Technology Use Policy

Any misuse of technology in school will result in suspension of privileges and possible disciplinary action.  Misuse shall include, but not be limited to:

1.         Intentional violations of copyright law.

2.         Disrupting the operation of technology through abuse of hardware or software, including the intentional introduction of software viruses.

3.         Malicious use of technology through hate mail, harassment, profanity, vulgar statements, or discriminatory remarks.

4.         Unauthorized use of technology.

5.         No one may use another person’s password to enter, copy, alter, or tamper with computer files and setup.  Any student caught using another student’s password will lose computer privileges.

6.         Students may not bring unauthorized software or disks into the school building without the teacher’s approval and a virus check.

7.         No student may tamper with the setup on school computers or take equipment that has not been assigned to him/her.

8.         Food, drinks, or chewing gum around the school’s computer technology equipment if prohibited.

9.         Anyone witnessing the violation of any of the above provisions is expected to report the violation to the teacher or administrator.

10.     All students must have on file a Technology Use form signed by the student and parent/guardian.

  Notes on Discipline Procedures

Article I - Philosophy

The entire foundation and success of public school education depends on the basic concepts of self-discipline -- a self-discipline which will allow all individuals to exist in a world of change and with the individual rights afforded them by our Federal and State Constitutions.  Certain standards of student conduct are necessary to assure that students seeking to express their own individual rights do not at the same time infringe upon the rights of others.  The responsibility for the development and maintenance of self-discipline falls to the cooperative efforts of students, parents, teachers, administrators and community.

A portion of the responsibility for the development and enforcement of regulations for the protection of the rights of individuals is delegated by the School Board of Education to responsible officials within the School Corporation.  The purpose of discipline controls is to help create an atmosphere that promotes the best possible learning environment for all those involved in the educational process.

An environment that provides equal opportunity for all and permits the teaching-learning process to proceed in an orderly manner is the objective of all school personnel.  School staff members will make every effort individually, collectively, and cooperatively, with appropriate available community resources, to help each student gain acceptable self-discipline standards.

However, in the absence of self-discipline, the superintendent, principal and administrative personnel, or any teacher of the School Corporation is authorized to take certain actions reasonable, desirable or necessary to help any student to further school purposes, or to prevent an interference with the educational process.  School officials are charged with a moral and "parental" duty to inculcate proper values.

Some behavior is much more serious than other behavior and requires different approaches and clearly defined actions.  Reprimand, corporal punishment, probation, referral to special personnel in the schools (counselor, assistant principal, principal), parent conference, suspension, referral to special central office personnel (pupil personnel or psychological) and expulsion are devices available to school personnel in dealing with pupils involved in school discipline problems.  Any or all of the techniques will be used; however, certain acts of misconduct will subject the students to suspension or expulsion from school.

Regardless of an individual's behavior or the discipline imposed, no student should be subject to ridicule or undue embarrassment as a result of the discipline process.  For that reason, communication to other staff, other students or to persons outside of the School Corporation which identifies the student and which is not reasonably necessary to further a legitimate school purpose is discouraged.

Rules of Conduct

Article II - When Applicable

Pursuant to I.C. 20-8.1-5-4, all rules of conduct, shall be applicable when a student is:

     (1)  on school grounds immediately before, during and immediately after school hours and at any other time when the school is being used by a school group;

     (2)  off school grounds at a school activity, function, or event; or

     (3)  traveling to or from school or a school activity, function or event.

Article III - Statutory Rules:

The rules of conduct which are specifically provided by State Statute and which constitute conduct which can result in the suspension and/or expulsion of a student are:

     (1)  Using violence, force, noise coercion, threat, intimidation, fear, passive resistance, or other comparable conduct constituting an interference with school purposes, or urging other students to engage in such conduct.  The following enumeration is illustrative of the type of conduct prohibited by this subdivision:

       (A)  Occupying any school building, school grounds, or part thereof with intent to deprive others of its use.

