Definitions and Examples

Rationale/Purpose The International Baccalaureate and Riverdale Middle School aim to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect and encourages students to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is acknowledging responsibility for the production of students’ own work, recognition of the work of others, and maintaining honor and trust in the learning environments of our school.

Academic Misconduct Any action or attempted action that gives a student an academic advantage over other students.

Examples:  Giving or receiving help during a test, quiz, or graded assignment.  Using study aids, notes, books, and formulas when not instructed to do so.  Discussing the contents, length, or difficulty of a test or quiz with any student until the key has been published or the papers returned.  Storing unauthorized information into an electronic device, such as but not limited to a phone, iPod, or graphing calculator, to be used during a test or quiz or using a devise during a test.  Collaborating on assignments that have clearly been designated as individual work.  Copying someone else/s homework or allowing someone else to copy your homework.  Altering a test or a grade after it has been returned in order to improve the grade.  Altering a teacher’s records or changing a recorded grade.  Using someone else’s work and representing it as one’s own.  Plagiarizing by not citing correct sources for ideas and evidence in written and, in some cases, oral work.  Forging of official signatures.  Stealing copies of tests or quizzes; illegitimately accessing the teacher’s answer key for tests or quizzes; stealing the teacher’s edition of the textbook; stealing another student’s work, notes, or handouts.  Lying or failing to give complete information to a teacher.  Misrepresenting the school in anyway that is defaming, fraudulent, or damaging to the integrity of the school or groups representing the school.  Creating or contributing to a web-site or social network that slanders, libels, bullies, or undermines the integrity of the school, its faculty, staff, administration, or its students.  Possessing a cell phone or electronic devise during teacher testing, high stakes testing and AP testing or any other standardized testing or in the designated testing area

Plagiarism

An act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of another author without authorization and/or the representation of that author's work as one's own, by not crediting the original author. Plagiarism equally applies to work other than text (ie. art, music, etc).

It is important that students understand how to appropriately use another author’s work in their assignments to avoid both intentional and unintentional instances of plagiarism.

Examples:  Copying and pasting information from the Internet without citing your resources.  Copying a friend’s essay for a different teacher.  Using copyrighted material as your own.

Cheating

Cheating is an act of dishonesty that is performed in order to gain an advantage. Submitting work that is not genuinely your own.

Examples:  Copying answers from another student or allowing another student to copy your work.  Using a study guide/notes while taking an assessment.  Writing answers on a part of your body or clothing.  Verbally giving answers to another student during an assessment.  Giving another student the answers after an assessment.

Roles and Responsibilities

Faculty and Staff  Communicate to students proper collaboration verses copying each other’s work.  Teach students the proper way to cite and use resources  Demonstrate proper academic honesty through presentations, reports, etc.  Report and record any findings of academic dishonesty.  Communicate with parents, students, other teachers, counselors, and administrators when academic dishonesty has occurred.  Involve students in reflection and discussion in the instance of academic dishonesty.

Students  Confirm understanding of the academic honesty policy with signature on the Academic Honesty Policy form.  Report academic dishonesty to a school employee when seen.  Understand that putting your name on an assignment verifies it as your own work.  Understand and use the proper citation forms for assignments (MLA or APA)  Ask for help if unsure about proper citation and academic honesty.

Administration  Support the academic honesty policy and investigate any allegations of academic dishonesty.  Ensure that all teachers, staff, students, and parents understand and abide by the responsibilities and repercussions of the academic honesty policy.  Provide staff development on the proper use of proper citations and academic writing.  Ensure that the academic honesty policy is consistent throughout the school.  Provide teachers with needed materials to uphold the academic honesty policy.  Have proper communication between parents, students, and teachers when academic dishonesty occurs.

Parents/Guardians  Read and sign Academic Honesty Policy  Encourage student to display academic honesty  Address concerns of academic dishonesty with the student and proper school personnel if necessary.

Procedures/Consequences

All incidents of academic dishonesty are treated on a case-by case basis. Students may be penalized for academic dishonesty by receiving the following consequences.

 First Offense: The assignment receives a grade of “F”. Student will be put on probation and/or be removed from any honor societies that he/she is a current member of . Student may also be removed from other activities such as cheerleading, homecoming court, dance team, flag team, athletic teams, or any other group that represents Riverdale Middle School. This may also include removal from extracurricular events such as dances, field trips, class trips, student travels, conventions, and competitions. There will be no refund for deposits on prepaid activities. Student may not apply to any honor societies or run for any class office for 12 months after the first offense. Violations become part of the student’s discipline record.  Second Offense: The assignment receives a grade of “F”. Student will be removed from any honor societies that he/she is a current member of . Student may lose certain school privileges or be removed from other activities such as but not limited to cheerleading, homecoming court, rally, dance team, athletic teams, or any other group that represents Riverdale Middle School. This may also include removal from extracurricular events such as dances, field trips, class trips, student travels, conventions, and competitions. There will be no refund for deposits on prepaid activities. Student may not apply to any honor societies or run for any class office for the remainder of his/her time at Riverdale Middle School. The student will be assigned community service hours and a discipline referral for in-school suspension may be issued. Violations become part of the student’s discipline and academic record.  Subsequent Offenses: The assignment receives a grade of “F”. The student is assigned community service hours and a discipline referral for an in-school suspension, or expulsion. Violations become a part of the student’s discipline and academic record.

Review of the Policy

This policy will be reviewed and updated annually by the Riverdale Middle School community.  Written September 2016 by Debbie Jo Guillot, Andree Stephens, Stephanie Beter, Emily Guastella, and the student body of Riverdale Middle School

Footnotes:

Citation of schools referenced in writing of this policy:  Vanguard High School  White Bear Lake Area Middle School  Bloomfield Hills Middle School