Student Code of Conduct

Student's Rights

Right to Free Speech and Expression

Students have the constitutional right to express themselves unless such expression materially and substantially interferes with the educational process, threatens immediate harm to the welfare of the school or community, encourages unlawful activity, or interferes with another individual’s rights. Students have the right to discuss issues that impact their education with school board members, District administration, and school administration through written or spoken expression.

Right to Freedom of Unreasonable Search and Seizure

The school shall not conduct unreasonable searches and seizures of students. If the school administrator has reasonable suspicion that a student is in possession of an item that constitutes a violation of law, Board policy, school rules, or which poses a threat to the health, safety or welfare of the school population, the administrator may cause a search of the student’s person and belongings to be conducted. The search must be conducted by a District administrator. All searches that take place at school should happen (unless emergency situations make it impossible) outside the view of other youth and school staff. Strip searches are NOT permitted. Students have the right to request an additional staff member be present for any search of the their person or belongings

Right to Freedom of Unreasonable Use of Force

Corporal punishment of any sort is absolutely prohibited. Reasonable force may only be used by administrators and staff: to stop a disturbance, to obtain possession of weapons or other dangerous objects, for the purpose of self-defense, or the protection of persons or property. The use of excessive force is strictly prohibited. The District complies with all policies, procedures, laws and regulations regarding restraint and seclusion of students with disabilities, and commits to only use such procedures as a last resort, when a student is acting in a manner that presents a clear and present danger and other, less restrictive measures, have not stopped the behavior.

Student Supports

ELHS is committed to student growth and learning. We strive to continue moving away from reactionary and exclusionary practices toward proactive approaches and interventions. Student and staff competencies continue to be built up so that we can create the conditions necessary for each classroom to be a positive and affirmative place for growth and learning.

Restorative Practices

Restorative practices are used in schools to foster an equitable and positive school culture. Restorative practices focus on strengthening relationships and connections between individuals, both youth and adults, in a school community. Through RP, students connect with school staff and other students to build a strong community. Students develop appropriate social- emotional skills, come to understand how their actions affect others, and work to repair any harm done. It is an approach built on respect, communication, and strategies for success. We understand that when everyone is treated with respect, classrooms are safe and healthy environments that support both teaching and learning.

Positive Behavior Intervention Supports

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based three-tiered framework for improving and integrating all the data, systems, and practices affecting student outcomes. It is a strength-based and positive approach to creating the kind of school where all students are successful. The school-wide PBIS program includes teaching expectations and positive reinforcement because students will succeed when offered informative corrective feedback and pro-social skills. When students know what is expected of them, they are more likely to behave appropriately. At ELHS our PBIS System, Trojan TRUE, helps to define positive values and expectations in all of our school spaces.

Social Emotional Learning

East Lansing High School is committed to growing social- emotional competencies in staff and students to foster individual wellness and a positive climate and culture. ELHS teaches these concepts in alignment with the Michigan Department of Education's Strategic Plan adopted from CASEL, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, and the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model (WSCC Model) endorsed by the Center for Disease Control.

What is Social Emotional Learning?

CASEL defines SEL as, an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.

SEL advances educational equity and excellence through authentic school-family-community partnerships to establish learning environments and experiences that feature trusting and collaborative relationships, rigorous and meaningful curriculum and instruction, and ongoing evaluation. SEL can help address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools and contribute to safe, healthy, and just communities.

What is the WSCC Model?

The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child, or WSCC model, is CDC’s framework for addressing health in schools. The WSCC model is student-centered and emphasizes the role of the community in supporting the school, the connections between health and academic achievement and the importance of evidence-based school policies and practices. The WSCC model has 10 components

ELHS is committed to bettering the emotional health of our students. Students and families can access their counselor, social worker, or other student support staff by visiting the student services office or calling 333-7509.

CEI-Community Mental Health Crisis Services

If you or your child is having a mental health crisis and want help, you can call or visit Community Mental Health of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties The CMHA-CEI Crisis Services Department provides 24-hour, seven-day per week, triage for persons experiencing a psychiatric emergency. The Crisis Services Department provides evaluation and screening for inpatient psychiatric hospital admission for persons with Medicaid or those who are uninsured.

