Prince William County Public Schools

Introduction

The Virginia Constitution confers upon a local school board the authority to supervise the operation of the public schools under the school board's control. This authority includes the power to supervise and discipline students.

The Prince William County School Board seeks to protect the right of all its students to an education commensurate with their abilities, interests, values, and goals by providing safeguards for the health, safety, and rights of the individual student and school employee, and for the protection of school property.

However, the task of training and educating youth must be shared by all members of the school community—students, professional teaching staff, administrators, specialized instructional support personnel, and parent(s)—who all bear responsibility to equitably support the rules of the school and the integrity of the educational process.

It is the duty of the parent to prepare the child to assume responsibility in the school environment, this includes responsibility for learning and exhibiting conduct that does not infringe upon the safety and rights of another. The school has the right to expect reasonable and self-disciplined behavior from each student. Since self-discipline cannot be imposed from without, the students must be permitted a degree of freedom of choice and action to develop their individual talents and abilities.

Virginia Code §22.1-78, states: "A school board may adopt bylaws and regulations including but not limited to the proper discipline of students, including their conduct going to and returning from school." The School Board's rules governing student conduct are summarized in the "Code of Behavior" (COB) and are also addressed in the School Board's policies and Prince William County Public Schools' (PWCS) regulations.

Students may be disciplined for violations of the provisions of this COB, PWCS policies and regulations governing student conduct, and for behavior that is incompatible with a K-12 environment.

• During regular school attendance and whenever present on school property or virtually;
• At school activities on property owned by the School Board, including School Age Child Care (SACC).
• When going to and from school and bus stops.
• On school buses and at bus stops.
• In cases involving off-site, school-sponsored activities such as field trips, sporting events, and club activities.
• When conduct by a student occurring off school grounds or school property has a material effect on the operation or general welfare of the school division; impacts the integrity of the educational process; threatens the safety and welfare of students, staff, or school property; occurs when the student is under the school's authority, or otherwise invades the rights of students or staff.

The Superintendent may, for good cause, approve a deviation from the procedures set forth in the COB in its present form, so long as the basic rights of students, parent(s) the community at large, and/or school personnel are not violated. Good cause means protecting the health, safety, welfare, and educational opportunities of the students in the school system.

PWCS Vision 2025 Launching Thriving Futures Strategic Plan

PWCS envisions every student graduating on time with the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind necessary to create a thriving future for themselves and their community. Toward this end our mission includes a commitment to inclusive practices and equity with an expectation of excellence from every student and every employee each day. Additionally, we are committed to highlighting our core values within our division and school communities. As we aspire to ensure all students experience a positive climate and culture within their respective school communities, we will maintain a focus on our students’ resiliency, well-being, as well as equity and inclusivity.

Through the divisionwide use of Restorative Practices, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and developing Educator Cultural Competency aligned with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) standards PWCS will provide a learning environment that fosters connectedness, promotes a sense of belonging, and encourages social and emotional wellness for all students.

In the event of any conflict between this document and PWCS policies and regulations, state or federal law, the latter shall control. The COB may be updated throughout the school year to reflect changes in state or federal law, related School Board policies and regulations, or names of responsible offices. The version of the COB published on the PWCS website is the official version.

Reporting Allegations of Student Misconduct

Students, faculty, staff, and parents share the responsibility for an orderly and safe school environment.

Information about drugs, weapons, or other factors which may be harmful to the school environment should be reported through the "Say Something" Anonymous Reporting System. "say Something" is designed specifically for students in grades 6-12 and staff to report any serious or potentially violent concerns of unsafe behavior or threats of harm to self or others. Say Something is a youth violence prevention program from the national nonprofit organization Sandy Hook Promise and is provided and sustained at no cost to PWCS.

"Tipsters" can send reports on anything from school threats they have seen or overheard to personal crises, including sexual harassment, self-harm, and depression. The system enables school administrators and law enforcement to create effective interventions and intervene upon at-risk individuals to help prevent violence, suicide, bullying, self-harm, and other forms of threatening behavior.

All tips submitted receive an immediate response from one of the highly-skilled crisis counselors at the Sandy Hook Promise National Crisis Center; this person then determines the necessary support steps. When credible tips are received that are life-threatening and/or involve an imminent threat, the crisis center will immediately contact local 911 dispatch and involve law enforcement, then notify central office staff and school-based representatives, even after hours.

See a warning sign or threat, use the following suggestions for reporting such information:

• Use this QR code
• Submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-844-5-SAYNOW or visiting SaySomething.net
• Download the free app from the App Store or Google Play Store, where tips can be submitted instantly; once downloaded, it will ask for a 4-digit code you select and remember.
• Call 911 in cases of immediate emergency.
• Harassment or other forms of discrimination should be reported to a school administrator or to Equity and Student Relations at 571-374-6839.
• Students who discover something in their possession that is not permitted at school, should report to an administrator or other staff member immediately; any follow-up action shall take into consideration that the student voluntarily brought this to the attention of staff.

Student Behavior Supports

Restorative Practices

Restorative Practices is an emerging social science that studies how to strengthen relationships between individuals as well as social connections within communities. Research demonstrates that the use of Restorative Practices improves school climate and reduces student suspensions and discipline disparities. Research has shown that frequent out-of-school suspensions, zero-tolerance policies, and “get-tough” approaches to school safety are ineffective and increase the risk for negative social and academic outcomes, especially for children from historically disadvantaged groups.

Approaching school discipline from an instructional prevention-based standpoint as with Restorative Practices contributes to a positive school environment and ensures equity, fairness, and continuous improvement. PWCS continues to increase the number of school staff trained in Restorative Practices and Restorative Practice teams throughout the division. Restorative practices are grounded in the need to keep schools safe by building relationships that strengthen the school social structure. Restorative practices incorporate opportunities for school community involvement in the resolution of wrongdoing while empowering students and staff members to take personal responsibility for the well-being of the entire school community.

Restorative practices provide direct opportunities for students who have harmed others to be accountable to those they have harmed, including themselves and their families. Restorative practices emphasize the need to educate students who have harmed others about the effects of disruptive behavior on those harmed, as well as on the school community. Participants in a restorative discipline process learn the underlying factors that lead to making poor decisions. They practice social skills and learn self-improvement strategies that encourage better decision-making in the future.

Educator Cultural Competency

Pursuant to Virginia Code § 22.1-298.7, the Virginia Framework for Cultural Competency is comprised of four domains which are Culturally Competent Self-Reflection, Culturally Competent Pedagogy and Practice, Culturally Competent Learning Environments and Culturally Competent Community Engagement. As the 10th most diverse school division in the nation, we understand the responsibility of supporting a positive climate and culture. We are all students regardless of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, ability, national origin, political ideology, area of residency (including rural locations), or gender. This means we value and respect differences within our student populations and support our staff with their commitment to the advancement of cultural competency within our schools and classroom with an emphasis on the following areas as they relate to student behavioral expectations K-12:

• Access and Opportunity
• Resource Equity
• Family Communication and Engagement
• Intercultural Competency and Inclusion

We understand through our commitment to a positive climate and culture for all that when discipline is necessary; students and families understand the discipline process, restoration of school communities occur, and students have access and the opportunity to participate in a system of supports that align with PWCS behavior expectations.

Multi-Tiered System of Supports

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is an adaptive and responsive framework that helps schools identify and provide targeted supports for students who are struggling academically and/or behaviorally.

The focus is to identify students by name and need while providing differentiated instruction and the necessary academic, behavior, and social-emotional wellness supports for ALL students across ALL schools. In PWCS, MTSS is built upon strong and intentional collaboration, enhanced by the belief that ALL students can learn at high levels.

PWCS will implement coherent, articulated, aligned, culturally and linguistically responsive instructional practices and learning pathways across all grade levels and content areas, focusing on improving the academic progress of English Learners and students with disabilities.

The Key Components of MTSS are:

• Student Support Team (SST) with an identified leader to guide MTSS implementation.
• Culture of collective responsibility for all students.
• High-quality Tier 1 core instruction for academics, behavior, and student social-emotional wellness.
• Goal setting and monitoring student progress.
• Data informed decision-making across tiers.
• Early implementation of evidence-based interventions with fidelity.
• Families as authentic partners to support student success.

Roles and Responsibilities

Prince William County School Board

The COB has been established for PWCS. The School Board, acting through the Superintendent, holds all school employees responsible for supervising student behavior while students are legally under the supervision of the schools. The School Board holds all students responsible for appropriate conduct as defined in the policies and regulations of the School Board and as summarized in the COB. Policies and regulations governing student behavior and student discipline are available online at www.pwcs.edu.

All PWCS employees are held to the highest ethical standards and are accountable for their actions. Therefore, all staff must comply with the policies and regulations established by the School Board.

The School Board holds all parents responsible for reading the COB and any policies or regulations referenced in the COB for promoting proper student conduct.

Student Management and Alternative Programs Department

As delineated in Policy 747, " Student Management and Alternative Programs Department," the School Board has designated the Student Management and Alternative Programs Department (SMAPD) to enforce and coordinate the school division's efforts to provide a safe school environment conducive to teaching and learning. The purposes of SMAPD are as follows:

• To resolve serious student disciplinary offenses.
• To provide a variety of educational opportunities that address the varied needs of students in grades K-12 and adult learners.
• To promote a safe educational environment conducive to teaching and learning and free from violence, conflict, and unnecessary disruptions.
• To decrease the number of long-term suspensions and expulsions through a process that provides increased nontraditional and alternative education opportunities.
• To oversee and conduct the due process procedures applicable to the long-term suspension, expulsion, exclusion, and readmission of students, and to coordinate any appeals to the school board.
• To determine the appropriate educational services, programs, and placements for regular education students who are subject to SMAPD's disciplinary process.

Video Security

Please be aware that security cameras are in all buildings and will be used to promote the safety and security of all PWCS students, staff, and property.

Educational Team

While discipline is ultimately the responsibility of the individual, the implementation of an effective discipline program requires a cooperative team effort. An equitable and preventive approach to discipline shall be taken in an effort to clarify standards of conduct, effectively assess a student's individual needs, and identify any significant factors that may be contributing to a student's misconduct. The school principal is the instructional leader responsible for the development of school-based behavior expectations that are consistent with the School Board policies, PWCS regulations and the COB. Administrators, teachers, and support personnel all work together to ensure the rights and responsibilities of each student in the school division.

