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An
Explanation of The Student
Code
of Conduct
Dear Parent/Guardian,
We, the members of the
Prince George’s County
Public Schools Board of
Education, are committed
to providing your child a
safe school environment
conducive to learning. We
have revised the Code of
Student Conduct to explain
student expectations and
behaviors which might
require disciplinary
action Additionally,
procedures for
suspension, expulsion and
rights of appeal and/or
review are discussed.
General Consideration
Leading to Disciplinary
Action
The Prince George’s County
Board of Education
recognizes that there are
instances in which formal
disciplinary action must
be used. Discipline should
be both corrective and
instructive, designed to
foster growth and
understanding in our
students. There are four
levels of misbehavior
which may result in a
disciplinary action,
including suspension
and/or expulsion.
Level I Offenses
are Violations of General
Classroom and Bus Rules.
These offenses generally
occur in the classroom or
on the bus and can be
corrected by the teacher
or driver. Examples:
academic
dishonesty/cheating,
plagiarism, classroom
disruption, disorderly
conduct, failure to come
to class prepared, failure
to wear identification
badge, internet/computer
misuse, public display of
affection, unexcused
tardiness.
Level II Offenses
are Behaviors Requiring
Administrative
Intervention. These
offenses are more serious
or repeated Level I
offenses. Examples: bias
harassment, bullying, class cutting,
truancy, defamation,
disorderly conduct,
disrespect, disruptive speech, dress
code violation, fighting, forgery,
gambling, harassment/intimidation, indecent
exposure, insubordination,
loitering, sexual
harassment, theft (below
$100), threat to
person/property,
trespassing,
unauthorized departure
from school, unauthorized
sale or distribution of
printed material (Admin.
Proc. 5150), unauthorized
use of portable
communication devices or
electronic devices,
vandalism/destruction of
property (below $100).
Level III Offenses
are Behaviors for Which a
Student May be Suspended
and/or Removed to a
Disciplinary Alternative
Education Program.
Examples: serious or
repeated Level I or Level
II offenses, assault,
contaminating food, group
fight, hazing, inciting others to
violence or disruption,
possession or use of
fireworks, reckless
endangerment, repeatedly
disruptive conduct, theft
(more than $100), threat
to PGCPS employee,
unauthorized use or
distribution of
over-the-counter
medications, vandalism/destruction of
property (between $100 and
$500). Each infraction
carries with it a
suggested minimum maximum
number of days of
suspension.
Level IV Offenses
are Behaviors Requiring
a Request for Expulsion and/ or Removal
to a Disciplinary
Alternative Education
Program. Examples: serious
or repeated Level I, Level
II, or Level III offenses,
acts of gross misconduct
at other schools; arson;
assault with serious
injury; biohazard, bomb
threat, false alarm; group
fight which has been
planned or causes much
disruption to the school
day or results in
substantial bodily injury; other
acts; physical attack on a
PGCPS employee;
possession, use or
distribution of alcohol,
marijuana, prescription
drugs, controlled
dangerous substances,
inhalants, other
intoxicants, controlled or
drug paraphernalia,
possession, use, or
distribution of
explosives, possession
or use of
weapons or instruments
used as such;
shakedown/strong
arm/extortion,
vandalism/destruction of
property above $500.
Definitions for all
offenses may be found in
the Admin. Proc. 10101 —
Code of Student Conduct.
The Code of Student
Conduct includes
provisions regarding the
use and possession of
tobacco by students. The
disciplinary
counseling/assistance
provisions of the Code
differ from first offense
through fourth and
subsequent offenses.
Procedures for
Implementing a Short-Term
Suspension
If the decision is made to
place your child on a
short-term suspension you
will bi contacted by phone or
in person, and by mail, to tell you
that your child is being
suspended and why.
If
the principal believes
that your child's
behavior is harmful to
himself/herself and/or
others, the principal
will seek intervention
from school security
personnel, police
officers, or other
county agencies to
ensure your child's
safety and the safety of
others.
A Notice of
Suspension will be sent
home with your child. A
second Notice of
Suspension will be mailed.
A conference date will be
noted on the form or you
will be asked to contact
the school to arrange for
a conference. The
principal will give you an
opportunity to have a
conference as promptly
after the suspension as
possible.
