Policy JIC
Student Conduct
School Board Approved: October 2, 2023
A. General Policy.
The School Board is committed to promoting a safe, healthy, orderly and supportive school and learning environment. To achieve that for all, it is important for students to conduct themselves in a manner fitting to their age level and maturity, and with respect and consideration other students, District personnel and other members of the community. Students are expected and required to maintain appropriate behavior that allows teachers and staff to perform their professional duties effectively and without disruption while on School District property or on property within the jurisdiction of the School District (including vehicles); and/or while attending or engaged in school activities.
Expectations for student conduct and standards of behavior shall be communicated through written Board policies, as well as District and/or school rules. Those policies and rules should be included in a handbook for each school.
Student conduct that causes material or substantial disruption to the school environment, interferes with the rights of others, presents a threat to the health and safety of students, employees, or visitors, and/or violates the district, or classroom rules is prohibited. Response to violations of the Code of Conduct, however, should be designed to maximize student academic, emotional and social success, while at the same time assuring safety of all students, staff and school visitors. With this objective, the Board endorses adoption of a Multi-Tiered System of Support for Behavioral Health and Wellness (“MTSS-B”) as the framework for the Code of Conduct. District personnel who interact with students are expected to utilize progressive disciplinary measures, and to place emphasis on educating students so they may grow in self-discipline. Suspensions and expulsions shall be administered consistent with the applicable Code of Conduct and Board policy JICD.
B. Student Code of Conduct
The School Board delegates to the Superintendent, in consultation with the appropriate building Principal and counselors, the responsibility of adopting and implementing a Student Code of Conduct with behavioral expectations and such age-appropriate rules and regulations for each school as he/she deems necessary to implement the objectives of this policy, and reflects the the three-tiered support prevention framework of MTSS-B: school-wide approaches, targeted supports for at risk students; and individualized services for highest-needs students.
The Code of Conduct for each school shall be submitted to the School Board for review each year, either separately or with the applicable student handbook. Consistent with the Board's statutory authority, and other Board policies regarding review of administrative rules, regulations and procedures, the School Board retains the authority to modify, supersede, or suspend any provision of the Code of Conduct.
The Code of Conduct shall include:
1. A graduated and age-appropriate system of supports and intervention strategies, such as:
• parent conferences,
• counseling,
• peer mediation,
• instruction in conflict resolution and anger management,
• parent counseling and training,
• community service, and
• rearranging class schedules.
2. Graduated and age-appropriate disciplinary consequences such as:
• restriction from extra-curricular activities,
• temporary (same day) removal from class or activity,
• detention,
• temporary reassignment/in-school suspension,
• out-of-school suspension, and
• expulsion.
3. Provisions describing how and when short term suspensions of up to 5 days, short term suspensions up to 10 days, long term suspensions up to 20 days, and/or expulsion should be imposed. These standards shall make reference to and reflect:
• the nature and degree of disruption caused to the school environment;
• the threat to the health and safety of pupils and school personnel, volunteers or visitors;
• whether the conduct or behavior is isolated or repeated.
All temporary (same day) removal from classrooms or activities, restriction from activities, detentions, suspensions and expulsions shall comport with applicable laws, regulations and Board policy JICD.
4. Information regarding RSA 193:13, 193-D, this policy, Board policy JICD, and other Board policies or District/school rules regulating student conduct on and off-campus. Except where the complete text of a statute, regulation or policy is required, the Code of Conduct should include age appropriate language. E.g., summaries for elementary grade levels.
C. Implementation and Notice.
The Superintendent shall assure that the Code of Conduct, complete with the information set out in section B.4, above, shall be printed in full in each student handbook, made available to parents at the beginning of the school year, publicly available on the school, District and/or SAU district website.
Additionally, building Principal(s) shall assure student awareness of the Code of Conduct and other District policies and building rules through print, postings and periodic announcements.
The Superintendent should also designate personnel to explore the availability of and pursue any State or Federal grants, technical assistance and professional development opportunities available to facilitate implementation of MTSS-B per RSA 135-F:5, I© and (d).
D. Parental Notification of Simple Assaults.
Pursuant to RSA 193-D:4, I (b), the Superintendent is directed to adopt and implement procedures requiring parents/guardians of each student involved in a simple assault (victim and perpetrator) occurring during the school day, when such assault causes: any form of bodily injury, including bruising or discoloration, or would otherwise constitute a disciplinable offense under the Code of Conduct. For purposes of this policy, “simple assault” shall have the same meaning as that provided in RSA 631:2-a (a simple assault occurs when one purposefully or knowingly causes bodily injury or unprivileged physical contact to another; or recklessly causes bodily injury to another or negligently causes bodily injury to another by means of a deadly weapon).
E. Disciplinary Removal of Students with Disabilities.
If a student is disabled under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the New Hampshire RSA 186-C, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or any other law providing special rights to disabled students, those laws shall govern and shall supersede these local policies to the extent these local policies are inconsistent with those laws. Accordingly, any class or activity removal, suspension or expulsion of a child with a disability as defined in Ed 1102.01(t) shall be in accordance with Ed 1124.01.
District Policy History:
First reading: September 18, 2023
Second reading/adopted: October 2, 2023
District revision history: adopted June 6, 2005
Legal References Disclaimer: These references are not intended to be considered part of this policy, nor should they be taken as a comprehensive statement of the legal basis for the Board to enact this policy, nor as a complete recitation of related legal authority. Instead, they are provided as additional resources for those interested in the subject matter of the policy.
Legal References:
RSA 135-F:5, System of Care for Children/Duties of Commissioner of Dept. of Education
RSA 193:13, Suspension and Expulsion of Pupils
RSA 193-D:4, Written Report Required
RSA 631:2-a, Simple Assault
NH Code of Administrative Rules, Section Ed. 306.04(f)(4), Student Discipline
NH Code of Administrative Rules, Section Ed. 306.04(g), Suspension & Expulsion NH Code of Administrative Rules, Section Ed. 306.06, Culture and Climate
NH Code of Administrative Rules, Section Ed. 317.04(b), Disciplinary Procedures