Student/Parent Handbook LCHS 2021-2022

Policies and Procedures

The Virtue of Discipline

Safety

The Liberty Common School has a safety task force and emergency safety procedures. An Emergency Management Plan is available for review in the front office. In order to ensure the safe management of your child, each family must complete an Emergency Contact Form. This form must be updated whenever there is a change in address, home or work phone numbers, or emergency contacts. It is vital that parents keep the school office up-to-date with this information in case of personal or school emergencies.

Statements on this page accord with those found in the Student/Parent Handbook.

Liberty Common High School will follow the Poudre School District’s Code of Conduct with the following emphases:


Dog Policy

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Basic Behavioral Expectations

All students attending Liberty Common High School (grades 7-12) are expected to be well behaved at all times, respecting themselves, others, and property. Our philosophy toward discipline is that discipline policies and procedures should provide guidance and direction of acceptable behavior with the goal of developing a scholar’s own sense of self-discipline. LCHS affirms that “effective student discipline is a prerequisite for good, educational, proactive, and productive learning.” (PSD Code of Conduct and Discipline).

Sports & Equipment Rules

Equipment

• Equipment must be used in the manner for which it is intended.
• Tag, pushing, shoving, chasing, wrestling or other horseplay is not allowed on or near any school or physical-education equipment unless directly related to and a function of classroom instruction.
• Hanging on, swinging from or climbing on athletic goals or legs of other equipment is not allowed.
• Please respect P.E. equipment and do not use it without permission.

Sports

• Observe a “Hands-Off” policy. Grabbing, holding, tackling, tagging, hitting, or wrestling is not allowed.

Student Code of Conduct

• Liberty Common High School students will adhere in their behavior to the following standards:

Gratitude

Students will exercise Gratitude by. . .

1. Remaining in their seats until dismissed. The teacher, not the bell, dismisses students.
2. Following all reasonable requests made by adults on the premises with a positive attitude. Each student is expected to cooperate with and respect staff and peers, including administrators, teachers, secretaries, custodians and any other people working in the school.
3. Not littering or misusing school property. Especially during lunch, students must pick up all trash and food and dispose of it properly.
4. Obtaining permission from the Principal to attend school activities (including but not limited to dances and sports events) when he or she has been absent from school on the day of the activity.

Prudence

Students will exercise Prudence by. . .

1. Attending school consistently, being on time and taking responsibility for making up work promptly when absent. Each student will bear the responsibility for his or her own conduct. Each student will respect the educational process and learning environment of others by attending class, being prepared and arriving on time.
2. Not throwing or kicking rocks, gravel, dirt, snow, or inappropriate objects on school grounds. Making giant snowballs is not allowed.
3. Not bringing electronic devices (CD players, radios, games, etc.) to school. They will be confiscated until the end of the year. Palm Pilots will be allowed with approval from Principal for school purposes only (such as recording assignments and test dates). Cell phones may be used only to contact parents after school. Cell phones are not to be used during regular school hours, and are to remain turned off in a locker or backpack and not to be visibly seen. Acceptability of other electronic devices is at the discretion of the teachers and administration. Each student will respect the school’s learning environment and will not interfere with the ability of other students to learn.

Temperance

Students will exercise Temperance by. . .

1. Following the Dress Code.
2. Walking quietly in the halls while classes are in session.
3. Refraining from using threats or intimidation against any other person.
4. Communicating in an acceptable tone of voice.
5. Refraining from profanity and other disrespectful attitudes towards teachers and peers.

Justice

Students will exercise Justice by. . .

1. Follow lunchroom, school grounds, field trip, lab, and individual classroom rules. Each student is expected to follow school rules when participating in school-related events.
2. Refraining from hiding, stealing, or playing Keep-Away with another student’s clothing or other belongings; bullying, intimidating, chasing, or pulling on another student’s clothing is not allowed.
3. Showing respect for others, for self, and for property.
4. Respect the health and safety of others, follow all safety rules, and refrain from using tobacco, alcohol or other illegal substances.

