Student Code of Conduct

Mission, Vision and Core Values

• Mission: Nurture, educate and inspire each student for success.
• Vision: Each student prepared to thrive in college, career and community.
• Core Values: Welcoming, Equity-Focused, Empowering, Innovative and Results-Driven.

Our Core Values

In all we do, the ACPS learning community strives to live these core values:

• Welcoming:  We take active steps to ensure all stakeholders feel safe and welcomed at ACPS. We embrace everyone who comes through our doors and respect our differences because we believe our diversity is our greatest strength.
  • Key Practices
    • Build Connection: Intentionally engage with students, families and colleagues to create a warm, inclusive environment.
    • Celebrate Identity: Recognize and honor the diverse backgrounds, strengths and experiences of everyone in the community. 
       
• Empowering: We inspire each student and staff member to thrive to their best abilities.
  • Key Practices
    • Invest in Growth: Provide actionable, timely feedback and learning opportunities that support colleagues and students to develop over time.
    • Autonomy with Accountability: Support staff with the tools to success while holding them responsible for results. 
       
• Equity-Focused: We actively work to remove barriers to educational access.
  • Key Practices
    • Start with Self: Reflect on individual identity and bias and how that impacts decision-making.
    • Remove Barriers: Use to data to identify and address systemic barriers to opportunity.
    • Seek Perspective: Elevate voices of the farthest from opportunity.
       
• Innovative: We take initiative to solve problems in the classroom and across the system.
  • Key Practices
    • Stronger Together: Work with each other across teams to enhance perspective and alignment to maximize impact.
    • Be a Lead Learner: Value curiosity, testing improvement ideas and learning from mistakes through continuous reflection.
       
• Results-Driven: We set ambitious goals to learn, grow and achieve at high levels.
  • Key Practices
    • Goal Oriented: Set and communicate goals clearly, ensuring everyone has an honest view of progress.
    • Data Informed: Consistently review and use data in all decisions.

Strategic Plan Goals 

• Create safe, caring and inclusive school environments where students feel connected, supported and respected.
• Engage and challenge every student to achieve academic excellence.
• Recruit, develop and retain a diverse and talented team of professionals.
• Cultivate trust through clear communication and community engagement.
• Prepare students for life after high school with the skills, guidance and opportunities for success.

Our Students

Student enrollment: 16,335 (as of September 2024)

Student Demographics (24-25 School Year)

• Asian: 6.5%
• Black: 23.4%
• Hispanic: 37.9%
• White: 26.9%
• Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.3%
• Native American/Alaskan: 0.2%
• Multi-racial: 4.8%
• Countries of birth: 118
• Native languages: 127

Number of Schools

• 1 Pre-K
• 12 Elementary
• 2 K-8
• 2 Middle
• 1 High School (4 campuses)
• 18 Total

Dear ACPS Students and Families,

Welcome to a new school year! We are excited to begin another chapter of learning, growth, and community together.

In this spirit, we are pleased to share the updated ACPS Student Code of Conduct. This important document reflects our collective values and aligns directly with the ACPS 2030 Strategic Plan - Nurture. Educate. Inspire. Our strategic plan serves as the foundation for all we do, emphasizing a learning environment where every student feels safe and valued.

The Student Code of Conduct is more than a list of rules. It is a clear expression of our expectations and aspirations for student behavior, relationships, and community engagement. It supports our strategic plan’s core commitments to:

• Student well-being and academic excellence
• Equity for all students
• A safe and supportive learning environment
• Strong and authentic relationships with families and community

At the heart of our work is our clear and purposeful belief that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive in an environment where they feel connected, supported and respected. We are committed to creating that environment every day.

All ACPS staff members are encouraged to model, teach and live out the core values to reflect  our strategic plan. We aim to be welcoming, equity-focused, empowering, innovative and results-driven. These core values shape our decisions and daily practices from the school to our central administrative offices.

As we embark on this school year, our entire team is committed to working in partnership with our students and families to ensure each child’s success. As a key stakeholder in ACPS, your engagement, voice, and support are essential, and we are eager to collaborate with you throughout the year.

We believe that positive behavior goes hand in hand with academic achievement. The Code of Conduct outlines how we can work together to create and maintain safe, inclusive school communities where students can thrive socially, emotionally, and academically.

We encourage families and students to review the Code of Conduct together. Understanding this document is a vital step in building safe, respectful, engaging, and productive school experiences for everyone.

Thank you for entrusting us with your child’s education. We look forward to a year filled with joyful learning, strong relationships, and shared achievement as we work together to nurture  successful students who are ready to thrive in college, career and our community.

By signing and returning the ACPS Signature Form in the ACPS Back to School Guide (for more information, click on this link or visit the ACPS website and search for "back to school guide"), parent(s)/guardian(s) shall not be deemed to waive, but do expressly reserve, their rights protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States and/or the Commonwealth of Virginia, and shall have the right to express disagreement with the school division’s policies and or decisions. This packet, required by the law, contains the following:

• Responsible Computer System Use Policy for Students
• Compulsory School Attendance Information
• Standards of Student Conduct
• Equity and Excellence Policy
• Honor Code

Parents/guardians have a duty to assist ACPS schools in enforcing the standards of student conduct and compulsory school attendance. Parents/guardians have a responsibility to read and review the Code of Conduct with their children in order to promote proper student conduct and to ensure a safe and orderly learning environment. We strongly encourage families to meet with school officials, if requested, to discuss matters related to discipline and school attendance. The law also requires that parent/guardians sign a statement showing that they know their responsibilities. Please sign the ACPS Signature Form that is included in the Back-to-School Guide that acknowledges that you have received the Code of Conduct. 

Office	Phone	Administrator
Office of English Learner Services	703-619-8022	Executive Director of English Learner (EL) Services
Office of Community Partnerships and Engagement	703-619-8055	Executive Director of Community Partnerships & Engagement
Office of Teaching, Learning and Leadership	703-619-8020	Executive Director of School Leadership
Office of Specialized Instruction	703-619-8023	Executive Director of Specialized Instruction
Office of School Nutrition Services	703-619-8048	Director of School Nutrition Services
Department of Student Services and Equity	703-619-8036	Chief of Student Services and Equity Executive Director of Student Services Executive Director of Student Supports Executive Director of Equity and Alternative Programs
Office of Student Supports (School Counseling Services)	703-619-8157	Director of K-12 School Counseling
Office of Student Supports (School Psychology Services)	703-619-8157	Director of School Psychology
Office of Student Supports (School Social Work Services)	703-619-8157	Director of School Social Work
Office of Student Services (Homeless Education Liaison Program)	703-619-8034	Homeless Education and Foster Care Liaison
Office of Student Services (Positive School Attendance and Truancy Prevention)	703-619-8108	Attendance and Truancy Outreach Specialist
Office of Student Services (Substance Abuse Services)	703-619-8108	Substance Abuse Services Coordinator
Office of Student Supports (School Health Services)	703-619-8341	Director of School Health Services
ACPS Family Information Lines, Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.	For Spanish/English: 703-619-8055 For Amharic/English: text or call 703-927-6866 For Dari/English: text or call 703-963-0492	Family liaisons connect ACPS families in need of assistance to relevant staff and resources

The ACPS Profile of a Learner is a guiding framework that identifies the essential skills, attributes, and character traits students need to thrive in school, career, and life beyond graduation. Developed collaboratively with input from students, families, staff, and community partners, it emphasizes qualities such as advocacy, effective communication, empathy, and self-motivation. By centering education on these whole learner outcomes, ACPS ensures learning experiences are both personalized and equitable, preparing all students to be engaged citizens and adaptable problem-solvers in a rapidly changing world. The Profile is significant because it shapes curriculum, instruction, and school culture, helping students develop not only academic strengths but also the social and emotional competencies necessary for long-term success.

Advocate

I advocate for my needs and the needs of others with emotional intelligence and self-compassion. 

• I trust my ability to self-reflect and take responsibility for my actions and impact on others.
• I recognize how my thoughts, emotions and behaviors affect me and others.
• I make choices to prioritize my health, including physical activity, nutrition and rest, in order to cope with stress and challenges effectively.
• I think flexibly in complex situations and consider nuance when advocating for myself and others.
• I amplify diverse voices and perspectives through my advocacy and allyship.

Communicator

I skillfully listen and share my ideas, opinions, and perspectives. 

• I convey organized and coherent messages to diverse audiences.
• I effectively use various methods and tools to express my ideas.
• I use digital communication tools responsibly and meaningfully.
• I seek different perspectives and listen deeply with curiosity and empathy.

Collaborator 

I work well with others to achieve a shared goal.

• I include and value different points of view, diverse cultural perspectives, and new ideas.
• I identify and leverage strengths within myself and others.
• I value individual responsibility and shared accountability.
• I handle conflict with empathy, respect, and compassion. 

Critical Thinker

I analyze and use information ethically.

• I ask questions to identify and explore worthwhile problems.
• I am curious and develop skills for inquiry and research to sustain a love of learning throughout life.
• I gather, analyze, and interpret data to draw meaningful insights and inform decisions.
• I examine complex problems using evidence from multiple sources and seek out diverse perspectives.
• I exercise judgment in the use of information, making reasoned, ethical decisions.

