Student Code of Conduct 2013-2014

1. Pages 1-6, LA Department For your own copy, please go to: http://www.lake.k12.fl.us/cms/lib05/FL01000799/Centricity/Domain/44/2013-2014%20Code%20of%20Conduct%206-26-2013.pdf Student Code of Conduct 2013-2014

2. You have the right to • A free and appropriate education – without prejudice towards race, gender, national origin, disability, or religion • A safe & orderly environment to learn in • Be informed of the rules of each class, the school& Lake County’s Code of Conduct • Be treated with dignity, respect, & fairness • Know who to go to for help, when needed (guidance/family resource) • Privacy of information – not released w/out parent permission • Free bus transportation, as allowed by the law (over 2 miles) • Be notified of failing grades or possible failing grades Student Rights

3. What are 4 rights you have as a student of Lake County Schools? Discuss with your table partners and then create a written list of 4 at your table, based on the last slide – choose one person to be the writer for the group (all names go on the top of the paper). Quick Check

4. Each student in Lake County School District must: • Respect peers, staff, teachers, administration, buildings & busses • Obey rules and norms • Be honest and trustworthy (lying, cheating or stealing is wrong) • Not bully others – physically, mentally or verbally (both oral and written) • Not take drugs of any kind (alcohol or other), unless prescribed • Show strength & courage to do what is right Daily Conduct Code

5. Your parents/guardians agree to • Review the Code of Conduct online, if they want to read it • Be honest – get out of zone waiver, if you don’t really live in our zone • Get you to school each day, unless it is absolutely necessary that you aren’t here – there is too much to learn to catch up later!! (plus, they need to write a note or get a dr. note for absences) • Help you with your classwork & be sure you have what you need to do it • Expect you to dress appropriately and use personal hygiene products to help you stay clean and healthy • Let the school know of any issues at home that may affect school life • Expect you to follow rules and not do inappropriate actions that would cause problems for you – including bringing items on campus that shouldn’t be here • Discuss grades/report cards with you • Keep the school up-to-date with contact information & any medical needs • Bring any issues to the attention of the appropriate school contact Family Responsibilities

6. You must • Follow the guidelines of classes, the school & district • Attend school daily: be prepared & on time • Use guidance services, if you need them, for personal or educational help • Treat everyone & their property with respect • Report any threats, illegal activities, dangerous or hazardous issues to an adult on campus immediately • Refrain from bringing contraband items to school or on the bus • Abide by all bus safety rules and procedures (bus information addressed in Math classes) • Refrain from using profanity OR inflammatory statements toward others or even just to yourself out loud on campus • Present yourself with respect: neat and clean appearance & respectful attitude • Take responsibility for your learning – don’t cheat or plagiarize; share grades with parents so that they can help Student Responsibilities(fyi – Speak-Out Hotline #1-800-423-8477 – anonymous reporting)

7. What are 6 responsibilities that you or your family have as a family/student of Lake County Schools? Discuss with your table partners and then create a written list of 6 at your table, based on the last 3 slides – choose a DIFFERENT person to be the writer for the group (use the same paper previously started). Quick Check

8. Access to students/student records – if your parent/guardian hasn’t given written permission, we can’t allow you to leave with someone or release your information to them Civility Policy – School Board employees and parents/guardians must conduct themselves respectfully in their communications Crisis Protocol – drills for tornados, lockdowns, and fires will take place periodically; in the event of an emergency, student safety is top priority; parents/guardians should NOT call the school in an emergency, follow the local media as to updates – this will keep lines open for emergency communication; DO NOT call cell phones of students, in case cell tower is needed for emergency communication; DO NOT go to the school in the event of a lockdown – roads will be closed, buildings locked, campus off-limits to anyone other than authorized personnel Directory Information – if families do NOT want their contact information in the County directory, which is rarely made public (but COULD BE without prior notification), please write a letter to the principal stating such within 30 days of this notification from the Code of Conduct Public Notice Information

9. Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act • Parent/guardian has the right to read over their students’ school records, as long as they provide a written request to the school district – access will be given within 30 days of the request received at the District office; if copies are desired, you may have to pay for them • If subpoenaed, students’ records will be turned over in a lawful and timely manner • parent/guardian can request that misleading/inaccurate information be taken off their child’s records – request from the District office specifically what needs to come off, then it will be investigated before deciding by the District whether information is valid or not – parent/guardian will be notified • Educational records will be sent, upon request, to schools in other districts, if child is enrolling there • Social Security numbers are asked for, but not mandatory, for specific areas of education life – parents/guardians have the right not to give it out • Parents/guardians can file a grievance, if they feel it is needed, to: Family Policy Compliance Office US Department of Education 600 Independence Avenue SW Washington D.C. 20202-4605 Public Notice Information, cont.

10. Public Safety Information Act 1997 – please contact your school principal for sex offender/sexual predator information Student Grievance Procedures – harassment or discrimination should be reported immediately to an adult in charge and a complaint shall be filed – this will NOT affect the student’s status, extracurricular activities, grades, etc. – HOWEVER, reporting a false claim is illegal and will be subject to disciplinary action Students should not be on campus more than ½ hour before or more than ½ hour after school activities – the proper authorities MAY be called to take charge of the student who is on campus before/after supervision time Public Notice Information, cont.

