DRAFT Developing Safe and Supportive Schools CODE OF CONDUCT 2012-2013 BUFFALO PUBLIC SCHOOLS Dr. Pamela C. Brown STANDARDSSuperintendent of Schools FOR COMMUNITY-WIDE CONDUCT AND INTERVENTION SUPPORTS 2013 - 2014 www.buffaloschools.org Dr. Pamela C. Brown Superintendent of Schools www.buffaloschools.org “Putting Children and Families First to Ensure High Academic Achievement for All” Adopted by the Buffalo Board of Education on April 24, 2013 Buffalo Public Schools Pamela C. Brown, Ed.D Superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools 712 City Hall Buffalo, New York 14202 716-816-3500 Will Keresztes, Ed.D. Chief of Student Support 472 City Hall Buffalo, New York 14202 716-816-3596 Sharon Comerford Coordinator/Behavior Support Systems Erie 1 BOCES Consultant/Editor 716-821-7536 Human Resources ›› Notice of Non-Discrimination The Buffalo Public School District does not discriminate on the basis of an individual’s actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, religious practice, national origin, ethnic group, sex (including sexual harassment and sexual violence), gender identity, sexual orientation (the term “sexual orientation” means heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality , or asexuality), political affiliation, age, marital status, military status, veteran status, disability, weight, domestic violence victim status, arrest or conviction record, genetic information or any other basis prohibited by New York State and/or federal non-discrimination laws in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Inquiries regarding the District’s non-discrimination policies should be directed to: [email protected] Brian T. Lorentz, Deputy Director of Human Resources 719 City Hall Buffalo, New York 14202 (716) 816-3579 www.buffaloschools.org TABLE OF CONTENTS Directory of Support Services ………………………………………………………………….…………………..…………….. i. SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION Parents as Partners …………………….……………………………………………….………………………………………… 1 Promoting Positive Student Behavior ……………………………………………….……………………….…………………... 2 Prevention and Intervention…..…………………………………………………..………………………………………………. 2 SECTION 2 – ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF CODE OF CONDUCT Dissemination of Code of Conduct: Standards for Student Conduct and Intervention Supports ……………….………………. 3 Acknowledgement of Receipt: Standards for Student Conduct and Intervention Supports …………………….………………. 4 Acknowledgement of Internet Safety/Acceptable Use of Technology ………………………………………….……………….. 5 SECTION 3 – PREVENTATIVE PRACTICES / INTERVENTION STRATEGIES Positive Behavior Systems …..…………………….………………………………………………………….……….……….… 7 Intervention Response: Positive Relationships ………………………………………………………….…………..…………… 9 Additional Intervention Strategies ………………………………..………………………………………….…………….……. 11 Progressive Consequences .………………………………………………………………………………….………...………… 13 Levels of Interventions and Disciplinary Responses …………………………………………………………………...……….. 15 Inappropriate and Disruptive Behaviors and Levels of Response………………………………………………….……………. 16 SECTION 4 - RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOOL COMMIUNITY Dignity for All Act ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 24 Student Rights and Responsibilities ………………………………………………………………………..……………….…… 25 Parent and Guardian Rights and Responsibilities ……………………………………………………………….……………..... 26 Principal and School Staff Rights and Responsibilities …………………………………………………………………..…....... 27 District Office Responsibilities ………………………………………………………………………………………..………… 28 Board of Education Responsibilities …………………………………………………………………………………….…….… 29 SECTION 5 - POLICIES AND CODES Standards for Dress Code …………………………..……………………………………………..…………....………………… 30 Standards for Portable Electronic Devices …………..………….................................................................................................... 31 Reporting Student Violations …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 32 Student Exclusion Procedures …………………………………………………………………………….……………………… 32 Due Process for Students with a Disability ……………………………………………………………….……………………… 39 Prohibition of Corporal Punishment ………………………………………………………………….……………………...…... 44 Appendix ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 48 Glossary of Terms ……………………………………………………………………………………….………………..…….. 55 Board of Education Members ….…………………………………………………..…………………………………………... 64 Acknowledgements...…………...………………………………………………………………………………………………... 65 DIRECTORY OF SUPPORT SERVICES If a student or parent needs assistance or services beyond the school, the following offices may be helpful: Attendance Support Center……………………………..………………….…………………….……....816-3806 Board of Education Switch Board Operator…………….………………….….…………………………816-3500 Central Processing Center…...