Oak Hill Handbook

Discipline Code

All students have the right to learn. No one has the right to interfere with another’s right to learn in a healthy, safe environment which is conducive to learning. In order to achieve this, the Oak Hill Middle School staff feels that discipline is a shared responsibility, shared by the parent and the student, teacher and student and administrator and student. The staff feels that it is extremely important to recognize and reward appropriate behavior with positive reinforcers. We strive to “catch them being good”. Also, when a student elects to make poor behavior choices, he/she will be held accountable for his/her actions with appropriate, fair and consistent consequences.

SCHOOL WIDE DISCIPLINE POLICY

I.   Attendance

A. School-wide Tardy Policy
1. 1st tardy per trimester – warning
2. 2nd tardy per trimester – 20 minute teacher’s detention
3. 3rd tardy per trimester – 20 minute teacher’s detention plus parent contact
4. 4th tardy per trimester – 20 minute teacher’s detention plus parent contact
5. 5th tardy per trimester – office referral, 1 hour administrative detention
6. All  subsequent tardies per trimester will result in an office referral and one hour of detention.

Students who receive 10 or more unexcused tardies during a trimester will be placed on the Unsatisfactory List.

B. Cutting classes and/or leaving campus without permission
1. Cut up to 3 classes the same day:  1 hour after school detention for each class missed
2. Cut 4 or more classes the same day:  assigned 4 hours of Saturday School

If a student continues to cut classes, additional disciplinary action will be taken.

C. Cutting Detention
1. Cut a teacher’s detention – office referral, student assigned the amount of detention time with the teacher plus one additional hour of administrative detention.  If either of these is missed, one day of in-school suspension, plus 1 hour administrative detention will be assigned.
2. Cut administrative detention – 2 hours will be assigned.  If either hour is missed, one day of in-school suspension, plus 1 hour of administrative detention will be assigned.

D. Cutting Saturday School (students who are late to Saturday School or do not complete the entire time assigned will be treated the same as those who cut):
1. First cut from an assigned Saturday School – 1 day in-school suspension for defiance.  Further cuts will result in a 3 day in-school suspension for each cut
2. A Saturday School cut will be made-up the following scheduled Saturday School

II.  Forgery
A. Forging a parent/guardian signature:
1. First offense – 1 day of in-school suspension
2. Second offense – 3 days out-of-school suspension
3. Third offense – additional disciplinary action taken as deemed appropriate

III. Disruptive Behavior
A. Disruptive in after-school office detention (or failure to comply with rules):
1. First offense – warning
2. Second offense – detention will be completed AND an additional hour will be assigned; OR student will be assigned (at the discretion of an administrator or supervisor)
3. Third offense – student will be sent out to return the following day for one day of in-school suspension for defiance AND one hour of administrative detention after school
B. Disruptive in-school suspension (or failure to comply with rules):
1. First offense – verbal warning 
2. Second offense – 1 hour after-school detention
3. Third offense – 2 hours of after-school detention
4. Fourth offense – sent home for remainder of suspension; an additional day of in-school suspension added for defiance, plus 1 hour of after-school detention
C. Disruptive in lunch room
1. Food fight: (depending on the severity of offense) – warning and clean up duty to suspension from cafeteria and/or detention
2. Cutting in line:
a. First offense – verbal warning and sent to the end of the line and/or time out on the cafeteria bench
b. Second offense – referral to the office for lunch detention
D. Disruptive on campus
1. Littering/throwing food: (depending on severity of offense) – verbal warning, asked to pick up litter to clean-up duty and/or detention
2. Inappropriate clothing
a. First offense – warning, sent to change
b. Second offense – referral to office, 1 hour of detention assigned and sent to change
c. Third offense – 1 day out-of-school suspension
3. Loitering in restroom
a. First offense – warning
b. Second offense – detention and/or suspension from that particular restroom
E. Inappropriate displays of affection:  displays of affection shall be conducted in a manner that is not offensive to the student population, staff and/or visitor.  Passionate embracing and kissing are considered inappropriate school behaviors.  Fondling and grabbing students in “personal areas” is considered exploitation and will be dealt with as a violent act.
1. First offense – students warned
2. Second offense – student referred to counselor or assistant principal for counseling
3. Third offense – students receive a referral and assigned to after-school detention
4. Fourth offense – students receive a referral and 1 day in-school suspension for defiance
F. At other schools during school hours (Burns Valley Elementary, Lower Lake High School, etc.)
1. First offense – detention to 1 day of school suspension
2. Second offense – 1 to 3 days of suspension
G. Off campus during lunch or breaks without permission
1. First offense – 1 hour after school detention
2. Second offense – 1 day school suspension
3. Third offense – 2 days school suspension

