Dress and Appearance
Student dress must not present any health / safety concerns and may not detract from a positive educational environment. The following are not allowed:
- Clothing/accessories with unacceptable symbols, words or pictures, specifically anything that contains profanity, racist or inflammatory messages, or (items that promote) promotes drugs, alcohol, violence or gang activity.
- Hats, visors, hoods, bandannas, and sweatbands are not allowed to be worn in the building.
- Tops and shirts which display bare midriffs and plunging necklines.
- Sagging pants.
- Excessively short skirts, shorts, or dresses which are higher than "fingertip" length. In addition, undergarments must not be visible.
Please note: Closed-toed shoes must be worn on P.E. days.
Consequences for noncompliance may include, a phone call home and/or other disciplinary action.
Lost/Damaged School Materials
Current school board policy 3520 specifically states, "Students shall be responsible for the cost of replacing materials or property that are lost or damaged due to negligence"... Fines or damage charges may be levied for lost textbooks, library books, or equipment."
These replacement costs shall include charging the actual replacement cost of the item PLUS a fee of 25% of that replacement cost. The additional 25% is to cover the cost of shipping, Washington State tax, plus the costs of adding a bar code, due date pocket slip, book jacket cover or laminate, security tag, and other incidental processing costs. Please note that report cards will not be issued to students at the end of the year unless all fines have been cleared by the family.
Not Allowed on Campus
- Weapons (RCW:9.41.280)
- Mace, pepper spray, and any other chemical sprays.
- Alcohol, drugs, tobacco products, lighters & matches. (District Policy 3300)
- Any electronic devices, including cell phones, must be kept off and put away while in the building and during the school day.
- Gum
- Toys
- Heelies (wheels on the bottom of shoes)
- Skateboards, scooters, and roller blades, are not allowed to be ridden on school district property.
[Additional information can be found in UPSD Policy 3300 or Washington RCW 9.41.250.]
**All rules listed here cover all school premises before and after school, during any sponsored activity, at school bus stops, and during any school field trip.
Student office referrals to the administration will be processed only for severe misbehavior or those offenses which are immediately suspendable. In such cases, the administrator involved will notify the parent/guardian regarding corrective actions to be taken. Please note that students often meet with administrators to discuss issues and to solve problems. These visits may not be reported to parents unless there is a need to do so.
Due Process Procedures
Due process procedures are specified in WAC180-40. They include:
- Disciplinary authority shall be administered with fairness.
- Problems to be resolved cooperatively with effective utilization of District resources.
- Short term suspensions will require student and parent notification. If desired, an informal conference may be requested with the building principal or designee. If further grievance action is desired, the parent/guardian may:
- Contact the District hearing officer within two school business days.
- Present a written/oral grievance to the Board of Directors during the Board"s next meeting.
- Written notice will be given to the student & parent/guardian in cases where long-term suspension or expulsion is warranted. This notice shall specify the charges made, recommended sanctions to be imposed, and set forth the student"s right to a hearing.
- The student and parent/guardian must request a formal hearing if desired within three school business days. The right to a hearing will be waived if there is no reply within the three day period. If a hearing is requested, the following
guidelines will govern the hearing:
- The parents/guardians will be present.
- Legal counsel may attend
- Any affidavits or exhibits submitted by school authorities may be examined in
advance.
- The student shall have the opportunity to present issues, affidavits, exhibits, and question witnesses.
- A tape-recorded or verbatim record will be made of the hearing.
- The hearing officer will state in writing the findings and conclusions.
- All appeals must be made within 3 school business days to the school board.
- If there is an appeal of the school decision, it must be made within 30 days to the Superior Court.
- Any student who has been placed on long-term suspension or expulsion may make a written application to be re-admitted to the District superintendent or his/her designee.
Bullying/Intimidation
Harassment, intimidation, or bullying means any intentional written, verbal, or physical act, including but not limited to any characteristic in RCW 9A36.080(3):
- Physical harm to a student or student' s property; or
- Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student' s education; or
- Is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening educational environment or has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school (RCW 28A.300.285).
Acts of bullying, harassment, or intimidation that are conducted by electronic means are grounds for disciplinary action, even when they do not occur during school hours, occur on the school property, or involve school computers as long as the incident has an impact on the student or educational environment as described in this act. (UPSD School Board Policy #5849)
Sexual Harassment Involving Students
- It is the policy of the UPSD to maintain a learning environment free from sexual harassment and intimidation.
