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LaPlace Elementary School

Discipline Plan

Overview

 

The discipline rubric and code of conduct has been constructed for all stakeholders to work together to review and understand LaPlace Elementary school goals for responsibility and behavior. The principal, counselor, teachers, students, and parents share the responsibility for administering LES’s Behavior Management and Discipline Plan. Nothing in this discipline plan is intended to or shall be applied to conflict or contradict the St. John the Baptist "Discipline Rules and Procedures." In order for every student to have the opportunity to reach his or her highest potential, each student at LaPlace Elementary School shall:

 

• Respect themselves and the rights of others.

• Attend school faithfully, complete his or her assignments on time, and work to his or her highest potential.

• Behave in a manner that does not disrupt classroom learning or the operation of the school.

• Obey requests by any adult in the school.

• Refrain from aggressive or threatening behavior towards fellow students, teachers, and additional staff.

• Refrain from the possession or use of any weapons, illegal drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.

 

One of the goals of education is self-discipline. Parents, teachers, and administrators work with you to establish guidelines for acceptable behavior. You are required to know what is expected of you and the responsibility you share with your parents to maintain a positive education. When inappropriate behavior disrupts the learning and school environment, the teachers and administrators at LaPlace Elementary will take appropriate action according to the discipline rubric, parents, community, and military authorities.

 

 

LaPLace Elementary Discipline Goals

  • To reduce the number of discipline referrals by 10%
  • To help students develop self-respect and the need for self-discipline, and
  • To guide students toward positive choices which leads to improved behavior

PBIS Expectations:

• Stay Safe

• Obey those in authority

• Act responsibly

• Respect ourselves, others, and our environment

 

Discipline Actions

Some students make choices which require the use of the discipline rubric. When the rubric is used, consequences such as detention, suspension, or expulsion may result.

 

Detention

Before and After School, Recess, and Saturday

 

Detention requires a student to report to and remain at the place designated by a teacher, team, or administrator. Students will be under supervision at all times during detention. Teachers, teams, and administrators may assign detention during lunch, before school, after school, or on Saturdays to students who disrupt or misbehave in class and/or fail to do assigned classroom work. The letter will state the date of the detention and the reason. The administrator and/or the detention supervisor can make the detention a working detention or a classroom detention where the missed homework and assignments are completed. If a student is assigned more than one detention on the same day, at the same time, one of them must be served the next available date. It is the student's responsibility to coordinate this with the teachers/administrators. Students who are absent or tardy to detention or otherwise disruptive may be subject to further disciplinary action.

 

Suspension

Suspensions require involvement of school administration, sponsor, and command officials, as necessary, and are imposed in accordance with the SJBP Student Code of Conduct. Students and parents will be notified of the reason for the student's suspension. Within one school day of the assigned suspension, teachers will have prepared assignments and placed them in the administration office for pick-up by parents. Assignments will be graded as though the student was in class. Tests, quizzes, and exams given during the suspension must be made up within five days of the student's return from suspension. While on suspension, students may not participate in any school activity. While serving an out of school suspension, students cannot be on campus for any activities. This includes any weekend activity such as sports events, dances, etc. Students under suspension are not permitted to go to another school where activities with LES are being conducted unless given written approval from the principal. Your parents will be provided written notification of your suspension and the reason(s). Also, a conference with your parents may take place before and/or after the suspension.

 

Expulsion

Expulsions require involvement of school administration, sponsor, and command officials, as necessary, and are imposed in accordance with the SJBP Student Code of Conduct.

Specific Prohibited Behaviors

The school expects you to know and follow laws and rules that you apply at home and in the community. The handbook does not include all expected and prohibited behaviors, but rather focuses on school-specific standards.

 

School Wide Expectations

As required by the Louisiana Department of Education, all schools in St. John the Baptist Parish are implementing the Positive Behavior Support Program (PBS) with our students, faculty, and staff.  Our emphasis will be stating behavioral expectations in positive terms for our students.  We have adopted the acronym SOAR, which stands for:

                       

 

Stay Safe.

