2009-2010 Student Behavior
PART IV: Student Behavior
A. EJECTION FROM CLASS: Any student ejected from class MUST go directly to the School Office and inform the secretary of the problem. The student must speak with an administrator and have an admission slip to return to class.
B. DETENTIONS: There are two types of detentions at Notre Dame Prep:
1. Teacher Detentions: Teachers assign their own “after school” detentions to students for misbehavior or for missing class assignments. Students must present themselves to the teacher as requested. Normally, 24 hours notice will be given to the students.
Any student who skips a teacher’s detention will also incur an office detention. Individual teacher detentions take priority over office detentions.
2. Office Detentions: Only administrators can assign office detentions. These detentions will be held before school from 6:50 until 7:20 a.m. or on Saturday morning – the amount of time depending on the type and severity of the student offense. Detentions are to be served on the date assigned. Sufficient notice is given to students to serve the detention. In emergency situations only, students should see one of the Assistant Principals for Discipline, prior to the scheduled detention, to reschedule their detention. Normally for Saturday detentions, students will be assigned a cleaning task inside or outside school or on the school grounds unless otherwise specified. During week day detentions, students will be in proper Notre Dame Prep dress code. Any student who skips an office detention will, in the first instance, be subject to double the detention time and, in a second instance, to suspension. A fifth detention will result in a three hour Saturday detention. At seven detentions, a student may be suspended.
C. SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION:
Suspension: Suspension is a grave penalty. Should suspension be necessary, parents will be notified and the student will be sent home for an initial period of up to five school days. The student will not be allowed to attend school until a conference is held between an administrator, the student, and a parent. The administration reserves the right to require a drug test of suspended students at parent expense. A reinstated student will be on disciplinary probation for a period of one calendar year. Violation of probation (e.g. another suspendible offense during probation) warrants immediate dismissal from Notre Dame Prep.
Any school time lost during suspension is considered charged unless the student is exonerated. School work missed during suspension cannot be made up.
Since suspension is a temporary exclusion from the school community, a suspended student may not be involved in any school-related activity either as a spectator or as a participant. During the suspension, a student may not be on the school grounds for any reason without proper administrative authorization.
Expulsion: This final and drastic action will be considered only on the basis of gross ethical violation (e.g., theft, tampering with school records, drug trafficking, gross insubordination, felonious actions on or off campus, immoral sexual indiscretion, etc.) or repeated disruptive behaviors. Should this situation arise, the parents will be notified and the student will be sent home immediately. As soon as practical, an administrator will meet with the parents and the student. BECAUSE NOTRE DAME PREPARATORY IS A PRIVATE SCHOOL – THE PRESIDENT’S DECISION IS FINAL.
The following actions will result in suspension and may result in expulsion:
1. Acting insubordinately toward administrators, faculty, staff, or visitors.
2. Performing any action that could be dangerous or injurious to any student, faculty, staff member, or visitor (i.e. fighting).
3. Stealing (being found in possession of other people’s property), damaging, defacing, destroying school, student, faculty, staff, or visitor property.
4. Tampering with someone else’s lock, locker, car, or property.
5. Extortion or intimidation of fellow students (e.g., so-called initiations or hazing).
Hazing means any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization or team, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or another person. Such conduct includes whipping; beating; branding; forced calisthenics; forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug, or other substance; or any brutal treatment or forced physical activity that is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of any student or other person, or that subjects such student or other person to extreme mental stress, including deprivation of sleep or rest or extended isolation.
6. False accusations or attempting to destroy another’s reputation.
7. Plagiarism, theft, buying or selling a student’s assignment, classwork, homework, or test.
8. Misuse of the internet, on or off campus, that involves Notre Dame Prep classes, staff, or students.
9. Turning in a false alarm or bomb threat or being an accomplice.The guilty party will be turned over to appropriate civil authorities for resolution of financial and legal obligations resulting from such false alarms.
10. Performing any actions on or off campus that brings the good name and reputation of the school, its students, parents, or staff into question, suspicion or ridicule.
11. Bringing, possessing, or storing any type of weapon or ammunition on campus (including cars).
The following is taken from the Archdiocesan Weapons Policy:
“Students are prohibited from bringing weapons to or having weapons in school. Any student who carries, possesses, conceals, transfers to another to hold or to hide, etc., any weapon, on school premises or possesses a weapon in the vicinity of school, shall be immediately excluded from classes pending investigation. Any student suspected of carrying, possessing, concealing, or transferring a weapon on school premises shall be immediately excluded from classes pending investigation.
“A weapon is any object which can be used to threaten or injure another. It includes, without limitation: guns, knives, chains, karate sticks, sharpened instruments, ammunition, etc. School premises include the school building and adjacent grounds, e.g., parking lots and playgrounds and student lockers.
“Investigation may include an inspection and search of students and their book bags, lunch pails, lockers, etc. Investigation also may include questioning by principal, assistant principal, a teacher, other person acting in his place and/or the police.
