Parent & Student Handbook - Independence Charter School

Student Code of Conduct
Students must wear their school uniform to Saturday School. If a student does not
arrive in uniform, he/she will serve Saturday School, but will also receive an
additional Saturday School.
Failure to report to an assigned Saturday School may result in suspension and a
parent meeting will be requested by the Dean of Students if the Saturday School
assignment is not honored. Should a student be unable to attend a Saturday
School, the Dean of Students must be notified to make alternate arrangements
prior to the Saturday School assignment.
Self Defense
Take a Break
Teasing
Under the influence
Zero tolerance
Self Defense applies only to those situations where a student could not walk away
and/or get help from a teacher.
Self Defense is NOT reacting to being hit or kicked. ICS does NOT condone “hitting
back”. Students are taught to walk away and get help from a teacher.
Every classroom has a designated Take a Break spot. All students are made aware of
this spot at the beginning of the school year. Students know that they may ask to go
to this spot in order to calm down or think about a situation. In some cases a teacher
may ask the student to go to the Take a Break spot. The student is expected to
comply.
If a student does not comply, he/she will be asked to Take a Break in the Buddy
Room (Grades K-4) or Take A Break Out (Grades 5-8).
To upset or annoy by taunting or making fun of another student. Teasing is a “one
time” occurrence. Teasing that occurs on more than one occasion and/or becomes a
patterned behavior is considered bullying.
Having any detectible amount of alcohol or a controlled substance in your system
and/or showing physical manifestations of being under the influence.
Refers to behaviors that are not acceptable at ICS. Students who exhibit such
behaviors will immediately be removed from the setting. The classroom teacher and
Dean of Students will contact the student’s parent and a conference will be held to
discuss the logical consequences for the behavior. These consequences will be
unique to each student and may include suspension and possible expulsion.
Recording and Reporting of Behaviors
Independence Charter School records behavioral incidents and the resulting outcomes. These records are
then kept in a locked filing cabinet. At any time, a parent or guardian may request their child’s
behavioral record. The request must be written and may be addressed to the Dean of Students. The
request will take between 24 and 48 hours to process. The parent or guardian must then come to the
school to pick-up the records, as records will not be mailed or delivered via student backpacks.
The parent/guardian does have the right to appeal any information in the student behavioral record. To
appeal the factual information (this is different from “not agreeing” with the decision), please write a
letter addressed to: The Disciplinary Committee of the Board of Trustees. Mail or deliver the letter to
your Dean of Students. This letter will then be forwarded to the ICS disciplinary committee. Parents will
be contacted by the committee within 48 hours regarding their appeal.
All records will be altered to protect the privacy of other students involved.
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