Bloomingdale Board of Education

A. Purpose

The Student Code of Conduct and this Regulation are established to achieve the following purposes:

1. Foster the health, safety, social, and emotional well-being of students;

2. Support the establishment and maintenance of civil, safe, secure, supportive, and disciplined school environments conducive to learning;

3. Promote achievement of high academic standards;

4. Prevent the occurrence of problem behaviors;

5. Establish parameters for the intervention and remediation of problem student behaviors at all stages of identification with particular attention on age/grade level specific approaches; and

6. Establish parameters for school responses to violations of the code of student conduct that take into account, at a minimum, the severity of the offenses, the developmental ages of student offenders and students’ histories of inappropriate behaviors.

B. Expectations for Academic Achievement, Behavior, and Attendance

All students have a responsibility to comply with Board of Education policies & regulations, State statutes and administrative codes for academic achievement, behavior, and attendance, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:32-8 and 12.1, as amended.

In addition, pupils shall not:

 Be insubordinate to teachers or other school staff members or disregard their instruction or demonstrate lack of respect for their authority;

 Create disorder or disruption on school grounds;

 Use, threaten, or incite the use of physical force against other pupils, staff members or visitors to the school; 

 Steal, damage, or deface the property of other pupils, staff members or the school district;

 Possess or use weapons or any implement intended to harm others; 

 Use foul, abusive, derogatory or demeaning language including racial and ethnic remarks;

 Convey information about other pupils or professional staff members known to be false;

 Vandalize school property;

 Be late or truant from school or class;

 Engage in academic dishonesty;

 Smoke (cigarettes, vape, or e-smoking device) on school property;

 Falsify documents;

 Access reports restricted to staff only;

 Engage in any other activity expressly prohibited by school staff and/or detailed in the school code of conduct.

The School Bus

Pupils assigned to a school bus must obey all school rules and:

 Show respect for the driver at all times;

 Enter and leave the bus in an orderly manner;

 Ride only the bus to which they have been assigned;

 Remain seated when the bus is in motion;

 Avoid loud noises such as yelling;

 Refrain from eating, drinking and smoking on the bus;

Off Site Conduct

The Building Principal or designee has the right to impose a consequence on a pupil for conduct away from school grounds pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6. This authority shall be exercised only when it is reasonably necessary for the pupil’s physical or emotional safety, security, and well-being or for reasons relating to the safety, security, and well-being of other pupils, staff, or school grounds, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:25-2 and 18A:37-2 or when the conduct which is the subject of the proposed consequence materially and substantially interferes with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school. Consequences shall be handled in accordance with Policy and Regulation 5600, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1, and as appropriate, in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7-2, 6A:16-7.3, or 6A:16-7.5.

C. Disciplinary Measures

The following disciplinary measures may be applied as appropriate to the pupil's violation of school rules. The measures are sequential and are organized in order of severity. It is recognized that the decision to discipline a student is at the discretion of the Building Principal. Steps for appeal of such decision can be found in section G.

1. Admonishment/Warning

A school staff member in authority may admonish the pupil for his/her unacceptable conduct and warn the pupil that additional misconduct may warrant a more severe penalty. It is recommended that a parental communication take place at the elementary level when utilizing an Admonishment/Warning.

2. Temporary Removal from Classroom

     The classroom teacher may direct the pupil to report to the office of the administrator in charge of pupil discipline. After directing the pupil to the administrator in charge of discipline, the classroom teacher will immediately notify the main office of the student’s intended arrival.

   The teacher will complete documentation of the incident in a manner outlined by the Building principal.

   The administrator in charge of discipline will interview the pupil and determine which, if any, additional disciplinary steps are indicated.

3. Deprivation of Privileges

The pupil may be deprived of the privilege of:

 Moving freely about the school building;

 Participation in co-curricular or interscholastic activities;

 Attendance at a school-related social or sports activity;

 Participation in a graduation ceremony;

 Transportation by school bus;

 Eating lunch with classmates;

 Eating lunch in the cafeteria/multi-purpose room;

   Any other privilege the Principal or designee determines may be appropriate and consistent with Policy 5600 and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1, et seq.

4. Detention

      The pupil may be required to report before, after or during the school day to detention for a period of supervised study.

  Transportation will be the responsibility of the parent(s) or legal guardian(s).

   The pupil may be excused from detention only for an unavoidable commitment previously made; any such excused detention must be made up on another day.

     Parents/Guardians will be informed of a detention being assigned prior to the student serving the detention.

 Before/After school detention will begin in grade 2.

