All students are expected to abide by the rules of orderly conduct, academic achievement and citizenship. Those students who participate in extracurricular activities are held to a higher standard of behavior as representatives of our school/community.  Students who admit to or are found guilty of any act that is in direct violation of the Code of Iowa to include use of tobacco products, drinking and/or possession of alcoholic or controlled substances or serious incidents of unbecoming conduct both in and out of school such as to make him/her unworthy to represent the ideals and standards of his/her school and/or display acts of poor citizenship will be in violation of the district Good Conduct Policy and Regulation.

Consequences

• 1st Offense: Fifteen hours of school service served under the direction of the principal or designee.  Students involved in the extracurricular activities will be ineligible to participate in 10% of the contests per activity.  School service hours will be completed in 30 school days. Honesty Provision - If a student voluntarily admits to a violation, the school service penalty will be reduced by half for a first-time offender.  The honesty provision will apply only if the individual admits he/she was in violation of the code when first brought in for questioning by the administrator or at the first meeting between the parents, student and administrator.
• 2nd Offense: Forty-five hours of school service served under the direction of the principal or designee.  Students involved in extracurricular activities will be ineligible to participate in 50% of the contests in activity.  If less than 50% of the contests or if the violation occurs during a time the student is not involved in an activity, the suspension will carry over to the next activity the individual participates in.  School service hours will be completed within 60 school days.
• 3rd Offense: The student is permanently ineligible to participate at Central Springs High School.                                                                                                                                                

The District retains full discretion depending on the nature and severity of the conduct to deviate from the progressive penalties outlined above.  The District reserves the right to use its discretion in determining the severity or seriousness of any offense and also reserves the right to use discretion in determining the consequences to be imposed for any violation, based on the facts and circumstances of each situation. By way of example, a first time incident of felonious conduct may result in penalties greater than those outlined for a first offense. Additionally, nothing in this policy precludes the District from applying its Policy 501.3--Student Conduct Policy, as applicable, to conduct off school grounds which materially and substantially disrupts the orderly operations of the school and the maintenance of a safe educational environment.

Due Process Procedures

Notification

A student who has allegedly violated the Good Conduct Rule will be notified of the alleged violation, the information that supports the allegations and will be given the opportunity to respond. Upon a review of all of the evidence and circumstances, an administrator will make a decision regarding the alleged violation of the Good Conduct Rule and determine the period of ineligibility.

Whenever a student is declared ineligible under the Good Conduct Rule, the following procedures shall apply:

• A conference will be held with an administrator and the student. At that time, the length of the period of ineligibility and a specific explanation of the reasons for the ineligibility will be discussed. The offense and the consequences will thereafter be put in writing and sent to the student and parents/guardians.
• If the student or parents/guardians do not wish to appeal the decision, the decision will be in effect and will be considered final.

Appeal Process

If an administrator(s) determine that a student has violated the Good Conduct Code and is, therefore, ineligible to participate in co-curricular or extracurricular activities for a certain period of time, the student shall have the right to appeal such determination to the Board of Directors in accordance with the following provisions:

• During the appeal procedure, the student will be ineligible to participate in any extracurricular activities.
• Within seven (7) days after the date on which the administrator(s) deliver to the student the notice of violation of the Good Conduct Code, and not later, the student or the student’s parent or other representative shall deliver to the President of the Board of Directors a written notice of appeal stating the students’ objections to the administrator determination and requesting an oral hearing thereon before the Board of Directors.
• The President shall schedule a meeting of the Board of Directors for a time within twenty (20 days) after receipt of the written notice of appeal and shall in not less than five (5) days give written notice of such meeting to the student.
• The Board of Directors at such meeting shall first hear evidence and statements presented by the administrator(s) and then by the student or student’s parent or other representative. Such hearing shall be conducted as an informal administrator process and shall not be governed by any formal rules of evidence or procedure. The Board of Directors shall not be required to afford the student an opportunity to confront or cross-examine witnesses by compulsory process to give testimony at such hearing.
• The Board of Directors shall consider all evidence and state presented at such hearing and shall make written findings of its decision within five (5) days of such hearing. A copy of the decision shall be mailed forthwith to the student. The decision of the Board of Directors shall contain findings as to whether the administrator(s) determination was correct or shall be reversed.

Policy Interpretation

For the purpose of interpreting this policy, the student should know the following:

• This policy is in effect year-round.  A student becomes covered once he/she first participates in an extra-curricular activity.
• Generally, violations of the policy in Middle School are not carried over to the High School; however, the district retains full discretion to carry over violations dependent on the timing and the severity or seriousness of the offense.
• During the ineligibility period, the student will continue to practice with the team or group.
• Counseling may be suggested or required in addition to the above consequences.
• If administration receives word that a student is in possible violation from a responsible adult, or is implicated as a result of an administration investigation, the student will be sent for and advised of the allegation.  He/she will be asked to return the following day with a parent or he/she may waive their right to have a parent present.
• No suspension sanctions will be applied to co-curricular activities that are graded. 
• If the suspension occurs at a point in the season where the number of competitions remaining is less than the number of competitions in the suspension, the suspension will carry over into the next activity the student participates in. Post-season activities will be counted towards satisfying the terms of the suspension.
• If an individual participates at more than one level of competition the penalty applies to the highest level he/she participates in and any lower level activities in the interim.
• Students must start and finish the sporting season used to complete or serve their ineligibility. The beginning and ending dates of the season in question are set by the head coach of that sport or activity.
• Students not involved in extracurricular or co-curricular activities will be assigned school and/or community service as deemed appropriate by the administration.
• Ineligible / Ineligibility: Ineligibility as a result of failed citizenship or academic ineligibility must be served prior to a student serving their ineligibility assigned for their first or second violations of the district’s Good Conduct Policy. Ineligibilities for failed citizenship, academics, and Good Conduct violations must be served consecutively and not concurrently.
• Contests that are counted toward the ineligibility period are sanctioned games/events. Scrimmages, jamborees, and practices do not count toward meeting the fulfillment of the student’s ineligibility.
• The offenses are cumulative for grades 9 through 12.  However, if a student is at the 3rd offense level, he/she may request administrator consideration and approval of a probationary agreement, which if enacted, would facilitate his/her regaining eligibility to the 2nd offense level.  Should another violation take the student to the 3rd offense level a second time, he/she would not have the option for a probationary agreement.

 

Cross Reference:
502 Student Rights and Responsibilities
503 Student Discipline
504 Student Activities

Approved:11-15-21
Reviewed: 12-18-23
Revised: 12-18-23