Academic Honesty

Academic Honesty Policy

Pinetree aspires to develop honest, ethical and accomplished students capable of being responsible citizens in Canadian society.

Since educational achievement should reflect an individual student's honestly acquired skill, knowledge and ability, students who participate in any activities that undermine the integrity of educational achievement at Pinetree are serving neither their own nor society's best interests.

Any form of cheating or school learning dishonesty will not be tolerated at Pinetree. The school has a zero tolerance for not reporting. All incidents must be reported.

Cheating is defined as any attempt by a student to complete an examination, assignment, or assessment by unfair means. Unfair means may include any one or more of the following:

Types of Cheating

• 1. Plagiarism – the unacknowledged use of another person's work and the presentation of that work, in whole or in part, as one's own or assisting in the act of plagiarism by allowing one's work to be used in this fashion. This may include presenting the words or ideas of another as one's own or submission of the same work to more than one teacher without the teacher's consent.

1. Obtaining or providing unauthorized information concerning all or part of an assignment or examination prior to or during the examination, taking an examination for another student or arranging for another person to take an exam in one's place.

2. Altering or changing test answers after submission for grading, altering or changing grades after grades have been awarded or altering or changing other academic records, making any other attempt to alter grades using means that have not been or would not be approved by your teacher.

3. Using unauthorized materials including the use of unauthorized electronic devices or information during an exam or assignment.

4. Cheating could include a student getting editing "help‟ which results in a finished product not reflective of the student's ability to express him/herself.

NOTE: If a student is not sure about any assignment, he/she should check with the teacher before submitting it for marking. This is definitely a place where it is “better to be safe than sorry”.

Progressive Discipline – When the school learning honesty policy is broken, the following actions will be taken:

Progressive Discipline

• a referral will be made to the student's counsellor

• counsellor will meet with the student and put a note in student's file

• if warranted, or if it is a second referral, counsellor will refer to vice-principal.

For all referrals to a vice principal the following will occur:

• an automatic zero on the test/assignment involved in the incident

• parent contact and a formal letter to the parent from the vice-principal

• a letter to all of the student's teachers informing them of the incident

• a directive by the administration will be given to teachers and counsellors that no letters of reference or recommendation be written for the student for the current year

• a note of the infraction on the student's computer discipline record

• disqualification from all school awards (including honour roll) for the current year

At the discretion of the teacher, the following may occur on a first or subsequent infraction.

• An obligatory final exam and/or additional assignments to assure the validity of the student's achievement

At the discretion of the administration, the following may occur on a first or subsequent infraction.

• Suspension

• Administrative transfer

• Any other consequences the administration deems fit

Now it's time to take the Academic Honesty Policy Quiz