Student Code of Conduct

Philosophy of Discipline

Students are expected to be respectful, cooperative, courteous, orderly, and respond properly to correction (Hebrews 13:17). Restorative discipline at Grace Brethren Schools includes biblical counseling as well as other corrective measures. Disobedience is ultimately an issue of the heart (Luke 6:45). GBS will deal with disobedience from this Biblical perspective. Grace Brethren Schools does not release discipline records. Students, regardless of age, are considered by Grace Brethren to be under the authority of their parents as well as the school.

GBS students are expected to adhere to all policies regarding behavior both on and off campus including weekends, holidays, and summer break. The administration may uphold all disciplinary procedures for innapproprite behavior during these periods.

Disciplinary Procedure

All employed adults (teachers/instructors) on campus may refer a student to the administration for disciplinary measures. While in the classroom, students must be directly accountable to the instructor for their behavior and must abide by all classroom rules and regulations set forth by each instructor. Instructors are responsible for keeping discipline in their own room and may, as a consequence, conduct their own after school detentions.

The Dean of Students will be the first point of contact for all discipline events on campus. Serious misconduct is referred to the Vice Principal who will take further appropriate action. In cases of possible expulsion offenses, the student will be immediately suspended. The student and his/her parents will then have an opportunity to meet with school administration to determine whether or not the student should be allowed to return to school. All final decisions regarding expulsion will be referred by the Principal to the School Council and Executive Director of GBS. In certain cases, a student may be asked to leave the school for disciplinary measures.

In such instances, the parents must withdraw their child in written form. If a student who leaves for disciplinary reasons desires to return, they will do so on a Disciplinary Probation. The terms of this probation may vary depending upon the infraction of the student.

Offenses which may result in expulsion include:

1. Physical and/or verbal abuse towards another person.
2. Destruction of school property.
3. Smoking or vaping.
4. Drug or alcohol use.
5. Stealing/cheating.
6. Disrespect to a teacher or other adult
7. Lying.
8. Sexual immorality.
9. Profanity.
10. Truancy.
11. Harassment.
12. Bringing weapons, controlled substances, or contraband on campus.
13. Willful disobedience.
14.  A rebellious attitude.
15. Recruiting or promoting beliefs contrary to biblical Christianity
16. Being openly hostile towards Christ and the Gospel

Revoking of School Privileges

Students involved in disciplinary infractions may, as part of their consequence, lose some or all of their student privileges. These include, but are not limited to, positions in leadership, participating in student activities, free period privileges, Grad Night, Senior Banquet, Senior Luncheon, and Graduation.

Campus Boundries

During school hours, students are required to stay within the boundaries of the campus. All students arriving or departing during the school day must sign in and out in the front office. Before and after school hours, students are the sole responsibility of their parents whether they are on campus or not.

Food In the Classroom

Food is allowed in the classroom only if specifically permitted by the teacher for special events. On our CenterPoint Campus, food is not allowed, but water may be brought to class. Other drinks may be brought to class at the teacher’s discretion. They all must have screw top lids.

No gum is allowed on campus during school hours.

Prohibited Materials

Bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades and scooters are not allowed on campus at any time.

Guns, knives, firecrackers, and/or any other weapons of any description are strictly prohibited on campus.

Toys, playing cards and other material not related to the curriculum are not to be brought on campus without permission.

Commerce

The buying, selling, or trading of personal goods is not allowed on campus.

Damage of School Property

Students who break or damage school facilities or equipment (i.e., desks, lockers, textbooks, etc.) will be financially responsible whether the damage is done intentionally or accidentally.

Intimacy On Campus or at School Activities

Public displays of affection are inappropriate and prohibited. This includes holding hands, hugging, kissing, and inappropriate caressing. Infringements in this area will be referred to the Dean’s office.

Bullying and Harassment

Grace Brethren Church and Schools maintains a stringent harassment policy for all students and employees. Any form of bullying or harassment (sexual, verbal, written, including cyber harassment, or physical) is absolutely prohibited.

Any incident of possible bullying or harassment should be brought immediately to the attention of an administrator who will thoroughly investigate the matter. Disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from school will be taken against any student who is found to have engaged in harassment, either personally or electronically.

Harassment includes (but is not limited to):

1. Verbal conduct: making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, or jokes.
2. Degrading words used to describe an individual, suggestive, obscene, or threatening letters, notes, electronic communications, or invitations.
3. Physical conduct: touching, assault, impeding, or blocking movement.
4. Unwanted sexual advances.
5. Making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual advances.
6. Visual conduct: leering, making sexual gestures, displaying of sexually suggestive objects, or pictures, cartoons, or posters.
7. Verbal abuse of a sexual nature, sexually graphic verbal commentaries about an individual’s body.

