8th Grade Level Expectations with Iowa Core Curriculum

St. Joseph Community School
 
Academic and Behavior Discipline in grades 3 - 8
 In order to provide and maintain an atmosphere which permits the orderly and
efficient operation of the school and which encourages learning and helps students to
develop a Christian code of personal conduct, school rules and regulations are in effect.
These policies and procedures have been established by the St. Joseph Community
School Catholic Board of Education and administration. Their effectiveness requires the
positive and voluntary cooperation of all concerned.
 Discipline at St. Joseph Community School has a two fold purpose of providing
for the common good and the individual good.  Discipline helps all students as it
contributes to a climate for learning and living.  It helps each student as it provides
environment and guidance in which to grow in becoming a self disciplined person. 
Discipline is controlled behavior designed to develop within an individual responsibility
for his/her own actions in accordance with socially accepted conduct.
Some general expectations include:
 1.  Be positive
 2.  Be respectful
 3.  Be kind
 4.  Be prepared for learning
 St. Joseph Community School rules and procedures are meant to encourage
children to focus on the reasons for their behavior and assist them in choosing appropriate
alternatives.
 Students who do not behave according to the rules and regulations of St. Joseph
Community School may be subject to probation, suspension or expulsion.  Probation,
suspension, and expulsion are serious actions.  When such action is warranted, specific
guidelines will be followed.  A suspension means the temporary exclusion of a student
from the classroom.  The parent/guardian must supervise the student for the day  during
the suspension or pay for supervision at the rate of $80.00 per day.  These guidelines are
in accordance with the Official Policies of the Archdiocese of Dubuque.
Students consistently failing to follow school rules, being physically aggressive, using
inappropriate language or abusing property will receive a yellow (behavior) slip.  If
students do not complete their assignments they will receive a pink (academic) slip. This
slip needs to be signed by the parents and returned to school the following day to serve
the referral which begins promptly at 3:15 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
and 7:30 on Friday’s.  If a student is assigned a study hall for Friday the time will be 7:30
– 8:00 am.  A student who does not attend the following day or return the referral signed
by the adult/guardian will receive a second referral.  In an emergency a student may be
excused by a phone call to the office prior to 7:15 am.
 Students referrals will be counted as a total, not counted per teacher. Students will
only be allowed a total of 5 academic and 5 behavior referrals, given from any teacher,
per quarter. For example, if a student gets a referral with one teacher and then receives
another referral from another teacher, the referrals given will be counted as two referrals
for that student. 
 

The following consequences have been established for an academic and behavior
referrals.  The referral must be served by the student. The principal has the right to skip
referrals, depending upon the severity of the situation.  If a student reports late for the
required study hall, the referral will not count and it will then be doubled.
 
In the event that a student is involved in a physical fight, the student and the parent will
be required to have a conference or phone message to meet with the principal before the
student is admitted back into any classroom.  A time out may be assigned until all parties
are ready to return to the classroom.  This may range from a few minutes to the rest of the
day or the activity.
 
Consequences for each referral are as follows:
First and Second Referral The parents will be notified through a yellow or  
    pink skip. The slip must be signed and returned the  
    following day. If the student is in sports the slip must also 
    be signed by the coach.
 
Third Referral   The parents will be notified through a yellow or pink slip 
    and a teacher, student, parent conference will be arranged. 
    The student will serve the one-half hour of supervised 
    study hall. If the student is in sports the slip must also be 
    signed by the coach. 
 
Fourth Referral  The student will receive a yellow or pink slip and the one 
    half hour supervised study hall will be served.  In addition, 
    the student  and a parent will be required to meet with the 
    teacher and principal.  At this meeting, a growth plan/ 
    contract will be developed. 
 
Fifth Referral   The student will receive a yellow or pink slip and the half-
    hour supervised study hall will be served.  In addition to 
    this, the student and parents will be required to meet with 
    the teacher and principal. At this meeting, the contract will 
    be evaluated.
 
If the referral is for academics the assignment that the child received the referral for must
be returned and completed with the pink referral slip.  If the student does not return the
incomplete assignment they will receive a 0 in the grade book.  If a child is ill they will
have the number of days they were ill to complete all work for those days.
 
The knowledge of the rules and regulations, their processes and their implementation are
the responsibility and obligation of each St. Joseph Community School  student. Neither
ignorance or lack of understanding of the rules and regulations will release a student or
parent/guardian from responsibility to cooperate with the stated polices. All
Archdiocesan policies and State of Iowa education laws, as they apply to St. Joseph
Community School Catholic School, are to be respected and followed.