Code of Conduct

The Student Code of Conduct is part of the Middle School Student Handbook and it is each student’s responsibility to read these sections describing student expectations so that he/she understands which behaviors are unacceptable and what action will be taken as a consequence.

Churchville-Chili Code of Conduct

I.                      Introduction

The Board of Education (“Board”) is committed to providing a safe and orderly school environment where students may receive and Churchville-Chili District (“District”) personnel may deliver quality educational services without disruption or interference. Responsible behavior by students, teachers, other District personnel, parents, and other visitors is essential to achieving this goal.

The District has a long-standing set of expectations for conduct on school property and at school functions. These expectations are based on the principles of civility, dignity, mutual respect, citizenship, character, tolerance, honesty, responsibility and integrity.

The Board recognizes the need to clearly define these expectations for acceptable conduct on school property, to identify the possible consequences of unacceptable conduct, and to ensure that discipline, when necessary, is administered promptly and fairly. To this end, the Board adopts this Code of Conduct (“Code”).

Unless otherwise indicated, this applies to all students, school personnel, parents, and other visitors when on school property or attending a school function.

II.                     Definitions

A. Disruptive student means an elementary or secondary student under the age of 21 who is substantially disruptive of the educational process or substantially interferes with the teacher’s authority over the classroom.

B. Parent means parent, guardian or person in parental relation to a student.

C. School property means in or within any building, structure, athletic playing field, playground, parking lot or land contained within the real property boundary line of a public elementary or secondary school, or in or on a school bus, as defined in Education Law §11[1] and Vehicle and Traffic Law §142.

D.  School Bus means every motor vehicle owned by a public or governmental agency or private school and operated for the transportation of pupils, children of pupils, teachers and other persons acting in a supervisory capacity, to or from school or school activities, or, privately owned and operated for compensation for the transportation of pupils, children of pupils, teachers and other persons acting in a supervisory capacity to or from school or school activities (Education Law §11[1] and Vehicle and Traffic Law §142). 

E. School function means any school-sponsored extra-curricular event or activity, (Education §11[2].

F.  Disability means (a) a physical, mental or medical impairment resulting from anatomical, physiological, genetic or neurological conditions which prevents the exercise of a normal bodily function or is demonstrable by medically accepted clinical or laboratory diagnostic techniques or (b) a record of such an impairment or (c) a condition regarded by others as such an impairment provided, however, that in all provisions of this article dealing with employment, the term must be limited to disabilities which, upon the provision of reasonable accommodations, do not prevent the complainant from performing in a reasonable manner the activities involved in the job or occupation sought or held (Education Law §11[4] and Executive Law §292[21]).

G.  Employee means any person receiving compensation from a school district or employee of a contracted service provider or worker placed within the school under a public assistance employment program, pursuant to title nine-B of article five of the Social Services Law, and consistent with the provisions of such title for the provision of services to such district, its students or employees, directly or through contract, whereby such services performed by such person involve direct student contact (Education Law §§11[4] and 1125[3]).

H.   Sexual Orientation means actual or perceived heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality (Education Law §11[5]).

I.    Gender means actual or perceived sex and includes a person’s gender identity or expression (Education Law §11[6]).

J.    Harassment means the creation of a hostile environment by conduct or by verbal threats, intimidation or abuse that has or would have the effect of unreasonably and substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance, opportunities or benefits, or mental, emotional or physical well-being; or conduct, verbal threats, intimidation or abuse that reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause a student to fear for his or her physical safety; such conduct, verbal threats, intimidation or abuse includes but is not limited to conduct, verbal threats, intimidation or abuse based on a person’s actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex (Education Law §11[7]).

K. Violent student is defined as an elementary or secondary student under twenty-one years of age who:

1.     commits an act of violence upon a teacher, administrator, or other

2.     employee, or attempts to do so;

3.     commits, while on school property or at a school function, an act of violence upon another student or any other person on school property or at a school function, or attempts to do so;

4.     possesses, while on school property or at a school function, a weapon;

5.     displays, while on school property or at a school function, what appears to be a weapon;

6.     threatens, while on school property or at a school function, to use a weapon;

7.     knowingly and intentionally damages or destroys the personal property of a teacher, administrator, other School District employee, or any person upon school property or at a school function; or

8.     knowingly and intentionally damages or destroys School District property.

