Student Code of Conduct
All students in grades K3–12 in the district must follow the Code of School/Classroom Conduct:
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In or on school district property
- At any school district activity, regardless of location
- Traveling to and from school, including on buses
Students are responsible for their own behavior and are expected to abide by the Code of Conduct, as well as by other school and classroom rules that help maintain a positive learning environment. Students will:
- Follow all district policies and the rules of their individual schools and classrooms
- Work toward academic achievement by attending school and classes regularly, bringing classroom materials including books, pencils, and paper, and completing all assigned class work.
- Respectfully communicate with all staff members at all times
- Respectfully resolve conflicts and disputes with others
- Respect the rights and property of others while going to and from school, at all school-related activities, at bus stops, and on buses
- Act responsibly with school property and replace or reimburse the school for lost or damaged school property, including books and equipment
- Refrain from making threats of violence, joking about violence, or starting rumors of violence against the school, staff, or students; such actions will be quickly and thoroughly investigated
Violations of the Code of School/Classroom Conduct that are dangerous, disruptive, or interfere with a teacher’s ability to teach effectively will not be tolerated. Students in grades K3–12 will be subject to discipline as outlined in this booklet. The school discipline plan, which contains the rules of the school and classrooms, will be sent to each parent and student by September 30 of each school year.
Discipline
MPS is committed to providing a safe and effective learning environment by recognizing that:
- Students have a right to learn, and teachers have a right to teach, in a safe and orderly environment.
- No individual or group has the right to undermine the goal of providing a quality education for all students.
Teachers, counselors, administrators, and other school personnel may take disciplinary action against MPS students who break rules. Disciplinary actions are set according to federal and state laws and MPS administrative policies.
Levels of Disciplinary Action
The goal of school discipline is to assist all students in functioning successfully in their educational and social environments, as well as to protect the school community and public property. Discipline aims to promote positive behavioral change. With this in mind, school staff, before writing a referral or issuing a suspension, will use a wide array of behavioral interventions to support students that are having behavioral difficulties that are not a direct threat to the safety of staff and students. Please refer to your school for more information about the interventions available for your child. Violations of the Code of School/Classroom Conduct come with different consequences. Below are the four levels of disciplinary action. Each violation has a minimum and maximum level of disciplinary action. In the pages that follow, levels are outlined for each offense.
Conduct and Discipline Chart for Grades K3–12
| Conduct that Violates Expectations or Code of Conduct Principles | Definition | Action Level: Minimum (Minor) | Action Level: Maximum (Major) |
|---|---|---|---|
Attendance/Punctuality |
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| Skipping class | Failure to report to class without prior permission, knowledge, or excuse by school/parent/guardian | 1 | 1 |
Learning Environment |
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| Chronic disruption or chronic violation of school rules | Repeatedly engaging in conduct that is disruptive to the school environment AND/OR interrupts learning or school activities. Multiple different interventions, documented in PLP classroom behavior AND communicated to the parent/guardian have been implemented over time and have not remediated the disruptive behavior. | 1 | 3 |
| Chronic lack of supplies | Repeatedly reporting to class lacking necessary materials such as books, physical education attire, etc. | 1 | 1 |
| Gang activity | All gang activities which include, but are not limited to, use of material, jewelry, or clothing to disrupt or intimidate others; gang posturing to provoke an altercation; engagement in gang initiation or recruitment; or any act that furthers gang membership activity | 1 | 4 |
| Inappropriate dress | Failure to comply with the school-level dress code. Dressing in a manner that is unsafe and/or disrupts the learning environment. This includes but is not limited to clothing that promotes drugs, alcohol, or profanity. | 1 | 1 |
| Inappropriate personal property | Possession of personal property that interferes with the educational environment or interrupts learning or school activities, including but not limited to: toys, toy guns, food, beverages, laser pointers, cell phones, electronic or communication devices, or any item used to cause disruption. | 1 | 3 |
| Inappropriate use of electronic communication devices | Engaging in non-educational activities in the educational environment, including but not limited to capturing, distributing, displaying, sharing, and/or posting of inappropriate images, videos, movies, and/or music from personal or school technology sources. Engaging in social media, texting, playing games, and/or streaming that disrupts the learning environment. | 1 | 4 |
| Leaving the classroom without permission | Leaving the classroom/learning environment without permission | 1 | 1 |
| Substantial environmental disruption | Engaging in conduct that causes a substantial disruption to the educational environment such that teaching, learning, and/or normal school operation cannot continue. | 1 | 4 |
Physical Safety/Mental Well-Being |
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| Attempted Battery | A physical attempt to cause bodily harm to another person without making physical contact. | 2 | 3 |
| Battery | Unprovoked intentional physical contact without consent causing bodily harm | 4 | 4 |
| Bomb threats | Reporting to school, police, or fire officials the presence of a bomb on or near school property without a reasonable belief that a bomb is present on school property | 3 | 4 |
| Bullying | Deliberate, often repetitive behavior, involving an imbalance of power, that harms or intimidates others | 1 | 3 |
