DISCIPLINE

St. Paul Lutheran School endeavors to train the whole child. All behavior problems will be given careful study. Every child in the school is subject to discipline by any teacher. Detention, extra work, and loss of privileges are some forms of discipline used at St. Paul. The school reserves the right to expel pupils who willfully and consistently refuse to recognize the authority of the teachers, and/or who consistently violate God's commandments. Such expulsion will be effected only after a complete and thorough study of the problem by the faculty and Board of Christian Education.

SCHOOL-WIDE GUIDELINES

(Adopted August 25, 1992)

1.   Follow directions the first time they are given.

2.   Stay in assigned areas.

3.   Respect others and their property.

4.   Walk and be quiet in the hallways and the restrooms.

5.   Report first to the office when entering the building after the beginning of the school day.

CONSEQUENCES

First Offense - Warning

Second Offense - Lose noon recess

Third Offense - Detention

Fourth Offense - Referred to the principal

Note: The first three steps may be skipped if the teacher feels the offense warrants such action.

FIVE-STEP PLAN (091393; Amended August, 1994)

A student may be sent to the principal once he/she reaches that point on a teacher's classroom rules/consequence plan. A student may also be referred to the principal if, in the opinion of the teacher, the seriousness of an offense warrants it. The principal will decide whether or not the student will be placed on the Five-Step Plan.

Step 1 - The principal discusses the serious nature of the problem with the student. The principal places the student's name in the Discipline Manual with the student present. The entire step plan is explained to the student.

Step 2 - The student's parents are called by the principal and the serious nature of the problem is discussed with the parents. This information is also placed in the Discipline Manual.

Step 3 - A conference is called with the parents, one of the pastors, the teacher involved, a Board of Christian Education member and the principal. The problem is discussed and a solution is sought. The serious nature of future steps is also discussed.

Step 4 - The student is suspended from school for one to three days. All assignments are given for this time; the student completes all work at home or, in the case of in-school suspension, at school. Days of suspension need to be made up before the student advances to the next grade or graduates. This is normally done right after the school year is done.

Step 5 - The student is expelled from school. This report is placed on the student's permanent record and thoroughly documented and explained. The Board of Christian Education is involved in all expulsions.

The student may be present for all of these steps.

DETENTIONS

Violations of school rules and misconduct will result in disciplinary action and corrective measures being taken. The corrective measures will depend upon the nature of the behavior and the frequency of the violations. Disciplinary actions and corrective measures will normally begin at a minimal level and proceed to more serious levels. The ultimate aim of these actions is to encourage the student to monitor his/her behavior in order to follow the principles of a Christian school.

Detentions may be given at the discretion of each classroom teacher, with sufficient warning given to the student regarding inappropriate behavior. Detentions may range from taking away a recess period to staying after school for a period ranging in time from ½ hour to 1½ hours. The assigning teacher will determine a length of time appropriate for the age of the student and the offense.

  A notice of detention must be sent home with the student and shall be returned by the student the next day after getting the required parental signature. This notice must list the reasons (listing all 3 offenses for the upper grade students) for the detention, and the date and time of the detention. If the detention notice is not returned the next day with the required parental signature, another detention of similar length will be assigned. A copy should be kept by the assigning teacher, a copy should be given to the office, and either a copy or information regarding the detention should be given to the Supervisor of Detentions. Coaches should also be informed of detentions so that they will know why a participant in their extracurricular activity is not available either for practice, game, or meet on the detention day.

  Detentions must be served on the assigned day, unless a signed note or phone call is received from the parent offering a valid reason (funeral, family trip, doctor's appointment, etc.) for changing the date and making arrangements for another day. This note or phone call should be received by the assigning teacher or the principal, who will determine what action to take. If neither of them are available, the Supervisor of Detentions will receive the call or note.

