Discipline Policies

This committee will convene, when necessary, to consider the academic performance, attendance and/or discipline of a student. Mandatory, individual plans (Behavior Contracts) will be developed for the student with input from the parents/guardians and the committee. Continued academic, attendance or discipline problems, or failure to follow recommendations of the plan, may result in alternative learning opportunities, denial of enrollment for one semester (if age 17 or older), withdrawal from classes with a W/F grade, withdrawal from school activities for the student, and/or possible expulsion.

Should it be deemed appropriate by the dean or an administrator, alternatives to standard consequences may be issued.

Behavioral interventions will be used with students with disabilities to promote and strengthen desirable behaviors and reduce identified inappropriate behaviors. The District will establish and maintain a committee to develop, implement, and monitor procedures on the use of behavioral interventions for children with disabilities. The committee will review the State Board of Education's guidelines on the use of behavioral interventions and use them as a non-binding reference. The Superintendent may designate at least one staff member as a behavioral intervention consultant who will oversee the implementation of this policy. This policy and the behavioral intervention procedures will be furnished to the parents/guardians of all students with individual education plans within 15 days after their adoption or amendment by, or presentation to, the Board or at the time an individual education plan is first implemented for a student; all students will be informed annually of the existence of this policy and the procedures. At the annual individualized education plan review, a copy of this policy will be given to the parents/guardians. The policy and procedures will be explained. A copy of the procedures will be available, upon request of the parents/guardians.

Detention: Detentions are held after school Monday and Wednesday from 3:05 p.m. to 4:05pm and Wednesdays from 8:00 to 9:00am. Parents must notify the school by 8:00am the following day if students were unable to attend. Unexcused absence from detention will result in an extended detention. Students who miss more than five detentions in a semester without an acceptable excuse may receive additional disciplinary consequences.

If a student fails to serve a consequence, the student cannot attend any events after school on that day. If a student misses a consequence on a Friday, the student cannot attend any events on that Friday and weekend.

Extended Detention: Extended detentions are held after school on Tuesday and Thursday from 3:05 pm to 4:40 pm and Wednesdays from 7:40am to 9:10am. An unexcused absence from an extended detention will result in an ISS. Students who miss more than five extended detentions in a semester without an acceptable excuse may receive additional disciplinary consequences.

If a student fails to serve a consequence, the student cannot attend any events after school on that day. If a student misses a consequence on a Friday, the student cannot attend any events on that Friday and weekend.

 
In- School Suspension (ISS): ISS is held during the day on Monday thru Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:55 p.m. Students are responsible for securing assignments from their teachers the day before or at the beginning of the ISS school day. The student will receive credit for the work completed. ISS days do not count as student absences.

All students in ISS will turn off and put away their cell phone for the entire duration of ISS. If a student in ISS violates this policy, additional consequences may be issued. Students who fail to comply with all ISS policies will receive an additional ISS day.

Suspension: Illinois Rev. Stat. Ch. 122, 10-22.6(a) authorizes the Superintendent, the Principal, Assistant Principal, or the Dean to suspend from school and all school functions a student guilty of gross disobedience or misconduct for a period not to exceed ten (10) school days. Students are responsible for securing assignments from their teachers and will have as many days as they are suspended to complete their coursework. The student and/or parents or guardian are due the following procedural protection:

Suspensions will be administered in the following manner:

