STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT
House Bill 421 requires every board of education to adopt a student codeon or before September 1, 1976, covering suspension, expulsion, andremoval and the types of misconduct for which a student may besuspended, expelled, removed, or administered corporal punishment. Acopy of the code must be posted in a central location and made availableto students upon request.No pupil may be suspended, expelled, orremoved except in accordance with this code.Our Student Code of Conduct has been established for the welfare of the entire student body. At Columbiana County Career andTechnicalCenterwe believe very strongly in the concept of self-discipline. Our philosophyis that, without effective discipline, there is little or no opportunity for alearning situation.Wedefine discipline as control to the point where anatmosphere of learning is established and maintained.
We believe each student has a responsibility to his fellow students andteachers that he will exercise self-control to avoid interfering with theeducational opportunity within his classroom group and within the schoolin general. We further believe each student has the right to participate in a learning experience in an orderly and controlled classroom and he canexpect to enjoy this right without disruption by any other class member. Rules are made in schools, as they are in society, to maintain order. If astudent violates a rule, that student must assume the responsibility for his actions. Discipline will be administered to the student as necessitated bythe nature and seriousness of the offense. Students who repeatedly failto follow rules and regulations as listed in the student discipline code willbe considered as "unruly" and cited into court under the "unruly child"section of the law. In order for discipline to be effective, it is essential thatteachers, parents, students, and administrators work together.Following is a list of possible disciplinary actions which may be placed ineffect against any student who does not comply with the board approvedstudent discipline code:
A. Conference with teacher or administrator.
B. Mediation
C. After-SchoolDetention and written notification.
-After-school detentionassignmentswillbe two hours in lengthand held
every Wednesday from 2:30 to 4:30 P.M.
-Students assigned to detention are expected to bring paper, pencil, and work assignments.
-Students assignedafter-school detentionare to report directly to the
Cafeteriaat the end of the school day. Students arrivinglater than2:30
P.M. will receive no credit for serving detention.Failure to follow directions of the
detention supervisor will resultin further disciplinary action.
-Students will be given 24 hours notice of any after-schooldetention. Because
students receive detention as a result oftheir poor behavior, the school will
not be responsible fortransportation after regular school hours.Allafter-
school detentionwill be assigned by the Principal.Failure to serve
the assigned detention may result in further discipline action which may include suspension.
D. SaturdaySchooland written notification.
-SaturdaySchoolwill be a disciplinary action given in certain situationswhere a
student does not comply with the board approved student codeof conduct. The student will be required to report to the high schoolcafeteria from 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. on the date(s) assigned. Studentswill use the time as directed by the Saturday School supervisor. Being late to or failure to attend an assignedSaturdaySchoolmay result in further discipline action including suspension.Late toSaturdaySchoolwill result in the student being sent home and further discipline including possible suspension.Students are responsible for finding their own transportation to and fromSaturdaySchool. Students are to wear normal school attire whenassigned toSaturdaySchooland bring sufficient work and paper and pencil.
F. External Suspension, phone call to parents, written notification, and possible parent
conference.
-External Suspension is given in certain situations where a student doesnot
comply with the Board approved student Code of Conduct. Thestudent will be removed from school and not allowed to return to schoolfor between (1-10 days). The CCCTC will honor any suspension or expulsion from other county schools, Ohio schools or out of state schools.
G. Court action.
H. Expulsion (up to 80 days with loss of all credit)
I. Restitution for stolen or damagedproperty.
J. Loss of privileges (i.e., driving car, bus transportation, extra-curricular activities, etc.).
K. Confiscation of materials.
L. Emergency removal.
-Removal from class for disciplinary action is a serious matter. Administrators may remove a student from class for the remainder of thecurrent school day or period if that student's continued presencerepresents a disruption to the class. Students dismissed are to reportimmediately to the Principal's office with an appropriateexplanationby theteacher to follow. Emergency class removal is indicative of a break in thenormal expected education of a student thus representing more serious discipline implications in terms of student code of conduct.
Discipline will be administered according to the seriousness of the specificsituation and according to the number of repeated offenses committedby the student.
