Glens Falls High and Middle School Code of Conduct

Overview and Definitions

The intent of this Code of Conduct is to promote responsible behavior that creates an orderly and safe school environment. It is the belief of Glens Falls High School that everyone in our community must strive toward contributing to this goal. The objective is to develop a moral school community based on:

  • Responsible Behavior – Use self-control in your actions and language
  • Mutual Respect – Treat yourself and others with care and consideration
  • Concern For Others – Be truthful, honest and fair in your dealings with others
  • Cooperation – Listen and work together to make a positive contribution
  • Personal Excellence – Put forth your best effort in whatever you attempt

Students are representatives of Glens Falls High School and are expected to maintain themselves at a high level of behavior at all times.

Rules for student conduct and discipline have been adopted by the Board of Education (BOE). Such rules are stated, explained, and distributed to all students at the beginning of the school year or at the time of initial enrollment in the school district. These standards of conduct do not infringe upon the constitutional rights of students. The standards include prohibited student conduct and the range of penalties that may be imposed for such misconduct. 

Staff members and/or administrators use the discipline guidelines when handling student discipline cases. They outline the type and degree of penalty that may be applied to each different type of case. The penalties range from being restricted to study hall for a minor offense to Superintendent’s suspension from school for serious or repeated offenses. They are intended to be general guidelines. More specific information for each infraction can be found in the handbook under the proper heading. 

Definitions

For purpose of this code, the following definitions apply:

Disruptive Studentmeans a student under the age of 21 who is substantially disruptive of the educational process or substantially interferes with the teacher’s authority over the classroom. 

Parentmeans the biological, adoptive or foster parent, guardian or person in parental relation to a student. 

School Propertymeans in or within any building, structure, athletic playing fields, playgrounds, parking lot or land contained within the real property boundary line of a public elementary, middle or secondary school, or in or on a school bus, as defined in Vehicle and Traffic Law 142. 

Student Functionmeans any school-sponsored extracurricular event or activity. 

Violent Student – means a student under the age of 21 who:
1. Commits an act of violence upon a school employee.
2. Commits, while on school property or at a school function, an act of violence upon another student or any other person lawfully on school property or at a school function.
3. Possesses while on school property or at a school function a weapon.
4. Displays, while on school property or at a school function, what appears to be a weapon.
5. Threatens, while on school property or at a school function, to use a weapon.
6. Knowingly and intentionally damages or destroys the personal property of any school employee or any person lawfully on school property or at a school function.
7. Knowingly and intentionally damages or destroys school district property.

Weaponmeans a firearm as defined in 18 USC 921 for purposes of the Gun Free Schools Act. It also means any other gun, dagger, dirk, razor, stiletto, switchblade knife, gravity knife, brass knuckles, slingshot, metal knuckle knife, box cutters, cane sword, electronic dart gun, Kung Fu star, electronic stun gun, pepper spray, or other noxious spray, explosive or incendiary bomb, ammunition, imitation ammunition or exploding substances, or other device, instrument, material or substance that can cause serious physical injury or death when used as a weapon. 

A person is guilty of criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds when he or she knowingly has in his or her possession a rifle, shotgun, or firearm in or upon a building or grounds, used for educational purposes, of any school.