Academic Integrity

In the administration of any coursework the following standards will be maintained.

Students will receive a failing grade if they:

1. Revealing answers to other students.
2. Turning around in their seats.
3. Passing notes.
4. Possessing notes under, around or on their desk*.
5. Making hand or mouth communications.
6. Copying homework, reports, projects, cyber-cheating.
7. Using any electronic device to convey information to others.

*Teachers may make exceptions for open book or open note tests.

Students who cheat on any assignment will be referred to the Dean’s office for disciplinary action. Confirmed cheating offenses during course work will result in a grade of 0 on the assignment as well as other disciplinary action. A second offense will result in additional disciplinary action. A third offense of cheating may result in a recommended withdrawal from Grace Brethren.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is stealing the thoughts and/or ideas of another person and passing them off as your own. Alexander Lindey calls it “taking the product of another person’s mind” (Plagiarism and Originality).

The emphasis here lies in the word “product.” A product is something that has been created through the course of time and energy.

The Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook (5th ed. 30) stipulates three major forms of plagiarism:

• "Failure to give appropriate acknowledgement when repeating another’s wording or particularly apt phrase.”
• “Paraphrasing another’s argument and presenting it as your own.”
• “Presenting another’s line of thinking and presenting it as your own.”

Note that in each of these instances statements such as apt phrase, argument, and line of thinking all imply a great deal of effort on the part of the writer—his/her final product. Students at Grace should use common sense when determining what it is we should cite. For example, it is unnecessary to cite familiar proverbs (“Ignorance is bliss”), well-known quotations (“I have a dream…”), and common knowledge (“Hawaii is the 50th state”). However, the best rule of thumb is: When in doubt–CITE! Failure to utilize proper citations is plagiarism.

Turning in a paper already written for another class is a common temptation among students. This form of self-plagiarism is cheating. Even if the paper is moderately re-worked, chances are you have not done enough analytical thinking and writing to constitute a new assignment. That said, there is nothing wrong with returning to an issue you have previously explored and re-exploring it. The best option in cases such as this is to discuss with your teacher the dilemma and see what he/she suggests. They may want you to turn in the original paper along with the newer version to confirm a substantive effort.

Collaborative activities are very common in education today. Of course, when more than one individual is doing the research and writing, where does the line of “sharing information” get drawn? The first thing you should do in such a situation is to make sure that the role of each individual in the group is clearly defined, if your teacher has not already done so. Then, it is appropriate to offer credit to each person individually for the tasks completed. What you want to avoid is “copying”. No one needs to tell you when you are

doing this. If you are honest with yourself, you know when you are taking someone else’s information and passing it off as your own.

Assistance on papers by parents, friends, or siblings is very common. However, it is inappropriate for these individuals to do any form of writing or re-writing of the text. Re-writing includes crossing out sentences and/or paragraphs and offering “new” wording. Copyediting, on the other hand, is acceptable. This includes offering editing advice on grammar, spelling, and common errors, such as using to when it should be too.

Plagiarism on any writing assignment will result in the issuance of an immediate zero on that assignment. Furthermore, it will be referred to the Dean’s office for disciplinary action. A second offense will result in additional disciplinary action. A third offense of plagiarism may result in a recommended withdrawal from Grace Brethren.

All students who miss a final exam must have administrative approval prior to making up their exam. Make-up finals may incur a grading penalty.

Students are assigned lockers and combination locks. It is the students’ responsibility to secure their lockers. GBS is not liable for personal items that are stolen, lost, or damaged, this also includes lost textbooks. Students are not permitted to use personal locks on their assigned lockers. Students will be issued one free lock upon enrollment. If that lock is misplaced, students will purchase an additional lock from the student store. All articles left in the classroom, locker areas, front office, or grounds will be placed in the lost and found located in the GBS Cafeteria. Valuables (i.e., cameras, jewelry, rings, etc.) will be turned in to the front office. Periodically, items not claimed will be donated to a local ministry.

NOTE: Student books and personal items left at school inside lockers or inside/outside the buildings are the sole responsibility of the student.

Detention Policies

Students assigned detentions, whether by the classroom teacher or the Administration, are to report to the assigned classroom, or area, at the close of the school day and remain for the duration of the detention.

Athletics, work, and other extra-curricular activities are not allowable reasons to miss detention.

Tardiness or absence from detention will result in further discipline which may include suspension. Students in detention are not allowed to communicate in any manner with other students during their detention period unless exception is made for a service project to be fulfilled during detention time.

Failure to comply may result in additional discipline. Detention activities may at times include appropriate and safe labor activities on campus.