       (B)  Blocking the entrance or exits of any school building or corridor or room therein with intent to deprive others of lawful access to or from, or use of the building, corridor or room.

       (C)  Setting fire to or substantially damaging any school building or property.

       (D)  Firing, displaying or threatening use of firearms, explosives or other weapons on the school premises for any unlawful purpose.

       (E)  Prevention of or attempting to prevent by physical act the convening or continued functioning of any school or educational function, or of any lawful meeting or assembly on school property..

       (F)  Continuously and intentionally making noise or acting in any manner so as to interfere seriously with the ability of any teacher or  any other school personnel to conduct the educational function under his supervision.

     (2)  Causing or attempting to cause substantial damage to school property, stealing or attempting to steal school property of substantial value, or repeatedly damaging               or stealing school property of small value.

     (3)  Intentionally causing or attempting to cause substantial damage to valuable private property, stealing or attempting to steal valuable private property, or repeatedly damaging or stealing private property.

     (4)  Intentionally causing or attempting to cause physical injury or intentionally behaving in such a way as could reasonable cause physical injury to any person.

     (5)   Threatening or intimidating any student for the purpose of, or with the intent of, obtaining money or anything of value from the student.

     (6)  Knowingly possessing, handling, or transmitting a knife or any other object that can reasonably be considered a weapon.

     (7)  Knowingly possessing, using, transmitting, or being under the influence of any narcotic drug, hallucinogenic drug, alcoholic beverage or intoxicant of any kind.

     (8)  Engaging in the unlawful selling of a controlled substance or engaging in a criminal law violation that constitutes a danger to other students or constitutes an interference with school purposed or an educational function.

     (9)  Failing in a substantial number of instances to comply with directions of teachers or other school personnel during any period of time when the student is properly under their supervision, where the failure constitutes an interference with school purposes or an educational function.

    (10)  Engaging in an activity forbidden by the laws of Indiana that constitutes an interference with school purposes or an educational function.

    (11)  Violating or repeatedly violating any rules that are reasonably necessary in carrying out school purposes or an educational function and are validly adopted under sections 2 and 3 of I.C. 20-8.1-5.

    (12)  In addition to the grounds for expulsion or suspension as set forth above, a student may be expelled or suspended for engaging in unlawful activity on or off school               grounds            if the unlawful activity may reasonably be considered to be an interference with school purposes or an educational function.

Article IV - Board Rules:

Further, pursuant to Sections 2 and 3 of I.C. 20-8.1-5, the Board of School Trustees hereby prohibits the following conduct when that conduct interferes with a legitimate school purpose or impedes an educational function, and directs that such conduct can result in the suspension or expulsion of a student.  Such conduct includes the following:

     (1)  Possession or use of any tobacco or tobacco product by a student.

     (2)  Whether by alarm, telephone, written communication or any other form of communication, falsely reporting a fire, bomb threat, or any other form of disaster.

     (3)  Willfully absent or truant from school without the knowledge or consent of the parent or school, or absence from school when there is an attempt to evade the School Attendance Law.

     (4)  Violation of students driving and riding policy as established by the School Board of Education.

     (5)  Engaging in any activity on a school bus that endangers the safety and well being of others.

     (6)  Using obscene, profane, indecent or other inappropriate modes of expression.

     (7)  Cheating on any test, quiz, homework assignment, or plagiarism on any project or research paper; or any other instance of dishonesty as the same would apply to the student's academic pursuits; or assisting another to cheat or plagiarize.

     (8)  Displaying affection for another person in an inappropriate manner.

     (9)  Violation of a student dress code that has been duly adopted by the principal of a school and published to the student body.

   (10)  Repeated instances of being tardy to school or to any class, or the failure to report to any class or any other place as schedules or as directed by a teacher, aide or administrator.

