Our Lady of the Assumption norms of conduct are predicated on
two premises: first, that every student has the right to certain
protections (such as the protection of his/her personal property,
the physical integrity of the facilities, an atmosphere conducive
to personal growth and development) and, second, that every student
has the duty to preserve those rights for others. The underlying
concept is not one of legalism, punishment, or discipline for
discipline’s sake. Rather, it is one of personal and corporate
privileges bound of necessity to personal and corporate responsibilities.
Since no list of norms can cover every situation, the administration
presumes common sense, mature judgment, and Christian charity
as the guides by which every O.L.A. student should measure his/her
actions. The principal is the final recourse in all disciplinary
situations and may waive any disciplinary rule for just cause
at her discretion.
It is expected that both academic and disciplinary problems are handled by the
teacher.
Parents talk first with the teacher; then, if necessary, an appointment with
the principal and the teacher may be arranged. A student’s conduct and
academic progress should only be discussed with the proper school officials and
not with other students and parents. No parent has the right to approach another
child on school grounds to discuss school issues without prior permission of
the child’s parents and arrangements made with the proper school officials.
No school official has the right to discuss any student with a parent except
for his/her own child. Teachers are not available for conference between 7:50
and 2:50.
ONGOING COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION
BETWEEN SCHOOL AND HOME IS ESSENTIAL. IT IS IMPORTANT TO WORK
TOGETHER IN ENABLING CHILDREN TO BE THE BEST THAT THEY CAN
BE. PARENTS SHOULD COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY
WITH THE TEACHER IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
SCHOOL RULES:
1. Show respect for God, others, self, and
property.
2. Use appropriate language, voice control, and behavior.
3. Be responsible and prepared with work and materials.
4. Keep hands to oneself, and keep feet and objects where they belong.
5. Be in complete uniform for class and P. E. every school day.
6. Follow directions and school policies.
7. Solve conflicts in a nonviolent, nonphysical manner.
Each teacher and grade level establishes expectations, rewards and consequences
for the individual discipline plans according to the maturity level of the students.
The following action is required as indicated for conduct grades:
| C- |
Student/parent/teacher
conference/contact |
| D |
Student/parent/teacher/principal
conference |
| A
grade of D in any core curriculum subject or in conduct will
necessitate a drop from any current sport program and/or
Student Council. |
Any student may be placed on probation because of deficient academic
or conduct grades. A student may be required to transfer
schools at the end of a trimester
if there is no improvement/effort shown.
DETENTION:
Besides the cards or point system within the classroom, there
are occasions on which a teacher may keep students for
detention when they disregard
proper
behavior at school. “Detention after school hours is considered an appropriate
means of punishment.” (Administrative Handbook - Archdiocese of
Los Angeles) Students from grades 4-8 may be kept after school for up
to an
hour (2:35-3:35).
Parents will be informed of detention in writing stating the reason,
date, and time of detention. A student who chooses detention over appropriate
behavior will not be excused from his/her date for detention. The following
are some,
but not all, reasons why a teacher may assign a student for detention:
1. Repeated tardiness
2. Excessive talking in class
3. Rude, discourteous behavior to anyone on the school grounds, including other
students
4. Frequently missed assignments
5. Misbehavior in church, on school grounds, or on field trips
6. Inappropriate language
CONDITIONS OF SUSPENSION:
Reasons for suspension/expulsion are, but not limited to, the following offenses
committed by pupils:
• Any of the reasons listed for expulsion where mitigating circumstances
exist may be adequate cause for suspension of a student:
• No student shall be suspended from an elementary school for more than
two consecutive weeks.
• Notice of suspension must be given to the parents/guardians by telephone
or in a conference.
• The principal shall schedule a conference with the suspended student's
parents/guardians to discuss matters pertinent to the suspension especially
the means by which the parents/guardians and the school can cooperatively
encourage the student to improve behavior. The suspended student may be
present at the conference.
• In no case will a teacher on his/her own authority suspend a student.
EXPULSION:
Reasons for expulsion are, but are not limited to, the following
offenses committed by students:
• Actions 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
school personnel or student.
