Policy Glen Ridge Board of Education

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5600 PUPIL DISCIPLINE/CODE OF CONDUCT

The Board of Education adopts this Pupil Discipline/Code of Conduct Policy to establish standards and procedures for positive pupil development and behavioral expectations on school grounds, including on a school bus or at school-sponsored functions, and as appropriate, for conduct away from school grounds.

Every pupil enrolled in this district shall observe promulgated rules and regulations and submit to the discipline imposed for infraction of those rules. Regulation 5600 shall include a description of school responses and consequences to violations of the behavioral expectations established by the Board that, at a minimum, are graded according to the severity of the offenses, considering the developmental ages of the pupil offenders and pupils’ histories of inappropriate behaviors pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1(c)5.

The development, annual review, and update of this Policy shall involve parent, pupil, and community involvement which represents, where possible, the composition of the schools and community and shall be based on locally determined and accepted core ethical values.

The Board will review this Policy and Regulation after considering the findings of the annual reports of pupil conduct, including suspensions and expulsions, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1(a)5 and 6, and the incidences reported under the Electronic Violence and Vandalism Reporting System, in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:16-5.3.

The Superintendent shall report annually on the implementation of the Pupil Discipline/Code of Conduct Policy to the Board at a public meeting pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1(a)5. The Superintendent shall submit a report annually to the New Jersey Department of Education on pupil conduct, including all pupil suspensions and expulsions, and the implementation of the Pupil Discipline/Code of Conduct Policy in accordance with the format prescribed by the Commissioner of Education and the Electronic Violence and Vandalism Reporting System, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-5.3(e).

For pupils with disabilities, subject to Individualized Education Programs in accordance with 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq., the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, and accommodation plans under 29 U.S.C. §§ 794 and 705(20), pupil discipline and the code of conduct shall be implemented in accordance with the components of the applicable plans.

The Building Principal or designee shall have the authority to assign discipline to pupils. School authorities also have the right to impose a consequence on a pupil for conduct away from school grounds, including on a school bus or at a school-sponsored function pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6. This authority shall be exercised only when it is reasonably necessary for the pupil’s physical or emotional safety, security, and well-being or for reasons relating to the safety, security, and well-being of other pupils, staff, or school grounds, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:25-2 and 18A:37-2. This authority shall be exercised only when the conduct which is the subject of the proposed consequence materially and substantially interferes with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school. Consequences shall be handled in accordance with Policy and Regulation 5600, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1, and as appropriate, in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7-2, 6A:16-7.3, or 6A:16-7.5.

Any pupil to be disciplined shall be provided the due process procedures for pupils and their families as set forth in N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.2 through 7.6.

When a pupil transfers to a public school district from another public school district, all information in the pupil’s record related to disciplinary actions taken against the pupil by the school district and any information the school district has obtained pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-60, Disclosure of Juvenile Information, Penalties for Disclosure, shall be provided to the receiving public school district, in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:36-19(a), N.J.A.C. 6A:32(e)10.iv., and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.10.

Regulation 5600 shall include a description of pupil responsibilities that include expectations for academic achievement and behavior, a description of behaviors that will result in suspension or expulsion pursuant to N.J.S.A. 37-2, and a description of pupil rights pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1(c)3.i through vii.

Comprehensive behavioral supports that promote positive pupil development and the pupil’s abilities to fulfill the behavioral expectations established by the Board will include: positive reinforcement for good conduct and academic success including the programs as outlined in Policy 5440; supportive interventions and referral services including those services outlined in Policy 2417; remediation of problem behaviors that take into account the nature of the behaviors, the developmental ages of the pupils and the pupil’s histories of problem behaviors and performance; and for pupils with disabilities, the behavior interventions and supports shall be determined and provided pursuant to the requirements of N.J.A.C. 6A:14.

The Building Principal shall maintain a current list of community-based health and social service provider agencies available to support a pupil and the pupil’s family, as appropriate, and a list of legal resources available to serve the community.

Pupil discipline and code of conduct in the district will be applied without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability or by any other distinguishing characteristic, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 10:5.

The Pupil Discipline/Code of Conduct Policy and Regulation shall be disseminated annually to all school staff, pupils, and parent(s) or legal guardian(s). School staff shall be trained annually on the Pupil Discipline/Code of Conduct Policy and Regulation, which shall include training on the prevention, intervention, and remediation of pupil conduct in violation of the district’s Policy and Regulation. Information on this Policy and Regulation shall be incorporated into the orientation program for new employees.

N.J.S.A. 18A:6-1; 18A:36-25.1; 18A:25-2; 18A:36-19a; 18A:37-1 et seq.

N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1 et seq.; 6A:14-1.1 et seq.

Adopted: 25 November 2002

Revised: 21 July 2003

Revised: 11 December 2006