Students shall comply with all federal, state and local laws, school district policies, school rules, school bus rules, athletic codes, parking regulations and with the directions of teachers, student teachers, substitute teachers, educational assistants, secretaries, bus drivers, principals or other authorized school personnel when they are properly under the authority of school personnel.
Any conduct which materially and substantially interferes with the educational process is prohibited. The following list of offenses generally describes such conduct, but is not intended to be exclusive. Each is specifically prohibited on school grounds, on school sponsored transportation, and at school events off school grounds and each will lead to corrective action. Conduct marked with an asterisk (*) is designated as exceptional misconduct and has been judged following consultation with an ad hoc citizens committee to be (a) of such frequent occurrence, notwithstanding past attempts to control such misconduct with other forms of corrective action, or (b) so serious in nature and/or so serious in terms of the disruptive effect upon the operation of the school, that students may be subject to suspension for a first-time offense, and to expulsion if there is good reason to believe other forms of corrective action would fail if employed. Administrative discretion is allowed on each individual case, and law enforcement may be informed in appropriate cases.
- Alcohol - The use, attempted use, possession, distribution or sale of alcoholic substances.
- Arson - Intentional burning of property.
- Backpacks - Student may use backpack to carry belongings to and from school lockers. Teachers have the right to refuse backpacks within the classroom due to space or safety reasons. Students will need to keep backpacks in their locker upon teacher request.
- Bandana’s - Bandana’s shall not be worn or visible in all school buildings - including ag buildings and including all extra-curricular activities.
- Bullying/Harassment - Unwelcome, intentional conduct written, electronic, verbal or physical, either sexual or non-sexual, that is directed toward another person, as outlined in District Policy No. 3207, 3210 and 6590.
- Bus - Not following bus rules. Students riding Finley School buses are governed by all the rules stated in the handout which is provided to them annually by the bus drivers.
- Cheating - Is handled by each teacher under consultation with the Principal.
- Dancing - "Dirty Dancing" will not be allowed at school sponsored dances. Students will be sent home after first offense and will not be refunded the price of admission to the dance.
- Defiance - Refusal to comply with reasonable requests of school personnel.
- Destruction or Defacement of Property - Destroying or mutilating objects and materials belonging to the school, school personnel, or other persons. The school will bill students for the total cost including labor for repair of damage.
- Disorderly Conduct/Disrupting the Educational Process - Conduct and/or behavior which is disruptive to the orderly educational procedure of the school (including profanity and obscene behavior).
- Drugs - The use (including inhalation), attempted use, possession, distribution or sale of any illegal substance, narcotic or hallucinogenic drug, noxious inhalant, drug paraphernalia, look alike drugs, prescription drug prescribed to another, or any item purported to be such.
- Electronic Devices - Including, but not limited to, cell phones, iPods, pagers, lasers, etc. are allowed in the commons area and hallways. Individual teachers will determine the use of electronic devices in his/her classroom. They are subject to confiscation for the day or longer.
- Explosive Devices - The use, possession, or sale of explosive devices, such as firecrackers.
- Extortion - The solicitation of money, or something of value, from another person in return for protection or in connection with a threat or implied threat to inflict harm
- Failure to Follow Assessment Recommendations - When a student is determined to have been possessing, using or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs on campus, an assessment by a certified substance abuse counselor may be required by the school. If the student fails to implement or complete the resulting recommendations and program, this is an additional discipline infraction.
- Fighting - Engaging in or threatening physical contact for the purpose of inflicting harm on another person.
- Forgery - Writing and using the signature or initials of another person for any school purpose.
- Gambling - Participating in games of chance for the purpose of exchanging money.
- Hallway Infractions - Students are not to be in the halls during a class period without a valid pass.
- Bandana’s - Bandana’s shall not be worn or visible in all school buildings - including ag buildings and including all extra-curricular activities.
- Highly Inappropriate Behavior - Behaving in an unsafe manner, making threats, speaking inappropriately to school personnel/visitors and/or participating in verbal/physical harassment.
- Physical Assault - Physical attack of one person, or a group of persons, upon another person, who does not wish to engage in the conflict and who has not provoked the attack.
- Public Display of Affection - Students, during the course of the regular school day, including activities, shall limit their public display of affection to that which is considered appropriate for public school. Embracing and kissing are not acceptable on public school premises.
- Search - refusal or avoidance of search can result in the consequence for the initial infraction.
- Sexual Harassment - Unwelcome conduct, either sexual or non-sexual, that is directed toward a person because of that person’s gender. Prohibited sexual harassment occurs when: (1) submitting to the harasser’s sexual demands is a stated or implied condition of admission to the school; (2) submission to or rejection of sexual demands is the basis of an academic or other school-related decision affecting the student; or (3) unwelcome sexual or other gender-based conduct interferes with a student’s performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive school environment. Complete policy is posted in each building.
- Skateboards - Skateboarding is not allowed on campus. Skateboards should not be brought to school.
- Smoking/Tobacco - The use, attempted use, possession, distribution or sale of tobacco, tobacco products, vape pens, or E-cigarettes of any kind on school property. Non-tobacco chew or snuff will be treated the same as tobacco for sanitation reasons.
- Sunglasses - Sunglasses should not be worn in the school buildings, including the ag buildings. To be an exception to this, students must bring a doctor's note verifying they have a medical condition which requires sunglasses to be worn inside.
- Tardiness - Arriving up to ten (10) minutes late to class.
- Theft - Taking property that doesn’t belong to you.
- Unexcused Absence and/or Truancy - Anything over ten (10) minutes will be considered an absence. An unexcused absence is any absence which has not been both excused by a parent or legal guardian and approved by the appropriate school official.
- Vehicles - The inappropriate use of any vehicle on school property.
- Verbal Abuse - Statements which intimidate or injure another.
- Verbal Abuse of Staff - Statements which intimidate, are vulgar, or are swearing will not be tolerated towards any staff members. This includes volunteers and substitute staff members.
- Violation of Closed Campus - Once a student arrives at school, he/she is prohibited from leaving the campus until after his/her last class of the day. Students will not be allowed to go off campus at any time during their school day, under any circumstances, unless parent/guardian is notified or parent/guardian notifies the school before student leaves campus. Students are not allowed to leave campus for lunch.
- Weapons - The possession, use, transmission, or transporting of any object that could reasonably be considered a firearm, air gun, nunchaku stick, throwing star, club, dagger, spring blade knife, or any knife the blade of which opens, or falls, or is ejected into position by gravity, or by an outward, downward or centrifugal thrust or movement or any other dangerous weapon; and the possession of any exploding item or device that would be capable of producing bodily harm, damage to property or disruption of the educational process. Parents and Benton County Sheriff's Office will be notified when a student is found to be in possession of any of the above items. Educational House Bill 1581 (Firearms) mandates a one-year expulsion for students who possess firearms on school grounds or at school events. This bill also allows districts to suspend students for one full year “if a student acts with malice and displays an instrument that appears to be a firearm on public school property, transportation, or other facilities when being used exclusively by public schools.