• Bullying or harassing school personnel or other students.
• Open, persistent defiance of the authority of the teacher.
• Continued willful disobedience.
• Use, sale 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 or having tobacco.
• Stealing
• Forging signatures
• Cheating or plagiarism
• Willful cutting, defacing or otherwise injuring in any way property,
real or personal belonging to the school.
• Habitual truancy.
• Possession of harmful weapons (e.g., knives, guns, etc.) 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 which are detrimental to the school's reputation.
• Violation of the Electronic Communications Policy policies and guidelines.
• Inappropriate conduct or behavior unbecoming a student in a Catholic
school.
Procedure for Expulsion
When the reasons for expulsion are purely disciplinary, i.e., when serious
moral reasons are not involved, the following steps must be taken:
• A conference must be held with the parents/guardians, student, teacher,
and principal present to advise the family that serious action is contemplated
unless there is immediate improvement in behavior. In parish schools, the
pastor should be notified of the conference, given an opportunity to attend
and provided a report of the discussion.
• If there is no improvement in behavior, the final decision will be announced
at a second conference attended by the principal, teacher, and parents/guardians.
If the parents fail, without cause, to attend the conference, the pastor,
principal, and teacher will reach a final decision. The final decision
rests with the pastor in consultation with the principal.
• In no case will a teacher on his/her own authority expel a student.
• Full credit will be given for all work accomplished by the student up
to the moment of expulsion.
Written Record
A written record of the steps leading to expulsion must be kept
on file with copies of all communications and reports. The following
form should be used, one copy kept on file and a copy mailed
to the elementary supervisor at the Department of Catholic Schools.
Name of Student: _________________________________________________
Offense or situation: _______________________________________________
Date: ___________________________________________________________
Parents notified by: ___________________________ Date ________________
Remarks: ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
First Meeting:
Place: _____________________________________________________
Time: _____________________________________________________
Persons present: _____________________________________________
Remarks: ___________________________________________________
Signature(s): ________________________________________________
Second Meeting:
Place: ______________________________________________________
Time: ______________________________________________________
Persons present: ______________________________________________
Remarks: ___________________________________________________
Outcome: ___________________________________________________
Signature(s): _________________________________________________
Cases Involving Grave Offenses
• In cases involving grave offenses, which may include a violation of criminal
law or actions so outrageous as to shock the conscience or behavior of the community,
the student is immediately suspended and the initial parent-principal conference
is dispensed with.
• The procedure involving cases of grave offenses should be followed when the
continued presence of the student at school (even for a short period of time)
will, in the reasonable judgment of the principal, pose a serious threat to the
health and welfare of another student or students, or faculty members.
• When immediate suspension is imposed, with probable expulsion, while the case
is being investigated, the rules and the consequences of the violation should
be clearly explained to the student and parents/guardians.
Time of Expulsion
• An expulsion may be made immediately if the reasons are urgent.
• Only in exceptional cases shall expulsion of an eighth grade student who has
been in the school one or more years be allowed.
• If an expulsion is to take place during the last quarter of the school year
or during the last semester in the case of an eighth grade student, prior approval
of the Department of Catholic Schools is required before the expulsion can take
effect.
• If such action is contemplated, approval shall be obtained before the announcement
of the final decision to the parents at the meeting described below.
Reporting of Expulsions
• All expulsions even if they occur at the end of the year, are to be reported
by telephone to the elementary supervisor at the Department of Catholic Schools
within twenty-four hours. The written report, Notice of Dismissal, should be
mailed promptly to the elementary supervisor.
• The attendance office of the local public school district shall be notified
immediately of expulsions. A copy of the Cumulative Student Record should be
held until requested.
Right to Make Exceptions
The principal, in consultation with the pastor, retains the right
to make exceptions in cases where mitigating circumstances call
for a different response than policy suggests.