“Any student found to be in violation of the above rule or who fails to cooperate in an investigation shall be excluded permanently from the school.
“If investigation discloses that a student has not violated the above rule, the student will be readmitted to classes after a meeting among the principal, the vice principal, the student, his parents or guardian.”
12. TOBACCO, ALCOHOL, DRUGS: Bringing, possessing, or using intoxicants or illicit drugs or being under the influence of such in the vicinity of Notre Dame or at school sponsored events.
Chemical use, abuse and dependency are of a progressive nature. Notre Dame Prep is seriously concerned about them on and off campus. Each case will be handled individually.
When a family or student initiates contact to seek help for alcohol or other drug use the school will treat the matter confidentially and will support efforts at treatment and recovery.
When a student uses, possesses, or is under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, or unauthorized medicine on school property or at school events, the student will be suspended. Re-admission to school may involve: evaluation, treatment program, and/or future random testing.
Suspicion of illegal substance use may require testing at a school-approved facility.
When a student is involved in selling, distributing or intending to sell or distribute alcohol, illegal drugs, or unauthorized medicine on or off school property, police involvement and expulsion from school will result.
When rumors or suspicion of parties involving alcohol or other drugs come to our attention, efforts will be made to contact parents or the local police department.
13. HARASSMENT-FREE ENVIRONMENT: The school intends to provide a teaching and learning environment that is pleasant, healthful, comfortable, and free from intimidation, hostility or other offenses which might interfere with school performance. Harassment, bullying of any sort – verbal, physical, visual – will not be tolerated.
Responsibility: All members of the Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy community, students, teachers, administrators and employees, have a responsibility to keep our learning environment free of harassment. Anyone who becomes aware of an incident of harassment, whether by witnessing the incident or being told of it, must report it to a teacher, supervisor or any administrator with whom they feel comfortable. When an administrator or teacher becomes aware that harassment might exist, they are to take prompt and appropriate action, whether or not the victim wants the school to do so.
Reporting: Any incidents of harassment must be immediately reported to a teacher or an administrator. Appropriate investigation and disciplinary action will be taken. All reports will be promptly investigated with due regard for the privacy of everyone involved. Any student or teacher found to have harassed a fellow student, co-worker or subordinate will be subject to severe disciplinary action or possible expulsion or discharge. NDPMA will also take any additional action necessary to appropriately remedy the situation. No adverse action will be taken for any student or employee making a good faith report of alleged harassment.
Harassment may take many forms and may involve students, staff, or visitors. The following actions may result in suspension or expulsion: words, signs, jokes, pranks, intimidation, gestures, physical contact, or violence. Harassment is not necessarily sexual in nature and may involve a person’s race, ethnic background, religion, disabilities, or other protected classifications.
Sexual Harassment refers to sexually inappropriate behavior that is not welcome, that is personally offensive to some, and fails to respect the rights of others. Harassment can be either in conduct or communication. Accordingly, sexually inappropriate behavior means inappropriate touching, gestures, and language of a sexual nature directed at faculty, staff or other students. Sexual harassment also includes conduct or communication that has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with another student’s education or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive educational environment.
Examples of Sexual Harassment:
– sexual innuendoes – foul and obscene language, jokes or gestures
– jokes of a sexual nature – unwanted and unnecessary physical contact
– sexual propositions – unwelcome comments about appearance
– sexually suggestive pictures, cartoons or notes
D. ACADEMIC AND DISCIPLINARY PROBATION: A student who consistently receives poor grades or is found to have repeated disciplinary problems may be put on academic or disciplinary probation or both – the length of the probationary period to be determined by the administration of Notre Dame Prep. The academic and/or disciplinary record of such a student will be reviewed at the end of each probationary period.
E. CLASS TIME IS FOR CLASS...NOT FOR WANDERING THE CORRIDORS: During the school day, once the tone has sounded for the beginning of class, no students are to be in the halls or at their lockers unless they have been issued a teacher’s pass.
F. IDENTIFICATION AND LIBRARY CARD: Student ID cards are the property of Notre Dame Preparatory and are issued to enrolled students. In addition they allow students to attend some school-sponsored functions without charge or at reduced prices.
Students must carry ID cards at all times. Lost cards must be reported immediately to the
school office. Replacement ID’s cost $10.00.
G. LOCKER POLICY
Lockers are assigned at the beginning of the school year. Changes must be authorized by the administration. Only school locks are permitted. THE SCHOOL ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOST OR STOLEN ITEMS. Students are urged NOT to place valuable items in lockers. Lockers are the property of the school; they should be neat and clean at all times. [The outside or inside of lockers should not be defaced with stickers, scratching, denting, writing, or inappropriate material.] THE ADMINISTRATION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO INSPECT THE LOCKERS AND BACKPACKS OF STUDENTS AT ANYTIME.
Broken lockers or lost locks should be reported to the SCHOOL OFFICE immediately.
Replacement of lost locks will cost $10.00.