                        Obey those in authority.

                        Act Responsibly

                        Respect Ourselves, Others, and Our Environment

 

LaPlace Elementary School Expectations

  1.  Believe in yourself.                                      7.  Be a good listener.
  2. Be honest.                                                      8.  Be kind.
  3. Mind your manners.                                     9.  Be friends with everyone.
  4. Be on time.                                                   10.  Walk to your destination.
  5. Raise your hand.                                        11.  Keep the school grounds clean.
  6. Do your best always.                                 12.  Show respect to others.

 

Classroom Expectations

Each teacher/team will establish classroom rules and enforcement procedures. Students have a responsibility to be appropriate active participants in the learning process.

 

Hallway or Common Area Expectations

Students are to conduct themselves in an orderly manner when passing between classes. Students will go directly to classes.

  • Walk in a straight line on the right side of the hallways and sidewalks.
  • Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself.
  • Follow teacher’s directions.
  • All hallways are voice level 1 (Whisper)

 

Restroom Expectations

  • Do not waste time others are waiting. 
  • Wash your hands with soap.
  • Throw paper towels in the trash can.
  • Flush!
  • Bathroom are Voice level 1, not play areas.

 

Cafeteria Expectations

  • Walk into the cafeteria in an orderly manner, remain in line, and move through quickly.
  • Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself.
  • Keep your area clean for others to use after you.
  • Put all trash in trash cans.
  • Follow directions to put up trays.
  • Talk at a restaurant level while eating.

 

Playground Expectations

  • Share and use equipment appropriately.
  • Take turns and follow games rules.
  • Stay in your designated area. 
  • Speak kindly to everyone.
  • Place trash in trash cans.
  • No touching others!
  • Tackle football is NOT permitted. 
  •  

Bus Area Expectation

  • Walk directly to your bus.
  • Do not stop and talk on the way out. 
  • Be seated immediately on your bus and remain seated until your stop.
  • Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself. 
  • Obey the bus driver!

 

HORSEPLAY IS NOT ALLOWED AT ANY TIME !!

 

Public Displays of Affection

Students are not allowed to have any bodily contact at all!!

(No touching, kissing, hugging or holding hands with anyone)

 

Bullying, Teasing and Gang-like Behaviors

Louisiana Law (La. R.S. 17:416.13) defines bullying as a pattern of any one or more of the following:

  • Gestures including but not limited to obscene gestures and making faces.
  • Written, electronic, or verbal communications including but not limited to calling names, threatening harm, taunting, malicious teasing, or spreading untrue rumors.
  • Physical Acts including but not limited to hitting, kicking, pushing, tripping, choking, damaging personal property, or unauthorized use of personal property.
  • Repeatedly and purposefully shunning or excluding from activities.

Dress related to gangs or actions related to gang-like behavior is not acceptable.

 

Physically Dangerous Behavior

Running, wrestling, throwing objects, pushing, shoving, inappropriate touching, and horseplay on school grounds are not acceptable behaviors. Punching and/or pinching another student as a part of their birthday "celebration" is inappropriate. Another example would be St. Patrick's Day where students are not wearing green. There are other similar situations. Students physically intimidating classmates in this manner will be disciplined.

 

Harassment/Sexual Harassment

Any form of harassment is considered inappropriate and offensive and will not be tolerated.  Harassment on the basis of sex is defined as any unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.  If a student feels uncomfortable with the actions of another student, he or she should first tell the other that the actions are not appropriate. If the behavior continues, the student must report the harassment to an adult employee at the school.

 

Food, Drink and Gum Expectations

You may carry drink containers and wrapped or sealed food in the hallways when you are transporting it to the cafeteria for lunch.  All lunch brought from home must be in a lunch kit or lunch bag.  As a general rule, food, drinks (with the exception of a clear water bottle) and gum are not allowed in classrooms.  No gum is allowed. 

