STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

Legal Refs: 3313.20, 3313.66, 3313.661, 3313.662, 3313.534

The Board of Education has zero tolerance for violent, disruptive, or inappropriate behavior. Board policy outlines specific information. No Student Shall: Bullying and other forms of aggressive behavior:

1. Harassment, intimidation, or bullying means any intentional written, verbal, graphic, or physical act that a student or
group of students exhibit toward another particular student(s) more than once and the behavior both causes
mental or physical harm to the other student(s) and is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates
an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the other student(s). A student shall not by
the use of violence, force, coercion, threat, harassment, or insubordination cause material disruption or obstruction to
the educational process, including all curricular and extracurricular activities on school property or while enroute
to or from school, and those occurring off school property if the student or employee is at any schoolsponsored,
school approved or schoolrelated activity or function such as field trips or athletic events where students are under the
school’s control, in a school vehicle, or where an employee is engaged in school business. Physical, verbal and
psychological abuse is prohibited. Aggressive behavior is defined as inappropriate conduct that is repeated enough,
or serious enough, to negatively impact a student’s educational, physical, or emotional wellbeing. This would
include, but not be limited to, such behaviors as stalking, bullying/cyberbullying, intimidating, menacing, coercion,
namecalling, comments, gestures, taunting, or actions which cause or threaten to cause bodily harm or personal
degradation and hazing. Every student is encouraged, and every staff member is required, to report any situation that
they believe to be aggressive behavior directed toward a student. Making intentionally false reports about
aggressive behavior for the purpose of getting someone in trouble is similarly prohibited and will not be tolerated and
may result in disciplinary action.

2. A student shall not cause or attempt damage to school property, or use the building or property without proper
authorization or be in an unauthorized area during the school day, or after school hours.

3. A student shall not cause or attempt damage to private property on school premises during a school activity or
event off school grounds while under the jurisdiction of school personnel.

4. A student shall not assault, threaten to assault, or behave in such a way as could cause physical injury to any student,
member of the professional or classified staff of the school system, or other person. This would include fighting,
horseplay, or any immature, mischievous acts.

5. A student shall not possess, handle, transmit, or conceal any object that could cause injury or fear of injury. A
student shall not possess any inappropriate materials that may cause disruption to the educational process.

6. A student shall not possess, use, be under the influence of, transmit, or sell any illegal or illegally used chemical drugs,
including steroids, or counterfeit controlled substances, either prescribed or patented, lookalike
drugs, or alcoholic substances, nor have any drugrelated paraphernalia in their possession. Students using or possessing alcohol, drugs, stimulants, or lookalike drugs and alcohol prior to attending school or schoolsponsored activities will be
disciplined.

7. A student shall not fail to comply with directions of teachers, teacher aides, principal, or other authorized school personnel during any period of time when student is properly under the authority of school personnel. Repeated
violations of any minor rule, directive or discipline procedure shall constitute insubordination.

8. A student shall not fail to comply with the attendance rules as established by the State of Ohio and the Paulding
Exempted Village Board of Education.

9. A student shall not steal, cause to be stolen, or possess property that has been stolen which belongs to the school
or to any individual within the school.

10. A student shall not possess, handle or transmit any object that can reasonably be considered a weapon, including but
not limited to a firearm, knife, explosive or dangerous instrument while on school property or under the authority
of school personnel. Students may not possess a "lookalike" weapon, which is any object a reasonable person
might consider under the circumstances to be a weapon while on school property or under the authority of school
personnel.

11. A student shall not possess, use or transmit cigarettes, cigars, tobacco of any kind, or paraphernalia associated
with tobacco (including lighters or empty pipes) while on school property.

12. A student shall not be permitted in school facilities or on school property after school hours if such student is not
under direct supervision of authorized school personnel.

13. A student shall not violate any law or ordinance while under school authority.

14. A student shall not abuse or improperly use school property, including computer equipment and other
technology, in violation of the Acceptable Use Policy.

15. A student shall not harass, intimidate, degrade, disgrace, show disrespect, disparage, incite, provoke, threaten, or
discriminate against any other student or school employee or otherwise disrupt the school environment. Students
shall not retaliate against a person who has made a report or filed a complaint alleging harassment, or who has
participated as a witness in a harassment investigation. A student shall not make unwanted sexual advances upon
another person, either verbal, written, or physical.

16. A student shall not be late or absent from school or any portion of the school day without proper authorization.

17. A student shall not, orally or in writing, engage in misrepresentation, forgery, plagiarism, or any other form of cheating.

18. A student shall not use profanity, give obscene gestures, be verbally abusive, or possess materials that may be deemed obscene.

19. A student shall not violate the school dress code or disregard the directions of school authorities with regard to this policy.

20. No student shall plan, encourage, or engage in hazing. Hazing is defined as performing any act or coercing
another, includes the victim, to perform any act of initiation into any class, team, or organization that causes or creates
a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm. Gangs that initiate advocate or promote activities that
threaten the safety or wellbeing of persons or that are disruptive to the school environment will not be tolerated.
Incidents involving initiations, hazing, intimidations or related activities that are likely to cause harm or personal
degradation are prohibited.

21. Because no list can include every instance of prohibited conduct, students may also be disciplined for conduct not
specifically set forth herein and which substantially and materially disrupts or interferes with the good order,
discipline, operation, academic or educational process taking place within the school or at a school event, or which
substantially and materially is or poses a threat to the safety of persons or property.