Fortitude

Bullying

Bullying, intimidating, chasing, handling or pulling on another student’s clothing is not allowed. When it does occur, students and staff are required to adhere to the following protocol:

1. Ask the person who is physically or verbally harassing you to stop. Don’t joke around or make light of it. Look the person directly in the eye and state that you would like him or her to stop that behavior.
2. That student now has two choices. He or she can stop the behavior or continue it. If the behavior stops, that problem has been eliminated.
3. If the problem persists, the student has to have the character to do what is right. This means reporting the problem to someone in control. This usually means the classroom teacher.
4. The teacher then should address the problem with the student and the student’s parents. Expectations should be clearly defined for the student doing the harassing.
5. If the harassing continues, this will then become a concern of the Principal. They should be informed of the history of the situation and then establish a behavior contract with the student.
6. If the student does not adhere to the behavior contract, then he or she is subject to In School Detentions, Out-of-School Suspensions, or eventually an Expulsion may occur.

Bullying is the use of coercion to obtain control over another person or to be habitually cruel to another person. Bullying can occur through written, verbal or electronically transmitted expression or by means of a physical act or gesture.

Bullying is prohibited on school property, at school-sanctioned activities and events, when students are being transported in any vehicle dispatched by the school, or off school property when such conduct has a nexus to a school curricular or non-curricular activity or event.

A student who engages in any act of bullying is subject to appropriate disciplinary action including but not limited to suspension, expulsion and/or referral to law enforcement authorities. The severity and pattern, if any, of the bullying behavior shall be taken into consideration when disciplinary decisions are made.

Cyber-Bullying

Liberty’s electronic devices, computer networks, or other property, whether accessed on campus or off, during or after school hours, may not be used for the purpose of harassment. All forms of harassment over the Internet, commonly referred to as “cyberbullying,” are unacceptable and viewed as a violation of Liberty’s acceptable
computer-use policy and procedures.

Malicious use of Liberty’s computer system to develop programs or to institute practices that harass other users or gain unauthorized access to any entity on the system and/or damage the components of an entity on the network is prohibited. Users are responsible for the appropriateness of the material they transmit over the system.

Hate mail, harassment, discriminatory remarks or other antisocial behaviors are expressly prohibited. Cyberbullying includes, but is not limited to the following misuses of school technology: Harassing, teasing, intimidating, threatening or terrorizing another person by sending or posting inappropriate and hurtful e-mail messages, instant messages, text messages, digital pictures or images, or website postings, including blogs. It is also recognized that the author (poster or sender) of inappropriate material is often disguised (logged on) as someone else.

Students and community members who believe they have been the victim of such misuses of Liberty-owned technology, as described herein, should not erase the offending material from the system. A copy of the material should be printed or otherwise preserved and brought to the attention of the Principal.

For situations in which cyberbullying originates from a non-school computer, and is brought to the attention of school officials, any disciplinary action shall be based upon whether the conduct is determined to be severely disruptive of the educational process so that it markedly interrupts or severely impedes the day‑to-day operations of the school and is in violation of a publicized school policy. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, threats, or making a threat off school grounds, to harm an employee, student or Member of the Board of Directors of The Liberty Common School.

Disciplinary action may include, but is not limited to, loss of computer privileges, detention, suspension or expulsion for verified perpetrators of cyberbullying.

Always feel free to confer with the Principal if you have any questions or concerns.

Students possess the right of privacy as well as freedom from unreasonable search and seizure as guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This individual right, however, is balanced by the school’s responsibility to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all its students and to ensure compliance with school rules. School employees (usually administrators) may conduct searches of property or person when they have reason to suspect the health, safety, or welfare of students or staff may be endangered.

Liberty is not responsible for loss, theft, or breakage of items brought to school.

Minor infractions are generally handled by a student’s classroom teacher, but may also involve a school administrator.  Any time a student is required to see a school administrator, a learning opportunity arises, involving one or more of the school’s Capstone Virtues (see the article on School Discipline in What Every Liberty Parent Needs to Know).  Every student is encouraged to be responsible for his or her own actions, and students are instructed to share the incident with their parents.  If and when necessary, the interaction between the student and the school administrator may be followed up with an in-person conference, a phone call, and/or written communication with the parents as soon as possible. 

