• CONSEQUENCES FOR MISBEHAVIOR

    As a typical first course of action, teachers work directly with students to address behavioral infractions that occur within the classroom or observed by a teacher on campus.  Teacher interventions may include conferencing with students, communication home, or an intervention plan to be developed. Teachers will refer students to administration based on the severity or recurrence of the infraction. These referrals result in administrative interventions that may include detention, conferences with students and parents, behavior contracts, suspension or other consequences listed in this handbook. 

    DEL MAR MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE POLICY

    The Del Mar discipline policy is based on our agreement that students should be open, be kind, be brave, and be involved.

    As with anything new, students deserve a chance to learn from and correct their mistakes. Our approach to discipline is based on logical consequences: loss of privilege; break it, fix it; and space and time. Unlike punishment, logical consequences help students keep misbehavior in perspective and help them understand what to do next time. In addition, logical consequences are respectful, related, and realistic.

    In order to create a safe and respectful environment for our students, staff, and community members, the following progressive discipline chart will be used to allow for consistency across our campus. In addition, staff and/or school administration may assign individual consequences as they deem appropriate.

     

    Progressive Consequences

    Classroom

    Range of Consequences

    General Disruptive Behavior

    Warning (1:1 student/teacher check-in)

    Referral to Admin - Logical Consequence / Parent notice

    -Class removal / Parent Conference

    -Possible in-school suspension

    Willful defiance and/or disrespect of teacher/staff member in the classroom or on campus

    Warning and/or removal to alternate setting/parent notice

    Restorative meeting w/ staff member and Admin

    -Parent Conference

    -Possible suspension

    Cutting class (more than 10 min. late)

    Parent notice

    Parent conference

    Lunchtime suspension with Admin escort between classes

    Technology

    Range of Consequences

    The use of personal cell phone/ smartwatch / wireless headphones during the school day must be left and turned off in locker (without staff permission)

    Phone confiscated for the day. Pick-up in the office. Parent notified.

    Phone confiscated and parent must pick up phone from the office.

    Student must turn in phone each day at the start of school for the rest of the trimester.

    iPad left out

    Warning - pick iPad up from office. Parent notified

    A parent must pick up iPad from the office.

    Campus Service (i.e. helping staff during break and/or lunch)

    Unsafe handling of or Damage to iPad

    Warning and/or immediate removal of device and turned into the office to evaluate condition of the device - parent notified.

    Immediate removal of device, turned into the office to evaluate condition of the device, one-week loss of privilege: device must be picked up before and dropped off after each class period - parent notified 

    Immediate removal of device, turned into the office to evaluate condition of the device, loss of privilege: device must be picked up before and dropped off after each class period (parent conference  to determine length of loss of privilege - longer than one week)

    and/or Campus Service (i.e. helping staff during break and/or lunch)

    Digital Citizenship Violation (i.e. using another student’s password, filming without permission, hacking, inappropriate photos, etc.)

    Warning - Parent notified

    Possible removal of the device

    Parent Conference, possible removal of the device

    Community Service, possible removal of the device

    Respect for self

    Range of Consequences

    Dress code violation

    Warning - Change outfit

    Change outfit, parent notice

    Change outfit, parent conference

    Arriving tardy to class

    Warning - student informed that 3 unexcused tardies in a trimester will result in a detention.

    2nd Warning - parent notified that 3rd unexcused tardies in a trimester will result in a detention / loss of privilege 

    3rd: Parent notified that student will serve a detention, and subsequent unexcused tardies will result in a detention & additional loss of privilege

    4th: Parent conference

    5th: Parent conference, Possible SARB meeting

    Violation of Academic Honesty

    Parent notice, no credit given on the assignment 

    Parent meeting, no credit is given on assignment, possible one-day in-school suspension

    Parent meeting, no credit given on assignment, one-day in-school  suspension, student in danger of not passing the class

    Public Display of Affection  - inappropriate intimate physical touching

    Warning - Parent Notice

    Parent Meeting

    Loss of break and lunch privileges

    Respect of Others (Campuswide)

    Range of Consequences

    Defiance to staff direction on campus

    Staff & Student Check-in, possible Solution Teams and/or Restorative Circle or loss of privilege - parent notice

    Admin & Student Check-in, possible Solution Teams and/or Restorative Circle or loss of privilege - parent notice

    3rd: Loss of privilege, Parent conference

    4th: Loss of prParent conference

    Group Line Behavior: Pushing/cutting

    Warning & student moved to the back of the line

    Loss of privilege - Removal from activity (Or if lunch: receive lunch after all have been served) - Parent notice

    Parent conference

    Unsafe conduct while playing sports or other (including tackling)

    Warning - Loss of privilege for the day

    Loss of privilege for the week - Parent notice

    Campus Service

    Play fighting

    Warning

    Removal from break - Parent notice

    Campus Service

    Fighting

    Solution Teams and/or Restorative Circle, parent notice, possible detention or suspension

    Parent conference, student behavior contract, possible area restriction, detention, or suspension

    Suspension - lunch restriction, community service

    Bullying / Harassment

    Solution Teams and/or Restorative Circle, parent notice, possible detention or suspension

    Parent conference, student behavior contract, possible area restriction, detention, or suspension

    Suspension - lunch restriction, community service

    Sexual Harassment

    Solution Teams and/or Restorative Circle, parent notice, possible detention or suspension

    Suspension for 1-2 days - Parent Notification and Re-entry conference.