The educational team is responsible for:

• Providing a safe and positive school environment.
• Providing a favorable psychological environment for learning.
• Encouraging self-discipline.
• Providing an atmosphere of mutual respect.
• Treating each student as an individual in accordance with one's needs.
• Encouraging, monitoring, and evaluating the progress of students.
• Initiating and maintaining open lines of communication with parents.
• Discussing the COB with students at the beginning of each school year and providing periodic review during the school year.
• Formulating and implementing school rules and regulations in compliance with the policies and regulations of the School Board and the COB throughout the school setting.
• Providing both instruction and access to the COB to all new students upon registration throughout the school year.
• Developing a plan of action, whenever possible, based on the needs of the student and the school environment as a whole.
• Maintaining the educational records of individual students to include a record of disciplinary actions involving the student.
  • Such records may contain information on police arrest or court action if the student is involved in unlawful behavior. Whenever charges are placed with juvenile court authorities, it may be considered an "arrest" even if the student is not physically taken into custody by police.

School administrators are responsible for appropriate follow-up action whenever students report misconduct that violates the COB. Teachers, counselors, and other educational support staff are responsible for helping students obtain the assistance they may need from administrators. Staff response to each student complaint should be documented.

Families as Partners

PWCS recognizes the importance of the partnership between schools and families in making schools safe, effective learning environments and in promoting the social-emotional development of children. PWCS emphasizes the significance of positive communication between families and educators and encourages avenues for families to communicate their concerns, provide suggestions, and access information regarding their children to create a positive partnership between families and schools, thus strengthening the school community.

Under Virginia law, parents have a duty to:

• Assist the school in enforcing the standards of student conduct and compulsory school attendance in order that education may be conducted in an atmosphere free of disruption and threat to persons or property, and supportive of individual rights. (Virginia Code § 22.1-279.3 (a)).
• Review and acknowledge the COB, promote proper student conduct, assist the school with the discipline of the student, and meet with school officials, if requested, to discuss matters related to discipline and school attendance.
• Sign a statement showing that they know their responsibilities. This statement is in the Back to School packet in ParentVUE.
• Complete an annual review of the COB and other necessary legal acknowledgments immediately before the start of school or during the first weeks of the school year.
• Ensure that the student is appropriately dressed for school as determined by the dress code, which is developed cooperatively at local schools by students, parent(s), and school staff.
• Provide such books, materials, instruments, uniforms, and equipment as are required for effective participation in the school program.
• Know promotion and graduation requirements as published each year for middle and high school students in the "High School Course Catalog."
• Provide current emergency information, including a telephone number, to the school to ensure that the school will have immediate contact with the parent in case of an emergency.
• Provide a certified copy of the student's birth certificate, and/or immigration documentation, physical examination, record of the completed series of immunizations upon initial entry to school.
• Understand that drugs and weapons, as described in the COB, will not be tolerated at school activities on property owned by the school board, when going to and from school and bus stops, on school buses, at bus stops, and in cases involving off-site, school-sponsored activities such as field trips, sporting events, and club activities; and that violators are subject to corrective action, up to and including expulsion.

(Parents may express disagreement with a school's or school division's policies or decisions. Parents may appeal decisions concerning their student using the procedures set forth in Regulation 731-1, "Appeal of Student Matters.")

Professional Teaching Staff

According to Virginia's Standards of Accreditation (8VAC20-131-220), "The professional teaching staff shall be responsible for providing instruction that is educationally sound in an atmosphere of mutual respect and courtesy…" Teachers are responsible for establishing and maintaining a safe, supportive environment that is developmentally and culturally appropriate and that promotes student academic, behavior, and social-emotional development. Developing positive relationships with students that are built on mutual trust and respect has been shown to demonstrate some of the highest positive effects on student achievement and behavior. Developing relationships requires "specific skills of the teacher such as the skills of listening, empathy, caring, and having a positive regard for others." The impact of teacher-student relationship variables include gains in positive behavior, critical/creative thinking, math skills, verbal skills, and overall grades.

Because there is a correlation between student behaviors, positive school climate, academic achievement, and in an effort to keep students in the classroom with uninterrupted instruction, teacher responsibilities include:

• Developing positive relationships.
• Developing a safe and positive physical environment.
• Teaching (and reteaching when necessary) behavioral expectations.
• Reinforcing positive behavior.
• Providing instructional feedback on behaviors.
• Utilizing the school's tiered framework of interventions and supports for students who are not meeting behavioral expectations.
• Recognizing personal stress, reactions that may escalate negative student behavior, and personal bias.
• Using individual and classroom data to progress monitor student behavior and the teacher's responses to behavior.

If a student is not meeting the behavioral expectations and the teacher has implemented classroom or school-based interventions as outlined in school procedures, the teacher may request that a student be removed from a class.

Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (SISP)

The Virginia Board of Education's Model Guidance for Positive and Preventive Code of Student Conduct Policy and Alternatives to Suspension recognizes that SISP professionals have a direct role in promoting and supporting a positive school climate that focuses on prevention, intervention, and support to assist students in meeting the behavioral expectations of the COB.

School Counselors

School counseling programs support the Virginia Standards of Learning by providing guidance to students in their academic, career, personal and social development. School counselors collaborate with parents, teachers, administrators, and others to promote learning and to help students establish and achieve their education, career, and personal goals using the following standards:

• Academic Development - Students will acquire the academic preparation essential to choose from a variety of educational, training, and employment options upon completion of secondary school.
• Career Development - Students will investigate the world of work in order to make informed career decisions.
• Social-Emotional - Students will acquire an understanding of, and respect for, self and others, and the skills needed to be responsible citizens.

School Social Workers

School social workers have special expertise in understanding family and community systems and linking students and their families with the community services that are essential for promoting student success.

• They work to remedy barriers to learning created because of poverty, inadequate health care, and neighborhood violence. School social workers often focus on providing supports to vulnerable populations of students who have a high risk for truancy and dropping out of school, such as homeless and foster children, migrant populations, students transitioning between school and treatment programs or the juvenile justice system, or students experiencing domestic violence.
• They work closely with teachers, administrators, parents, and other educators to provide coordinated interventions and consultation designed to keep students in school and help their families access the supports needed to promote student success.

School Psychologists

School psychologists have specialized training that enables them to understand and work with students in relation to their academic progress, behavior, social-emotional development, and relationships.

• School psychologists specialize in analyzing complex student and school problems and selecting and implementing appropriate evidence-based interventions to improve outcomes at home and school.
• They may consult with teachers and parents to coordinate services and supports for students’ academic, social, and behavioral needs.
• Their training in conducting risk and threat assessments and in evaluation, data collection, and interpretation can facilitate identifying and implementing the supports that students may need to ensure their success.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Department

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Department (DDEI) supports the PWCS Strategic Plan through the advancement of access and opportunity, resource equity for positive climate and culture, and emphasis on family community and engagement, as well as intercultural competence and inclusion for all. Our team provides support to school communities through training, coaching, and other resources based on the needs of school sites. The DDEI works to address cultural competency within the day-to-day school interactions. Specifically, the DDEI team:

• Supports staff as they operationalize cultural competency in practices for all students and staff through shared language and use of terms that are non-divisive.
• Supports school-level councils and committees with diversity, equity, and inclusion opportunities at the student and staff level.
• Ensures School Parent Liaisons and Family and Community Engagement Specialists are equipped to support a positive climate and culture across PWCS.
• Supports families with navigating and understanding the PWCS discipline, suspension, and expulsion process.

Definitions:

• Diversity – Values and respects differences of each individual person regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, ability, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or political ideology.
• Equity – The fair and impartial provision of resources, access, and opportunities to all students based on their individual need regardless of race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, area of residence (rural locations), or sexual orientation.
• Inclusion – The ability to create conditions for all students and staff to feel welcomed, valued, and positioned for success.

School Nurses

The school nurse provides emergency care assessments and interventions, management of acute and chronic health conditions, referral, and support to access primary care, preventive services, communicable diseases control measures, counseling for health promotion, and identification and management of health-related barriers to student learning.

Non-Certified Staff

• All members of the school community should be engaged in and responsible for establishing a positive school climate.
• Every school employee is responsible for ensuring a safe, supportive, and effective learning environment.

Law Enforcement Agencies/Personnel

The school resource officer (SRO) is defined in Virginia Code § 9.1-101 of the Virginia Code as "a certified law enforcement officer hired by the local law enforcement agency to provide law enforcement and security services to Virginia public elementary and secondary schools." However, law enforcement officers are not school disciplinarians. Their role in PWCS is to promote positive and supportive school climates and to create and maintain safe and secure school environments by focusing on incidents that may involve a violation of criminal law, while school administrators focus on whether student conduct violates the provisions of the COB.

School administration is required by Virginia Code § 22.1-279.3:1 to report certain potential criminal offenses to local law enforcement.

Student Rights

The Constitution and the laws of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia give students many legal rights and liberties. School Board policies and regulations provide students many privileges as well, according to their ages and maturity levels. Students may exercise these rights and privileges as long as they do not interfere with the rights of others or the schools' ability to provide a safe learning environment.

PWCS students have the right to:

• Schools, offices, and classrooms that are caring, nurturing, and enhance positive relationships.
• Curriculum and instruction that promote opportunities for rigorous educational experiences.
• Attend schools that are welcoming, safe, and conducive to a positive learning environment for staff and students.
• Equitable and valuable educational experiences with respect to their individual level of understanding and capabilities.
• Express their opinions freely through speech, assembly, petition, and other lawful means, so as not to interfere with the instructional process.
• Receive adequate and meaningful due process before being excluded from school for disciplinary purposes.
• Advocate for due process when disputing a suspension or expulsion decision.
• Essential documents translated or interpreted in a language of their understanding when requested.
• Courtesy, respect, and fairness from adults and other students to include their cultural beliefs and differences.

