BULLYING
In keeping with Christian values and recognizing the value of each person we at St. John School insist on respect for each person. Harassment will not be tolerated whether it is verbal, physical, or sexual. Violations of this policy will be treated seriously. The consequence will be determined by the seriousness of the violation. The dignity of each person will be safeguarded by the administration. If a child is being harassed, please notify the teacher who will address the issue right away.
Bullying is repeated negative behavior towards another person. There are various forms of bullying; among these is physical violence and attacks, verbal taunts, name-calling and put-downs, threats and intimidation, extortion or stealing of money and possessions, and exclusion. Bullying includes repeated, overt acts by a student or group of students directed against another student with the intent to ridicule, humiliate or intimidate the other student. Behaviors may appear “innocent” to others; yet if are unwanted and continuous, such behaviors constitute bullying. Some examples are repeatedly saying one’s name throughout the day, poking the victim, and invading one’s personal space and/or possessions. Any form of bullying behavior on school property or at school-sponsored events if forbidden. Not only is this in accordance with state law- it is in accordance with God’s Law. St. John School, with the values it represents, should be a place where every student feels comfortable. The following are guidelines for dealing with bullying:
1. Students may, even anonymously, report acts of bullying by leaving notes on any teacher’s desk, on the librarian’s desk, on the school secretary’s desk, and in the principal’s mailbox outside of her office. Such notes may also be given to the pastor of St. John Church.
2. Parents may come to the office to fill in St. John School’s suspected bullying report.
3. School staff, teachers and volunteers on duty is to notify the principal if they witness acts of bullying or receive reports about bullying.
4. The principal will investigate acts of suspected bullying brought to her attention by staff, filed reports and anonymous reports. After investigating, the principal will notify the parents of children named in the situation and what the results of the investigation are. Should the accused be guilty of bullying, the principal will determine the consequence.
RESPECT/MANNERS
Respecting others and displaying good manners is important in fulfilling our Lord’s command to love one another. Students are expected to demonstrate the following:
1. Greet staff members and peers in the hallway, saying “good morning” and “good afternoon.”
2. Stand when an adult enters the classroom and greet the adult.
3. Don’t interrupt others when they are talking.
4. Assist those who drop things by picking them up.
5. Offer to carry items for adults.
6. Hold the door open for adults.
7. Stand when the national anthem is playing and show respect to the flag and religious symbols.
8. Do not make negative comments about a person’s appearances, speech, work, athletic skills, bag lunch, etc.
9. Wash hands before and after meals, after using the bathroom.
10. Avoid talking with the mouth full.
11. Pick up food that falls to the floor; sweep crumbs onto the lunch tray or in the lunch bag.
12. Don’t shout or run indoors.
CARE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY, BOOKS, EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS
Students are responsible for the proper care of school property. This includes the school grounds, school building, furniture, and school materials. Students and their parents are expected to make restitution for any damage to school property, including the loss or damage to textbooks and library books. All books are to be covered, and students are to keep the covers in good condition. Books must be carried to and from school in a closed book bag. Students are also expected to show respect for the belongings of other students. Glass items are not to be brought to school. If your child brings drinks to school, please be sure they are not in glass containers.
Deliberate destructive behavior toward property will be deserving of punishment. Parents will be notified if vandalism of any kind takes place.
General supplies, i.e., notebooks, math and writing journals, paper, pencils, glue, crayons, etc. must be provided by the parent or guardian.
Grades 3 –5 are required to use the Catholic assignment pad that will be distributed by the teachers. These are to be paid for by the parents. Teachers will send home a notice stating the fee.
Students will be charged five cents per day for overdue library books.
Schoolbooks, which are the property of the school, must be properly covered, preferably with brown paper bags or book socks... Adhesive covers, tape, etc. are not to be used. Students are to have a school bag or back pack in which to carry their books and papers. Any books belonging to St. John School that are lost or damaged will be billed to the parents.
