St. Mary's New Families

Any student who engages in conduct, whether inside or outside of school that is detrimental to the reputation of the school and/or inconsistent with the mission, philosophy, or teachings of the Catholic Church may be subject to disciplinary action including suspension or expulsion.

St. Mary's Discipline Philosophy

By modeling the actions and words of our Lord and Savior, St. Mary's School seeks to be a truly Christ-centered community that values students, faculty, and parents in an environment that promotes:

St. Mary's promotes a safe environment both physically and emotionally. This environment is established by building trust within our faith community. A safe environment promotes a sense of belonging for students, enabling them to perform to the best of their abilities while respecting their peers.

St. Mary's promotes respect. Respect is showing love for God, others, self, and environment through mutual kindness in words and actions.

St. Mary's promotes responsibility. Responsibility means coming to school willing and ready to learn. Students, parents, and faculty share this goal.

St. Mary's promotes a disciplined environment, valuing responsibility, collaboration, problem solving, and individual dignity.

St. Mary’s School encourages students to learn how to solve conflicts between themselves. A formalized conflict resolution program based on “Talk It Out,” (Porro) teaches the students to step out of a conflict and use the following steps:

St. Mary’s school encourages students to live virtuous lives. The Catholic influences at St. Mary’s School are a constant reminder to all involved in our school to reflect upon their own lives in Christ and to continue a process of building a strong relationship with God and his Church.

Students will follow all policies outlines in this handbook during ALL hours while on St. Mary’s property.
While in church, students will keep in mind that they are in God’s house, a place of worship. They will be reverent and respectful at all times.
Students will remain inside the school or designated outdoor area and will not leave without a supervisor’s permission.
Students will take responsibility for their actions and their education.
Students will be courteous and respectful of teachers and other staff members.
Students will immediately obey all directions given by teachers and other staff members.
Students will show respect for themselves, fellow students, teachers, staff, and guests in the building.
Students will immediately report any incidents of bullying to the teacher or principal.
Students will observe good order in all school-sponsored affairs.
Students will observe all rules of safety in the building and on school and parish grounds at all times.
Students will protect and respect school property.
Students will walk quietly on the right hand side of the hallway while in the school building.
Electronic devices including: radios, tape players, electronic games, and/or toys of any kind may NOT be used during the school day and will remain at home or out of sight in the student’s backpack.
Students will not carry cell phones during the school day. If needed for after school activities, the phone will be left in the office before school and will be picked up after school.
Students may only use the office phone for emergencies. After school arrangements and parental permissions should take place before students come to school.
Candy and soda are allowed only during special classroom activities. Candy may be provided in a sack lunch at the discretion of the parent, but must be consumed in the cafeteria. Soda is not permitted for lunch.
Gum is not allowed in the building at any time. Gum should be wrapped in a piece of paper put into the trash container located near the front door.
Students may only distribute birthday or other such invitations at school when everyone in that class is invited. If only select students are invited, invitations must be distributed away from the school setting.

Progressive Discipline

Progressive discipline is a process for dealing with student behavior that does not meet expected behavior standards. The purpose of progressive discipline is to help the student understand that a behavior is unacceptable and to provide an opportunity for improvement. The process features increasingly formal efforts to provide feedback to the student so corrections in behavior may be made. The goal of progressive discipline is to improve student behavior. Progressive discipline is most successful when it assists a student in making behavior choices that conform to the expected behavior standards of the school. In the event that progressive discipline fails, it also enables the school to fairly, and with substantial documentation, provide for removal of the student from a situation in which the student is unwilling or unable to improve.

It is the responsibility of the school staff to work positively, proactively, and in a respectful and dignified manner with students, parents, and all other support personnel to help a student improve behavior and strive to lead a virtuous and moral life. All progressive disciplinary actions shall be directed toward protecting the welfare of the school community as well as helping the student develop age appropriate self-discipline and conduct.

When determining the response for a specific breach of discipline, school personnel will consider the nature of the act, the student’s previous school history, his or her age and maturation, any mitigating circumstances, and the effect of his or her actions on the welfare of St. Mary’s School.

The Administration reserves the right to consider individual student needs and special circumstances that may warrant the intervention of counseling or other services rather than, or in conjunction with, the disciplinary measures described in this handbook.

