Code of Conduct
Student Discipline
It is the responsibility of school administration and staff to provide and maintain a safe learning environment for all students and staff. Educators, of necessity, have broad authority to maintain order, discipline and safety; the exercise of such authority must be left to their sound discretion since so many variables are inherently involved. It is the responsibility of each and every student to work with school staff in the promotion of a safe and educationally productive school environment.
Students
are required to wear photo IDs that are provided by Upper Cape Tech. ID
badges provide the school community a means to quickly identify who belongs
in the building and who does not. In addition, students will utilize their
ID badges to purchase lunch. Student IDs shall be worn on the upper body
using the ID clip or safety lanyard provided. If lost, replacement IDs
can be purchased for $5.00.
It is expected that young adults are in high school to acquire knowledge.
Each teacher has but a short time for the teaching of a lesson; a pupil
whose persistent misconduct takes the instructor's time is obstructing
the educational progress of other students and has no legitimate place
in the high school.
The role of education is to assist every student to acquire the skills, knowledge, and habits necessary to become self-sufficient, productive, thinking members of our society. Good discipline is best thought of as positive, and of turning unacceptable conduct into a positive pattern of behavior. For these reasons:
- Each student infraction will be dealt with individually, according to his/her age, maturity, experience, abilities, interest, and values.
- Sports and extracurricular activities provide a positive program to reward students for good behavior and academic performance. Students are encouraged to participate, to develop solid work habits, and to maintain high academic standards.
- In summary, all rules are governed by one word... RESPECT. Respect for oneself, respect for authority, respect for fellow students, respect for school property, etc. Students are expected to behave in an orderly and respectful manner at all times. Student behavior must take into account the rights of others as well as the effective operation of the school.
These rules and regulations may be supplemented by teacher's rules for individual classes.
DISCIPLINARY ACTION SHORT OF SUSPENSION
Efforts shall be made by the staff to resolve disciplinary problems within the school setting. The following actions are suggested for dealing with behavioral problems short of exclusion from school. (Not necessarily in this order.) This list does not preclude the use of other methods or approaches which are reasonable and purposeful. All students will be granted due process.
- Student Conference - A conference involving student and staff member(s) for the purpose of discussing and resolving behavioral problems.
- Warning - A verbal or written notice to a student that a specific behavior is unacceptable and may result in stronger action if the behavior is not corrected.
- Parent Conference - A conference involving the parent(s)/guardian(s) and staff member(s) for the purpose of discussing and resolving behavioral problems. The emphasis is upon enlisting the assistance of the parent(s)/guardian(s).
- Referral to a Resource Agency/Person - Referral to an in-school or out-of-school agency or person may be made whenever it is felt that such an agency or person may be of assistance in the resolution of a behavioral problem(s).
- Behavioral Probation - The Principal and/or the Assistant Principal may place a student on behavioral probation for a specific period of time. This may include a written contract with the student. The contract represents an agreement between the student and administrator concerning the specific changes expected. Failure to fulfill the contract or a further infraction of school rules during the period of probation, will result in the imposing of further disciplinary action as set forth in the terms of the contract.
Parent(s)/guardian(s) will be encouraged to discuss and assist in assuring that the intent and terms of the probation are fulfilled.
- Alternative Disciplinary Action - The Principal may offer an alternative form of disciplinary action. Such action will be defined and described by the Principal and is generally taken with the approval of the parent(s)/guardian(s).
A detention is the keeping of a stud
ent
after school hours for an infraction of rules.
TEACHER DETENTION
Academic and shop teachers may require students to attend individual detention sessions for infractions of the disciplinary procedures of shop or classroom rules. Students will remain with the teacher until the end of detention period at 3:20 p.m. Failure to report for teacher detention will result in an office detention, and subsequent completion of the assigned teacher detention.
ADMINISTRATIVE / OFFICE DETENTION
Administrators will require students to attend administrative detention for more serious violations of the disciplinary code.
Students who fail to report to assigned detention will be required to serve one or more days of In-school Suspension, in addition to serving the assigned detention.
Failure to report to administrative detention will result in suspension and loss of privileges (i.e., break, driving privilege, Canalside Dining Room, dances, etc.).
The number of detentions issued for disciplinary infractions will be determined by the circumstances of the individual situation.
An in-school suspension is a temporary removal of a student from class, school programs and activities following a hearing. An in-school suspension will involve assignment to a designated area for remedial instruction.
When other procedures fail to attain satisfactory behavioral changes, or where specifically required by the nature of the problem, a student may be excluded from school. Such exclusion may involve any of the following:
- Suspension for a period of ten (10) days or less.
- Suspension pending expulsion.
- Expulsion.
Expulsion is defined as removal of the student from school attendance in the district. In some cases, where expulsion is being considered, a suspension may be invoked pending the decision.
Under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, students are guaranteed due process and fair treatment at school. Prior to a school administrator taking disciplinary action, the school administrator shall provide the student with appropriate due process. When the disciplinary action consists of ten days of suspension or a lesser penalty, this process shall consist of informing the student of the charges against him/her and giving the student an opportunity to respond.
Suspension of ten school days or less.
In the case of suspension of ten (10) days or less, if the suspending official is the Assistant Principal, the initial appeal should be directed to the Principal. If the suspending official is the Principal, the initial appeal should be directed to the Superintendent.
Suspension pending an expulsion hearing.