ATTENDANCE
ABSENCES
In order to allow for more effective school work, the following regulationsin regard to absence and make-up work have been adopted. Parents should call 330-424-9561 ext 226, to report student absences.This will eliminate the parent/guardian from receiving a phone message informing them of the student’s absence on that day. However, state law requires a written note or doctors excuse for the absence to be considered excused. Half-day students should ask attendance personnel to make a copy their excuse since the CCCTC and the home school both require written notes/ doctors excuses.Students who become ill at school must see the school nurse before they can call a parent/guardian to pick them upand for their absence to be considered excused. Studentsabsent from school for the following reasons will receive excusedabsences when they bring a note to school written by the parent statingthe date and reason for absence:
(1) personal illness
(2) death of a relative
(3) quarantine
(4) observance of a religiousholiday
(5) court
Students excused for early release from school will be honoredfor the following reasons:
(1) medical and dental appointments
(2) deathof a relative
(3) religious holiday
(4) partner school activities
In case ofother emergencies, parents must call the school for permission.
If astudent is absent for three (3) or more consecutive days, he/she mustpresent a doctor's excuse upon return to the school.According to Ohio State Law, "NEEDED AT HOME" is not an excusableabsence unless the set of circumstances deem it to be judged as asufficient cause by school authorities. Any questionable excuses should be presented to the Principal prior to the absences. Students will not be given anexcused absence for hunting due to the state mandate on attendance.Unexcused absences will result in loss of credit for all work missedwhile the student was absent.Student participation in classroom work must be considered in theevaluation of any student during any grading period.
Excessive excused or unexcused absences by a juvenile will be referred to theCountyJuvenile Court Liaison Officer. For students who are 18 yearsor older, the student will receive disciplinary action. 18 year old Student failing to comply with 18 year old contract may be withdrawn to their home school.
All students who have been absent must have a completed ADMISSIONSLIP to be admitted to class.Admit slips are to be obtained immediately upon entering the building when the student returns to school. Written parental excuses must contain thereason and dates of absence to receive an admission slip. Students mustbring in their written excuse within two days of the absence. In the event of a question, the Principalwill determine if the absence is excused or unexcused.
Students who will be absent for an extended period of time should makearrangements through the Student Services Office to pick up assignments fortheir classes. Please allow 24 hours for all assignments to be gathered. Students having an excused absence will be provided an opportunity to make up work missed equal to the number of days of school missed. It will be theresponsibility of the students to complete the work. Teachers may require students returning the day of a test to take the test.Students absent from school will not be permitted to participate in anyextra-curricular activity on that day, or participate in early placementworkexperience or youth club activities.
If the partner school is closed for reasons OTHER THAN SEVEREWEATHER CONDITIONS, our students are still expected to be inattendance at the Career Center.Dates may occur when the CCCTC is in attendance but parter schools are not (ie. Spring Break). Partner schools will provide transportation from pick up points (ie. High School). It is the responsibility of the student/parent to be at the pick up points or provide their own transportation as all students are required to follow the CCCTC school calendar. Snow day absences will not affect perfect attendance or theCertificate of Completion. TheColumbianaCountyCareerCenterrequires 95% attendance to be eligible for the Honors Certificate of Completion.Illnesses, if verified by a doctor's excuse, within 3 days after returningto school, will be evaluated by the Director or Principal to determine the student’s eligibility for the Certificate of Completion.95% attendance per year means that a student cannot be absent morethan nine (9) days per year.
HALF-DAY STUDENTS
SCHEDULE
Half-Day students are only permitted to be at the CCCTC during their regularly scheduled lab time unless exclusive permission is granted by the principal. In the rare
opportunity that this occurs, the principal will contact the parent/guardian and the home school administrator to confirm reason for exception.
ABSENCES
When returning from an absence,Level I half-daystudents should ask CCCTC attendance personnel to make a photocopy of their excuse so that they may also present the original to their home school when arriving there in the afternoon.
Level II Half-daystudents should ask their home school attendance personnel to make a photocopy of their excuse so that they may present the original excuse to the CCCTC attendance office upon arriving at the mid-day.
FAMILY VACATIONS
In the best interest of a student's education, family vacations should bescheduled around the holidays as noted on our school calendar.However, we realize that this is not always possible. Students will beexcused for vacations only in the company of parents or guardians. One week prior notice is required so the Assistant Principal/Principal and instructors canapprove the vacation form. Students are required to make arrangementsfor all missed class work prior to leaving for vacation. Students who have accumulated 10 total absences will not be granted permission for an excused vacation.
