DISCIPLINE POLICY FOR
FAIRLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
2010 - 2011
The members of the Fairland School Community – students, parents, and staff – believe
that learning is a continuous process and while learning is not confined to a school
building, it is the primary function of the school. The school must evolve a certain set of
rules and regulations to guide its participants and to facilitate the performance of this
function. These rules should reflect a balance between the responsibilities and rights of
the student and the responsibilities and rights of the group. They must promote an
environment conducive to safety, effective and efficient learning, mutual respect, and
cooperation between and among all segments of the school community.
The Fairland local school discipline policy will focus on the development of self-discipline
that will express itself in responsible and appropriate behavior. The implementation of
the policy will be fair, firm, and consistent and all students will be made aware of the
consequences of irresponsible and inappropriate behavior. Careful evaluation of the
individual situation will be made so the school’s response to the student will be
appropriate. In all cases the goal of the disciplinary intervention is to help the child deal
with the situation more responsibly and appropriately in the future. The Fairland school
community members believe self-discipline is learned behavior and needs to be taught
in the home, school, and community. The child learns through experience and imitation
of those around him. Discipline is a developmental process. As the child matures,
he/she should be given increased responsibility. The ultimate goal is internalization of
discipline so little external enforcement is required.
The cooperation of many people is necessary to establish and maintain a positive
learning environment. Each member of the school community must assume certain
responsibilities to assure the rights of all are protected. The following responsibilities
and rights are not all-inclusive, but rather relate specifically to the school discipline.
A. The student has the right to a public school education in an environment
conducive to learning. He/She is expected to do the following:
Attend school and classes regularly, to arrive on time, and to fulfill to the
best of his/her ability the subject objectives.
Understand and observe the rules of the school.
Recognize there are channels through which rules and conditions can be
studied and questioned, and realize he/she must use those channels.
Participate in the development of school rules in keeping with his/her
maturity.
B. The parent has the right to expect the school to address the learning needs of
the child in an equitable way, respecting the individual differences of children.
The parent has the right to be informed to the child’s progress of areas where
home/school cooperation may be needed. The parent is expected to do the
following:
Send the child to school regularly, on time, and prepared to work.
Respond to communications from the school pertaining to the child.
Cooperate with school staff in solving behavioral problems.
Foster a respect for the right and property of others.
Understand and support the school rules and policies.
C. The teacher has the right to work in an atmosphere that fosters satisfaction in
his/her work with the support and guidance of the administrator in maintaining
high professional standards. The teacher is expected to do the following:
Work with students so they understand the objectives of the subject and
what they are expected to learn.
Help students realize the importance of being responsible to
himself/herself and others.
Encourage and help the student to understand and support the rules of
the school and to participate in formulating rules relating to his/her role
in the school.
Know and enforce consistently and fairly the rules and policies of the
school.
Use procedures appropriate for age, background, and level of maturity in
dealing with other students.
Seek conferences with parents and other personnel in an effort to help
students who present behavioral problems.
D. The principal has the right to expect the cooperation of staff, students, and
parents to facilitate the fulfillment of the school’s function as an educational
institution. The principal is expected to do the following:
Make known and interpret to students, parents, and staff the MCPS
policies and the local school discipline policy.
Implement specific plans for effective student, parent, and staff
participation in the formulation and review of the local school discipline
policy.
Support all building personnel to maintain appropriate and effective
discipline.
Be available for conferences with staff, students, parents, and others on
discipline matters.
Provide support for teachers in dealing with serious situations.
Inform teachers of administrative disciplinary action.
Identify the line of authority in the building when he/she is not in the
building so disciplinary matters are handled as expeditiously as possible.
County Policy
County policies and regulations related to discipline are contained in the MCPS
Policies and Procedures Handbook and the Student Rights and Responsibilities
document located in the school office, and are available to school staff, parents,
and teachers.
Responsible and Appropriate Behavior
Responsible and appropriate behaviors at Fairland include the following.
Students will be respectful of themselves and others.
Students will respect property.
Students will follow school rules.
Inappropriate Behaviors
Inappropriate behaviors at Fairland include physical harm to oneself or others,
psychological harm (hurting feelings, making threats), destruction of property
(loss, stealing, vandalism), disruption of the school program, disrespect for staff,
and the instigation of inappropriate behavior within a group. Consequences for
inappropriate behavior may include staff intervention, parent contact, referral to
the administration, and suspension. In dealing with each incident the staff
member will keep in mind that the purpose of discipline is to strengthen behavior
that will enable the child to grow and appropriately cope with similar experiences
in the future.
Fairland Famous Five
At Fairland all staff members will work with all students to prevent behavior that
will cause:
Anyone, including yourself, to be hurt physically
Anyone to have hurt feelings
Property (personal or school) to be damaged, lost, destroyed, or stolen
Interruptions to the on-going program
Group contagion that can lead to problems with the items listed above
A. Physical Attack on Staff and Students
An act of physically assaulting (biting, shoving, choking, spitting, kicking,
pulling hair of, pulling on clothes of) a staff member or a student on school
grounds or in conjunction with school activities.
