REPORTING AN HONOR CODE VIOLATION

All Honor Code incidents and suspected incidents are to be reported directly to the Head of School by the classroom instructor or student through the Incident Report Link or by filing a report in person. If a student suspects an Honor Code violation in the classroom, he or she is to immediately raise his or her hand to be recognized by the instructor. The instructor will monitor exams to check for violations and will write a report to the Head of School about the incident. If the suspected incident occurs outside of a classroom, the student should report directly to the Head of School. All discussions of Honor Code violations must remain confidential and private to protect all involved parties. The Head of School will perform an investigation and will apply appropriate action.

Guidelines for Disciplinary Action

Disciplinary measures are designed to be teaching tools that help students learn from their actions and replace inappropriate behaviors with acceptable ways of responding to different situations. Renaissance School has a restorative approach to disciplinary action and sees disciplinary action first as an opportunity to help students learn to choose better. If there is a history of disregard for school rules, we will reconsider the student’s status at Renaissance School.

The following basic steps for disciplinary action will be implemented when infractions occur. While students will be held accountable for their actions, teachers will assist students in replacing inappropriate behaviors with acceptable ones.

(1) Students may complete a student disciplinary form, which provides an anecdotal record of the incident. This form is turned in to the Head of School for review. In the absence of this form, the Head of School will document the reports as part of a conduct report. Depending on the nature of the infraction, parents may be advised of the situation. The Faculty Advisor may also be notified.

(2) With three or more related office referrals or filed disciplinary forms, the Head of School notifies the parents, student, and teacher(s). A student conduct report is used to record a summary of the notifications and the agreed course of action. This report is stored with the Head of School and may be included in the student file.

(3) If the student continues to display inappropriate conduct, the Head of School will notify the parents. If suspension is required by the school, a parent conference with the Head of School and the Dean of Academics, as well as a letter of explanation written by the student and addressed to the Head of School, are required to readmit the student.

(4) In cases where a student has not responded to the above-mentioned opportunities to change his or her behavior and become a responsible member of the learning community, expulsion may occur.

Renaissance School recognizes individual situations often warrant different courses of action. In most cases, these options will be part of a plan established by the Head of School during the writing of a student conduct report. It is at the discretion of the Head of School to determine the course of action.

Additionally, Renaissance School believes disciplinary action is a private matter between the student, their parents, and the school. Because of this, we rarely comment publicly on individual students and their disciplinary action. If there is ever a concern about the steps taken, students are encouraged to schedule a meeting with the Head of School.