Definitions of Minor and Major Unexpected Behavior

Minor Unexpected Behavior

The following minor unexpected behaviors are classified as behaviors that violate SHS’s school-wide expectations or classroom norms. Most cases do not require administrative action. If a student repeats a minor behavior with consistency, the behavior will be considered a major unexpected behavior. 

• Examples of some behaviors that are encouraged to be resolved in the classroom include, but are not limited to 

  • excessive talking or noise making, 

  • not completing or refusing to do work, 

  • Noncompliance

    • Verbal noncompliance may look like saying “no” or refusing directly when asked to do something, talking back, arguing, or challenging the directive, ignoring instructions verbally (“I’m not doing that”), using sarcasm or dismissive language

    • Passive noncompliance may look like pretending not to hear or understand directions, deliberately delaying tasks (“I’ll do it later”), half-completing work or doing it incorrectly on purpose, quietly disengaging (putting head down, staring off, using phone instead)

    • Physical noncompliance may look like refusing to move when asked (e.g., not changing seats, not transitioning to another area), walking away when given a directive, or engaging in unrelated activities (e.g., drawing, texting) instead of the task

  • minor emotional outbursts, 

  • not following directions, 

  • sleeping in class, 

  • talking out of turn, 

  • expletives, not directed at anyone specifically, 

  • unkind words or gestures (not directed at a protected class), 

  • running, 

  • leaving the classroom without permission, 

  • spending long periods of time out of the classroom, etc.,

  • refusal to change for PE class,

  • tardy,

  • minor physical contact

• If school personnel feel the infraction is significant, unsafe, or indicates a repeated pattern, they should record the incident in Panorama as MAJOR and INDICATE IN PANORAMA THE RATIONALE as to why the infraction is significant, unsafe, or a repeated pattern after the behavior is addressed by the staff member. 

Major Unexpected Behavior 

A major unexpected behavior is a high‑intensity behavior or repeated issues that disrupt learning significantly or pose safety concerns and require immediate office referral to administration. All Major referrals require parent notification. Major unexpected behaviors are subject to the disciplinary policies and procedures set by the Springfield School District. 

If school personnel feel the infraction is significant, unsafe, or indicates a repeated pattern, they should record the incident in Panorama as a MAJOR and INDICATE IN PANORAMA THE RATIONALE as to why the infraction is significant, unsafe, or a repeated pattern after the behavior is addressed by them (See Panorama Write Up Requirements). 

Sample Major Violations:

• Abusive/Inappropriate Language

Directed negative/profane language toward another person or group of people, including, 

but not limited to, name-calling, teasing, or comments promoting social segregation. Use 

professional judgment to determine major vs minor (inappropriate language).

• Property Destruction

Student engages in behavior that significantly damages school property, including but not limited to: punching walls, defacing bathroom utilities, graffiti, throwing chairs or other large pieces of furniture, ripping books, and damaging Chromebooks.

• Defiance or aggressive behavior:

If the student is not being disruptive, they do not need to be sent out of class, and the major will be followed up on at a later time. If a student refuses to follow directions, for example, turning in their cell phone, the student may not need to be sent out of class, and the major will be followed up on at a later time.

• Verbal Defiance may look like talking back in a challenging or confrontational tone, arguing with staff even after expectations are clearly stated, making threats (“You can’t make me” or “What are you gonna do about it?”), using profanity or disrespectful language toward staff, openly mocking or ridiculing authority figures

• Physical Defiance may look like purposefully refusing to follow directions in an exaggerated or dramatic way, walking out of class or school without permission after being told not to, destroying property or materials to avoid following a rule or directive, aggressive body language (getting in teacher’s personal space, slamming doors or books)

• Dishonesty/Cheating

See honesty/cheating procedures.

• Technology Violations

Repeated cell phone violations or refusal to comply with expectations.

• Building Safety Violations

Student leaves the building without permission. Student open exterior doors without 

Permission. Vaping. Drug use.

• Weapon violation

Possession of any object that may be considered a weapon.

