately using, selling, or sharing prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
13. Using and/or displaying all forms of radios,
walkman-style tape, CD, or DVD players, audio and/or video recorders, laptop
computers, external speakers, pagers, digital music players, cell phones
(including, but not limited to, talking, text messaging, message playing,
ring-tone playing, game playing, music playing, audio recording, picture taking
and video taking), electronic games, and similar items during school hours. These
have been determined to be a potential disruption to the school learning
process. Using and/or displaying these
items during school hours is generally prohibited in school, with the following
exceptions:
o
Music players
with a headset are permitted to be used by high school students only in a
scheduled high school lounge, in the high school hallways, during a scheduled lunch
period in the high school cafeteria, or by K-12 students on District
transportation.
o
Cell phones are
permitted to be used by high school students only in a scheduled high school
lounge, during a scheduled lunch period in the high school cafeteria, or by
K-12 students on District transportation.
o
Use of music
players with a headset and laptop computers are permitted to be used in high
school and middle school classrooms at the discretion of the individual
classroom teacher.
o
Electronic games
with age-appropriate software are permitted to be used by K-12 students on
District transportation.
In the event that such prohibited equipment is used,
a teacher or any other member of the staff will see that it is turned in to the
main office and kept there until the end of the day. Repeated incidents will require a parent
conference in order to retrieve the confiscated items.
14. Using skateboards, roller skates, in-line skates, scooters or other similar items
recreationally in school or on school grounds. In the interest of personal and traffic safety, using these items is prohibited in school and on school grounds at all times. In the event that such prohibited items are used, a teacher or any other member of the staff will see that the items are turned in to the main office and kept there until the end of the day. Repeated incidents will require a parent conference in order to
retrieve the confiscated items.
15. Gambling.
16. Demonstrating public displays of affection beyond handholding.
17. Indecent exposure, that is, exposure to sight of the private parts of the body in a lewd or indecent manner.
18. Initiating a report warning of fire or other catastrophe without valid cause,
misuse of 911, or discharging a fire extinguisher.
F. Engage in misconduct while on a school bus.
It is crucial for students to behave appropriately while riding on district
buses to ensure their safety and that of other passengers and to avoid
distracting the bus driver. Students are required to conduct themselves on the
bus in a manner consistent with established standards for classroom behavior.
Excessive noise, pushing, shoving and fighting will not be tolerated.
G. Engage in any form of academic misconduct.
Examples of academic misconduct include:
1. Plagiarism.
2. Cheating.
3. Copying.
4. Altering records.
5. Computer or electronic communications misuse.
6. Assisting another student in any of the above actions.
H. Engage in conduct constituting a crime that is committed off school premises or
at non-school sponsored activities to the extent that the Superintendent of Schools and/or the Board of Education believes that the continued attendance in school of the student would constitute an endangerment to the health, safety, welfare or morals of the students and/or others in the schools.
VII.
Reporting Violations
We live in a time when we must pay increased
attention to the conversations that our children have with us and with their
friends. This includes all conversations
and comments that mention or imply the threat of physical harm to an individual
or a group. These remarks should be immediately reported to an appropriate
adult, i.e. a parent and/or a teacher and, ultimately, to a school
official. It is important that students,
parents, and staff understand that any threat of violence, even one seemingly
made jokingly or in a casual manner, is a cause for concern and will be treated
seriously by Rhinebeck school authorities.
In addition, all students are expected to promptly
report other violations of the code of conduct to a teacher, guidance counselor,
the assistant principal, the building principal or his or her designee. Any
student observing a student possessing a weapon, alcohol or illegal substance
on school property or at a school function shall report this information
immediately to a teacher, the assistant principal, the building principal, the
principal’s designee or the superintendent.
All district staff who are authorized to impose
disciplinary sanctions are expected to do so in a prompt, fair and lawful
manner. District staff who are not authorized to impose disciplinary sanctions
are expected to promptly report violations of the code of conduct to their
supervisor, who shall in turn impose an appropriate disciplinary sanction, if
so authorized, or refer the matter to a staff member who is authorized to
impose an appropriate sanction
Any weapon,
tobacco product, alcohol or illegal substance found shall be confiscated
immediately, if possible, followed by notification to the parent of the student
involved and the appropriate disciplinary sanction if warranted, which may
include permanent suspension and referral for prosecution.
The building principal or his or her designee must
notify the appropriate local law enforcement agency of those code violations
that constitute a crime and substantially affect the order or security of a
school as soon as practical, but in no event later than
the close of business the day the principal or his or
her designee learns of the
violation. The notification may be made by telephone,
followed by a letter to the
contacted law enforcement agency. The notification
must identify the student and explain the conduct that violated the code of
conduct and constituted a crime.
Notification of these types of code violations will
be communicated to the building staff on a need-to-know basis, in consideration
of the confidentiality rights of the student who violated the code of conduct.
VIII.
Disciplinary Interventions, Consequences, Procedures,
and Referrals
When addressing student behaviors that may impede
learning, school personnel should consider a range of positive supports,
strategies, and interventions before removals and suspensions. Discipline policies, practices, and
behavioral intervention
plans should include a variety of interventions. These may include addressing a
student’s motivation, social skills, and
problem-solving abilities, and using positive reinforcement and logical
consequences.
Discipline is most effective when it deals directly
with the problem at the time and place it occurs, and in a way that students
view as fair and impartial. School personnel who interact with students are
expected to use disciplinary action only when necessary and to place emphasis
on the students’ ability to grow in self-discipline.
Disciplinary action, when necessary, will be firm,
fair and consistent so as to be the most effective in changing student
behavior. In determining the appropriate disciplinary action, school personnel
authorized to impose disciplinary penalties will consider the following:
1. The student’s age.
2. The nature of the offense and the
circumstances which led to the offense.
3. The student’s prior disciplinary record.
4. The effectiveness of other forms of
discipline.
5. Information from parents, teachers and/or others,
as appropriate
6. Other extenuating circumstances.
As a general rule, discipline will be progressive.
This means that a student’s first violation will usually merit a lighter
penalty than subsequent violations.
If the conduct of a student is related to a
disability or suspected disability under IDEA, Article 89, and the Part 200
Regulations, copies of which are available by contacting the Director of
Special Education, the student shall be referred to the
Committee on Special Education. Discipline, if warranted, shall be
administered consistent with the separate requirements of this code of conduct
for disciplining students with a disability or presumed to have a disability. A
student identified as having a disability shall not be disciplined for behavior
related to his/her disability.
The relationship between the disciplinary infraction
and the disability shall require a determination by the Committee on Special
Education.
A. Interventions
Students who are found to have violated the
district’s code of conduct may be subject to the following interventions,
either alone or in combination. These
interventions are not necessarily listed in sequential order. The school personnel identified after each
intervention are authorized to provide or arrange for the provision of that
intervention.
1. Positive alternatives, such as: - any member of the
district staff
a) student motivation
b) social skills
c) problem-solving skills
d) positive reinforcements
e) logical consequences
f)
anger management
g) conflict resolution, and