Student Conduct and Discipline Policies:

The common goal of students, parents, faculty and administration of Sutton Public Schools is to maintain a school atmosphere which is conducive to learning.  In order to achieve this, Sutton Public Schools will continue to review and distribute a set of reasonable and fair rules and policies.  VIOLATIONS OF SUTTON PUBLIC SCHOOL’S RULES AND POLICIES WILL RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION.

Part 1    Forms of School Discipline:

Short-Term Suspension:

Students may be excluded by the Principal or his designee from school or any school function for a period of up to five school days (short-term suspension) on the following grounds:

1.                    Conduct constituting grounds for expulsion as hereinafter set forth; or,

            2.         Other violations of rules and standards of behavior adopted by the Sutton Public School’s Board of Education or the administrative or teaching staff of the school, which occur on or off school grounds, if such conduct interferes with school purposes or there is a nexus between such conduct and school.

The following process will apply to short-term suspensions:

            1.         The Principal or the Principal’s designee shall make a reasonable investigation of the facts and circumstances.  In addition, such short-term suspension will be made only after a determination that the suspension is necessary to help any student, to further school purposes, or to prevent an interference with school purposes.

2.                    Prior to commencement of the short-term suspension, the student will be given oral or written notice of the charges against the student.  The student will be advised of what the student is accused of having done, an explanation of the evidence the authorities have, and be afforded an opportunity to explain the student's version of the facts.

3.                    Within 24 hours or such additional time as is reasonably necessary following the suspension, the Principal or administrator will send a written statement to the student, and the student's parent or guardian, describing the student's conduct, misconduct or violation of the rule or standard and the reasons for the action taken.  An opportunity will be given to the student, and the student's parent or guardian, to have a conference with the Principal or administrator ordering the short-term suspension before or at the time the student returns to school.  The Principal or administrator shall determine who in addition to the parent or guardian is to attend the conference.

Long-Term Suspension: 

Students may be excluded by the Principal or the Principal’s designee from school or any school function for a period of more than five school days but less then twenty school days on (long-term suspension) the conduct constituting grounds for expulsion as hereinafter set forth.  The process for long-term suspension is hereinafter set forth.

Expulsion:

1.                    Meaning of Expulsion.  Expulsion shall mean exclusion from attendance in all schools, grounds and activities of or within the system for a period not to exceed the remainder of the semester in which it took effect unless the misconduct occurred (a) within ten school days prior to the end of the first semester, in which case the expulsion shall remain in effect through the second semester, or (b) within ten school days prior to the end of the second semester, in which case the expulsion shall remain in effect for summer school and the first semester of the following school year, or (c) unless the expulsion is for conduct specified in these rules or in law as permitting or requiring a longer removal, in which case the expulsion shall remain in effect for the period specified therein.  Such action may be modified or terminated by the school district at any time during the expulsion period.

2.                    Summer Review.  Any expulsion that will remain in effect during the first semester of the following school year will be automatically scheduled for review before the beginning of the school year.  The review will be conducted by the hearing officer who conducted the initial expulsion hearing, or a hearing officer appointed by the Superintendent in the event no hearing was previously held or the initial hearing officer is no longer available or willing to serve, after the hearing officer has given notice of the review to the student and the student's parent or guardian.  This review shall be limited to newly discovered evidence or evidence of changes in the student's circumstances occurring since the original hearing.  This review may lead to a recommendation by the hearing officer that the student be readmitted for the upcoming school year.  If the school board or board of education or a committee of such board took the final action to expel the student, the student may be readmitted only by action of the board.  Otherwise the student may be readmitted by action of the Superintendent.

3.                    Suspension of Enforcement of an Expulsion:  Enforcement of an expulsion action may be suspended (i.e., "stayed") for a period of not more than one full semester in addition to the balance of the semester in which the expulsion takes effect, and as a condition of such suspended action, the student may be assigned to a school, class, or program and to such other consequences which the school district deems appropriate.  In lieu of other authorized educational programs to which the student may be assigned, such school, class, or program may be offered as a community-centered classroom and may include experiences for the student as an observer or aide in governmental functions, as an on-the-job trainee, and as a participant in specialized tutorial experiences or individually prescribed educational and counseling programs.  Such programs shall include an individualized learning program to enable the student to continue academic work toward grade promotion.  At the conclusion of the designated period:  (1) if the student has satisfactorily participated in the school, class, or program to which such student has been assigned the student shall be reinstated and permitted to return to the school of former attendance or to attend other programs offered by the district, and action to expunge the record of the expulsion action may be taken at the discretion of the Superintendent or his or her designee, or (2) if the student's conduct has been unsatisfactory, the expulsion action shall be enforced.  The determination of whether the students' participation and conduct has been satisfactory or not shall be made by Principal or the Principal’s designee.