Right to Be Free from Bullying, Discrimination, and Harassment

PWCS is committed to creating an environment in which students are free from bullying. Bullying is any aggressive and unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate the victim; involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and victim; and is repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma. Bullying includes cyberbullying. Bullying does not include ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, or peer conflict. Students who believe they have been subject to bullying are encouraged to report such conduct to school administration. Please see Bullying for more information, including a form to submit written complaints to school administration.

Discrimination occurs when one or more individuals are treated differently or not given fair consideration or the same opportunity as others because of their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions including lactation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law. Discrimination against students or staff is strictly prohibited.

Harassment is a form of discrimination. Harassment is a course of conduct that targets one or more individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions including lactation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law. Harassment demeans, threatens, intimidates, or harms an individual or group in such a way as to cause anxiety or fear for safety.

Harassment of students or staff for any reason is prohibited. Please see Discrimination and Harassment for more information.

Students who believe that they have been subject to discrimination or harassment are encouraged to report the matter to the school principal or to Equity and Student Relations at TitleIXEquity@pwcs.edu or 571-374-6839.

Search and Seizure

Students will be held responsible for items that they have at school or at school-related activities. Student desks and lockers are the property of the school, and school officials reserve the right to search them. Lockers or desks may be searched to repossess school property or to locate materials that are not permitted in school. Students, their belongings, and items under their control (including cars) may be searched under certain circumstances as described in Regulation 737-1, “Search and Seizures.” The student’s individual right to privacy and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure is balanced by the school’s responsibility to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all persons within the school community. Should illegal materials be found during a search, law enforcement officials will be notified. If a student refuses to be searched when the administration has reasonable suspicion that the student possesses or has under their control prohibited items as defined in the regulation, parents and/or authorities will be contacted, and the students may be subject to disciplinary action.

Self-Defense

Whether a student has acted in self-defense may be considered when making a disciplinary decision. The criteria that define when an incident would be considered an act of self-defense must include the following conditions to support such a claim:

• Be without fault in provoking or bringing on the fight or incident;
• Have reasonably feared, under the circumstances, as they appeared to the student, that there was imminent danger or harm;
• Have used no more force than was reasonably necessary to protect themself from imminent danger or harm; and
• No other readily accessible option to de-escalate or eliminate the danger or harm.

Retaliation or willfully participating in a fight is not considered self-defense. Students are to disengage and seek assistance from school staff as soon as the threat of immediate danger or harm has subsided.

Procedures for consideration of a self-defense claim when determining appropriate administrative responses shall include an opportunity for the student to present their version of what occurred, as well as a review of facts involving school personnel and others as appropriate, including other students and staff who may have witnessed the incident or may have observed previous interactions between the students involved. In some instances, interactions between students may be investigated beyond a single incident to examine patterns of interaction, past threats, and bullying.

Weapons or harmful objects of any kind are strictly prohibited on school property for the purpose of self-defense. Self-defense is not a valid defense for the possession or use of a weapon on school property or at any school-sponsored activity. Possession of a weapon on school property or at a school-sponsored activity would be a violation of Regulation 775-1, “Weapons and Other Prohibited Objects.”

Use of Seclusion and Restraint

The Virginia Code § 22.1-279.1:1 requires that the State Board of Education adopt regulations on the use of seclusion and restraint in Virginia primary and secondary schools. The “Regulations Governing the Use of Seclusion and Restraint” (8VAC20-750-5 et seq.) (i) define what constitutes seclusion and physical restraint, as well as mechanical restraints, pharmacological restraints, and aversive stimuli; (ii) ban the use of mechanical restraints, pharmacological restraints, and aversive stimuli; (iii) describe the conditions under which it is permissible for a student to be restrained or secluded; (iv) provide for notification and reporting to parents, for debriefing with staff and the student following incidents, and for follow-up when a student has been restrained or secluded more than twice during the course of a school year; (v) provide for reporting to the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE); (vi) require local school divisions to adopt policies and procedures regarding the use of seclusion and restraint; and (vii) require that all school personnel be trained in techniques for avoiding the use of seclusion and restraint and that school personnel who work with students who are likely to be restrained or secluded must receive additional training on safe methods for restraining or secluding a student.

Student Expectations

Students, staff, and parents share the responsibility for an orderly and safe school environment. Information about drugs, weapons, or other factors which may be harmful to others or to the school environment must be reported. Any attempted or actual retaliation for the reporting of COB violations shall be addressed by corrective action, up to and including expulsion.

Students who have knowledge of drugs, weapons, violence, or other behaviors which may be harmful to others or to the school environment, may be subject to disciplinary action for failure to report such information to school authorities.

Students who discover something in their possession that is not permitted at school, must report it to an administrator or other staff member immediately. School staff responsible for initiating follow-up action shall take into consideration that the student voluntarily brought this to the attention of staff. Students should contact an administrator, teacher, counselor, or other trusted adult immediately if they have information about, or believe that they have been, victims of misconduct which violates the COB.

Attendance Policy

Under Virginia law, students are responsible for attending school every day that school is in session. Regulation 724-1, “Attendance, Absences, Excuses, and Tardies,” contains the specific information related to student attendance as summarized here. Absences, tardies, and/or early dismissals must have documented approval from a parent and/or school personnel. Within five days of the absence from school, the parent shall provide documentation to the appropriate school staff to excuse the absence. Classwork for excused absences may be made up according to Regulation 724-1. The student or parent is responsible for obtaining assignments. Students arriving late to school should follow the school’s procedures for checking in.

Types of Excused Absences

• Students experiencing mental and/or behavioral health issues, disorder, or disturbances in accordance with established school guidelines provided by the VDOE.
• Personal illness of the student.
• Medical and dental examination and/or treatment of the student when such appointments cannot be scheduled outside school hours.
• Student participation in school-sponsored activities taking place during school hours.
• With prior approval of the principal, seniors may be excused for college admission visitations or to apply for post-graduation jobs.
• Death in the student’s immediate family or household.
• Required court appearance.
• Observation of a religious holiday (students should not be deprived of any award or of eligibility or opportunity to compete for any award or of the right to take an alternative test or examination, due to such absence).
• Emergency conditions in the student’s home which require special help from the student in caring for the sick or injured; however, repeated use of this excuse or requests for absences for more than five consecutive days must be referred to the Student Services Department for approval.
• Per Regulation 724-1, preapproved absences are discouraged and will only be granted on a case-by-case basis by the principal or designee. Family trips are encouraged to be scheduled during school holidays and over summer break. Absences for family trips will not be excused unless accompanied by extraordinary circumstances. A determination of whether extraordinary circumstances exist lies at the discretion of the principal, in collaboration with the Student Health and Wellness Department. Such factors as the reason for the absence, the educational value of the proposed experience, and the impact of the absence on the student’s academic progress will be given consideration in determining whether a prearranged absence is approved or disapproved.
• Preapproved absence for certain reasons pertaining to a parent’s military deployment.
• Any student who is a member of a state-recognized or federally recognized tribal nation that is headquartered in the Commonwealth and who is absent from school to attend such tribal nation’s pow wow gathering shall be granted one excused absence per academic year, provided that the student’s parent provides advance notice to the student’s school.
• Reasons of extenuating circumstances as judged by the principal.
• Students experiencing homelessness who are awaiting transportation arrangements.
• Parents/guardians retain the option of not permitting their child to attend school in circumstances when, in the judgment of the parent/guardian, the roads or walkways in their neighborhood are too hazardous to use.
• Engaging in a civic event (middle and high school students only).
• Out-of-school suspension. When a school administrator places a student on out-of-school suspension, the absence from school shall be classified as excused.

Types of Unexcused Absences

• All-day truancy.
• Class truancy.
• Missing a ride, or a bus, or car trouble.
• A virtual-only student who does not sign in for live instruction for the class or school day using Canvas.
• A virtual-only student who has not requested and been approved by the teacher and/or administrator for alternate attendance/participation procedure due to unique circumstances and does not turn on the camera or cannot be seen by the teacher during instruction and learning activities for the class or school day.
• Failure to produce an appropriate explanation or requested documentation for an absence.
• Prearranged absences without prior approval of the school principal.

Per Virginia Code, the VDOE, and PWCS Regulation 724-1, “Attendance, Absences, Excuses, and Tardies,” schools will convene attendance intervention meetings and develop attendance improvement plans for students who accumulate five or more unexcused absences. Parents may be required to participate in attendance intervention meetings. Parents of severely truant students may be subject to legal action for not complying with compulsory attendance laws.

Student Dress and Grooming

Students are urged to dress for success each school day. Their overall appearance, while on school grounds or virtually, should be based on the health and safety of an inclusive school community. It is understood that student dress may reflect outdoor weather conditions throughout the school year, however, students should refrain from wearing any item of clothing which may cause a distraction or disruption to the educational process or compromise the physical and emotional health and safety of the student or others. Students whose appearance disrupts instruction may be asked to change clothing.

The PWCS student dress and grooming guidelines are created to ensure equity in student expression and staff enforcement and are not intended to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law. The dress and grooming standards apply equally to all students regardless of gender, gender identity, or gender expression.

Students are permitted to wear any religiously and ethnically specific or significant head covering or hairstyle. Permitted head coverings and hairstyles include, but are not limited to:

• Braids
• Cornrows
• Headwraps
• Hijabs
• Locs
• Yarmulkes

Prohibited items of clothing include:

Clothing items which:

• Reveal bare skin to the extent that they distract or may foreseeably distract other students or staff.
• Reveal or expose undergarments.
• Fit in a manner as to reveal or expose undergarments.
• Contain vulgar, discriminatory, lewd, patently offensive, or obscene language or images.
• Contain threats or gang symbols.
• Promote the use of weapons and violence, or the use of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs, and/or associated paraphernalia.
• Cause or may foreseeably cause a disruption to the learning environment.
• Are accessories that could be regarded as or used as a weapon.

Headwear that covers one’s entire head or face, unless the headwear is:

• Worn as part of one’s religion.
• Worn for medical reasons.
• Worn for personal prevention practices as in the case of the spread of infectious diseases.
• Worn for an approved school event.
• Worn as an expression of one’s cultural or ethnic background.