TARDY TO SCHOOL
Students arriving tardy to school are to report to the Assistant Principal Office/Attendance Office wherea pass will be issued to enter class. Students with three unexcused tardieswill be counted as having one unexcused absence. Excessive unexcusedtardies converted to unexcused absences to school will be referred forpossible court action. Students arriving to school on late buses must stop at theAssistant Principal Office/Attendance Officeand sign in and have their names removed from the absence list.Students arriving between 8:00 and 10:00A.M,will be marked as tardy, those arriving after 10:00 A.M.will be marked as absent ½ day. Since partner schools provide transportation, if a student is given the privilege todrive, he/she must follow the Student Code of Conduct related to driving asoutlined in this Student Handbook as well as the partner school handbook.If a student driver is tardy to schoolmore than three (3) times, driving privileges may be withdrawn.
LEAVING SCHOOL
No student is to leave school for any reason without permission of the school administration. If you leave school without permission, you are considered truantandSaturdaySchoolor suspension may result. If a studentbecomes sick during the school day, thestudent must report to the Nursesoffice. Parents will be called. If a student contacts parent without permission from nurse/administration, consequences will be assigned.If you have a note for an early dissmissal for a medical appointment, you must bringit to thePrincipal’s Office/Attendance Officein the morning and ask for a green early dissmissal slip.Before leaving, you must sign out on thestudent sign-out sheet in thePrincipal Office/Attendance Office. Failure to present a note from adoctor or dentist upon returning to school wiill be the same as an unexcused absenceand may result in discipline. All driver exam appointments and job interviews not scheduled through work-based learning must take place after school hours as they will be considered unexcused.
SKIP DAYS
Because our school district administration does not condone truancy,there is no such thing as a SENIOR SKIP DAY. All seniors are expected to be in school every day until the last day set by the Columbiana CountyCareer and Technical Center Board of Education.Parents areencouraged to discourage any such behavior on the part of their child.Organizing and participating in a SENIOR SKIP DAY may be grounds foran automatic ten (10) day suspension, and individuals may not be eligibleto participate in Senior Awards Assembly.
SCHOOL DAY
State regulations (ORC Section 3313.48) mandate the official school dayfor each full-time student shall consist of not less than six (6) hours ofscheduled classes (including ½hour lunch) and other educational optionsin a vocational school organized on a semester plan. A full-time pupil,within the meaning of this standard, is one who participates in regularlyscheduled classes for the duration of the official school day.Othereducational options may be available in accordance with State Minimum Standards and as approved by the Director and Superintendent. Students are expected to arrive on time and remain until the dismissal bell. Students leaving prior to dismissal will be truant and receive disciplinary action.
SLEEPING IN CLASS
Students are not permitted to sleep in class for any reason. If students are ill they should ask their instructor to see the nurse who will evaluate them and advise. Students attempting to sleep in class will be sent to the nurse after their first warning and may receive disciplinary action if the situation persists.
TRUANCY, UNEXCUSED TARDINESS, AND UNEXCUSED ABSENCE
Truancy is declared when a student is absent from school or class for anyportion thereof without both school authorization and parent consent.Excuses from school or class must meet the State and Board of Educationconditions as outlined under "Absences" in the student handbook and the Ohio Revised Code.After 10 days accumulated absence, a doctor'sexcuse will be required to verify any further absences.Unexcused absences willresult in loss of credit for all work missed while the student was absent. ANY ABSENCE FOR WHICH A STUDENT FAILS TO PRESENT A VALIDEXCUSEWILLBE COUNTED AS UNEXCUSED.(ORC Section 3321.04)All false excuses are considered to be unexcused as are all knowntruancies.
THREE DAYSOF UNEXCUSED ABSENCE AND/OR TARDIES WILLRESULT IN A WRITTEN WARNING TO THE PARENT AND CHILD.(ORC Section 3321.19) The Principal will notify the parent and child in writing of the consequences of accumulated unexcused absences andthe laws of compulsory education.
FIVE DAYSOF UNEXCUSED ABSENCE AND/OR TARDIES WILLRESULT INAN INFORMAL SCHOOL CONFERENCE WITH PARENTS,CHILD, AND SCHOOL/COURT LIASON OFFICER. The school/court liaison officerwill send the parent and student notification of a conference with him atJuvenile Court. The juvenile liaison officer will warn the parents of thesignificance and consequences of the unexcused absences. The parentswill be warned that formal charges will be enforced if an additional fivedays of unexcused absences occur.
TEN DAYSOF UNEXCUSED ABSENCE AND/OR TARDIES WILLRESULT IN A FORMAL HEARING.(Section 3321.19) The Principal will file formal court charges.