5600A - STUDENT DISCIPLINE

Delaware City School District

Administrative Guidelines

5600A - STUDENT DISCIPLINE

Conduct in School and at School-Sponsored Activities
Guidelines for District and Building Administrators

The administration shall take a collaborative approach in the establishment and maintenance of appropriate discipline in the school and in the enforcement of the Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code in accordance with the following guidelines.

A District committee shall be covered by the director of Pupil Services shall:

prior to the start of a school year before the end of the preceding school year meet with a committee consisting of:

		1.	principals, teachers and counselors
		2.	school support staff members
		3.	parents
		4.	transportation coordinator and drivers

to review the Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code and make any needed changes or additions. The committee should also establish a plan whereby the Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code will be reviewed with all members of the staff, expectations established by it will be clarified as needed, and a common approach for supervising and disciplining students will be agreed upon.

	B.	in concert with the committee or the entire staff, devise and implement a plan whereby students receive a copy of the Student Handbook and confirm that they understand what it says and means.
	C.	To provide for parental understanding and support for appropriate student behavior, the plan should describe the manner in which parents will be made aware of:

		1.	the Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code;
		2.	the school's disciplinary procedures;
		3.	the process for communicating their concerns to the school;
		4.	the actions they can take to provide support for proper student behavior and attitudes.

Each principal should:

	A.	give priority to counseling with any teacher on a disciplinary situation when requested;
	B.	in collaboration with teachers, plan and conduct necessary in-service activities on classroom management, discipline procedures, follow-up, and any other strategies which will help the staff use effective discipline;
	C.	provide for supervision for all school-sponsored activities;
	D.	refer any parent concerns about student conduct and discipline to the appropriate teacher as the first step in resolving the situation;
	E.	post a copy of the Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code which includes information on prohibition from extra-curricular activities and suspension from bus/vehicle riding privileges in a central location in the building.

A copy of the aforementioned plans and proposed in-service activities and all subsequent revisions to each should be sent to the assistant Superintendent for review and approval as they are completed. They should be submitted for approval and modification prior to the start of each school year.

Guidelines for Teachers

Teacher effectiveness and purposeful, well-planned activities are prerequisites to good discipline. Most students will exhibit "good" behavior when they perceive the teacher is competent, consistent, fair, and supportive of school policies.

The following guidelines should contribute to effective discipline:

	A.	Establish fair, workable, consistent, and educationally-productive procedures by which the classroom and other areas of learning will operate, based on an analysis of the program, the maturity level of the students, and their needs, abilities, and interests.
	B.	Plan and conduct learning activities that contribute to accomplishing specified objectives and goals, stimulate and encourage application of thought, and require the active participation of the students. Long and frequent activities of data-gathering through lectures, readings, film, etc. without planned opportunities for students to process and apply the information can lead to boredom and indifference - a seedbed for discipline problems.
	C.	Help set the tone for good discipline by modeling the behaviors expected of students.
	D.	Inform students of the high expectations regarding discipline and persist in their fulfillment.
	E.	Initiate parental contact where appropriate and necessary.
	F.	Support District and building administrators in disciplinary matters.

The Transportation Coordinator should:

	A.	give priority to counseling with any driver on a disciplinary situation when requested;
	B.	in collaboration with the drivers, plan and conduct in-service activities on student management, discipline procedures, follow-up, and any other strategies which will help the drivers use effective discipline on their bus;
	C.	refer any parent concerns about student conduct and discipline to the appropriate driver as the first step in resolving the situation.

Guidelines for Drivers

Most students will exhibit "good" behavior when they perceive the driver is competent, consistent, fair, and supportive of school policies.

The following guidelines should contribute to effective discipline:

	A.	Help set the tone for good discipline by modeling the behaviors expected of students.
	B.	Inform students of the high expectations regarding discipline and persist in their fulfillment.

Conduct as a Participant in a Co-Curricular/Extra-Curricular Activity
Guidelines for Advisors/Coaches

The advisor/coach shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining appropriate discipline for the participants in the activity and for enforcing the Code of Conduct/School Discipline Code and Bus Rules, when appropriate in accordance with the following guidelines:

Each coach/advisor shall:

	A.	Help set the tone for good discipline by modeling the behaviors expected of students.
	B.	Inform students of the high expectations regarding discipline and persist in their fulfillment.
	C.	establish and publish rules for his/her activity;
	D.	inform the student participants, parents/guardians of the rules established for the activity and the consequences should they not follow them;
	E.	initiate parental contact where appropriate and necessary;
	F.	support District and building administrators, the Athletic Director, and/or the Transportation Supervisor in disciplinary matters affecting participants in his/her activity.