Code of Conduct   

          

All standards of conduct will apply during School hours and at any school-sponsored event regardless of time or location.

Fair and equitable discipline is intended to protect the rights and privileges of all persons, in all matters relating to the conduct of the school. Principals, teachers, bus drivers and ESP staff stand in loco parentis, that is, in the supervision of students in the absence of parent/guardian.

The teaching of self-discipline (responsibility for a person's own actions) is a goal of the Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 Code of Conduct. To ensure that students exhibit appropriate behavior and performance, it is the school's responsibility to implement a program for teaching a system of essential rules and to administer just and constructive corrective measures. Should corrective measures be necessary, the following will be considered:

• student's age
• ability-functioning level
• seriousness of the offense
• frequency of the inappropriate behavior
• circumstances and intent - including family circumstances and/or home
• environment situations
• potential effect of the misconduct on the school environment
• relationship of the behavior to any disabling condition

Behavior guidelines, along with corresponding disciplinary consequences, have been established in order to help students understand that certain behaviors are not best for maintaining a positive learning environment at Lake Zurich Middle School South. We encourage parents to read and discuss these guidelines with their child.

DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES

Students who engage in objectionable behaviors will receive a verbal warning. If the behavior persists after the warning has been given, a detention will be issued. Student behaviors include, but are not limited to:

Level 1
The resolution of Level 1 behaviors is primarily the responsibility of teachers, personnel, and parent/guardian. Notification of parent/guardian may occur. Administrative and parental assistance can be initiated without engaging the formal referral process. Level 1behaviors include, but are not limited to the following:
 

Behaviors
 

Interventions

The following interventions may be used to address Level 1 behaviors. The use of multiple interventions should include parent contact

Documented evidence of persistent behaviors, appropriate interventions and administrative dialogue and approval may move the matter to Level 2.
 

If a detention form is issued to the student, it must be signed by the parent or the parent must contact the teacher by phone. Failure to do so will result in an additional detention.
 

A detention is a period of time after school during which the student will be required to sit silently doing a written report or homework. If a student fails to serve a detention, it must be made up and an additional detention will be assigned.
 

Once a student has accumulated four behavioral detentions, a three-hour after school detention must be served and the student may lose extracurricular privileges for five days. If a student accumulates an additional four behavioral detentions, a second three-hour after school
detention will be issued. Behavior plans may be developed for a student who receives a combination of three-hour detention, in-school suspension, or out-of-school suspension.
 

Level 2
 

Interventions are the responsibility of school-based administration, with assistance from teachers, school personnel and parents. One or more interventions may be utilized. Level 2 behaviors include, but are not limited to the following:
 

Behaviors
 

Interventions

Level 3

These interventions are the responsibility of school-based administration and central office personnel, with assistance from teachers, school personnel, and parents. Level 3 behaviors include, but are not limited to the following:

Behaviors

Interventions

Any or all of the following interventions may be used to address Level 3 behaviors. One or more interventions may be utilized. Board of Education action may also be necessary.

If a student is suspended from school, he or she may not return to school or be on school grounds for any reason until the length of the suspension has been served. At the conclusion of a suspension, a student will be expected to complete any missing assignments, which can be reasonably provided. Students will be able to make up any tests or quizzes when they return. The student or parent must initiate contact with the teachers to obtain missing work and assignments and schedule a time to retake tests and quizzes. The student has the opportunity to make up missing work. If the work is not completed, the student will not receive any credit.
 

It is important to note that if any student receives three detentions or less, and has not received a major infraction within a semester, the student will receive a "clean slate" at the beginning of the second semester. Those students that receive four detentions or more within the first semester, or have received a major infraction, cause their file to remain active and they will NOT receive a "clean slate". All infractions from the first semester will be carried over into the second semester and their disciplinary record will become active and continuous within the second semester.

DISCIPLINE OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Discipline of students under the IDEA Regulations involves a system of balances between the student's procedural safeguards and the school district's interest in maintaining efficient and safe educational programs and environments. The regulations include student procedural safeguards, authorities of school district officials, and systems to protect the rights of both students and school districts. Throughout the regulations, the discipline afforded to students with disabilities is linked to the discipline that would be applied to students without disabilities. Students with disabilities have additional safeguards.

For specific Special Education procedures, please refer to the Misconduct by Students with Disabilities, section 13 of Special Education procedures titled Behavior Intervention Discipline. See also Board of Education policy 7:230 Misconduct by Students with Disabilities, available on the district website and in every building.

TRANSPORTATION

Safety is the first priority while transporting students to and from school. School bus drivers stand in loco parentis, that is, in the supervision of students in the absence of parent(s)/guardian(s) and are a key link to the educational process. They have a great deal of responsibility when driving the bus and must have full cooperation of all students to ensure everyone's safety. All standards of conduct as outlined in this Section of the District's Code of Conduct will apply while students are on the school bus regardless of time or location. Any behavior on a bus that would endanger the well being of the students, the bus driver, or the general public may result in a loss of bus riding privileges. Behaviors that distract the bus driver from watching the road cause an unsafe bus ride and increase the possibility of an accident. Even Level 1 behaviors can create an immediate danger and can be treated as Level 2 and 3 behavior depending on the result of the behavior and the severity of the incident.

