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Discipline

In order to ensure a safe climate and optimal learning environment for each and every student, the District recognizes the responsibility to provide students and school personnel with a clear and consistent set of expectations for positive behavior and culturally competent practices. When a discipline incident occurs, students, parents/guardians, and school staff are encouraged to seek an understanding of the situation and to work collaboratively to learn from the incident.

We believe that effective school discipline is:

  • intended to recognize and celebrate the efforts of students that promote positive behavior;
  • viewed as a learning opportunity;
  • logical, culturally competent, developmentally-appropriate, and legally compliant;
  • designed to teach, recognize, and promote positive behaviors;
  • clear, consistent, timely, and equitable for each and every student;
  • inclusive of a variety of preventions, early intervention actions, and evidence-based approaches;
  • responsive to individual needs among students;
  • focused on keeping students engaged in the classroom;
  • designed to ensure parent/guardian and student participation; and
  • responsive to the needs of the student who engages in the misconduct, the needs of those who are affected by the misconduct, and the needs of the overall school community.

Our beliefs and state laws have shifted away from the "zero tolerance" policies of the past, where certain behaviors and actions would trigger automatic punishments that often removed students the learning environment. Instead, we have moved toward practices that look at the individual student, their needs and challenges, and the circumstances of the situation at hand.

Wherever possible, discipline situations become ones in which the offending student can be an active participant in problem-solving and repairing any harm they caused. If a more traditional suspension or expulsion must take place, the desire is to create a plan with the student, their parent, counselors and other school staff, as appropriate, to help them reintegrate in a way that sets them up for future success.

Behavior expectations and discipline guidelines can be found in the Standards of Student Conduct handbook.