Lockers are school property. Students in grades one through four are not to have personal items in their lockers. No decorations may be placed inside or outside of lockers. Exceptions are magnets and mirrors for students in grades five through eight. Every First Friday of the month lockers are to be emptied and cleaned.
Rolling backpacks may only be used by students. Rolling backpacks MUST fit in the lockers so that the doors close perfectly. When purchasing a rolling backpack, please remember that the locker dimensions in the new wing are 9.5 inches by 11 inches.
In the old wing students in grades seven and eight keep their backpacks in their lockers. The measurements of the old wing lockers are 8.5” x 15.5”. Grade Six students keep their backpacks in the classroom closets.
St. John School cannot be responsible for personal property which is brought to school and is not responsible for lost articles. Your child’s name should be put on the inside of his/her school bag, lunch box, sweaters and jackets, uniforms, pants, shirts, etc. Lost and found items will be placed in the lost and found container in the office. If not claimed, such items will be disposed of in a timely manner determined by the principal according to his/her discretion.
“Students shall not possess or use any remotely activated paging device, cellular mobile telephones or any electronic communication devices while on school property, on school transportation, or while participating in a school sponsored activity. The principal may grant written permission under extraordinary circumstances for the possession and use of a paging device and/or cellular mobile telephone. A student who is discovered to be in possessions of a paging device or cellular mobile telephone without written approval shall be reported to the building principal who shall confiscate the device and contact the parent/guardian. Repeated violations shall result in confiscation of the device and its forfeiture to the school” (Diocesan policy 5131.9).
LAVATORIES
Lavatories are NOT a place for fooling around or talking. Students must have the teacher’s permission in order to be excused from class. All classes have a regular lavatory time during the recess period. Anyone misbehaving in the lavatories will receive a consequence.
RECESS
The playground rules are as follows:
Hanging Gym-
What is allowed- hanging by hands and feet (legs); hand over hand through bars and triangles
What isn't allowed- walking, sitting or standing on top of bars; going through the triangle pieces; hanging by legs or feet alone on triangles; running (tag) through bars and/or on chipped area
Under five years old need written parental permission to use this hanging gym
Swings-
Allowed- reasonable height, straight swinging
Not allowed- climbing on swing bars; crooked/twisted swinging; upside down/on stomachs or backs/leaning backward/forward; flipping swings up and over bars
Damage to swings must be reported.
Grades pre-K through 5 may use the swings (even then, those who are "too big" or abuse the swings will not be allowed to swing)
Slide- may only be used while sitting, facing forward. NO-ONE may go down the slide any other way nor walk up it. Students may not push the students ahead of them. It is advisable that girls where shorts under their jumpers/skirts.
Pre-K/K Equipment- for use by 2 – 5 year olds
Field Play-
Allowed- touch only games of tag, soccer, whiffle ball
ONLY grades 6, 7, 8 may play touch football with teacher supervision
Not allowed- tackling kicking (each other), tumbling, holding on, wrestling, being on ground, football
Blacktop Games-
Allowed- 4 Square, dodge ball (with supervision), kickball, whiffle ball (plastic only), catch with tennis ball and/or playground ball, basketball
Not allowed- hardballs, bats, hockey sticks, Lacrosse sticks, throwing balls against the building (wall ball), throwing balls above the waist (dodge ball)
Grades 6, 7, 8-
Not allowed on swings, slide or climbing gym
Otherwise all other games and rules pertain to them as well.
Students are to stay away from the Jersey barriers.
BIRTHDAYS
Cookies, cupcakes, or popsicles for the classmates of the birthday child are to be left in the office by the parent or brought to the classroom by the child; please do not go to your child’s classroom. The birthday treats will be distributed at the discretion of the teacher. Other types of treats will be sent home. Due to allergy concerns, absolutely NO peanut products may be included. Food treats for birthdays may not be sent/brought to the cafeteria/recess, even by parents who are volunteering in the school that day. All parties in the school are prohibited unless approved by both the principal and teacher. Please do not bring in items other than cookies, cupcakes or popsicles as a “surprise.” Invitations to parties at the child’s home are not to be distributed in school. Experience has shown that some children have been hurt through exclusion.
