Disciplinary Consequence Review/Appeal Process

The parent/guardian or student (if 18 years of age or older) may initiate a request for review of any disciplinary action. During the review process, the student continues to serve the disciplinary consequence unless and until it is overturned at one of the following steps. The steps in the review process are prescribed in the following manner:

1. The Assistant Principal (for Categories I & II only)
2. The Principal or designee
3. The Superintendent or designee (Category III violations and discipline)
4. The Board of Education (Category III violations and discipline)

A written request for a review of the disciplinary action must be submitted for each step within two (2) days of the administrator’s decision at each level. All request(s) for review must state the reason for the review and the adjustments in discipline being requested. Reasons for review might include:

• Due process not followed
• Discipline contradicts procedures/policies
• Additional evidence surfaced
• Evidence/issues/mitigating factors not considered

Students and parents/guardians will have the opportunity to speak to the matters noted above to the administrator during the appeal.

Only Category III code violations may be appealed beyond the Principal’s level to the Superintendent’s level and to the Board of Education.  An appeal to the Board of Education must be submitted in writing to the Superintendent’s Office within five (5) calendar days of the Superintendent or his/her designee decision.
The Board of Education will determine whether or not to hear the appeal. The Board of Education may refer a matter to an independent hearing officer; the Board may limit the jurisdiction of the hearing officer to the determination of whether a) due process has been afforded and/or b) policies and procedures were followed. The decision of the Board will be communicated in writing to all parties concerned by the Board Secretary.
Category III violations may be appealed beyond the Superintendent’s level to the Board of Education. If the Board of Education determines the matter should be assigned to an independent hearing officer, the Board may limit the jurisdiction of the hearing officer to the determination as to whether a) due process has been afforded and/or b) policies and procedures were followed.

Interventions and Consequences
Detentions
Detentions are viewed as extensions to a student’s school day or week. In certain instances, a student may be assigned a before, during, or after school detention for behavioral or attendance issues. Before school detentions are served from 7:30 – 8:00 a.m. After school detentions are served from 3:30 to 4:00 p.m. Detentions issued during the school day will be served during the student’s resource or lunch periods. Failure to report to assigned detention will result in additional consequences. Students may also be assigned Saturday detentions for behavioral or attendance reasons. All Saturday detentions begin at 8:00 a.m. on the assigned morning and may extend as late as 12:00 p.m. depending on the seriousness of the infraction. The Deans' Office will designate the location of the assigned detention.
All students’ assigned detentions are encouraged to work on academic coursework during the time they are assigned the detention.

Alternative to In-School Suspension
Students who are placed in an alternative to in-school suspension setting will serve during times when they are not scheduled to be in an academic class. Students may serve before and after school, during free periods, lunch and on Saturday. The Deans' Office will work with the student and their family to create an alternative schedule to serve the amount of time for the disciplinary consequence. A determination will be made regarding the student’s use of electronic devices during the Alternative to In-Suspension. Failure to meet academic and/or behavioral expectations in the Alternative to In-School suspension setting may result in further disciplinary consequences.

In-School Suspension
Students who are placed in an in-school suspension will be in the school building from the beginning of the day until the end of the day unless otherwise directed by a Dean or the Principal’s designee. On the day of an in-school suspension, the student is expected to meet in the Deans' office at the beginning of the day with all materials required for classes. At this time a review of the day will occur and a determination will be made regarding electronic devices. Assignments are to be sent by teachers and must be completed. No academic penalty is associated with work completed during in-school suspension. Absences from classes that result from serving in-school suspension are considered "school-related" absences. In incidences of gross misconduct,  the  Deans may restrict participation in extracurricular events or school-related activities. Failure to meet academic and/or behavioral expectations in in-school suspension may result in further disciplinary consequences. At times, a re-engagement conference will be held at the end of the in-school suspension to review the student’s academic/behavior progress and discuss behavioral expectations moving forward from the suspension. The Building Principal or designee shall ensure that the student is properly supervised.