• Out-of-school suspensions of 3 days or less will only be used if a student’s continuing presence in school poses a threat to school safety or a disruption to other students’ learning opportunities. A “threat to school safety or a disruption to other students’ learning opportunities” will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the school board or its designee. School officials will make all reasonable efforts to resolve such threats, address such disruptions, and minimize the length of suspensions to the greatest extent possible.
• Out-of-school suspensions for 4 days will only be used if other appropriate and available behavioral and disciplinary interventions have been exhausted and the student’s continuing presence in school would either (i) pose a threat to the safety of other students, staff, or members of the school community, or (ii) substantially disrupt, impede, or interfere with the operation of the school. A “threat to the safety of other students, staff, or members of the school community” and “substantially disrupt, impede, or interfere with the operation of the school” will be determined on a case-by- case basis by school officials. The determination of whether “appropriate and available behavioral and disciplinary interventions have been exhausted” will be made by school officials. School officials will make all reasonable efforts to resolve such threats, address such disruptions, and minimize the length of student exclusions to the greatest extent practicable. School officials will document whether other interventions were attempted or whether it was determined that there were no other appropriate and available interventions.
• Students who are suspended out-of-school for longer than 4 days will be provided appropriate and available support services during the period of their suspension, and the same requirements set forth above for four day suspensions will be applied. “Appropriate and available support services” will be determined by school authorities. School officials will document whether such services are provided and whether it is determined that there are no such appropriate and available services.
• Suspended students, including those students suspended from the school bus who do not have alternate transportation to school, will be given the opportunity to make up work for equivalent academic credit. It is the responsibility of the student’s parent or guardian to notify school officials that a student suspended from the school bus does not have alternate transportation to school.
• Prior to suspension, the student will be provided oral or written notice of the charges. If the charges are denied the student will be given an explanation of the evidence against him and an opportunity to present his/her version of the incident.
• Prior notice and hearing as stated above may not be required and the student immediately suspended, when the student’s presence poses a continuing danger to persons or property, or an ongoing threat of disruption to the educational process. In such cases, the necessary notice and hearing will follow as soon as practical.
• Any suspension will be reported as soon as possible to the parents or guardian of the student. Such reports will contain a full statement of the reasons for the suspension and a notice to the parents or guardian of their right to review.
• Upon written request of the parents or guardians, within 2 calendar days of receipt of a suspension notice, a hearing officer appointed by the school board will review the suspension. At the review, parents/guardians of the pupil may appear and discuss the suspension with the hearing officer and may be represented by counsel. The hearing officer will report to the board a written summary of the evidence heard at the meeting. Upon receipt of the written report of the hearing officer, the Board may take such action as it finds appropriate. The Board will provide the parents or guardians a written decision that includes 1) the specific act of gross disobedience or misconduct that results in the suspension; 2) a rationale as to the duration of the suspension; 3) for suspensions greater than 3 days, whether it was determined that no other appropriate interventions were available; and 4) for suspensions greater than 4 days, whether appropriate and available support services were provided during the suspension or whether no appropriate services were available.
• The school will facilitate the re-engagement of students who are suspended out of school.

 
Social Suspension: Social suspension is the suspension of the right to attend activities (dances, games, etc.) conducted on an extra-curricular basis at Argo. 

• Tier 1 Social Suspension:  The student is unable to attend school events as a spectator.  Student will not be eligible for field trips.
• Tier 2 Social Suspension:  The student is unable to attend school events as a spectator, participate in clubs/activities/athletics nor stay after school for any reason. Student will not be eligible for field trips.
• Tier 3 Tardy Exclusion:  The student is unable to attend school events as a spectator, participate in clubs/activities/athletics, nor stay after school for any reason.  Student will not be eligible for field trips.

Students may be placed on social suspension for a period of time to be determined by the Administration when either of the following disciplinary sanctions have occurred:

• Two suspensions of any length in the same semester
• Major infraction and/or suspension of at least five days.
• Missing more than five detentions/extended detentions
• Accumulating five ISS’s in the same semester
• Seniors that do not meet the graduation requirements for their graduating year. (Ex. A student that has not earned sufficient credits to graduate in May of their graduation year). This section acknowledges that students with Individual Education Plans may have an alternate timeline for graduation.
• Excessive absences and tardies
• Administration holds the right to place a student on social suspension on their discretion

Students who are placed on social suspension may not attend any extra-curricular activities during this suspension period. These include senior privileges, games, and dances (fees associated with attendance at events are non-refundable).

Social suspension may be assigned for up to one semester and may be continued to the following semester at the discretion of administration. It shall only be extended beyond one semester if the problem(s) continue and the student and parent are notified. It may be reduced if the student and parent enters into and meets the provisions of an agreement to improve behavior as determined by the principal or his/her designee.