Withholding of privileges
Detentions inside or outside school hours
Assignment of school/and or community service
Notification of parent(s) or guardian(s)
Removal from classroom
Removal from co-curricular activities
Removal from all school activities
Restitution for damages to school property or property of others
Suspension from school and all school sponsored events for up to 10 school days provided that appropriate procedures are followed
Expulsion from school provided appropriate procedures are followed

Detentions

Any faculty member may assign any student to detention for misconduct. The teacher must notify the parents of the detention by written communication or by telephone within 24 hours of the infraction and will provide enough notice to allow the parent to arrange transportation. Morning detentions will not begin prior to 7:00 am . Afternoon detentions will start at 3:00 p.m. or at the end of the school day. The maximum length of detention time will be 60 minutes per day; however, multiple days may be assigned depending on the infraction.

After 3 detentions in one semester, the principal may assign a 1 day suspension for the 4 th infraction. A 5 th infraction in one semester may result in additional suspension time, a parent conference, and/or a request to withdraw.

Suspension, Request to Withdraw & Expulsion

The disciplinary action of suspensions, requests to withdraw from school and expulsions are serious actions affecting a student’s permanent record.

A SUSPENSION is the temporary removal of a student from all classes and extra curricular activities. The length of a suspension may range from 1 to 10 days at the discretion of the principal. The suspension will be served, at the principal’s direction, either in school, or at home under parental supervision. Class work assigned during a suspension must be completed; however grades over that period of time may be reduced or entered as zeros.

SUSPENSIONS in school or at home, regardless of length of time, are deemed to be serious actions. They are given as a warning that if the undesirable behavior is not corrected it may result in a request to withdraw or an expulsion.

REQUEST TO WITHDRAW is a request made by the principal to the parents of a student, asking that the parents voluntarily withdraw their child from St. Mary’s. It should be understood that only one such request shall be made. If the parents choose not to remove their child, then a suspension will be issued and the parents will be advised that upon the next significant violation of school policy the student will be expelled.

EXPULSION is an immediate, permanent and irrevocable removal of the student from St. Mary’s School. Such an action may result from repeated suspensions or violation of the stipulations set forth in a Request to Withdraw. It may also be brought on by deliberate words or acts that violate the basic principles of our faith and social values. Examples: Sacrilegious words or actions, inflicting injury to another person or major damage to property.

Discipline is the responsibility of all staff members. Staff members are familiar with policies and procedures as well as the special circumstances of individual students.

Volunteers and chaperones who are responsible for supervising a group of students will provide verbal correction to students and will communicate any discipline with the teacher at the first available opportunity.

Under normal circumstances, parents and visitors should refrain from correcting students and should leave discipline to the supervising teacher or staff member.

Any faculty member may initiate a detention. Only the principal may initiate a suspension, request to withdraw or expulsion. In order to make a request for withdrawal or to expel a student, the principal must have prior approval of the Pastor.

Gross Disobedience or Serious Misconduct
Gross Disobedience or Serious Misconduct includes, but is not limited to, any of the following acts or behaviors which occur at school, at any school related or school sponsored activity or which directly hinder the operation of the school:

Repeated minor incidents of misbehavior, which other disciplinary measures have failed to deter;
Excessive unexcused absences;
Vandalizing or otherwise intentionally damaging property of a teacher or administrator on or off-campus or harassing or intimidating a teacher or administrator on or off-campus;
Violating the Code of Computer Ethics or the Internet Authorization Policy;
Causing or attempting to cause damage to, or stealing or attempting to steal school property or another person’s personal property;
Hitting or fighting;
Using violence, force, noise, coercion, threats, intimidation, fear, or other comparable conduct toward anyone or urging other students to engage in such conduct;
Harassment and discrimination based on race, sex, physical or mental disability, national origin, or religion;
Refusal and failure to serve appropriate punishment imposed for any discipline violation;
Cheating, plagiarism;
Bullying, harassment, or teasing of other students, staff, or faculty whether in person or electronically.
Pornography;
Tobacco - Possession, use, delivery, sale (or aiding in possession, use, delivery, sale) of tobacco products;
Drugs and Alcohol - Possession, use, delivery, sale, transmittal (or aiding in the possession, use, delivery, sale, or transmittal) of any substance containing alcohol, or possession, use, delivery, sale, transmittal (or aiding in the possession, use, delivery, sale or transmittal) of look-alikes or substances recognized as drugs in the official United States Pharmacopoeia, official Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States, or official National Formulary (or any supplement to any of them) unless specifically prescribed by a licensed practitioner for medicinal purposes for use by the student in the manner provided, or any substance containing cannabis, marijuana or hashish, including any materials which are represented by the student, or the student believes to be any of the above substances, regardless of their true nature, or the appearance of the substance. (See Drug Policy, page 28);
Being under the influence of (or purporting to be under the influence of) any of the substances as listed above (14) other than those prescribed by a licensed practitioner for medicinal purposes;
Weapons - Being in possession of, selling, using, or threatening to use any weapon or instrument capable of inflicting or intended to inflict bodily harm. See attached Diocesan Policy D-150 found at: http://www.cdop.org/files/cdop_documents/D150.pdf

Weapons are defined as any object, device, or instrument that has been designed, created, adapted or used for the purpose of intimidating, threatening, and/or inflicting physical injury (including but not limited to anything which resembles such items.)