Innovator

I identify and evaluate creative solutions to meaningful problems.

• I think creatively to define, design, test, and evaluate solutions.
• I am willing to take risks, learn from my mistakes and grow.
• I use technology ethically as a tool for problem-solving.
• I evaluate problems and possible solutions from multiple perspectives.

Changemaker

I contribute to the local and global community, creating a more equitable, sustainable and free world. 

• I believe in making a difference in my school, local and global communities.
• I value and celebrate equity and diversity in culture, thought and action.
• I demonstrate empathy and respect for others when assessing a need for change.
• I practice safe, ethical and compassionate decision-making.
• I work towards changes that protect the dignity and rights of others in the world. 

We are committed to ensuring that each student feels safe, both physically and emotionally, in their school environment. This means fostering a culture of belonging and emotional well-being, providing clear behavioral expectations and equipping staff with the tools and time to build strong relationships with students. We will nurture a supportive environment in each school by explicitly teaching behavioral skills and providing students with multiple opportunities to practice the appropriate behaviors within our schools and community.

Students:

Students have the right to expect an educational environment in which they feel safe, connected and supported. 

Each student will:

• Attend school each day and be on time with materials ready to learn
• Review information learned the previous day in class and ask questions when she/he doesn’t understand
• Work together with school staff to maximize student learning opportunities
• Be kind, respectful and cooperative to prevent problems and solve problems in a peaceful and collaborative way when they occur
• Help classmates and friends stay out of trouble by asking for help from adults
• Tell a trusted adult at school or at home any information concerning threats or disruptions involving the safety of students, staff or the school environment

When using ACPS Transportation:

• Students will follow all safety procedures and guidelines by:
  • Being at their bus stop prior to pick up time
  • Getting on and off the bus in an orderly fashion
  • Crossing in front of the bus
  • Finding their seat quickly and remaining seated at all times
  • Keeping their body parts to themselves and inside the bus
  • Being respectful to adults and classmates by following all directions and using appropriate language at all times

Parents and Guardians

Parents/guardians are our most important partners in helping to support our students in choosing to display the appropriate behaviors in the school and in the home setting. 

Parents can help support students and schools by:

• Reviewing with students the expected behaviors that support a positive school environment
• Maintaining regular communication with school staff and administration
• Holding expectations that students will attend school each day on time and be ready to learn with their school materials
• Consulting with school staff when concerns arise that affect students in the school
• Reporting to a school staff member any information concerning threats or disruptions involving the safety of students, staff or the school environment
• ACPS encourages all families and caregivers to make firearm safety a top priority! If there are firearms in your home, they should be locked and unloaded, with ammunition locked separately and stored out of children’s reach

Teachers and Staff Members

Teachers and staff members are responsible for building strong learning communities within their classrooms. Teachers and staff support positive school behaviors. 

Each teacher/staff member should:

• Develop and promote a positive school climate that is conducive to learning
• Establish, publish, teach and consistently reinforce expectations for classroom behavior
• Focus on desired behaviors as opposed to directing attention to unwanted behaviors
• Intervene to prevent and correct misbehavior in a positive manner
• Consult with a School Support Team (SST) member when repeated misbehavior occurs
• Refer a student to the school administrator for support and intervention when the situation warrants such action

Administrators

Administrators have the responsibility and authority to teach and reinforce the school rules and the Student Code of Conduct. They should exercise reasonable judgment and consider the circumstances in determining the disciplinary action to be administered. 

 School administrators shall:

• Create an environment where positive behaviors are expected, taught and modeled
• Support school staff to foster and maintain a positive school climate
• Provide clear expectations to staff, students and families
• Notify the parents/guardians of any student who violates ACPS School Board policy when the violation could result in the student’s suspension, whether or not the school administration has imposed any disciplinary action
• Notify the parent/guardian of any student involved in an incident required to be reported to the Superintendent and the Virginia Board of Education

ACPS Transportation Department staff will partner with families and schools to ensure a safe transportation system by:

1. Communicating clear instructions for adhering to expectations for safety
2. Following all safety procedures and guidelines
3. Exhibiting professionalism and respect to adults and students in our communication and actions

All ACPS students have legal rights and individual liberties under the Constitution and laws of the United States, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. ACPS School Board policies and regulations support these rights. Students may exercise these rights as long as they do not interfere with the rights of others, or the school’s ability to provide a safe learning environment and educational opportunities. With these rights come inherent responsibilities as a student. While this list is not exhaustive, it highlights many of the rights that are applicable within the educational/school setting. 

For the Student Code of Conduct, educational/school setting or range includes when in school or on school property, on a school vehicle, while participating in or attending any school sponsored activity or trip; on the way to and from school; and off school property when the behavior or act results in being charged with a crime (see Va. Code - 16.1-305.1.)

School Board Policies noted below may not represent all applicable policies. Additionally, abuse of rights may be subject to intervention and/or disciplinary consequences outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.

Students in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) are provided ACPS computing devices to support their learning and provide access to digital resources.  Chromebook use and access to digital learning tools, the internet, and digital communication, are critical to the learning environment. 

Failure to adhere to Division (ACPS) policies, procedures, and guidelines for the use of ACPS resources may result in disciplinary action at the school’s discretion. In addition to the ACPS student code of conduct, any network misuse or illegal activities may result in contact with the student's parent/guardian, or if a violation of law has occurred, contact with law enforcement.

I will: 

• Follow all ACPS and classroom policies, procedures and guidelines when using technology.
• Use all ACPS technology resources to create files and projects for school related work, research, and college and career planning.
• Keep my username and password private.
• Treat others with respect and use appropriate language in all of my digital interactions with others.
• Immediately tell an ACPS staff member if I receive a digital comment or communication that makes me feel uncomfortable, or if I accidentally access inappropriate materials, pictures, videos, or websites. 

I will not:

• Use ACPS technology resources to find, create, or send information to spread misinformation; or harass, harm, bully, or discriminate against others.
• Use technology to gain unauthorized or inappropriate access to ACPS technology resources. (Example: Accessing another user’s accounts)
• Use, retrieve, store, or send inappropriate language, pictures, or other digital content.
• Access inappropriate or blocked resources by any manner while on school property during school hours.
• Violate copyright laws (copy text and/or reuse images without permission) or plagiarize the work of others.
• Use other students’ usernames and passwords and/or log into another student’s accounts.
• Trespass and/or manipulate others’ work, school or personal accounts or files. 
• Use any personal electronic devices, phones, chromebooks or computers on an ACPS network.
• Take my ACPS issued device outside of the United States of America 
• Log into my ACPS Google account outside of the fifty United States 
  • Access is restricted and prohibited and will result in account suspension.
• Use artificial intelligence (AI) in any manner to violate this use agreement, any ACPS policy, or the Student Code of Conduct.

I understand: 

• Use of ACPS technology resources, including networks, computers, chromebooks or mobile devices, and the internet is a privilege, which may be denied, revoked, or restricted at any time for misuse, excessive breakage and/or abusive conduct.
• ACPS reserves all rights to control its technology resources and may monitor or restrict a student’s technology resources. The Division may search any computer, chromebook, mobile, device, or electronic storage device that is assigned to a student or used on any ACPS computer or network; and retrieve, alter, and delete any data created, received, or maintained by an user using ACPS technology resources. 
• Use of  ACPS technology resources is at my own risk; the system is provided on an “as available” basis; and ACPS is not responsible for any loss, damage, or unavailability of data stored on the system regardless of the cause.
• Online learning spaces, communication, and collaboration tools should be treated as a classroom space, and language and behavior that is not appropriate in the physical classroom is not appropriate in online spaces, no matter what time of day those spaces are accessed. 
• Assignments in online learning spaces are the same as any other assignment in school, and students are expected to follow all policies and procedures in the Student Code of Conduct Handbook, including all policies related to cheating, plagiarism, and responsible use of technology.
• The school ACPS is not responsible for any personal electronic devices brought on to school property.
• I may be subject to disciplinary action for using technology in violation of Division policies, procedures, guidelines, or the Student Code of Conduct. 
• All ACPS issued devices are to be returned to the Division when a student leaves the school Division or graduates from the school Division.
• Any attempt to access the ACPS accounts outside of the fifty United States will result in immediate account suspension.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) may not be used in any manner to violate this use agreement, any ACPS policy, or the Student Code of Conduct.

I understand my use of ACPS technology resources is a privilege and requires appropriate online behavior.

By signing the ACPS Signature Form in your child’s Back-to-School Guide, you agree to follow Alexandria City Public Schools’ Responsible Use of Technology Agreement for Students.

Parent/Guardian Notice

Filter

The Division provides students with access to various technology resources, including a wide range of educational resources through the internet. The Division uses content filtering technology in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) on all school computers with Internet access to protect against unacceptable web content. However, because no web filtering is 100% safe, the Division makes every effort to monitor online activity.

Home Access and Monitoring

While the Division provides parents/guardians a tool to monitor their students' internet use on their school-issued device, outside of school, parents/guardians bear responsibility for providing guidance on internet use, just as they do with other information sources such as television, radio, movies, and other media. Parents/guardians are responsible for monitoring their child’s use of the internet and access to Division technology resources, including online learning spaces, collaboration tools, and educational resources. 

