Student/Parent Handbook - Onteora Central School District

Principals may suspend a pupil for a period not to exceed five (5) days and shall notify theSuperintendent of Schools within twenty- four (24) hours of suspension.No pupil may be suspended for a period in excess of five (5) school days unless such pupil and theperson in parental relation to such pupil shall have had an opportunity for a fair hearing, uponreasonable notice, at which time such pupil shall have the right of representation by counsel. Thefollowing are guidelines that are advisory.1. When a student is suspended for the first time, the suspension will be for one day. (Undernormal circumstances).2. When a student is suspended for the second time, the suspension will be for three days. (Undernormal circumstances).3. When a student is suspended for the third time, the suspension will be for five days. (Undernormal circumstances).4. All drug and alcohol related suspensions will be five day suspensions.5. A student suspended for five days will not be allowed out of in-school suspension until hisparents have had a conference with the principal.6. Any student suspended may not be allowed to participate in field trips, dances, or otherspecial activities.SUSPENSION PROCEDUREThe building principal following an informal hearing may suspend a student. In such cases thestudent’s parent/guardian will be notified. The student will then spend the required amount of timeeither in in-school suspension or at home for out-of-school suspension at the direction of the principal.IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION DEFINEDIn-School Suspension students may be assigned to a staff member in a supervised room for a timeperiod as deemed necessary by an administrator, and be deprived of the usual privileges, includingafter-school activities. In-School Suspension students must go home on the 2:35 bus unless they haveassigned detention on that day or have received permission to stay from an administrator. They mustcomplete their regular assignments.Special rules will apply here such as: (1) No talking, (2) No getting out of seat (3) Working diligentlyon assignments given, and (4) Lunch will be eaten as a group in a designated area. Students sent to In-School Suspension report immediately to the In-School Suspension room at 7:40 A.M. They may notleave In-School Suspension until the allotted time period as been fulfilled. A parent conference maybe requested by an administrator before the student fulfills his/her ISS time. An administrator mayexercise discretion to modify the step action when appropriate. Students in In-School Suspension areexpected to keep up with their class work. Teachers will supply the required class work. While in In-School Suspension, efforts will be made to discuss and implement strategies with students to modifythe behaviors that led to their assignment in the In-School Suspension room. It is the intent of In-School Suspension to be rehabilitative, not only punitive.OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONOut-of-School Suspension (OSS) is severe disciplinary action for severe or habitual disciplineproblems. Students placed in Out of School Suspension are banned from school grounds or41