• Look alike, stun guns, toy guns or other toy weapons, and replicas of weapons

• Any knife or blade including switch blades, pocket knives, stilettos, swords, daggers, box cutters, razor blades, etc

• Any club or club like object including billies, bats, blackjacks, and other bludgeons

• Martial arts devices including nunchakus, klackers, kung fu sticks, batons, chains, etc.

• Projectiles including shurikens and similar pointed starlike objects, arrows, darts, etc.

• Explosive devices including fireworks, firecrackers, poppers, cap devices, etc.

Bullying

Bullying is repeated behavior involving a deliberate, conscious intent to hurt, threaten, frighten, or humiliate someone.

Bullying may include: physical intimidation, verbal intimidation, or assault; social isolation or exclusion; extortion or taking belongings; oral or written threats; outrageous teasing, mocking, taunting, putdowns, or name-calling; threatening looks, gestures or actions; cruel rumors, suggestive comments, or false accusations.

St. Mary’s School shall actively seek to provide a supportive, caring environment that is safe from all forms of intimidation including bullying. Bullying will not be tolerated in any form at St. Mary’s School or at school-sponsored programs and activities. In addition, bullying that takes place outside of school may be subject to disciplinary action. This includes “cyber-bullying”.

All members of the school have a responsibility to recognize bullying and to take action when they are aware of it happening.
Discussion of bullying and anti-bullying will take place in each class on a regular basis. St. Mary’s will continue to communicate anti-bullying messages to students throughout the year.
All faculty and staff will treat any report of bullying seriously and take action. Teachers will attend an annual in-service to review the reporting and investigation procedures, prevention strategies, and disciplinary approaches.
Faculty and staff members will listen carefully to student’s reports of bullying and make sufficient inquiries to clarify exactly what has been happening.
Students will be assured that they acted correctly in reporting bullying.
The faculty or staff member who receives a report of bullying behavior shall make a written summary of the information and give it to the principal for appropriate action.

Harassment and Sexual Abuse
Diocesan policies regarding harassment and sexual abuse may be found in the diocesan policy book located in the school office or on-line at:

Loss or Damage
Students that lose, damage, or destroy items that belong to the school or other individuals will be held financially responsible for replacement or repair costs. This does not include routine wear and tear. Similarly, if an individual causes injury to another person, that individual may be held responsible for some portion of medical costs.

Search Policy
There may be random searches of students’ belongings for illegal drugs, alcohol and/or weapons or any other items that are contrary to school rules and policies. The principal and one teacher, other than the student’s classroom teacher, will conduct the search. If an illegal item is found, the parents and the police will be notified immediately.

1. IT IS AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS VIOLATION OF THE POLICIES OF ST. MARY’S SCHOOL FOR A PERSON TO POSSESS OR TRANSACT ANY DEAL INVOLVING AN ILLEGAL DRUG ON PARISH PROPERTY OR AT ANY PARISH-SPONSORED EVENT OR ACTIVITY.

Students found to have violated this policy will be subject to the following consequences:

2. UNSOLICITED CONTACT WITH ILLEGAL DRUGS IS OF SIGNIFICANT CONCERN TO THE PASTOR, PRINCIPAL AND EDUCATION COMMISSION.

Students who are directly contacted by anyone for the purpose to possess, use or deliver an illegal drug at the school or at any school-sponsored event or activity must report this incident immediately to the police, principal, teacher, coach, chaperone, or other adult connected with the school.

Failure to comply with this policy will result in disciplinary action. A maximum penalty of expulsion may be applied.

4. IT SHOULD BE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD THAT IN APPLYING THESE POLICIES TO THE SITUATION OF AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT AND HIS/HER FAMILY, THE PASTOR WILL CONSIDER THE TOTALITY OF THAT STUDENT’S CIRCUMSTANCES IN DECIDING THE APPROPRIATE MEASURE TO TAKE. PRIOR VIOLATIONS OF ANY SCHOOL STANDARDS OR POLICIES TAKEN IN CONSIDERATION WITH ANY VIOLATION OF THESE POLICIES CAN RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EXPULSION.

Discipline Code