Device Damage/Replacement

Students are responsible for the care and use of their school-issued devices. Students are also responsible for bringing their chromebooks to and from school. Damage and/or loss of devices will result in consequences that may include the below fees, loss of the privilege to take a chromebook home, and/or disciplinary action. Fees may be paid on a payment plan or through alternative consequences, based on need, at the school’s discretion. 

On July 9, 2024, Governor Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 33 (“EO33”) establishing cell phone-free education in public schools to promote the health and safety of Virginia’s K-12 students. EO33 states the following: 

• The necessity of implementing cell phone-free education in Virginia’s K-12 public schools is increasingly evident. Parents, public health professionals, educators, and other stakeholders across the Commonwealth are expressing concern over the alarming mental health crisis and chronic health conditions affecting adolescents, such as depression and anxiety, driven in part by extensive social media usage and widespread cell phone possession among children. Cell phone-free education will significantly reduce the amount of time students can be on phones without parental supervision. 

• Therefore, creating a cell phone-free education environment in public schools is not only a prudent measure, but an essential one to promote a healthier and more focused educational environment where every child is free to learn.

Cell phones and smart devices must be silenced or turned off and stored in a secure location from "bell to bell".

Policy JFCM (student use of personal mobile devices)

The Alexandria City Public Schools, Office of Safety and Security encourages families to review these helpful tips on emergency guidelines and procedures (click this link). Students and staff cover emergency preparedness guidelines and procedures throughout the school year. 

Crisis Management Terminology: Types of Action

Secure the Building

Building is locked and students are brought inside as a precaution.  No one is allowed to enter or exit until status is lifted. 

 Threat: External to facility 

 Examples: 

•    Law enforcement activity near location 
•    Reports of dangerous wildlife in the area

Action: High Alert (prepared to act)

•    Building staff and students: principal and/or designee will announce
•    Families: Email notification will be sent

Further communication will be shared if the situation impacts daily instruction.  If you or your student have yet to arrive at the location, please remain at home until further instruction is given. 

Lockdown

Building put on lockdown due to potential danger inside or very near the building.  No entry allowed.  Staff and students take the following action(s): evacuate or barricade in place (if unable to evacuate). 

Threat: Internal to facility/near proximity to facility 

Examples: 

• Violent intruder or Active Threat

Action: Activate Crisis Management Plan

How will you know? 

•    Building staff and students: principal and/or designee will announce.  Independent action may be necessary if unable to announce 

•    Families:

                      o    Auto call/text to families 

                      o    Website notification

 Updated communication as the situation progresses. If you or your student have yet to arrive at the location, please remain at home until further instruction is given.

Evacuation

Students and staff are moved to a new or safe location due to a situation in or near the facility.  Evacuation may be structured (as a group) or independent. 

Threat: Internal to facility/near proximity to facility 

Examples: 

• Fire alarm/ Gas leak

Action: Activate Crisis Management Plan 

How will you know? 

•    Building staff and students: principal and/or designee will announce
•    Families: Email notification will be sent

Updated communication as the situation progresses and as needed.  If you or your student have yet to arrive at the location, please remain at home until further instruction is given. 

Students and staff are moved to a new or safe location due to a situation in or near the facility.  Evacuation may be structured (as a group) or independent. 

Threat: Internal to facility/near proximity to facility 

Examples: 

• Fire alarm/ Gas leak

Action: Activate Crisis Management Plan 

How will you know? 

•    Building staff and students: principal and/or designee will announce
•    Families: Email notification will be sent

Shelter

Updated communication as the situation progresses and as needed.  If you or your student have yet to arrive at the location, please remain at home until further instruction is given. 

Students and staff are instructed to take safe shelter due to an incident in or near the facility. 

Threat: External to facility 

Examples: 

•    Tornado/earthquake 
•    Other natural or local disaster 

Action: Activate Crisis Management Plan 

How will you know? 

•    Building staff and students: principal and/or designee will announce
•    Families: Email notification will be sent

Updated communication as the situation progresses and as needed. If you or your student have yet to arrive at the location, please remain at home until further instruction is given. 

Reunification

As a result of many of the above scenarios, students may need to be reunified with families through a controlled release at the school or reunification at a new location.  Our goal is to reunite students with their families as soon as possible during an emergency situation.  We will work with police and fire agencies to determine when it is safe to reunite students and families.

Freedom of Expression, Speech, Beliefs or Opinions

Students have the responsibility to make sure that what they say, write, wear or express, either in person or on social media, does not stop others from learning, does not hurt anyone or their property, and does not violate the Student Code of Conduct or the law. See Policy IIBEB-1 – Student Use of Social Media (Appendix C) IIBEA/GAB – Responsible Computer Use (Appendix B), and JP – Student Publications (Appendix I). See your school’s student handbook regarding expectations for dress code.

Freedom of the Press

Students have the right to create and/or share information from many different sources (with proper credit given to the source) Students have the responsibility not to make personal attacks or to publish untrue or offensive material. When writing or using online media such as texting, posting, snap chatting, tweeting, etc., students are responsible for evaluating the information for fairness, balanced views, and truthfulness. See Policy IIBEB-1 – Student use of social media, IIBEA/GAB – Responsible Computer Use, JP – Student Publications, and ACPS Honor Code (Appendix D).

Due Process (Fair Treatment)

School personnel must ensure that there is no use of force or threat to obtain information. ACPS students have the right to exercise due process rights whenever it is necessary. Students also have a responsibility to behave in a manner that does not disturb others or their property. A student’s behavior should follow the ACPS Student Code of Conduct and laws. In schools, every student must be treated fairly. Each student has the right to:

• Be told if his/her behavior is not permitted
• Have an opportunity to discuss what happened
• Not to speak, if he/she chooses.

If the police wish to speak with a student:

• A school official must be present (unless the parent/guardian is)
• The student can ask that his/her parent or guardian be called before they speak
• The police must tell the student that what he/she says may be used against them (if a suspect)

See Policy KNAJ - Relations with Law Enforcement (Appendix G), JGD/JGE – Student Suspension/Expulsion (Appendix F), and JGDA – Disciplining Students with Disabilities (Appendix J).

Freedom from Unreasonable Search and Seizure

Students are protected by the law from unreasonable search and seizure. However, this is not a guarantee against all searches and seizures. School officials do not need to obtain a warrant before searching a student who is under their authority; they only need reasonable suspicion. Law enforcement may need a search warrant when the search is not related to an incident that occurred within the school or an activity that will immediately threaten students, school property or school personnel. See Policy JFG – Search and Seizure (Appendix K) and Policy KNAJ - Relations with law enforcement (Appendix G).

Personal Property

Students have a right to bring personal possessions to school. However, students have the responsibility to make sure that personal possessions brought to school are not prohibited by the ACPS Student Code of Conduct or law.

See Policy JFG – Search and Seizure (Appendix K) and JHCD - Administration of Medications to Students (Appendix L).

Privacy/Access to Educational Records

As a student, you have a right to privacy of your educational records, and for the information in your records to be accurate. Educational records include but are not limited to report cards, attendance records, discipline records, and tests. Until age 18, your parent or legal guardian has a right to access your records on your behalf, seek to have records changed that are inaccurate or misleading, and a right to consent to share information

from your educational record, except where required by law. Disclosure may be required in the following circumstances:

• When there is reasonable suspicion of harm or neglect.
• When the child presents a danger to him/herself or to others.
• When information is revealed that indicates danger to your child or another person.
• When disclosure is court-ordered or required by law (e.g. Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act [FERPA])

See Policy JB- Non-Discrimination in Education, Policy AC- Non-Discrimination and JO- Student Records (Appendix H).

Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)

ACPS offers a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) to all school age students who live within Alexandria City. Education is provided regardless of a student’s race, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, or status as a parent, or pregnancy. Students have a responsibility and state requirement to attend school regularly, make a conscientious effort in classroom work, and to follow school rules and regulations. Students also have the responsibility to avoid actions or activities, individually or in groups, which interfere with the rights of any other student to exercise their right to receive a free and appropriate public education.

See Policy JB- Non-Discrimination in Education, Policy AC- Non-Discrimination (Appendix H).

Freedom of Religion

Students have the right to practice the religion of their choice, or no religion at all, as long as the practices do not harm others. Students are encouraged to be aware of the diversity of beliefs and respectful of each other’s religious and/or non-religious views.

See Policy IGDA- Student Organizations (Secondary Schools) Appendix M and INDC- Religion in Schools (Appendix N).

Petition

Students have a right to respectfully express disagreement with school personnel. Students also have a right to ask school or district administrators for adjustments or changes in policies, practices, or procedures. When students speak up, it should not stop others from learning, hurt anyone, destroy property, or violate the Student Code of Conduct or the law.

See Policy INB – Teaching About Controversial Issues (Appendix O), IIBEB-1 – Student Use of Social Media (Appendix C), IIBEA/GAB – Responsible Computer Use (Appendix B) and JP – Student Publications (Appendix I).