5. Grading

 A pupil who has cheated on a test or assignment, plagiarized material, falsified sources, refused to submit assignments, or otherwise engaged in academic dishonesty or negligence may suffer a reduced grade by virtue of the disqualified work. In no other instance may a pupil's grade be lowered as a direct penalty for misconduct.

 In instances where a numerical grade is calculated, behavior in the classroom shall not be counted in determining marking period or final grade for the course.

6. In School Suspension

The pupil may be removed from his/her regular classes and required to report to an in-school suspension program for supervised study.

In-school suspension is a deprivation of the pupil's right to a thorough and efficient education and will not be imposed without the due process set forth in Policy and Regulation 5610.

7. Suspension From School

The pupil may be denied the right to attend school for a period of time pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:37-2, N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.2, and 6A:16-7.3, and Policy 5610.

8. Expulsion

The Board may expel a general education pupil from school, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:37-2, N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.5, and Policy 5620.

Expulsion is an extremely serious disciplinary measure; it deprives the pupil of his/her right to a thorough and efficient education and will not be imposed without the due process set forth in Policies 5610 and 5620.

D. Remedial Measures

The following remedial measures may be taken to aid in correcting pupil conduct and to ensure that the pupil is properly placed in an appropriate educational environment and is not in need of special education and/or related services. For students in grades K-1, the focus will be on remediation of conduct in violation and not punishment for the violation itself.

1. Restitution and Restoration

The student may be required to:

 Make restitution, in kind or cost or labor, for any loss he/she has caused;

     Restore to its former condition, by his/her own labor, any property the   pupil has damage or defaced;

     In the case of damage due to behavior by an elementary school student, the student will be required to restore the classroom setting to the greatest extent possible;

2. Counseling

The pupil may be required to consult with a school counselor or social worker to review the causes of his/her misconduct and to develop a plan to avoid such reoccurrences in the future.

The counselor may refer the pupil, as appropriate, for additional counseling, evaluation, intervention, treatment, or therapy. Referrals may be made to: (1) The Child Study Team, (2) Intervention and Referral Team, (3) A public or private social agency, or (4) A legal agency.

3. Parent Conferences

The pupil may be required to attend a meeting with his/her parent(s) and appropriate staff members to discuss the causes of the pupil's behavior, possible remediation, potential disciplinary measures, and alternative conduct.

4. Alternate Educational Program

The pupil may be assigned to an alternate educational program as recommended by the pupil's guidance counselor, classroom teacher, Child Study Team, and/or Administrator and approved by the Superintendent.

E.  Consequences and Remedial Measures for Acts or Incidents of Dating Violence at School

Consequences and remedial measures specific to acts or incidents of dating violence at school shall be used to address the act or incident and to serve as remediation, intervention, education, and prevention for all individuals involved. Responses shall be tiered with consideration given to the seriousness and number of previous occurrences of acts or incidents in which the victim and aggressor have been involved.

1. Consequences:

Consequences may include, but are not limited to, the following:

 Admonishment;

 Temporary removal from the classroom;

 Classroom or administrative detention;

 In-school suspension;

 Out-of-school suspension;

 Reports to law enforcement; and/or

 Expulsion.

2. Remedial Measures/Interventions:

Remedial measures/interventions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

 Parent conferences;

 Pupil counseling (all pupils involved in the act or incident);

 Peer support group;

    Corrective instruction or other relevant learning or service experiences;

    Supportive pupil intervention (Intervention and Referral Services - I&RS);

 Behavioral management plan; and/or

 Alternative placements.

F. Chart of Discipline:

Below is a listing of non-exhaustive pupil behaviors that are subject to pupil discipline including suspension or expulsion pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:37-2.

Students in Grades PK – 1

The Bloomingdale Board of Education believes in a balance of remediation measures with disciplinary measures to support our early childhood learners. The following chart represents each instance of a behavior taking place. Should a behavior of aggression/destruction take place more than two (2) times per day, the child will be sent home because the behavior on the given day does not support the ability to learn and access content.

Communication: 1st Offense in a Day- Teacher calls home and provides consequence to student; 2nd Offense in a Day-Administrator calls home; teacher selects and imposes consequence with administrator present. 3rd Offense in a Day - Administrator calls and student must be picked up from school.