Crisis Services Contact Information 

Community Mental Health Building 
812 E. Jolly Road, Lansing, MI 48910 
Telephone: (517) 346-8460
Toll free: (800) 372-8460 
Walk In or Call 24 Hours a Day

Additional Crisis Resources

The Listening Ear
24 Hour Crisis Line: (517) 337-1717 
http://www.theear.org/

End Violent Encounters (EVE)
24 Hour Crisis Line: (517) 372-5572 
http://www.eveinc.org/

Michigan State University Sexual Assault Trauma 
24 Hour Crisis Line: (517) 372-6666 
http://www.mentalhealthresources.msu.edu

Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime. Crisis Text Line is here for any crisis. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from our secure online platform. 
https://www.crisistextline.org/

Grief and Loss

Ele's Place
Ele’s Place provides weekly support groups for grieving children ages 3 – 18 and their families, as well as a group for young adults ages 19-25.

Through peer support group programs, Ele’s Place helps children to cope with the death of a parent, sibling or other close family member or friend. Participants are placed in age-appropriate groups facilitated by trained volunteers and clinical staff. All programs are free of charge. A speaker’s bureau provides presentations to medical/clinical groups, schools and community organizations.

Address: 1145 West Oakland Avenue, Lansing MI 48915 
Phone: (517) 482-1315
Website: www.elesplace.org

TRANS LIFELINE
Trans Lifeline’s Hotline is a peer support phone service run by trans people for our trans and questioning peers. Call us if you need someone trans to talk to, even if you’re not in a crisis or if you’re not sure you’re trans.

• When you call, you’ll speak to a trans/nonbinary peer operator 
• Full anonymity and confidentiality
• No non-consensual active rescue (calling 911, emergency services, or law enforcement)

-The Hotline is operating 24/7

Phone:1-877-565-8860
https://translifeline.org/

The Trevor Project:
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.

Phone:(866) 488-7386
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

This Student Code of Conduct is meant to be a guide and is subject to the discretion of administration and the Board.

Administration will, as required or permitted by state law, always consider the use of restorative practices as an alternative to, or in addition to suspension or expulsion. Nothing in the following table limits the District’s ability to impose more or less severe disciplinary consequences depending on the situation’s unique circumstances and the following factors:

1. the student’s age;
2. the student’s disciplinary history;
3. whether the student has a disability;
4. the seriousness of the behavior;
5. whether the behavior posed a safety risk;
6. whether restorative practices will be used to address the behavior; and
7. whether a lesser intervention would properly address the behavior.

Nothing in this handbook limits the District’s authority to discipline a student for conduct that is inappropriate in school, but that is not specifically provided in this table. Depending on the circumstances of a particular situation, separate athletic or extracurricular sanctions may be imposed, in accordance with the applicable handbook or rules.

Level 1 
Actions and Interventions

Level 1 Actions

Level 1 Actions are non-violent. Level 1 actions do not necessarily pose a threat to the health, safety, or property of others. Positive classroom and school-wide interventions and supports are used to address Level 1 actions. Students are not referred to an administrator for Level 1 actions unless they continue after appropriate intervention and support. Examples of Level 1 actions include tardiness, classroom disruptions, inappropriate language or gestures, and general teasing, or horseplay. Repeated Level 1 actions may result in Level 2 consequences.

LEVEL  1  INTERVENTIONS

Examples of Interventions (Level 1) (Alternatives to Exclusionary Discipline)

• Use of Restorative Practices (i.e., affective statements, restorative questions, circles, small impromptu conferences, etc.)
• Referral to in-school conflict resolution programs (e.g., peer mediation)
• Student/teacher conference
• Parent or guardian/teacher conference
• Reteach/model expectations
• Intervention by counseling staff/guidance conference 
• Written reflection assignment
• Develop, review, or revise individual student planning tools (e.g., Behavior Support Plan)
• Individual/group counseling
• Referral to Student Advocate
• School attendance improvement conference/plan 
• Referral to mentoring program
• Other appropriate alternatives to exclusionary discipline

Level 2 
Actions, Interventions, and Disciplinary Actions

Level 2 Actions

Level 2 actions are of a serious nature and may pose a threat to the health, safety, or property of any person. An administrator is notified when a Level 2 action occurs. Students may be suspended for Level 2 actions However, lesser interventions will always be considered prior to the use of exclusionary discipline. Repeated Level 2 actions may result in Level 3 consequences.

Tobacco and Nicotine Products: Using, possessing, distributing, purchasing, or selling tobacco materials, including electronic cigarettes or vapes.

Alcohol: Using, possessing, distributing, purchasing, or selling alcoholic beverages. Students who are under the influence of an alcoholic beverage are not permitted to attend school or school functions and are treated as though they had alcohol in their possession.