11. Lake County School Board recommends, but cannot mandate, that student accident insurance be purchased for a minimal cost to families; this insurance can be used in conjunction with other insurance already used or as a stand-alone insurance during the school year https://schoolinsuranceofflorida.com/ Student Insurance

12. If you choose to play a sport, remember there is a risk of injury. You could end up with broken bones or even paralyzed – playing a sport is a voluntary decision by the family and the school board will not be held responsible for any injuries. The terms of the Code of Conduct serve as a release and assumption of risk. Notification of Risk

13. Who can Lake County Schools give your information out to without your parent/guardian’s permission? What is the website for School Insurance? How long before/after an event can you be on campus? Discuss with your table partners and then write your answers – choose a THIRD person to be the writer for the group (use the same paper previously started). Quick Check

14. Lake County School Board adheres to the following: Americans with Disabilities Act Title II: prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability Child Find – the district has an obligation to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities Civil Rights Act of 1964 TITLE VII – prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 – secures for all individuals within the state, freedom from discrimination because of sex, national origin, age, disability, or marital status Florida Educational Equity Act – prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, disability or marital status, sex, or national origin against students or employees in any educational program or activity, or in any employment conditions or practices McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of Title VII-B – (as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001) designed to address the problems that homeless children and youth have faced in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 – prohibits discrimination against the disabled. Title IX of Education Amendments of 1972 – states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance” – The School Board of Lake County, Florida, affirmed in regular session on October 14, 1975, that it is in compliance with the requirements of Title IX and does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the educational program or activities which it operates. Equal Opportunities for all

15. Some funds for the district or schools come from the U.S. Department of Education and are required to comply with certain information collection of data via student surveys. Parents/guardians are generally notified of upcoming surveys that may ask for specific information about the student or the students’ family. • Note: Lake County School District will not force you to participate in a survey, if the parent/guardian objects to participation Protection of Pupil Rights Amendments

16. Academic Eligibility • Students must meet the required GPA (grade point average) and behavior needs in order to participate in extracurricular activities (whether it is sports, clubs, etc.) • Attendance Rules • All students should be in attendance every day that school is in session • Parents/guardians who refuse/fail to have a child in school commit a misdemeanor and this is punishable by law • If absent or tardy without permission of the principal, parent/guardian must explain the absence or tardy in writing within the same grading period and turn into the appropriate school personnel Policies Governing Student Behavior

17. Attendance Rules, cont. • Excused absences or tardies include: • illness or injury of the student • illness or injury of the student’s immediate family necessitating the student’s absence – immediate family includes, but is not limited to parent, brother, sister, grandparent, aunt, uncle, legal guardian or person in loco parentis, or member of the household. • death of a member of the student’s immediate family • doctor or dental appointments which cannot be scheduled outside of school hours • pre-arranged absences of educational value and with the principal’s prior approval (must be at least five days in advance to be excused unless there are extenuating circumstances) • recognized religious holidays • judicial actions – subpoena/summons: Juvenile Detention Center • All other absences/tardies are considered UNEXCUSED Policies Governing Student Behavior

18. Students may participate in academic field trips without being counted absent, if all required work is made up. • Students with excused absences are responsible for making arrangements with the teacher to make up work and assignments missed while absent. Please understand all missed work is due within five days after their return to school with the following exceptions: • tests or exams assigned prior to absence will be taken on the day student returns to school; • work assigned prior to absence and due while absent, will be due on the day student returns to school; • long-term assignments must be turned in on the day the student returns to school, e.g. book reports, research papers, etc.; • long-term assignments submitted after first day student returns to school will result in a grade reduction of no more than 10% per day; • students checking in and out on the day a long-term assignment is due must turn the assignment in by the end of that school day for it to be accepted as on time. • More than 10 excused/unexcused absences in an 18 calendar week semester is considered to be excessive. A written statement of a licensed doctor, verifying an illness or injury must be provided after that point for the absence to be considered excused. In cases where a student is experiencing a long-term illness or injury, only one written statement of a licensed doctor is required. Absences…

19. A habitual truant is defined by law as a student who has 15 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days, with or without the knowledge or consent of the parent or legal guardian. Accumulated tardies and early departures shall be considered unexcused absences. Three unexcused tardies or early releases will equal one unexcused absence for the purpose of defining a habitual truant. The superintendent must provide the Department of Highway and Motor Vehicles with the name of each habitual truant, age 15 and above. The Department of Highway and Motor Vehicles may not issue a driver’s license or learner’s driver’s license to, and shall suspend any previously issued license of any such student. Families receiving public assistance for a student through the State of Florida WAGES program may have that assistance withdrawn if the student is classified as truant. • Students and families violating the state truancy law may face court action. • Unexcused absences: Students with unexcused absences are responsible for making arrangements with the teacher to make up all work and assignments within five days after their return to school. Arrangements to make up work are to be made with the teacher and are the responsibility of the student. • Parent/Guardian notification/unexcused absence appeals: • On the fourth unexcused absence within 90 calendar days, a letter will be sent to parent/guardian informing them of the compulsory school attendance law and their legal obligation to follow the law. Legal actions including possible criminal charges will be pursued when parent/guardian ignores school attendance requirements. • Following the receipt of a report card, the parent/guardian has five (5) days in which to request a conference with an Appeals Committee, to be established in each school to review failures due to unexcused absences and violations of the attendance rule per grading period. Absences, cont.

20. Name one of the Laws that Lake County School District adheres to, according to the slide “Equal Opportunities for All” What are 3 excused absences/tardies? Define the term “habitual truant” in your own words. Discuss with your table partners and then write your answers – choose the remaining person to be the writer for the group (use the same paper previously started). Person who is currently the writer, turn in the paper (be sure it is headed correctly, as the example on the board). Quick Check