4.                    Students Subject to Juvenile or Court Probation.  Prior to the readmission to school of any student who is less than nineteen years of age and who is subject to the supervision of a juvenile probation officer or an adult probation officer pursuant to the order of the District Court, County Court, or Juvenile Court, who chooses to meet conditions of probation by attending school, and who has previously been expelled from school, the Principal or the Principal’s designee shall meet with the student's probation officer and assist in developing conditions of probation that will provide specific guidelines for behavior and consequences for misbehavior at school (including conduct on school grounds and conduct during an educational function or event off school grounds) as well as educational objectives that must be achieved.  If the guidelines, consequences, and objectives provided by the Principal or the Principal’s designee are agreed to by the probation officer and the student, and the court permits the student to return to school under the agreed to conditions, the student may be permitted to return to school.  The student may with proper consent, upon such return, be evaluated by the school for possible disabilities and may be referred for evaluation for possible placement in a special education program.  The student may be expelled or otherwise disciplined for subsequent conduct as provided in Board policy and state statute.

Other Forms of Student Discipline:

Administrative and teaching personnel may also take actions regarding student behavior, other than removal of students from school, which are reasonably necessary to aid the student, further school purposes, or prevent interference with the educational process. Such actions may include, but need not be limited to, counseling of students, parent conferences, rearrangement of schedules, requirements that a student remain in school after regular hours to do additional work, restriction of extracurricular activity, or requirements that a student receive counseling, psychological evaluation, or psychiatric evaluation upon the written consent of a parent or guardian to such counseling or evaluation.  The actions may also include in-school suspensions during the day.  When in-school suspensions, after-school assignments, or other disciplinary measures are assigned, the student is responsible for complying with such disciplinary measures and a failure to serve such assigned discipline as directed will serve as grounds for further discipline, up to expulsion from school.

Part 2    Student Conduct:       

Students have an opportunity to learn by sharing some of the responsibility for creating a good learning environment.  To help maintain a quality instructional environment for all students attending Sutton Public Schools all students are expected to refrain from the following conduct. 

Grounds for Short-Term Suspension, Long-Term Suspension, Expulsion or Mandatory Reassignment:

            The failure to refrain from the following conduct shall constitute grounds for long-term suspension, expulsion, or mandatory reassignment, subject to the procedural provisions of the Student Discipline Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-254 through 79-296, when such activity occurs on school grounds, in a vehicle owned, leased, or contracted by a school being used for a school purpose or in a vehicle being driven for a school purpose by a school employee or by his or her designee, or at a school-sponsored activity or athletic event:

1.                 Use of violence, force, coercion, threat, intimidation, or similar conduct in a manner that constitutes a substantial interference with school purposes;

2.                 Willfully causing or attempting to cause substantial damage to property, stealing or attempting to steal property of substantial value, or repeated damage or theft involving property;

3.                    Causing or attempting to cause personal injury to a school employee, to a school volunteer, or to any student. Personal injury caused by accident, self-defense, or other action undertaken on the reasonable belief that it was necessary to protect some other person shall not constitute a violation of this subdivision;

4.                    Threatening or intimidating any student for the purpose of or with the intent of obtaining money or anything of value from such student;

5.                    Knowingly possessing, handling, or transmitting any object or material that is ordinarily or generally considered a weapon;

6.                    Engaging in the possession, selling, dispensing, or use of a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance, as defined in section 28-401, a substance represented to be a controlled substance, or alcoholic liquor as defined in section 53-103 or being under the influence of a controlled substance or alcoholic liquor (note:  the term “under the influence” for school purposes has a less strict meaning than it does under criminal law; for school purposes, the term means any level of impairment and includes even the odor of alcohol on the breath or person of a student; also, it includes being impaired by reason of the abuse of any material used as a stimulant);

