GRADES 6 – 12 The following Code of Conduct is a summary of the policy of the Indiana School for the Deaf. Students have rights, and responsibilities as members of the school community. All students have the right to learn in a school that is safe and free from disruptions. Respect and cooperation are essential, and policies, rules, and codes of conduct must be followed to ensure that students are free to learn, and teachers are free to teach. We encourage families to help students to understand this responsibility by reviewing and reinforcing the Student Code of Conduct with their child(ren). Students and families can contact the Director of Instruction, principal, Director of Student Life and/or residential dean if they have any questions or concerns regarding the Student Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct is a guide for the school community and is not a comprehensive listing of all infractions, which may occur. 

To maintain a safe and orderly environment, it is necessary for students to be self-disciplined. Becoming selfdisciplined is a learning process.  Therefore, all students have a need and a right to know: 

• What people expect of them, 

• What they can and cannot do, and  

• What the consequences are if they break the rules.  

For the safety of students and staff, a student will not be subject to seclusion or restraint unless the student’s behavior poses an imminent risk of injury to the student or others. However, significant violations of the law, including assaults on students and staff, may be reported to the police. As soon as possible after any use of seclusion or restraint, the student’s parent or guardian will be informed and provided with a detailed account of the incident, including the circumstances that led to the use of seclusion or restraint. 

A copy of the incident report prepared by staff following the use of seclusion or restraint with a student will be sent to the student’s parent or guardian.

Classroom/Residential Hall behavior management strategies and procedures:  

Teachers and residential advisors will address minor behaviors that may require use of appropriate intervention strategies, such as, collaborative after school meetings with families, time-outs, warnings, case conference meetings and/or various techniques that work best for the teacher or residential advisor and student that is educative and least restrictive for the student. Teachers and residential advisors will follow the Positive Behavior Support Charts in assigned areas) for student expectations. Teachers and residential advisors will work with the students to develop classroom/residential area rules. School/residential rules and classroom/residential area rules will be shared with the families and students. Students are expected to follow both school/residential rules and procedures. Teachers/residential advisors strengthen the learning environment by handling their own students’ discipline cases, as much as possible. 

Minor incidents handled by the teachers in the classroom include the following:  Excessive (not related to lesson) or inappropriate talking during instructions or activities, eating/chewing gum, not prepared for class or activity (supplies for class not ready), dress code violations, refusal to work/participate in activities, sleeping in class/head on the desk, failure to complete work, minor disruptive behavior (vocalizing, beating, tapping, pencil whacking, etc.), throwing paper, walking in/out of class area without permission, iPad/phone/technology violations, verbal conflict (if both willing to resolve conflict), and tardy to class. 

Minor incidents handled by the residential staff in the residential hall include the following: Failure to follow residential hall rules, refuse to follow routine, throwing items, leaving assigned area without permission, inappropriate talk, misuse of technology, excessive horseplay/rowdy behaviors, verbal conflict (if both willing to resolve conflict) and dress code violations. 

Minor offenses will become office referral on the 6th attempt to correct the behavior in the classroom/residential area after the classroom/residential management strategies have been attempted. 

Individual classroom/residential hall behavior management strategies and procedures will be shared with the family by the teacher and/or residential advisor at the beginning of the semester. Teachers/residential advisor will communicate with the family of any ongoing behaviors. 

Procedure for teachers/residential advisor with handling minor offenses in the classroom/residential hall:  

1. Two (2) verbal warnings given -- Conflict Mediation and re-teaching of correct behavior.  A teacher/residential advisor/student conference is necessary to clarify the misconduct and re-teach expected behaviors including explanation of consequences should the behavior continue.   Where appropriate teacher/residential advisor will discuss incident with the student(s) to develop a resolution through conflict mediation and re-teach the lagging skill.  

2. Time to Think/Reflect  The student is advised to take some think time to reflect and cool off. The teacher/residential advisor will invite the student back to resume classroom/residential activities once they have shown to be able to respond to questions and discuss the situation with the staff. 

Responsible Thinking Skills questions help students identify their behavior and the behavior that should be exhibited. Here are examples of questions that are discussed: 

• What were you doing? 

• Why were you doing that?

• How does doing this action make you feel? 

• What are the rules?  

• What happens when you break the rules and how does that impact the community, the relationship, or others? 

• Is that what you want to happen?  

• How does others feel about what happened? How would you feel if someone did that to you? 

• What different choice(s) would you make? For example: If you feel _____, you will do _______. 

• How can we help you to change the behaviors? 

• What do you want to do now?

3. Communicate the classroom/residential hall consequence with the family.  Teacher/residential advisor and family may come up with a consequence of staying after school/in the residential area and be given loss of privilege.  

4. Conference with an administrator  At this time, the teacher/residential advisor should call the office for an administrator to sit and discuss concerns with the student.  

5. Office Discipline Referral   The student has been given ample opportunities to correct behavior. An office discipline referral should be written based on multiple minor offenses.  

Consequences are determined according to the nature and severity of the infraction and the frequency of the misbehavior. Repeated or chronic violations of “minor” may result in the development of a Functional Behavior Assessment and a Behavioral Intervention Plan to provide support to the student.  The handbook outlines code of conduct and behavior expectations that meet the legal requirements of students who may need additional support through interventions and serious consequences as outlined below.  Failure to follow the rules and procedures may result in student being suspended, expelled, or excluded from regular school/residential day.   

Student Code of Conduct applies to all students while they are on ISD’s campus or are involved in school/residentialsponsored activities both on and off campus. All ISD summer programs are considered as optional; thus, any incident in the residential or school may result in a student being asked to leave the program immediately at the school’s discretion. This includes the times students are using transportation provided by ISD. The Code of Conduct is in effect from the time the student leaves home until he or she arrives home. ISD will work with the LEAs on transportation discipline situations.  

Transportation concerns for minor and major behaviors will be handled by the district following the district policy for responding to consequences and discipline.