| Disorderly conduct | Engaging in behavior that causes a disruption in the educational environment and/or which causes property damage or minor injury (without regard to intention) | 1 | 3 |
| Endangerment of Physical safety/mental well-being | Engaging in conduct (physical or verbal) that directly and substantially endangers the physical safety or mental well-being of others. This includes but is not limited to making false reports of an active shooter, summoning/bringing outsiders to the building to confront others, or pointing out a student to be a victim. | 3 | 4 |
| Extortion | Forcing other persons to act against their will under threat of, but not limited to, physical harm | 2 | 4 |
| False fire alarms | Reporting a fire to school or fire officials, or setting off a fire alarm without a reasonable belief that a fire exists | 2 | 4 |
| Fighting | Physical confrontation including, but not limited to, pushing, shoving, and/or exchange of physical blows | 1 | 4 |
| Gambling | Playing any game of skill or chance for anything of value | 1 | 2 |
| Hazing | Intentional or reckless acts which endanger the physical health or safety of others for the purposes of initiation/admission/affiliation with an organization | 2 | 4 |
| Loitering | Remaining around or lingering about a school building without a lawful purpose or particular purpose for being there | 1 | 1 |
| Personal threat | Direct or indirect (through another party) verbal, written, or electronic (including social media) threat to do bodily harm directed toward others | 1 | 3 |
| Possession/use of a weapon other than a firearm | Possessing, having under one’s control, using, or threatening with a weapon (such as a BB or pellet gun, starter pistol, taser, pepper spray, knife, box cutter), explosive device, or any other object that, by the way it is used, is capable of inflicting bodily harm | 4 | 4 |
| Attempted Battery | A physical attempt to cause bodily harm to another person without making physical contact. | 2 | 3 |
| Battery | Unprovoked intentional physical contact without consent causing bodily harm | 4 | 4 |
| Bomb threats | Reporting to school, police, or fire officials the presence of a bomb on or near school property without a reasonable belief that a bomb is present on school property | 3 | 4 |
| Bullying | Deliberate, often repetitive behavior, involving an imbalance of power, that harms or intimidates others | 1 | 3 |
| Disorderly conduct | Engaging in behavior that causes a disruption in the educational environment and/or which causes property damage or minor injury (without regard to intention) | 1 | 3 |
| Endangerment of Physical safety/mental well-being | Engaging in conduct (physical or verbal) that directly and substantially endangers the physical safety or mental well-being of others. This includes but is not limited to making false reports of an active shooter, summoning/bringing outsiders to the building to confront others, or pointing out a student to be a victim. | 3 | 4 |
| Extortion | Forcing other persons to act against their will under threat of, but not limited to, physical harm | 2 | 4 |
| False fire alarms | Reporting a fire to school or fire officials, or setting off a fire alarm without a reasonable belief that a fire exists | 2 | 4 |
| Fighting | Physical confrontation including, but not limited to, pushing, shoving, and/or exchange of physical blows | 1 | 4 |
| Gambling | Playing any game of skill or chance for anything of value | 1 | 2 |
| Hazing | Intentional or reckless acts which endanger the physical health or safety of others for the purposes of initiation/admission/affiliation with an organization | 2 | 4 |
| Loitering | Remaining around or lingering about a school building without a lawful purpose or particular purpose for being there | 1 | 1 |
| Personal threat | Direct or indirect (through another party) verbal, written, or electronic (including social media) threat to do bodily harm directed toward others | 1 | 3 |
| Possession/use of a weapon other than a firearm | Possessing, having under one’s control, using, or threatening with a weapon (such as a BB or pellet gun, starter pistol, taser, pepper spray, knife, box cutter), explosive device, or any other object that, by the way it is used, is capable of inflicting bodily harm | 4 | 4 |
Property |
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| Arson | Intentionally starting any fire or combustion on school property | 3 | 4 |
| Burglary | Unauthorized entry into school district property for the purpose of committing a crime, especially theft | 2 | 4 |
| Theft/possession of stolen property | Taking of property belonging to another individual, group, or entity without permission with the specific intent to permanently deprive; or being in the possession of property without permission of the owner | 1 | 4 |
| Vandalism | Maliciously and intentionally causing damage to school property or the property of others; includes situations in which minor damage can be repaired or replaced at no cost to the district | 1 | 4 |
Controlled Substances |
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| Other substances/materials | Possessing, using, or having under one’s control any substances or materials that threaten the health or safety of oneself or others | 2 | 4 |
| Possession of drug paraphernalia | Possession of a tool used to prepare, store, contain, or used to ingest, inject, or inhale a drug or controlled substance with or without drug residue | 1 | 2 |
| Possession/possession with intent to distribute/ownership/use of alcohol or illegal drugs | Possessing, possessing with intent to distribute, selling, giving away, transferring, having under one’s control, or using any alcoholic beverages, controlled substances, THC in any form, or intoxicants. *Please see the Administration of Medications page regarding the administration of prescribed medications. | 3 | 4 |
| Use of tobacco, including chewing | Use of any tobacco product by a student Use/possession of any tobacco and/or nicotine products or vape pen | 1 | 2 |
Due Process Procedures for Suspension
The principal or assistant principal will hold a conference with any students in grades K3–12 suspected of committing a breach of discipline before a decision to suspend him/her is made. In an emergency in which the school leader feels that the student’s presence in school is an immediate danger or may disrupt the school’s orderly operation, suspension may occur without a conference. In case of an emergency suspension, the parent/guardian or emergency contact person must be notified before the child is sent home. Due process during a suspension will occur as follows.