    Suspension for 2 or more days - Parent Notification and Re-entry conference.

    Hate Speech

    Solution Teams and/or Restorative Circle, parent notice, possible detention or suspension.

    Suspension for 1-2 days - Parent Notification and Re-entry conference.

    Suspension for 2 or more days - Parent Notification and Re-entry conference.

    Respect of Campus

    Range of Consequences

    Littering

    Warning - Clean up the mess

    Campus service - Parent notice

    Weekly campus service through trimester

    Throwing Food

    Warning - Clean up the mess

    Campus service - Parent notice

    Weekly campus service through trimester

    Not Returning Ball to Ball Cart

    Warning

    Loss of privilege for the week

    Loss of privilege for the trimester

    Wheels on Campus during the school day

    Warning

    Warning - parent notice

    Parent conference

    Other Violations

    Range of Consequences

    • Possession of Drugs, Alcohol

    • Possession of Tobacco/ paraphernalia

    • Vandalism of school / personal property

    • Theft of school / personal property

    • Sexting/ possession of and/or distribution of pornographic content

    • Multiple suspensions

    • Any criminal offense on campus

    All of these infractions warrant a suspension from school and a parent conference.

    Additionally, they can warrant:

    • Parent conference and Law Enforcement involvement

    • Counseling

    • School attendance review board (SARB) meeting

    • Citation by police

    • Referral to an alternative school

    • Sale of Drugs

    • Possession, selling, or otherwise furnishing of a firearm

    • Brandishing a Weapon

    • Possession of Explosives

    • Committing or attempting to commit a sexual assault

    Mandatory recommendation for expulsion


    CA Ed Code: 48915

     

    GROUNDS FOR SUSPENSION OR EXPULSION

    A student shall not be suspended from school or recommended for expulsion unless the superintendent or the principal of the school in which the student is enrolled determines that the student has: 

    1a. Caused, attempted to cause, or threatened to cause physical injury to another person.

    1b. Willfully used force or violence upon the person of another, except in self-defense. 

    2. Possessed, sold, or otherwise furnished any firearm, knife, explosive, or other dangerous object unless, in the case of possession of objects of this type, the student has obtained written permission to possess the item from a certificated school employee, which is concurred in by the principal or the designee of the principal. Firearm means any device designed to be used as a weapon from which is expelled through a barrel a projectile by the force of any explosion or other form of combustion. Examples of dangerous object include, but are not limited to: B.B. guns, pellet guns, air rifles, pepper spray, razors, laser pointers, brass knuckles, fist packs, nunchaku, and any object likely to cause injury to person or property that has no reasonable use at school. 

    3. Unlawfully possessed, used, sold, or otherwise furnished, or been under the influence of, any controlled substance, listed in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11053) of Division 10 of the Health and Safety Code, an alcoholic beverage, or an intoxicant of any kind. 

    4. Unlawfully offered, arranged, or negotiated to sell any controlled substance, listed in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11053) of Division 10 of the Health and Safety Code, an alcoholic beverage, or an intoxicant of any kind, and then either sold, delivered, or otherwise furnished to any person another liquid, substance, or material and represented the liquid, substance, or material as a controlled substance, alcoholic beverage, or intoxicant. 

    5. Committed or attempted to commit robbery or extortion. 

    6. Caused or attempted to cause damage to school property or private property. 

    7. Stole or attempted to steal school property or private property. 

    8. Possessed or used tobacco, or products containing tobacco or nicotine products, including but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, miniature cigars, clove cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, snuff, chew packets, electric vape nicotine products and betel. However, this section does not prohibit use or possession by a student of their own prescription products. 

    9. Committed an obscene act or engaged in habitual profanity or vulgarity. 

    10. Had unlawful possession of, or unlawfully offered, arranged, or negotiated to sell drug paraphernalia, defined in Health and Safety Code 11014.5. 

    11. Disrupted school activities or otherwise willfully defied the valid authority of supervisors, teachers, administrators, school officials, or other school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties.

    12. Knowingly received stolen school property or private property. 

    13. Possessed an imitation firearm. As used in this subsection, imitation firearm means a replica of a firearm that is so substantially similar in physical properties to an existing firearm as to lead a reasonable person to conclude that the replica is a firearm. 