Minimum action:
One (1) day of suspension
Maximum action:
10 day suspension and a request for expulsion. (This should be
distinguished from a minor fight or scuffle between students.)
B. Verbal Abuse
Willfully intimidating, insulting, using inappropriate gestures, or abusing
verbally a member of the school staff. Use of improper language in and of
itself is not considered verbal abuse, but such behavior is not condoned and
will be dealt with at the school level.
Minimum action:
One (1) day of suspension with a parent conference.
Maximum action:
A five (5) day suspension
C. Extortion
An act of attempting to secure money or property through threat of physical
harm
Minimum action:
One (1) day of suspension with parent conference.
Maximum action:
A five (5) day suspension
D. Dress and Grooming
School personnel may advise students about appropriate dress and grooming
for school but may not establish dress codes. School personnel may not
discipline students for their style of dress or grooming unless:
It causes a disruption to school activities
It endangers health and safety
It fails to meet reasonable requirements of a course or activity
Action:
Administrator, student, parent conference (by phone or in person) and
removal of disruptive articles
E. Misbehavior in Halls or on Bus
Any student causing/being a safety hazard by ignoring the patrols, bus
driver, or adult monitoring the buses/halls will be dealt with immediately.
Minimum Action:
Administrator or designee meets with student and a parent conference
(by phone or in person).
Maximum Action:
Suspension or exclusion from riding bus for a designated period of time
F. Off School Grounds Without Permission, Truancy, or Cutting Class
Students are expected to attend school and class every day. Once they
arrive at school, they are expected to stay in school unless granted prior
permission by a school official or parent/guardian.
Minimum Action:
Administrator, student, and parent conference (by phone or in person)
Maximum Action:
In-school suspension for 1-5 days
G. Intimidation
Threatening Others
Minimum Action:
Parent Conference
Maximum Action:
Suspension
H. Fighting
Student fighting can create a serious safety problem and must never be
tolerated. Staff members are to stop the students and bring them to the
office to be seen by an administrator.
Minimum Action:
Administrator, student, parent conference (by phone or in person) plus
referral to counselor.
Maximum Action:
Suspension
I. Theft
Students involved in taking another’s property will be referred to an
administrator.
Minimum Action:
Administrator, student, and parent conference (by phone or in person)
Student must make restitution
Maximum Action:
A five (5) day suspension; police involvement
J. Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for
sexual favors, and/or other inappropriate verbal, written, or physical conduct
of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment committed by students against
students or staff violates MCPS policy and is inappropriate behavior that will
not be tolerated.
Minimum Action:
Administrator, student, and parent conference (by phone or in person),
notify Human Resources Department, notify parents of parties involved.
Maximum Action:
To be determined
K. Storing, Possessing, or Carrying Dangerous Weapons
(MCPS 230-17)
Unauthorized storing, possessing, or carrying firearms, knives, or any other
implement (guns, pen knives, Swiss Army knives, pocket knives, boy/girl
scout knives) that could be used in a lethal way.
Minimum Action:
Confiscate item. Police notification. Suspension and recommendation for
expulsion. This recommendation will be submitted to the Office of School
Performance, the Field Office, and the Superintendent of Schools.
Maximum Action:
Request for expulsion and police referral.
(MCPS Reg. JFA-RA)
Possessing other weapons including, but not limited to the following: BB
guns, pellet guns, toy guns or knives of any kind.
Minimum Action:
Confiscate item for parent pick-up. Parent/student phone conference.
Recess detention.
Maximum Action:
One day suspension.
L. Destruction of Public Property (Vandalism)
(MCPS Regulation 230-3)
In addition to the policy statement on contacting police and full payment.
Minimum Action:
A parent conference and a one (1) day suspension; or the principal may
develop a work plan for students in lieu of suspension.
Maximum Action:
A five (5) day suspension.
M. Intoxicants on School Property/Drug Abuse
Possession or use of illegal drugs, alcohol, or tobacco products.
Minimum Action:
A parent conference, police notification, and a one (1) day suspension.
Maximum action:
Request for expulsion.
N. Bomb Scare/False Fire Alarm
False fire alarm or bomb scare.
Minimum Action:
Administrator, student, and parent conference. Police notification.
Maximum Action:
Suspension with recommendation of expulsion, safety and security
officials involvement.
O. Communication Devices on School Property
Cell phones, pagers, etc. cannot be used throughout the instructional day.
Teacher should hold these items throughout the instructional day. Parent
should inform teacher the child will have cell phone at school.
Action:
Administrator, student, and parent telephone conference.
P. Plagarism/Cheating
Minimum Action:
Student and teacher conference with disciplinary action communicated
during conference.
Maximum Action:
Administrator, student, and parent conference (in person or by phone)
with disciplinary actions.
Appeals
All students have rights guaranteed by the Montgomery County Public Schools
Policy on Rights and Responsibilities adopted in April 1975 and amended in 1977,
1984, and 1985. Copies of the Students Rights and Responsibilities Handbook
are available in the main office or media center.