No PWCS employee may enforce the Student Dress and Grooming provisions by direct physical contact with the student or the student’s attire. No student shall be required to undress in front of any individual to comply with these provisions.

Acts For Which Students May Be Disciplined

A basic element of effective prevention of misconduct is the setting of divisionwide school rules which are implemented in a consistent manner. Students may be disciplined for conduct incompatible with a K-12 educational environment, for conduct specifically in violation of Prince William County School Board policies and regulations, certain provisions of state and federal law, those offenses summarized below, or other conduct has a negative impact on the operation of the school, the health, safety, or security of students, staff, or school property, or the educational opportunities of other students. Equitable and consistent implementation of rules and regulations shall occur across school sites and within all student groupings.

The principal has the authority to set the appropriate consequences for infractions, which may range from counseling to referral for further disciplinary action (long-term suspension, placement in a nontraditional setting, or recommendation for expulsion) by the Student Management and Alternative Programs Department, or the School Board depending on the severity of the infraction. The student’s age and grade level, the circumstances surrounding the infraction, and other relevant factors will be considered when determining the appropriate corrective measure.

In making certain disciplinary decisions, PWCS takes into account the presence of aggravating circumstances. As defined by the VDOE, aggravating circumstances include (i) misconduct which caused serious harm (including but not limited to physical, emotional, and psychological harm) to another person(s) or posed a credible threat of serious harm to another person(s), as determined by a threat assessment; or (ii) the student’s presence in the school poses an ongoing and unreasonable risk to the safety of the school, its students, staff, or others in the school; or (iii) the student engaged in a serious offense that was persistent and unresponsive to targeted interventions as documented through an established intervention process. Virginia Code requires that the above also includes consideration of the student’s disciplinary history. Please see Leveled Responses to Student Misconduct for guidance on possible interventions and disciplinary consequences for violations of the COB.

Acts for which a student may be disciplined include, but are not limited to:

Abuse of Car/Vehicle Privileges – Cars and other vehicles may be brought onto school grounds only with permission of the administration and must be operated in a safe manner in compliance with school rules and state and local laws. The owner and/or operator of any car or other vehicle which is located on or operated on school property consents, by virtue of such operation and/or location of the car or vehicle on school property, to the search of such vehicle when reasonable suspicion exists that prohibited items as described in Regulation 737-1, “Searches and Seizures,” may be inside the vehicle. Violators are subject to corrective action at school, which may include loss of driving privileges on school grounds, out-of-school suspension, further disciplinary action, and applicable legal penalties.

Assault – An intentional act that puts another person in reasonable fear of imminent harmful or offensive contact.

Assault and/or Battery of a School Division Employee – The assault and/or battery (as defined here) of any school division employee, including substitutes, is strictly prohibited.

Battery – When a person intentionally causes harmful or offensive contact with another person.

Bullying – Bullying means any aggressive and unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate the victim; involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and victim; and is repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma. Bullying includes cyberbullying. Bullying does not include ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, or peer conflict. Students should immediately report all incidents of bullying to a teacher, counselor, or administrator using the “Complaint of Bullying” form, verbally, or through other means of communication. Students are strongly encouraged to report bullying.

Retaliation against a student who reports bullying or participates in an investigation regarding bullying is strictly prohibited and will be addressed by corrective action, up to and including further disciplinary action.

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that involves the transmission, receipt, or display of electronic messages and/or images. Cyberbullying refers to any threats by one student toward another, typically through emails, texts, or on websites (e.g., blogs, social media sites). Electronic communications that support deliberate, hostile, hurtful messages intended to harm others is a form of bullying. Cyberbullying includes such things as sending mean, vulgar, or threatening messages or images; posting sensitive, private information about another person; pretending to be someone else in order to make that person look bad; and using defamatory online personal polling websites.

Cyberbullying that occurs at schools, on school property, at school-related activities, during virtual instruction, or within the community and impacts or disrupts the learning environment or school operations will not be tolerated. Likewise, any cyberbullying that occurs using PWCS computers, devices, systems, or networks, or on personal devices while using PWCS systems or networks (regardless of location) is strictly prohibited. Such misconduct is a violation of Regulation 295-1, “Computer Systems and Network Services – PWCS Responsible Use and Internet Safety Policy,” and Regulation 733-1, “Bullying of Students.”

Cyberbullying which occurs off school grounds and/or does not involve the use of PWCS computers, devices, systems, or networks may also result in disciplinary action if it causes or is likely to cause a material disruption to the operation of the school(s) or the school division, threatens the safety or mental/physical well-being of students or staff, or threatens the safety of school buildings or school property.

Cheating and Plagiarism - Students are to neither give nor receive assistance (written, orally, or otherwise) on tests, examinations, final evaluations, or class assignments that are to be graded as the work of a single individual. Cheating includes the giving or receiving of a computer file, program, part of a program, or other computer-based information without specific teacher direction or approval. Cheating encompasses any violation of rules where the violation involves dishonesty.

The parent will be contacted, and the student will receive an intervention or consequence for academic violations. Schools shall incorporate the use of an honor pledge in their efforts to emphasize the importance of honesty.

Plagiarism is a form of cheating. Students are responsible for giving due recognition of sources from which material is quoted, summarized, or paraphrased, as well as to persons from whom assistance has been received. Submitting the intellectual work of another author or student as one’s own, e.g., copy and pasted, copy and pasted with minor adjustments, or without explicit permission from the author, constitutes cheating.

Dishonesty – Students shall not make false accusations against staff or other students and shall not give false information that may be harmful to others or interfere with the duties of staff. Students who make such false reports may be disciplined.

Disobedience/Disrespect – No student shall disregard or disobey any reasonable request made by a school staff member. Any student who directs profanity, threats, or other forms of verbal abuse toward a school staff member shall be subject to OSS and considered for further disciplinary action.

Disruption – No student while on school property, at a school-sponsored activity, or on school buses shall behave in a disorderly manner or in any other way that interrupts or disturbs the orderly operation of the school. Conduct occurring off school grounds that causes disruption to the school, the educational process, or the rights of the students or staff may also result in corrective action at school.

Drug and Alcohol Possession, Use, and Distribution – Rules addressing student possession, use, and distribution of prohibited substances are set forth in the section titled Prohibited Substances.

Electronic Device Misuse (Cellphones) – During the school day or at school-sponsored events and activities, students may not record audio or video footage intended to be, or actually are, used or distributed to cause harm to other students or adults, or which may cause a disruption to the instructional process. Violators are subject to confiscation of the device and/or other corrective action. School division staff do not assume responsibility for the security of communication and/or electronic devices that are brought onto school property. While on school property, at any school-related activities, or while traveling to or from school or any school-related activities, students shall neither take nor display video graphic or still images of a person who is undressed or partially undressed. Students may utilize electronic entertainment devices, including cellphones, while in PWCS vehicles or during transport for PWCS activities or services, provided that these items are not a distraction to the bus driver and/or do not compromise safety. In addition, the use of these devices should not distract from or disrupt activities.

Endangering Others – Student conduct that may put others in danger will not be permitted. This includes, but is not limited to, violations of fire regulations (e.g., blocking or wedging a corridor door open), making false fire reports, lighting matches, lighting any flame not an approved part of classroom instruction, use of incendiary or explosive materials, and threats or attempts to bomb, burn, or destroy, in any manner, school property or the property of school personnel or students, or allowing access through unauthorized entrances.

Failure to Report Violations – In order to maintain safety and security in our schools, students are responsible for reporting serious violations of the COB to teachers, administrators, other appropriate staff, or the PWCS “Say Something” Anonymous Reporting System. Serious violations include failure to report conduct or behavior which results, or may reasonably be foreseen to result, in injury to the person, health, or welfare of students or staff, or damage to property. Failure to report violations may result in corrective action.

Fighting – Students are responsible for settling confrontations that may arise in a peaceful manner and without the use of violence. When students feel that they are unable to settle disagreements in a peaceful manner, they should seek assistance from school personnel, such as a teacher, counselor, principal, social worker, etc. Fighting will result in corrective action, which may include suspension or further disciplinary action. Students are also subject to corrective action for behavior they may not consider to be serious or threatening (“horseplay,” “playing around,” etc.) when that behavior may cause injury, discomfort, or disruption.

Gambling – Gambling on school property is strictly prohibited. Gambling is defined as the betting of money or valuables on the outcome of a game, contest, or event.

Gang or Gang-Related Activity – Gang activity, recruitment, and expressions of gang membership will not be tolerated. Gang-related actions, speech, gestures, clothing, symbols, or other signs of gang membership or gang activity are prohibited at school and at school-related activities. Any student involved in gang-related behavior at school is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including a referral to SMAPD for further disciplinary action.

Group Assault – Group assault in school, at school-related activities, or on the way to and from school is strictly prohibited. Any student who participates in a group assault that results in disruption or disturbance at school or school-related activities is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion. Any two or more students with the intent of doing harm to persons, property, or the school environment may be considered a group under this rule.

Harassment – Harassment is any aggressive and unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate the victim and which targets the victim on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions including lactation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis by law. Harassment demeans, threatens, intimidates, or harms an individual or group in such a way as to cause anxiety or fear for safety. Harassment of students or staff for any reason is prohibited. Students who engage in harassment are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including, a referral to SMAPD for further disciplinary action.

Hazing – Students shall not engage in behavior that recklessly or intentionally endangers the health or safety of others or inflicts bodily injury on a student in connection with initiation, affiliation, or admission into a club, group, organization, or student body. Violators are subject to disciplinary action, and possible criminal consequences. Virginia Code § 18.2-56 imposes a Class 1 misdemeanor penalty for hazing violations meaning confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both.

Improper Touching – Improper touching is intentional, unwanted physical contact with a student or staff member that does not fall within the definitions of physical assault or of sexual assault under Title IX. (See the definition of Sex-Based Harassment below.) Improper touching may or may not be sexual in nature. Improper touching that occurs on school property or at a school-sponsored activity is prohibited.

Indecent Material – No student shall possess, wear/display, produce, or distribute indecent (vulgar, obscene, profane, patently offensive) materials including, but not limited to, clothing, posters, stickers, written/printed materials, CDs, DVDs, and computer-based materials.