7.                    Public indecency;

8.                    Sexually assaulting or attempting to sexually assault any person.  In addition, if a complaint has been filed by a prosecutor in a court of competent jurisdiction alleging that the student has sexually assaulted or attempted to sexually assault any person, including sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults, the student is subject to suspension, expulsion, or mandatory reassignment regardless of where the conduct took place. For purposes of this subdivision, sexual assault shall mean sexual assault in the first degree and sexual assault in the second degree as defined in sections 28-319 and 28-320, as such sections now provide or may hereafter from time to time be amended;

9.                    Truancy or failure to attend assigned classes or assigned activities;

10.                Tardiness to school, assigned classes or assigned activities;

11.                The use of language, written or oral, or conduct, including gestures, which is profane or abusive to students or staff members.  Profane or abusive language or conduct includes, but is not limited to, that which is commonly understood and intended to be derogatory toward a group or individual based upon race, gender, national origin, or religion;

12.                Dressing in a manner which is dangerous to the student's health and safety, a danger to the health and safety of others, or which is disruptive, distractive or indecent to the extent that it interferes with the learning and educational process. (Further dress code information is provided in a later section).

13.                Willfully violating the behavioral expectations for those students riding Sutton Public Schools buses.

14.                Engaging in any other activity forbidden by the laws of the State of Nebraska which activity constitutes a danger to other students or interferes with school purposes; or

15.                A repeated violation of any rules and standards validly established by the Board of Education or school officials if such violations constitute a substantial interference with school purposes.

16.                In addition, a student who engages in the following conduct occurs on school grounds, in a vehicle owned, leased, or contracted by a school being used for a school purpose or in a vehicle being driven for a school purpose by a school employee or by his or her designee, or at a school-sponsored activity or athletic event shall be expelled for the remainder of the school year in which it took effect if the misconduct occurs during the first semester, and if the expulsion for such conduct takes place during the second semester, the expulsion shall remain in effect for the first semester of the following school year, with the condition that such action may be modified or terminated by the school district during the expulsion period on such terms as the administration may establish:

a.                    The knowing and intentional use of force in causing or attempting to cause personal injury to a school employee, school volunteer, or student, except if caused by accident, self-defense, or on the reasonable belief that the force used was necessary to protect some other person and the extent of force used was reasonably believed to be necessary, or,

b.                    The knowing and intentional possession, use, or transmission of a dangerous weapon other than a firearm.

17.                In addition, a student who is determined to have brought a firearm to school, or to have possessed a firearm at school, shall be expelled from school for a period of not less than one year.  The Superintendent may modify such one year expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis, provided that such modification is in writing.  The term “to school” or “at school” means on school grounds, in a vehicle owned, leased, or contracted by a school being used for a school purpose or in a vehicle being driven for a school purpose by a school employee or by his or her designee, or at a school-sponsored activity or athletic event.  

Bringing a firearm or other dangerous weapon to school for any reason is discouraged; however, a student will not be subject to disciplinary action if the item is brought or possessed under the following conditions:

a.                    Prior written permission to bring the firearm or other dangerous weapon to school is obtained from the student's teacher, building administrator and parent.

b.                    The purpose of having the firearm or other dangerous weapon in school is for a legitimate educational function.

c.                     A plan for its transportation into and from the school, its storage while in the school building and how it will be displayed must be developed with the prior written approval by the teacher and building administrator.  Such plan shall require that such item will be in the possession of an adult staff member at all times except for such limited time as is necessary to fulfill the educational function.

d.                    The firearm or other dangerous weapon shall be in an inoperable condition while it is on school grounds.

Use of Corporal Punishment

Corporal punishment is not to be used as a form of discipline.   Physical force may be used against a student only for the following reasons, and in all events only such force as is reasonably necessary may be used:

1.         Protection of the staff member;

2.         Protection of other students or property from the student;

3.         Removal of the student from a situation that endangers the student, other persons, or property.

Additional Student Conduct Rules:

The following additional student conduct rules are established.  Failure to comply with such rules is grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion, as further specified in these rules.   These rules govern student conduct on school grounds, in a vehicle owned, leased, or contracted by a school being used for a school purpose or in a vehicle being driven for a school purpose by a school employee or by his or her designee, or at a school-sponsored activity or athletic event.