In the event an offense has been committed which, following investigation, results in an administrative recommendation for expulsion, the Superintendent and/or Principal may impose a suspension pending the expulsion hearing before the Superintendent and/or School Committee.
The following procedural guidelines will govern the expulsion process:
- Written notice of charges against a student will be supplied to the student and student's parent(s)/guardian(s). Included in this notice will be a statement establishing the location and a reasonable meeting time for all parties involved in the hearing.
- Parent(s)/guardian(s) will have the opportunity to be present.
- The student(s), parent(s)/guardian(s) may be represented by legal counsel.
- The student will be given an opportunity to give his/her version of the facts and other implication. He/she will also be allowed to offer the testimony of other witness(es) and other evidence..
- The student will be allowed to observe all evidence offered against him/her.
- The hearing will be conducted by the Principal or School Committee, whichever is appropriate, who will make a determination solely upon the evidence presented at the hearing.
- A record will be kept of the hearing.
- Within ten (10) school days, the Principal or School Committee, whichever is appropriate, will issue a decision in writing. The decision will set forth the conclusion and the penalty. The decision will be immediately served upon the student.
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In accordance with Chapter 71, Section 37H of the Massachusetts General Laws, the Principal may expel students for the following reasons:
-
possession of a dangerous weapon;
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possession of a controlled substance as defined in Chapter 94C of the General Laws;
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assaults upon a principal, assistant principal, teacher, teacher's aide, or other educational staff; and
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charged with and/or convicted of a felony.
NOTE:
The
student who comes to school under the influence of alcohol/drugs presents
a threat to the safety and welfare of all and will be treated as a seriously
ill person. NOTE: Possession of alcohol/drugs for school disciplinary
purposes may include being present where such activity is evident.
Parent/guardian will be informed and requested to remove their child from
school immediately. A conference with the student, parent/guardian
and family (or school) physician will be required prior to re-admission.
Any student who comes to school under the influence or who has consumed, possessed or distributed drugs and/or alcoholic beverages of any kind while in school, on school grounds, on school buses, at bus stops or at any school sponsored function will be subject to the following:
- Notification to parent/guardian.
- Appropriate notification to law enforcement agency.
- Due process hearing.
- Expulsion (exclusion) or minimum 10-day suspension (to be determined by Principal after administrative review).
Should the student be allowed to return to school, the following should be presented at re-admission meeting:
- If there is reason to suspect student remains under the influence
of an illegal substance, evidence must be provided that the student
is free of all substance (alcohol/drugs) or
Physician's note affirming that student's presence does not present a threat to the safety and welfare of staff, other students, and the student himself/herself
- Student has pursued a rehabilitative program or counseling; whichever
is deemed more appropriate by Principal in consult with Director of
Student Services.
- Student must demonstrate a willingness to pursue extra help after school until such time that missed school work is up-to-date.
- Upper Cape Tech reserves the right to require random urinalysis testing for the duration of the student's enrollment at Upper Cape Tech, at the student's expense.
- Student will be required to complete a contractual agreement (see sample contract in Appendix).
Any second violation of the drug/alcohol policy will result in expulsion or exclusion from Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School.
The health hazards of tobacco have been well researched and recognized by society. Therefore, the policy stated below is created to:
- Reflect and emphasize the hazards of tobacco use.
- Offer school programs by educating and discouraging students from using tobacco products.
Students are not permitted to smoke or chew tobacco at any time or at any location in the Upper Cape Tech school building or its adjacent ground, on school buses, and at any out-of-school activity including work projects and field trips.
Tobacco materials or implements of any kind are considered contraband during school hours and will be confiscated if seen, whether or not they are being used. This includes cigarette lighters.
Holding a lighted cigarette is considered smoking. To avoid suspicion of guilt, students should report the smell of smoke to nearest teacher / administrator before using that area or they may be subject to disciplinary action.
The recommended penalties have degrees of flexibility so as to allow the exercise of discretion by the administration.
First offense: May result in any or all of the following: parent contact, one day in-school suspension to three days out-of-school suspension.
Second offense: Attendance in Tobacco Education Program in ISS for one day; all worksheets and materials will be mailed home after completion.
Third offense: Parent conference, five to ten day out-of-school suspension and/or possible exclusion from school.
All students are expected to meet the requirements for behavior as set forth in this handbook. Chapter 71B of the Massachusetts General Laws, known as IDEA 2004, requires that additional provisions be made for students who have been found by an evaluation TEAM to have special needs and whose program is described in an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The following additional requirements apply to the discipline of special needs students:
- The IEP for every special needs student will indicate whether the student can be expected to meet the regular discipline code or if the student's disability requires a modification. Any modification will be described in the IEP.
- The Principal (or designee) will notify the Special Education Office of the suspendable offense of a special needs student and a record will be kept of such notice.
- When it is known that the suspension(s) of a special needs student
will accumulate to ten days in a school year, a review of the IEP as
provided in the IDEA 2004 Regulations 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 disability and either:
- Design a modified program for the student or
- Write an amendment to provide for the delivery of special education services during the suspension and any needed modifications of the IEP relative to discipline code expectations.
In addition, the Department of Education will be notified as required by law, and the procedures promulgated by the Department of Education for requesting approval of the alternative plan will be followed.
220 Sandwich Road, Bourne, MA 02532 Tel: 508 759-7711 Fax: 508 759-7208