   (11)  Repeated instances of belligerence and/or disrespectful behavior directed at an employee of this corporation, including contract bus drivers serving this corporation.

    (12)  Repeated instances of failure to minimally take part in the education process.  By way of example, and not by way of limitation:  (a) sleeping in class, (b) failure to complete assignments or (c) failure to do homework.

    (13)  Any act of communication which causes another person to engage in a fight, or which could reasonably cause another person to engage in a fight.

    (14)  Knowingly or intentionally touching another person in a rude, insolent or angry manner.

Article V - Corporation Drug/Alcohol Policy:

Further, pursuant to appropriate sections of the laws of the State of Indiana, the Board of School Trustees hereby prohibits the following conduct and directs that a violation of any of the following can result in suspension or expulsion of the student involved.

1.         The possession, delivery and/or sale, or being under the influence of any substance listed in #4 below.

2.         The recent or detectable consumption or use of any substance listed in #4 below.

3.         The possession, delivery, or sale of any object listed in #7 below

4.         For purposes of #1 and #2 of Section V of this policy, the following substances are prohibited:

a.         Any caffeine based pill, or other substance containing phenylpropanolamine (PPA) or

stimulants of any kind be they available with or without a prescription.

b.        Alcohol.

c.         Marijuana.

d.        Any intoxicant.

e.         Any narcotic drug.

f.          Any depressant.

g.        Any hallucinogen.

h.        Any other controlled substance as defined by state statute.

i.          Any other substance which would be dangerous to the life or health of a person if ingested.

j.          Any substance which is represented by another person to be or to contain any substance enumerated in a through h of #4 of this article.

5.         Prescription medicines.  If a student needs to take prescription medicine during school hours, the

following procedure must be followed:

a.         On the first day that the medication is to be taken, the student shall report to the school nurse

with the prescription medicine in its original container, along with a note from the student’s

parent giving permission for the nurse to administer to the student that medication per the dosage instructions in the container.

b.        The student shall, while in school, only take the medication in the presence of the school nurse or the school principal or designee, if the nurse is not available.  No student shall keep any prescription medicine on his/her person or in his/her locker unless with express written approval of the principal while at school.  Otherwise, all medication shall remain with the school nurse.

6.         Non-prescription Medicines.  If a student needs to take a non-prescription medicine while at school,

he/she shall follow the procedures as set forth in #5 above, except that the permission slip from the parent shall also instruct the school nurse as to dosage.  No student shall keep any non-prescription medication on his person or in his/her locker while at school.  All medication shall remain with the school nurse.

7.         For purposes of #3 of Section V of this policy, the following objects are prohibited:

Any object used or designed to be used primarily for the storage, processing, delivery, or consumption of alcohol, marijuana, a stimulant, an intoxicant, a narcotic drug, a depressant, a hallucinogen, or any other controlled substance.

8.         Any student found to have violated the provisions of this article by delivering or selling a substance to

another person shall be expelled from school for a period of one (1) year, unless extreme extenuating circumstances are found.  Any student engaged in the delivery, sale, or possession of a prohibited substance shall be reported to law enforcement officials.  A student expelled for this infraction will be notified of the trespass laws of the State of Indiana and informed that they will be prosecuted in the event they enter school grounds before, during, or after school hours for the full period of the expulsion.  “School ground” is defined as property belonging to the School Corporation.  if extreme extenuating circumstances are shown, then the student may request the drug abuse class set forth below.

Any student who is found to have violated this article by being in possession of or under the influence, or having recently consumed a prohibited substance shall be expelled for a period of one (1) year, unless extenuating circumstances are presented.  The student may request to enroll in a special drug abuse course of study or student assistance program, as an alternative to expulsion.  This course may be offered on Saturdays for a period of time not to exceed six (6) weeks.   This course will be provided as an alternative to expulsion only in the event the student is a first offender with regard to a drug and/or alcohol offense.  In order to qualify for the drug abuse course of study, the student must also exhibit a sincere desire for help, and must be recommended by his counselor, dean, or principal for that course of study.