Participation in athletics and activities will be governed by the ACHS athletic and activity code of conduct.

 
Expulsion: Illinois Rev. Stat. Ch. 12, 10-22.6(b) authorizes the Board of Education to expel students guilty of gross disobedience or misconduct. The following procedures will apply:

• In order to expel a student, school officials must find that the student’s continuing presence in school poses a threat to the safety of other students, staff, or members of the school community or would substantially disrupt, impede, or interfere with the operation of the school. School officials will take reasonable steps to resolve such threats, address such disruptions, and minimize the length of any removal from school. Moreover, school officials will make the determination that other appropriate and available behavioral and disciplinary measures have been exhausted.
• Prior to expulsion, the student will be provided written notice of the charges and the time and place of hearing. The student will have an opportunity for a hearing, at the time and place designated in the notice, conducted by a hearing officer appointed by the Board of Education. The hearing officer will report to the Board the evidence presented at the hearing and the Board will take such final action as it finds appropriate.
• During the expulsion hearing, the student and his/her parent(s)/guardian(s) may be represented by counsel, present witnesses and other evidence on his/her behalf and cross-examine adverse witnesses. The expulsion hearing will be a two-part proceeding. First, the hearing officer will gather evidence on the issue of whether the student is guilty of the gross disobedience or misconduct as charged. The hearing officer will summarize the evidence in a report submitted to the Board of Education. The Board will determine whether the student committed the misconduct charged and submit a report to the student’s parents detailing the specific reasons why removing the pupil from the learning environment is in the best interest of the school and providing a rationale as to the specific duration of the expulsion.
• If the student is found guilty of gross disobedience or misconduct, the Board will then hear evidence on the appropriate level of discipline to be meted out, up to and including expulsion. The Board may refer students who are expelled to appropriate and available support services.
• The School will facilitate the re-engagement of students who are expelled.

A student with a disability under the IDEA, the Illinois School Code, or § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act must comply with all Argo rules and regulations unless otherwise specified in an Individual Educational Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan. Where a student’s IEP or 504 plan addresses behavior, consequences for student misconduct will be determined by the plan.

A student with a disability may be suspended for periods of no more than 10 consecutive school days each in response to separate incidents of misconduct, regardless of whether the student's gross disobedience or misconduct is a manifestation of his or her disabling condition, as long as the repeated removals do not constitute a pattern that amounts to a change in placement (considering factors such as the length of each removal, the total amount of time the student is removed, and the proximity of the removals to one another) and provided that the student receives educational services to the extent required by the IDEA during such removals.

No student with a disability will be expelled if the student's particular act of gross disobedience or misconduct is a manifestation of his or her disability. Any student with a disability whose gross disobedience or misconduct is not a manifestation of his or her disability may be expelled pursuant to the expulsion procedures, except that a special education student under the IDEA and the Illinois School Code will continue to receive educational services as provided in the IDEA during such period of expulsion.

A student may be subject to discipline for gross disobedience or misconduct, which includes but is not limited to the minor and major infractions listed below. Any serious misbehavior or behavior that impairs a positive school climate and an optimum learning environment can be gross disobedience or misconduct which, at the discretion of the principal or deans, may warrant discipline, up to and including a suspension or a recommendation for expulsion to the School Board. School authorities are also authorized to impose other disciplinary measures for gross disobedience or misconduct, such as peer mediation and other consequences allowed by the District’s policies and guidelines on student discipline.

• Gross disobedience or misconduct includes, but is not limited to, misconduct that occurs:
• on or within sight of school grounds, before, during, or after school hours, or at any other time when the school is being used by a school group or for a school or school-sponsored activity, function, or event;
• off school grounds at a school-sponsored activity, function, or event, or at any activity, function, or event that bears a reasonable relationship to school;
• while traveling to or from school, a school-sponsored activity, function, or event, or any activity, function, or event that bears a reasonable relationship to school;
• anywhere, if the conduct (1) creates a risk of substantial disruption of the school environment, school operations, or an educational function of the school; or (2) invades the rights of others, including, but not limited to, conduct that may reasonably be considered to be a threat to another student or staff member or a threat to the safety of students, staff, or school property.