IV. Obscene Language and/or Gesture
A. 1st offense – 1 day of in-school suspension
B. 2nd offense – 2 days of in-school suspension
C. 3rd offense – 3 days of out-of-school suspension
D. 4th offense – 5 days of out-of-school suspension

Exposing oneself to others is considered indecent exposure and is against the law.  A suspension and police contact and possible suspension will result.

V. Primary Offenses
A. Defiance of authority (refusing to do as told, back talking or smart mouthing a teacher or leaving class without permission
1. 1st offense – 1 day in-school suspension
2. 2nd offense – 2 days in-school suspension
3. 3rd offense – 3 days in-school suspension
4. 4th offense – 5 days out-of-school suspension

DEPENDING UPON THE SEVERITY OF THE INFRACTION, CONSEQUENCES 1 AND 2 MAY BE OMITTED BY AN ADMINISTRATOR.

B. Spitting on another person
1. 1st offense – 1 to 3 days of in-school suspension
2. 2nd offense – 3 days of out-of-school suspension
3. 3rd offense – 5 days of out-of-school suspension
C. Dangerous behavior (refers to a danger to health, safety and welfare of oneself to others)
1. 1st offense – 1 to 3 days of in-school suspension
2. 2nd offense – 3 days of out-of-school suspension
3. 3rd offense – 5 days of out-of-school suspension

D. Possession or use of water/spray gun, water balloons
1. 1st offense – 1 day in-school suspension
2. 2nd offense – 1 day in-school suspension
3. 3rd offense – 3 days out-of-school suspension

VI. Secondary Offenses
Including but not limited to:
A. Class disruption
B. Material not brought to class
C. Failure to dress down for P.E.
D. Put-downs
E. Not completing assignments (in class and homework)
F. Academic dishonesty (includes cheating on a test, presenting another student’s assignment as their own, plagiarism – copying a published source or another student’s work)
G. Food, drinks and gum in class
H. Gum on campus or in classroom
I. Wearing hat in classroom

Consequences:
These infractions will be dealt with through the classroom teacher’s discipline plan.  At the beginning of each school year, the teachers’ discipline plans will be sent home to parents.  Depending upon the frequency and severity of the offense, the student shall be given an administrative detention and/or class suspension up to school suspension.

VII.  Violence
The number of days a student is suspended depends upon the offense, its severity and how frequently it has happened.

