Discipline Guidelines

Grooming and neatness are the primary responsibility of students and their parents. Students are expected to wear clothing in a neat, clean, and well fitting manner at all times while on school property and/or in attendance at school sponsored activities. While students are to use discretion in their dress, Board policy 7:160 - Student Appearance states that a student’s appearance, including dress and hygiene, must not disrupt the educational process or compromise reasonable standards of health and safety. While the student handbook provides a list that is not all-inclusive of items that are not permissible, the administration’s discretion will be used to determine appropriateness of student appearance per Board policy 7:160 - Student Appearance.

Personal use of cellular phones, smartwatches, etc. is prohibited during the school day. More information by grade level (elem vs. middle school) is provided in the student handbook. Cell phones may be used during the school day if the use of the device is provided in the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 plan; permission is received from the student’s teacher or building administrator prior to use in these cases.

Unless the cell phone is confiscated for evidentiary purposes, progressive intervention for electronic device violations will be as follows:

• First offense: A student using a cell phone or electronic device will be asked to surrender the phone/device to a school staff member who will turn it into the main office. Students will be reminded of the D47 cell phone procedure, receive a written warning, and may pick up the phone/device at the end of the day. 
• Second offense: A parent must pick up the student’s cell phone/device from the main office and the student will receive a written warning. 
• Third offense: A student must refrain from bringing the cell phone/device to school OR drop off the cell phone/device in the main office at the beginning of the school day. The phone/device can be picked up in the main office at the end of the day. The student will also receive another written warning. 

Use of the District’s electronic networks and technology must be (1) in support of education and/or research and (2) for a legitimate school business purpose. Use is a privilege, not a right. Students and staff members have no expectation of privacy in any material that is stored, transmitted, or received via the District’s electronic networks or district computers. The District’s Acceptable Use of Electronic Network contains the appropriate uses, ethics, and rules of conduct. Electronic communications and downloaded material, including files deleted from a user’s account but not erased, may be monitored or read by school officials.

Misuse or damage to District-issued devices (e.g. Chromebook or iPad) may result in disciplinary consequences. When a District issued device is damaged, the building principal or the principal’s designee may implement disciplinary consequences, up to and including a recommendation for expulsion, based on the severity of the incident, on a case by case basis. Students must allow District staff to inspect any District issued device upon request. District issued devices are to be used for educational learning activities, and not for any illegal purposes or purposes that violate District policies. Use for purposes other than school-related educational activities may result in disciplinary consequences.

Loss/theft of the District issued device must be reported to the building principal as soon as possible, and not later than 24 hours after the device is lost or stolen.

A school administrator may not require a student to provide a password or other related account information in order to gain access to the student’s account or profile on a social networking website. The school may conduct an investigation or require a student to cooperate in an investigation if there is specific information about activity on the student’s account on a social networking website that violates a school disciplinary rule or policy. In the course of an investigation, the student may be required to share the content that is reported in order to make a factual determination.

School searches are a tool used by the District when deemed necessary in order to maintain order and security in the schools. Under the School Code and Board policy 7.140 - Search and Seizure, the District may inspect and search places and areas such as lockers, desks, parking lots, vehicles and other school property and equipment owned or controlled by the school, as well as personal effects left in those places and areas by students, without notice to or the permission of the student and without a search warrant. Students have no reasonable expectation of privacy in these places or areas or in their personal effects left in those places or areas. Searches of a student’s person or objects in their possession such as a purse, book bag or phone, may occur if there is a reasonable suspicion that the search will produce evidence the particular student has violated or is violating a school policy or law. Any such search shall be reasonable in scope based on the nature of the suspected misconduct and not excessively intrusive in light of the age and sex of the student. When feasible, searches of a student will be conducted by a certified employee or liaison police officer of the same sex as the student, outside the view of others, and in the presence of a school administrator or adult witness. Parents/guardians shall be notified of the search having taken place as soon as possible, and a written report regarding the search shall be provided to the Superintendent or designee.

The District also may request the assistance of law enforcement officials for the purpose of conducting inspections and searches for illegal drugs, weapons, or other illegal or dangerous substances or materials, including searches conducted through the use of specially trained dogs. Evidence found may be seized and used for disciplinary purposes. It also may be turned over to local law enforcement, when it is reasonably believed to have been used in violation of a law.

It is a goal of the Student Code of Conduct to foster good citizenship in students and eliminate the presence of weapons and drugs from school grounds and school related events. Students who are aware of or have knowledge of the presence of weapons or drugs/cannabis at school, at school sponsored activities, on school grounds or property, or on school buses, are encouraged to notify a staff member or administrator as soon as possible and turn in the contraband. If the Administration, after investigation, is satisfied that the item reported or turned in is possessed by the student for the purpose of delivery to a school official (whether or not the item belongs to the student), the student shall not be disciplined under the Student Code of Conduct.

The District uses video surveillance in public places throughout its school buildings and on school buses to assist in maintaining a safe and secure educational environment. Video footage that contains evidence of student misconduct may be used in student disciplinary matters and constitute a student disciplinary record.

Student discipline and discipline investigations should be conducted privately, in safe locations to the greatest extent possible.

In order to address inappropriate behavior in an equitable manner, school administration must comply, at minimum, to the following steps:

1. Support school staff to avert and correct behavior.
2. Intervene to minimize escalation, resolve conflict, and keep the school environment safe and free from disruption.
3. Conduct a comprehensive investigation.
4. Determine if the behavior incident violates the Student Code of Conduct.
5. Make deliberate and reasonable efforts to contact the parent or guardian to discuss the incident, interventions, and possible corrective strategies.
6. Assign interventions and/or corrective strategies according to the Student Code of Conduct.
7. Complete required paperwork.
8. Inform parents of their right to appeal an out-of-school suspension if the parent feels the suspension is unwarranted or excessive in the number of days.
9. Welcome the student back to the school environment.