Discipline Policy

LIBERTY ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL

DISCIPLINE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

2007-2008

Mr. Andrew Morgan – Principal

Mr. Edward Molloy – Dean of Students

Definition of Discipline

Discipline is the positive direction of behavior toward established standards of conduct, fully understood and based upon reason, judgment, and consideration of rights of others.  Ideal discipline is self-directed and self-controlled.  Schools, community, and parents share the responsibility for helping students develop self-discipline.  When self-control falters and self-discipline fails, disciplinary forces from outside the individual must be imposed to protect the rights of others and to ensure uninterrupted instruction by teachers for students.

In Liberty Academy Charter School of Jersey City, as in the community at large, certain rules and procedures are established to guide students through constructive growth and into mature adulthood.  The rules and procedures are basically the same from kindergarten through grade 8.  Parents, teachers, and others responsible for the welfare and education of these students cooperate to interpret and enforce these rules.

Disciplinary Actions

1)      Detention: Regular after school detention will be held on Tuesdays and Fridays.  It will take place in the cafeteria from 3:30-4:15.  It will be supervised by the Dean of Students or another staff member designated by him. Any student who accumulates 5 detentions, will receive a Saturday detention for each subsequent offense that would require a detention.

2)      Saturday Detention: It will be held whenever needed.  It will take place in the Art Room from 9:00-12:00. Any student who accumulates 3 Saturday detentions, will receive out of school suspensions for each subsequent offense that would require Saturday detention.

3)      In school Suspension: In school suspension will take place during the school day.  Any student assigned an in-school suspension will be assigned to a room for the entire day.  The student will be expected to complete assignments submitted by his/her teacher(s).  The student will be separated from the general population.

4)      Out of School Suspension: The length of an out of school suspension can range from 1 day to 10 day depending on the severity of the offense.  The suspended student will be responsible for all work that is covered during the suspension. Any student who accumulates 3 out of school suspensions, will be placed on indefinite suspension for the next suspend able offense.  The student will also be placed on probation and will have a hearing with the disciplinary committee.

5)      Probation: When a student is placed on probation, the student and their parent/guardian will have to appear at a hearing before the disciplinary committee. The hearing will determine if the student can remain at Liberty Academy and under what circumstances.

6)      Expulsion: Will be determined by the Disciplinary Committee.  The parent/guardian can appeal the decision to the full board (see the section for the appeal process).  The Board of Trustees’ decision will be final. Any student who is expelled, is banned from the school property for the duration of the school yearZero Tolerance Policy

For the offenses listed below the school maintains a zero tolerance policy.  There will be no negotiation of the disciplinary action to be taken.

Out of School Suspension

For the offenses listed below, the school can suspend the student from 1 to 10 days.  The maximum amount of out of school suspensions that a student may receive is three.  On the fourth suspend able offense, the student will be suspended indefinitely and placed on probation.  A hearing with the disciplinary committee will follow. 

The Principal and Dean of Students will take into consideration all of the circumstances involved in a particular incident and will use their discretion when determining the length of a suspension.

• Possessing or using a controlled substance in school or on school grounds.
• Fighting
• Putting hands on another student in anger.
• Threatening bodily harm or property damage or using threatening language or gestures.
• Engaging in theft.
• Engaging in intimidation, coercion, or extortion.
• Behaving in a manner that seriously disrupts instruction.
• Forgery of notes, passes, etc…
• Leaving the school building without permission.
• Continued use of profanity toward and/or continued defiance of school personnel.
• Gambling or being present at the scene of gambling of any kind in the school or on school grounds.
• Throwing an object in the direction of another person, regardless of whether or not the person was hit by the thrown object.
• Being in a restricted area without permission.
• Going to another school, either alone or with a group, and causing a disruption.
• Causing a disruption, being disrespectful and/or fighting, while on a school bus, public bus, or light rail train going to or coming from school, or while waiting for a bus or train.
• Truancy from school.
• Sexual harassment
• Possession of and/or setting off a stink bomb or any other device that disrupts the normal classroom activities.
• Writing something that is obscene or threatening in nature.

Saturday Detention and After School Detention

For the offenses listed below, the school will assign either Saturday detention or after school detention.  The maximum amount of Saturday detentions that a student may receive is three.  On the fourth offense, the student will be out of school suspended.  The maximum amount of after school detentions that a student may receive is five.  On the sixth offense, the student will be assigned a Saturday detention.  Depending on the severity of any of these offenses, the Dean of Students and/or the Principal can bypass the Saturday or After School Detentions and go right to out of school suspension and probation.

