Ajo School District
Ajo Arizona

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Student/Parent Handbook

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GUIDELINES FOR AJO STUDENT CONDUCT

As a student in Ajo School, you will want to take full advantage of your right to an education. You will need to come to school with a positive attitude to learn and to take part in activities.

An important part of your education is the right to make decisions and to accept the responsibility for the results of these choices. To protect your rights and the rights of others, student behavior guidelines have been established.

Students and staff of the Ajo School Community recognize that life-long learning is a process that takes place both inside and outside the classroom setting. To create an environment that enhances the learning process, we use the following as a guideline:

Students and staff are responsible for conducting
themselves in a safe, courteous, and respectful manner.

If a staff member offers you guidance concerning your behavior, please, accept their advice respectfully and understand that they want to help you.

We want to be proud of you and hope that during your years at Ajo School you will make wise decisions and use your classes, programs, and activities to the fullest. Learning can be fun, so take full advantage.

In this section, you will find a description of our schoolwide discipline plan and inappropriate behaviors that may interfere with your or others education. Most students do not get involved in management concerns at school. If you do find yourself in a situation requiring a disciplinary action, the consequences are outlined on the following pages. You should be aware that this section is a guideline and neither describes all behaviors nor the many positive activities used to help students change their behavior and grow into productive positive citizens.

To further our goal of minimizing classroom disturbances and maximizing learning Ajo School has implemented a consistent schoolwide discipline plan. Raider Resolutions and/or Conduct Creeds are posted in every room, bus, office, gymnasium, cafeteria, library and everywhere else where there is an employee responsible for the safety and education of Ajo students.

RAIDER RESOLUTIONS

We resolve to:

Respect self and others.
Be polite and helpful.
Be stewards of our school.
Strive for academic excellence.
Promote a kind and caring environment.

We believe that the growth of an individual necessitates an
intricate balance between the right to think and act freely and the responsibility
to act within moral and legal boundaries provided by society.

The Ajo School staff recognizes their need to be fair and reasonable while setting limits on inappropriate behavior. We know that appropriate behavior can foster student participation, achievement, learning and success. The following schoolwide discipline creed will be posted in their respective High School or Elementary classrooms.

Middle/High School Conduct Creed

Be seated and prepared for class on time.
Follow directions and procedures.
Respect personal space and property.
Be polite and respectful.
Accept responsibility for your own actions.

Elementary Conduct Creed (K-5)

Be in class on time.
Listen to and follow instructions and procedures.
Keep hands, feet, and other objects to yourself.
Respect personal space and property.
Be polite.

When dealing with young people many rules must have consequences to enforce them and rewards to validate them.

Consequences Are What Result When A Person Breaks The Rules:
Consequences (as determined by Disciplinary Standards of Procedure)

Elementary Classroom Discipline Procedures (K-5):

Verbal Warning
Time Out / Teacher-Student Conference
Loss of Recess &/or Parent Contact
Student/Parent/Teacher Conference
Principal-Student Conference
Principal/Student/Parent/Teacher Conference
Referral for Disciplinary Action (On-going Non-Modified Behavior)
Referral for Long-Term Suspension or Expulsion (Board Approved)

Extreme Behaviors: Contact the School Office Secretary for Immediate Removal from the Classroom

Middle School Classroom Discipline Procedures (6-8):

Verbal Warning
Teacher-Student Conference
Loss of Recess &/or Parent Contact
Student/Parent/Teacher Conference
Principal-Student Conference
Principal/Student/Parent/Teacher Conference
Referral for Disciplinary Action (On-going Non-Modified Behavior)
Referral for Long-Term Suspension or Expulsion (Board Approved)

Extreme Behaviors: Contact the School Office Secretary for Immediate Removal from the Classroom

High School Classroom Discipline Procedures (9-12):

Verbal Warning
Teacher/Student Conference
Parent Contact
Student/Parent/Teacher Conference (Administration and/or Counselor may be included upon request from the Teacher, Student, and/or Parent)
Referral for Disciplinary Action (On-going Non-Modified Behavior)
Referral for Long-Term Suspension or Expulsion (Board Approved)

Extreme Behaviors: Contact the School Office Secretary for Immediate Removal from the Classroom

Extreme Behaviors are defined as, but not limited to:

Illegal Activities
Fighting/Bullying/Harassment
Aggression; including Physical Intimidation and/or Abusive Language directed toward any persons
Severe Insubordination causing uncontrollable Classroom Disruption

Procedures for Removal from the Classroom:

Request assistance from another adult in close proximity or contact the School Office via Intercom to escort student to office.
Immediately inform via Intercom the School Office of impending student arrival.
Send a Disciplinary Referral to the School Office as soon as classroom order is restored.

***Severe Infraction ----Immediate Principal/Superintendent ***

Administrative Consequences

Principal/teacher/student/counselor/parent conference to complete a functional behavioral analysis/plan.
When a teacher refers a student to the office for the second time, the student will be suspended either short term or long term dependant on the severity of infraction and until a parent/guardian conference is held. Review behavior plan.
Short term or long term suspension dependant on the severity of infraction plus a parent/guardian may need to accompany student in the classroom for one to two days.
Long term suspension/expulsion.
State statutes found in the school district policy book (short term or long term suspension/expulsion) will be honored regarding regular and special education students.

Short term suspension = 10 days or less. Long term suspension = more than 10 days

Student Suspension/Expulsion: Due - Process Rights

A student may be removed from contact with other students as a temporary measure. The authority to suspend a student for up to ten days (Short Term), after an informal hearing is held, rests only with the Superintendent or Principal. If a danger to students or staff members is present, the principal may immediately remove the student from school, with prior contact with the parent/guardian and with a notice and hearing following as soon as practical. The person imposing it shall repost each suspension to the Board within five days.

We believe that everyone must contribute to make Ajo School a safe environment

In all cases, except for summary suspension where a clear and present danger is evident, the student shall remain in school until applicable due process procedures are instituted. In no instance shall students be released early from school unless parents have been notified.
*No appeal is available for a short-term suspension.

A recommendation to expel shall be through the principal and forwarded to the Superintendent. The authority to expel rests only with the Board. All expulsions required shall have supporting data indicating the due process procedure followed; the alternatives attempted, and the various District and approved agency resources used by the teachers, principal, support staff and parents to help the student succeed in Ajo Schools.

The Due Process Procedure is as follows:

Student Rights

Students shall not be deprived of their liberty, property, or right to attend school and participate in all activities of the school community without due process of law.
Students have the right to remain silent if they so desire.
Students have the right to participate in school activities regardless of race, religion, ethnic origin or economic status.
Students may not be denied participation in any activity for any reason other than those established by state and school eligibility requirements and those requirements legitimately related to the purpose of the activity.

Procedures

Except in the case of a student(s) posing a continuing danger to persons or property or an ongoing threat of disrupting the school or class, no short term suspension from school shall be enforced against any student until the following has occurred:

The student and parent shall be advised by oral and/or written notice of the charges against him (i.e., of the reasons for the contemplated suspension).
The student shall be afforded the opportunity to present his side of the story through a formal or informal hearing.
Statements in support of all charges produced by the principal or other members of the faculty; the student, his/her parents or guardians, or others in support of the student will be permitted to make statements in defense mitigation.
The principal may determine whether or not to permit the student counsel.
A written record shall be kept of the time, date and location of the hearing, who was present, a summation of what was said by each person, and the conclusion resulting from the hearing.
Expulsion and long term suspension procedures are available from the school or district office.

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