STUDENT THREATS:
All threats by students to inflict serious harm to self or others,
or to destroy property, will be taken seriously. Whoever hears or
becomes aware of any threat made by a student should immediately
report it to the pastor, principal, or a teacher. The principal will
notify the police and the Department of Catholic School immediately.The
student who has made the threat will be kept in the school office
under supervision until the police arrive. The parents/guardians
of the student who has made the threat will be notified. Any adult
or student who has been identified as the potential victim, or mentioned
in writing as a potential victim, will be notified immediately.The
student who has made the threat will be suspended until the investigation
by the police and school has been completed. The decision to re-admit
a student who has made a threat will be made by the principal and
pastor on a case-by-case basis.
Practical jokes or offhand comments of a threatening nature will
be taken seriously and will be investigated. The police may be notified
and these actions may result in suspension or removal of a student
from school.
SCHOOL SEARCHES:
A student's legitimate expectation of privacy in their person and
in the personal effects they bring to school must be balanced against
the obligation of the school to maintain discipline and to provide
a safe environment for the school community. Accordingly, school
officials may conduct a search of the student's person and personal
effects based on a reasonable suspicion that the search will disclose
evidence that the student is violating or has violated the law or
a school rule.
School officials do not need a warrant or a parent's permission to
conduct a search of the student and/or the school's or a student's
personal property, as long as they have a reasonable suspicion that
a law or school rule is being or has been violated. Whenever a school
principal conducts a search of a student's person or personal effects,
an adult witness should be present.
Students do not own their lockers or other school property. Lockers
are made available to the student by the school. The student does
have some expectation of privacy in his/her locker from other students.
However, a student may not exclude school officials if the school
official has a reasonable suspicion that a law or school rule has
been violated.
A student has a greater expectation of privacy concerning his/her
backpack, purse, clothing and other personal effects. A school official
who finds it necessary to conduct a search of a student's backpack,
purse, clothing or personal effects, must have a reasonable suspicion
that the student is violating or has violated a law or school rule.
The student's parents should be notified of any such search.
An alert from trained and certified detector dog is sufficient to
allow the school official to have a reasonable suspicion and to conduct
a warrantless search of the student's locker, car or his/her personal
property and effects. In addition to this policy on searches by the
school, every student is subject to the Archdiocesan and school use
and privacy policies concerning cell phones and other electronic
devices, whether the devices belong to the school or to the student.
If a student refuses to cooperate in a reasonable search of the school
or student property (including electronic devices), the student's
parents and/or the police may be called for assistance or referral.
In the event that any items belonging to a student are confiscated,
the principal should document that fact and, when possible, take
a photograph of the place where the confiscated object was found
and of the object itself. It is also recommended that the school
obtain a signature from the student acknowledging that the item was
in his or her possession at the time it was found.
PRIVACY AND ACCESS TO RECORDS:
Maintaining confidentiality is the legal, ethical and professional
responsibility of every member of the school community, including students,
parents/guardians, teachers, aides, and all other employees. Every
member of the school community must respect the privacy of all students,
families, employees, the principal and the pastor.
Pupil Records
“
Pupil records” means any record related to a student that is
maintained by a school or one of its employees. It includes health
records. It does not include “directory information” or
a school employee's informal notes, if the notes remain in the sole
possession of the maker and are not made available to others, except
to a substitute.
Only the principal, as custodian of the records, authorizes the release
of pupil records. Only teachers or administrators charged with pupil
oversight have the right to view or use pupil records. A teacher's
aide may view or use pupil records only with direct teacher supervision.
Pupil records may be released by judicial order such as a subpoena
or a search warrant. In specific cases, such as suspicion of kidnapping,
police officers may be given access to records.
Parents and legal guardians of minors have the absolute right to access
their child's pupil records in accordance with the school's reasonable
procedures for providing such access. Parents or legal guardians may
grant any specified person written consent to access specifically identified
pupil records. In cases of legal separation and/or divorce, California
state law gives the custodial parent and a non-custodial parent with
visitation rights, the right to access and examine pupil records. However,
only the custodial parent may consent to the release of records and
has the right to challenge the content of the records and to write
responses to information regarding disciplinary action. A non-custodial
parent without visitation rights has no right of access to records
of any kind.
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