Students with IEPs, 504, Behavior Intervention Plans, Crisis Plans, and Positive Behavior Supports may be subject to different consequences based on the functions of their behaviors and/or (i.e.- Instead of being sent home, a child may receive in-school suspension)

Students in Grades 2-4

Students in Grades 5 - 8

G. Students’ Rights

Students subject to the consequences of the Student Discipline/Code of Conduct Policy and Regulation shall be informed of their rights, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1(c)3.i. through vii, as amended, that include:

1.      Advance notice of behaviors which will result in suspensions and expulsions that have been identified under authority of N.J.S.A. 18A:37-2, as amended;

2.             Education that supports students’ development into productive citizens;

3.  Attendance in safe and secure school environments;

4.                 Attendance at school irrespective of students’ marriage, pregnancy, or parenthood;

5.       Due process and appeal procedures, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:3-1.3 through 1.17, as amended; N.J.A.C. 6A:4, as amended; and, where applicable, N.J.A.C. 6A:14-2.7 and 2.8, as amended; and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.2 through 7.5, as amended;

6.    Parent notification consistent with the policies and procedures established pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-6.2(b)3, as amended, and N.J.A.C.     6A:16-7.1 through 7.9, as amended; and

7. Protections pursuant to 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, as amended; 34 CFR Part 99, Family Educational Rights and Privacy, as amended; 20 U.S.C. § 1232h, Protection of Pupil Rights, as amended;  34 CFR Part 98, Student Rights in Research, Experimental Programs and Testing, as amended; P.L. 104-191, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, as amended; 45 CFR Part 160, General Administrative Requirements, as amended; 20 U.S.C. § 7165, Transfer of school disciplinary records, as amended; 42 CFR Part 2, Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records, as amended; N.J.S.A. 18A:40A-7.1, as amended, Confidentiality of certain information provided by pupils, exceptions; N.J.A.C. 6A:16-3.2, as amended, Confidentiality of student alcohol and other drug information; N.J.S.A. 18A:36-19, as amended, Pupil records, creation, maintenance and retention, security and access, regulations, nonliability; N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-60, as amended, Disclosure of juvenile information, penalties for disclosure; N.J.A.C. 6A:32-7, as amended, Student Records; N.J.A.C. 6A:14-2.9, as amended, Student records, as well as other existing Federal and State laws and rules pertaining to student protections.

8. Students with Disabilities

For students with disabilities, the remedial measures and behavioral interventions and supports shall be determined and provided pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:14 as amended. 

H. Students with Disabilities

For students with disabilities, subject to Individualized Education Programs in accordance with 20 U.S.C. § 1400, et seq, as amended; the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act, as amended; N.J.A.C 6A:14, as amended; and accommodation plans under 29 U.S.C. §§ 794 and 705(20), as amended. Student discipline and the Code of Student Conduct shall be implemented in accordance with the components of the applicable plans.

I.  Records

1. Instances of student discipline will be recorded in the student’s file in strict compliance with N.J.A.C. 6A:32-7.1, et seq, as amended, and Policy and Regulation 8330.

2. When a student transfers to a public school district from another public school district, all information in the student’s record related to disciplinary actions taken against the student by the school district and any information the school district has obtained pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-60, as amended. Disclosure of Juvenile Information; Penalties for Disclosure, shall be provided to the receiving public school district in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:36-19(a) as amended, and N.J.A.C. 6A:32-7.5, as amended.

a. The record shall be provided within two weeks of the date that the student enrolls in the receiving district.

b.    Written consent of the parent or adult student shall not be required as a condition of the record transfer; however, written notice of the transfer shall be provided to the parent or the adult student.

3. When a student transfers to a private school, which includes all sectarian or nonsectarian, nonprofit, institutional day, or residential schools that provide education for students placed by their parents and that are controlled by other than public authority, all student disciplinary records with respect to suspensions or expulsions shall be provided by the public school district of residence to the private school upon written request from the private school, in the same manner the records would be provided to a public school, pursuant to 20 U.S.C. § 6301, Title IV § 4155, as amended, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

4. The Board shall not use a student’s past offenses on record to discriminate against the student.

5. All student disciplinary records pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7, as amended, shall conform with the requirements set forth in N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.8(d), as amended.

J.  Annual Review

The Superintendent shall designate a school staff member to coordinate an annual review and update of Policy and Regulation 5600.  The Superintendent’s designee shall:

1.    Compile an annual summary report of violations of the student behavioral expectations and the associated school responses to the violations in the Student Discipline/Code of Conduct Policy and Regulation.

2. Convene a Student Discipline/Code of Conduct Committee comprised of parents, students, and community members that represent the composition of the district’s schools and community to review the annual summary report and to develop recommendations, if any, to improve and update the Student Discipline/Code of Conduct Policy and Regulation.

3.        Submit the Committee’s recommendations, if any, to improve or update the Student Discipline/Code of Conduct Policy and Regulation.

The Superintendent shall review the Committee’s report with school administrators and determine if the Student Discipline/Code of Conduct Policy and Regulation should be updated.

Adopted: 13 July 2009

Revised:    6 September 2011

Revised:  17 January 2012

Revised:  17 November 2014

Revised:  19 March 2019

Revised   14 December 2022