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Audrey Karr

Grand Canyon University

EAD-513

Dr. Carlson

November 25, 2020

 
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Student Code of Conduct

A student code of conduct must be designed to fit the schools educational and cultural

values.  There must be mutual agreement with staff members and the behavioral policies set

forth.  This will create more teacher retention and student learning because teachers have a say in

their school improvement plan and school wide outcomes (Sprick & Knight, 2018). 

Student Code of Conduct Background

Elko County School District is in the northeastern corner of Nevada and is considered the

fourth largest geographical county in the United States (Elko County School District, 2020).

Southside Elementary in Elko, Nevada is in a rural area on the southside of town, known as the

low-income district and is the largest elementary school in the county serving students from

kindergarten to fourth grade. The population is over 730 students with 80% of the students being

Hispanic.  This is a Title I, 4-star school that services majority of the students who are

transported to Boys and Girls Club. Administration works heavily with parting groups like

Communities in Schools and many church organizations to help bring in extra clothing, food and

classes giving parents the opportunity to learn the English language. 

Student Code of Conduct Values Statement

The values listed below for a student code of conduct it based off the culture of the school, the

teacher’s reflections and parental input.

Responsibility

All students will be responsible for their own actions and choices in school with the

guidance of the progressive discipline plan created for the school.  Students will learn the school-

wide expectations, which they help build and be a role model for all students to look up to. 
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Being prepared for school every day and communicating with parents is another role taking

responsibility.

Respectful

All students will be respectful to each other, staff, community leaders and anyone who

enters the building.  They will not only recite the school mission statement but also know the

value and meaning behind each word: RESPECTFUL, RESPONSIBLE and DOING YOUR

BEST.  Students should show respect throughout all locations of the school: classrooms,

hallways, bathrooms, playgrounds, specials, along with before and after school locations. 

Students will be taught the correlation with respectful behavior is responsible behavior.  Treating

others how they want to be treated is the overall lesson learned.

Collaboration

Working together to provide a safe and enjoyable learning environment is a team effort.

Students and staff will come together and learn from each other, work together and take

responsibility in being respectful to all learning partners. They will find new ways to collaborate

with one another from teacher to teacher and student to student.  Coming together collectively

creates a positive atmosphere and productivity (University of Washington, 2020).

Equity and Fairness

Providing an equitable education to all students is a priority.  Learning for all means

every student's instructional level will be based on each student's needs to succeed. Fairness is

providing a quality of education to all students. Teachers will tailor their lessons to exceed

student challenges and support student struggles to help lessen the achievement gaps.  

Excellence
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The school will set high standards that are achievable for all students and staff.  Teachers

will provide quality educational tools that demonstrate effective instructional practices to help

increase student comprehension, background knowledge, vocabulary and deliver increased data

results in assessment scores. The school will also have social, emotional, physical and mental

health resources available for students to increase awareness and overall importance of student

health while in school.

Using the core values mentioned above, the following student behavioral expectations

promote positive behaviors within the school culture that align to the school’s mission statement.

All students will be responsible for their own actions and choices in school.

All students will be respectful to each other, staff and community leaders who enter the building.

All students will actively work with their peers and teachers to create a positive learning

environment.

All students will get the most out of their learning by putting in their best efforts.

All students can achieve success. 

  Student Code of Conduct Topics

Protecting the welfare and safety of students and staff is a top priority at Southside

Elementary.  Stakeholders take pride in showing how they reach out, make themselves available

and use their community resources to support all individuals in the school setting. The following

topics would be found in the school’s handbook to create unity and awareness to the school’s

culture and values.   

Attendance/ Tardy/ Truancies

Students need to know the importance of being in school every day and on time. Skipping

school is not an option and consequences will be given if students do not comply.  Learning

happens when students are in school and a quality education isn’t a wish, it’s a necessity for all. 

Bully/Harassment/ Intimidation Policy

The Elko County School District believes that every child should be able to learn without

any physical, emotional or verbal threats.  The district makes it clear that no child will partake in

bullying, cyber-bullying, harassment or intimidation.  Any person who is a victim of this is to

contact the teacher and administrator to get the problem solved immediately (Elko County

School District, 2020).