 

Dress Code

The way you dress reflects the kind of person you are. Cleanliness, good grooming and appropriate attire is extremely important. Extremes in dress and personal appearance that tend to cause distraction or pose health problems are not acceptable. Individual teachers/sponsors may set additional, higher standards than those listed below for reasons of safety and presenting a positive image on field trips or on/off campus activities such as school exchange programs.

 

• You may not wear hats, hoods, headgear, armbands, leg bands, bandanas, heavy coats, chains, and/or sunglasses inside the school, any of its classrooms, the offices, or the gymnasium. You may wear hats at athletic events and other designated activities.

• Students will wear footwear at all times.

• If you wear long pants, both pant legs will either hang or remain straight so that the legs are even with each other. One pant leg may not be drawn up.

• Halter-tops, tank tops, and spaghetti straps are not considered appropriate dress for school. Your attire must cover the entire midriff without being revealing while performing normal activities such as bending, stretching and sitting.

• Shorts and skirts must be loose fitting and no shorter than mid-thigh.

• You should fasten clothing in such a way that your skin or undergarments do not show. Undergarment-like clothing is prohibited. Clothing items should not be too tight and "sagging" is not appropriate. You must secure pants at or above the waist.

• The administration is the final authority on what is too tight, too short, and what is sagging. Students with sagging pants will be required to tuck in shirts.

• You may not wear garments or jewelry, or carry accessories, with profane or provocative pictures or messages advertising tobacco or alcoholic beverages, drug use, racial discrimination, promoting violence, or depicting sexual innuendo.

• Hair pulls, hair bands, or hair ties that are used to keep hair in place are acceptable for either sex. Bandanas used as hair bands are not acceptable.

• Pajamas should not be worn at school unless it is at a prescribed time such as

Spirit Week or Red Ribbon Week.

 

Clothing that detracts from the learning environment is not necessarily limited to the above examples. You share responsibility with your parents to follow the dress code. If you violate the rules you will be sent to the office and parents will be contacted. Your parents will then be required to either escort you home to change clothes or to bring appropriate clothing to the student. You will not be permitted to leave campus on your own. Students may not return to class until appropriately dressed. If you continue to violate the dress code, you may be subject to discipline.

Possessing Inappropriate Items at School

You should not bring to school any items that interfere with learning or endangers the health and safety of other students. The following are examples of inappropriate items:

• Water guns

• Digital players

• Hand-held computer games

• Laser pointers

• Dice for gambling

• Sports equipment

• Wheeled objects

 

Please note: This is a partial list and may include other items.

Teachers and administrators can determine other items as inappropriate on campus, and they will confiscate them and keep them until a parent comes to pick them up, if the item is otherwise acceptable in the community. Such items not claimed by the sponsor by the close of the school year will be donated to charity or destroyed. Items which are contraband under law or installation policy will not be returned. If a school authorized activity requires specific items that would otherwise be inappropriate, you will receive instructions from your team or teacher on their authorized and limited usage. If you are in doubt about whether an item is appropriate, ask before you bring it. If you are too embarrassed to ask if the item is appropriate at school, it is more than likely inappropriate. If a teacher has any reason to believe that a container of liquid contains alcohol, that container may be confiscated.

 

Improper Computer Use

You may use LES laptop and/or computers in accordance with your Student Computer Use Contract. The "Computer Technology Acceptable Use Agreement" signed by you and your sponsor must be on file at LAPLACE ELEMENTARY before you may use a school computer. Unauthorized access to a computer, unauthorized copying to or from a computer, entry into non-authorized website (such as chat or game sites), and any actions that may interfere with an authorized users access are each serious offenses that will call for the student's actions to be evaluated by the school administration.  All students will sign the user agreement which acknowledges that LAPLACE ELEMENTARY retains the right to monitor any student communications or information exchanges made with school computers to any other computer. Transmitting or receiving unauthorized content will warrant disciplinary evaluation.

