Student Information / Behavior

The following suggestions are listed to help you get along through the school year:

1. Respect the rights of other people in your actions and words.

2. Behave in a way that protects the health and safety of yourself and others regardless of where you are in school, on the playground, or at home.

3. Students are to walk in the halls, moving quietly at all times.

4. Students will show care and concern for themselves and others.

5. Avoid physical contact with each other. NO FIGHTING!

6. Students will respect the authority of all adults in the building.

7. Bad language and/or obscene gestures are not permitted.

8. No gum chewing will be allowed on school property.

1. Students are not to leave school property or re-enter the building without
permission from the teacher. They are to stay in the designated area of the playground.

2. Students are not to play rough.

3. Profanity and/or inappropriate language are not permitted and warrant an immediate office referral.

4. All play stops at the sound of the whistle. Students are to line up as quickly as possible.

5. Students are to enter the building quietly and are to come through the entry doors
in an organized manner.

The school principal is responsible for setting up rules to ensure that student rights are preserved and disciplinary procedures are carried out. Students may give up certain rights when it may be shown that they are not assuming the appropriate responsibility for behavior. Discipline is a major responsibility of the teacher in the classroom. Good discipline is an essential ingredient of learning and good education. Teachers will attempt to handle situations in a firm, fair manner as soon as the problem arises. Continued poor undesirable behavior may result in conferences with parents/guardians or referral to the principal. Actions taken by the principal on the first office referral will be as follows:

1. The principal will have a conversation with the student, where the student recounts the items that led to the office referral. The student will also be asked to identify the classroom discipline policy.

2. The principal will call a parent or guardian, inform them of the items on the referral and allow the parent to speak to the student.

3. The principal will then speak to the parent or guardian, who will identify which of the disciplinary measures will be observed to ensure that the misbehavior ceases.

Should the student return to the office with a second referral, all disciplinary measures will double and the first observed will no longer be an option. If the student should return with a third referral, the student will be suspended to a parent conference. If there are further
incidents, the following options may be utilized:

1. Further suspension from school
2. Juvenile Court Petition for Unruly Conduct
3. Recommendation to the Director of Schools and Board of Education that the student be alternatively placed or expelled.

Verbal and physical sexual misconduct will not be tolerated. This includes: taunting, touching, innuendoes, or any sexual act.

North Lee Elementary has a zero-tolerance for bullying behavior – physical, verbal and cyber. Confirmed instances of bullying will be dealt with immediately and monitored there after. All previous instances of bullying behavior must have been reported to the administration before zero-tolerance disciplinary actions can be considered.

Discrimination/Harassment/Hazing (Sexual, Racial, Ethnic, Religious)
Students shall be provided a learning environment free from sexual, racial, ethnic and religious discrimination/Harassment and hazing. It shall be a violation of this policy for any employee or any students to discriminate against, harass or haze a student through disparaging conduct or communication that is sexual, racial, ethnic, or religious in nature. The following guidelines are set forth to protect students from discrimination/harassment/hazing.

Discrimination/Harassment/Hazing
Student discrimination/harassment/hazing will not be tolerated. Discrimination/harassment is defined conduct, advances, gestures or words
either written or spoken of a sexual, racial, ethnic or religious nature. Hazing is defined as an intentional or reckless act on or off school property, by one student acting alone or with others, directed against any other students that

1) endangers mental or physical health and safety of that student or

2) induces or coerces a student to endanger that student’s mental or physical health or safety. Hazing does not include physical contact associated with athletic events, athletic training, or with competition conducted under a coach’s or sponsor’s supervision.

The following are outcomes relative to the above definitions:

1. Unreasonable interference with the student’s work or educational opportunities; or
2. Creation of intimidating, hostile or offensive learning environment; or
3. Insinuation that submission to such conduct is made an explicit or implicit term of receiving grades or credit; or
4. Insinuation that submission to or rejection of such conduct will be used as a basis for determining the student’s grades and /or participation in student activities.

