Code Of Conduct Matrix (Grades K-6)

Disruptive Behavior
DEFINITION:  Any student action that interferes with teaching, learning, or school activities.

Consequences for Level One Misconduct may include the following:

• Verbal warning
• Personal conference
• Involvement with school counselor
• Behavioral contract
• Loss of privileges
• Modified recess
• Loss of computer usage in class where infraction occurred
• Teacher detention
• Telephone call to parent/guardian
• Restorative action/measure
• Corrective action/measure

Classroom Tardiness
DEFINITION: When a student arrives late to class without a valid excuse.

Disrespectful Speech or Action
DEFINITION: Words, gestures, or behaviors that show a lack of respect toward others.

Profanity
DEFINITION: Use of offensive, vulgar, or inappropriate language, gestures, or written words that are disrespectful.

Leaving Class or Assigned Area without Permission
DEFINITION: When a student leaves a supervised space without staff approval, potentially creating safety concerns and disrupting learning.

Failure to Follow Established Procedures for Schoolwide Expectations
DEFINITION: A student’s refusal or failure to follow established school-wide rules, routines, or procedures designed to ensure safety, order, and a positive learning environment.

Refusing Reasonable Staff Requests
DEFINITION: When a student willfully ignores or defies directions from school staff that are appropriate, safe, and within school expectations.

Inappropriate Use of Technology
DEFINITION: Using devices, networks, or digital resources in ways that are not permitted, unsafe, or disruptive. This may involve accessing unauthorized sites, playing games without permission, cyberbullying, or damaging equipment.

Misuse/Damage of School Property
DEFINITION: Using school materials, equipment, or facilities in an unsafe or careless manner that may cause harm, defacement, or loss.

Academic Dishonesty, Cheating, Plagiarism, or Lying
DEFINITION: Any act of cheating, plagiarism, or lying to gain an unfair academic advantage or avoid responsibility. This may involve copying work, using unauthorized help, presenting others' work as one’s own, or providing false information.

Dress Code
DEFINITION: Students are expected to dress in a manner that is appropriate, respectful, and not disruptive to the educational environment. Clothing, accessories, or grooming must not present a safety hazard, interfere with learning, or promote inappropriate or illegal conduct. The school reserves the right to regulate student appearance when it affects health, safety, discipline, or the educational process.

Repeated Level One Misconduct
DEFINITION: Ongoing or frequent minor behaviors that persist despite prior interventions or redirection. When minor infractions become chronic, they may require more significant responses to support positive behavior.

Consequences for Level Two Misconduct may include the following:

• Any appropriate disciplinary consequence from Level One
• Conference with Administrator
• Loss of student activities/privileges
• Administrative lunch/recess detention
• Administrative after school detention
• Telephone call to parent/guardian
• Temporary removal from class

Minor Physical Confrontation/Altercation Between Students
DEFINITION: A non-serious physical interaction between students that may include pushing, shoving, or other light physical contact without intent to cause serious harm.

Obscene Gestures or Actions
DEFINITION: Any student behavior involving gestures, movements, or actions that are sexually explicit, vulgar, or offensive, and that disrupt the educational environment

Elopement
DEFINITION: When a student leaves a supervised area or assigned location without permission or authorization, potentially placing themselves at risk.

Failure to Cooperate with a Substitute
DEFINITION: Intentional refusal by a student to follow reasonable directions or expectations set by a substitute teacher, including behaviors such as defiance, disruption, or noncompliance, which interfere with the learning environment.

Leaving School, Assigned Area, or Property, without Permission
DEFINITION: The act of a student departing from the school building, designated area, or property, during school hours without prior authorization from school personnel. This behavior violates school attendance policies and may pose safety concerns for the student and others.

Unauthorized Use or Misuse of Technology
DEFINITION: Engaging in activities that violate the school's Acceptable Use Policy, including but not limited to: accessing inappropriate websites, using devices during unauthorized times, sharing personal information online, or using technology to harass or bully others.

Other Offenses not Listed but Fitting the Definition of Level Two Misconduct as Determined by the Administration
DEFINITION: Behaviors not explicitly specified in the Code of Conduct that, upon administrative review, are determined to directly or indirectly cause moderate disruption to the educational setting.

Repeated Level Two Misconduct
DEFINITION: Persistent serious behavioral infractions that continue despite prior interventions or redirection. Such repeated behaviors may escalate the situation, requiring more significant responses to support positive behavior and maintain a conducive learning environment.