Weapons

The most serious inappropriate items at LAPLACE ELEMENTARY are weapons and drugs. The following list provides examples of prohibited weapons although it is not an inclusive list:

 

• Guns, machine-guns, shotguns, pistols, rifles, and air-soft guns

• Any device that acts to destroy property or injure

• Knives

• Club-type weapons, e.g. blackjacks, brass knuckles, nun chucks

• Gas pistols and shooting pens

• Straight razor, razor blades or weapons made from razor blades

• Ice picks, daggers, bolo knives, machetes, swords, spears, bows and crossbows of any size, or any similar instruments, including piercings

• Clubs, or any object that may be used as a club, e.g. pieces of wood, pipe, stones or bricks

• Authentic-appearing replica of a firearm, e.g. a toy or BB gun

• Blank cartridge pistols

• Objects that might be readily used to inflict bodily harm, e.g. bicycle chains, cans with sharp points, broken bottles or glasses, knives with retractable blades

• Locking blade knives regardless of length

• Items that are not normally considered dangerous but could be reasonably misconstrued to be a weapon.

 

Teachers, administrators or appropriate base support staff will seize the items immediately. For additional information, SJBP Student Code of Conduct Handbook.

Drugs

Do not possess illegal drugs. If you must take authorized prescription medicine, your parent or sponsor must bring the medications that are prescribed to be taken during the school day directly to the nurse’s office. Parents will also need to sign a medication permission form. Copies are available in the nurse's office.

 

Tobacco Products

Cigarettes, cigars, snuff, smokeless tobacco or any other type of tobacco product or similar product are prohibited from school or school activities.

Prohibited Student Behavior

Any specific misbehavior not included in the below list of Prohibited Behaviors will be categorized by the administrator as the incidents occur.

 

Prohibited Behavior Definitions

 

Classroom and Bus Behavior

Level

 

 

Dress code violation and school bags

1

 

 

Affection, Excessive public display (more than holding hands).

1

Disrespectful, disobedient or defiant to school personnel such as not following directions from any teacher or staff member, in a classroom or in common areas, immediately and not interacting with adults in a mature, respectful manner.

2

Disruptive behavior, in classroom or common areas including disrespectful comments to fellow students. Also includes improper use of cell phones, iPods, and other electronic devices including internet social media networks.

At the second offense, the item will be held in the office for parent pick up. At the third offense, the item will be confiscated until the end of the year.

2

Falsely signing or altering a document to make it false

2

Slander or Spreading rumors about another student or school personnel in any way including verbal or electronic means that is designed to hurt their feelings or reputation

2

Truancy, Skipping school or class, failure to appear for teacher-assigned detention, for administrative detention, Saturday School, missing (cutting) classes. An unexcused tardy to a class of more than 5 minutes to any but the first class will be considered truancy.  Teachers must check role every class period.

2

Unsafe behavior, including but not limited to, tripping, shoving, or horseplay.

2

 

 

Extortion or using threats or fear to force another student to give up money, school work, possessions, or inappropriate actions.

3

Profanity/vulgarity in public conversation or in class

3

Theft/possession of stolen items.

3

Tobacco products or related paraphernalia

3

Threat of physical violence to staff or fellow student.

3

Vandalism or deliberate destruction or school or personal property.

This includes malicious or destructive actions on school computers, to include locking files, ''hacking" or attempting to "hack" school or student files. Students and parents will be held financially responsible for damages incurred due to vandalism

3

 

 

Bullying (including cyber bullying) another, or a group (i.e.., engaging physical intimidation, taunting, hazing, name calling, insulting, cursing, gesturing, or verbally abusing any person; including, but not limited to: comments, abuse, or harassment based on that person's race, religion, gender, creed, national origin, personal or physical attributes, disability, intellectual

ability, and matters pertaining to sexuality, or characteristics of another person or the associates of another person).

4

Alcohol, possession or use.

4

Assault or intentional physical act to inflict injury or damage to another person.

