St. Joseph Community School
Academic and Behavior Discipline in grades 3 - 8
In
order to provide and maintain an atmosphere which permits the orderly and efficient operation of the school and which encourages
learning and helps students to develop a Christian code of personal conduct, school rules and regulations are in effect. These
policies and procedures have been established by the St. Joseph Community School Catholic Board of Education and administration.
Their effectiveness requires the positive and voluntary cooperation of all concerned.
Discipline at St. Joseph
Community School has a two fold purpose of providing for the common good and the individual good. Discipline helps all
students as it contributes to a climate for learning and living. It helps each student as it provides environment and
guidance in which to grow in becoming a self disciplined person. Discipline is controlled behavior designed to develop
within an individual responsibility for his/her own actions in accordance with socially accepted conduct.
Some
general expectations include:
1. Be positive
2. Be respectful
3. Be
kind
4. Be prepared for learning
St. Joseph Community School rules and procedures are meant
to encourage children to focus on the reasons for their behavior and assist them in choosing appropriate alternatives. Students
who do not behave according to the rules and regulations of St. Joseph Community School may be subject to probation, suspension
or expulsion. Probation, suspension, and expulsion are serious actions. When such action is warranted, specific
guidelines will be followed. A suspension means the temporary exclusion of a student from the classroom. The parent/guardian
must supervise the student for the day during the suspension or pay for supervision at the rate of $80.00 per day. These
guidelines are
in accordance with the Official Policies of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Students consistently failing
to follow school rules, being physically aggressive, using inappropriate language or abusing property will receive a yellow
(behavior) slip. If students do not complete their assignments they will receive a pink (academic) slip. This slip needs
to be signed by the parents and returned to school the following day to serve the referral which begins promptly at 3:15 on
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and 7:30 on Friday’s. If a student is assigned a study hall for Friday the
time will be 7:30 – 8:00 am. A student who does not attend the following day or return the referral signed by
the adult/guardian will receive a second referral. In an emergency a student may be excused by a phone call to the office
prior to 7:15 am.
Students referrals will be counted as a total, not counted per teacher. Students will only be allowed
a total of 5 academic and 5 behavior referrals, given from any teacher, per quarter. For example, if a student gets a referral
with one teacher and then receives another referral from another teacher, the referrals given will be counted as two referrals
for that student.
The following consequences have been established for an academic and behavior
referrals. The referral must be served by the student. The principal has the right to skip referrals, depending upon
the severity of the situation. If a student reports late for the required study hall, the referral will not count and
it will then be doubled.
In the event that a student is involved in a physical fight, the student and the
parent will be required to have a conference or phone message to meet with the principal before the student is admitted back
into any classroom. A time out may be assigned until all parties are ready to return to the classroom. This may
range from a few minutes to the rest of the day or the activity.
Consequences for each referral are as follows:
First and Second Referral
The parents will be notified through a yellow or pink skip. The
slip must be signed and returned the following day. If the student is in sports the slip must also be signed by the
coach.
Third Referral
The parents will be notified through a yellow or pink slip and a teacher,
student, parent conference will be arranged. The student will serve the one-half hour of supervised study hall. If the student
is in sports the slip must also be signed by the coach.
Fourth Referral
The
student will receive a yellow or pink slip and the one half hour supervised study hall will be served. In addition,
the student and a parent will be required to meet with the teacher and principal. At this meeting, a growth plan/
contract will be developed.
Fifth Referral
The student will receive a yellow
or pink slip and the half- hour supervised study hall will be served. In addition to this, the student and parents will
be required to meet with the teacher and principal. At this meeting, the contract will be evaluated.
If the referral is for academics the assignment that the child received the referral for must be returned and completed
with the pink referral slip. If the student does not return the incomplete assignment they will receive a 0 in the grade
book. If a child is ill they will have the number of days they were ill to complete all work for those days.
The knowledge of the rules and regulations, their processes and their implementation are the responsibility and obligation
of each St. Joseph Community School student. Neither ignorance or lack of understanding of the rules and regulations
will release a student or parent/guardian from responsibility to cooperate with the stated polices. All Archdiocesan policies
and State of Iowa education laws, as they apply to St. Joseph Community School Catholic School, are to be respected and followed.