Laser Pointers – Students shall not have laser pointers or other laser devices at school, on school buses, or at school-related activities without the permission of a school administrator or faculty member. Violators are subject to corrective measures and may have the pointer/device confiscated.

Littering – Students shall help maintain a clean and healthful school environment by properly disposing of trash while in the cafeteria, classrooms, hallways, and elsewhere in the school and on school grounds, buses, bus stops, and at school-related activities.

Offenses Off of School Grounds – Actions outside of school that have a detrimental impact on the school building, programs, students, or staff will not be tolerated. The School Board and PWCS staff are committed to maintaining the schools as safe and healthy places in which to learn, free from the impact of violence, weapons, gang activity, substance abuse, and other harmful influences. Students are subject to corrective measures at school, up to and including further disciplinary actions, for offenses that occur in the community or at other locations off of school grounds if those offenses result or may foreseeably result in material disruption to the operation of the school, the educational process, or impact the rights, safety, or welfare of students, staff, or school property. Under Virginia law, a student may be suspended or expelled if found guilty in court for the manufacture, sale, gift, distribution, or possession of drugs, even if the offense is not connected with school. Furthermore, Virginia law provides that a student may be reassigned or placed in an alternative education program (alternative school, evening school, online resources, etc.) upon notice that the student has been charged with certain school-reportable criminal offenses, including offenses relating to weapons, alcohol/drugs, intentional injury to another person, or if convicted or found not innocent of other school-reportable offenses, as set forth in Regulation 681-1, “Nontraditional Education Programs.” Conviction or adjudication of certain school-reportable criminal charges may result in reassignment, long-term suspension, or expulsion. Students may also be reassigned, placed in nontraditional education programs, suspended, or expelled when they have committed a serious offense or repeated offenses in violation of School Board policies and regulations.

Profanity – No student shall use vulgar, lewd, patently offensive, or indecent language or gestures.

Retaliation – Retaliation is strictly prohibited and occurs when action is taken against a person for making a report of misconduct or for participating in any investigation into a report of misconduct. Retaliation includes threatening, intimidating, harassing, coercing, or any other conduct that would discourage someone from reporting an offense or participating in an investigation.

Sex-Based Harassment – Sexual-based harassment under Title IX (“Sex-Based Harassment”) is misconduct on the basis of sex that meets one of the following conditions:

• A PWCS employee provides or offers to provide aid, benefit, or service to an individual in exchange for the individual’s participation in sexual conduct.
• A student or staff member is subjected to unwelcome conduct that is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that the individual is denied equal access to a PWCS educational program or activity.
• Dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking as defined by the U.S. Code and Regulation 738-1.

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination, including harassment, in schools. Sex-Based Harassment allegations are addressed under Regulation 738-1, “Resolution of Allegations Against Students of Sexual Misconduct.” Conduct of a sexual nature that negatively impacts a student, staff member, or the educational process, but does not meet this definition of Sex-Based Harassment, may also be subject to discipline under the COB. Students who believe they have been sexually harassed or the targets of mistreatment based on sex or sex stereotyping are encouraged to report the matter to the school principal or to Equity and Student Relations at TitleIXEquity@pwcs.edu or 571-374-6839.

Smoking and Vaping – All PWCS schools are smoke-free environments. Smoking and vaping are not permitted in any PWCS building at any time. Students, regardless of age, are not permitted to smoke or be in possession of tobacco products, nicotine vapor paraphernalia, cigarettes, matches, lighters, or other electronic smoking devices, on school buses, in school buildings, on school property, or at an on- site or off-site school-sponsored activity.

Students involved in the possession or use of tobacco or nicotine vapor products shall receive penalties ranging from OSS to other effective options assigned by the principal as appropriate deterrents for individual students. These options may include OSS, in-school suspension (ISS), detention, school/community projects, and charges filed with local authorities. Educational programs are available at the middle and high school level to help students better understand the negative health consequences associated with smoking and nicotine use.

Stalking – Stalking is a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person’s safety or the safety of others or suffer substantial emotional distress. Stalking behavior may include, but is not limited to, making repeated and unwanted contact with the person through phone calls, mail, emails, texts, or social media; following the person; making threats to the victim, either directly or indirectly; and damaging or threatening to damage the person’s property.

Supporting Misconduct – Students who, by their presence and/or actions, encourage disruption, fights, or other violations of the COB are subject to disciplinary action. This includes, but is not limited to, bystanders who refuse to move or to follow other directions of school staff during disruptions, fights, etc.

Technology Misuse – Computers, computer networks, and other electronic technology shall be used only for valid educational purposes and only with the approval of a school staff member. When using electronic technology in the school, students are required to abide by the COB and adhere to the standards defined by PWCS Policy 295, “Standards for Computer Systems and Network Services,” Regulation 295-1, “Computer Systems and Network Services – PWCS Responsible Use and Internet Safety Policy,” and Regulation 295-2, “Website Development and Implementation.”

These policies and regulations are available online at www.pwcs.edu.Unacceptable uses of technology include, but are not limited to:

• Violating the privacy rights of others.
• Using, producing, distributing, or receiving profanity, obscenity, or material that bullies, harasses, offends, threatens, or degrades others. This includes, cyberbullying, a form of bullying which involves the transmission, receipt, or display of electronic messages or images.
• Producing, transmitting, possessing, and/or sharing images, messages, or other material of a sexual nature using a wireless communication device.
• Copying commercial software in violation of copyright law.
• Using technology for financial gain or commercial or illegal activity.
• Using technology for product advertisement or political endorsement.
• Reposting personal communications without the author’s prior consent.
• Using technology in violation of other rules and regulations of the COB.
• Use of technology off school property which has a material effect on the operation or general welfare of the school division, impacts the integrity of the educational process, threatens the safety and welfare of students, staff, or school property, occurs when the student is under the school’s authority, or otherwise invades the rights of students or staff.

Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action, loss of technology-use privileges, and penalties under law. Willful irresponsibility may be viewed as malicious and may lead to corrective action or criminal penalties. Deliberate attempts to degrade or disrupt technology system performance will be viewed as criminal activity under applicable state and federal law.

Theft – Taking without permission or attempting to take without permission school property or personal property of others is expressly forbidden. All incidents involving theft or attempted theft of student prescription medications shall be reported to the principal or designee. Violators are subject to disciplinary action at school and may be referred to appropriate authorities for legal action.

Threat – A threat is a concerning communication or behavior that indicates that an individual poses a danger to the safety of school staff or students through acts of violence or other behavior that would cause harm to self or others. The threat may be expressed/ communicated behaviorally, orally, visually, in writing, electronically, or through any other means; and is considered a threat regardless of whether it is observed by or communicated directly to the target of the threat or observed by or communicated to a third party; and regardless of whether the target of the threat is aware of the threat. Each school has a threat assessment team for the assessment of and intervention with individuals whose behavior may pose a threat to the safety of school staff or students. PWCS threat assessment procedures are set forth in Regulation 777-1, “Threat Assessment Procedures.”

Trespassing – Students must be in approved areas of the school building and grounds during normal school hours or after hours with the permission of a school staff member. Students are trespassing if they are present in any unauthorized location, or at a school other than the school in which they are enrolled unless they are attending an approved school activity or have the approval of a school staff member.

Students serving an out-of-school suspension may not be on school property without the written permission of the principal.

In the event the student has a matter before SMAPD considering long-term suspension or further disciplinary action, except to attend a scheduled meeting with a parent and school officials regarding the student’s education, the student shall not be on the property or in the buildings of any PWCS school or building, school bus, or school-sponsored event without the specific prior written permission of the SMAPD. Any violation of this provision may lead to the imposition of further sanctions by the school administration or the filing of trespassing charges, or both. Should the student need to access a PWCS school or property during this time, please submit a written request to the school principal or SMAPD.

Truancy – Attendance at school is compulsory until age 18 unless the student has been exempted by law, has graduated, or has completed a GED® program. School attendance officers are authorized to enforce attendance requirements and to refer students and/or parents to the courts for legal action, if necessary.

Unauthorized Use of Communication Devices – Possession of communication devices by students on school grounds is a privilege, not a right. Any student who brings a communication device on school property consents to these rules and to the school division’s right to confiscate and/or search such devices as provided in these rules. Any expectation of privacy related to the use of student or staff owned devices is negated by the failure to comply with relevant School Board policies and regulations. Students may possess wireless communication devices including, but not limited to, cell phones, tablets, and e-readers on school grounds provided that these devices are used only at the times and in the manner specified by PWCS regulations, as implemented by school principals and staff. The use of these devices may be prohibited at specific times and locations to maintain the integrity of an academic environment. Any violation of such prohibitions on or off school property may result in disciplinary action. Wireless communication devices may be used on school buses provided that the device does not distract the driver, compromise safety, or violate other school bus rules and regulations. Videotaping, recording, or photographing students or other occupants of any type where such activity invades the privacy of others or is used to harass, embarrass, humiliate, or harm others, or where in the judgment of school staff, is disruptive and/or otherwise diverts the attention from school operations and/or the learning environment and impedes upon the ability to maintain a positive climate and culture is prohibited and may result in disciplinary action. Violators are subject to confiscation of the communication device and/or other corrective action. Searches of communication devices may be conducted if the administrator has a reasonable suspicion that it is being used or has been used for conduct that is criminal or a violation of the COB. School division staff do not assume responsibility for the security of communication and/or electronic devices that are brought onto school property. While on school property, at any school-related activities, or while traveling to and from school or any school-related activities, students shall neither take nor display video graphic or still images of a person who is undressed or partially undressed. Violators may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including further disciplinary action.

Vandalism – No student shall maliciously or willfully damage, deface, or destroy school property, or the personal belongings of others. (This includes graffiti, as well as computer and other electronic vandalism.) Students are responsible for reimbursing the School Board for actual breakage or destruction of property, or for the failure to return property owned by or under the control of the School Board. Disciplinary action may be taken against students who commit vandalism or fail to return property owned by or under the control of the School Board. Virginia law authorizes the School Board to take legal action to recover the cost of such damage from the parents of such students.