 

Bomb threats

4

Drug possession, use, or sale

4

Sexual harassment, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

4

Fighting and exchanging of blows with the intent to injure. Both

offenders will be punished: however, if it is determined that one student

started the fight, and the other tried to avoid the confrontation, lesser

penalties may be applied to the defender

4

Possession of Weapons as defined in SJBP Student Code of Conduct

4

 

Teachers are required to contact parents and hold conferences about student behavior.  These conferences must be documented.  Teachers also are required to implement strategies to assist students in correcting their behaviors.

 

BEHAVIOR RUBRICS

Administrators have the authority to apply the following Behavior Rubrics for inappropriate behaviors. The rubrics are guidance only and are not binding on Administrators. Each disciplinary case must be judged on the specific facts of the individual case to determine the fair and appropriate penalty.

 

“LEVEL 1” CATEGORY RUBRIC

These behaviors are initially handled by individual teachers or teams, and warrant referrals after repeated incidents or if initial incidents are severe.

 

• Disruptive behavior, in classroom areas

• Disrespectful comments

• Improper use of electronic devices

• Dress code violation

• Littering on campus

 

“LEVEL 1” CATEGORY CONSEQUENCE GUIDELINES

1ST REFERRAL

Administrative student conference (with discipline folder from teachers)

 

2nd REFERRAL

Parent notified with recess detention and counselor intervention

 

3rd REFERRAL

Detention- In School, After or before school, and Saturday

 

4th REFERRAL

In School Suspension or Out of School Suspension (depending on severity)

 

Upon the fourth suspension permission from Child Welfare Upon the fourth suspension permission from Child Welfare and/or Superintendent)

 

“LEVEL 2” CATEGORY RUBRIC

These behaviors are handled by teachers, teams, and administration.

 

• Affection, excessive public display

• Cheating

• Disrespectful or disobedient to school personnel

• False signature

• Slander

• Truancy, skipping class or teacher/administration detention, failure to appear

• Unsafe behavior

 

“LEVEL 2” CATEGORY CONSEQUENCE GUIDELINES

1ST REFERRAL

Administrative student conference (with discipline folder from teachers)

 

2nd REFERRAL

Parent notified with recess detention and counselor intervention

 

3rd REFERRAL

Detention- In School, After or before school, and Saturday

 

4th REFERRAL

In School Suspension or Out of School Suspension (depending on severity)

 

Upon the fourth suspension permission from Child Welfare Upon the fourth suspension permission from Child Welfare and/or Superintendent)

 

“LEVEL 3” CATEGORY RUBRIC

These behaviors are considered severe and warrant immediate referral.

 

• Extortion

• Theft/possession of stolen items

• Threat of physical violence

• Tobacco products or related paraphernalia

• Vandalism

• Computer Abuse

 

“LEVEL 3” CATEGORY CONSEQUENCE GUIDELINES

 

1ST REFERRAL

Administrative student conference with detention

2nd REFERRAL

Parent Notified with detention (before and after school or Saturday) and counselor intervention

3RD REFERRAL

In School detention

4th REFERRAL

In School Suspension or Out of School Suspension and FINS Referral

 

 

“LEVEL 4” CATEGORY RUBRIC

These behaviors are considered severe and warrant suspension or expulsion.

 

• Alcohol, possession or use

• Assault

• Bomb threats

• Drug possession/sale

• All weapons

 

“LEVEL 4” CATEGORY CONSEQUENCE GUIDELINES

1ST REFERRAL

Out of school suspension or In school suspension with the approval of Child Welfare and/or the Superintendent. Federal Guideline may exclude Special Education students. This action may result in an expulsion.

 

Suspension

Types of Suspensions

1. In School Suspension: is an alternative setting that removes students from the classroom for a period of time, while still allowing students to attend school and complete their work. Generally, a student assigned to in-school suspension spends the entire day in the designated ISS location, completing work submitted in advance by the student's teachers, while being monitored by school staff.

 

2. Out-of-school Suspension: The student is sent home in the care of his/her parents.