F. A Weapon means as defined by * N.Y.C.R.R. § 100.2 (gg) (1) (iii)

(a) means any of the following: §a) a firearm, including but not limited to a rifle,

shotgun, pistol, handgun, silencer, electronic dart gun, stun gun, machine gun,

airgun or spring gun;

(b) a switchblade knife, gravity knife, pilum  ballistic  knife,  cane sword, 

dagger,  stiletto, dirk, razor, box cutter, metal knuckle knife, utility knife or other

dangerous knife;

(c) a billy club, blackjack, bludgeon, chukka stick, or  metal  knuckles;

(d) a sandbag or sandclub;

(e) a sling shot or slungshot;

(f) a Martial arts instrument, including but not limited to a kung fu star, ninja star,

nin chuck, or shirken;

(g) an explosive, including but not limited to a firecracker or  other fireworks;

(h) a  deadly  or  dangerous chemical, including but not limited to a strong acid or

base, Mace, or pepper spray;

(i) an imitation gun;

(j) loaded or blank cartridges or other ammunition; or

(k) any other deadly or dangerous instrument.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

The District's aim is to provide an environment in which a student's rights and freedoms are respected. The Board of Education assures District students that they shall have all the rights afforded them by federal and state constitutions, statutes and regulations. The District recognizes all federal, state and local laws in connection with these rights, and reminds students that certain responsibilities accompany these rights.

          A.       It shall be the right of each District student:

~      to have a safe, healthy, orderly, and courteous school environment free of harassment and bullying;

~      to take part in all District activities on an equal basis regardless of actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex;

~      to attend school and participate in school programs unless suspended from instruction and participation for legally sufficient cause as determined in accordance with due process of law;

~      to have school rules and policies available for review and, whenever necessary, explanation provided by school personnel;

~      to be suspended from instruction only after his/her rights pursuant to this Code of Conduct and Education Law § 3214 have been observed;

~      in all disciplinary matters, to have the opportunity to present his/her version of the facts and circumstances leading to imposition of disciplinary sanctions to the professional staff member imposing such sanction;

~      to appeal when he/she believes that he/she has been falsely accused or unfairly disciplined by following the appeal process:

~      notifying the Building Principal, if the action was taken by a staff member under the Principal's jurisdiction;

~      notifying the Superintendent if the action was taken by a Building Principal;

~      notifying the Board of Education if the action was taken by the Superintendent of Schools;

~      writing the appeal, which would state the reasons for the appeal and the nature of the redress, sought. This appeal must be submitted within ten (10) school days of the date of the action taken or within ten (10) school days of the date the appeal was denied at each level.

~      to enjoy the constitutional guarantees of the right of freedom of speech so long as such expression does not interfere with the orderly conduct of classes, coerce others to participate in a particular mode of expression, or violate the rights of those who disagree with a given point of view;

~      to have access to school bulletin boards identified for student use, the public address system and school duplicating equipment, subject to reasonable time limitations, purpose and expense:

~      requests for such use, stating the purpose and cost, if any, shall be submitted to the Building Principal for review and approval;

~      to enjoy the rights of the Federal Equal Access Act, which gives student groups the opportunity to use school facilities for student initiated activities during "non-instructional time."

~      the school shall not discriminate against any students conducting such meetings on the basis of the religious, political, philosophical or other content of the speech at such meetings;

~      “meetings” is defined as time set aside by the school before actual classroom instruction begins or after actual classroom instruction ends.