  Detention time will begin at 3:15 p.m. Detention students will not be allowed to visit, leave the detention room without the permission of the Supervisor of Detentions, etc. Students are to report to detention with all the work necessary to occupy their time there. They are to remain seated and working during the entire time. One of the assigning teachers or the Supervisor of Detentions may choose to have students do school cleaning, etc., especially when the detention has been given for the defacing of school property. One of the assigning teachers or the Supervisor of Detentions may also require a writing assignment related to the offense for which the detention was given, to be completed during the detention time.

  Students serving detention should be picked up by their parents. If other arrangements need to be made, such as walking or going with a person other than a parent, those arrangements should be noted by the parent at the bottom of the Detention Notice -Disciplinary Referral.

  Any detentions which are ignored by the student will result in an additional detention period of similar length. If skipping detention time continues, one day of in-school suspension and/or an additional day of school at the end of the school year may be required of the student as well as the additional detention period. The principal will be in charge of assigning in-school suspensions and/or extra days of school.

  Students serving detentions will not be allowed to participate in practices and/or games which are occurring at the same time as the detention. Parents are not to request a different detention day in order to allow their child to participate in extracurricular activities. When the detention has been served, a student may join a practice or a game in session, if the game rules allow for this participation.

  Starting with the third detention in any one quarter a student will move one step up on The Five Step Plan, as detailed in the Parent-Student Handbook. Also starting with the third detention in any one quarter, the student will not be allowed to participate for five consecutive school days in an extracurricular activity, as stated in the Due Process in Sports Program of the Parent-Student Handbook. The Supervisor of Detentions will inform the principal and the coach when the third detention has been assigned. An athlete will also be placed on the Athletic Step Program after being placed on The Five Step Plan. (If a student participates in an extracurricular activity, higher standards of behavior are required.)

  The schedule for serving detentions will be determined at the beginning of each school year, and every effort will be made to choose two days that will not discriminate against any grade level, team, or gender.

SCHOOL GOVERNMENT RULES: SUSPENSION - EXPULSION (Reference 120.13)

SCHOOL BOARD POWERS - LAWS OF WISCONSIN RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SUSPENSION

The principal may suspend a pupil for not more than three school days, or if a notice of expulsion hearing has been sent, for not more than a total of seven consecutive school days, for non-compliance with school or School Board rules or for conduct by the pupil while at school or while under the supervision of a school authority which endangers the property, health or safety of others. Prior to any suspension the pupil shall be advised of the reason for the proposed suspension. The pupil may be suspended if it is determined that he is guilty of non-compliance with such rule or of the conduct charged and that his suspension is reasonably justified. The parent or guardian of a suspended minor pupil shall be given proper notice of the suspension and the reason therefore. The suspended pupil or his parent or guardian may, within five days following the commencement of the suspension, have a conference with the school principal and/or the total Board of Christian Education. If the Board of Christian Education finds that the pupil was suspended unfairly or unjustly, or that the suspension was inappropriate, given the nature of the alleged offense, or that the pupil suffered undue consequences or penalties as a result of the suspension, reference to the suspension on the pupil's school record shall be expunged. Such finding shall be made within fifteen days of said conference. A pupil suspended under this policy shall not be denied the opportunity to take any quarterly, semester, or grading period examinations missed during the suspension period.

EXPULSION

The Board of Christian Education may expel a pupil from school whenever it finds him/her guilty of repeated refusal or neglect to obey the rules or finds that he engaged in conduct while at school or while under the supervision of a school authority which endangers the property, health or safety of others, and is satisfied that the interest of the school demands his expulsion. Prior to such expulsion the School Board shall hold a hearing thereon. Not less than five days written notice of the hearing shall be sent to the pupil and his/her parent or guardian, specifying the particulars of the alleged refusal, neglect of conduct, stating the time and place of the hearing and stating that the hearing may result in the pupil's expulsion. The pupil and his/her parent or guardian may be represented at the hearing by counsel. The School Board shall keep written minutes of the hearing. Upon the ordering by the School Board of the expulsion of a pupil, the school administrator shall mail a copy of the order to the pupil and, if the pupil is a minor, to his parent or guardian.

Expelled students may be reinstated only by action of the Board of Christian Education.

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