    14. Committed or attempted to commit a sexual assault as defined in Penal Code 261, 266(c), 286, 288, 288(a), or 289, or committed a sexual battery as defined in Penal Code 243.4. 

    15. Harassed, threatened, or intimidated a student who is a complaining witness or witness in a school disciplinary proceeding for purposes of either preventing that student from being a witness or retaliating against that student for being a witness, or both. 

    16. Committed sexual harassment as defined in Education Code 212.5. The sexual harassment must be considered by a reasonable person of the same gender as the victim to be sufficiently severe or pervasive to have a negative impact upon the individual's academic performance or to create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment. (Education Code 48900.2) 

    17. Caused, attempted to cause, threatened to cause, or participated in an act of hate violence, as defined in subdivision (e) of section 233. (Education Code 48900.3) (See III.C. for examples of hate-motivated behavior.) 

    18. Intentionally engaged in harassment, threats, or intimidation, directed against school district personnel or students, that is sufficiently severe or pervasive to have the actual and reasonably expected effect of materially disrupting class work, creating substantial disorder, and invading the rights of either school personnel or students by creating an intimidating or hostile educational environment. Harassment, threats or intimidation include messages or information communicated through electronic means, including the use of the internet or cell phones. (Education Code 48900.4) 

    19. Made a terroristic threat against school official(s) or school property, or both. (Education Code 48900.7) Terroristic threats shall include any statement, whether written or oral, by a person who willfully threatens to commit a crime which will result in death, great bodily injury to another person, or property damage in excess of $1,000, with the specific intent that the statement is to be taken as a threat, even if there is no intent of actually carrying it out, which, on its face and under the circumstances in which it was made, is so unequivocal, unconditional, immediate, and specific as to convey to the person threatened, a gravity of purpose and an immediate prospect of execution of the threat, and thereby causes that person reasonably to be in sustained fear for their own safety or for their immediate family's safety, or for the protection of school district property, or the personal property of the person threatened or their immediate family. Written threats include those communicated through electronic means. 

    20. Aids or abets, as defined in Penal Code 31, the infliction or attempted infliction of physical injury to another person. For this offense, a student may be suspended, but not expelled, except that a student who has been adjudged by a juvenile court to have committed, as an aider and abettor, a crime of physical violence in which the victim suffered great bodily injury or serious bodily injury shall be subject to discipline pursuant to III.A.1. above and Education Code 48900, subdivision (a). (Education Code 48900(t)) 

    21. Unlawfully offered, arranged to sell, negotiated to sell, or sold the prescription drug SOMA. (Education Code 48900(p)) 

    22. Engaged in, or attempted to engage in, hazing. "Hazing" means a method of initiation or preinitiation into a pupil organization or body, whether or not the organization or body is officially recognized by an educational institution, which is likely to cause serious bodily injury or personal degradation or disgrace resulting in physical or mental harm to a former, current, or prospective student. "Hazing" does not include athletic events or school-sanctioned events. 

    23. Engaged in an act of bullying. 

    a. “Bullying” means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or by means of an electronic act, and including one or more acts committed by a pupil or group of pupils as defined in Education Code Section 48900.2, 48900.3, or 48900.4, directed toward one or more pupils that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following: 

    • Placing a reasonable pupil or pupils in fear of harm to that pupil’s or those pupils’ person or property; 

    • Causing a reasonable pupil to experience a substantially detrimental effect on their physical or mental health; 

    • Causing a reasonable pupil to experience substantial interference with their academic performance; 

    • Causing a reasonable pupil to experience substantial interference with their ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school. 

    b. “Electronic act” means the transmission, by means of an electronic device, including, but not limited to, a telephone, wireless telephone, or other wireless communication device, computer, or pager, of a communication, including, but not limited to any of the following: 

    • a message, text, sound, or image; 

    • a post on a social network Internet Web site including, but not limited to:

     i) Posting to or creating a burn page. “Burn page” means an Internet Web site created for the purpose of having one or more of the effects listed in III.A.23.a. above; 

    ii) Creating a credible impersonation of another actual pupil for the purpose of having one or more of the effects listed in III.A.23.a. “Credible impersonation” means to knowingly and without consent impersonate a pupil for the purpose of bullying the pupil and such that another pupil would reasonably believe, or has reasonably believed, that the pupil was or is the pupil who was impersonated; 

    iii) Creating a false profile for the purpose of having one or more of the effects listed in III.A.23.a. “False profile” means a profile of a fictitious pupil or a profile using the likeness or attributes of an actual pupil other than the pupil who created the false profile. Notwithstanding III.A.23.a., an electronic act shall not constitute pervasive conduct solely on the basis that it has been transmitted on the Internet or is currently posted on the Internet. 

    c. “Reasonable pupil” means a pupil, including but not limited to, an exceptional needs pupil, who exercises average care, skills, and judgment in conduct for a person of their age, or for a person of their age with their exceptional needs.