Adminsitrative Consequences

A.       It is generally the case that the broad majority of our students for the broad majority of the time are models exemplar of dignified and appropriate behavior. Most students intuitively have a sense of doing what is right and what is proper. As such, and because we assume further that students in our program wish to remain a part of the MJBHA Upper School community and intend to adhere to the expectations of this community, it will almost always be the case that the first consequential step will be a conversation between a staff member and a student, reminding the student to act appropriately. If students feel that the adults can trust them to modify their actions, then it behooves the staff to give the students the room to err and grow. Conversely, if students fail to respond immediately to these remonstrations, or if the behavior is particularly egregious, other steps will be taken.

B.       These steps include but are not limited to: lunchroom/hallway/yard cleanup, lunchtime detentions in an assigned room, writing assignments with grade consequences to be applied to specified courses, after-school meetings that require parent participation, exclusion from clubs and extra-curricular activities, after school detentions, one day in-school suspensions, at home suspensions of varying length, and expulsion. A student who causes a danger to the school environment may be sent home immediately. It may also be the case that a student who is in violation of the dress code and does not have the ability to immediately address the problem will be sent home as well. Decisions to expel a student will not be made without a due process involving the school’s headmaster. This is generally true of long-term suspensions as well.

D.       A student who becomes a repeat violator of the community norms will be placed on a behavioral probation and will be asked to sign a behavioral contract. While the contracts will be student and circumstance specific, generally the student will be on notice that for a specified period of time particular specified negative behaviors will lead to an expulsion from the school. The administration may choose to limit the student in his or her extra-curricular participation during this probationary period.

E.        While it is generally the case that the school will report home about student comportment, it is not always best for the school to immediately report about relatively minor offenses. To help our students grow as capable adults, we may respond with patience and not report home after a first, or even a second, offense in order to build trusting and confident young adults who can own up to their errors and who can hopefully demonstrate remorse and real change. While the school policy will continue to be that we share what we know about our students with their parents, we ask that parents trust the students to make the adjustments before the need to contact home surfaces, and to trust the staff to call home when appropriate. We will certainly call upon the parents regularly enough to help in our team efforts when we find ourselves struggling to move a student and his or her behavior in specific positive directions.