The following is a list of minor and major infractions. This list is not all-inclusive, and any serious misbehavior or behavior that impairs a positive school climate and an optimum learning environment not included on this list can lead to discipline.

Minor Infractions of the following kinds will generally be dealt with by assignment of detentions and/or in-school suspension. The principal and deans also have discretion to assign a suspension or recommend an expulsion to the Board of Education.

• Examples of minor Infractions are:
• Insubordination toward staff
• Use of profanity/obscenity and/or inappropriate language
• Academic Dishonesty/Deception: academic consequences only
• Leaving campus or class without permission
• Failure to wear ID around neck at all times
• Intentionally misusing a locker or use of a locker not assigned
• Inappropriate public displays of affection
• Inappropriate/unacceptable dress
• Eating outside of the school cafeteria (e.g. in the hallways, locker room, and field house). Students are allowed to carry covered drinks in the halls and are responsible for proper disposal of all garbage. (Teachers will have the discretion to prohibit food/drinks in their classroom).
• Selling of unauthorized items in school
• Possession and/or use of a laser pointer on school property
• Using or possessing an electronic device or other technology in a manner contrary to school policy.
• Jaywalking (students not utilizing the designated crosswalks to cross 63rd St.)
• Class cut

Major Infractions of the following kinds may be dealt with by suspension and/or recommendation for expulsion to the Board of Education. The principal or deans may also contact legal authorities and criminal charges may be instituted. Students may also be transferred to an alternative school.

• Fighting and/or Mob Action
• Multiple fights may result in an expulsion hearing
• Verbal altercations
• Aggressive, physical behavior, and/or dangerous conduct
• Recording and/or distribution of content without consent from district administrators
• Gambling on ACHS premises at any time
• Gross insubordination
• Gross misconduct
• Any verbal or physical threat directed toward a staff member
• Any Incident, which is racially, ethnically or religiously motivated and could be considered a hate crime
• False fire alarms
• Bomb threats
• Use of profanity/obscenity and/or inappropriate language to staff
• Opening exterior doors to allow a person or multiple people into the building (this includes staff). Every staff member has a key to enter the building.
• Theft/possession of stolen property
• Vandalism/defacing property (tagging is considered destruction to state property)
• Extortion
• Smoking, use, and/or possession of any tobacco products (ex. lighters, rolling papers, electric cigarettes, vape pens and vape cartridges, smoking paraphernalia etc.)
• Possession/use/distribution of fireworks, other explosives, or hazardous materials
• Sexual / Gender Harassment
• “Sexting,” which is defined as a minor under the age of 18 to electronically distribute or disseminate any material that depicts another minor nude or engaged in any sexual or lewd conduct (electronic transfers include transfers via computer or any other electronic communication device)
• Inciting mob action/disruptive behavior
• Assault and/or Battery
• Behavior/acts, which threaten the safety of others or self in school
• Commission or abetting commission of any crime
• Intimidation, bullying, cyber-bullying, harassment, threats against another student and hazing of any kind
• Possession, use, control or transfer of any weapon, which is any object that can be used to cause bodily harm, and which includes but is not limited to firearms, knives, box cutters, guns (including BB guns), brass knuckles, pepper spray, billy clubs, sticks, baseball bats, pipes, bottles, locks, pencils, etc. if possessed or used with the intent to cause bodily harm
• Gang activity, which includes but is not limited to any gang related fighting, gang recruitment, gang involvement, graffiti, or display of gang signs
• Possession of any controlled substance (including look-a- likes), with or without the intent to distribute
• Being under the influence or possession of drugs, including intoxicants or alcohol, and including look-a-likes and drug paraphernalia.

Students involved in conflicts may be referred to Peer Mediation or may request to participate in Peer Mediation. Peer Mediation is a proactive means of students resolving differences.