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The school administrator attempts to notify the student of the charge(s).
- If the student admits to the charge(s), the administrator determines the appropriate disciplinary action.
- If the student denies the charge(s), the school administrator will:
– Explain the evidence resulting in the charge(s)
– Decide whether the evidence will include the names of witnesses
– Give the student a reasonable opportunity to state his/her version of the story
- After reviewing the information, the school administrator will decide whether the student committed the offense. If it is decided that the student did not commit the offense, the case is closed. If the administrator decides that the student committed a violation of the Code of School/Classroom Conduct, the administrator determines the disciplinary action according to school district policies and administrative guidelines.
- If the action is suspension, it becomes effective following notification of a parent/guardian or at the end of the school day. A suspension notice is sent home with the student and mailed to the parent/guardian and contains:
– The time, date, length, and specific reason for the suspension
– Information for the parent/guardian about having the student reinstated (returned to school) and a request that the parent call the school to arrange a conference before the student is reinstated
– Notice that a suspended student cannot participate in school-related activities during/after school or on weekends
- After the suspension has been issued, the administrator creates a note in Infinite Campus and scans the original suspension notice into Infinite Campus.
- Suspended students are not to enter any MPS property during the time of suspension without prior authorization of the school administrator.
- School-based suspensions are limited to three days unless other administrative action is recommended, such as referral to the Department of Student Services or expulsion. Schools will follow up on all suspended students who do not return after three days.
- Suspended students will be given the opportunity to take any quarterly, semester or grading period examinations, or to complete course work missed during the suspension period.
MPS Family Advocate Support
MPS has a Family Advocate you may contact for support and assistance during the disciplinary process. This service is optional, but you may meet with our advocate prior to your hearing to understand what to expect. Contact Kimberly Wood, MPS family advocacy coordinator, at woodkj2@milwaukee.k12.wi.us or (414) 475-8318.
Appealing a Suspension
A parent/guardian who is dissatisfied with a suspension decision may appeal to the principal. If still dissatisfied, an appeal may be made to the Department of Student Services within five days of the principal’s final decision at (414) 475-8159.
Conference and Reinstatement Following Suspension
Following a suspension, the parent/guardian should call the school administrator to set a conference time. If you do not contact the administrator within three days of the suspension, the administrator will contact you. If you find it difficult to come to the school because of work or family responsibilities or distance from the school, the administrator will find an alternative means of conferring, such as holding the conference after school hours or by phone.
The student’s achievements and difficulties in school, will be discussed during the conference. Together, you will determine the additional steps to be taken by the school, the student, and you to guarantee the student’s success upon reinstatement (return to school). The principal may permit a child to return to school in fewer than three days if:
- The parent/guardian has conferred with a school administrator;
- The student understands and acknowledges his/her violation of the rule or Administrative Policy; and
- The student has had a good discipline and attendance record in the past.
Administrative/Disciplinary Transfers
The Department of Student Services may recommend that the superintendent or designee transfer a student to another school at any time if there is sufficient reason to do so. This is known as an administrative transfer. Reasons include discipline problems or the return of an expelled student. Special education students may not be moved by administrative/disciplinary transfers. As a rule, students are not returned to a school from which they have been transferred by the administration or expelled.
Students Expelled from Other Districts
By law (Wisconsin State Statute §120.13(1)(f)), no school district is required to enroll a student who has been expelled from another district, state, or independent charter school (if the charter or contract of the independent charter school contains the grounds for expulsion and procedural requirements in state law) during the time the expulsion is in effect. MPS will review requests from the parents of students living in the MPS district who have been expelled from other districts and wish to enroll in an MPS school. For more information, call Terry Strong, student discipline manager, at (414) 475-8037.
District Discipline Manager
In accordance with the Office of Civil Rights, Resolution Agreement #05-14-5003, MPS has designated a student discipline manager. The discipline manager shall be responsible for ensuring that the implementation of the district’s policies concerning discipline are fair and equitable. In addition, the discipline manager will address complaints from parents, guardians, students, and others regarding the implementation of the district’s disciplinary policies. For concerns or more information, contact Jon Jagemann, discipline manager, at jagemag@milwaukee.k12.wi.us or (414) 475-8645.
Police Interventions
Criminal acts by students will require police intervention. Parents will be notified if and when law enforcement officers remove their child from the building.
Seclusion and Physical Restraint
In situations as allowed by Wisconsin Statute §118.305, school officials may use seclusion and/or physical restraint only when a student’s behavior presents a clear, present, and imminent risk to the physical safety of the student or others and it is the least restrictive intervention feasible.