Disciplinary Procedures

MILFORD HIGH SCHOOL CODE OF CONDUCT

In order to provide a safe, secure, and enjoyable learning environment, respect for self, others, and property are expectations of all students. In no way do students shed their rights as they walk through the doors of the school, but, there is a need to maintain order and safety so that learning opportunities are optimized.

With that purpose in mind, Milford High School will employ a variety of strategies to assist students, staff, and families to work together to ensure those qualities of a safe and orderly school environment.

Discipline should be self-imposed; students must learn to assume and accept responsibility for their own behavior, as well as the consequences of their misbehavior. District personnel who interact with students are expected to use disciplinary action only when necessary and to emphasize the student’s ability to develop self-discipline.

Unless otherwise indicated, this Code of Conduct applies to all students, school personnel, parents, and other visitors when on school property or attending a school function. Threats of any nature will be taken seriously and may lead to disciplinary action and/or police prosecution.

In an effort to improve the climate and culture at MHS, we have developed 3 Core Principles
for the 2023/2024 school year.

BE RESPECTFUL - BE ENGAGED - BE PRESENT

1. Be Respectful to Yourself, Others and the Building
Students need to speak and act respectfully to others and treat the building with respect.

- 1st infraction – Teacher will issue a first warning
- 2nd infraction – Student will complete a Google Form and email it to their parent and
  teacher, and the teacher will send an email to parent
- 3rd infraction – Teacher will issue a 30-minute detention, student will complete a Google
  Form and email it to their parent and teacher, and teacher will make a phone call to parent
- 4th infraction – Office administration will assign the Pivot Process, the student will
  complete a Google Form and email it to their parent and teacher, and parents will have a
  mandatory parent meeting to creation a Behavior Plan

2. Be Engaged in Your Learning and Class Activities
No Use of Electronics: Students should not be on a cell phone or electronic device during class.
Cell phones must be stored in the designated area in each classroom or kept out of sight inside a bag
or backpack. Cell phones are not to be used in the hallway or bathrooms during class time.

Be Awake and Engaged: Do not sleep in class or refuse to participate in activities. Students
refusing to participate or sleeping will be marked NP in PowerSchool and will not be eligible for
making up work or tests from that class.

- 1st infraction – Teacher will issue a first warning
- 2nd infraction – Student will complete a Google Form and email it to their parent and
  teacher, and the teacher will send an email to parent
- 3rd infraction – Teacher will issue a 30-minute detention, student will complete a Google
  Form and email it to their parent and teacher, and teacher will make a phone call to parent
- 4th infraction – Office administration will assign the Pivot Process, the student will
  complete a Google Form and email it to their parent and teacher, and parents will have a
  mandatory parent meeting to creation a Behavior Plan

3. Be Present
Students need to be present and arrive to school and to class before the bell rings. All tardies will
be dealt with by the classroom teacher for the first 10 minutes of any class.

- 1st infraction – Teacher will issue a first warning
- 2nd infraction – Teacher will issue a second warning
- 3rd infraction – Student will complete a Google Form and email it to their parent and
  teacher, and the teacher will send an email to parent
- 4th infraction – Teacher will issue a 30-minute detention, student will complete a Google
  Form and email it to their parent and teacher, and teacher will make a phone call to parent
- 5th infraction – Office administration will assign the Pivot Process, the student will
  complete a Google Form and email it to their parent and teacher, and parents will have a
  mandatory parent meeting to creation an Attendance Plan

**Students tardy beyond ten minutes to school for their 1st class or to a class will stop at or be sent
directly to the main office. All students tardy beyond 10 minutes are subject to the Tardy Policy
noted on page 33.

Removal From a Classroom Setting

Students removed from the classroom setting due to issues regarding behavior will be assigned to
the MTSS-B coordinator or the Pivot Process, or be subject to the Out of School Suspension (OSS)
process.

MTSS-B Coordinator - Works with students and teachers to develop rapport and strategies to
maintain engagement in class, and works with a student to create positive choices that will enable
the student to remain in class.