- Sexual harassment is defined as any unwelcome sexual behavior-verbal, visual, written or physical contact.
- Examples of harassing have included verbal comments; sexual or demeaning comments; unwelcome pressure for dates; suggesting or demanding sexual involvement; pictures or objects that are sexually suggestive; sexually oriented jokes, insinuations, stories, or obscenities.
- Consequences for any student found to have committed sexual harassment will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action up to and including suspension and expulsion.
- Anyone who has been subjected to sexual harassment by another student, staff member, agent of the District or volunteer may file a complaint with a teacher, counselor, administrator, or any other trusted school employee.
- Conduct will be considered from the viewpoint of an ordinary, reasonable person of the same sex if he/she would interpret the conduct in the same way.
- See UPSD Policies 3213 and 5245 for more specific information regarding harassment.
Harassing Slurs
The University Place School District recognizes that, regardless of intent, racial, ethnic, sexual and other harassing slurs have the capacity of substantially harming both individuals toward whom the slurs are addressed and the educational community as a whole. Slurs are defined as derogatory remarks, words, phrases, pictures, or gestures referencing or directed toward any individual or group(s). Students who make such slurs shall be subject to disciplinary action. Students should report all incidents of harassment to school officials.
The UPSD PROHIBITS retaliatory behavior of
any kind against any complainant or any participant in the complaint process. Retaliation includes but is not limited to any form of intimidation reprisal or harassment.
Suspensions & Disciplinary Consequences
Short-Term Suspension: Any suspension for up to ten school days.
Long-Term Suspension: A suspension of more than 10 school days.
Expulsion: Removed from attending school in UPSD.
Discipline: All forms of corrective action or punishment other than suspensions or expulsions.
The following activities are among those described as criminal:
The commission of or participation in these or other unlawful activities in school buildings, on school property, or at school-sponsored events is prohibited and are subject to disciplinary action by the school and prosecution under the law. The maximum penalty for these offenses is expulsion. The minimum consequences for the following will be Short-Term Suspension.
- Arson: Setting fires intentionally
- Assault: Physical threats or violence
- Burglary, Larceny or Robbery: Stealing of school/personal property and/or using force or threat of force.
- Explosives: Possessing or using
- Extortion, Blackmail or Coercion: [Forcing someone to do something he/she does not want to do for any reason.]
- Possessing and/or using weapons, weapon replicas or any device used to threaten or intimidate.
- Threatening or causing physical injury, verbal abuse or intimidation.
- Fighting: Students engaged in physical confrontation. Note, students encouraging, watching, and/or otherwise supporting a fight will be subject to the same disciplinary consequences as those engaged in the fight.
- Unauthorized access to keys, filing cabinets, computers or long distance access codes.
- Vandalism, Malicious Mischief and/or Damage of Property: Students responsible must pay restitution with charges based on the cost of replacement or repair. Reinstatement on an individual basis.
- Trespass: Being in and/or refusing to leave an unauthorized place.
- Unlawful Interference With and/or Intimidation of School Authorities: [By threat or actual use of force, violence, intimidation or harassment.
- Bomb Threat: Threat of destruction of school property.
- Hazing: Including initiations and acts of intimidation.
- Gang membership activities or claimed gang membership: [All incidents are reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency.]
The minimum consequences for the following will be Long-Term Suspension.
- Illegal possession, use or sale of alcohol, narcotics, stimulants, controlled substances, or substances purported to be a controlled substance and possession of related paraphernalia: [Long term suspension of 90 days or the rest of the semester; administrators may reduce to shorter duration if convinced a plan is in place to prevent further involvement with drugs and alcohol.]
The minimum consequences for the following will be Expulsion:
- Firearms of any kind
The following, while not criminal in nature, shall call for disciplinary action up to and including suspension and/or expulsion by school officials:
- Tobacco Products: May not use or have- (including lighters).
- Dress and Appearance: See earlier guidelines
- Disruptive Conduct: Behavior that interferes with the education process.
- Cooperation With School Personnel: (WAC180-40-010)
- Refusal to Identify Self: All students required to identify themselves to proper school authorities.
- Vulgarity & Profanity: [Prohibited]
- Lewd Conduct: [Any lewd, indecent, obscene act or expression.]
- Forgery, Alteration of Records, and/or Cheating: Violation of District Policy 3240