Students may also be assigned a lunch detention in which case they must report to the lunch supervisor ten minutes prior to the end of their lunch.

Saturday School

Saturday School may be assigned by the Administration to help improve student behavior. Saturday School begins at 8:00 a.m.

Students serving Saturday School will be charged $10 per hour on their school account. Students who are 15 minutes late will be considered absent. Absence from Saturday School will result in still being billed for Saturday School as well as further discipline which will include a rescheduling of Saturday School and may include suspension. Rescheduled Saturday School attendance will require an additional fee.

Students serving an out-of-school suspension are the responsibility of the parents for the duration of the suspension. Length of the suspension is determined by the severity of the offense in the judgment of the administration. Length is normally from one to five days. It is also the responsibility of the student and parents to obtain assignments from the instructors for the suspension period, and to have all assignments completed on time when the student returns. Non-academic offenses do not result in an academic punishment. Students will be accountable for academic work during a suspension period and it will be  due upon return. All individual teacher policies regarding late work will also apply. All students who miss   a final exam must have administrative approval prior to making up their exam. Makeup finals may incur a grading penalty.

GBS endeavors to provide a safe and orderly learning environment. The school considers it in the common interest for all staff, parents, and students to truthfully participate in the resolution of investigated circumstances.

In the course of investigations by school officials of situations which potentially endanger the safe and/or orderly operation of the school, students may be questioned about their activities and those of other students and/or persons. Such conversations are considered to be conditionally privileged communications and will be deemed confidential as allowed by law. Students are expected to be cooperative and truthful when questioned as part of any such investigation. Parents will always be notified of an investigation that includes their child, though the notification may be after the investigation has taken place.

Policy

It is the policy of Grace Brethren High School to randomly test selected students for prohibited drug use. Spiritual accountability, and a safe environment are the immediate goals of the policy. Ultimately, our goal is to bring such students to an understanding of who Christ is, and that He made them and why it is sin to abuse their bodies in this manner. We believe that students discovered using drugs are brought to the light by God. As a Christian school, we consider it our responsibility to shepherd them through this sin.

Selection Process

Students selected for regular testing will be those reasonably suspected of past or current drug use.

Reasonable suspicion includes, but is not limited to:

1. Students who transfer from another school with a known drug use history.
2. Students who are re-entering the school environment after having spent time in rehabilitation.
3. Students who have admitted to experimentation with or extended use of drugs/alcohol.
4. Students who have been previously disciplined for a drug/alcohol related event by parents, school officials, or local authorities.
5. Students who at any time exhibit behavior consistent with being under the influence of drugs/ alcohol.

In addition, any student identified as a potential user may be asked to submit to a drug test. This may be a student who does not fit any of the above categories if there is a reasonable suspicion of drug use. In such cases, the student will be subject to all search and seizure policies as outlined in the Parent/Student Handbook. Any student who exhibits behavior consistent with being under-the-influence of a drug or alcohol while at a school event, may be tested by an administrator or sent to a testing facility. This may include, but is not limited to, the use of a breathalyzer or a urine test.

The initial request to test any student for any reason will be made only by the Dean of Students, the Guidance Counselor, the Vice Principal, or the Principal. Normally testing will be approved by the Principal prior to its administration.

In certain cases, students may be asked to take more extensive tests off campus at a pre-authorized facility. The parents of the student will incur the cost of such tests.

Procedures

The testing panel may include, but is not limited to, testing for following contraband drugs:

1. Amphetamines/methamphetamines, cocaine, opiates, marijuana, barbiturates, benzodiazepines (valium, Librium, Xanax, and other tranquilizers), and synthetic marijuana.
2. The testing procedure will be a urine test. For synthetic marijuana, a separate test kit will be necessary.
3. The sample amount is typically 30 ml, at a minimum.
4. An administrator of the school will oversee the test. The administrator will be trained in this procedure per the manufacturer’s guidelines. A female administrator will oversee female students. A male administrator will oversee male students.
5. Prior to administration of the test, the student may be subject to a physical search of his/her clothing. This is to prevent use of any means of altering the test results.
6. Students will provide a sample in a private restroom stall. The administrator in charge will ensure security and confidentiality during the procedure. The administrator will wait outside the restroom stall door for the student to complete the test.
7. If a donor cannot produce a sample, he/she will be asked to drink a glass of water. They will wait under supervision until a sample can be produced.
8. Once a student is asked to produce a sample, they will remain in the constant observation of the administration until the sample is produced.
9. Results will be examined solely by the administration. All attempts will be made to ensure confidentially. Information about the test will not be shared with any other non-administrator without parental permission.
10. The school is not responsible for confidentiality if the student who is tested shares the information with his/her peers.
11. Parents will be contacted immediately following the test in routine cases. In cases where a student is tested unexpectedly due to investigation, parents will be notified in a timely manner. Parental notification will not interrupt the investigative process.
12. Students must not tamper in any way with the sample provided or the findings of the test. Tampering will result in their immediate withdrawal or expulsion from Grace Brethren Schools.
13. If a student refuses to take part in the testing, parents will be immediately notified, and the student will be withdrawn or expelled from Grace Brethren Schools.
14. In extreme cases, or for student safety, the police may be notified. This may be triggered by refusal to take part in the test.
15. NEGATIVE TEST RESULTS:  The student will be released to normal activities. Parents will be notified.
16. POSITIVE TEST RESULTS:  Will be documented. The student will be immediately re-interviewed by the administration. Divulgence of details regarding his/her usage is expected. Parents will be
17. notified as soon as possible. Positive results may result in a student’s withdrawal or expulsion from Grace Brethren Schools.
18. During the interviewing process, students are expected to share any knowledge they have regarding other students involved in drug use. Every effort will be made to keep the source of this information confidential. Failure to share such information may impact the student’s future enrollment in Grace Brethren Schools.
19. Final discipline decisions regarding the student’s withdrawal from school will be made by the Principal and the Executive Director. In cases where expulsion seems necessary, the Principal will make this recommendation to the Executive Director and School Council for final approval.
20. Grace Brethren Schools provides random drug testing at no extra cost to their families.

Search and Seizure Policy

As part of the endeavor to maintain a safe environment, GBS administration may conduct searches of students and their book bags, lockers, vehicles and/or possessions (including cell phone contents, i.e., text messages, pictures, and videos) at any time. Furthermore, students may be asked to pull-up their social networking site to allow an administrator to examine its contents. In situations where a student’s person is to be searched, care and consideration will be taken by the school to make the search process as comfortable and convenient as possible for the student. A parent or guardian will be notified immediately following such a search. All prohibited materials found in a search are seized and confiscated. In instances where there may be a violation of civil law, the local authorities will be notified. When a student refuses to permit a search, a parent/guardian will be contacted for permission. Failure of the parent/guardian to give permission will result in an immediate suspension pending a further disciplinary hearing. In addition, the student will be referred to the Principal to commence the dismissal process for failing to abide by the policies, procedures and regulations set forth in the Parent/Student Handbook. If unlawful conduct is suspected, the police will be contacted during this process.

Cell phones and other electronic devices will be confiscated if they are seen, heard, or used during on- campus student activities without faculty permission and supervision.

This policy has two main implications:

1. Students may only use technology in the classroom with teacher permission.
2. When using technology in the classroom, it must be class related.

Recording of students on campus at any time is strictly prohibited, unless specific permission has been given from the supervising adult.

To access eTextbooks, it is preferred students use tablets or laptops instead of cell phones.

Although we encourage students to use technology to improve their education, GBS cannot guarantee the opportunity to charge devices on campus.

GBS reserves the right to conduct searches of text messages, pictures, and video content for security purposes. Student-owned devices may be confiscated at any time during the school day.

Electronic devices will be confiscated if they are used on campus in an inappropriate manner. If a device is confiscated for the first time, the student may retrieve his/her device from the front office at the end of the day.

After this first warning, the following discipline schedule will be followed:

• 2nd Violation: 1 hour detention
• 3rd  Violation: Two hour Saturday School - $20
• 4th  Violation: Four hour Saturday School - $40
• 5th  Violation: Referral to administration for further discipline.

The use of school or student owned devices on campus should be in support of education and research, which is consistent with the educational objectives of GBS. Electronic devices must not be audible to the public without faculty consent.

Students must abide by the Network Agreement, which was electronically signed during enrollment.

Students are responsible for their own devices. If a device is used improperly, it will be confiscated regardless of who is using it. Additionally, the school is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen devices.

Assemblies and Chapels

Chapel attendance is required for all students. Seniors with a free period must attend chapel regardless of when their free period falls.

Student pictures will be taken annually. If parents wish to purchase pictures, money is to be sent to school with their child the day the pictures are taken. You will be advised of the date, cost, etc.

All Seniors must sit for regular school pictures for ID purposes and for the official yearbook photo. Arrangements for Senior portraits MUST be made via the approved school photography studio that also handles student pictures. Appointments are to be scheduled at the parent/student’s discretion and MUST be completed by the start of school. This will insure consistency and meeting of the yearbook guidelines.

If a student does not sit for a school picture, he/she will not be included in the yearbook.