All ACPS students are expected to attend school each day on time prepared for instruction. Students are expected to do the following: 

• All ACPS students are to remain on campus for the entire school day after arrival unless they have prior approval from a parent/guardian.
  • Elementary School Hours: 8:00am - 2:35pm
  • K-8 Schools
    • Jefferson Houston 7:50 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.
    • Patrick Henry 8:00 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.
  • Middle School Hours: 8:30am - 3:15pm
  • High School Hours: 8:30am - 3:15pm
• All ACPS students traveling between school campuses should report directly to the campus they are transitioning to and attend all assigned classes after arrival to that campus.
• All ACPS students are not permitted to leave their school campus at any time during the school day unless they have permission from a parent/guardian. The student must be signed out by the parent/guardian or an authorized adult.

Legal Requirement:

• Regular school attendance is mandatory by law (Virginia Code § 22.1-254).
• Schools must take action when a student accumulates 5+ unexcused absences.
• After 15 consecutive unverified absences, the student will be withdrawn from enrollment.

Excused Absences (Examples):

Absences may be excused with guardian verification and/or professional documentation:

• Physical or mental illness
• Medical or dental appointments
• Religious holidays
• Court appearances
• School-sponsored activities
• Suspensions (ISS, AIS, OSS)
• Family emergencies (e.g., death, dislocation, injury)
• Transportation issues caused by ACPS

Note: A doctor’s note may be required after 3 consecutive or 10 total absences in a school year.

Unexcused Absences and Consequences:

Unverified or unexcused absences can lead to:

• Mandatory attendance meetings with school staff and parent/guardians
• Referral to the Alexandria Court Services Unit
• Legal action under Virginia Code § 22.1-262
• CHINS petition (Child in Need of Supervision)
• Juvenile probation supervision
• Loss of student driver’s license

Tardiness:

• Tardy is arriving after the school’s start time.
• Tardies can be excused for the same reasons as full-day absences.
• Excessive tardiness = Development of an attendance improvement plan with school staff and guardians.

Why Attendance Matters:

• Missing 10% or more of the school year for any reason is considered chronic absenteeism.
• Chronic absenteeism is linked to:
  • Lower academic achievement
  • Feelings of isolation
  • Higher risk of dropping out
• Regular School Attendance Supports:
  • Academic growth
  • Social/emotional development
  • A strong sense of belonging in school

What Parents/Guardians Should Do:

• Ensure your child attends school every day, on time.
• Notify the school verbally or in writing each time your child is absent or late.
• Partner with school staff to address and resolve attendance issues early.

A student’s dress and appearance shall not be such that it causes disruption, distracts others from the educational process or creates a health or safety problem. Students must comply with specific building dress regulations and of which students will be given prior notice.

To maintain a safe and welcoming learning environment, students may not wear ski masks, balaclavas, or other facial coverings that fully or partially conceal their identity while indoors on school grounds. This helps to ensure that everyone in our community can be easily recognized and supports safety throughout the building. This does not apply to approved religious, cultural or medical reasons. 

ACPS is committed to a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) that is needs-based and holistic. This system is aligned with early identification, data-based decision making, and implementation of evidence-based practices of appropriate intensity and duration. Students displaying the need for additional support in the areas of social, emotional, or behavioral development will be provided services and interventions that address their specific need.

Multi-Tiered System of Support:
Social, Emotional, Academic Learning (SEAL) Approach

 

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a proactive approach to establish the behavioral supports and social culture needed for all students to achieve social, emotional, and academic success. It uses preventative strategies to define, teach and support appropriate student behavior in order to create a positive learning environment. Attention is focused on developing and maintaining school-wide, classroom, and individual systems of support to meet the social and emotional needs of all students and thereby improve academic and social outcomes. 

The purpose of PBIS is to establish a climate in which appropriate behavior is the norm. The framework establishes a process to develop and apply function-based interventions for students that display repeated behavioral patterns of concern. It also engages staff in routine reflection and data-based decision making to guide school-wide and intervention planning decisions. 

Schools that establish and implement PBIS are more likely to have teaching and learning environments that are more engaging, responsive, preventative, and productive which leads to maximized engagement and achievement for all students. PBIS also transfers to school buses.  

ACPS has partnered with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence to adopt a division-wide approach to growing our emotional intelligence. RULER is a systemic and evidence-based approach to SEL, utilizing a Pre-K to 12th grade curriculum to infuse the principles of emotional intelligence into the culture of every school in the division. RULER is an acronym for the five skills of emotional intelligence, which include Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating. The development of these five RULER skills relies on four core tools: The Charter, Mood Meter, Meta-Moment, and Blueprint. These skills and tools are introduced to all stakeholders in the school community—school leaders, teachers, staff, students, and families and are designed to inform how leaders lead, teachers teach, students learn, and families support students. The RULER approach ranks among the highly regarded models designated by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning as CASEL SELect programs.

Restorative Practices (RP) is an essential part of the Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). RP is a framework that supports the idea that positive relationships are essential to maintaining community and repairing relationships when harm has occurred. When implemented effectively, such practices help students understand the consequences of their actions and take responsibility. 

RP utilizes community circles as a Tier 1 practice to create community and build strong positive relationships among all students and staff. They also teach and model positive social skills such as sharing, listening, empathizing and problem solving, which help to create emotionally and physically safe learning environments that promote respect, trust and accountability. 

This social skills instruction is aligned with the schoolwide expectations promoted by Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and the student competencies put forth by the American School Counselor Association's (ASCA) National School Counseling Model.

Restorative circles are a Tier 2 support used to respond to wrongdoing, conflicts or problems by allowing those affected by the behavior to share their perspectives on how they were impacted and thoughts on how the situation can be “made right” so that the relationship(s) can be restored. Restorative Practices reduces out-of-school suspensions and expulsions and has shown to improve student engagement and achievement.

Restorative Questions (To respond to challenging behavior)

• What happened?
• What were you thinking of at the time?
• What have you thought about since?
• Who has been affected by what you have done? In what way?
• What do you think you need to do to make things right?

Restorative Questions (To help those harmed by others actions)

• What did you think when you realized what had happened?
• What impact has this incident had on you and others?
• What has been the hardest thing for you?
• What do you think needs to happen to make things right?

Tier 1

The goal of PBIS, which includes the use of Restorative Practices and Responsive Classroom, at the Tier 1 level is the prevention of problem behavior and the promotion of positive behavior by establishing processes that should facilitate success for approximately 80 percent of students. An effective Tier 1 system should reduce the number of students who need more extensive resources at Tiers 2 and 3. 

Who Is the Focus for Tier 1 Supports?

All students are the focus of Tier 1.

What Are Tier 1 Behavioral Supports?

• Small number of positively stated school-wide behavior expectations
• Behavioral expectations are clearly defined and routines are identified for all settings throughout the school and taught to all students in a systematic way
• System for recognizing students who display the expected behaviors
• List of clearly defined unacceptable behaviors and how they will be handled by staff

Support/ Progress Monitoring Frequency

• Expectations should be taught at the beginning of the year
• Pre-corrections should be given before each transition to a new setting
• Verbal and visual prompts should be used frequently in the beginning and fade as routines are established
• Quarterly “boosters” should be planned and delivered as formal reminders of expectations as well as “in the moment” reminders (as needed)

Who Is the Interventionist?

All adults, including teachers, administrators, support staff (e.g., paraprofessionals, cafeteria staff, custodians, office staff, etc.)

Tier 2

Tier 2 Supplemental Supports are designed to provide additional or targeted interventions to support students are not responding positively to Tier 1 supports. Approximately 15-20 percent of students may need Tier 2 supports. Students receiving Tier 2 supports should continue to have full access to Tier 1 supports.

Who Is the Focus for Tier 2 Supports?

The focus of Tier 2 supports are students exhibiting problem behaviors who have not responded to Tier 1 efforts. Those may include students with: 

• Three or more office referrals for non-violent/dangerous offenses within a quarter
• One or more referrals for violent/dangerous offenses, 
• A transition from long-term suspension or an alternative program.

What Are Tier 2 Behavioral Supports?

• Behavior Contract; Behavior Support Plan
• Point sheet; behavior feedback sheet; self-monitoring checklist
• Check-in/check-out with selected adult
• Social skills instruction
• Group counseling (skill deficit groups such as anger management, conflict resolution, de-escalation, organization, etc.)
• Mentoring
• Attendance support plans

Support/Progress Monitoring Frequency

• Check-in/check-out system with adult based on need (daily-weekly)
• Daily point sheet
• Social skills group for students with skill deficits meet weekly at a minimum.

Who Is the Interventionist?

• Classroom teachers and other adults with whom the student works
• School counselor
• School psychologist 
• School social worker
• Administrator 

Tier 3 

Tier 3 should meet the behavioral needs of approximately 3 to 5 percent of students with the most intense and/or persistent problems. Tier 3 supports involve a process of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) that investigates why a behavior is occurring in more detail and development of a behavior intervention plan (BIP) that includes more intensive research-based interventions, more frequent and detailed progress monitoring, and more staff time and resources dedicated to problem solving for individual students. Tier 3 supports can be provided at different levels of intensity, depending on the student’s level of need.

Who Is the Focus for Tier 3 Supports?

Students with intense needs who have not responded adequately to Tier 1 and Tier 2 efforts are the focus of Tier 3.

What Are Tier 3 Behavioral Supports?