Bullying/Intimidation

Students shall be provided a safe learning environment. It shall be a violation of this policy for any student to bully, intimidate, haze or create a hostile educational environment for another student. Harassment, bullying, hazing and intimidation occurs if the act takes place on school grounds, at any school-sponsored activity, on school provided equipment or transportation or at any official school bus stop, if the act either physically harms a student or damages his/her property, or knowingly places the students in reasonable fear of such, causes emotional distress to a student or students, or creates a hostile educational environment. If the act takes place off school property or outside of a school-sponsored activity, the act shall be considered harassment, bullying, hazing or intimidation if it is directed specifically at a student or students and has the effect of creating a hostile educational environment or otherwise creating a substantial disruption to the education environment or learning process. These acts may also take place through electronic means. Electronic devices include, but are not limited to, telephones, cellular phones or other wireless telecommunications devices, text messaging, emails, social networking sites, instant messaging, videos, web sites or fake profiles. Alleged victims of the above-referenced offenses shall report these incidents immediately to a teacher, counselor or building administrator. Any allegations shall be fully investigated by a compliant manager (as set forth in Student Concerns, Complaints and Grievances 6.305). The privacy and anonymity of all parties and witnesses to complaints will be respected. However, because an individual’s need for confidentiality must be balanced with obligation to cooperate with police investigations or legal proceedings, to provide due process to the accused, to conduct a thorough investigation or to take necessary action to resolve a complaint, the identify of parties and witnesses may be disclosed in appropriate circumstances to individuals with a need to know.

A discrimination/harassment/hazing statement referencing this policy shall be distributed to students annually through the parent/student handbook and or posted to each school’s website. Building administrators are responsible for educating and training their respective staff and students as to the definition and recognition of discriminations /harassment.

Coaches and other employees of the school district shall not encourage, permit, condone, or tolerate hazing activities. Bradley County Policy 6.304/T.C.A. 49-6-4501

Cell phones, smart watches, iPods, iPads, laser pointers, electronic games, and trading cards are not necessary items to the instructional program of North Lee. The Bradley County School Board policy regarding cell phones in the schools is as follows:

Students may possess personal communication devices, such as cell phones, while on school property. However, the personal communication device must be in the off mode and must be kept in a backpack, purse or similar personal carry-all and may not be used during school hours. The principal or his/her designee may grant a student permission to use a personal communication device at his/her discretion. A device used outside these parameters shall result in confiscation of the device until such time as it may be released to the student's parent or guardian. A student in violation of this policy is subject to disciplinary action.

School uniforms are not required, but students should come to school clean, appropriately dressed, and ready to learn. Please label all coats, jackets, and lunch boxes with students’ first and last names. The elementary dress code is as follows:

a. Shoes must be worn at all times. This is in compliance with state health and safety regulations. Tennis shoes are recommended, and required on days students have PE.

b. No hats, caps, or hoodies should be worn inside the building except on designated days.

c. Body piercing jewelry will be limited to earrings due to safety concerns.

d. The top garment (blouse or shirt) must overlap the bottom garment; no halter tops, spaghetti straps, bare midriffs or backsides are permitted.

e. Shorts and skirts should reach one’s fingertips when arms are held to their sides. Pants or shorts should not have holes above the knee.

f. Clothing which advertises tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, illicit drugs, lewd or inappropriate graphics may not be worn.

g. Any form of dress that is immodest, offensive, or disruptive to the learning atmosphere may not be worn.

h. Only natural colored hair will be permitted due to the learning distraction this may cause to the learning environment.

i. Parents must follow the same dress code while on school property or field trips.

In order to ensure a safe and secure learning environment, the following offenses will not be tolerated: Policy 6.309

Weapons and Dangerous Instruments
Firearms (as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921)
Drugs
Assault
Electronic Threats

Prior to the dissemination of a survey, analysis, or evaluation to students, parents/guardians shall be notified of their ability to review the materials. Following such notification and prior to the administration of the survey, analysis, or evaluation parents/guardians may opt their child out of participation. Policy 6.4001

School administrations shall be authorized to grant permission and set parameters for media access to students in their respective schools. The media may interview and photograph students involved in instructional programs and school activities including athletic events. Such media access shall not be unduly disruptive and shall comply with Board policies. Policy 6.604

North Lee’s House System is a motivational tool which builds comradery among students and staff, establishes order and purpose within the school, and fosters positive relationships across grade levels. We use our house system to reward excellent behavior through friendly competition. Each student is randomly placed in one of four houses. Each house is represented by a name, color, and character trait:

Amable/Green: Kindness
Sabio/Purple: Wisdom
Creativo/Orange: Creativity
Valeroso/Navy: Courage

The whole school will participate in a yearlong competition to see which house can receive the most points. Points are given for excellent behavior, impressive grades, participation in acts of service, or anything our school staff believes deserves a reward. We will constantly be on the lookout to praise the good we see in all of our students. We will also divide into houses for assemblies, fundraisers and other special activities to promote teamwork and community. Please encourage your student to participate and work hard to earn points for his or her house. We want this to be fun and exciting as we build good character in each child.