Pivot Process (*The Pivot Process will be implemented in the 2023-2024 school year**)

Students assigned to the Pivot Process will complete a 3 Zone process. Once a student completes
all 3 Zones, the Pivot staff will determine if the student can return to class. (Possible reasons for
referral to the Pivot Process include, but are not limited to: repeated tardiness, disrespect, failure to
obey school rules, lack of engagement, or completion of the OSS process)

ZONE 1

Student will briefly review the situation or altercation that led to the Pivot Process
Student will discuss and sign the Pivot agreement
Student will turn over all electronic devices other than their Chromebook
Student will open the assigned Google form and answer all questions, and then speak to and
process with the Pivot staff
Student will begin working on assigned materials

ZONE 2

Pivot staff will email the student a link to a video or provide an assigned PowerPoint
presentation
Student will watch the video or read the presentation and take notes
Student will write a reflection on the information presented
The student will continue to work on assigned materials

ZONE 3

The student will complete a reflection and proposed actions for next steps
Pivot staff will discuss the reflection with the student and discuss the student’s learned
behaviors and proposed interventions and strategies for moving forward
Student continues to work on assigned material
Staff determines if student is ready to return to class
Student either returns to class or returns to ZONE 2
Students must complete Zone 3 to return to class

* All students must abide by Pivot rules. If staff determines that a student cannot follow or is not
following the Pivot Process rules, the student will be sent to the office and sent home. Students will
then repeat Pivot the following morning.

Out of School Suspension (OSS)
OSS will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Out of School Suspension will consist of a 3 Stage
process. When the student completes all 3 Stages, they can return to regularly scheduled classes.
Possible reasons for OSS include, but are not limited to: drugs, alcohol, weapons, fighting, threats
or intimidation, harassment, bullying, theft, and destruction of property.

Stage 1 - Students will be sent home for the remainder of the day; Administration will
determine length of suspension
Stage 2 - Students will participate in a scheduled community service day
Stage 3 - Students will complete all 3 zones of the Pivot Process

On second or subsequent Out of School Suspensions, students and their parent/guardian may also be
required to meet with the Superintendent for a re-entry meeting.

BULLYING AND CYBERBULLYING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AT MHS

“Bullying” means a single significant incident or a pattern of incidents involving a written, verbal, or electronic communication, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another pupil which:
1) Physically harms a pupil or damages the pupil’s property;
2) Causes emotional distress to a pupil;
3) Interferes with a pupil’s educational opportunities;
4) Creates a hostile educational environment; or
5) Substantially disrupts the orderly operation of the school.

“Bullying” shall include actions motivated by an imbalance of power based on a pupil’s actual or perceived personal characteristics, behaviors, or beliefs, or motivated by the pupil’s association with another person and based on the other person’s characteristics, behaviors, or beliefs.

“Cyberbullying” means conduct defined above that is undertaken through the use of electronic devices.

HARASSMENT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AT MHS

Acts of harassment and bullying that are prohibited include those acts based on a person’s actual or
perceived membership in the following groups including, but not limited to:

1) Race
2) Color
3) Weight / Physical appearance
4) National origin
5) Ethnic group
6) Religion
7) Religious practice
8) Disability
9) Sex
10) Sexual orientation
11) Gender (which includes a person’s actual or perceived sex, as well as gender identity and
expression)

“Harassment” means the creation of a hostile environment by conduct or by threats, intimidation or
abuse, including cyberbullying that:

1) Has or would have the effect of unreasonably and substantially interfering with a student’s
educational performance, opportunities or benefits, or mental, emotional or physical wellbeing;
2) Reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause a student to fear for his or her
physical safety;
3) Reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause physical injury or emotional
harm to a student;
4) Occurs off school property and creates or would predictably create a risk of substantial
disruption within the school environment, where it is foreseeable that the conduct, threats,
intimidation or abuse might reach school property.

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MILFORD HIGH SCHOOL

CODE OF CONDUCT