• Intensified Tier 2 interventions
• Individual counseling by school counselor, social worker, or psychologist
• Intensified social skills instruction led by school counselor, social worker or psychologist
• Functional behavior assessment (FBA)/Behavior intervention plan (BIP)
• Consultation and coordination with outside agencies to ensure wraparound services and support
• Support/Progress monitoring frequency
• First meeting should be held after four weeks of implementation. 
• Follow up meetings should be held at least every six to eight weeks after that time. 
• Meetings should be held more frequently if needed. 
• The case manager assigned to each student brings data as well as written draft recommendations for BIP revisions if data indicates a need for change.

Who Is the Interventionist?

• School counselor
• Social worker 
• School psychologist 
• Collaborating agency (DSS, Court, Mental Health, etc.)
• Special education: Individualized Education Program (IEP) team

Level I Infractions

When these interventions are used successfully in the classroom, additional disciplinary action is not required

• Restorative Circle
• Teacher conference with the student
• Reflection of the incident (verbal or written)
• Seat change
• Warning (verbal or visual)
• Redirection
• Reteach expectation of appropriate behavior
• Loss of privilege
• Confiscation of item
• Phone call and/or letter to parent/guardian
• Teacher conference with parent/guardian
• Parent, student, and teacher contract
• Counseling
• Restorative or harm circle
• Confiscation of personal devices
• Mentoring
• Student apology (written or verbal)

Level II Infractions

These interventions are used with the assistance of the school Student Support Team staff and may include administrative support

• Restorative Circle
• Behavioral contract
• Complete a community service task
• Refer to intervention assistance team (student support team)
• Refer to community-based services
• Loss of privilege
• 30-day suspension from activities
• Office referral
• Detention (before or after school)
• Behavior progress report
• Modification of IEP
• Class or schedule change
• Child study meeting
• Counseling
• Functional behavioral assessment (FBA)
• Behavior intervention plan (BIP)
• Alternate instructional arrangement (one period to less than ½ day)
• In-school suspension (½ a school day or more)
• Loss of parking privilege
• Reflective Essay
• Independent Study
• Substance abuse counseling

Level III Infractions

These are addressed solely by administration at the school

• In-school suspension
• Suspension, 1-5 days
• Suspension, 6-10 days
• Referral to community agency
• Refer for alternative program placement
• Restitution
• Restorative practice (harm circle)
• Long-term suspension
• Refer for disciplinary hearing
• Behavior intervention plan (BIP)
• Functional behavioral assessment (FBA)
• Substance Abuse counseling

Note: This list of Interventions is not intended to be exhaustive. School staff will seek to implement the intervention(s) that seem to most effectively support positive behavior for the specific student under the specific circumstances. When determining the level of response to a violation of the Code of Conduct, school staff will consider the age of the student, the student’s intent, the severity of the circumstances, the level of disruption to the school environment (either during or after the violation), the repeated nature of the situation (if applicable), and any other mitigating or aggravating factors. School response will not necessarily begin at the lowest level indicated for a first offense.

ACPS aligns with the Virginia Department of Education’s Model Guidance for Positive and Preventative Code of Student Conduct Policy and Alternatives to Suspension. Becoming familiar with an understanding the various categories of student behaviors can assist administrators and staff with identifying tiered interventions and strategies for addressing unwanted behaviors from a preventative and restorative lens. Per the model guidance, there are three ways administrators can respond to student behavior to include behavioral interventions, disciplinary sanctions and instructional supports. School divisions are asked to acknowledge and understand the following about behavior:

• Behavior is communication and we must understand the message students are communicating through behavior.
• Behavior has a cultural context and what is acceptable or respectful in one culture may not be acceptable or respectful in other cultures.
• Behavior is developmental and the decision-making skills of students is not fully developed.
• Behavior is learned and we must teach the behaviors that we want to see students exhibit.

The following student behavior categories, as defined by the Virginia Department of Education, were designed to assist with recognizing the impact the behavior has on the school learning environment and to encourage responses that promote social-emotional learning competencies.

• Behaviors that Impede Academic Progress (BAP):
  These behaviors impede academic progress of the student or of students. They are typically indicative of the student’s lack of self-management or self-awareness. Sometimes, the student may need help in understanding how the behavior impacts others so training in social awareness may also be indicated.
• Behaviors Related to School Operations (BSO):
  These behaviors interfere with the daily operation of school procedures. Students exhibiting these behaviors may need to develop self-management, self-awareness, or social awareness skills.
• Relationship Behaviors (RB):
  These behaviors create a negative relationship between two or more people that does not result in physical harm. Relationship behaviors affect the whole school community in that the school climate is often a reflection of how people treat one another. Students who exhibit difficulty with relationship behaviors may also have difficulty with the other social-emotional competencies.
• Behaviors that Present a Safety Concern (BSC):
  These behaviors create unsafe conditions for students, staff, and visitors to the school. The underlying reasons for this type of behavior may lie in any of the social-emotional competencies so the administrator should investigate the underlying motivation for the student’s behavior. Training in social awareness and decision-making are usually indicated in any behavior that creates a safety concern.
• Behaviors that Endanger Self or Others (BESO):
  These behaviors endanger the health, safety, or welfare of either the student or others in the school community. Behaviors that rise to this level of severity are often complex. While they are indicative of poor decision-making skills, students who exhibit these behaviors may also have developmental needs in the other social-emotional competencies.

Should you have concern regarding a disciplinary matter with your child, please contact the school directly to discuss the issue with the people who work with your child. Many issues can be resolved at the school level in collaboration with an administrator, classroom teacher or member of the student support team. 

1. Parent Notification

   • Student has a disciplinary infraction

   • Teacher or member of the administration contacts the parent or guardian

2. Parent Response

   • If questions exist, parent contacts the classroom teacher first, if that is the person who reached out to the parent

   • If the matter is resolved, no need to proceed any further

3. Parent Response

   • Parent discussed the matter with the teacher, but still has additional questions

   • Contact the school administrator for clarification

   • If the matter is resolved, no need to proceed any further

4. Parent Response

   • Parent has spoken with the administrator, but still has additional questions

   • Contact the Executive Director of School Leadership

   • If the matter is resolved, no need to proceed any further

5. Parent Response

   • Parent has discussed the matter with the Executive Director of School Leadership, but still has concerns

   • Contact the Office of the Superintendent

Whether a search of a student is permissible depends on a balancing of the student’s right to privacy and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure against the school division’s responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of all persons in the school community and to carry out its educational mission. To maintain order and discipline in the schools and to protect the health, safety and welfare of students and school personnel, school authorities may search a student, student belongings, student lockers or student automobiles under the circumstances outlined below and may seize any illegal, unauthorized or contraband materials discovered in the search. 

As used in this section, the term "unauthorized" means any item dangerous to the health or safety of students or school personnel, or disruptive of any lawful function, mission or process of the school, or any item described as unauthorized in school rules available beforehand to the student. “Student belongings” include but are not limited to, backpacks, mobile phones or other electronic devices, purses, jackets, or other personal effects. 

A student's failure to permit searches and seizures as provided in this policy will be considered grounds for disciplinary action. 

The locations at which searches of students and student property may be conducted are not limited to the school building or school property. Searches may be conducted wherever the student is involved in a school-sponsored function. 

Personal Searches

A student’s person (including outer clothing) and/or personal effects may be searched by a school official whenever the official has a reasonable suspicion to believe that the student is in possession of illegal or unauthorized materials or has violated or is about to violate the law or a school rule and that the search will yield evidence of the violation. All individual searches of students must be initiated based on reasonable suspicion, i.e., a moderate chance of finding evidence of wrongdoing. 

In order to be permissible, the search must be:

1. Justified by reasonable suspicion at its inception and
2. Reasonably related in scope to the circumstances justifying the search.

An individual search is justified at its inception when a school official has a reasonable suspicion, based on the totality of the known circumstances, for suspecting that the search will reveal evidence that the student has violated or is violating either the law or the rules of the school. A school search is permissible in its scope when the measures adopted are reasonably related to the objectives of the search and not excessively intrusive in light of the age and sex of the student and the nature of the suspected infraction.

Searches may be conducted of student lockers, desks, school computers and other technology, and automobiles when on school property.

Consent Searches

If a student gives a school official consent for a search of his/her person, personal effects, and/or the interior of his/her vehicle, the school official does not need to demonstrate reasonable suspicion. A student’s consent is only valid if given willingly and with knowledge of the meaning of consent. Students should be told of their right to refuse to be searched, and a student must not perceive himself/herself at risk of punishment for refusing to grant permission for the search. 

Investigations by Law Enforcement Officers at School 

When it becomes necessary for any law enforcement officer to interrogate a student on school premises, the school principal shall be contacted immediately. The principal or designee shall make a reasonable effort to contact the parent or guardian and have the parent or guardian in attendance for the conference. If the parent or guardian cannot be present for the conference, then the principal or designee shall be present throughout the interrogation. 

Additional information can be found in Appendix K: Search and Seizure, Policy JFG.

What if I don't agree with the initial suspension?

If you disagree with the initial suspension, then you would prepare a letter of appeal. Please follow the procedures outlined below. Appeals are not considered until receipt of a formal letter of appeal (outlined below). The student will begin serving the suspension until the appeal letter is received. In general, once a written appeal request has been received, the suspension will be placed on hold until the appeals process has ended. An exception to this applies if the student is determined by the principal to be a danger to himself or herself, to others, or deemed to be so destructive or disruptive that the education of other students cannot continue in a safe and orderly manner. If this is the case, the student shall not be allowed to attend school during the appeal process.