B. It shall be the responsibility of each District student:

~      to be familiar with and abide by all District policies, rules and regulations pertaining to student conduct and report violations thereof;

~      to work to the best of his/her ability in all academic and extracurricular pursuits and strive toward the highest level of achievement possible;

~      to conduct himself/herself, when participating in or attending school-sponsored extracurricular events, as a representative of the District and as such hold him/herself to the highest standards of conduct, demeanor, and sportsmanship, and accept responsibility for his/her actions;

~      to seek help in solving problems that might lead to discipline procedures;

~      to be in regular attendance at school and in class;

~      to contribute to the maintenance of an environment that is conducive to learning and to show due respect to other persons, their property and that of the District;

~      to report immediately to a teacher or an administrator, the knowledge of any threat of violence or the knowledge of any student possessing a weapon, alcohol, or illegal substance on school property or at a school function. The District will place a high priority on the confidentiality of the reporting student;

~      to dress in accordance with standards promulgated by the Board of Education and the Superintendent;

~      to abide by the following guidelines governing the use of school facilities for student initiated activities that are not school sponsored:

~      Request for use of Facility - Submit a written request at least ten (10) days prior to the date such meeting is to be held which shall include;

~      identification of the date(s) and time(s) of the meeting

~      indication of the number of students expected to participate

~      indication of the general purpose of the meeting; and

~      indication of the names of the students responsible for calling the meeting

Leadership at Meetings - Student initiated meetings may not under any circumstances be directed or conducted neither by a school employee nor by a person not a member of the student body. Non-school persons may not attend such meetings unless the Building Principal has granted approval to do so. A written request to permit a non-school person to attend such a meeting must be submitted to the Building Principal at least five (5) days prior to each meeting. The purpose for the attendance by the non-school person shall be clearly defined in the request.

c.         Meeting Supervision - An employee of the school will serve as a supervisor or monitor of the student initiated meeting. His or her function is to provide adult supervision to insure that school regulations are not being violated. The school employee may not participate in the meeting nor influence the form or content of the meeting in any way. The Building Principal will approve the supervisor.

Non-approval of meeting request - Meeting requests shall not be approved if, in the opinion of the Principal, the meeting jeopardizes "order and discipline on school premises, or the well-being of the student body or if the meeting might" materially and substantially interfere with the orderly conduct of educational activities within the school or if the meeting is planned for an unlawful purpose. A student initiated meeting may not restrict attendance on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability.

IV.       Student Dress Code

~      All students are expected to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to dress appropriately for school and school functions. Individuality in dress is a matter of personal choice, but it will not be permitted to interfere with, disrupt, or distract from the activities of the school. Students and their parents have the primary responsibility for acceptable student dress and appearance. Teachers and other District personnel should exemplify and reinforce acceptable student dress and help students develop an understanding of appropriate appearance in the school setting.

~      A student's dress, grooming and appearance shall:

~      Be safe, appropriate and not disrupt or interfere with the educational process (e.g., a hood may not be covering the head).

~      Recognize that extremely brief, garments that reveal or expose skin between the upper chest and mid-thigh including but not limited to tube tops, halter tops, net tops, spaghetti straps, plunging necklines (front and/or back), muscle shirts, are not appropriate.

~      Ensure that underwear is completely covered with outer clothing.

~      Include footwear at all times. Footwear that is a safety hazard will not be allowed.

~      Not include the wearing of head coverings (hats, visors, head gear, bandanas) except for a medical or religious purpose.

~      Not include items that are or are perceived to be vulgar, obscene, libelous in nature or offensive to others because of actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex.

~      Not promote and/or endorse the use of alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs and substances and/or encourage other illegal or violent activities.

~      In classes such as science, technology, art, and physical education, the Board also requires students to wear appropriate protective gear or prescribed types of clothing such as athletic footwear and shorts. Each building principal or his or her designee shall be responsible for informing all students and their parents of the student dress code at the beginning of the school year and any revisions to the dress code made during the school year.

~      Students who violate the dress code shall be required to modify their appearance by covering or removing the offending item and to, if necessary or practical, replacing it with an acceptable item. Any student who refuses to do so shall be subject to discipline, up to a

pdf file: You need Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 5 or higher) to view this file. Download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader for PC or Macintosh.