CONSEQUENCES OF MISBEHAVIOR
These are general guidelines whereby teachers seek to instill self-discipline and responsibility within students. Each teacher at Our Lady of Grace has developed her own classroom discipline policy and procedures, which will be shared with parents during Back-to-School Night.
Grades K – 4
Each class in the primary grades has a behavior management plan in place that takes students through a series of warnings and consequences for misbehavior. These plans, as well as the protocol for informing parents, will be explained to parents at Back-to-School Night.
The teacher will use a variety of positive reinforcement strategies within the classroom. When a student does not respond, the teacher may do any of the following:
- Counsel the student during or after school
- Conference with the parent by phone or in person
- Send home a written note regarding the situation
- Assign a detention
- Involve the principal in this counseling
Grades 5 – 8
As mentioned previously, each classroom in grades 5 – 8 develops its own set of classroom rules. Each homeroom teacher will discuss these rules at Back-to-School Night. The teacher will use a variety of positive reinforcement strategies within the classroom. When a student does not respond, the teacher may do any of the following:
- Counsel the student during or after school
- Conference with the parent by phone or in person
- Send home a written note regarding the situation
- Assign a detention
- Involve the principal in this counseling
Conduct Referrals
Conduct referrals may be given to a student as a warning for disruptive, unkind, or disrespectful behavior. Middle school students will be issued a conduct referral for every period-tardy. Conduct referrals must be signed by a parent/guardian and returned on the next school day to the issuing teacher or the school office.
Three conduct referrals will automatically equal one detention.
All conduct referrals are logged in Gradelink.
Detentions
Detentions may be assigned to a student for three conduct referrals or for persistent behavior challenges. A detention notice from the teacher will indicate the reason for the detention and the assigned date and time it is to be given. The slip must be signed by the parent/guardian and returned to the teacher the next day. Detentions must be served on Wednesday's after school from 3:15 - 4pm. Exceptions for games or other extra-curricular conflicts will not be made.
Detentions may be given for the following reasons. In some instances, the degree of misbehavior described below or not reflected here may be egregious enough to warrant immediate suspension, withdrawal, or expulsion of a student.
- Offensive language
- Disrespectful behavior in word, tone, or manner
- Excessive and/or disruptive talking in classes
- Inappropriate or rowdy behavior indoors and in hallways (for example: shouting, pushing, shoving, banging lockers, or throwing objects in the hallway)
- Misuse of iPads (for example: using social media or texting in class, being off task with apps or websites)
- Excessive tardiness to classes
- Uniform violations
- Unauthorized possession or use of a cell phone during the school day
- Visiting any part of the school building during class time without a teacher's permission (bathroom, health office, STEP room, technology lab, etc.)
- Excessive talking in class
- Rude, discourteous behavior
- Destruction of school or other property
- Misbehavior in church, on the playground, or in the school building
- Fighting, bullying, or harassing
- Inappropriate language
- School uniform violations
- After-school conduct inappropriate for students or against school policy
- Possession of any item which could be used as a weapon
- Misuse of internet, computer/iPad, or school network
- Cheating on homework or classwork by copying, giving answers, plagiarism, etc.
- Stealing
- Forging of signatures
- Any other failure to meet classroom or school standards
- Any other action deemed serious by the principal, asst. principals, and/or pastor
Failure to serve a detention on the assigned date and time without a prior excuse from the principal or vice principal may result in the issuing of a second detention.
Progression of Disciplinary Action
In rare occasions, a student may exhibit a flagrant disregard for school rules and earn multiple detentions in a trimester or school year. The following policy applies to each school year for students in grades 3 - 8. Detention tracking will not necessarily transfer from school year to school year except where indicated in a disciplinary contract for a specific student.
- In-house Suspension - after 3 detentions
- Probation Contract - after 5 detentions
- Strict probation - after 7 detentions
- Withdrawal or Expulsion
A suspended student will have his/her conduct grade lowered for the trimester during which the offense occurred.
Suspension
The following are conditions surrounding a suspension from school. A student may be suspended for any of the reasons listed for expulsion in section 8-1-06 with mitigating circumstances. That list is not exhaustive and suspension may be warranted and issued for misbehavior not listed in section 8-1-06.
- No student shall be suspended from school for more than two consecutive weeks, unless there is an ongoing police investigation of a possible crime, in which case the student may be suspended during the entire investigation.
