Academic Integrity in the High School

Preamble

It is expected that JIS High School students demonstrate academic integrity at all times and use effective time management strategies. We believe that students learn best and teachers make more accurate evaluations when students’ work is handed in on time and is truly their own.

We also believe that students demonstrate academic integrity by not trying to gain an advantage over other students.

Students at JIS demonstrate academic integrity by not:

• cheating

• plagiarizing or using other students’ work

• failing to cite their sources (including AI)

• providing work for any other students thus enabling other students to commit academic misconduct

• seeking out or providing information from other students e.g. what was on an assessment which other students have already taken

• submitting a piece of their own work which has already been used for assessment without approval (see specific area in this policy)

• using electronic devices inappropriately (including smart watches)

• fabricating results or impersonating another student

• colluding on the write-up of lab reports (for both the giver and receiver)

• seeking extensive help from a tutor

• being absent from class without verification to miss a test or other summative assessment e.g. oral presentation

• being in possession of a calculator with illegal applications during a test or exam

• taking ‘cheat sheets’ into a test

• accessing a handphone or smart device for any purpose during an assessment

• submitting projects, creations, images, recordings etc. which is not entirely the work of the student.

• submitting dishonest information in a university application or submitting work for a university application which is not their own.

In the High School, we are obligated to be aligned with the policies and practices of universities and examination bodies (such as the IB and College Board) with regard to academic misconduct.

Academic Misconduct Policy

Academic Misconduct occurs when a student attempts to obtain credit for work, or any improvement in evaluation of performance, by any dishonest or deceptive means.

A person who assists in aiding another in this respect is considered also to have committed academic misconduct.

The main areas that constitute academic misconduct include:

Cheating

Cheating includes, but is not limited to: lying; copying from another’s test or examination; inappropriate discussion of answers or questions on an examination or test; taking or receiving copies of an exam without the permission of the instructor; re-submitting a previous assignment for a new assessment, using or displaying notes, “cheat sheets” or other information devices (including electronic dictionaries and calculators) inappropriate to the prescribed test conditions, accessing a mobile phone during an assessment.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the presentation of the ideas, work or words of other people (or AI) without proper acknowledgment. In other words, submitting as your own work that which is not your own. This also includes the improper use of citations.

When a student provides material to another student who uses it in an act of plagiarism, the “giver” of such material is also considered guilty of academic misconduct.

Enabling

Enabling occurs when students collude inappropriately or illicitly. Any student (the giver) who provides a piece of work, either hard copy or electronically to another student, may enable academic misconduct to occur. Therefore the giver’s intent or relationship with the ‘receiver’ is not a factor in determining whether misconduct has occurred.

Fabrication

The falsification (or invention) of data or results for presentation or addition to assignments that are unsupported by verifiable or documented research.

Impersonation

Impersonation is posing or presenting one’s self as another person or stealing the identity of another person. This includes forging notes and signatures and logging in to JISNet using the password of another student without permission.

Submitting a piece of their own work which has already been used for assessment

If a student would like to use a piece of their own work which has already been submitted for assessment, they must go through the following process. If this process is not followed, it will be considered Academic Misconduct.

1. Get permission from the current teacher - ‘declare’ - ‘I would like to use this work from ‘Grade 11’-this permission needs to be approved in writing

2. Cite your own work as part of the ‘Works Cited’ or ‘Bibliography’ page.

Consequences for Academic Misconduct

Students who have committed academic misconduct should receive disciplinary consequences commensurate with the scale and nature of their offence. This would include the significance of the piece of assessment, consideration of the age of the student, previous record, etc.

If a student fails a course at the end of a semester due to academic misconduct, they may appeal to the High School Principal within 5 school days of receiving their semester grade for a review of the situation.  This appeal must be lodged in writing directly to the Principal.  The matter will then be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Principal in consultation with other administrators, teachers and or counselor. A determination will then be made regards the award of a grade.

If a student has an academic misconduct recorded in PowerSchool during a year, they are not eligible to receive an academic prize in the subject which the academic misconduct occurred for that particular year.

If there is a pattern of inappropriate behaviour, including academic misconduct, a student will not be eligible for leadership positions, NHS or other recognition, but may appeal this decision to High School Administration for consideration.

In the following situations parents will be informed and action taken immediately. These offenses are treated as cumulative throughout JIS High School.

Level 1 Offence - academic misconduct involving a class assessment task, not regarded as a major assessment component of the course. Drafts of any kind are also included in this policy.

Level 2 Offence - academic misconduct involving a class assessment task that is regarded as a major assessment component of the course. Drafts of any kind are also included in this policy.

Academic Misconduct in official IB/AP assessments including exams.

Definitions

*A suspension is a temporary removal of a student from classes for a violation of school policies or values. A suspension may be ‘in school’ or ‘out of school’.

• An ‘in school suspension’ removes a student from the classroom for a period of time, while still allowing students to attend school and complete their work while being monitored by school staff. Students are given breaks that are not aligned with other students and if on internal suspension, students must leave campus at 3:00 pm.  They are not allowed to attend any co-curricular event after school.

• An ‘out of school suspension' removes a student from the school for a period of time. The student does not attend any school events and will complete their work while being supervised at home.

Students suspended are not subject to academic penalties for work missed due to suspension.

**When a suspension is recorded, universities/colleges often ask for students and the school to reveal this as part of the university/college application process. If a university or college asks the school directly whether a student has been suspended, we are required to communicate this - however we do communicate with the university or college further the nature of the incident and try to ensure that we do what we can do to support the application for the student. Students may also be required to self report to universities.

Some teachers may choose to withdraw their recommendation letter if the student they have written the letter for is involved in an incident of academic misconduct.