Parent Resources - Behavior Standards

INTRODUCTION
A main goal of University Heights Charter School is to assist scholars in developing positive self-discipline and responsibility for their actions. A second goal is to create and maintain a safe, orderly, and responsible school and classroom environment that promotes individual and group achievement and physical and emotional well-being.

The teachers, staff, and principal look forward to working in partnership with parents and guardians to foster the social and academic development of children. Please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher if you have a concern relative to academic, social, emotional, or behavioral areas. If a problem or concern cannot be resolved at that level, feel free to contact the social worker, or principal who will work together with all concerned to solve the problem.

The school will also attempt to keep parents informed of scholars’ progress and potential problems. Teacher notes and newsletters, phone calls, progress reports, report cards, and conferences are some of these methods.

If students do not comply with behavioral expectations, a student’s age and maturity level are considered when consequences are given. This can range from a warning and apology, to loss of privilege, time in the Dean’s Office or Principal’s Office, or in or out of school suspension, depending on the severity of the infraction. Working with students to help them develop an understanding of why particular behaviors are inappropriate is part of the discipline process. A detailed scope and sequence of behavior infractions and consequences is outlined in the Code of Discipline.

AREA & ACTIVITY SPECIFIC RULES
Specific rules for the use of the gymnasium and cafeteria are in the addenda to this document. All scholars are expected to know, and abide by, these rules.

ARTICLES NOT TO BE BROUGHT TO SCHOOL
Large sums of money or other valuables. (The school cannot be responsible for these items):

• Radios, walkman-type portables, iPods, MP3 players electronic games, beepers or pagers, virtual pets, Pokemon cards, Webkins, etc. These are distracting and are liable to disappear. In addition, they tend to prevent the active physical play so necessary for our children
• Weapons and other dangerous objects such as knives, box cutters, razor blades, and other items which might intentionally or accidentally hurt people have no place at school. Administrative penalties will be severe. Parents will be notified immediately, and depending on the item, the authorities may be notified.
• Skateboards and roller-blades; no sneakers with wheels (Heelys a/k/a Heelies).
• Fireworks. In New Jersey State, the possession and discharge of fireworks by unlicensed or unauthorized persons is illegal. Individuals involved in the discharge of these devices will be suspended immediately, and their parents will be notified.
• Laser Pointing Devices. The high intensity beam of light from these devices can cause serious eye injuries.

CELL PHONES & ELECTRONICS
Students may not use or show cell phones or electronics in school without teacher permission. Cell phones and electronics will be confiscate if seen or heard. For the first offense, they will be returned at the end of the day. On the second offense they will be turned over to the principal and must be retrieved by the parent/guardian.

CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR
University Heights teachers know that if they are vigilant about small behaviors, larger ones tend not to occur. They “sweat the small stuff.” The following are some behaviors that will prompt immediate correction:

• Talking or making comments while the teacher or a peer is talking
• Putting one’s head down in class or slouching
• Uniform infractions such as un-tucked shirt or wearing a non-uniform sweater/jacket
• Calling out without permission
• Tapping the desk or chair
• Making faces or trying to get scholars to laugh at them
• Playing with an object or one’s hair
• Leaning backwards in one’s chair
• Being loud in line, touching others, or playing during transitions will result in a Behavioral Study Hall for UPPER-SCHOOL students
• Pouting when not called on or when not getting one’s way

Teachers will address these misbehaviors with quick, confident verbal corrections, by eye contact, or with proximity. Paycheck deductions can also be used or the moving of a scholar’s card to another color.

DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR
Any action, noise or statement that interrupts a lesson or other instructional activity or distracts other scholars or the teacher during such activity can be said to be disruptive.