Marijuana and Other Illegal Drugs: Using, possessing, distributing, purchasing, or selling:

• Any illegal drug, controlled substance, or cannabis (including marijuana and hashish). Michigan law prohibits the possession or medical use of marijuana on school grounds or buses.
• Any anabolic steroid or performance-enhancing substance not administered under a physician’s care and supervision.
• Any prescription drug when not prescribed for the student by a licensed health care provider or when not used in the manner prescribed.
• Any inhalant, regardless of whether it contains an illegal drug or controlled substance: 
  
  
  1. that a student believes is, or represents to be capable of, causing intoxication, hallucination, excitement, or dulling of the brain or nervous system; or
  2. about which the student engaged in behavior that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the student intended the inhalant to cause intoxication, hallucination, excitement, or dulling of the brain or nervous system.
  3. “Look-alike” or counterfeit drugs, including a substance not containing an illegal drug or controlled substance, but one: (a) that a student believes to be, or represents to be, an illegal drug or controlled substance; or (b) about which a student engaged in behavior that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the student expressly or impliedly represented to be an illegal drug or controlled substance.
  4. Drug paraphernalia, including devices that are or can be used to: (a) ingest, inhale, or inject cannabis or controlled substances into the body; and (b) grow, process, store, or conceal cannabis or controlled substances. Students who are under the influence of any prohibited substance are not permitted to attend school or school functions and are treated as though they have the prohibited substance, as applicable, in their possession.

Electronic Devices: Using a cellular telephone, smartphone, video recording device, laser pointer, or similar electronic device in any manner that disrupts the educational environment or violates the rights of others, including using the device to take photographs in locker rooms or bathrooms, cheat, or otherwise violate student conduct rules. Prohibited conduct specifically includes, without limitation, creating and sending, sharing, viewing, receiving or possessing an indecent visual depiction of oneself or another person through the use of a computer, electronic communication device or cellular telephone, commonly known as “sexting.” Unless otherwise banned under this policy or by the building principal, all cellular phones, smartphones and other electronic devices must be out-of-sight during instructional time unless:

1. the supervising teacher grants permission under the schoolwide electronic use process; 
2. use of the device is provided in a student’s individualized education program (IEP); 
3. it is used during the student’s lunch period or passing time; or 
4. it is needed in an emergency that threatens the safety of students, staff, or other individuals.

Disorderly Conduct: Engaging in any activity, on or off campus (school- sponsored event), that interferes with, disrupts, or adversely affects the school environment, school operations, or an educational function or endangers the health or safety of students, staff, or school property.

Insubordination: Refusal to comply with school rules and regulations or refusal to obey reasonable directions or instructions of school personnel.

Academic Dishonesty: Engaging in academic dishonesty, including cheating, intentionally plagiarizing, wrongfully giving or receiving help during an academic examination, altering report cards and wrongfully obtaining test copies or scores

Bullying: Bullying harassment, hazing or any kind of aggressive behavior that does physical or psychological harm to a staff person or another student or encouraging other students to engage in such behavior. Prohibited conduct specifically includes, without limitation, any use of violence, intimidation, force, noise, coercion, threats, stalking, harassment, sexual harassment, public humiliation, theft or destruction of property, retaliation, hazing, bullying, bullying through the transmission of information from a school computer, a school computer network, or other similar electronic school equipment, or other comparable conduct.

Larceny/Theft: Causing or attempting to cause damage to, stealing, or attempting to steal, school property or another person’s personal property.

Unauthorized Presence/Trespassing: Entering school property or a school facility without proper authorization.

Skipping/Truancy: Being absent without a recognized excuse, leaving the building without permission, and/or being present in an unassigned area of the building without a staff member’s expressed permission.

Unauthorized groups: Being involved in a gang or engaging in gang-like activities, including displaying gang symbols or paraphernalia. Being involved with any public-school fraternity, sorority, or secret society.

Operating an unarmed aircraft system: Operating an AUS or drone for any purpose on school grounds or at any school event unless granted permission by the building principal.

Level 2 Interventions

Examples of Interventions (Level 1) (Alternatives to Exclusionary Discipline)

• Use of Restorative Practices (i.e., affective statements, restorative questions, circles, small impromptu conferences, etc.)
• Referral to in-school conflict resolution programs (e.g., peer mediation)
• Student/teacher conference
• Parent or guardian/teacher conference 
• Reteach/model expectations
• Intervention by counseling staff/guidance conference
• Written reflection assignment
• Develop, review, or revise individual student planning tools (e.g., Behavior Support Plan)
• Individual/group counseling
• Alcohol/drug evaluation referral 
• Referral to Student Advocate
• Referral to District-approved Community-Based Organization 
• School attendance improvement conference/plan
• Positive behavioral/academic management support contract
• Referral to mentoring program
• Community service (with parent/guardian consent)
• Other appropriate alternatives to exclusionary discipline

