Student Handbook
Student Conduct & Discipline Procedures
Behavior Expectations
Appropriate student conduct includes:
• Complying with all school and classroom rules regarding behavior and personal conduct.
• Being polite to teachers, staff, administrators, bus drivers, visitors, and other students.
• Using appropriate language.
• Keeping a positive attitude.
• Reporting potentially unsafe situations or conditions to CDC staff.
In order to ensure a safe and secure environment, security cameras are stationed around the CDC campus.
Discipline
The CDC believes in correcting unacceptable student behavior. The discipline process should contain the elements of fairness, firmness, and consistency. As a result, the following procedures will be followed when responding to inappropriate behavior and activities.
In general, any teacher, student, or staff member can refer students who participate in unacceptable behavior to the Dean of Students.
Teachers may refer a problem to the Dean of Students by filling out a Student Referral Form. The student will be informed and parent(s) will receive a telephone call by the teacher when a written referral is made. The Dean of Students maintains records of all written disciplinary referrals.
The CDC may use one or more of the following options as an appropriate response to student behavior:
• Referral to a counselor
• Referral to a SPED Coordinator
• Conference with teacher and student
• Conference with parent and student
• Student issued detention by teacher
• In-school suspension
• Out of school suspension
In addition to actions and/or sanctions taken within the school, incidents may be reported to appropriate legal authorities.
If a student with a disability under the IDEA or Section 504 violates behavior expectations, the Administration shall refer to the Vermont Department of Education Special Education Regulations Section 4312(b) “Long-term Suspension or Expulsion of Students with a Disability or Students who are Disabled According to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1972.”
Planning Room
The purpose of the CDC planning room is to provide and opportunity for a student to change the behavior that has been disruptive to the learning environment. The planning room is concerned with identifying short-term solutions to behavioral problems. We will encourage students to exercise self-control and to develop good decision-making skills. The planning room is a positive way for students to learn to behave appropriately and effectively within the CDC.
When a student is sent to the planning room, the student will go immediately and independently to the main office, then the planning room. The Dean of Students will then meet with the student to discuss:
• The behavior needing to be changed will be identified.
• The student will identify positive consequences of changing the behavior.
• The student will identify negative consequences of continuing the negative behavior.
• The student will develop plans and/or identify strategies for replacing the negative behavior with a
positive behavior.
• The student will remain there until released by planning room personnel.
• The student will return to the class where the problem occurred only after the student’s plan is approved
by the classroom teacher.
Suspension, Expulsion and Due Process Hearing
The CDC Regional Governance Board (RGB) (school board) is empowered to adopt and enforce such a policy under the provisions of T.16 V.S.A. §§ 563 and 1162.
Suspension:
Suspension is a temporary dismissal from school, and should not exceed ten days except with approval of the Regional Governance Board. For any period up to ten (10) days, suspension may be at the discretion of the Director/Assistant Director. It may be used as a consequence for misconduct and/or insubordination, which, in the Director’s or Assistant Director’s judgment, makes the pupil’s presence harmful to the general welfare of the school.
1. Students may be suspended immediately for one day suspension to allow for an investigation to take place that will determine whether further suspension time is warranted.
2. Parents or guardians of the student suspended shall (in all cases where reasonably possible) be notified at the start of the student’s suspension with defined reasons for the action. Notification will be by a telephone call to be followed by a letter from the school.
3. The parents or guardians of the student suspended shall confer personally with the administration prior to the student’s re-entry to the CDC.
4. Certain Board policies (e.g. fighting) prescribe a fixed number of suspension days for specific and/or recurring offenses. In all other cases, the Director may exercise his/her judgment and prescribe suspension from one to ten days, including any suspension that is “pending parent/guardian conference.”
5. During the time of suspension, a pupil’s absence in the Register will be explained as “suspension.” All rights to teacher assistance and cooperation on make-up of class work, assignments, etc, generally available to absent students will be available ‘by right’ to suspended pupils.
Expulsion
Expulsion is deemed a serious step and should never be imposed arbitrarily or automatically, but only after full and serious deliberation by both the Administration and the Regional Governing Board (RGB).
1. Expulsion (permanent dismissal) from the Southwest Vermont Regional Technical School District may be made only upon the recommendation of the Superintendent to the Regional Governing Board and a resultant majority vote for dismissal by such Board action.
2. Students may be expelled for misconduct when the misconduct makes the student harmful to the welfare of the CDC in accordance with 16 V.S.A. §1162.
3. Students who are on suspension and recommended for expulsion are entitled to a hearing before the RGB on the reasons for their expulsion.
Due Process Required for Expulsion
1. The CDC shall notify parents or legal guardians (in all cases where reasonably possible) and the student before an expulsion. A written and specific statement of charges will be mailed to the student and parents.
2. The CDC shall give a full hearing to the student, who shall have the following rights:
(a) The right to examine evidence against himself or herself.
(b) The right to be represented by counsel (although not at public expense).
(c) The right to confront witnesses and examine adverse witnesses.
(d) The right to present evidence on his or her own behalf.
3. Both parties have the right to make a record of the proceedings.
4. Decisions of school authorities shall be based upon substantial evidence and in accordance with policy and law.