DRESS/UNIFORM
The uniform policy will be strictly enforced and scholars out of uniform will be addressed and parents notified. Boys and girls should not wear hats of any kind within the school building. They tend to distract from scholar concentration on learning. Parents should be careful to assure that scholars wear or bring appropriate coats, hats, gloves, jackets, sweaters, etc., for the weather, as children do go outside throughout the year. See Addendum E for specific Dress Code/Uniform standards. Scholars must wear proper uniform to school. No jewelry is allowed. During the first week, teachers will call parents of scholars not wearing proper uniform and warn them that further infraction will mean scholars cannot attend class until the parent brings in a proper uniform. After the first week, scholars will not be allowed to attend class until the uniform violation is rectified. They will stay with an administrator. Scholar dollars will be deducted for any uniform violation, including un-tucked shirts.

FIGHTING OR BULLYING
University Heights Charter School prohibits acts of fighting, harassment, intimidation or bullying on school property, at any school-sponsored function, or on a school bus. The school expects students to conduct themselves in keeping with their levels of development, maturity and demonstrated capabilities with a proper regard for the rights and welfare of other students, school staff, and community members, the educational purpose underlying all school activities, and the care of school facilities and equipment. Harassment, intimidation or bullying, like other disruptive or violent behaviors, is conduct that disrupts both a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate its students in a safe environment.

HOMEWORK
Consequences for incomplete (less than 75%), poor, or missing homework will be as follows:

1. • Lower School: Parent will be notified and missing work will count against grading. In cases of chronic incomplete or missing homework, students may be required to complete work during recess or at another time as deemed appropriate by teachers and administration.
   • Upper School: Students will serve study hall immediately that afternoon from 4:15 to 5:15 pm, except on Fridays. In cases of chronic incomplete or missing homework, students may be required to complete work during recess or afterschool time as deemed appropriate by teachers and administration.

ILLEGAL USE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL
The use of alcohol, stimulants and depressants, or other illegal drugs, other than those prescribed by a doctor, are forbidden.

INSUBORDINATION
Scholars will be expected to follow the reasonable guidelines and requests of teachers, teacher’s aides, bus drivers and other supervisory staff at all times.

PLAY-FIGHTING & ROUGHHOUSING
Due to the possibility of accidental injury and the chance that what started as play might escalate into a real fight, both play-fighting and other rough body contact are prohibited.

SAFE ENVIRONMENT UHCS is committed to maintaining an environment that creates a safe haven for scholars. The school acknowledges that scholars are entrusted to us with the expectation that their educational experience will take place in such an environment. With this in mind, the school will not tolerate activities on its premises, or on trips and activities, which endanger the safety, morals, health, or welfare of its scholars. Disciplinary and/or legal actions will take place for individuals who are members of the school community or visitors who engage in the following:

• Physical violence.
• The use of foul or threatening language toward a student, staff member or other visitor.
• Possession, using or selling alcohol, drugs or other controlled substances, or drug paraphernalia, including beepers or pagers.
• Theft or robbery.
• The possession, use or sale of weapons, fireworks, or other dangerous instruments, or contraband, including instruments that may have the appearance of a weapon, or may be reasonably mistaken for a weapon. No scholar or visitor shall have on his or her person any firearm, knives, dangerous chemicals, explosives, or any other object which could be used as a weapon.

SCHOOL GROUNDS & BUILDINGS
Scholars should use school facilities at times and in ways that are safe and appropriate. Off-limit areas for scholars include driveways, parking lot, basement, elevator, faculty room, the roof of any structure on school property, and school lawns not designated as playing areas. Only scholars participating in approved after-school activities should be in school buildings after school. All other scholars should leave the school premises immediately after school each day.

SELLING ITEMS IN SCHOOL
On occasion, the principal may give permission for the limited sale of items to benefit scholar activities or charitable causes. Other sales are not allowed.

VANDALISM
Care and respect for school property is important to our mission of providing an optimal education for all scholars. Therefore, it is important that scholars respect school facilities and supplies. This includes school buildings, grounds, furniture, buses, textbooks and library books, and other school supplies, etc.

VULGARITY-PROFANITY
Obscene or other objectionable language has no place in school whether in anger, casual conversation, or as a joke. It will result in immediate disciplinary action. Parents who engage in such acts will not be welcomed at the school in the future.