DETENTION/SUSPENSION/EXPULSION
Detention is given for offenses that go against the grain of common courtesy. Pupils are always given notice of a detention period. Detentions will be given based on age and grade appropriateness. If a child is given a detention, parents are asked to sign the detention slip and return it to school the following morning. It is the responsibility of the parents to arrange transportation for the students detained.
Detention notices may be issued for, but not limited to, any of the following infractions of school conduct.
• Repeated disobedience.
• Chewing gum.
• Cheating on any work.
• Disrespect for faculty members, classmates, or anyone giving service at St. John School.
• Destruction of, misuse of, or defacing property that belongs to St. John School or the property of others.
• Using vulgar language (written or verbal) or making improper gestures.
• Not following the dress code, after one warning
• Unexcused tardiness - or excessive tardiness
• Failure to complete assignments satisfactorily and on time.
• Failure to observe classroom rules.
• Failure to return a signed detention slip the first school day that comes the day after the detention is issued.
• Inappropriate behavior in the cafeteria.
• Lying to a staff member about behavior in school, school work, etc.
• Rough games that risk injury to students or damage to their clothes.
• Hitting, kicking, pushing a student.
• Misconduct on the bus, or a bus stops, or in car line
• Bringing electronic devices to school without having had both the principal and teacher sign the school electronic device
permission form
SUSPENSION
Suspension means that a student is excluded from classes for a given period of time. During this time, the student is expected to be under the supervision of the parents. The student is given assignments that are to be completed and handed in on his/her return to school. During the suspension, the student is not to be in the school, on the school premises, or at school functions.
In some cases, a student may be given “in-school suspension.” In such cases, the student would be doing assignments away from his/her classroom and not allowed to be with classmates. Suspension will be based on age and grade appropriateness.
Actions that can result in suspension, include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Frequent repetitions of the above listed infractions that result in detention.
• Bringing lewd or pornographic material to school, e.g. books, magazines, photos, etc.
• Fighting on St. John School grounds (depends on age and grade level)
• Bringing to school or having on one’s person tobacco products and/or drug paraphernalia.
• Repeated disobedience or failure to observe school policies.
• Possession of matches, lighters, firecrackers, or other potentially dangerous materials; this includes empty gun shells, or BB
pellets.
Threatening harm to oneself or to others will be taken seriously. This includes verbal or written threats.
SMOKING, USE OF ALCOHOL, USE OF DRUGS OR ANY POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS MATERIALS (matches, fireworks, etc.) at a school activity, on school grounds, or at a school function of any kind will result in suspension or expulsion depending upon the gravity of the offense. The proximity of graduation will not exempt a student from punishment.
Expulsion means that a student is permanently put out of the school and is thereafter not expected to be found in the school, on the school premises, or at any school function.
The decision of the principal and pastor to expel a student, based on student behavior, or any of the listed infractions for suspension can result in expulsion from St. John Catholic School.
In addition, the following infraction could result in expulsion:
• Bringing to school or having on one’s person any controlled substance, drugs, narcotics, drug paraphernalia, or alcoholic drinks.
• Violence toward faculty, staff or fellow students.
• Bringing to school or having on one’s person any type of facsimile of a weapon or an item that could be used as a weapon.
TELEPHONE
Please notify the office if your phone number or address at home or work is changed or if the one you listed for emergencies has changed. It is very important that the school has on file the current telephone number, cell phone numbers and address for all students. .
Students may use the phone only for emergencies. This does not include forgotten items, e.g., homework, reports, permission slips, lunch and/or gym clothes.
Please take care of arranging transportation before coming to school. It is very disruptive to the office staff, teachers and students to interrupt the day to relay changes of transportation messages.
In like manner, a parent who wishes to speak to a teacher should leave his/her phone number for the teacher to call with the secretary.