Student Appearance Policy:

Students at Sutton Public Schools are expected to dress in a way that is appropriate for a school setting.  Students should not dress in a manner that is dangerous to the health and safety of anyone or interferes with the learning environment or teaching process in our school.  Following is a list of examples of attire that will not be considered appropriate, such list is not exclusive and other forms of attire deemed inappropriate by the administration may be deemed inappropriate for the school setting:

a.                    Halter-tops and bare midriffs prohibited as well as clothing that shows an inappropriate amount of bare skin or underwear.

b.                    Tank tops must have 3” straps (No spaghetti straps)

c.                    Tops must extend to the top of the pant when standing and seated.

d.                    No low cut tops that reveal cleavage are acceptable.

e.                    No “Short Shorts”

f.                     Clothing or jewelry that advertises beer, alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs or that is gang related;

g.                    No garments that depict or in any way suggest obscenity, vulgarity, are in bad taste, or otherwise disrupt the learning environment will be allowed.

h.                    No heavy coats or jackets are to be worn in the building during the school day.

i.                      Chains of any type are not permitted as well as any clothing or jewelry that could be used as a weapon or that would encourage “horse play.”

j.                      Belts are to be worn on any pants which are baggy and will slide down without a belt.

k.                    Bare feet are not allowed.                      

l.                      Head wear including hats, caps, bandannas, and scarves are not to be worn in the building during the school hours of 8:00AM-3:45PM.  Spirit week would be the exception to this rule.

Consideration will be made for students who wear special clothing as required by religious beliefs, disability, or to convey a particularized message protected by law.  The final decision regarding attire and grooming will be made by the Principal or Superintendent. 

1st Offense = Verbal warning - reiterate the rule(s) and the student will be asked to change or adjust the inappropriate action.  Each student gets one verbal warning with restating dress code expectations.

On a first offense of the dress code, the student may call home for proper apparel, or if appropriate as determined by the principal, the student may turn the shirt “inside-out”.  If clothes cannot be brought to school, the student will either be assigned to in-school suspension for the remainder of the day or provided clothing from the nurse’s office.  Students will not be allowed to leave campus to change clothes.  Continual violations of the dress code will result in disciplinary actions under the Student Code of Conduct above.  Further, in the event the dress code violation is determined to also violate other student conduct rules (e.g., public indecency, insubordination, expression of profanity, and the like), a first offense of the dress code may result in discipline, up to expulsion.

If the student refuses to change into the clothing provided or becomes insubordinate, the student will be excluded from class(es), receiving a 0% for each class the student is absent.  This statement applies to all levels of offense.

Written notification will be sent to parents/guardian with each offense (2^nd-4^th).  If the student reaches beyond the 4^th offense, a parent conference will be arranged and action deemed appropriate by the administration will be taken.

School Bus Regulations:

It is the belief of the Sutton Public Schools Board of Education that students must be well-behaved when riding buses. These rules have been set for the safety of your student; most of the rules are State and Federal rules that all bus drivers have to follow.  Students must be ready about 10 minutes before they are to board the bus when it stops at your stop and they must be dressed for the weather and waiting outside – have students at the end of the driveway and not in the house – as there are others who have to walk and stand outside to wait for the bus.

1.  Parents are responsible for their children before the children get on and after they get off the school bus.

2.  While waiting at the town bus stops, students should stand 10 feet back from the road and stand in a single-file line to get on the bus.  Keep hands to yourself while waiting.

3.  Country students should wait at the end of the driveway and be ready to board the bus when it stops.  Bus drivers will wait 1 minute will honk and leave.  When weather causes a late start at school, drivers will wait 3 minutes, honk, and leave.

4.  Walk to and from the bus.

5.  If students have to cross the road, do so under the driver’s direction.

6.  Students riding the bus are under the authority of the bus driver can and will have seating arrangements if students fail to follow the bus driver’s instruction.  Students are to display respect to the drivers and will be disciplined for conduct that is deemed inappropriate or disrespectful to the driver or other students.

7.  Students must face forward and stay seated at all times.  Hands, feet, and heads must remain inside the bus.  The isle must be free of book bags or coolers or any carry on items because of emergency exit procedures.

8.  Refrain from throwing things out the window.

9.  Students are asked to keep the bus clean with any damages caused, payment will be the responsibility of the guilty party and he/she will not be allowed to ride for the remaining time in the school year.

