Lambkin Behavior Expectations

PSD Student Code of Conduct 

At FCHS, everyone has the right to learn and no one has the right to interfere, everyone’s dignity, welfare and material possessions should be respected, and everyone is expected to attend all scheduled classes. Individual teachers may have additional expectations about appropriate student behaviors in their classes.

At FCHS, we believe that a student’s conduct combined responsibility of the student, the parent/guardian and the school. The FCHS administration and staff commits to the following responsibilities:

• Establishing a welcoming and safe school environment that promotes learning

• Protecting the rights, due process and privileges of all members of the school community

• Assuring that necessary disciplinary action is consistently applied and

• Providing for opportunities for guidance and support in conjunction with necessary disciplinary action

Fort Collins High School’s discipline policy follows the guidelines established by the Poudre School District Code of Conduct, a document describing laws and policies designed to maintain a safe, healthy learning environment. Upon registration, each student will receive and sign for a copy of the PDS Code of Conduct. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of its content. Below is a list of the most serious offenses for which a student may be disciplined. Please refer to the PSD Code of Conduct for a more complete list and know that the school district retains the right to suspend or expel a student or impose other disciplinary actions at their discretion, based on the severity of behavior, the facts, circumstances and nature of a student offense, and the student’s disciplinary record.

• Assault/fight

• Drugs, Drug Paraphernalia, Alcohol and Tobacco Possession and/or Use

• Bullying/Cyber bullying

• Vandalism

• Weapons

• Harassment

• Gang/Gang-like Activity

• Interference with education

FCHS Personal Communication Device Policy

Policy Statement

At FCHS, we prioritize the academic success and safety of our students. Personal communication devices (PCDs) may detract from the learning environment and can compromise the safety of the school; therefore, the staff will enforce the PSD Code of Conduct policy regarding the use of PCDs. PCDs include, but are not limited to: cellphones, headphones, airpods, MP3 players, smartwatches, and laptops.

Per the PSD Code of Conduct Policy, PCDs should not be visible during instructional time.

• PCDs should be silenced, turned off, or placed in focus mode during instructional time

• PCDs should not be receiving audible or vibration notifications during instructional time

• PCDs need to be put away out of sight (pockets, backpacks, lockers, cars)

Authorized Use of PCDs: 

• Students may use PCDs during passing periods, off periods, and lunch

• Students may use PCDs in the classroom only at teacher’s discretion

Hallway Expectations

Students may not use phones in hallways during their scheduled class periods. 

Classroom Expectations

Staff members will have an established procedure for student use of PCDs that clearly outlines if and when students may access PCDs in the classroom during non-instructional time. This procedure will be included in the course syllabus and regularly communicated to students. All procedures must align with this policy and the district policy.

 Please see below for possible management systems for PCDs. 

• Red and green magnets/signs may be used at front of the classroom - green indicates PCDs may be used, red indicates PCDs should be put away.

• Staff may have designated times/activities when PCDs may be accessed and times when they may not. These expectations need to be clearly and regularly communicated with students. 

• Staff may use “caddies” for students who optionally choose to store their PCD during instructional times or for PCDs that were misused.

Response to unauthorized use of PCD: 

• 1st instance: Warning from teacher; student asked to put away phone; documentation in Synergy.

• 2nd instance: Student asked to put phone in designated spot in classroom for remainder of class period; parent contact; documentation in Synergy

• 3rd instance: Staff contacts campus monitor to retrieve PCD and take to Deans for remainder of the day; Deans contact parent and document in Synergy

• Subsequent infractions: Staff contacts campus monitor to retrieve PCD and take to Deans for remainder of day; Deans contact parent and document in Synergy; Parents pick up phone from Deans; increasing disciplinary action including “PCD Plan” to check in their PCD at the beginning of the day. 

***If a student refuses to comply with a staff request, contact campus monitors escort them to the Dean’s office. Code of Conduct will apply to any further infractions. 

“Honesty is the best policy.”  This policy is intended to reinforce that simple truth.  Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses and will be treated accordingly.  These are varieties of plagiarism and cheating:

• Copying someone’s assignment.  Substituting synonyms for someone else’s word choices or mere paraphrasing of borrowed ideas without documentation constitutes plagiarism.

• Handing in another individual’s work as the student’s own.

• Dividing questions on an individual assignment so that four or five friends answer two or three questions, permitting each other to copy answers.  Although group work and cooperative learning are often encouraged, individual assignments should remain the work of the individual student.

• Copying sentences, phrases, paragraphs, or pages from books or other sources without providing documentation. Writing should be either original or attributed.

• Using plots, characters, theories, opinions, concepts, designs and even ideas from other sources (people, books, films, records, TV, or any other media) and presenting them as original work without properly attributing them.

• Taking answers from a classmate’s quiz or test paper, using a crib sheet or sharing answers during a testing situation are examples of a most serious kind of dishonesty.

Consequences for Academic Dishonesty

1. First offense: zero on assignment, parent notified.

2. Second offense (school-wide): Suspension according to Code of Conduct, Board of Education policy and administrator discretion. Recommended three-day suspension for second offense as well as a zero on assignment.

3. Continued offenses: Suspensions with time proportional to offense. If three offenses occur in the same class, the student may receive a failing grade for the class.

4. Fourth offense: Possible expulsion from school.

Appeals and Due Process

Decisions made regarding the implementation of this policy may be appealed at any stage by the student, parent, or guardian.  In most cases attendance matters are handled by administrators and the first step in the appeal process would be to the building principal.  If the student, parent, or guardian still questions the decision, additional appeals may be made, first to the assistant superintendent, then to the superintendent of schools, and ultimately to the Board of Education.