Appeal Procedure for Short-Term Suspensions (one to ten school days)

• A notice of short-term suspension may be appealed directly to the school administrator who suspended the student. The letter of appeal must be mailed, emailed or delivered to the school administration within 24 hours of the first notification of the student’s suspension, which is most often a phone call from a school administrator, followed by a letter.
• If the appeal is denied by the administrator who suspended the student, it may then be appealed in writing to the principal. The appeal letter must be mailed, emailed or delivered to the school within two (2) school days of the day the administrator’s (who suspended the student) response was received.
• If the appeal is denied by the principal, it may then be appealed directly to the Executive Director of Student Services within three (3) school days of the day the principal’s response was received.
• If the appeal is denied by the Executive Director of Student Services, a final appeal may be submitted to the Office of the Superintendent within five (5) school days of the day the response from the Executive Director of Student Services was received. A written letter of appeal must be submitted to the: 

          Office of the Superintendent
          Attn: Superintendent’s Designee for Suspension Appeals
          Alexandria City Public Schools
          1340 Braddock Place, 6th Floor
          Alexandria, Virginia 22314

• The Superintendent or designee promptly reviews the action taken by the principal or assistant principal upon a petition for review by any party in interest, and confirms or disapproves the suspension based on an examination of the record of the student’s behavior.
• The parent/guardian is notified that the final decision regarding such an appeal is made by the Superintendent or designee, and may not be appealed to the School Board.

Suspension with Discipline Hearing Recommendation

Each student has the right to expect an educational environment in which he or she can strive to achieve his/her intellectual potential. The student is expected to attend school regularly, be diligent in his/her studies and conduct him/herself in such a way that the rights and privileges of others are not violated. The student is expected to accept and demonstrate the obligation of good citizenship to help prevent problems from happening and help solve problems if they occur. 

Student disciplinary hearings are conducted when the school administrator believes a student has violated the ACPS Student Code of Conduct and additional consequences, to include long-term suspension (10 or more days) or expulsion should be considered. 

How does this happen?

When a violation of the Student Code of Conduct occurs that is considered to be especially serious (i.e., weapon at school, drugs or alcohol, physical altercation), the principal will make a determination as to whether or not the violation warrants consideration for long-term suspension or expulsion. Prior to this determination, your child has the right to due process, which means they will: 

• Be informed of the rule violation and evidence
• Be provided with an opportunity to present his/her side of the situation
• Be provided with an opportunity to appeal the decision

Once this has occurred, and your child has been suspended with a recommendation for expulsion or a disciplinary hearing, a representative from the Department of Student Services and Equity will contact you to schedule a hearing. Parents are encouraged to proactively contact the Department of Student Services and Equity at 703-619-8108 to establish a date and time for the hearing. 

Suspension days prior to the hearing

Your student will be suspended from ACPS until the time of the hearing. During that time, he or she is not allowed on any ACPS campus or allowed to attend any ACPS events. 

Why a hearing?

A hearing is used to determine the appropriate consequence of a significant code of conduct violation. 

What happens at the hearing?

During the hearing, which is facilitated by a Department of Student Services and Equity administrator, the number of steps that is followed to ensure that all pertinent information is presented. Below is a sample agenda of a hearing: 

1. Introductions
2. Review of hearing structure
3. Administrative presentation of incident
4. Student presentation
5. Parent/guardian presentation
6. Additional statements
7. Summary
8. Closure/determination (note: determination may not occur at hearing)

As part of the disciplinary hearing review process, student records will be reviewed. Such records may include but are not limited to: academics, behavior, attendance/truancy, residency, career plans and risk/threat assessments.

Who attends the hearing?

The principal and/or assistant principal, or dean of students from your child's school will attend the hearing. The hearing officer also has the discretion to invite additional school personnel. It is important that both you and your child attend the hearing so that your child has an opportunity to provide his/her version of the incident. You are allowed to have witnesses come and testify on your child's behalf. You are also allowed to have an attorney if you choose. In addition, the Department of Student Services and Equity administrator will facilitate the session and if needed, a translator or interpreter may also be present. 

What are possible outcomes from the hearing?

The Department of Student Services and Equity administrator has a wide range of outcomes at his/her discretion, including, but not limited to: 

• Alternative education program placement
• Alternate instructional support (AIS)
• Counseling
• Detention at school
• Expulsion from ACPS schools
• In-school suspension (ISS)
• Restorative Practices
• Out-of-school suspension (OSS)
• Parent conference
• Restitution
• Return to school with or without probationary requirements
• Saturday School
• School/community service projects
• Additional days of suspension or loss of student privileges
• Other tasks assigned by administration 

The Department of Student Services and Equity administrator also has the authority to suspend your child for up to one year and recommend expulsion to the Alexandria City School Board. 

Instructional Supports

Students are provided access to school work and given the opportunity to complete school work when they are suspended. In order to maintain pace with their peers, stay on track with on time graduation and lessen the likelihood of frustration with falling behind in coursework that could potentially lead to additional behavior concerns, each student is provided access to graded school work during and after a suspension.

Further Questions

If you have any additional questions, please contact the Department of Student Services and Equity at 703-619-8108. 

Alcohol use, possession, sale or distribution: Violating laws or ordinances prohibiting the manufacture, sale, purchase, transportation, possession, or consumption of intoxicating alcoholic beverages or substances represented as alcohol. Suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol may be included if it results in disciplinary action.

Altercation: A confrontation, tussle, or verbal/physical aggression that does not result in injury.

Alternative education programs: Shall include, but not be limited to, night school, adult education, or another education program designed to offer instruction to students for whom the regular program of instruction may be inappropriate.

Alternate instructional support (AIS) center: A student may be removed from his or her regular schedule of classes based on disruptive behavior, when previous intervention (s) have not been successful, and assigned to a program of study under supervision of a qualified staff member for a fixed period of time, ranging from one class period to less than one-half of the school day.

Arson/Fire: Unlawfully and intentionally damaging or attempting to damage any school or personal property by fire or incendiary device. Firecrackers, fireworks, and trash can fires would be included in this category if they were contributing factors to a damaging fire.

Assault and Battery: Voluntary fighting resulting in physical injury to another person shall be considered assault and battery. Physical assault includes any physical confrontation that may result in no injury, injury, or serious injury that includes, but may not be limited to, kicking, shoving, pushing, hitting and fighting. An actual offensive, forceful, violent and intentional touching or striking of a student against his/her will, intentionally causing bodily harm with the use of a firearm or other weapon. Includes mob assault.

Battery: The unlawful application of force to the person of another.

Behavior intervention plan (BIP): A plan that uses positive behavioral interventions and supports to address behaviors which interfere with the learning of students with disabilities or with the learning of others or that require disciplinary action.

Behavior on school bus: Students shall not behave in a disruptive manner or otherwise violate these standards of conduct while waiting for a school bus, while on a school bus or after being discharged from a school bus.

Bomb threats: Students shall not engage in any illegal conduct involving firebombs, explosive or incendiary materials or devices or hoax explosive devices or chemical bombs as defined in the Code of Virginia. Moreover, students shall not make any threats or false threats to bomb school personnel or school property.

Breaking and entering (burglary): Unlawfully entering or attempting to enter a building or other structure with the intent to commit a crime.

Bullying: Using repeated negative behaviors intended to frighten or cause harm. These may include, but are not limited to, verbal or written threats or physical harm, intimidation, taunting, name-calling, and insults and any combination of prohibited activities.

A student, either individually or as part of a group, shall not harass or bully others either in person or by use of any communication technology including computer systems, telephones, pagers, or instant messaging systems. Prohibited conduct includes verbal conduct consisting of comments regarding the race, gender, religion, physical or mental abilities, sexual orientation, or other characteristics , towards another person and /or associates of the targeted person.

Cyberbullying: Using information and communication technologies, such as cell phone text messages and pictures and internet e-mail, social networking websites, defamatory personal websites, and defamatory online personal polling websites to support deliberate, hostile, behavior intended to harm others.

Change of placement: For the purposes of discipline, means:

A removal of a student from the student’s current educational placement for more than 10 consecutive days; or

The student is subjected to a series of removals that constitute a pattern because they accumulate to more than 10 school days in a school year.

Cheating: To give answers to others, copy assignments, imagery or tests from others, or look at the tests, coursework (homework and classwork), teacher materials and similar assignments of others.

Defiance of the authority of school personnel: Students shall comply with any oral or written instructions made by school personnel within the scope of their authority as provided by Board policies and regulations.

Destruction of Property/Vandalism: Willfully and/or maliciously destroying, damaging or defacing public or private property without the consent of the owner or the person having custody or control of it. This category includes graffiti. Students shall not willfully or maliciously damage or deface any school building or other property owned or under the control of the School Board. In addition, students shall not willfully or maliciously damage or deface property belonging to or under the control of any other person at school, on a school bus or at school-sponsored events.