A. Fighting (at the discretion of an administrator, the police may be called to cite the student for assault and/or battery)
1. Consequences of a “reluctant participant:
a. 1st Offense – 1 day in-school suspension
b. 2nd Offense – 3 days in-school suspension
c. 3rd Offense – 5 days out-of-school suspension
d. 4th Offense – 5 days out-of-school suspension PLUS additional discipline deemed appropriate by administration such as counseling or parent required to attend school
2. Consequences of starting a fight (either physically or verbally) and/or excessive violence:
a. 1st Offense – 3 days out-of-school suspension
b. 2nd Offense – 5 days out-of-school suspension PLUS parent contacted to discuss counseling and/or other action deemed appropriate by the administration
c. 3rd Offense – 5 days out-of-school suspension
B. Intimidation /Verbal Threats
1. 1st Offense – 1 hour of detention
2. 2nd Offense – 2 hours of detention, counseling
3. 3rd Offense – 1 day of in-school suspension
4. 4th Offense – 3 days in-school suspension and additional discipline as deemed appropriate by an administrator
C. Roughhousing/Play fighting
1. 1st Offense – warning
2. 2nd Offense – 1 hour of detention
3. 3rd Offense – 1 day in-school suspension
4. 4th Offense – 3 days of in-school suspension
D. Threats or obscene language toward an adult on campus
1. 1st Offense – 3 days suspension
2. 2nd Offense – 5 days suspension
3. 3rd Offense – 5 days out-of-school counseling, parent conference, police involvement
E. Threats of bodily harm or life:
1. Toward a student – 3 days out-of-school suspension, counseling, parent conference, possible police involvement
2. Toward an adult – 5 days out-of-school suspension, counseling, parent conference, police involvement
F. Sexual Harassment
1. 1st Offense – 3 days suspension
2. 2nd Offense – 5 days suspension
3. 3rd Offense – 5 days out-of-school suspension, counseling, parent conference, police involvement depending on the severity of the offense

VIII. Controlled Substances
Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco/Drug Paraphernalia
Possession, under the influence, selling or intent to distribute (See complete Board Policy, this is a summary)

A. Drugs and Alcohol Offenses:
1. 1st offense – 5 day suspension (extended suspension if administrative panel hearing cannot be arranged within the first five days), administrative hearing and enrollment in an on-campus intervention program; possible alternative placement. Police contacted.
Failure to comply with the policy will result in a referral to the probation department and maximum of expulsion.

2. 2nd offense – 5 day suspension.  Law enforcement will be called and the student will enter the criminal justice system; administrative hearing and probable expulsion.

B. Tobacco Offenses:
1. 1st offense – 3 day suspension; enrollment in an on-campus intervention class. Failure to comply with the policy will result in a referral to the administrative panel and 5 days suspension.
2. 2nd offense – 5 day suspension; enrollment in the intervention class.  Failure to comply with the policy will result in a referral to the administrative panel and re-enrollment in the intervention class.
3. 3rd offense – referral to an administrative panel; automatic expulsion for a period of time to be designated by the panel.

Note:  Failure to attend intervention class:
Tobacco (first offense): 5 days suspension
Tobacco (second offense), drugs, alcohol:  appear before administrative panel. (see Board Policy for details)

IX.  Vandalism
Vehicles, Buildings, School and Personal Property
1. 1st Offense – restitution;  1 to 3 days on-site supervision or suspension, probable law enforcement contact, possible expulsion if $350 or more
2. 2nd Offense – restitution; 2 to 5 days suspension, probable law enforcement contact, possible expulsion

X.  Robbery/Theft/ Knowingly Received Stolen Property
1. 1st Offense –  1 to 5 days suspension; restitution; probable referral to authorities, possible expulsion if $350 or more
2. 2nd Offense – consequences more severe than first offense

XI.  Bomb Threat / Starting Fires
Initial 5 day suspension, law enforcement contact, referral to expulsion panel, AND possible additional suspension until action from expulsion panel

XII.  Firearms / Weapons
A. Guns – 5 day suspension, law enforcement contact, referral to expulsion panel
B. Knives – Up to 5 day suspension, law enforcement contact, possible referral to expulsion panel if knife is size of legal weapon or is used in a threatening manner
C. Firecrackers, etc. – Up to 5 day suspension, possible law enforcement contact, possible expulsion
D. Ammunition – 5 day suspension, cited by police, and referral to expulsion panel
E. Any “look-alike weapon” may require consequences equal to those issued for the real item

*Notice:  Due to the severity of the offenses, the Principal or Assistant Principal have the discretion to increase the consequences!

Out-of-school suspension will be used in lieu of on-site supervision in the event on-site supervision is not available.

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