Consequences for Level Three Misconduct may include the following:

• Any appropriate disciplinary consequence from Level Two
• Class schedule change
• Administrative loss of computer
• In-school suspension
• Out-of-school suspension

Fighting
DEFINITION: Engaging in a physical altercation with another student, including actions such as hitting, punching, kicking, or other aggressive behaviors, regardless of intent to cause harm

Stealing
DEFINITION: The act of intentionally taking or possessing property belonging to another student, staff member, or the school without permission. This includes physical items, digital property, or any belongings not rightfully owned by the student.

Threat Made Towards Others
DEFINITION: Any communication or behavior by a student that indicates an intent to cause harm or danger to another individual, including peers, school staff, or others. This includes verbal statements, written messages, gestures, or electronic communications that suggest a threat to the safety of others, regardless of the medium used or whether the threat is direct or indirect.

Using or Supplying Forged Notes, Documents, or Illegal Excuses
DEFINITION: The act of creating, altering, or providing excuse notes, dismissal slips, or other official documents without proper authorization, with the intent to deceive school personnel. This includes forging a parent or guardian's signature, submitting falsified medical notes, or using unauthorized documents to justify absences or early dismissals.

Vandalism
DEFINITION: Refers to any intentional act by a student that damages, defaces, or destroys school property or the property of others.

Violence, Force, Coercion, and Intimidation
DEFINITION: Engaging in behaviors that involve physical aggression, the use or threat of force, compelling others to act against their will, or inducing fear through threats or actions.

Harassment/Sexual Harassment
DEFINITION: Unwelcome conduct that is severe, persistent, or pervasive and is intended to or has the effect of demeaning, intimidating, threatening, or creating a hostile educational environment for another student or staff member. Harassment may be verbal, physical, written, or electronic, and may be based on personal characteristics (e.g., race, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation), or be general in nature.

Smoking or Possession of Tobacco or Tobacco-related Paraphernalia
DEFINITION: Possessing or using any tobacco product, including electronic nicotine delivery systems (e.g., e-cigarettes, vapes, or lookalike items), or related paraphernalia, on school property, school buses, or at school-sponsored events.

Transmitting, Viewing, or Receiving Offensive, Obscene, or Pornographic Materials 
DEFINITION: The act of sending, sharing, accessing, possessing, or receiving any material in digital, printed, or written form, that is lewd, sexually explicit, graphically violent, or otherwise offensive in nature, while under school jurisdiction. This includes use of school or personal devices to access or distribute pornographic content, inappropriate memes or images, or sexually suggestive communications, whether intentionally or through negligent behavior.

Bullying/Cyberbullying
DEFINITION: Bullying is defined as any intentional electronic, written, verbal, or physical act, or a series of acts, directed at another student that is severe, persistent, or repeated and that:

1. Substantially interferes with a student’s education,
2. Creates a threatening or hostile school environment, or
3. Disrupts the orderly operation of the school.

Cyberbullying includes these same actions when carried out using digital technology such as text messages, social media, email, or any online platform. Bullying may occur on school property, on school vehicles, at bus stops, during school-sponsored activities, or off school grounds if it causes a significant disruption to the school environment.

Other Offenses not Listed but Fitting the Definition of Level Three Misconduct as Determined by the Administration
DEFINITION: Behaviors not explicitly specified in the Code of Conduct that, upon administrative review, are determined to cause significant disruption, emotional harm, or direct or indirect physical harm.

Repeated Level Three Misconduct
DEFINITION: Persistent or repeated serious behavioral infractions that have previously been classified as Level 3, despite interventions or consequences having been applied. These actions continue to significantly disrupt the learning environment or threaten student well-being, and thus require a more comprehensive, structured response.

Consequences for Level Four Misconduct may include the following:

• Any appropriate disciplinary consequence from Level Three
• In-school suspension
• Out-of-school suspension
• Expulsion
• Alternative school placement
• Police involvement
• Other Board action which results in appropriate placement

Extortion
DEFINITION: When a student demands or takes something (personal item, money, privilege) from another student by using threats—whether verbal, written, or implied. The threat may involve harming the victim, spreading rumors, or other forms of intimidation.

Threat to School
DEFINITION: Any communication or behavior by a student, spoken, written, gestured, electronic, or implied, that indicates an intent to cause harm to school property, staff, students, or to disrupt school operations. This includes threats of violence, bomb threats, or other warnings of planned danger that could impact the safety of the school community.