Destructive or explosive device: (1) any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas, bomb, grenade, rocket having a propellant charge of more than four ounces, missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter ounce, mine, or similar device; (2) any weapon, except a shotgun or a shotgun shell generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes, by whatever name known that will, or may be readily converted to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive or other propellant, and that has any barrel with a bore of more than one-half inch in diameter; and (3) any combination of parts either designed or intended for use in converting any device into any destructive device described herein and from which a destructive device may be readily assembled. Destructive device shall not include any device that is not designed or redesigned for use as a weapon, or any device originally designed for use as a weapon and that is redesigned for use as a signaling, pyrotechnic, line-throwing, safety, or other similar device.

Disorderly conduct/insubordination: The unwillingness to submit to authority or refusal to respond to a reasonable request or any act that intentionally disrupts the orderly conduct of a school function.

Disrespect: Use of abusive language or behavior that is intimidating, hostile or dismissive in nature.

Disruptive conduct/behavior: Any act intended to be disruptive of any school activity, function or process of the school or is dangerous to the health or safety of students or others, or interrupts or obstructs the learning environment. May include persistently disruptive conduct. This definition includes conduct going to and returning from school, per Va. Code 22.1-78.

Distribution or sale of illegal drugs or possession or distribution with intent to sell: Students shall not manufacture, give, sell, distribute or possess with intent to give, sell or distribute marijuana, synthetic cannabinoids, or other controlled substance as defined in the Drug Control Act, Chapter 15.1 of Title 54 of the Code of Virginia.

Drug violation: Violation of laws or ordinances prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, possession or consumption of marijuana, Schedule I & II drugs, and anabolic steroid use.

Suspicion of being under the influence of marijuana may be included if it results in disciplinary action.

Unlawfully using, cultivating, manufacturing, purchasing, possessing, transporting or importing any substances represented as drug lookalikes or inhalants is not permitted.

Unlawfully possessing or attempting to take possession of drugs prescribed for another.

Unlawfully possessing with the intent to distribute, sell or solicit any Schedule I or II drug, marijuana or anabolic steroid.

Unlawfully using or possessing with the intent to distribute, selling or soliciting any controlled drug or narcotic substance not specified in previous drug categories.

Having equipment (paraphernalia) for use in consuming illegal drugs in one’s pocket, bag, car or locker.

Unlawful use, distribution, sale, solicitation, purchase, possession, transportation or importation of over-the-counter medication.

Electronic device or cell phone misuse: Misuse of technology or cellular device to transmit insulting, profane, racially or sexually offensive written language, or to make obscene remarks or gestures, or bully, extort or spread untruths about another student of staff member.

Endangering the well-being of others: Any behavior that places a student or staff member in a situation that may endanger their health, life or welfare.

Exclusion: A School Board’s denial of school admission to a student who has been expelled or has been placed on long-term suspension of more than 30 calendar days by another school board or private school, either in Virginia or another state.

Expulsion: Any disciplinary action imposed by the School Board, as provided in School Board policy, whereby a student is not permitted to attend school within the school division and is ineligible for readmission for 365 calendar days after the date of the expulsion.

Extortion: Unlawfully obtaining or attempting to obtain something of value from another by compelling the other person to deliver it by the threat or eventual physical injury or other harm to that person or person’s property.

False charges: Students or school personnel who knowingly make false charges of harassment or provide otherwise false information or accusations shall be subject to disciplinary action.

Felony charges: Students charged with any offense, wherever committed, that would be a felony if committed by an adult may be disciplined and/or required to participate in prevention/intervention activities.

Fighting (both parties) with no injury or injury: Mutual participation in a fight involving physical violence, where there are no or injuries. These may include, but not be limited to, the following: scrape on body (e.g., knee, elbow, hand) or bruising.

Firearm: Any weapon prohibited on school property or at a school-sponsored activity pursuant to Va. Code sec. 18.2-308.1, or (1) any weapon, including a starter gun, pneumatic gun (paint ball, BB, air rifle), that will, or is designed or may readily be converted to, expel single or multiple projectiles by the action of an explosion of a combustible material or pressure; (2) the frame or receiver of any such weapon; (3) any firearm muffler or firearm silencer; (4) any destructive device; or (5) any unloaded firearm in a closed container.

Forgery: Creating, altering or using a false document with the intent to defraud or injure someone.

Functional behavioral assessment (FBA): A process to determine the underlying cause or functions of a student’s behavior that impede the learning of the student with a disability or the learning of the student’s peers. A functional behavioral assessment may include a review of existing data or new testing data or evaluation as determined by the IEP team.

Gambling: Making, placing, or receiving any bet or wager of money or other thing of value dependent upon the result of the game, contest or any other event with an uncertain outcome.

Gang related activity: A student shall not engage in gang activities as defined in Policy JFCE, incorporated by reference. Street gang means any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, that has as one of its primary objectives or activities to commit one or more criminal or non-criminal gang activities. This includes articles of clothing that symbolize association, rituals or activities identified by groups of students.

Harassment, intimidation: Repeatedly annoying or attacking a student or a group of students or other personnel which creates an intimidating or hostile educational or work environment A student shall not harass another student or any school employee, volunteer, student teacher or any other person present in school facilities or at school functions in violation of Policy JFHA/GBA Sexual Harassment/Harassment Based on Race, National Origin, Disability, Sexual Orientation, and Religion. Includes stalking.

Hazing: To recklessly or intentionally endanger the health or safety of a student or students or to inflict bodily harm on a student or students in connection with or for the purpose of initiation, admission into or affiliation with or as a condition for continued membership in a club, organization, association, fraternity, sorority, or student body regardless of whether the student or students so endangered or injured participated voluntarily in the relevant activity.

The principal of any school at which hazing causes bodily injury occurs shall report the hazing to the local Commonwealth Attorney. Hazing, as defined above, is a Class I misdemeanor which may be punished by confinement in jail for up to 12 months and a fine of up to $2,500, or both, in addition to any disciplinary consequences which may be imposed under this policy. In addition, any person receiving bodily injury by hazing has a right to sue, civilly, the person or persons guilty thereof, whether adults or infants. See Va. Code sec. 18.2-56.

Hearings office: Conducts discipline hearings and determines outcomes on behalf of the Superintendent; makes discipline recommendations to the School Board and represents the Superintendent at School Board hearings; maintains records and statistics related to expulsion, exclusion, and reassignment recommendations and outcomes; decides suspension appeals; provides resource assistance and training to school-based and central office administrators; and conducts employee grievance hearings on behalf of the Superintendent.

Improper touching and/or sexual activity: Improper physical contact against a student or staff that is offensive, undesirable and/or unwanted as determined by the victim.

Inappropriate language: Using inappropriate words or topics of conversation.

Inciting or participating in a school disturbance: behavior, use of force or violence that seriously jeopardizes public safety, peace or order; Includes false fire alarms and inciting a riot (three or more people acting together).

In-school suspension (ISS): A student may be removed from his or her regular schedule of classes for significant behavioral infractions and assigned to a program of study under the supervision of a qualified staff member for a fixed period of time, ranging from one-half a school day or more.

Kidnapping: Unlawfully seizing, transporting, and/or detaining a person against his/her will, or a minor without the consent of his/her custodial parent(s) or legal guardian. This category includes hostage-taking.

Leaving an area/class or school grounds without permission: Leaving class, school building or grounds, area or activity without the express permission of school staff when consent to leave is expected.

Long-term suspension: Any disciplinary action whereby a student is not permitted to attend school for more than 10 school days but less than 365 calendar days.

Long-term removal: The suspension of a student with a disability to an alternative setting for more than 10 consecutive school days in a school year; or, when the student is subjected to a series of removals that constitute a pattern because they cumulate to more than 10 school days in a school year.

Manifestation determination review: A process to review all relevant information and the relationship between the student’s disability and the behavior subject to the disciplinary action.

Other violations: In addition to these specific standards, students shall not engage in any conduct which materially and substantially disrupts the ongoing educational process or which is otherwise a violation of federal, state or local law.

Pattern: Separate incidents of removal which cumulate to more than 10 school days in a given school year and constitute a change of placement.

Possession of beepers, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) or similar communications: Students may possess a beeper, cellular telephones, personal digital assistant (PDA) or other communications devices on school property, including school buses, provided that the devices remain off and out of sight during the school day. If a student possesses such a device other than as permitted in this policy, in addition to other disciplinary sanctions which may be imposed, the device may be confiscated from the student and returned only to the student’s parent/guardian.

Possession or use of weapons or other dangerous articles: Students shall not have in their possession any type of unauthorized firearm or other article which may be used as a weapon, regardless of whether it is commonly accepted as such. This regulation incorporates Policy JFCD.

Profane, obscene or abusive language or gestures: Language, gestures, or conduct that is vulgar, profane, obscene or racially charged that disrupts the teaching and learning environment.

Removals: Excluding the student from the student’s current educational placement due to inappropriate behavior resulting in disciplinary action.

Reports of conviction or adjudication of delinquency pursuant to sec. 16.1-305.1: Any student for whom the Superintendent has received a report pursuant to Va. Code sec. 16.1- 305.1 of an adjudication of delinquency or a conviction for an offense listed in subsection G of Va. Code sec. 16.1-260 may be suspended or expelled.

Retaliation: Retaliation against students or school personnel who report harassment or participate in any related proceedings is prohibited and will be punished.

Robbery: Taking, or attempting to take, anything of value owned by another person or organization under confrontational circumstances by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear.