…………………………………………….……….…………………….816-3717 Community Relations…………………..………………………….…….………………………………816-3715 Educational Services…………………………………………………….………………………...……..816-3596 Family, Schools, Community………………………………………….…………………………………816-3172 Guidance and Counseling…………………………….………………….…..……………….…………..816-3702 Health Impaired………………………………….……………………….….…………..……………….816-3632 Health Related Services…………………………………………….……………………………………816-3912 Home Instruction / Medical Leave Instruction...…………….……………………….………………….816-3624 816-3632 Language Assessment………………………………………………………………..………....….816-3717 ext. 5 Office of Multilingual Education……………..…………………………….……………………………816-3048 Office of Parent Advocacy ……………………………………………….……………………….……..816-4678 Security ……………………………….……………………………….……………………..……….….816-3707 Special Education ………………………………………………………………………..…….......816-3060 ext.1 Student Placement…………………………………………………….…………………..………….…..816-3060 Student Support Services……………………………………………..……………………….………….816-3547 Superintendent’s Office……………………………………………….…………………….……………816-3575 TO REPORT STUDENTS NOT ATTENDING SCHOOL Contact the ATTENDANCE SUPPORT CENTER at 816-3806 i . INTRODUCTION The Buffalo Public Schools is committed to ensuring In the event a student engages in inappropriate behavior, that our schools are safe and orderly environments in the principal or principal’s designee must report the which teaching and learning takes place each day. behavior to the student’s parent/guardian. When a student is believed to have committed a crime, the police must be summoned and the parent/guardian must be Parents as Partners contacted. See Chancellor’s Regulation A-412. Students, parents and school personnel all have a role in making school safe and must cooperate with one another The Buffalo Public Schools Standards for Community- to achieve this goal. School staff should keep parents wide Conduct and Intervention Supports 2013-2014 was informed of their child’s behavior and enlist parents as developed to ensure that students – and all members of partners in addressing areas of concern. Outreach to the Buffalo Public Schools community – learn and parents can include, but is not limited to, a phone call engage in appropriate behavior that supports student and/or a written communication. As role models, success in life and in society. The Standards are for the parents and school staff should exhibit the behaviors entire school district and all of its individual school which they would like to see students emulate. To communities. It lays out the Buffalo Public Schools’ ensure that parents become active and involved partners expectations for students, parents, guardians and school in promoting a safe and supportive school environment, based staff, and it lists and describes the inappropriate parents must be familiar with the Standards for and disruptive behaviors that are unacceptable in school Community-wide Conduct and Intervention Supports settings. Because the Buffalo Public Schools is 2013-2014. Educators are responsible for informing committed to correcting inappropriate behaviors within parents about their child’s behavior and for nurturing the its school settings so that students may remain in school skills students need to succeed in school and in society. and learn, the Standards include prevention and Parents are encouraged to discuss with their child’s intervention strategies to be used, as appropriate, with teacher and other school staff, issues that may affect any discipline response. student behavior and strategies that might be effective in working with the student. It is important that there be Student engagement is integral to creating a maximum consultation and communication between the positive school culture and climate that fosters school and the home. Guidance conferences attended by students’ social/emotional growth and academic the principal or his/her designee, a school counselor, the achievement. Providing students with multiple student’s parents/guardians, and one or more of the opportunities to participate in a wide range of pro- student’s teachers are an effective means of encouraging parental input and should be held with students where social activities and, at the same time, bond with appropriate. Parents who want to discuss interventions caring, supportive adults can help prevent negative behaviors. in response to student behavior should contact their child’s school, including the Parent Advocate, or, if Examples can include: providing students with necessary, the Office of 816-4678. meaningful opportunities to share ideas and Parent Notification concerns and participate in school-wide initiatives; School officials are responsible for sharing the student leadership development; periodic information in this document with students, recognition of students’ achievement