School bus drivers must be able to concentrate on driving at all times. A momentary distraction from concentration on the road can lead to a serious accident resulting in injury and/or death. The safety and well being of each student depends on everyone following the standards of conduct.
 

Interventions by the School Bus Driver

The first priority of the bus driver is driving the bus safely. Any behavior that threatens the safety of students, the driver, or the general public will result in an intervention. The bus driver is responsible for assigning every student a seat (K-8), and making sure students sit in their assigned seats. Bus drivers will use any of the following interventions each time a Level 1, 2 or 3 behaviors occurs. As many interventions as appropriate and necessary may be attempted before a bus referral is written.
 

The following behaviors cause an unsafe condition on the bus-and cannot continue. School Bus drivers must intervene each time these behaviors occur.

Behaviors

• Bringing inappropriate items on the bus
• Eating food on the bus
• Failure to clear the aisle while others are loading/unloading
• Failure to sit in assigned seat.
• Late to bus stop
• Littering

Interventions

The resolution of Level 1 behaviors is primarily the responsibility of bus drivers, transportation supervisors, and parent(s)/guardian(s). However, whenever a student repeats Level 1 behaviors over several days and does not change after multiple interventions by the bus driver, a referral will be written and school-based administration will intervene. To ensure everyone's safety on the bus, certain interventions must be applied and any other interventions may be applied as appropriate with each referral as indicated below. Additional intervention steps may be utilized with regard to student's age and ability-functioning level. In each occurrence, the administrator/designee will have a conference with the student and make parental notification (by phone and/or sending/mailing a copy of referral home). The following interventions may be used to address Level 1 behaviors:

• Review school bus rules with the student
• Parental notification
• Detention
• Restitution
• Conference with principal, parent, student, and transportation personnel

Transportation - Level 2

The following behaviors cause an unsafe condition on the bus-and cannot continue. School Bus drivers must intervene each time these behaviors occur.

Behaviors

• Persistent Level 1 behaviors (see above listing)
• Excessive noise
• Failure to remain seated
• Improper loading/unloading/crossing
• Throwing objects inside/outside the bus
• Spitting

Interventions

Level 2 interventions are the responsibility of school-based administration, with assistance from transportation supervisors, bus drivers, school personnel, and parents. To ensure everyone's safety on the bus, certain interventions must be applied and any other interventions may be applied as appropriate with each referral as indicated below. Additional intervention steps may be utilized with regard to student's age and ability functioning level. In each occurrence, the administrator/designee will have a conference with the student and make parental notification (by phone and/or sending/mailing a copy of referral home). The following interventions may be used to address Level 2 behaviors:

• Review school bus rules with the student
• Parental notification
• Detention
• Restitution
• Conference with principal, parent, student and transportation personnel
• Loss of bus riding privileges up to 5 days
• Out-of-school suspension up to 5 days
• Referral to outside agency or authority
• Consultation/referral to police agency/ordinance citation and possible arrest

Transportation - Level 3

The following behaviors cause an unsafe condition on the bus and cannot continue. School Bus drivers must intervene each time these behaviors occur. Please also refer to behaviors listed for Level 1 and Level 2. Behaviors

• Repeated Level 2 behaviors
• Failure to remain inside of windows of bus
• Improper use of a school bus emergency exit
• Other matters as covered by Illinois School Code or State Law

Interventions

Level 3 interventions are the responsibility of school-based administration and central office personnel, with assistance from transportation personnel, bus drivers, school personnel and parents. Level 3 behaviors create an extremely dangerous situation on a school bus and will be dealt with in regards to safety following these interventions.

• Review school bus rules with student
• Parental notification
• Detention
• Restitution
• Conference with principal, student and transportation personnel
• Loss of bus riding privileges up to 5 days
• Out-of-school suspension up to 5 'days
• Referral to outside agency or authority
• Expulsion from transportation
• Expulsion from school
• Consultation/referral to police agency/ordinance citation and possible arrest

Late Bus Information

The teacher supervising an activity will give late bus passes to students staying for after school activities. Students who do not have a pass will be denied transportation. The late bus will depart from Lake Zurich Middle School South at approximately 3:20 p.m. Questions concerning which bus students are to get on may be answered at the middle school office or by looking at the bulletin board. Late buses are arterial routes and do not duplicate the regular bus stops.

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

Corporal punishment is inflicting bodily harm upon an individual for disciplinary purposes. Lake Zurich Community Unit School District #95 does not believe corporal punishment is an effective means of enforcing or maintaining proper student behavior, therefore corporal punishment is prohibited. However, reasonable force to prevent bodily harm to one's self or others is not prohibited.

Page Sponsor: Mr. David Gardner
Authors: Kolton D, Chris T
Webmaster: Mr. Al Willer
Created: October 2009