Violations of School, Sport, Club, and Activity Rules – In addition to the rules and regulations of the COB, students are expected to comply with rules established by their schools and with the rules of the sports, clubs, and activities in which they participate. Violators are subject to disciplinary action as described in the COB. Students may be suspended from participation in sports, clubs, or other school-sponsored activities for violations of the rules of the team or activity, even if the violation occurs off school grounds and outside the school day. This includes, but is not limited to, violations of team training rules related to the use of tobacco, nicotine vapor products, alcohol, and other drugs.

Weapons – Students shall not have weapons, look-alike weapons, or other harmful objects on any school property or during any school events.

Leveled Responses to Student Misconduct

The philosophy of PWCS is directed toward a preventative and restorative approach to unwanted behavior, which aligns with VDOE's "Model Guidance for Positive and Preventative Code of Student Conduct Policy and Alternatives to Suspension". If students are denied the opportunity to learn as a result of unwanted behavior, the teacher, the principal, and/or other appropriate educational staff members shall determine the proper corrective measure utilizing a graduated response system that incorporates instructional, restorative, and age-appropriate responses. When a student's behavior is unresponsive to interventions and increases in frequency, intensity and duration, the level of response may increase in severity.

The following student behavior categories, as defined by the VDOE, were designed to assist in recognizing the impact the behavior has on the school learning environment and to encourage responses that promote social-emotional learning competencies.

• Behaviors that Impede Academic Progress (BAP):
  These behaviors impede the academic progress of the student or of students. They are typically indicative of the student's lack of self-management or self-awareness. Sometimes, the student may need help in understanding how the behavior impacts others. Therefore, as a result, training in social awareness may also be indicated.
• Behaviors Related to School Operations (BSO):
  These behaviors interfere with the daily operation of school procedures. Students exhibiting these behaviors may need to develop self-management, self-awareness, or social awareness skills.
• Relationship Behaviors (RB):
  These behaviors create a negative relationship between two or more people that does not result in physical harm. Relationship behaviors affect the whole school community in that the school climate is often a reflection of how people treat one another. Students who exhibit difficulty with relationship behaviors may also have difficulty with the other social-emotional competencies.
• Behaviors that Present a Safety Concern (BSC):
  These behaviors create unsafe conditions for students, staff, and visitors to the school. The underlying reasons for this type of behavior may lie in any of the social-emotional competencies so the administrator should investigate the underlying motivation for the student's behavior. Training in social awareness and decision-making is usually indicated in any behavior that creates a safety concern.
• Behaviors that Endanger Self or Others (BESO):
  These behaviors endanger the health, safety, or welfare of either the student or others in the school community. Behaviors that rise to this level of severity are often complex. While they are indicative of poor decision-making skills, students who exhibit these behaviors may also have developmental needs in the other social-emotional competencies.
• Persistently Dangerous Behaviors (PDB):
  These behaviors are used in calculations to identify a school as persistently dangerous. "The incidents to be used as measures for determining persistently dangerous public schools are those violent crimes and offenses against a person and the possession of drugs with intent to distribute or sell, all designated as felonies in the criminal section of the Virginia Code (Title 18.2)." These behaviors merit a report to the Superintendent's office and law enforcement and should be addressed in a manner consistent with a Level 5 response.

The rules and regulations of the COB are intended to guide students' behavior in the school buildings, on school buses, to and from school, and during participation in any activity sponsored by PWCS. The following is a guide for administrators to use in determining appropriate interventions and disciplinary consequences. The information, however, shall not be construed to limit administrators’ ability to use discretion to impose a different consequence that is appropriate considering the totality of the circumstances. The following chart includes a wide range of behaviors but is not an exhaustive list of acts for which a student may be disciplined.

Student Behavior Categories

The following chart identifies the disciplinary consequences recommended by the Virginia Department of Education in response to certain misconduct. Disciplinary responses are not limited to those identified and may be elevated to a higher administrative response level for repeated conduct or conduct that involves aggravating circumstances, resulting in disciplinary consequences exceeding these guidelines.

Examples of Tiered Responses to Student Behavior

Tiered responses to student behavior are part of a comprehensive Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework that includes instructional, preventive, and proactive strategies. When students do not meet behavioral expectations, they receive interventions and supports to address the root causes of the behavior and learn acceptable replacement behaviors. When a specific student behavior does not change following an intervention or the behavior increases in frequency, intensity, or duration; a problem-solving approach identifies alternative interventions and responses.

Tier I

Examples of School/Classroom Interventions and Responses

Interventions:

• Class meeting.
• Confiscation of disruptive communication and entertainment devices.
• Focus on prevention of tobacco and vaping use.
• Re-teaching or modeling of desired behavior.
• Recognize/Reward appropriate behavior.
• Administrator/Student conference and/or Administrator/Student/Teacher conference.
• Written reflection or letter of apology.
• Peer mediation or conflict resolution.
• Behavior progress chart.
• Community service (appropriate to correct the behavior).
• Administrator/Teacher/Parent/Guardian conference.

Disciplinary Responses:

• Restitution.
• Seat change.
• Loss of school privileges.
• Confiscation by the administration.
• Detention (before school, at lunch, after school).
• In-school suspension (1-2 days) with behavioral instruction and academic support.

Tier II

Examples of Administrative Interventions and Responses

Interventions:

• Student conference.
• Restorative Practices Conference and/or Circle (formal).
• Administrator/Teacher/Counselor/Student conference (includes re-teaching of expected behavior).
• Administrator/Teacher/Parent/Guardian conference.
• Check-In/Check-Out.
• Mentor.
• Mediation or conflict resolution.
• Referral to support services (e.g., School Counselor, Behavior Interventionist, Mentor Program, and Problem-Solving Team (for example, MTSS), Substance Use and Intervention Program).
• Referral to Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Team.
• Community service (appropriate to correct the behavior).
• Referral for community-based services.

Disciplinary Responses:

• Schedule change.
• Detention (before school, at lunch, or after school).
• Saturday school.
• Restitution.
• Confiscation.
• Temporary loss of privileges.
• In-school suspension with behavioral interventions and/or restorative practices (one-three days).

Tier III

Examples of Extended Suspension and Responses

Interventions:

• Behavior Contract.
• Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Intervention Plan.

Disciplinary Responses:

• No-trespassing order.
• Out-of-school suspension.
• Police/court action.
• Referral to an appropriate community-based agency, mental health service, substance abuse counseling service, etc.
• Restitution.

These interventions and responses aim to teach appropriate and alternative behavior, so students can learn and demonstrate safe and respectful behavior. The examples above are not all-inclusive nor required to be exhaustive. In every case, the staff should consider revisions to plans supporting students with special needs (response to intervention, child study, IEP, or 504)

School Conference

Whenever students or parents feel that the best interests of the individual or the group have been disregarded, a conference with the teacher, sponsor, coach, counselor, or other school personnel should be arranged. If a routine agreement cannot be reached among student(s) and school personnel, then the student has the right to:

• Arrange a meeting with the principal or the designated assistant principal to discuss such conditions or decisions judged by the student(s) to be detrimental.
• Request a conference of the parent, student, and principal if not satisfied with initial meetings.
• See "Appeal of Student Matters" as summarized and set forth in Regulation 731-1, "Appeal of Student Matters."

Teacher Removal of Students from Class

Teachers may remove disruptive students from class in accordance with School Board Policy 702, "Teacher Removal of Students from Class," as stated below.

The Virginia Code (§22.1-276.2) provides for the initial authority of a teacher to remove a student from class for disruptive behavior. Further, the Virginia Code defines disruptive behavior as a "violation of school board regulations governing student conduct that interrupts or obstructs the learning environment."

Notice of Disciplinary Programs and Procedures

Students and parents are also responsible for reading and becoming familiar with the following policies and regulations placing them on notice of PWCS' disciplinary programs and procedures:

• Policy 681 and Regulation 681-1, "Nontraditional Education Programs"
• Policy 702, "Teacher Removal of Students from Class"
• Policy 715, "Notice of Student's School Status Required as Condition of Enrollment," and Regulation 715-5, "Disclosure of Child's Disciplinary and Criminal History Prior to Enrollment"
• Policy 730, "Student Conduct and Responsibilities," and Regulation 730-1, "Conduct"
• Policy 731 and Regulation 731-1, "Appeal of Student Matters"
• Policy 735 and Regulation 735-1, "Prohibited Substances"
• Policy 743 and Regulation 743-1, "Student Discipline"
• Policy 744 and Regulation 744-1, "Short-Term Suspension of Students"
• Policy 745, "Long-Term Suspension or Expulsion of Students, Readmissions, and Exclusion/Admission," Regulation 745-1, "Long-Term Suspension or Expulsion of Students," Regulation 745-4, "School Board Disciplinary Committee Procedures for Student Expulsion Appeal Hearings," Regulation 745-5, "Readmissions and Exclusions/Admissions," and Regulation 745-6, "Long-Term Suspension and Expulsion Appeals to the School Board"
• Policy 747 and Regulation 747-1, "Student Management and Alternative Programs Department"
• Policy 775 and Regulation 775-1, "Weapons and Other Prohibited Objects"

Suspension Procedures

The rules governing out-of-school suspension are summarized in this section. Please refer to Regulation 744-1, “Short-Term Suspension of Students,” and Regulation 745-1, “Long-Term Suspension or Expulsion of Students,” for further guidance regarding short- and long-term suspensions. The suspension of students receiving special education services shall be in accordance with Regulation 745-2, “Discipline of Students with Disabilities.”

General Provisions Related to All Suspensions

Due Process

A principal, assistant principal, or principal’s designee may suspend a student from school for misconduct which includes, but is not limited to, violations of the COB. Before being excluded from school for disciplinary purposes, students have a right to adequate and meaningful due process, established in accordance with the rules and principles as outlined in Regulation 747-1, “Student Management and Alternative Programs department (SMAPD).” Students have the right to be informed of the reasons for the suspension and offered the opportunity to tell their side of the story before being suspended. If the student’s presence poses a continuing danger to persons or property, or presents an ongoing threat of disruption, however, the student may be removed from school immediately and the notice, explanation of facts, and opportunity to present the student’s version of events shall be given as soon as practicable. Whenever a suspension is imposed, the principal/designee will make all reasonable efforts to contact the parent(s) to advise them of the suspension and to make appropriate arrangements for the student to be returned to the student’s home. Students and families also have the right to receive notice of the suspension in writing, including conditions imposed on the student during the suspension, and their right to appeal.

