A. Role of the Parent/Guardian
To achieve a cooperative, wholesome relationship between home and school that is essential to each student’s successful development and achievement, it shall be the responsibility of parent/guardian to: 1) send their child to school as required by New York State Law; 2) insist on prompt and regular attendance; 3) make certain all absences are properly excused; 4) provide for their child’s health, acceptable grooming and suitable dress; 5) develop socially acceptable standards of behavior, to exercise self-control and to be accountable for his/her actions; 6) teach their child respect for the law and for the authority of the school and for the rights and property of others; 7) know and understand the rules their child is expected to observe at school; be aware of the consequences for any violation of these rules and accept legal responsibility for their child’s action; 8) instill in their child a desire to learn; 9) Provide a place conducive for study and ensure the completion of homework assignments; 10) exemplify an enthusiastic and supportive attitude toward school and education by becoming acquainted with their child’s school, staff, curriculum and activities and by attending parent/teacher conferences and school functions; 11) assume the ultimate responsibility for addressing and changing unacceptable school behavior for their child under the age of eighteen; keeping the District notified when there is a change of address or contact number.
B. Role of Faculty and Staff
In recognition of their charge to educate all of the children of our community with the acceptance and expectation that each child can learn, it shall be the responsibility of the teachers and staff to: 1) reflect a personal enthusiasm for teaching and learning and a genuine concern for the individual student; 2) guide learning activities so students learn to think and reason, assume responsibility for their actions and respect for the rights of others; 3) participate in the establishment of school rules and regulations regarding student behavior, explain these rules to students and require observance of them; 4) enable students to discuss their problems by listening to students remaining open minded, and considering student recommendations in the decision making process; 5) be fair, firm and consistent in enforcing school rules in classrooms, hallways, restrooms, school buses, on school campus and at all school sponsored activities 6) give positive reinforcement for acceptable behavior; 7) demonstrate, by work and personal example respect for law, order and self-discipline; 8) refer to a counselor or administrator any student whose behavior requires special attention; 9) seek to develop close cooperative relationships with parents/guardians for the educational benefit of the student by keeping open communication with parents/guardians and by sending communications home promptly.
C. Role of Pupil Personnel Staff
1) Assist students in coping with peer pressure and emerging personal, social and emotional problems; 2) initiate teacher/student/counselor conferences and parent/teacher/student/counselor conferences, as necessary, as a way to resolve problems; 3) regularly review with students their educational progress and career plans; 4) provide information to assist students with career planning; 5) encourage students to benefit from the curriculum and extracurricular programs.
D. Role of Building Principals and Supervisory Personnel
As the educational leaders of the school, the principal, in concert with all other building administrators and supervisory personnel shall set the disciplinary climate for the school, not only for students but for staff as well. It shall be their responsibility to: 1) seek to develop a sound and helpful atmosphere of mutual respect within the school; 2) evaluate the program of instruction in their school to achieve a meaningful educational program; 3) help their staff self-evaluate their own procedures and attitudes in relation to the interactions within their classrooms; 4) develop procedures that reduce the likelihood of student misconduct; 5) provide the opportunity for students and staff to approach the principal or other appropriate administrators directly for redress of grievances; 6) work with students and staff to formulate school regulations; 7) assist staff members to resolve any school related problems that may occur; 8) work closely with parents to establish a wholesome relationship between home and school; 9) utilize all appropriate support staff and community agencies to help parents and students identify problems and seek solutions; 10) establish necessary building security; 11) assume responsibility for the distribution of the code of student discipline and ensure that all discipline cases referred are resolved justly and promptly; 12) ensure fairness, reasonableness and consistency; 13) comply with pertinent State laws governing hearings, suspensions and student rights; 14) demonstrate desirable standards of behavior through personal example.
E. Role of the Superintendent and District Administration
As the Chief Executive Officer of the school District and the educational system, it shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent to: 1) take such steps as are necessary to develop, publicize and carry out the rules and regulations for students; 2) work with building principals, supervisory personnel, law enforcement officials and other agencies to make certain that the rules and responsibilities of each are understood and make plans for cooperative working arrangements; 3) consider and act upon recommendations for suspensions in keeping with the Board of Education policy; 4) review with the principals and other supervisory personnel, the policies of the Board of Education and State Laws relating to discipline; 5) listen and react to the views of the total community; 6) inform the Board of Education of educational trends relating to discipline; 7) provide for the development of innovative educational programs that will help to minimize problems of misconduct; 8) making himself/herself available to administrators, teachers and other staff, advise them on serious discipline matters and support them so long as the latter has acted in accordance with the discipline policies of the School District and the laws of the State of New York; 9) be well informed on the programs and the problems of the School District and work with staff in offering leadership.
F. Role of the Board of Education
A primary task of the Board of Education is to establish District policy. It shall be the responsibility of the Board of Education to: 1) adopt and support a clearly defined discipline policy for the School District; 2) provide adequate numbers and kinds of personnel and sufficient building space and appropriate and adequate educational materials so that conditions within the School District are conducive to a positive learning environment; 3) listen and react to the views of the community; 4) ensure that qualified personnel are employed who are understanding, sensitive and genuinely interested in young people; 5) annually review the District’s policy regarding discipline and student conduct.
The Board of Education will review this Code of Conduct every year and update it as necessary. In conducting the review, the Board will consider how effective the code’s provisions have been and whether the code has been applied fairly and consistently.
The Board may appoint an advisory committee to assist in reviewing the code and the District’s response to Code of Conduct violations. The committee will be made up of representatives of student, teacher, administrator, support staff and parent organizations.
Before adopting any revisions to the code, the Board will hold at least one public hearing at that school. Personnel, parents, students and any other interested party may participate. The Code of Conduct and any amendments to it will be filed with the Commissioner no later than 30 days after adoption.