• Leaving the classroom without permission.
• Using profanity or making an obscene gesture.
• Possessing obscene material or literature.
• Out of the classroom without a pass.
• Not in school uniform.
• Cheating and/or plagiarism.
• Card playing, dice shooting, or any other activity that takes away from the educational process.
• Use of a beeper, cell phone, walkman, ipod, or any other electronic or telecommunication device during school hours.
• Loitering on school property, including hallways, classrooms, stairways, and in the parking lot and on the street around the school.
• Lying/falsehood
• Refusal to follow directions of teacher or other staff member.
• Arguing with another student or staff member.
• Causing a disturbance in the classroom, hallway, or any other area inside the building.
• In possession of food and/or drink outside the cafeteria.  Chewing gum inside the school building.
• Arriving late to class without a note.

Saturday Detention and After School Detention

Should a parent/guardian disagree with the disciplinary action of the school other than out-of-school suspensions or expulsions, the parent may appeal as follows:

1.      Appeals should be made to the Dean of Students by arranging an appointment or by writing the Dean of Students.

2.      If the parent/guardian is dissatisfied with the result of the appeal to the Dean of Students, the parent/guardian may appeal to the Principal.  Appeals must be filed in writing, within 3 school days of receipt by the parent/guardian of the Dean of Students’ notice of disciplinary action.

Out of School Suspension

Should a parent/guardian disagree with an out of school suspension, the parent/guardian may appeal the decision of the Principal as follows:

1. Appeal requests must be made in writing by the parent/guardian to the Principal.  Such written request must be filed with the Principal within three school days of the notice of suspension, or the right to review and appeal is waived.
2. If the parent/guardian is dissatisfied with the Principal’s decision, he or she may appeal the decision to the Disciplinary Committee by filing a written request of appeal within five school days or the right to further appeal is waived.

 Expulsion

Following a hearing, should the parent/guardian disagree with the Disciplinary Committee’s decision to expel the student, the parent/guardian may appeal the decision to the Board of Trustees as follows:

1. Appeal requests must be made in writing to the Principal.  Such requests must be filed with the Principal within 5 calendar days of the expulsion decision, or the right to appeal is waived.
2. The Board of Trustees will conduct a formal hearing and make a final decision.

 ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES

Students are required to be present and on time every day and every hour that school is in session.  Students who are absent from school due to illness must submit a doctor’s note to the Attendance Office.  The note must state the reason for the absence(s).  Other excused absences include:

1)      Death in the family

2)      Court appearances

3)      School sponsored field trips.  Students with twelve (12) or more absences will not be permitted to participate.

4)      Field trips organized by other organizations and other schools but approved by the Liberty Academy administration.

5)      Guidance/Child Study Team appointments

6)      Testing

7)      High school visitations (on-site and off school grounds – with prior school approval)

Documentation must also be submitted for these absences.

Any student who accumulates more than eighteen (18) unexcused absences from school will fail for the year.

When a student transfers into Liberty Academy Charter School, the student’s prior absences will continue to be a part of the student’s attendance record.  Application of the attendance procedures will be based on this total record.

On the fifth (5) unexcused absence, the student will meet with the Dean of Students and the Guidance Counselor to discuss their attendance record.

On the ninth (9) unexcused absence, a parent conference will be scheduled to discuss the student’s attendance.  The conference will be with the Dean of Students and the Guidance Counselor.

On the eleventh (11) unexcused absence, the student is referred to the Principal who will contact the home concerning the student’s attendance.  Students will also be referred to the Principal when patterns of unexcused absences develop.

On the fifteenth (15) unexcused absence, the student will be referred to the Principal who will process the case in the Jersey City Municipal Court.

Every student is responsible for all schoolwork/homework which he/she has missed because of absences.

Parent/Guardians of children with prolonged illnesses, which prevent them from attending school, should apply for home instruction.

Parent/Guardian must contact the school by 9:00 a.m. when their child is absent.  If no call is received, the attendance office will attempt to contact the parent/guardian to confirm the absence.

Upon returning to school, the student must present a note to the attendance office.   The student must report to the attendance office before they go to their classroom.  Their classroom teacher will not admit the student without proper notification from the attendance office.

Students must be in school by 10:00 a.m. in order to receive credit for the day.

Students who are absent 36 days or more will not be given permission to attend Summer School.

Missing ten (10) days in a row, without proper notification, may result in the student being dropped from the school’s enrollment.

Lateness to School and Class

Any student who arrives after 8:30 a.m. is considered late for school and must report directly to the attendance office.  The attendance office will provide the student with a late pass for class.  If a student is late to school and does not report to the Attendance Office to sign in, he/she will be marked absent for that day.

Four (4) times late to school will equal 1 day absent.

Students late to school must make up the schoolwork that was missed during the class time they were not present for.

Middle School students who arrive more than 20 minutes late to class without a pass from a staff member or administrator will be marked absent.  The student will also serve an after-school detention.

Participation in School Events

Students absent the day of an athletic event, school play, or any other school-sponsored activity will not be permitted to participate in such activity unless prior permission has been granted by the administration.

Tardiness and Participation in School Events

Students tardy on the day of an athletic event, school play, or any other school-sponsored activity will not be permitted to participate in such activity unless prior permission has been granted by the administration.

View Tolerance Policy