10.  Smoking, alcohol, and profane language is prohibited including engaging in obscene behavior such as but not limited to, displaying obscene materials, hand gestures or using obscene speech or other obscene communication.

11.  No food or pop unless approved by the driver.  No sunflower seeds.

12.  When crossing the RR track, all conversations by students and sponsors must cease until the bus has crossed the track.

13.  Emergency doors are to be used only in an emergency.  The driver will give instruction as to which emergency doors to use if there is an emergency.

14.  When students are transported in School vans, they must wear seat belts and follow all rules applied on the buses.

15.  Activity trip students must follow the same rules.

16.  Students who violate these rules are subject to a discipline referral or denial from riding the bus.

17.  School transportation is a privilege, not a right.

When the bus driver feels his/her efforts to effectively modify student behavior have been unsuccessful, he/she will complete a disciplinary referral form and forward it to the elementary principal.

The elementary principal upon receiving and confirming the report, will take the following steps:

FIRST OFFENSE if a student is suspected of breaking one of the above mentioned examples, said student will meet with the driver, principal, or superintendent.  The student will receive a warning.  A certified letter will be sent to the parents/guardians informing them of their child’s behavior and outlining the consequences of repeated violations.

SECOND OFFENSE The principal may deny any student the right to ride the bus for up to five (5) days.  A certified letter will be sent to the parents/guardians notifying them of the decision.  Parents/guardians will be requested to meet with the bus driver, student, principal, and transportation supervisor prior to riding the bus again.

FUTURE OFFENSES The student will be denied the right to ride the school bus for the remainder of the semester.  A certified letter will be sent to the parents/guardians notifying them of the decision.

If a rule violation takes place within the last ten days of a semester, the violation and consequences will carry over to the following semester.

Food and Drink:

There will be no juice, pop or food allowed during the school day in classrooms without prior approval from the teacher or principal.  Access to the vending and pop machines will be denied from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

 

Cafeteria Behavior:

A supervised lunch room is maintained for children who eat hot or cold lunches at school.  Each day nutritious hot meals are served in the cafeteria.  Milk is included with each hot lunch.  Students who wish to bring a sack lunch may purchase milk for 30 cents, which is sold through the lunch account program.  Students are to deposit money in their family account before the first day of school.  No students will be allowed to go through the lunch line without first putting money in their account or paying $1.90in cash for a meal.  Any student wishing to purchase an additional meal or an additional milk must have sufficient funds in their lunch account or pay $1.90 for the extra meal or 35 cents for the extra milk.  Students will not be allowed to charge their lunch or milk.  Students must know their account number and if they do not, check in with their classroom teacher or the elementary secretary.  Students will not be permitted to use the number of another student.

Sutton Public Schools operates under a closed campus.  All elementary students are required to eat lunch at the school in the cafeteria.  Federal lunch program regulations require that the pop machine be shut off one half an hour before lunch and remain off until one half hour after lunch.  Students bringing their own lunch will abide by the federal regulations on pop. 

Lunch duty supervisors will establish cafeteria rules and communicate those clearly.  All K-6 students will stay in the cafeteria for 15-20 minutes.  Controlled talking will be allowed.  No loud talking or uncontrolled behavior will be allowed.  Every student has the option to select food items from the salad bar.  If students take items from the salad bar, they are encouraged not to waste food by taking only what they can eat.  No one is to leave the lunch room until permission is given by the lunch room supervisor.  Students are dismissed to the playground or to the gym, depending upon weather conditions.

Lunches and Lunch Money:

Accounts are kept as a family account and payments for the family may be made in either the elementary or high school office or cafeteria.  When depositing money into the lunch program, please attach a note indicating name of child/children and your lunch family lunch ID number.  To open your lunch account, a minimum payment of $10.00 for full price meals and $3.00 for reduced price meals is required.  A larger payment may be made and you are encouraged to make monthly payments.  Meal prices are $1.90 for Grades K-6, and 40 cents for reduced.  If your student is receiving free or reduced lunches, but would like seconds or additional milk, you must bring money for your family account, or the student needs to pay cash.  These items do not qualify for the free or reduced rates.

