Levels of Behavior Assistance

Student behavior assistance expectations stated above are classified as Minor, Serious, or Very Serious. See below for a description of the levels.

Level 1: Minor Assistance

Such situations include but are not limited to:

1. Tardiness to school or individual classes during the school day;

2. Failure to submit or comply with assigned work or deadlines;

3. Inappropriate classroom behavior that blocks classroom instruction;

4. Disrespect in word, action or deed towards others;

5. Using hurtful comments and/or inappropriate language;

6. Inappropriate public display of affection;

7. Not adhering to ISU Dress Code – see section further below;

8. Committing an act of academic misconduct for the first time in a minor classroom assignment.

Assistance - Minor situations:

Step 1: Teacher will discuss the issue respectfully with the student in order to help the student learn and then make appropriate changes.

Step 2: The teacher will look for methods that are respectful and seek learning first. The teacher will exercise discretion based on the issue, the age of student, and repetition of the infraction.

Step 3: If the behavior continues, the student will be referred in writing to the Head of Secondary (HOS) or Head of Primary (HOP) as appropriate who will discuss the issue with the student and teacher, and decide upon the next step on a case by case basis.

Level 2: Serious Assistance

ISU faculty or other staff will refer these situations immediately to the HOP. Such situations include but are not limited to:

  1. Culturally and/or personally offensive verbal or written expressions or gestures;

  2. Threatening or intimidating (bullying) other students by word or gesture;

  3. Aggressive physical contact/fighting;

  4. Repeated disruption of the classroom environment;

  5. Lying to teachers, administrators, or other ISU staff;

  6. Committing an act of academic misconduct (See Definition of Academic Misconduct below);

  7. Falsification of parent/guardian’s signature on permission slips, progress reports, report cards or any school communication;

  8. Truancy - not attending regularly scheduled classes/events, or leaving the school without parental permission;

  9. Abuse of ISU technology (including but not limited to damage or inappropriate use as detailed in the ICT Acceptable Use Agreement – see related section below);

  10. Vandalism (deliberately causing harm or destroying school or other people’s property, including defacing walls, doors, buildings, teaching equipment, and vehicles).

Definition of Academic Misconduct:

  1. Cheating: using unauthorized material before or during an exam; using unauthorized sources or copying from someone else’s work to receive credit for schoolwork

  2. Collusion: knowingly assisting another student in the act of academic dishonesty; discussing exam or test questions with students who have not taken it yet

  3. Duplication: submitting some portion or all of one assignment for a different assignment in the same or in another subject

  4. Falsification: intentionally altering information or inventing information on assignments

  5. Plagiarism: deliberately or unintentionally violating the ethics of intellectual property rights in any of the following ways: a) quoting or paraphrasing all or part of someone else’s work (text, audio, image, theory, formula, idea) without citing the source within the body of the work and in a bibliography of works cited b) using information, including statistics, without citing the source c) purchasing or obtaining someone else’s work to submit as one’s own d) committing unintended plagiarism through imprecise documentation or inattention to detail in formatting e) including citations in a works cited list that are not used in creating and completing an assignment f) leaving out quotes in copied material, even if properly documented g) infringing on copyright law by not adhering to ISU’s fair use agreement h) obtaining an inappropriate level of support from a parent, tutor or other source

Consequences - Serious Assistance:

Step 1: After a thorough investigation {including teacher, student, and involved persons input and the HOS/HOP as appropriate}, a meeting will be held between the teacher, the student and HOP. The parents will be notified by HOP and possibly called in for the meeting. Disciplinary action will be taken at the discretion of the HOP, based upon prior incidents and repetitions of infractions. In some situations, disciplinary action may be taken immediately.

Step 2: Written documentation for both the situation and the resulting action will be kept by HOS/HOP in the student’s file.

Step 3: If a second Serious situation is committed, a meeting with the student, parent, teacher, and HOS/HOP, possibly including the Director, will take place and the student and parent will sign a Behavior Assistance Plan. Written documentation of both the situation and the resulting action will be included in the student’s file.

Step 4: If a third serious situation is committed, or the Behavior Assistance Plan is violated, the student may be suspended from attendance at ISU by the Director. A decision may need to be taken about the student’s future at ISU. Written documentation for both the situation and the resulting action will be included in the student’s file.

Level 3: Very Serious Assistance

Very serious situations are immediately reported to the HOS/HOP and written documentation is provided immediately from the discovering teacher. Very serious situations will be dealt with at the administrative level. Such infractions include but are not limited to:

1. Possession of any dangerous object that poses a threat to the well being of the people at school or school activities;

2. Threats of violence or acts of terror;

3. Physical fighting in which a weapon or object is used to injure or attempt to injure another;

4. Use or possession of alcohol, tobacco or any other illegal substance at school or school activities;

5. Possession or theft of any exam, test, or teacher material;

6. Theft or attempted theft;

7. Alteration of any official school documents, exams, report cards, or transcripts;

8. Sexual harassment (unsolicited and unwelcome sexual attention or conduct that may be verbal, physical, written, or visual);

9. Behaving in a way that gravely offends the prestige of the school, whether at school or in the community;

10. Possession of or viewing of pornography at school or school activities.

Consequences - Very Serious situations:

Step 1: The student will be immediately suspended by the Director until a conference can be arranged with the student, parents, HOS/HOP and the Director. A Behavior Assistance Contract may be issued if the student is permitted to remain at ISU. This contract will be signed by the school, student and parents. Written documentation of both the situation and the resulting action will be included in the student’s file.

Step 2: If the very serious situation is committed again or the Behavior Assistance Contract is violated, the student will be suspended again until the Director determines whether the student is expelled or given another opportunity to behave appropriately. The Director will write a document explaining the situation committed and the disciplinary action taken and it will become a permanent part of the student’s file.

Appeal of Disciplinary Action

If a student feels that he/she is not guilty of having committed the situation or that the discipline was too severe, the student may appeal the decision.

1. A student maintains the right to present his/her side of the issue. This includes the right to challenge the evidence, the right to present witnesses, the right to have a translator, the right to have a support person's presence.

2. The process of appeals is outlined below:

a. For Minor situations with disciplinary consequences given by the teacher, only after the student has discussed the matter with the teacher, may the student then appeal that matter to the HOS/HOP.

b. Disciplinary consequences imposed by the HOS/HOP or decisions by the HOS/HOP regarding student appeals may be appealed to the Director after discussion with the HOP or HOS as appropriate. If appealing to the Director, the student must request a meeting with the Director within one school day of the HOP/HOS-imposed discipline. The Director will meet the student and all other parties involved and give a written decision as soon as possible.