Discipline Procedures

All staff and students have school wide expectations that align with the school’s mission

statement for being respectful, responsible and doing their best. There are examples of this

displayed all around the school.   Students who choose to break the rules will be required to

follow the positive behavioral interventions in connection to the PBIS program which was

developed by staff and students. 

Daily Work/ Homework

Students are required to complete the work that is given in class by their teacher.  Any

work that is not completed throughout the day is considered homework or if a student is absent,

they must make up their work at home. Students are not given “busy work” for homework;

therefore, the work assigned is important to every child's learning and must be done to the best of

their ability.  Work that is sent home will always be in addition to what is being taught in class

and never a new concept. 

Recess
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Recess is an important part of learning because it gives children brain breaks and helps

students rejuvenate their thoughts. While at recess students need to make sure they have been

taught playground expectations, manners while playing with other students, using the school

norms for sharing equipment and taking care of school property.

Student Expectations: Lunchroom/ Hallway/ Bathroom/ Playground

These expectations were derived by teachers and students and can be found all around the

school.  They are discussed in the classrooms daily and will be modeled by all students at school,

always.  Students who do not follow these expectations will be asked to practice them in front of

their teachers and peers to show they understand what they mean.

Personal Belongings

Students need to keep their personal toys, games and sports equipment at home.  The

school will provide these items for students to borrow. The school cannot be liable for lost or

stolen items.  

Narrative

Determining how to put together the student code of conduct based on using student

needs and safety factors required reflections based off personal experiences through the school’s

current policies. As an upcoming leader, it has been important to observe current administration

decisions, researching district and school policies and being a part of many meetings that relate

to student learning environments, educational outcomes and the safety of students.  This has

helped narrow down the focus for creating the code of conduct. If it is going to be written for

students who walk the halls on a daily basis and live in this school's culture, then the values must

be something every student believes in and can inspire to be every day.  Students are like
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teachers in that they too need support strategies like training, coaching and monitoring when

learning school expectations. (Sprick & Knight, 2018 p. 52). 

Training students to learn new expectations takes time. They need to read it, understand it

and identify the keys parts in the code of conduct to becoming successful. This includes

modeling examples of responsible, respectful, collaboration, equity/fairness and excellence so

that students can share their knowledge with others.

Coaching students through this process is going to take experience choosing what is right

or wrong and then reflecting on personal actions.  Students need to see how other students

positively identify with the code of conduct, but they also need to see what it should not look like

to learn what happens when values are not respected.  Some of the best lessons come from

making poor choices or witnessing bad decisions.

Modeling is tied with training students, but once students have mastered what the

school’s values mean to them, it is important that they teach other, especially the younger ones,

how to follow school rules. It creates collaboration with other students, holds students

accountable to listen while learning, teaches students how to be socially responsible when

speaking, respectful to the school’s mission and shows what equity stands for. 

Solving discipline issues is about knowing what type of climate and culture staff and

students are working in.  Determining behaviors, actions, mood, morale, safety and perception

will give incite as to what the challenges are and how to go about bringing out the good

experiences to create more consistency.  This will lead to cohesiveness, motivation and

engagement which will reflect through the school community ( Miller Lieber & Tissiere, 2015 p.

48).
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A consistent approach to student conduct requires intense conversations and time spent

sharing beliefs and understandings of what students are expected to do.  All opinions need to be

valued but focusing on the needs of the school’s cultural differences is the ultimate goal.

Students will then feel supported, respected and protected. These qualities are what make goals

attainable (Anderson, 2018, p. 33).  

References

Anderson, M. (2018).  Getting CONSISTENT with Consequences.  Educational Leadership,

(76)1, 26-33.

Elko County School District (2020).  Schools. https://ecsdnv.net/schools

Miller Lieber, C., and Tissiere, M. (2015).  Recalibrating Climate, Culture, and Discipline. 

Principal Leadership, (16)2, 46-51

Sprick, R., & Knight, J. (2018). INVOLVING TEACHERS in Schoolwide Behavior Policy: For

your overall student behavior management strategy to work, give teachers a voice--and

some autonomy--in the process. Educational Leadership, 76(1), 48–53

University of Washington (2020).  Community Standards and Student Conduct: Values. 

https://www.washington.edu/cssc/misson-statement/vision-values/