School Lunch/Milk Prices
	$1.90 (Full Price K-6)
1 week (5 days) = $9.50	2 weeks (10 days) = $19.00	1 month (20 days) = $35.00
1 semester(approx) = $169.00	1 year (approx) = $338.00
	40 cents (Reduced K-6)
1 week (5 days) = $2.00	2 weeks (10 days) = $4.00	1 month (20 days) = $8.00
1 semester (approx) = $35.00	1 year (approx) = $70.00
	35 cents (milk)
20 days = $7.00	40 days = $14.00	1 semester = $31.00
1 year = $62.00

When a student’s account reaches $8.75 for meals, the student will be notified that he/she must add money to the account.  If there are more students per family, then the amount raises accordingly.  (for example, 2 students per family = $17.50).  No accounts will be permitted to go in the red.  Elementary students will be notified by having their hand stamped with a smiley face.  High School students will be notified by the kitchen personnel when they go through the line.  Parents may also call the school office to determine their account balance.  Upon notification that your account needs more money, your children have approximately one week left to eat school lunch, before their account reaches zero.  If lunch accounts have a zero balance, students will need to bring a sack lunch or pay cash for their meal.

Elementary K-6 students will have milk for a snack in the afternoon.  Milk tickets are $6.00 in 20 day size only.  Payments for a milk ticket will be taken out of the family lunch account as needed. At the end of each school year, your balance will be carried over to the next year.  All unused elementary milk tickets will be refunded into the lunch account.  If you do not want a large balance in your lunch account at the end of the school year, please plan accordingly when sending lunch money for your account.  Before the last day of school, all negative lunch accounts will be paid in full.  No accounts will be permitted to go in the red at the end of the year.  If you want a refund, you will need to notify the school two weeks before school is dismissed and a check will be mailed to you.

Student Activity Fee:

All students in grades K-6 can purchase an activity ticket.  The cost is $25.00 per student for each of the first two students in a family and $20.00 for a third member of the same family in grades K-6.  The maximum any family will pay is $70.00 for students K-6.   This ticket will allow students in grades K-6 to attend the majority of athletic contests and events scheduled at Sutton Jr/Sr High School during the current school year.

Student Financial Obligations:
All students are to take care of any outstanding bills which exist during the current school year prior to checking into school.  Failure to do so will result in the students end of the year packets withheld until all financial obligations are met. 

Media Center Use:

Students are welcome to the media center to carry out research or to select reading materials.  The following procedures will be followed:

1.  A student must have permission from the media specialist or classroom teacher for whom he/she is doing assignments/research before being allowed to enter the library.

2.  Once a selection is made, the student is expected to properly check-out materials before removing any media materials from the library.

3.  Upon check-out, students shall leave the media center and return to their classroom.

4.  Any student disrupting others by loud talking or other means will be asked to leave the library immediately.

5.  Any student not engaged in research, reading, or selecting reading material will be asked to leave the library.

Cheating:

Should a student be guilty of cheating as observed by the teacher, the teacher shall collect the paper, mark a zero for the work, and notify the parent and office immediately as to the action taken.  The second offense will bring an automatic in-school suspension.

Harassment and Bullying Policy:

It is the policy of Sutton Public Schools that “bullying” type behavior is not to be permitted.  These guidelines are established to respond specifically to bullying behavior.  Students and parents are advised that other response measures are also in place and set forth in Article 10 of this handbook for behavior which is discriminatory or harassing on unlawful grounds (e.g., sexual harassment, harassment of students with disabilities, race harassment, etc.). 

(i)        Step One: The first time school personnel become aware of a possible harassment or bullying situation, the accused student will be informed that such a complaint has been filed. At that time a warning will be given regarding this kind of behavior. The consequences for this kind of behavior in the future will be clearly outlined for the student. If, in the school’s opinion, the first occurrence of harassment behavior is severe, the school may move immediately to any of the four steps in the harassment policy. In other words, the policy may or may not be used sequentially. Moreover, at any stage the student may be disciplined under the student code by actions which may include expulsion, in the event the conduct is also a violation of other provisions of the student code.

(ii)      Step Two: The second time school personnel become aware of a harassment incident, the student’s parents will be notified. A conference will be requested at that time. If it is determined that the student has harassed another student, consequences will be assigned. A student may stay on the second step as long as school authorities feel the consequences are effectively correcting the harassment behaviors. If it is determined that there is no basis for the harassment accusation, no consequences will be assigned. If the school determines that a student is intentionally making a false accusation against another student, an appropriate response will be made.