Out-of-School Suspensions
Out-of-school suspension from school and all school activities are in accordance with Board Policy 7-200, Suspension Procedures.
The Superintendent or designee shall implement out-of-school suspension procedures that provide, at a minimum, for each of the following:

• A conference during which the incident will be explained and the student will be given an opportunity to respond to the incident before he or she may be suspended. 
• A pre-suspension conference is not required, and the student can be immediately suspended when the student’s presence poses a continuing danger to persons or property or an ongoing threat of disruption to the educational process. In such cases, the notice and conference shall follow as soon as practicable. 
• An attempted phone call to the student’s parent(s)/ guardian(s).
• A written notice of suspension to the parent(s)/ guardian(s) and the student, which shall: 
  • Provide notice to the parent(s)/ guardian(s) of their child’s right to review of the suspension; 
  • Include information about an opportunity to make up work missed during the suspension for equivalent academic credit 
  • Include information about an opportunity to make up work missed during the suspension for equivalent academic credit;
  • Detail the specific act of gross disobedience or misconduct resulting in the decision to suspend;
  • Provide rationale or an explanation of how the chosen number of suspension days will address the threat or disruption posed by the student or their act of gross disobedience or misconduct; and
  • Depending upon the length of the out-of-school suspension, include the following applicable information:

For a suspension of 3 school days or less, an explanation that the student’s continuing presence in school would either pose:
∼ A threat to school safety, or
∼ A disruption to other students’ learning opportunities
∼ For a suspension of 4 or more school days, an explanation:
a) That other appropriate and available behavioral and disciplinary interventions have been exhausted,
b) As to whether school officials attempted other interventions or determined that no other interventions were available for the student, and
c) That the student’s continuing presence in school would either:
                      ∼ Pose a threat to the safety of other students, staff, or members of the school community, or
                      ∼ Substantially disrupt, impede, or interfere with the operation of the school.
                d. For a suspension of 5 or more school days, the information listed in section 4.e.ii., above, along with documentation by the Superintendent or designee determining what, if any, appropriate and available support services will be provided to the student during the length of their suspension.

A summary of the notice, including the reason for the suspension and the suspension length, must be given to the Board by the Superintendent or designee.

Upon request of the parents or guardians, a review of the suspension shall be conducted by the Board or a hearing officer appointed by the Board. At the review, the student’s parents or guardians may appear and discuss the suspension with the Board or its hearing officer and may be represented by counsel. Whenever there is evidence that mental illness may be the cause for the suspension, the Superintendent or designee must invite a representative from the Department of Human Services to consult  with the Board. After presentation of the evidence or receipt of the hearing officer’s report, the Board shall take such action as it finds appropriate. If the suspension is upheld, the Board’s written suspension decision shall specifically detail all information included in the written suspension decision shall specifically detail items (a) and (e) in number 4 above.

Students begin to serve assigned suspensions immediately. Students who are suspended are suspended from class and from extra-curricular activities until or unless the suspension is overturned.

Students serving out-of-school suspensions may not appear on school grounds for any reason until their suspension is completed, unless prior arrangements are made through the Deans'' office. Students serving out-of-school suspensions may not attend athletic practices or competitions, or participate in activities until their suspensions are completed and a re-entry conference occurs. Failure to meet expectations for an out-of- school suspension may result in further disciplinary consequences.

Students are expected to obtain assignments for their classes so they do not fall behind in their school work. Upon returning to school, teachers will establish deadlines for all work owed by the student. If work is not completed by the deadline, all tests and assignments may receive a failing grade.
Suspension and suspension review procedures are discussed in further detail in the Administrative Procedures implementing Board Policy 7-200. Students receiving special education services are subject to different suspension procedures which can also be found in the Administrative Procedures implementing Board Policy 7-230. These procedures can be found on the District website or at the Principal’s or Deans' office.