Code Of Conduct

Introduction and philosophical Basis

Riyadh Najed Schools seeks to provide a safe and equal learning opportunity for each of its students, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, and social and family background. Riyadh Najed Schools must be free from disruption that would interfere with the teachers’ right to teach and the students’ right to learn. Riyadh Najed Schools recognizes that students have certain constitutional rights to which they are entitled, which shall not be limited, except by law. Therefore, Riyadh Najed Schools has established the following Code of Conduct that students must follow and schools must enforce uniformly. In addition, Riyadh Najed Schools develops comprehensive discipline policies in accordance with the individual plans of School Advisory Councils. Riyadh Najed Schools will not tolerate behavior that disrupts or interferes with the education of other students. We offer assistance to parents and guardians in the form of guidance services, peer mediation/conflict resolution, and other school and community resources in order to ensure a safe and hospitable environment.

Students are responsible for understanding and adhering to this Code of Conduct and the individual discipline plans of school.

Parents are responsible for helping students understand and abide by these policies and for recognizing that unacceptable behavior shall be subject to disciplinary action.

School personnel are responsible for being aware of the specifics of the code and to apply them appropriately. Schools are responsible for conveying information and procedures to students and parents.

Classifications of Violations

The School Board at Riyadh Najed Schools gives principals a reasonable degree of choice in determining the level of the offense and the resulting consequences. Students who are arrested or charged for off campus matters which would have been zero tolerance offenses or a major offense had it occurred on campus, may be suspended from extracurricular activities and/or excluded from school.

Factors that are considered include, but are not limited to:

• Age or disability.
• Seriousness of offense.
• Premeditation, impulse, or self-defense.
• Strength of evidence.
• Cooperation or remorse.
• Disciplinary history.
• Gang-relationship.

When a formal disciplinary action is required, the principal or his/her designee will make every effort to contact the parent or guardian. If telephone contact cannot be made, written notice will be sent home with the student l within 24 hours. The student is responsible for the notification and/or delivery to his/her parent or guardian of all written communication from the school. Failure to do so could result in further disciplinary action.

LEVEL ONE – ZERO TOLERANCE OFFENSE

Offenses include but are not limited to the following:

• Arson.
• Threat or intimidation of a school board employee, agent, or student.
• Bomb threats or general threats to school population.
• Breaking/entering of school board property
• False fire alarms.
• Gang related activities.
• Major disruption to a school function.
• Misrepresentation of facts resulting in public slander toward school board employee or school.
• Passing counterfeit money.
• Possession, use, or sale of a firearm, bombs, explosives or a weapon.
• Possession, use, sale, distribution, purchase, or being under the influence of a controlled substance.
• Possession, or purchase, either knowingly or unknowingly, of any drug paraphernalia.
• Possession, or purchase, either knowingly or unknowingly, of any illegal drugs or substance.
• Robbery.
• Sale or distribution, or purchase of any substance represented by a student as being a controlled substance.
• Threats/intimidation.
• Use of a non-weapon as a weapon.
• Willfully and knowingly attempting to do bodily harm to a school board employee, agent or student.

CONSEQUENCES INCLUDE:

• Mandatory parent conference.
• Report to the appropriate area director and, absent of special circumstances, a recommendation for expulsion or change of placement.
• Three to ten days out-of-school suspension.
• Report to law enforcement agency as appropriate which could result in arrest and prosecution or civil citation.
• Sanctions.

LEVEL TWO – OTHER MAJOR OFFENSE (SERIOUS ACT OF MISCONDUCT):

Offenses include but are not limited to the following:

• Bullying.
• Computer/internet misuse.
• Defiance, disrespect or profanity directed at school board employees, agents, or students.
• Falsely reporting incidents of bullying.
• Fighting.
• Gang related activities.
• Larceny or theft.
• Property offenses against school board employees, agents, or students that when referred to law enforcement could result in criminal charges.
• Pattern of continuous disobedient/disruptive behavior.
• Possession or use of tobacco or tobacco products.
• Trespassing;
• Vandalism.

Consequences Include:

• Notification of parent or guardian.
• In-school suspension.
• Up to ten days out-of-school suspension.
• Sanctions.
• Principals may consult with their area director for further recommendation of disciplinary action that may include a recommendation for change of placement.

Consequences of fighting include:

• Up to ten days suspension.
• Successful completion of peer mediation, conflict resolution or anger management training.
• Report to law enforcement as appropriate resulting in possible arrest or civil citation.
• Sanctions.

Actions taken clearly in self defense without prior physical or verbal involvement shall not be considered an intentional act.

Consequences of Vandalism of any school board facility include:

• Restitution.
• Suspension, change of placement; and/or expulsion: report to the appropriate law enforcement agency, shall be subject to arrest and prosecution or civil citation.

Consequences of Bullying include:

• Mandatory parent conference.
• Verbal and written reprimand.
• In-school or out-of-school suspension up to ten days.
• Change of placement and/or expulsion.

Consequences of tobacco or tobacco products include for:

First offenses:

• Mandatory parent conference.
• Referral to law enforcement.
• Mandatory anti-tobacco education.
• And/or sanctions.

Subsequent offenses:

• Referral to law enforcement subject to arrest and prosecution or civil citation.
• In-school suspension.
• Up to ten days out-of-school suspension.
• And/or sanctions.

LEVEL THREE – OTHER OFFENSES

Examples of Level three offenses:

• Horseplay which leads to aggressive behavior.
• Acts of misconduct that interferes with orderly classroom procedures, school functions, extracurricular programs, approved transportation, or a student’s own learning process.
• Violations of the dress code.
• Tardiness.
• Plagiarism/cheating.
• Display or use of cell phone/electronic devices.
• Possession of lighters or matches.

The Following are Examples of Possible Consequences for Level Three Offenses:

• Assignments or duties other than class tasks.
• Assignment to a time-out room.
• Consultations with administrative personnel.
• Counseling by special services personnel or by teachers.
• Detention.
• In-school suspension.
• Mediation.
• Notification of parent or guardian.
• Out of school suspension up to ten days.
• Parent and/or teacher administrative conferences.
• Peer mediation/conflict resolution.
• Referral to school administration.
• Report to law enforcement as appropriate; maybe subject to arrest and prosecution or civil citation.
• Restitution.
• Student self improvement contracts.
• Work detail.

Examples of Plagiarism and Cheating:

a student who participates in using, copying, or providing another student with any test answers, answer keys or another person’s work representing it to be his or her own work (plagiarism). Use of a cell phone during a test or quiz is considered cheating.

Consequences of plagiarism and cheating include:

• Phone call to the parent.
• A zero for the assignment.
• Up to ten days in-school or out-of-school suspension.
• Any work cheated on will not be allowed to be made up.

SANCTIONS

Students found to be in violation of the zero tolerance offenses or major offenses as defined in the Code of Student Conduct may be suspended from participation in extra-curricular activities for a period of time which, in the opinion of the principal, is justified. Students arrested or charged for “off campus” matters which would have been zero tolerance offense or a major offense had it occurred on a campus, may be suspended from extracurricular activities or excluded from school. Students suspended from participation shall not be permitted to participate in any event-related activities, dress out for the event, practice with the group, or travel to the event with the team or group. An event is defined as a game, activity, or contest. A tournament experience is considered to be a single event, even though the tournament consists of more than one game, activity or contest.