Level 2 Disciplinary Actions

Examples of Disciplinary Actions After or in Addition to Interventions Used 

• Detention: Assignment to lunch or after-school detention
• In-school suspension: Exclusion from classes and assignment to a designated learning space.
• Suspension of field trips, assemblies, or other special privileges
• Exclusion from extracurricular activities
• Suspension of transportation privileges
• Exclusion from special events or promotion exercises
• Short-term out-of-school suspension (1–3 days)

Level 3 
Actions, Interventions, and Disciplinary Actions

Level 3 Actions

Level 3 actions are of a serious nature and, when they occur, can be expected to pose a threat to the health, safety, or property of any person. An administrator is notified when a Level 3 action occurs. Students may be suspended for any Level 3 action and may be referred to the superintendent or Board of Education for long-term suspension or expulsion. Repeated Level 3 actions may result in elevated consequences.

Dangerous Weapons: Using, possessing, controlling, or transferring a dangerous weapon (firearm, dagger, dirk, stiletto, knife with a blade over 3 inches in length, pocket knife opened by a mechanical device, iron bar, or brass knuckles) or any object which may be used to cause or threaten harm to others, including a “look alike” weapon.

Sexual Misconduct: Engaging in any sexual activity, including without limitation, offensive touching, sexual harassment, indecent exposure (including mooning) and sexual assault. Please note: Some forms of sexual misconduct may require a Title IX investigation and all rules and processes will be handled by the district's Title IX Coordinator.

False Alarm: In the absence of a reasonable belief that an emergency exists, calling emergency responders (calling 9-1-1); signaling or setting off alarms or signals indicating the presence of an emergency; or indicating the presence of a bomb or explosive device on school grounds, school bus or at any school activity.

Verbal or Physical Assault of a Staff Member or Student:

• Verbal assault means any willful spoken or written threat to inflict physical injury on another person, under circumstances that create a reasonable fear of imminent injury, coupled with the apparent ability to inflict injury.
• "Physical assault" means intentionally causing or attempting to cause physical harm to another through force or violence.

Fighting: Fighting involves two or more parties in conflict when they are striking each other for the purpose of causing harm. This action may extend to mutual shoving, wrestling, or other aggressive actions which may result in the danger of harm or injury to either party, bystander, or school property.

Harassment/Intimidation: Engaging in or participating in any behavior that is included in the definition of harassment or intimidation. “Harassment or intimidation” means any gesture or written, verbal, or physical act that a reasonable person, under the circumstances, should know will have the effect of harming a student or damaging the student’s property, placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or damage to the student’s property, or that has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students in such a way as to disrupt or interfere with the school’s educational mission or the education of any student. Harassment or intimidation includes, but is not limited to, a gesture or written, verbal, or physical act. This includes engaging in teen dating violence.

Cyber Threats: Making an explicit threat on an Internet website or other online/electronic platform against a school employee, a student, or any school- related personnel if the Internet website through which the threat was made is a site that was accessible within the school at the time the threat was made or was available to third parties who worked or studied within the school grounds at the time the threat was made, and the threat could be reasonably interpreted as threatening to the safety and security of the threatened individual because of his or her duties or employment §6.30 Page 4 of 6 . status or status as a student inside the school.

Level 3 Interventions

Examples of Interventions (Level 1) (Alternatives to Exclusionary Discipline)

• Use of Restorative Practices (i.e., affective statements, restorative questions, circles, small impromptu conferences, etc.)
• Referral to in-school conflict resolution programs (e.g., peer mediation)
• Parent or guardian/Admin conference
• Reteach/model expectations
• Intervention by counseling staff/guidance conference
• Develop, review, or revise individual student planning tools (e.g., Behavior Support Plan)
• Change in schedule or class (with parent/guardian notification)
• Individual/group counseling
• Referral to approved Community-Based Organization
• Referral to Student Advocate
• School attendance improvement conference/plan
• Referral to mentoring program
• Community service (with parent/guardian consent)
• Other appropriate alternatives to exclusionary discipline

Level 3 Disciplinary Actions

Examples of Disciplinary Actions After or in Addition to Interventions Used

• In-school suspension: Exclusion from classes and assignment to a designated learning space.
• Suspension of field trips, assemblies, or other special privileges
• Exclusion from extracurricular activities
• Suspension of transportation privileges
• Exclusion from special events or promotion exercises
• Out-of-school suspension (3-5 days)
• Referral to the Superintendent for Out-of-school suspension (6-10 Days)
• Referral to the Board of Education for Long term Suspension (11- 59 Days) or Expulsion (60+ Days)