Continuing Education During Suspensions

The student’s school shall continue to provide educational services throughout the term of any short-term suspension and, if the student has been referred to SMAPD for consideration of further disciplinary action until a decision to long-term suspend, reassign, or expel the student has been finally issued by SMAPD or the School Board. During this period, it is the responsibility of the student to obtain and complete all assignments missed from the school. These assignments must be completed within a time frame established by the school. However, the principal also may provide other assignments or make-up options which would be more effective in changing the behavior of the student. If a final decision is made to long-term suspend, reassign, or expel a student, the student and parents will be provided specific information on eligibility for alternative educational services.

Presence on School Property Prohibited During the Term of the Suspension

Students who are suspended from school are prohibited from school property (including school buses) and school-related activities for the duration of their suspension and may be arrested for trespassing. Unless the student has written permission from school officials to be on school property, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored event, students whose disciplinary cases are pending a long-term suspension or expulsion decision (with the exception of disciplinary hearings) are prohibited from school property, school buses, and school-sponsored activities. Students who are suspended from school shall also be suspended from participation in all school activities (teams, clubs, and all other school-sponsored activities) including practice. In cases where the parent or adult student notifies the principal at the time of the suspension that there will be an appeal, the student shall be allowed to attend school until the case is heard and a final decision has been rendered unless the principal considers that the presence of the student creates a present and continuing threat to the health, safety, and/or welfare of persons or property in the school or may pose a disruption to the educational process.

Authority to Modify Disciplinary Decisions

At each level of the procedure for all disciplinary appeals, the appeal may be granted or denied, and the related consequences (corrective measures) may be increased, decreased, or allowed to remain the same. If in the appeal of a long-term suspension the School Board determines that expulsion may be appropriate, the student shall be notified by SMAPD of the right to request a due process hearing before a committee of the School Board. In the event that the student does not request such a hearing, or a hearing is requested, and the student fails to appear, a committee of the School Board will render a decision based on the written record. In the event that the decision of the School Board committee is not unanimous, the student may submit a written appeal to the full School Board.

Suspension or Expulsion of Students in Preschool Through Grade Three

Except for certain drug or weapons offenses identified in Virginia Code, no student in preschool through grade three shall be suspended for more than three school days or expelled from attendance at school, unless (i) the offense involves physical harm or credible threat of physical harm to others or (ii) the School Board, the Superintendent or designee finds that aggravating circumstances exist. A student in preschool through grade three may be suspended or expelled from school upon the school division’s receipt of a report pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-305.1 of an adjudication of delinquency or a conviction for an offense listed in subsection G of Virginia Code § 16.1-260.

Suspension of Students Grade Four and Above

Short-Term Suspension

A short-term suspension is a disciplinary action after which a student may not attend school for up to 10 school days as outlined in Regulation 744-1, “Short-Term Suspension of Students.” The student and parent may appeal a short-term suspension decision to the Principal within three school days of notice of suspension. The parent/guardian shall be notified in writing of the status of the principal's decision within five school days of having received the written appeal. Students whose short-term suspension is under appeal may attend school until the appeal is decided unless they pose a safety risk or present a threat of ongoing disruption.

If the principal's decision is appealed a written request appealing the decision must be received by the appropriate Level Associate Superintendent within three business days of the parent(s)/guardian(s) having been notified of the principal's decision. The written appeal must include the student's account of the incident and the reason for believing the suspension is unjustified. The Level Associate Superintendent or designee shall provide a written decision within five business days of receipt of the appeal. The decision of the Level Associate Superintendent or designee shall be final.

For more serious offenses, a principal or designee may impose a 10-day suspension in conjunction with a referral to SMAPD for consideration of further discipline, e.g., a long-term suspension, reassignment, or expulsion. Any appeal of a 10-day suspension imposed in conjunction with a referral to SMAPD for consideration of further disciplinary action shall be decided by the SMAPD hearing officer following the due process hearing described in the section titled Long-Term Suspension below.

Long-Term Suspension

A long-term suspension is a disciplinary action after which a student may not attend school for more than 10 school days but less than 365 calendar days. A student shall not be suspended for more than 45 school days; however, unless (i) the offense is one described in Virginia Code § 22.1-277.07 or § 22.1-277.08 or involves serious bodily injury; or (ii) the School Board or Superintendent or designee finds that aggravating circumstances exist as defined by the VDOE. Before a long-term suspension is imposed, the student shall have the right to a due process hearing conducted by the Student Management and Alternative Programs Department pursuant to those procedures explained in Regulation 745-1, “Long-Term Suspension or Expulsion of Students,” and Regulation 747-1, “Student Management and Alternative Programs Department (SMAPD).” Any further appeal shall be in accordance with Regulation 731-1, “Appeal of Student Matters,” Regulation 745-6, “Long-Term Suspension and Expulsion Appeals to the School Board,” and Regulation 745-2, “Discipline of Students with Disabilities.”

Parents and students may appeal Long-Term Suspension decisions following procedures set forth in Regulation 745-6, “Long-Term Suspension and Expulsion Appeals to the School Board,” which are summarized here. A parent or student may file a written appeal within four business days of the date of the SMAPD decision letter. The written appeal must be submitted to SMAPD and must include the student’s account of the incident, the reason for believing the suspension is unjustified, and any additional evidence the student or parent wishes to have considered. The SMAPD hearing officer may submit a written statement in response to the parent’s appeal. The appeal will be decided by the School Board Disciplinary Committee (SBDC), a panel of three School Board members. The SBDC shall review the written appeal of the SMAPD hearing officer’s decision in closed session and shall decide on the appeal within 30 calendar days of the filing of the request for appeal. The SBDC may uphold, deny, or amend the decision of the SMAPD hearing officer or may determine that other disciplinary action is merited, including expulsion. The SBDC’s decision shall be final unless the decision is not unanimous, in which case the student may, within five business days of the SBDC’s decision, notify SMAPD in writing that the student intends to appeal the SBDC’s decision to the full School Board. The School Board shall review the appeal based solely on the administrative record presented to the SBDC and shall render a decision within 30 calendar days of receipt of the appeal.

Expulsion Procedures

Expulsion is a disciplinary action in which a student is not permitted to attend any PWCS school for 365 calendar days after the date of expulsion. The School Board may, however, permit or require any student who has been expelled from school to attend an alternative educational program during the term of the expulsion.

The rules governing expulsion, readmission, and exclusion are summarized in this section. Please refer to Regulation 745-1, “Long- Term Suspension or Expulsion of Students,” Regulation 745-5, “Readmissions and Exclusions/Admissions,” Regulation 745-6, “Long-Term Suspension and Expulsion Appeals to the School Board,” and Regulation 747-1, “Student Management and Alternative Programs Department (SMAPD),” for all information pertaining to this subject. Please refer to Regulation 745-2, “Discipline of Students with Disabilities,” for information regarding the expulsion of students receiving special education services. Certain limitations apply to the expulsion of students in preschool through grade three. Please see the section titled Suspension or Expulsion of Students in Preschool Through Grade Three for more information.

The School Board may expel students for sufficient cause. A student may be expelled, and denied the right to attend any PWCS school when:

• The student is a potential or continuing danger to the health, welfare, or safety of others; or
• The student’s conduct is disruptive to the educational mission or the orderly operation of the school; or
• The student has engaged in conduct that violates the school division’s policies and regulations or the COB, or that threatens the safety or security of the school or is otherwise connected to the school; or
• The student has obtained an accumulation of offenses for which expulsion is merited; or
• The student has been adjudicated delinquent or convicted following a report pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-305.1 for an offense listed in subsection G of Virginia Code § 16.1-260; or
• Other circumstances demonstrate that the expulsion of the student is in the best interest of the local school or the school division.

If a student is recommended for expulsion by SMAPD, the parent(s) and student may appeal the disciplinary recommendation of the SMAPD hearing officer to the SBDC following procedures set forth in Regulation 745-6, “Long-Term Suspension and Expulsion Appeals to the School Board.” Any decision by SMAPD to place the student in an alternative education program upon readmission may also be appealed. However, any other placement decision by SMAPD is final and may not be appealed. A written request for a hearing before the SBDC must be received by SMAPD within four business days of the date of the decision letter.

The student and parent will have the right to present the student’s version of the incident and the reasons they believe the expulsion recommendation is in error during a live 45-minute hearing before the SBDC. The student may be represented by an attorney. If the decision of the SBDC is not unanimous, the student and parent may file a written appeal for the matter to be decided by the full School Board within five business days of the SBDC decision. The School Board will consider the matter in closed session based only upon the record presented to the SBDC and will reach a decision within 30 calendar days of the appeal. The decision of the School Board shall be final. The procedures, timeline, and appeal process for the readmission to school of students who have previously been expelled from PWCS are set forth in Regulation 745-5, “Readmissions and Exclusions/Admissions.” For those cases that are appealed, the School Board shall conduct a review of the record in closed session and vote on the readmission decision in open session. Only those documents submitted to SMAPD for consideration for readmission shall be considered by the School Board. No additional documents, other than the letter of appeal, shall be submitted for consideration. The student and parent(s) shall be notified in writing of the School Board’s decision.

Exclusions from School

PWCS is authorized to deny admission to its schools to students who have been placed in a nontraditional educational program or expelled or suspended from attendance at school by another school division or private school, or for whom admission has been withdrawn from any school the student was previously enrolled following a SMAPD admission hearing. This process is set forth in Regulation 745-5, “Readmissions and Exclusions/Admissions.”

Students and parents have the right to appeal the SMAPD decision to the School Board. The School Board shall meet in closed session to conduct a review of the documentation considered in the SMAPD admission hearing and the parent’s letter of appeal. The student and parent(s) shall be notified in writing within 30 calendar days of the School Board’s decision in the case of an expulsion or withdrawal of admission, and within 15 calendar days in the case of a suspension of more than 30 days. The School Board may require an excluded student to attend a nontraditional education program provided by the School Board for the term of any exclusion from a base school.

