Code of Conduct
The Board of Education ("Board") is committed to providing a safe and orderly school environment in which students will develop a life-long love of learning to successfully navigate a rapidly changing global community. All students will receive quality educational services without disruption or interference by district personnel. Responsible behavior by students, teachers, district personnel, parents and other visitors is essential to achieving these goals.
Essential partners are stakeholders who have a collaborative responsibility for school safety and compliance with the Code. They include students, parents, teachers, principals, school level administrators, support personnel, Superintendent and Board of Education.
Outside of published academic hours, students may stay after school for extra help, co-curricular activity, athletic events, or detention only. Students should not arrive early or stay after school unless they are under the direct supervision of a teacher, administrator, or other staff member. Once students arrive at school, they should enter the building. Students should refrain from loitering in the parking lot or other areas in and around the building.
Use of personal technology and cell phones, wireless headphones/earbuds, or any smart devices that possess the ability to send or receive text messages (i.e., smart watches) during instructional times are strictly prohibited with the exception of district issued chromebooks, required calculators, or medical, IEP or 504 requirements. Personal technology includes all existing and emerging technology devices that can take photographs; record or play audio or video; input text; upload and download media; connect to or receive information from the internet; and transmit or receive messages, telephone calls or images. All personal technology and cell phones are to remain in a student’s backpack throughout the school day.
The Greenburgh Central School District Board of Education uses computers as one way of enhancing its mission to teach the skills, knowledge, and behaviors that students and staff will need to be successful. The district’s computers, networks, software, audio/video equipment and supplies, and email provide opportunities to explore and use a varied and exciting set of resources, including computer programs, digital media, and the Internet. The district expects that people who use the school computers, networks, software, audio/video equipment and supplies and email, will do so in a way that is consistent with its educational mission.
The Board of Education will work to ensure that the community is aware of this Code of Conduct by: posting the complete Code on the district’s website; providing copies of a summary of the Code to all students, in an age-appropriate version, written in plain language, at a school assembly held at the beginning of each school year; mailing the code of conduct written in plain language to all parents/legal guardians of district students before the beginning of the school year and making this summary available thereafter upon request; provide all staff members with a copy of the Code and a copy of any amendments to the Code as soon as practicable following initial adoption; providing all new employees with a copy of the current Code of Conduct when they are hired; making complete copies of the Code available for review by students, parents/legal guardians, school staff and other community members; publishing a summary of the Code in the district’s printed calendar; emailing copies of the complete Code and/or summary of the Code as necessary.
International Baccaluarate (IB) Programme: At GCSD, we are guided by the core values of the International Baccalaureate (IB), including inquiry, open-mindedness, balance, communication, and reflection. These values are at the heart of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP), and are essential for nurturing well-rounded individuals who are equipped to make a positive impact on the world.
Positive Behavior Social Emotional Support Programs: The Board is committed to a proactive approach to promote positive behavior and holds high expectations for all students.
Restorative Practices Program: Restorative Practices support the development of a positive classroom culture, build community, and strengthen the connections within the group, as well as between learners and the teacher.
When a student of any age is suspended from school pursuant to Education Law §3214, the district will take immediate steps to provide alternative means of instruction for the student within 48 hours.
Student Rights: The Board is committed to safeguarding the rights given to all students under state and federal law. In addition, to promote a safe, healthy, orderly and civil school environment, all District students have rights as outlined in the Code.
Student Responsibilities: It shall be the responsibility of each student in the District to be a good citizen of the District as outlined in the Code.
The Greenburgh Central School District Board of Education recognizes that regular school attendance is a major component of academic success. (See Board Policy 7110: Comprehensive Student Attendance Policy.)
Once issued, all students are required to have their district issued ID cards on their person at all times while in the high school. Students are expected to present their ID cards to all faculty and staff as requested. All students will be photographed for new ID cards when they return to school in September. Students should continue to use their old ID cards until they receive their new cards. Students should carry with them their most current schedule until then.
All students are expected to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to dress appropriately for school and school functions so as not to interfere with or disrupt the educational process. Students and their parents have the primary responsibility for acceptable student dress and appearance. Teachers and all other District personnel should exemplify and reinforce acceptable student dress and help students develop an understanding of appropriate appearance in the school setting.
The Board of Education recognizes the importance of sports and extra-curricular activities to the overall morale and enrichment of the student body. More important though, is the academic success of all of the students in the District. Rules of eligibility have been established for the benefit of all athletes and extra-curricular activities. If our school is to excel in interscholastic competition, we must first discipline our conduct and behavior as individuals; then as a team; and then as a school.
Students may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including suspension from school when they engage in conduct that is: disorderly; insubordinate; disruptive; violent; endangers the safety, morals, health, or welfare of others; or engage in any form of academic misconduct.
Discipline is most effective when it deals directly with the problem at the time and place it occurs, and in a way that students view as fair and impartial. School personnel who interact with students are expected to use disciplinary action only when necessary and to place emphasis on the students' ability to grow from discipline and develop self-discipline.
Penalties: The continuum of actions that may be imposed for violations of the student disciplinary code includes, but is not limited to the following: verbal warning; written warning; reprimand; detention (Grades 4-6 only); request that an apology be made to another student, teacher or staff member; parent contact; parent conference; loss of privileges; referral to administration, pupil personnel, anger management, etc.; suspension from co-curricular activities, athletic participation or transportation; removal from class; Saturday School; in-school or out-of-school suspension; superintendent’s hearing; alternative educational programs; and referral to law enforcement.
Procedures: The amount of due process a student is entitled to receive before a penalty is imposed depends on the severity of the behavior. In all cases, regardless of the penalty to be imposed, the school personnel authorized to impose the penalty must inform the student of the alleged misconduct and must investigate the facts surrounding the alleged misconduct. All students will have an opportunity to present their version of the facts to the school personnel imposing the disciplinary penalty in connection with the imposition of the penalty.
The intent of the amended Dignity for All Students Act (Dignity Act) is to provide all public-school students with an environment free from harassment, bullying (including cyber bullying) and discrimination, as well as to foster civility in public schools. The Dignity Act focuses on the prevention of discriminatory behaviors, including harassment/bullying, through the promotion of educational measures meant to positively impact school culture and climate.
The Board of Education recognizes that it may be necessary to suspend, remove or otherwise discipline students with disabilities to address disruptive behavior or behavior that violates the Code of Conduct. The Board also recognizes that students with disabilities are entitled by virtue of federal and state law to certain procedural protections whenever school authorities intend to impose discipline upon them. The Board is committed to ensuring that the procedures followed for suspending, removing or otherwise disciplining students with disabilities are consistent with the procedural safeguards required by applicable laws and regulations.
STUDENT SEARCH AND INTERROGATIONS
The Board of Education is committed to ensuring an atmosphere on school property and at school functions that is safe and orderly. To achieve this kind of environment, any school official authorized to impose a disciplinary penalty on a student may question a student about an alleged violation of law or the district code of conduct. Students are not entitled to any sort of “Miranda”-type warning before being questioned by school officials, nor are school officials required to contact a student's parent before questioning the student. However, school officials will tell students why they are being questioned. In addition, the Board authorizes the superintendent, building principals, assistant principal, deans, the school nurse and district security officials to conduct searches of students and their belongings if the authorized school official has reasonable suspicion to believe that the search will result in evidence that the student violated the law or the district Code of Conduct.
The New York State Education Department requires school districts to submit all alleged, violent and disruptive incidents that meet a specific criterion through the School Safety and the Educational Climate (SSEC) system, an incident-based reporting system. The District shall comply with all applicable reporting requirements and notifications.