Notification and Publication of the Weathersfield School Harassment and Discipline Policy
Policy on Prevention of Harassment of Students, (adopted February 23, 2009) and Student Conduct and Discipline Policy, (adopted August 24, 2009) are both available upon request in the WS Office.

Weathersfield School Expectations
Students in the Weathersfield School have the opportunity to learn a variety of ways to respond to everyday personal interactions, as well as to stressful situations they may face. Each teacher in his or her classroom provides clear and understandable guidelines in the form of classroom rules. School staff clearly communicates their expectations to students, and model appropriate behaviors at all times. There are times, however, when student behavior becomes unacceptable. The Weathersfield School believes that within the school setting, school staff may have a flexibility to respond to some unacceptable behaviors, while others should have prescribed and definite responses. In that regard, unacceptable behavior can be divided into two categories, minor/serious offenses, and major offenses. Parents will be asked to provide telephone numbers where they may be reached during the day in the event they need to be informed about their child's behavior, or requested to take their child home from school.

Minor/Serious Offenses
When a student receives a verbal correction from a staff member, it is expected that that student will immediately cease his/her offensive behavior and comply with the expectations stated by that staff member. When a student is isolated within the classroom setting, it is expected that that student will be given sufficient schoolwork to remain occupied, and will be given information about what behaviors are necessary for him/her to return to the general classroom activity. If a student is asked to leave a classroom or other school setting, that student will be given sufficient academic work to allow him or her to successfully return to the classroom upon completion of the assignment. The offending student will report immediately to a centrally designated area. If that area is the office, the staff member will notify the office by intercom. That student may then return to the staff member involved, or to a designated staff person, to bear the consequences of the offending behavior.
In the event of a detention, please refer to the detention information at the bottom of this section.
Some examples minor/ serious offenses may include, but not limited to:
- Talking back to School Personnel
- Rule breaking behavior
- Cheating
- Skipping class
- Insubordination/ non-compliant behavior
- Profanity

Consequences for Minor/Serious Offenses
Consequences for minor/serious offenses may include a range of disciplinary action from a detention to a call home depending on the actual infraction. Serious offenses will be sent to the principal, which minor infractions will be seen as the "teachable moment" for faculty and staff.

Major Offenses
Major offenses are those which have prescribed and definite consequences, regardless of circumstances and/or individuals involved. Major offenses are, but not limited to:
- Assaulting any person
- Violent behavior involving (but not exclusive to) hitting, kicking, or fighting with other students on school property or while attending a school function
- Possession, use, delivery, dispensing, or sale of tobacco, alcoholic beverages or an intoxicant, drug paraphernalia, or look-alike drug while on school property or at a school function
- Being under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, controlled substance or dangerous drug, or an intoxicant on school property or at a school function
- Selling, giving, or delivering to another person a controlled substance or dangerous drug, or alcoholic beverage, on school grounds
- Discovery by school personnel of any dangerous instrument or weapon, or use of such instrument or weapon, defined as an item which when used against another person may inflict bodily harm or injury
- Engaging in unwanted physical familiarity or inappropriate behavior, including any sexual touching, kissing, fondling or groping toward another person
- Engaging in sexual harassment, by which is meant persistent unwelcome comments to another person of a sexual and/or gender nature
- Damaging or destroying school equipment on school property, or the property of any other individual situated on school property
- Unauthorized removal of school property or another's personal property from the school grounds.
- Engaging in verbal abuse, name calling, ethnic or racial slurs, derogatory or profane statements or gestures toward anyone, including possession and distribution of obscene materials
- Bullying, defined as using physical or psychological force over another person in order to obtain certain benefits from that person
- Committing extortion, coercion, or blackmail
- Profanity directed at someone
- Arson
- Public lewdness
- Vandalism

Consequences for Major Offenses
Major offenses seriously affect the learning environment of Weathersfield Schools. They jeopardize the safety and security of the learning community, and as such, must be dealt with in a definitive and non-negotiable manner. When a student commits a major offense, the principal, or his/her designee, will immediately take charge of the situation. Federal, state, special education, and Section 504 laws will be followed. The police may be summoned, if appropriate, and parents will be notified. Due process will be afforded. Student may receive an Inhouse suspension or an out-of-school suspension in which case a parent will always be notified in advance of the suspension. If a student is suspended, a re-entry meeting with the principal may be necessary.

Inhouse Suspension
When a student is placed in an inhouse suspension, they will have regular school hours and will be permitted to take the bus, as usual. When the student arrives at school, he/she is to report to the office immediately. The student will work in a quiet place, away from their peers, where they will work on their schoolwork, which teachers will make available. Students in inhouse suspension will not be permitted to join their peers for any activities during the day, including specials, recess and lunch. The student will have adequate breaks during the day and breakfast and lunch, as they usually do, though in a quiet and secluded environment. Students who serve their inhouse suspensions will be permitted to attend afterschool events and athletics once the suspension is over.
Out of School Suspension
There are times when a behavioral infraction warrants an out of school suspension as a safety precaution. If that happens, the student may not receive their school work until they return to school. If so, the student has three school days to complete the work missed due to their suspension. If they do not complete the work, a failing grade will be given. Students who are suspended from school may not come on school property for any reason during the suspension time period, including school related activities held off campus, such as athletic events.

DETENTIONS
Staff may assign detentions in grades K-3 at WS if needed. Parents will be notified by phone or in writing prior to keeping a child after school. In grades 4-8 we use the following procedure:
1. It is the parent's responsibility to arrange transportation after a detention. Failure to serve will mean a parent/teacher conference is necessary.
2. All parents and students will be given 24 hours in which to arrange transportation, unless other arrangements have been made by the parents and teacher.
3. If a student is absent the day they are supposed to serve the detention, they will serve it the next day they return to school.
4. Students will not be permitted to socialize during the period of their detention.
5. Detentions run from dismissal at 2:20 to 3:15 PM. Parents are expected to pick their child up or arrange other transportation.
6. Detention will be supervised by faculty. Teachers in grades 4-8 will supervise detention on a rotating basis.

CO-CURRICULAR & EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
It is expected that any student involved in co-curricular and/or extra-curricular activities, such as Peer Leadership, Peer Mediation, Student Council, school sponsored team sports, and academic teams, etc. will provide a positive role model in both academic work and behavior. Appropriate behavior is required at all times in school and at all school activities. Behavior will be monitored closely and serious misconduct will result in suspension or removal from participation in school activities. Students who are in a leadership position in Co-curricular and Extra- curricular Activities and do not follow the Weathersfield School behavior expectations will be removed from their leadership role.
Each disciplinary concern will be handled individually by the WS Administration. Students who commit "major offenses", as listed below, will be removed from all activities.

Behavior Protocol (During Lesson/Activity)
Co-curricular (Service Group, Peer Mediation, Student Council, Geo Bee, Spelling Bee, and Math Team)
Detention #1- Verbal warning
Detention #2- Removed from one activity of group
Detention #3- Removed for duration of activity

Extra- Curricular (Sports)
Detention #1- Learning experience
Detention #2- One practice suspension
Detention #3- One game suspension. If in a leadership role- removed from leadership for duration of activity
Detention #4- Removal from team

It may be immediate if infraction if considered serious.

It is our belief that all children have the right to an education in an environment that encourages learning, and that all children are responsible for their own behavior. No one child is greater than the whole.