Rights of Appeal and/or
Review for a Short-Term
Suspension|
If a parent/guardian
wishes a formal review of
the suspension, the parent
is to contact the Pupil
Personnel Worker (PPW) to
request the review.
Appropriate investigation
shall be completed by the
Pupil Personnel Worker to
resolve the problem. A
review of a short-term
suspension shall not serve
to delay the suspension,
Procedures for
Implementing a Long-Term
Suspension
If the decision is made to
request a long-term
suspension, the principal
will follow the same steps
used for short-term
suspensions in notifying
you about your child’s
suspension. The principal
will contact the school’s
Pupil Personnel Worker with information about
your child’s suspension.
The Pupil Personnel Worker
will chair a conference
which will include you,
your child and appropriate
school personnel. A
decision will be made
regarding how long the
suspension will last, and
what steps you and school
personnel can take to
support your child.
Appeal of a Long-Term
Suspension
If you, as the parent/guardian, disagree with the
decision made during the
suspension conference, you
may file a written appeal,
within ten days, to the
Board of Education. The
Board’s Hearing examiner
will conduct this appeal
hearing and make a
recommendation to the
Board, who will provide a
decision in writing.
Procedures for
Implementing An Expulsion
If the decision is made to
request an expulsion for
your child you will be
contacted by phone or
in person, and by mail, to tell you
of the request for
expulsion and why.
If
the principal believes
that your child's
behavior is harmful to
himself/herself and/or
others, the principal
will seek intervention
from school security
personnel, police
officers, or other
county agencies to
ensure your child's
safety and the safety of
others.
A notice of
Request for Expulsion will
be sent home with your
child. A second Request
for Expulsion will be
mailed. An investigation
of the incident will be
conducted, and if there
are sufficient grounds to
consider expulsion, you
and your child
will be invited to an
expulsion conference. At
this conference, the
principal will present
evidence to support the
expulsion requested. You
and your child
will have the chance to
present evidence, both in
writing and by having
witnesses present, and
give reasons why you feel
your child should not be
expelled. You may have
your own lawyer and other
school system employees
present who may have
personal knowledge about
the incident, and you may
question any witness
called by you or the
school staff. The
Superintendent or
designee will notify you
in writing of the
decision.
Appealing An Expulsion
If you, the parent/guardian,
disagree with the decision
made following the
expulsion conference, you
may file a written appeal,
within ten days, to the
Board of Education. The
Board’s Hearing Examiner
will conduct this appeal
hearing and make a
recommendation to the
Board of Education, who will provide a
decision in writing.
Make-Up Work
Your child must be offered
make-up work while on
suspension unless other
educational options are
provided. It is the
parent/guardian’s
responsibility to make
arrangements for the
receipt and return of
all assignments. During long-term
suspensions, unless
otherwise arranged,
teachers are to give work
in two-week increments,
and parents must return
completed work before
teachers will provide
additional work for
students.
Disabled Students
If a suspension beyond ten
days or expulsion is
requested for your child
who is disabled under
federal and state law,
there must first be a finding by
an IEP Team or Section 504 Team
that your child’s behavior
was not a result of
his/her disability. If
the behavior was not a
result of your child's
disability, the
request for suspension or
expulsion will remain and
follow the same procedures
that
are followed in any other
suspension or expulsion.
If the IEP Team or Section
504 Team finds that your child’s behavior
was a result of his/her
disability, the suspension or
expulsion will be
discontinued unless the
offense involved weapons or drugs.
All
PGCPS administrative
procedures are available
at all PGCPS schools.
Additionally, there are
links to all
administrative
procedures on the PGCPS
website at
http://www.pgcps.org/~procedur/10000/10000.html
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNT
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Verjeana M. Jacobs,
Esq., Chair
Ron. L. Watson, Ph.D.,
Vice Chair
Donna Hathaway Beck
Pat J. Fletcher
Heather IIiff
Rosalind A. Johnson
Linda Thornton Thomas
R. Owen Johnson, Jr.
Amber P. Waller
Edward Burroughs, III,
Student Board Member
William R. Hite, Jr.,
Ed. D., Superintendent
of Schools
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