Reassignment/placement by SMAPD for certain criminal offenses under Virginia Code §§ 22.1-209.1:2 or 22.1:277.2:1

PWCS is authorized to reassign or place students in alternative programs if the student has been charged or convicted of certain criminal offenses following the procedures set forth in Regulation 681-1, “Nontraditional Education Programs.” A student and parent may appeal the SMAPD decision to the School Board within four business days of the date of the SMAPD decision.

Appeals of Student Matters

One of the goals of site-based leadership is to resolve issues at the school level whenever possible. In addition to the right to appeal suspension and expulsions decisions explained above, PWCS provides students and parents the right to appeal the following student matters:

Academic Appeals – Grade placement; class assignment; grades and/or assignments, exams and exam grades; promotion/retention; honor rolls; and placement in site-specific programs.

• Decisions involving a complaint of discrimination or harassment.
• Eligibility for cocurricular and extra-curricular programs.
• Graduation
• Interscholastic activities and competitions.
• Middle and high school music performance participation and academic/grade-related issues.
• Placement in a nontraditional education program.
• Readmission to traditional school for non-elective placements.
• School transfers.

Please refer to Regulation 731-1, “Appeal of Student Matters,” for timelines and appeal procedures.

Discrimination and Harassment

PWCS is committed to providing learning and working environments that are free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. Discrimination against, and harassment of, students or staff is unlawful conduct strictly prohibited by the COB. PWCS encourages students, parents, employees, and community members to work together to prevent and remedy all forms of discrimination and harassment.

PWCS Policy 738 and its associated regulations provide detailed information regarding the procedures by which PWCS will respond to an allegation that a student engaged in discrimination or harassment.

Discrimination and Harassment

Discrimination occurs when one or more individuals are treated differently, or not given fair consideration or the same opportunity as others because of their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions including lactation, age, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Harassment is a form of discrimination. Harassment is a course of conduct that targets one or more individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions including lactation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law. Harassment:

• Demeans, threatens, intimidates, or harms an individual or group in such a way as to cause anxiety or fear for safety.
• Creates an intimidating, hostile, and/or offensive environment; substantially or unreasonably interferes with a student’s education; or otherwise limits a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from a PWCS educational program.
• May target an individual even when the individual does not actually possess any characteristic that is the basis for the harassment (so long as the harassment is based on the belief that the target possesses such characteristic).
• May be expressed in various ways, including through physical actions or through verbal, nonverbal, electronic, or written communications, and may take various forms, including but not limited to:
  • Offensive comments, name-calling, gestures, “jokes,” or rumors.
  • Demeaning drawings, cartoons, or graffiti.
  • Acts of aggression toward individuals or their property, including threats or physical assaults.

Cyberbullying and any mistreatment or bullying behavior that occurs on school property, at a school-sponsored activity, or that prevents a student from going to or from school safely violates the COB and will be investigated and responded to by school officials. However, not all mistreatment or bullying behavior constitutes discrimination or discriminatory harassment.

Sex-Based Harassment and Sex-Based Misconduct

Sex-based harassment under Title IX means sexual harassment; harassment on the basis of sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, or gender identity; and other conduct on the basis of sex that meets one of the following conditions:

• A PWCS employee or agent provides or offers to provide aid, benefit, or service to a person in exchange for the person’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct.
• A person is subjected to unwelcome sex-based conduct that is severe or pervasive enough to deny or limit the person’s ability to participate in or benefit from a PWCS educational program or activity.
• Sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking as defined by federal regulations implementing Title IX.

Sex-based misconduct is any misconduct of a sexual nature or mistreatment that is based on sex or sex stereotyping. Sex-based misconduct may be verbal, nonverbal, electronic, or physical and may target a person regardless of the person’s sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Sex-based misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Making sexual advances, including requesting sexual favors, leering, or engaging in unwelcome and repeated flirting.
• Engaging in sex-based verbal abuse, including using slurs or epithets or making graphic and/or degrading descriptions about an individual’s body.
• Making, sharing, and/or displaying sex-based jokes, gestures, objects, or images (including sexting, drawings, photographs, or video).
• Spreading sex-based rumors.
• Making sex-based threats or threats of a sexual nature.
• Impeding or blocking an individual’s movement in a sexually intimidating manner.
• Sexually assaulting or improperly touching another individual.

Sex-based misconduct may constitute Sex-Based Harassment, which is prohibited by law. All sex-based misconduct that occurs on school property, at a school-sponsored activity, or that prevents a student from getting to or from school safely violates the COB and will be investigated and responded to by school officials.

Reporting Suspected Discrimination or Harassment

Students who believe that they have been discriminated against or harassed are encouraged to report the matter to the school principal or to Equity and Student Relations at 571-374-6839. The initial report may be verbal or in writing. A reporting form is available on the PWCS Equity and Student Relations webpage; its use is encouraged, but not necessary.

Preventing Discrimination and Harassment

School officials will act to stop and prevent discrimination and harassment. Students can help stop and prevent discrimination and harassment by:

• Speaking up and letting the students engaging in the misconduct know that their behavior is hurtful and that they should stop.
• Asking for help from a parent, teacher, counselor, school administrator, or other trusted adult.
• Reporting the misconduct to a school administrator, a trusted adult at school, or Equity and Student Relations.

Relevant PWCS Policies and Regulations

• Policy 738, “Nondiscrimination and Harassment of Students”
• Regulation 738-1, “Resolution of Allegations Against Students of Sexual Misconduct”
• Regulation 738-2, “Title IX – Equal Access to Education Programs and Activities”
• Regulation 738-3, “Resolution of Allegations Against Students of Discrimination or Harassment”
• Regulation 738-4, “Nondiscrimination Against Students on the Basis of Disability”
• Regulation 738-5, “Treatment of Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students”

Sources of Help or Additional Information

Any student or parent who has questions or concerns about discrimination or harassment involving one or more students is encouraged to contact the principal, assistant principal, school counselor, or Equity and Student Relations at:

Telephone: 571-374-6839
Fax: 571-503-2230
Email: TitleIXEquity@pwcs.edu

Mailing address:
Equity and Student Relations Department
Prince William County Public Schools
P.O. Box 389
Manassas, Virginia, 20108

Bullying

Bullying of Students is Not Permitted

Each school is committed to creating an environment in which students are free from bullying. Students are strongly encouraged to report incidents to the school administration. The school administrator will take appropriate steps to respond quickly and decisively to student reports of bullying. Students may report incidents of bullying using the "Complaint of Bullying" form also located in the counseling department or the school's main office.

School administrators are required to notify parents of any student involved in an incident of alleged bullying as soon as practically possible, but no later than 24 hours after learning of the allegation of bullying.

Q: What is bullying?

A: Bullying is any aggressive and unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate the victim; involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and victim; and is repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma. Bullying includes cyberbullying. Bullying does not include ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, or peer conflict.

Q: What is cyberbullying?

A: Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that involves sending, receiving, or displaying electronic messages and/or images. Cyberbullying can include any threats by one student toward another, typically through emails, texts, or on websites (e.g., blogs, social media sites). Electronic communications that support deliberate, hostile, and hurtful messages intended to harm others are also examples of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can include such things as sending mean, vulgar, or threatening messages or images; posting sensitive, private information about another person; pretending to be someone else in order to make that person look bad; and using defamatory online personal polling websites.

Cyberbullying using the PWCS internet, PWCS computers, or other wireless communication devices in schools, on school property, or at school-related activities will not be tolerated. Cyberbullying which occurs off school grounds and/or does not involve the use of the PWCS internet or computers may also result in disciplinary action if it causes, or is likely to cause, a material disruption to the operation of the school or the school division, threatens the safety or mental/physical well-being of students or staff, or threatens the safety of school buildings or school property.

Q: What behaviors are considered to be bullying behaviors?

A: Some examples of bullying behaviors may include purposely excluding others, taunts, threats, gestures, insults, gossip, humiliation, teasing, cyberbullying, physical aggression, stealing or destroying property, or cursing or laughing at someone. Bullying takes many forms. For example: Sometimes, bullying is people making other people feel left out; other times, bullying may involve hitting, teasing, or threatening to hurt someone. Stealing or damaging someone's lunch or books could be bullying, too; so is laughing at people because they wear glasses or different kinds of clothes, or because they aren't good at sports. Using the internet or computers to harm people is another form of bullying.

Q: What if the bully is threatening and intimidating a student? What can school officials do to help keep the student safe?

A: Any student who is being threatened or intimidated (or who is aware that another student is being threatened or intimidated) is strongly encouraged to report the misconduct to a school administrator, counselor, or a trusted school staff member. The allegations will be promptly investigated and reported to the school's Threat Assessment Team, which, among other things, will take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of students and of the school environment.

Q: How can I report bullying?

A: Any student can report bullying by talking to an administrator or a trusted school staff member or by completing the Bullying Complaint Form. Any school staff member who receives a report of bullying must tell the school administration.

Q: What should I do if the bullying continues?

A: Report this to a school administrator or a trusted school staff member immediately. It is also important to tell your parent(s) that the bullying is continuing. Administrators will take disciplinary action if the student accused of bullying attempts to get back at the victim for reporting the bullying behavior.

Q: Are there immediate actions that I can take if I am bullied?

A: Yes. These actions include:

• Telling the bully very firmly to stop.
• Talking with a staff member, counselor, administrator, or parent about the incident immediately.

Complaint of Bullying

The PWCS' Code of Behavior (COB) defines bullying as any aggressive and unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate the victim; involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and victim; and is repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma. Bullying also includes cyberbullying, which involves the transmission, receipt, or display of electronic messages or images. Bullying does not include ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, or peer conflict. The principal and staff of this school are committed the to enforcement of the COB and will respond promptly and appropriately to complaints of bullying. Any student can file a complaint by talking to an administrator and/or completing this form and submitting it to an assistant principal or principal. Any staff member may also complete this form on behalf of a student or parent who reports bullying.

"Complaint of Bullying" form (PDF)