• Repeatedly significantly late to class 

Defined as a student who repeatedly arrives at class or the scheduled location more than 

10 minutes late.

Panorama Write-Up Requirements:

• Students must be notified of a write-up, and parent(s)/guardians should be notified of a write-up in Panorama that originates in the classroom. If the major is teacher-handled, the teacher is responsible for contacting the parent/guardian. (Sample/template emails are available in the staff handbook.) Every Panorama write-up shall include the following. 

  • The Situation

    • A brief description of the situation/context.

    • Do NOT include other students’ names in the email.

  • The Behavior

    • A brief description of the observable behavior: Keep it simple and descriptive.

      • Here’s what I/the class saw/heard.

  • The Intervention

    • A brief description of the steps that were taken to address the behavior.

    • Consequences/interventions attempted or performed 

    • How contact was made with student and parent/guardian

    • The outcome of the intervention.

Lunch Detention:  

Implemented by either a teacher or an administrator. Students may receive lunch detention resulting from negative behavior. 

Lunch Detention Procedures 

• Purpose: Lunch detention serves as a natural consequence for student misconduct that occurs during the school day.

• Teachers may issue lunch detentions

  • Teacher must communicate with parent(s)

  • Teacher must communicate with student(s)

  • Teacher must communicate with Sandy

    • Sandy Hryckiewicz will assign the student a lunch detention in the detention spreadsheet with a note that the detention is a teacher detention AFTER the teacher confirms

      • 1. Parents have been contacted

      • 2. Student has been contacted by teacher

• If a student skips a teacher-assigned lunch detention

  • The student will be issued an Administrative after-school detention

  • Administration will call the parents

  • Administration/Sandy will inform the students

  • Administration/Sandy will inform the teacher of the date of the after-school detention

• If the Administrative detention is skipped

  •  OSS

Tobacco Possession - Defined by the Springfield School District Tobacco Policy

Alcohol/Drug Possession - Defined by the Springfield School District Alcohol/Drug Possession Policy 

Bullying, Hazing and Harassment - Defined by the Springfield School District Harassment Policy

Sexual Harassment - Defined by the Springfield School District Bullying Policy,

Consequences for Unexpected Behaviors

The following are consequences issued most frequently at SHS when unexpected behaviors occur. SHS strives to ensure that unexpected behaviors are met with logical and meaningful consequences that help increase positive behaviors and contributions to our school community. . 

Change of Clothing:  

Students wearing inappropriate clothing at school (i.e. ripped/torn, unclean, immodest) will be asked to change into appropriate attire before attending classes.

Clean Up/Work Detail:  

Students who vandalize school property will repair and/or replace the damaged property, or provide a clean-up service for those who had to do the work, in order to make up for their lost time.

Restorative Conference:  

Our goal is to teach students how to resolve conflicts peacefully and build capacity to repair harm, this includes talking to one another with an adult or peer mediator. This may not be appropriate in situations where there is an imbalance of power between students and we will work with individual students and teams to ensure this is an appropriate consequence if unexpected behavior occurs.

Conference with Administration: 

Administration will conference with students, create an action plan to move forward and communicate with SHS staff of the outcome.

Lunch Detention:  

Implemented by either a teacher or an administrator. Students may receive lunch detention resulting from negative behavior. 

Teacher Flex Assignment:  

Requires that a student stays after school for varying amounts of time and is intended to be restorative and to repair harm. 

Processing Time: 

In certain circumstances, a student may be sent out of class and needs processing time before rejoining the community.  Often times this means they will finish out the block in the office.

Suspension:  Students will be placed on Out-of-School Suspension when the offense warrants such a consequence.

• Out-of-School Suspension: Students are sent home for a number of days per administrative decision and in accordance with SSD policy. The parent will be notified of the suspension. A student receiving Out-of-School Suspension may not attend any extracurricular activities associated with SHS, for the duration of the suspension. Before being allowed to return to school, the parent or guardian must schedule and attend a re-admittance conference with school administration.

Principal’s Discretion: The Principal has the authority to make exceptions to the Student Handbook, depending on circumstances of the situation and in compliance with Board policy.