A conference between teacher and student or between Principal and student may be necessary. If a student chronically misbehaves, the Principal and/or teacher will call a conference with the student and his/her parents(s). In a Christ-centered, nurturing environment, every effort is made to help the student assume responsibility for his/her own behavior. Because students at Our Lady of the Lake are still under 15 years of age and are in the early stages of assuming adult responsibility, we feel parents play the major role in guiding their child's behavior. It is imperative that parents and school personnel work closely together to help children grow in positive ways. A record of the incident may be made and dated, and in some cases, signed by both student and teacher or Principal. An appropriate sanction, such as detention may be added.

When students have on-going difficulty controlling behavior, they may be asked to make a contractual agreement with the Principal or with individual teachers. Often contracts are administered in three stages:

• Contract between student and teacher/Principal. Notification may not be sent to parents/guardians.
• Contract between student and teacher/Principal. Notification of both stages 1 and 2 to parent. Parental signature required.
• Contract between student, Principal/teacher and parent/guardian.
• Conference required, with suspension or withdrawal a possible result.

This approach is intended to allow students to correct their own behavior by agreement, before both school and home become involved.

Inappropriate behavior may result in a lunch detention. The student must report to the principal’s office for supervision and silence during the following lunch period and recess.

Detention after school hours is an acceptable disciplinary measure. Parents will be notified if a student is to be detained. The detention ordinarily will not exceed one hour.

Suspension, the temporary prohibition of a student's attendance at school and school related activities, is within the jurisdiction of the principal in more serious cases, repeated violation or after a student has accumulated three detentions per trimester.

• The student is removed from school for five days or less.
• The Principal notifies the parent(s) of the removal and the reasons for the action.
• The parent, teacher and Principal arrange for a conference.
• If a solution seems possible, the student may resume attendance on probation.
• Attendance at school is a privilege and an opportunity. By earning suspension a student cuts him/herself off from that opportunity. Students are responsible to make up any academic assignments missed while suspended. Any tests administered during the period of suspension must be made up during or after school at the teacher’s discretion. It is the student's responsibility to make arrangements with teachers for make-up tests.
• After the suspension period, parent(s) and student must meet with the Principal before the student may resume attendance.

Class exclusion is a method of disciplinary action that denies a disruptive student the ability to attend a particular class, ordinarily for a period of two days or less.

During this time of exclusion, the student is expected to work on classroom assignments while under the supervision of other teachers or staff members. The purpose of a class exclusion is to place disruptive students for periods of time, in an appropriate, supervised, in-school environment where student learning can continue.

Depending on the seriousness of the violation or after a student has received two suspensions the principal, with the consent of the Pastor and the Department of Catholic Schools, may consider expulsion from school. Expulsion is the permanent exclusion of a student from a school.

Full credit will be given for all work accomplished by the student up to the date of expulsion.

Various situations may lead to expulsion of a student from school. These include but are not limited to the following offenses:

• Acts which, in the judgment of the school, endanger the moral, academic, or physical well-being of the student body.
• Prolonged and open disregard for school authority.
• Illegal acts as defined by law. The school may take disciplinary action regardless of whether or not criminal charges are brought.

When a student is denied the right to attend Our Lady of the Lake School:

• The Principal, after consultation with the Pastor, notifies the parent(s) of the expulsion and the reason for the action.
• The Principal sends written notification to the parent(s).
• The Principal and parent(s) arrange for a conference.
• The student may apply for a re-admission at a later date, such as the following semester or year. Re-admission is at the discretion of the Principal and dependent on room available. The parent, Principal, and teacher (s) will arrange for a conference, and the student may be asked to be present, prior to re- admission to the classroom. A major condition of re-entry is that the student positively changes the actions or attitudes cited as reasons for expulsion. If a solution seems possible, the student may resume attendance on probation or on a contract.