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604

Jurisdictional and Behavioral Expectations

The Board believes inappropriate student conduct causes material and substantial disruption to the school environment, interferes with the rights of others, and/or presents a threat to the health and safety of students, employees, and visitors on school premises. Appropriate classroom behavior allows teachers to communicate more effectively with students.

Students will conduct themselves in a manner fitting to their age & maturity and with respect and consideration for the rights of others while on District property or on property within the jurisdiction of the District; while on school owned and/or operated school or chartered vehicles; while attending or engaged in school activities; and while away from school grounds if misconduct will directly affect the good order, efficient management, and welfare of the District.

Students who fail to abide by the District’s policies, regulations, and procedures and the applicable student handbook will be disciplined for conduct which disrupts or interferes with the education program; conduct which disrupts the orderly and efficient operation of the District or school activity; conduct which disrupts the rights of other students to participate in or obtain their education; conduct that is violent or destructive; or conduct which interrupts the maintenance of a disciplined atmosphere.

The District may impose a range of disciplinary measures for acts of misconduct. Disciplinary measures include, but are not limited to, removal from the classroom, detention, suspension from school, suspension from participation in extracurricular activities, and expulsion. The discipline imposed will be based upon the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident and the student’s record. Consequences for the misconduct will be fair and developmentally appropriate in light of the circumstances. The imposition of discipline will be within the discretion of the individual responsible for imposing the discipline. In instances where there has been a violation of the law, as well as school rules, appropriate law enforcement officials will be contacted and may become involved in the District’s administration of discipline. The District reserves the right to seek restitution from the parents/guardians of a student or the student for damage caused by the student.

Teachers and/or others who are in charge of a classroom must be the administrators of classroom discipline. Therefore, minor disciplinary offenses are the responsibility and obligation of the classroom teacher. When a situation arises wherein the educational process is substantially interfered with, it then becomes the responsibility of the administration to assist in the disposition of the discipline problem.

Removal from the classroom means a student is sent to the building principal’s office. It is within the discretion of the person in charge of the classroom to remove the student.

Detention means the student’s presence is required during non-school hours for disciplinary purposes. The student can be required to appear prior to the beginning of the school day, after school has been dismissed for the day, or on a non-school day. Whether a student will serve detention, and the length of the detention, is within the discretion of the licensed employee or the building principal, disciplining the student.

Suspension means either an in-school suspension, an out-of-school suspension, a restriction from activities or loss of eligibility. As in-school suspension means the student will attend school but will be temporarily isolated from one or more class while under supervision. An out-of-school suspension means the student is removed from the school environment, which includes school classes and activities. A restriction from school activities means a student will attend school and classes and practice but will not participate in school activities.

Expulsion means an action by the Board to remove a student from the school environment, which includes, but is not limited to, classes and activities, for a period of time set by the Board.

Following the suspension of a special education student, an informal evaluation of the student’s placement will take place. The individual Education Program (IEP) is evaluated to determine whether it needs to be changed or modified in response to the behavior that led to the suspension. If a special education student’s suspension, either in or out of school, equal ten days on a cumulative basis, a staffing team will meet to determine whether the IEP is appropriate.

 

Legal Reference:
Goss v. Lopez, 419 U.S. 565 (1975).
Brands v. Sheldon Community School District, 671 F. Supp. 627 (N.D. Iowa 1987).
Sims v. Colfax Comm. School Dist., 307 F. Supp. 485 (Iowa 1970).
Bunger v. Iowa High School Athletic Assn., 197 N.W.2d 555 (Iowa 1972).
Board of Directors of Ind. School Dist. of Waterloo v. Green, 259 Iowa 1260, 147
N.W.2d 854 (1967).
Iowa Code §§ 279.8;282.3, 282.4, 282.5; 708.1.
281 I.A.C. 12.3(6)

  • Approved: 02-27-89
  • Reviewed: 03-12-90
  • Revised: 03-26-90
  • Reviewed: 06-10-93, 07-15-96, 11-09-98
  • Revised: 03-24-08, 11-12-12, 12-12-16, 02-14-19, 04-13-2020
  • Documents: 604
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