H. ADDITIONAL STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
1. School Name, Crest, Logo: Any individual or group using the name, crest or logo of Notre Dame Preparatory and
2. Computer Use and Misuse: The goal of NDPMA’s computer system is to promote modern educational excellence within a moral framework. The
3. Study Hall Regulations: Students who are assigned to a study hall are expected to know and observe study hall rules. Students are expected to come to the study hall prepared with pencil or pen, paper, textbooks - ready to study for the entire period. Library passes will be issued only to students who establish the need for library research.
4. Assemblies, Liturgies and Rallies: Assemblies, Liturgies, and Rallies are considered a part of the school day and attendance is mandatory for all students. Students will take seats as they are directed to do and behave in a manner appropriate for the occasion.
5. Telephone and Telephone Messages: School office phones may be used by students with office staff permission. A student who is ill must use the office phone to verify parental permission to leave the building. Parents may call the office with important messages to be delivered to students. STUDENTS MAY NOT MAKE OR RECEIVE CELL PHONE CALLS OR MESSAGES BETWEEN 7:25 A.M. and 2:55 P.M.
6. Electronic Equipment:
• Cell phones cannot be used to make or receive phone calls between 7:25 A.M. and 2:55 P.M. Cell phones must be turned off and left in lockers between 7:25 a.m. and 2:55 p.m.
• Ipods, walkmen, and games should not be brought to school. In any event such equipment must be turned off and left in the locker between 7:25 A.M. and 2:55 P.M.
• Laptops in the classroom are to be used responsibly and with permission of the teacher.
• Cameras and phone cameras are not to be used during the day without permission.
• Internet: The referencing of NDP or posting of pictures of the NDP logo, campus, or NDP students on the internet (My Space, Facebook, etc.) is subject to disciplinary action.
The Administration reserves the right to confiscate and search any electronic equipment brought to school. Detentions will be given for these items used or visible during the school day.
First Offense: Equipment is taken away and will be returned within forty-eight hours , a letter is sent to parents and two detentions will be assigned.
Second Offense: Equipment is taken away for a week and four detentions are assigned.
Third Offense: Parent must retrieve equipment, Saturday detention will be assigned.
The school is not responsible for the loss or damage of personal electronic equipment brought to school.
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8. Lost and Found: It is the moral obligation of all students to turn in items found on school property. Students found in possession of others’ property will be considered involved in theft! Found items are to be turned in IMMEDIATELY, and lost items are to be claimed at the school office. Unclaimed items will be donated.
9. Security Cameras: Security cameras in various public locations on campus may record anyone on the grounds. However, the school accepts no responsibility for consequences of any activity. Tampering with security equipment in the building may lead to suspension.
10. Visitors: For security reasons, do not bring or invite unauthorized persons to campus during the school day. All visitors must report to the school office upon entering the building.
11. Announcements and Posted Signs: All announcements for the entire school community must be approved. Announcement highlights will be made at the beginning of the third hour. Students are to listen to announcements in silence. Any sign posted must have the approval of the administration.
12. Medication: Ideally all medication should be given at home. Any student who is required to take medication (prescribed or over-the-counter) during school hours should comply with school regulations:
• Written orders from a physician should detail the name of the drug, dosage, time intervals, and the diagnosis.
• Written permission must be provided by the parent or guardian requesting that the school comply with the physician’s order.
• Medication must be brought to the office in a container appropriately labeled by the pharmacy or physician.
• An Administrative Assistant and another adult will administer medication.
• In accordance with Public Act 10, the school will allow students to possess and use metered dose asthma inhalers provided a written and signed release from the physician and parents is received by the principal. The principal will notify the student’s classroom teachers.
13. Fund Raising: Individual groups, teams, and clubs need permission to do external fund raising. Fund raising events within school are scheduled with the Principal.
14. Cafeteria: Hot lunches, as well as vending machines, are available during the student lunch period. Students are expected to clean up the cafeteria after use. Cans and bottles should be recycled by using appropriate bins.
15. Athletic Facilities: Students may use the gym for intramurals during lunch with supervision. Food, drink, and street shoes are not allowed in the gym at any time. Sport teams may use the gym and other athletic facilities after school with the supervision of a coach.
16. Bookstore: School supplies, Notre Dame Prep clothing items, novelty, and personal items are available in the bookstore located off the cafetorium. The bookstore is open before school and during lunch periods.
17. Communicable Diseases: Communicable diseases should be immediately reported to the office. The Oakland County Health Division monitors occurrence of communicable diseases in schools by a weekly report completed by the office. A reference chart for actions to be taken, and/or possible exclusion for certain diseases, is used by the administration.
Children enrolling in a
Emergency and health information must be completed by a parent and sent to the office. It is important for the school to be able to reach a parent or guardian during the school day. The school must know about the health concerns of children in case medication or emergency care is needed.
18. Emergency/Severe Weather Notification: In case of inclement weather parents should
listen to WJR, WWJ, Channel 2, 4, or 7 for school closing information. The closing will be
listed as