- Notice of suspension must be given to the parents or guardians by telephone or in a conference.
- The principal shall schedule a conference with the suspended student's parents or guardians to discuss matters pertinent to the suspension, especially the means by which the parents or guardians and the school can cooperatively encourage the student to improve behavior. The suspended student may be present at the conference.
- Suspended students are not to come to school or attend any school activity during the time of suspension.
- In no case will a teacher on his or her own authority suspend a student.
- Students who are suspended may return to school only after a parent/school conference.
- Any suspension will result in the overall conduct grade being lowered one grade for the trimester in which the suspension occurred.
In-House Suspension
In-house suspension is used as a disciplinary measure by the school administration as an alternative to out-of-school suspension. It is a means to help students assume more responsibility for their actions. Students will work in isolation and will not be allowed to mingle or talk to other students while on in-school suspension. Students in in-school suspension may not attend or participate in any school activity. The parent will pick up the student in the office. They are expected to successfully complete assigned classwork at home.
Probation
A school may decide to place an enrolled student on probation as a disciplinary matter. Disciplinary probation occurs when student's behavior has reached a point where a more serious response from the school is required. If the student's behavior does not improve while on probation, the disciplinary process may lead to suspension or expulsion.
At Our Lady of Grace School, students will also be placed on disciplinary probation after receiving 5 detentions in the school year. Disciplinary probation will not restrict after-school and extra-curricular activities for a student.
A student will be placed on strict disciplinary probation after receiving 7 detentions. Strict disciplinary probation will require the suspension of all activities and athletics so that the student must focus solely on his or her academic work and behavior.
Disciplinary Withdrawal
Students who are unable to live up to the moral and disciplinary expectations of Our Lady of Grace School, even after repeated attempts at intervention within the "progression of disciplinary action," will be subject to a disciplinary withdrawal from school.
Students may also at times engage in behavior that is so repugnant, egregious, and/or habitual, that such behavior merits expulsion from school. However, the school Principal and Pastor may, on occasion, make the determination that the more pastoral approach in this type of situation is to request that the student immediately withdraw from school. Families will have to immediately comply with this request for withdrawal from school or risk the consequences of expulsion from school.
As noted elsewhere in this Handbook, the reasons for expulsion or a request for immediate withdrawal, where deemed pastorally appropriate by the Principal and Pastor, include, but are not limited to, the following offenses:
Actions that are gravely detrimental to the moral and spiritual welfare of other students
Habitual profanity or vulgarity
Assault, battery, or any threat of force or violence directed toward any student or school personnel
Harassing, bullying, or hazing other students or school personnel
Open, persistent defiance of the teacher's authority
Continued willful disobedience
Use, sale, distribution, or possession of narcotics, drugs, or any other controlled substance
Use, sale, distribution, or possession of any alcoholic beverages on or near school premises
Smoking, possession of tobacco, vaping or possession of vaping devices
Theft
Forgery of signatures
Cheating or plagiarism
Willful defacement or damage of school property, real or personal
Habitual truancy
Possession of harmful weapons (e.g., knives or guns) or materials that can be used as weapons
Membership in, active involvement in, or affiliation with a gang or group responsible for coercive or violent activity
Actions in or out of school that are detrimental to the school's reputation
Violations of the electronic acceptable use policies and guidelines
Inappropriate conduct or behavior unbecoming a student in a Catholic school
Loss of Privileges
Middle school privileges, particularly for grade 8 class, will be based on class behavior and may be rescinded or not awarded if a class is not generally behaving. In all instances, the school administration will do its best to ensure that innocent students are not impacted. However, in some instances, class misbehavior may be generalized enough to warrant the entire class to lose certain privileges.
Resolving Concerns with a Teacher
If a problem with a teacher arises that needs clarification, a parent should discuss it first with the classroom teacher. Parents should encourage their child/children to tell the truth about the situation and still keep an open mind to the teacher's perspective on the issue. The teacher, in turn, should welcome parental concern when it is offered in the context of a respectful openness to collaboration on behalf of the child.
Defacing or Destruction of School Property
All penalties related to the willful defacing of school property pertain to graffiti as well, including restitution and the possibility of expulsion. In order to discourage the appearance of graffiti on campus and school property, it will be removed whenever it appears.
