St. Mary's Visitation Parish

The staff and administration of St. Mary's School work to create a warm and consistent atmosphere conducive to nurturing a Catholic learning community. Within this context, the Gospel values of respect, responsibility and right relationships are expected and developed. Each year students will grow in self-discipline. Junior High students especially are expected to demonstrate increasing maturity and self-control.

Christian justice expects that any discipline policy protect equally the rights of the child, his/her parents, other students, teachers and the school administration.

Disruption of the learning environment will not be tolerated. Logical consequences for choices of non-compliance will be exercised. For example, depending upon the nature of the inappropriate behavior, students will be asked to recall what they should be doing and will be reminded of what is expected. Perhaps they might be kept out of some class activity to reflect on their inappropriate choice and be helped to understand an alternative. If unacceptable behavior continues, the teacher will confer with the student's parents to devise a mutually agreed upon plan to support a behavior change in the student. The principal will be informed about such contacts. The frequency and/or severity of some student's behaviors may warrant detentions. Continued non-compliance will require a conference with the student, parents, teachers and administrators to refine the student's behavior plan and redefine consequences. Regular communication with parents about each child's progress or lack thereof will occur.

In addition, parents are encouraged to contact teachers with any questions or concerns they may have.

UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR

Serious offenses may lead to immediate probation, suspension or expulsion. Examples of such completely unacceptable behaviors include but are not limited to:

Whenever a student's conduct is such that it demonstrates repeated refusal to obey school rules, engages in the behavior listed above, or consistently disrupts the learning environment, action may be taken to restrict his/her privileges and rights of school attendance.



	Home > SMV A-Z Discipline The staff and administration of St. Mary's School work to create a warm and consistent atmosphere conducive to nurturing a Catholic learning community. Within this context, the Gospel values of respect, responsibility and right relationships are expected and developed. Each year students will grow in self-discipline. Junior High students especially are expected to demonstrate increasing maturity and self-control. Christian justice expects that any discipline policy protect equally the rights of the child, his/her parents, other students, teachers and the school administration. Disruption of the learning environment will not be tolerated. Logical consequences for choices of non-compliance will be exercised. For example, depending upon the nature of the inappropriate behavior, students will be asked to recall what they should be doing and will be reminded of what is expected. Perhaps they might be kept out of some class activity to reflect on their inappropriate choice and be helped to understand an alternative. If unacceptable behavior continues, the teacher will confer with the student's parents to devise a mutually agreed upon plan to support a behavior change in the student. The principal will be informed about such contacts. The frequency and/or severity of some student's behaviors may warrant detentions. Continued non-compliance will require a conference with the student, parents, teachers and administrators to refine the student's behavior plan and redefine consequences. Regular communication with parents about each child's progress or lack thereof will occur. In addition, parents are encouraged to contact teachers with any questions or concerns they may have. UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR Serious offenses may lead to immediate probation, suspension or expulsion. Examples of such completely unacceptable behaviors include but are not limited to: Any violation of Wisconsin Criminal Statutes The use or possession of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products or controlled substances on school or parish premises. Harassment defined as a single incident or a pattern of behavior wherein the purpose or effect is to create a hostile, offensive, or intimidating environment. Harassment encompasses a broad range of physical or verbal behavior which can include, but is not limited to, the following: Threatening behavior, racial insults, derogatory ethnic slurs, physical or mental abuse, sexual comments, jokes or gestures, unwelcome sexual advances, touching, character assassination, and/or rumors and gossip. To the extent a complaint of harassment involves sexual contact or the apparent infliction of physical or emotional damage on the student, the appropriate authorities will be notified pursuant to Section 48.981 of the Wisconsin Statutes. No retaliation against a student or adult for reporting harassment will be tolerated. (Archdiocese of Milwaukee 5131.1(a) & (b) Theft or vandalism of school, parish or personal property. Physically fighting or any threatening behavior in school, on school or parish property or at any school related activities. Computer and telecommunications abuse. Willful destruction of computer hardware or software, deleting, examining, copying, or modifying files and/or data belonging to others. Forgery, reading, deleting, copying, or modifying of electronic mail messages of others. The creation, propagation, and/or use of computer viruses and chain letters. (Archdiocese of Milwaukee 6161.2(b) Possession on school or parish premises of printed or written material deemed inappropriate or obscene Truancy Any severe anti-social or abnormal conduct on school or parish premises that endangers life or limb. Possession or use of guns, knives, lighters, matches, pepper spray, laser pointers/pens, dangerous weapons or any facsimile of a weapon Cheating, altering grades on assignments, tests or report cards Disrespect of school authority Copying work from another student or allowing another student to copy the work; allowing another student, sibling or parent to complete the work; downloading information off the internet and submitting it as the student's own work; and plagiarism. Consequences of Unacceptable Behavior Whenever a student's conduct is such that it demonstrates repeated refusal to obey school rules, engages in the behavior listed above, or consistently disrupts the learning environment, action may be taken to restrict his/her privileges and rights of school attendance. Such action may be of three kinds: Probation The school may place a student on probation principal. After conferences are held with the student's parents or guardian and relevant school personnel, the principal sets conditions for release from the probation. The principal's decisions are final. Suspension The school principal may also suspend a student either in or out of school. Prior to any suspension, the student must be advised of the reason for the proposed suspension. The parent or guardian of a suspended student is given prompt notice of the suspension and the reasons for the action. In-school suspension can be directed for varying lengths of time as decided by the principal but should not exceed five days. In-school suspension conditions are to be determined by the principal. In-school suspension students remain the responsibility of the school. The principal may give out-of-school suspension immediately following a serious disciplinary offense, or after a pattern of unacceptable student behavior. A maximum of three days can be imposed unless a written notice of an expulsion hearing is scheduled. Such notice shall allow not more than a total of seven consecutive school days to be served in suspension until the expulsion hearing is held. Expulsion As a definition, expulsion is considered a termination of enrollment, permanently or for an extended period of time. Expulsion shall be considered a rarity and used only as a very last measure. Expulsion results from repeated refusal to obey school rules or from conduct, which endangers property, health, or safety of others (examples listed above), and is deemed to be in the best interest of the school. An extremely serious single offense may also be cause for expulsion. The Archdiocesan Superintendent of Schools/designee will be informed of a pending expulsion proceeding. Expulsion Procedures: Expulsion can take place only after an expulsion hearing has been held. Parents/legal guardians shall be notified in writing at least five days before the hearing is to take place. They are to be informed of the possible recommendations of the committee and that, once the hearing is in progress, the student may not have the right to voluntarily withdraw, in lieu of expulsion, unless that is the recommendation of the committee. The principal convenes the expulsion committee. This committee shall consist of the principal, two teachers and three parent members of the School Committee appointed by the pastor. The hearing committee reviews the results of the investigation regarding the student's misconduct. The hearing committee makes a recommendation to the pastor. The recommendation will be to: not expel (other disciplinary suggestions should accompany this recommendation) allow the student to voluntarily withdraw from school in lieu of expulsion expel If the decision to expel the student is made and approved by the pastor, parents are notified, in writing, of the action. The right to appeal is made known to the parents. Appeal The student, or his/her parent or guardian, may, within five school days following notification of the expulsion, appeal to the Archdiocesan Superintendent of Schools in writing with rationale for appeal. The Superintendent will determine whether or not correct procedures were followed as defined by St. Mary's expulsion policy. The Superintendent will not conduct a review of evidence regarding the student's infraction.