School administrators, teachers, and/or staff members may assign consequences.  Depending on the nature of the offense, damages to others, and continued pattern of offenses, consequences may include detentions, service, student behavior plans, fair remuneration, relinquishing privileges, apologies, required extra work, and/or activity restrictions.  Should a situation become more severe, a parent conference will be required immediately.  For major infractions (including repeat offenses), suspension and/or Capstone research procedures will be followed.

All detentions for discipline will be served soon after the infraction.  If the discipline situation warrants notification of the parents, an attempt will be made to notify them the day the detention is given.  Students serving a detention on the same day as an after-school activity will not be allowed to participate in the activity until the detention is served.  Any change in the detention will be at the discretion of the school administrator.  Students serving a Capstone Research Day or suspension on the same day as an after-school activity will not be allowed to participate in the activity that day.

If a student has been given a Capstone Research Day, In-School Suspension, or Out-Of-School Suspension two or more times during the year, or if the student has received more than eight (8) conduct violations in a quarter, the school administrator reserves the right to restrict the school events or field trips that the student may attend.  All decisions concerning this matter will be made at the discretion of the school administrator.

*Fines will be levied to parents for vandalism or theft. Fines will also be levied for lost or damaged school property. Students may also be required to be involved in the maintenance or repair of damaged property.

Disciplinary Procedures

Conduct Violations are considered to be minor in nature.  They include gum chewing, being out of dress code, skiving, or tardiness.  However, the occurrence is regarded as disruptive to the school’s academic process.  Repetitive conduct violations indicating behavioral patterns by a student require escalated responses by the school as herein described.  

Tardiness, Dress-Code Violations, Gum Chewing, Skiving.  All LCHS students, grades 7-12, will have a “clean slate” for conduct violations at the start of every academic quarter. 

Thereafter, each student will be graced three (3) recorded warnings for violations of the school’s policies on any combination of the following conduct expectations: Punctuality (being on time), being in dress code, attending any required extra help clubs, and refraining from gum-chewing.  Any subsequent violation of these policies will result in an offending student serving a 1-hour after-school detention on the same day the violation occurs, or as assigned by a school administrator.  

An accumulation of eight (8) or more violations per student per quarter may result in loss of student privileges which include, among other privileges:  Dress Code incentive days (blue jean Mondays, T-shirt days, etc.), attendance at school-sponsored social functions, participation in extracurricular clubs, participation in school sports, participation in “open-campus” privileges, and eligibility for House or Order leadership positions.

Parents will be informed of the third (3rd) and all subsequent violations and detentions upon determination by an administrator.  Notices of excessive conduct violations will be issued in writing by a school administrator and will be given to the offending student to take home to parents.

It is the responsibility of parents to make sure their student is aware of this Statement of Conduct-Violation Policy.  All students shall be redundantly apprised of these steps and expectations at school.  Copies of this policy shall be conspicuously posted in the school throughout the academic year.

Positive reinforcement.  LCHS will continue to positively reinforce admirable, virtuous behavior at school.  Houses are regularly rewarded upon good attire.  The best-dressed male and female of every quarter are each awarded $200 in gift certificates each and school privileges per recognition.  Dress Code incentive days have been and will continue to be generously administered.

Punctuality.  Students arriving late for class will be recorded as “tardy” by their instructors.  Students arriving after 7:45AM to school will be recorded as “tardy” and must check in at the front office and obtain a late arrival slip.  A late arrival slip is not a “pass” and does not excuse a tardy student.  Excused tardiness is predicated upon prior arrangement by parents for late arrivals.  Reasons given for tardiness, such as oversleeping, bad traffic, late carpool, etc., are not considered valid excuses for being late to school.     

Skiving Defined.  Liberty's ninth-hour "club" options are a great opportunity for students to get extra help in their studies.  Students falling behind in their grades may be required by their instructors to attend 9^th hour study clubs or zero-hour (morning) study sessions.  Such students, who are required to attend but fail to show up for these sessions, will be given a conduct violation.  The proper term for skipping these supplemental study sessions is skiving.  "Skiving" also applies to failures to show up for lunchtime ransom duty, detentions, and other staff-assigned appointments.

Appeal to parents.  As a parent-run institution, the school relies on parents to support the policies that have been adopted by parents through the school’s Board of Directors.  To review the LCHS Dress Code, please visit the Dress Code page of the LCHS website (http://hs.libertycommon.org/student_life/dress_code). 