Article VI - Handicapped Students:

Any handicapped child enrolled in a special education program or class may be denied the right to attend school or to take part in any school function through suspension, expulsion, or exclusion procedures as outlined in Indiana Code and this policy.  Although the procedure described under Indiana Law does provide due process, expulsion of a handicapped student is also governed by federal regulations implementing P.L. 101-476 and by Article 7 of the Commission on General Education.  Because of the nature of such expulsions, a case conference committee must be convened to make the change in placement.  At the case conference the relationship between the misconduct and the handicap shall be determined.  After making such a determination, appropriate procedures for expulsion of a handicapped student will be followed.

Article VII - Grounds for Exclusion:

     (1)  If he has a dangerous communicable disease which poses a substantial threat to the health or safety of the school community.

     (2)  Where his immediate removal is necessary to restore order to protect persons or School Corporation property.  This includes conduct off school property where on account thereof the student's presence in school would constitute an interference with school purposes.

     (3)  Where he is mentally or physically unfit for school purposes.

Source: Indiana Code 20-8.1-5.1-1 through 26

Co-curricular policy

As per board policy 5114.2, any student who participates in co-curricular activities including: athletics, music, performances, student council, class officers, clubs, etc. shall not be involved in any criminal offense. Should evidence surface that implicates a student, the student shall be suspended from all co-curricular activities immediately, pending a hearing with the principal or designee. The student shall, after confirmation of the first violation, lose eligibility for one-third (1/3) of the contest season (or one-third of the school year in cases of clubs and organizations). The second violation will result in the lose of eligibility to participate in co-curricular activities for one calendar year from the date of the confirmation. After confirmation of a third violation, the student will lose eligibility to participate in co-curricular activities for the remainder of the student’s school career.

Discipline Procedures that may be used

It is the policy of the MSD of Martinsville Board of Education to provide the MSD of Martinsville with graduated, relevant learning experiences that will enable students to develop to their full potential.  It is necessary to establish a total environment for this learning to occur.  Self-discipline is a major aspect of a total environment.

Self-discipline is best defined as the control exhibited in an individual's behavior, both action/reaction and physical/verbal, so that the civil rights and dignity of others is protected.  Situations in which the behavior of any student disrupts, in some way, the learning environment for others, then discipline procedures will be initiated by classroom teachers and/or administrative personnel.

These discipline procedures will be employed throughout the Corporation by school personnel in order to maintain the educational environment as set forth in the philosophy of this Corporation.  Because behaviors are complex chains of events, there will be no specific criteria for the use of discipline procedures other than the preceding description of self-discipline.  However, the discipline procedures shall be administered fairly, with respect for the dignity of all persons involved, and without anger, malice or prejudice.

Prior to the exercise of discipline procedures, due consideration shall be given to individual and unique differences, exceptional circumstances, and sanctions imposed by others; and said discipline shall be remedial in content and shall be progressive if repeated behavior problems have occurred.   Prior to any decision involving removal from school, parental involvement in the decision making process shall be solicited.

Some behavior is much more serious than other behavior and requires different approaches and clearly defined actions.  The discipline procedures which shall be utilized to improve discipline problems include but are not limited to:

Changing seating assignments, confiscation of disruptive or banned items, contracts, corporal punishment, denial of privileges, detention or meaningful extra study assignments, exclusion (health reason, and general danger or threat to well-being), expulsion, in-school suspension, other appropriate, reasonable, and legal measures, parent conference, payment of damages or compensatory restitution, probation, referral to special personnel (both within and outside the normal school environment), removal from class (remainder of term W/F), required apology, restitution, short term class suspension (teacher initiated), standing (as opposed to being seated), student-teacher conference, verbal reprimand, and work detail to repair damage.

Other external controls may be applied only after parental participation in the decision making conferences.