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Discipline
Informal Talk - In most situations, this is the first step to correct an inappropriate behavior. The staff memeber and student(s) discuss the behavior and an agreement is made.
Time Out - Teacher, yard supervisor, or other authorized staff members may remove students from a classroom or "free time" activity until a conference can be held to discuss the inappropriate behavior.
Lunchtime Detention - Students who violate the dress code, litter on campus, or throw food are assigned a campus clean-up during lunch.
Dentention - Staff may assign after-school detentions which are held daily for 45 minutes, beginning five minutes after the last period of the day. Parents are notified of detentions by written notice sent home with students and a phone call home. Teachers will contact parents when issueing detentions for ongoing class behavior problems. Failure to serve a detention within 5 days will result in one (1) demerit and one (1) Alternate Day.
Dress Code Violation - 1st offense - Warning, change clothes and call home; 2nd Offense - After School Detention, one (1) demerit, change clothes, call home; 3rd Offense - Alternate Day, one (1) demerit, change clothes and call home; 4th Offense - Suspended for defiance.
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Conference.Contract - A formal meeting between the student, appropriate school staff and parent, as necessary, will be held. The inappropriate behavior is defined, previous efforts to correct the behavior are reviewed, future strategies to change the behavior are discussed and agreed upon, and a contract may be signed by all parties.
(Contract shall include consequences for continued inappropriate behaior.)
Demerit System - Students recieve demerits for each dress code violation. Alternate Day, or suspension. Students who earn 15 demerits may be referred to an alternate placement (Gateway School).
Loss of Privilege - Students who receive three detentions, two Alternate Days, or one out-of-school suspension are placed on the Loss of Privilege list for 4 weeks. They will not be able to attend any extracurricular activites including dances, assemblies, after-school sports as a spectator, and club activites. Expellable offenses resultin an 18-week LOP.
Alternate Day Program - The Alternate Day Program is an in-school suspension. It is assigned to students in lieu of an off-campus suspension. Parents are contacted by phone and receive written notification of their child serving an Alternate Day. One (1) demerit issued for each Alternate Day. This program is held during regular school hours, under the direct supervision of an administrator and a support staff member. The student is assigned for a minimum of one half-day and a maximum of five consecutive days. The student is excluded from after-school activities for that day. If absent, the students will be reassigned to the Alternate Day Program the next day back to school. Students will be given a maximum of 5 alternate days in one year. Thereafter, any incident meriting Alternate Day will result in suspension.
Class Suspension - This program is held in the same location with the same guidelines as the Alternate Day, except it is used when a teacher suspends a student from his/her class. Parents will be contacted by the teacher issuing the class suspension within 48 hours. If a student misbehaves in either the Alternate Day or Class Suspension Program, immediate suspension from school (for up to five days) may result.
Parent Support Visit - One way for parents to support and help their children be successful is to attend school. The law allows schools to require parents to attend school with their children as an alternative or follow-up to suspension. This can be required by teachers or the administration. The parents' employer cannot discharge or in any manner discriminate against a parent who attends school under this Ed. Code (EC 48900.1)
Suspension - Out-of-school suspension shall be imposed when a student's presence causes a danger to persons or property or threatens to disrupt the postive learning environment for students and staff. A student may be suspended from attending school and school activities for a period of time from one (1) to five (5) days. Both student and parents are informed (by phone, letter, and/or conference) of the reasons and terms of the suspension. Students are expected to keep up with classwork while on suspension. A parent conference is required when a student is suspended three or more days for one incident.
Expulsion - Students who violate specific behavior expectations or have been suspended from school over fifteen (15) days in a school year, may be recommended to the Board of Trustees for expulsion. Expulsion is the complete exclusion from attendance in any Sonoma Valley Unified School District school or program for up to one (1) year, with the exception of Gateway Community Day School. The Sonoma Valley Unified School District has adopted a Zero Tolerance policy with regard to weapon, drug and alcohol use and/or possession on campus. Students violating this will be brought to the district Expulsion Panel for an expulsion hearing.
Gateway School - Students may be referred to this school on the basis of excessive discipline (10 or more days of suspension), which can include both home suspension and Alternate Days. Students who earn 15 demerits may also be referred. The goal of Gateway School is to assist students in making better behavioral, attendance and academic choices, and to enable a successful transition back to middle school or high school. Altimira Middle School administrative staff makes a recommendation about this placement at a required hearing attended by parent(s) and student. If you have questions regarding referral to Gateway Middle School, please contact the school counselor or the vice principal.
More information on the following can be found in the Altimira Handbook:
- Student Use of Technology
- Altimira Middle School Cheating Policy
- Sonoma Valley Unified School District Grades 6-12 Grounds for Suspension and Expulsion