Formal Discipline Proceedings

Suspensions and/or Capstone Research Days can be assigned only by a school administrator.  Prior to suspension, the student’s parent will be notified, and a parent conference will be required before the student returns to class. Notice of suspension shall be given in writing.  According to CRS 22-33-105 2a) and b), a student may not be suspended for time exceeding 25 school days during a single school year.  Opportunities will be given for a student to make up school work during suspension; however, the school will determine the amount of credit the student shall receive for this makeup work.

Levels

If the student exhibits inappropriate behavior or actions, the student may be placed on a formal discipline level.  Level 1 is an indication that the student is exhibiting behavior or actions that are not acceptable.  Level 2 indicates that the student is continuing with the inappropriate actions or behavior.  Level 3 will result in expulsion from the school and the school district.  The Liberty Common School reserves the right to place the student at any level at any point according to the severity of the offense.

Level 1 – Students will be placed on Level 1 after a major infraction or a series of minor infractions, depending on the severity of the incident(s).  This will include a minimum of one (1) day and a maximum of ten (10) days of suspension and/or Capstone Research Days.  A student-discipline plan may be created during the conference between parent, student, and school administrator depending on the severity of the infraction(s).  A parent-student-administrator conference may be required before the student is re-admitted to the classroom.  Depending on the severity of the infraction, the student may or may not be placed on Level 1 at this point.

Level 2 – Students will be placed on Level 2 after one or two major infractions following initial suspension, depending on severity of offense and/or as a result of the student’s violation of his or her discipline plan.  Level 2 will include a minimum of two (2) days and a maximum of no more than ten (10) days total of suspension and/or Capstone Research Days.  A required parent-student-administrator conference will be held before student is allowed to return to school.  If a discipline plan already exists, it will be reviewed and revised.  If a discipline plan has not been created as yet, one will be created for the student at this point.  Depending on the severity of the infraction, the student may or may not be placed on Level 1 or 2 at this point.

Level 3 – Students will be placed on Level 3 (officially classified as a declaration of “habitually disruptive”) after one or two major infractions following a placement at Level 2, depending on severity of offense and/or as a result of the student’s violation of his or her discipline plan.  The Liberty Common School at this point may move toward expulsion proceedings.  Prior to expulsion proceedings, a student may appeal the decision and obtain a hearing from the Board of Directors.  In addition, “The board of education of each district may deny admission to, or expel for any period not extending beyond one year, any child whom the board of education, in accordance with the limitations imposed by this article, shall determine does not qualify for admission to, or continued attendance at, the public schools of the district.” (CRS 22-33-105 2c).

According to Colorado statute, a student may be declared habitually disruptive after being suspended three times (3) within one year on the grounds set forth in CRS 11-33-106 for causing a material and substantial disruption in the classroom, on school grounds, in school vehicles, or at school activities or events because of behavior that was initiated, willful, and overt on the part of the student, and the suspensions were made for:

• Continual, willful disobedience or open and persistent defiance of proper authority;
• Willful destruction or defacing of school property;
• Behavior on or off school property, which is detrimental to the welfare or safety of other students or of school personnel;
• Serious violations in a school building or in or out of school property;
• Repeated interference with a school’s ability to provide educational opportunities to other students;
• And other grounds found in CRS22-33-106(1)(a),(b),(c),(d), and (e).

Expulsion from The Liberty Common School shall be mandatory for the following violations:

• Carrying, bringing, using, or possessing a dangerous weapon (including a firearm or firearm facsimile, any pellet, or BB gun or other device, operational or not, designed to propel projectiles by spring action or compressed air, fixed blade knife with a blade that measures longer than three (3) inches in length or a spring-loaded knife with a blade longer than three and one-half inches, any object, device, instrument, material, or substance, whether animate or inanimate, used or intended to be used to inflict death or serious bodily injury.  Non-lethal devices related to this section may be specifically authorized by school administration for legitimate school activities – such as theatrical productions, sports [for example, fencing], or other school-sanctioned activity – prior to use or possession on school property);
• The sale or possession of a drug or controlled substance;
• Death threats to other students, faculty, administration, or Members of the Board of Directors;
• The commission of an act, which if committed by an adult would be robbery, or assault other than third-degree assault.