Reporting False Emergencies
DEFINITION: Deliberately making a false or fabricated claim of a threat to the school, staff, or students, through words, notes, electronic messages, or other means, knowing that no such threat exists, and causing fear, disruption, evacuation, or diversion of school or emergency resources.

Conspiracy Involving Weapons
DEFINITION: When two or more students agree to acquire, carry, use, or threaten to use a dangerous weapon on school premises such as the school building, bus, or during any school-related activity.

Assault
DEFINITION: Assault is any intentional or reckless act, verbal, physical, or gestured, that causes, attempts to cause, or threatens to cause bodily injury, fear of harm, or actual physical harm to another student, staff member, or any individual on school property or during school-sponsored activities.

Inappropriate Touch or Exposure
DEFINITION: Any intentional act by a student involving unwanted, unsolicited, or sexually suggestive physical contact, or the deliberate exposure of private body parts, in a way that violates another person's personal boundaries, sense of safety, or community standards of decency. This behavior is considered serious misconduct, regardless of intent or familiarity between parties.

Institutional Vandalism
DEFINITION: Any intentional act by a student that damages, defaces, destroys, or alters school property, property on school grounds, or property belonging to staff, or the school community. It also includes possession of items with the intent to commit vandalism.

Theft, Possession, or Sale of Stolen Property
DEFINITION: Any intentional act where a student takes, possesses, keeps, gives, sells, or uses property that belongs to another, whether a student, staff, or the school, without permission, knowing or reasonably believing that it has been stolen, with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it.

Conspiracy to Commit Theft
DEFINITION: When two or more students agree to take property belonging to another student, staff member, or the school, without permission, and take at least one overt step toward achieving that goal

Arson
DEFINITION: Any intentional or reckless act involving the use of fire or explosive devices, such as matches, lighters, fireworks, or other combustible materials, that damages, destroys, or endangers school property, person(s), or operations.

Disruptions Resulting in Endangerment
DEFINITION: Any behavior that significantly disrupts the school environment and results in, or has the potential to result in, harm or danger to the physical or emotional safety of students, staff, or others. This includes intentional or reckless acts that interfere with normal school operations and create an unsafe condition, even if no injury actually occurs.

These actions may stem from horseplay, pranks, disobedience, or aggressive behavior but are distinguished by the real or potential risk they pose to people or property.

Illegal Distribution, Reproduction, or Use of a Copyrighted Software
DEFINITION: Any student action involving unauthorized copying, sharing (including peer-to-peer), installing, or using software in violation of copyright law or licensing terms.

Using, Providing, Selling, or Possession of Over-the-Counter Medication
PLEASE NOTE: All medication must be dispensed by the school nurse

DEFINITION: Any unauthorized use, possession, distribution, or attempted sale of non-prescription (over-the-counter) medication by a student on school property, during school hours, or at any school-sponsored event. Over-the-counter medications include, but are not limited to, products such as pain relievers (e.g., Tylenol, Advil), antihistamines, cold and flu medications, cough drops, ointments, or dietary supplements.

Sale/Possession/Use of a Controlled Substance
DEFINITION: Possessing, using, being under the influence of, selling, or distributing a controlled substance (illegal drug) or related paraphernalia during the school day, school property, school bus/transportation, bus stop, or at school-sponsored events.

Possession of a Weapon 
DEFINITION: Possession or use of any weapon, such as a firearm, knife, or any object capable of causing serious harm, on school property, during school events, on school transportation.

Possession or Use of Firecrackers, Smoke Bombs, or Stink Bombs
DEFINITION: Possession, ignition, use, or distribution of devices such as firecrackers, smoke bombs, stink bombs, or similar pyrotechnic or chemical-effect items on school grounds, during school activities, or within school transportation, regardless of intent or age.

Other Offenses Violating the PA Crimes Code
DEFINITION: Any student behavior that constitutes a violation of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, even if not specifically named elsewhere in the Code of Conduct. These acts may include, but are not limited to, behaviors that result in harm to persons or property, cause significant disruption, or reflect criminal intent or recklessness while on school property, during school-sponsored events, or while under school jurisdiction.

Other offenses not Listed but Fitting the Definition of Level Four Misconduct as Determined by the Administration
DEFINITION: Any student behavior that is not specifically named in this Code of Conduct but is determined by school administration to be consistent with the severity, danger, intent, or impact of Level Four Misconduct. These behaviors involve serious threats to the safety, welfare, or orderly operation of the school community and may require immediate administrative intervention, removal from school, and/or involvement of law enforcement.