(iii)      Step Three: If the school authorities determine that the student continues to harass another student or the student fails to agree to not harass in the future, the school may assign the student to the Harassment Program level set forth below which the school authorities determine to be appropriate.

(iv)    Step Four: If a student fails to respond positively to the corrective measures of the Harassment Program, the student will be suspended from school for a minimum of five school days, up to expulsion. School authorities will determine the action necessary to insure a safe learning environment for all students.

            Harassment and Bullying Program--Levels:

Purpose: All students have the right to attend Sutton Public Schools free from verbal and physical harassment and bullying. The purpose of the Harassment and Bullying Program is to protect students and staff from those who fail or refuse to comply with school guidelines regarding the treatment of others.

1.        Level I: The guidelines for a Level I placement are listed below.

a.        The length of the assignment will be for a minimum of two weeks.

b.        The student will report to the office no later than 8:10AM a.m. each morning.

c.        The student will eat on campus at an assigned table.

d.        The student will report to an assigned room at the end of the day, and will remain until 3:50 p.m. This will allow all other students to leave the school grounds in safety.

2.        Level II: The guidelines for this level are listed below.

a.        The length of the assignment will be for a minimum of two weeks.

b.        The student will report to the office no later than 8:10 a.m. the morning.

c.        The student will eat on campus at an assigned table.

d.        The student will report to an assigned room at the end of the day, and remain until 3:50 p.m.

e.        The student will lose recess privileges for a period of one week.

3.        Level III: This is a long term assignment. The guidelines are listed below.

a.        All items listed in Level II will be used, except the length of the assignment will be no less than six weeks, and may remain in effect until the end of the school year and continue into the next, if determined to be appropriate.

b.        The student will lose recess privileges for a period of two weeks.

Specific Rule Items:

                        The following conduct may result in disciplinary action which, in the repeated                                             violations, may result in discipline up to expulsion.

a.        Students are expected to bring all books and necessary materials to class.

b.        Students are expected to follow classroom rules.

c.        Assignments for all classes are due as assigned by the teacher.

d.        Classes are ended by the teacher.  Students are not to begin to pack up or leave the class until the teacher has dismissed the class.

e.        Students are to be in their seats and ready for class by 8:20 a.m.

f.         Special classes such as Art, P.E., Music, and Computer will have other safety or clean-up rules that will be explained to you by that teacher which must be followed.

g.        Students are not to bring items to school that are not required for educational purposes as they may be taken from you and will not be allowed in the classroom.  These items are classified as “nuisance items” and include, but are not limited to:  a) personal stereos, b) cell phones, c) beepers,  d) laser pointers and e) toys that are brought without prior approval from a teacher or Principal.

h.        Students caught throwing snowballs or rocks on school property or at school activities will be suspended for an appropriate amount of time as determined by the principal.

i.          Students are expected to treat each other as well as teachers and other school personnel with respect.

j.          Behaviors that result in the interruption of the educational process of other students will not be tolerated.

Network, E-Mail, Internet and Other Computer Use Rules:

(a)      General Rules:

(i)        The network is provided to staff and students to conduct research and communicate with others.  Access to network services is given to staff and students who have agreed to act in a responsible manner.  Parental permission is required for student use.  Access for all staff and students is a privilege and not a right.

(ii)      Individual users of the district network are responsible for their behavior, actions, problems, and communications involving and over the network.  Users will comply with district rules and will honor the agreements they have signed.  Beyond clarification of such rules, the district is not responsible for restricting, monitoring, editing, or controlling the information, equipment or communications of individuals utilizing the network or the end product or result of such utilization.

(iii)     Network storage areas shall be treated like school desks, etc. for students.  Network administrators may review files, information, equipment, messages and communications of staff and students to maintain system integrity and insure that users are using the network system responsibly.  Users should not expect that files or any information stored or otherwise used or retained on the network, district servers, or in computers, will be private.  No reasonable expectation of privacy shall exist in relation to network use.

(iv)    Users should not expect, and the district does not warrant, any information or products obtained from the network, that files or information stored, obtained or used on the network will be private, and use of the network waives and relinquishes all such privacy rights, interests or claims to confidentiality the user may have under state or federal law.

(v)      The district will not be liable for, and does not warrant in any way, purchases made by any user over the network.  Users shall not make purchases of goods and/or services via the district's network.

(b)      Policy and Rules for Acceptable Use of Computers and the Network:  The following policy and rules for acceptable use of computers and the network, including Internet, shall apply to all district administrators, faculty, staff and students.  The term "Users", as contained herein, shall apply to all such individuals.  The Superintendent, or the Superintendent's designee, is hereby delegated all authority and is the ultimate person in charge of the district network and technology resources or equipment, and the same shall also be under the direct supervision of the site or building administrator where located, sometimes herein called "network administrators."

(i)             Users shall not erase, remake, or make unusable anyone else's computer, information, files, programs or disks.  In addition to any other disciplinary action or legal action that may occur, any user violating this rule shall be liable for any and all damages to the computer, information, files, programs or disks.

(ii)           Users shall not let other persons use their name, account, log-on password, or files for any reason (except for authorized staff members).

(iii)          Users shall not use or try to discover another user's account or password.

(iv)         Users shall not use the computers or network for non-instructional or non-administrative purposes (e.g., games or activities for personal profit).  Playing games on school computers is denied between the hours of 8:00AM and 4:00PM any day of the week.

(v)           Chat rooms are restricted.

(vi)         Users shall not use the computer for unlawful purposes, such as illegal copying or installation of unauthorized software.

(vii)   Users shall not copy, change, or transfer any software or documentation provided by teachers, or other students without permission from the network administrators.

(viii)Users shall not write, produce, generate, copy, propagate, or attempt to introduce any computer code, software or information designed to self-replicate, damage, or otherwise hinder the performance of the network or any computer's memory, file system, or software.  Such software is often called a bug, virus, worm, Trojan horse, or similar name.

(ix)         Users shall not use the computer to annoy or harass others with language, images, or threats.  Users shall not access, accept, create or send any obscene, vulgar, lewd, tasteless, or objectionable messages, information, language, or images.

(x)           Users shall not damage the network or equipment, damage information belonging to others, misuse network resources, or allow others to misuse network resources.  In addition to any other disciplinary action or legal action that may occur, any user violating this or any other rule shall be liable for any and all damages to the computer, network, information, files, programs or disks.

(xi)         Users shall not tamper with computers, networks, printers, or other associated equipment except as directed by the teacher or network administrator.

(xii)   Users shall not take technology equipment (hardware or software) from the school grounds or remove such from computer work areas without written permission of the network administrator.

(c)      Etiquette and Rules for Use of Computers and the Network:  All users of computers and the network are expected to abide by the generally accepted rules of network etiquette.  Informal rules of behavior have evolved for the use of and communication on the network, Internet and other on-line services.  Breaches can result in harsh criticism by others.  These rules of behavior include (but are not limited to) the following:

(i)        Be polite.  Do not become abusive in your messages to others.

(ii)      Use appropriate language.  Do not swear, use vulgarities or any other inappropriate language, message, information or images.

(iii)     Do not reveal your personal account, address or phone numbers, or that of other students or colleagues.

(iv)    E-mail is for educational purposes only.  Note that electronic mail (e-mail) is specifically not guaranteed to be private.  People who operate the system do have access to mail.  Messages relating to or in support of illegal activities may be reported to the authorities.  Messages which violate the rules will result in disciplinary action.

(v)      All communications and information accessible via the network should be assumed to be private property of others.

(vi)    Do not place unlawful information on any network system.

(vii)   Keep paragraphs and messages short and to the point.  Focus on one subject per message.

(viii)Include your signature at the bottom of e-mail messages.  Your signature footer should include your name, position, affiliation, and network or Internet address.

(ix)    Other rules may be established by the network administrators or teachers from time to time.

(d)      Penalties for Violation of Rules:  All of the policies, rules, and procedures for acceptable use of computers and the network are intended to make the computers and the network more reliable for users.  They are also intended to minimize the burden of administrating the networks so that more time can be spent on education and enhancing services. Use of the computer and access to telecommunications resources is a privilege and not a right.  Violation of the policies, rules, and procedures concerning the use of computers and the network may result in disciplinary action up to, and including, loss of access, suspension and/or expulsion of students from school and loss of