School property or range: Any real property owned or leased by the School Board or any vehicle owned or leased by the School Board or operated by or on behalf of the School Board. This definition includes conduct going to and returning from school per Va. Code 22.1-78

Sexual assault: Attempted or actual sexual penetration against another person without consent.

Sexual harassment: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, sexually motivated physical conduct or other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a sexual nature, including gender-based harassment that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational or work environment.

Short-term removal: Suspending a student with a disability to an alternative setting for 10 school days or less in a school year. It also applies to removals when the cumulative amount is 10 school days, but not consecutive and does not constitute a pattern or change of placement.

Stealing/Theft: Intentionally taking the personal property of another person without consent under duress, threat or otherwise.

Superintendent's designee: a 1) trained hearing officer, or 2) professional employee in the administrative offices of the school division who reports directly to the Superintendent or designee and who is not a school-based instructional or administrative employee.

Tardiness: Late arrival to school or class.

Technology use: Students are required to abide by the rules for use of technology. Use of hardware, software, network or telecommunications in violation of these rules is prohibited. Students shall abide by the ACPS Responsible Computer System Use Policy IIBEA and Regulation.

Threats or intimidation: Students shall not make any verbal, written, or physical threat of bodily injury or use of force directed toward another person for the purpose of extortion or for any other reason. Unlawfully placing a staff member in fear of bodily harm through physical, verbal, written or electronic threats which immediately creates fear of harm without displaying a weapon or subjecting the person to actual physical attack.

Trespassing: Entering or remaining on a public school campus or School Board facility without authorization or invitation and with no lawful purpose for entry, including students under suspension or expulsion and unauthorized persons who enter or remain on a campus or School Board facility after being directed to leave.

Use and/or possession of alcohol, tobacco, anabolic steroids and other drugs: A student shall not possess, use, and/or distribute alcohol, tobacco and/or tobacco products, or other drugs on school property, on school buses, or during school activities, on or off school property. This includes, but may not be limited to, smokeless tobacco, anabolic steroids, lookalike drugs, drug paraphernalia, and any prescription or non-prescription drug not possessed in accordance with Policy JHCD.

A student shall not possess, procure or purchase or attempt to possess, procure, or purchase, or be under the influence of (legal intoxication not required), or use or consume or attempt to use or consume, any of the restricted substances listed in this regulation or what is represented by or to the student to be any of the restricted substances listed in this regulation or what the student believes is any of the restricted substances in this regulation.

This regulation incorporates Policy JFCF.

Restricted substances include alcoholic drinks, marijuana, narcotic drugs, hallucinogens, stimulants, depressants, and anything else covered by the Drug Control Act referenced below, as well as any volatile/ignitable inhalant materials, anabolic steroids and both prescription and nonprescription drugs if they are not taken according to the prescription or directions on the package and includes anything that a student represents to be a restricted substance or which a student believes is a restricted substance.

In addition to any other consequences that may result, a student who is a member of a school athletic team will be ineligible for two school years to compete in interscholastic athletic competition if the school principal and the Superintendent determine that the student used anabolic steroids during the training period immediately preceding or during the sport season of the athletic team, unless such steroid was prescribed by a licensed physician for a medical condition.

Weapons and ammunition: Possession of any type of ammunition. Ammunition means ammunition or cartridges, cases, primers, bullets, or propellant powder designed for use in any firearm. Any device that looks like a real gun or is a toy gun (i.e., water pistols). Category also includes look-alike weapons. Possessing or bringing to school or a school-sponsored event any substance used as a weapon. The substance would include mace, tear gas, or pepper spray. Possessing knife less than three inches, razor blades, box cutters, fireworks, firecrackers, or bringing stink bombs to school or a school event. Possessing or bringing any mechanism that is designed to emit an electronic, magnetic or another charge or shock through the use of a projectile and used for the purpose of temporarily incapacitating a person. Possessing or bringing any mechanism that is designed to emit an electronic, magnetic or other charge that exceeds the equivalency of five milliamp 60 hertz shock and used for the purpose of temporarily incapacitating a person.

The Virginia Standards of Accreditation (2000), Section 8 VAC 20-131-210.A., states that the principal "is recognized as the instructional leader of the school and is responsible for effective school management that promotes positive student achievement, a safe and secure environment in which to teach and learn, and efficient use of resources." Section B.2. specifies that the principal shall "ensure that the school division's student code of conduct is enforced and seek to maintain a safe and secure school environment." Section 8 VAC 20-131-260.C.3., requires a school administration to ensure "a written procedure, in accordance with guidelines established by the local board, for responding to violent, disruptive or illegal activities by students on school property or during a school-sponsored activity."

Suspension and Expulsion of Students 

Students may be suspended or expelled from attendance at school for sufficient cause; however, in no case may sufficient cause for suspension include only instances of truancy. Any student for whom the superintendent of the school division in which the student is enrolled has received a report pursuant to Va. Code sec. 16.1-305.1 of an adjudication of delinquency or a conviction may be suspended or expelled from school attendance. 

As authorized by Virginia Code § 22.1-277.2:1, any student charged or found guilty of an offense involving alcohol, drugs, or weapons; a crime that resulted in or could have resulted in injury to others; an offense that is required to be disclosed to the superintendent of the school division pursuant to subsection G of § 16.1-260 (See below); (iii) or to have committed a serious offense or repeated offenses in violation of school board policies may be required  to attend an alternative educational assignment under Virginia Law.

Under subsection G of Virginia Code § 16.1-260, the court intake officer shall file a report with the division superintendent of the school division in which any student who is the subject of a petition alleging that such student who is a juvenile has committed an act, wherever committed, which would be a crime if committed by an adult, or that such student who is an adult has committed a crime and is alleged to be within the jurisdiction of the court. The report shall notify the division superintendent of the filing of the petition and the nature of the offense, if the violation involves:

1. A firearm offense pursuant to Article 4 (§ 18.2-279 et seq.), 5 (§ 18.2-288 et seq.), 6 (§ 18.2-299 et seq.), 6.1 (§ 18.2-307.1 et seq.), or 7 (§ 18.2-308.1 et seq.) of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2.
2. Homicide, pursuant to Article 1 (§ 18.2-30 et seq.) of Chapter 4 of Title 18.2;
3. Felonious assault and bodily wounding, pursuant to Article 4 (§ 18.2-51 et seq.) of Chapter 4 of Title 18.2.
4. Criminal sexual assault, pursuant to Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 of Title 18.2.
5. Manufacture, sale, gift, distribution or possession of Schedule I or II controlled substances, pursuant to Article 1 (§ 18.2-247 et seq.) of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2.
6. Manufacture, sale or distribution of marijuana pursuant to Article 1 (§ 18.2-247 et seq.) of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2.
7. Arson and related crimes, pursuant to Article 1 (§ 18.2-77 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 18.2.
8. Burglary and related offenses, pursuant to §§ 18.2-89 through 18.2-93.
9. Robbery pursuant to § 18.2-58.
10. Prohibited criminal street gang activity pursuant to § 18.2-46.2.
11. Recruitment of other juveniles for a criminal street gang activity pursuant to § 18.2-46.3
12. An act of violence by a mob pursuant to § 18.2-42.1.

The failure to provide information regarding the school in which the student who is the subject of the petition may be enrolled shall not be grounds for refusing to file a petition.

The authority of teachers to remove students from their classes in certain instances of disruptive behavior shall not be interpreted to affect the operation of this policy. Parents/guardians may choose to appeal a suspension. Information is provided on the appeal process in this document. 

Short-Term Suspension

A student may be suspended for not more than 10 school days by either the school principal or appropriate administrator. The principal or appropriate administrator may suspend the student after giving the student and parent oral notice.  Written notice of the suspension, and the behavior subject to the suspension will be provided within 24 hours If during the course of the schools investigation of the matter, additional information is obtained, the letter may be amended and any disciplinary action is subject to change. 

Upon suspension of any student, the principal or appropriate administrator responsible for such suspension shall report the suspension to the Executive Director of School Leadership.

Any oral or written notice to the parent/guardian of a student who is suspended from school attendance for not more than 10 days shall include notification of the length of the suspension. 

Long-Term Suspension

A student may be suspended from attendance for more than 10 days after written notice is provided to the student and parent/guardian of the proposed action and the reason therefore and of the right to a hearing before the School Board or the Superintendent or designee. The decision of Superintendent or designee may be appealed to the full School Board. Such appeals shall be decided by the School Board within 30 days.

Any such written notice should state the length of suspension and shall provide information concerning the availability of community-based educational, alternative education, or intervention programs. Such notice shall also state that the student is eligible to return to regular school attendance upon expiration of the suspension or to attend an appropriate alternative education program approved by the School Board during or upon the expiration of the suspension. The costs of any community-based educational, alternative education or intervention program that is not a part of the educational program offered by the school division that the student may attend during his/her suspension shall be borne by the parent/guardian.

Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the School Board from permitting or requiring students suspended pursuant to this section to attend an alternative education program provided by the School Board for the term of such suspension.

Expulsion

Students may be expelled from attendance at school after written notice to the student and parent/guardian of the proposed action and reasons therefore and of the right to a hearing before the School Board.

The written notice given to the student and parent/guardian shall include notification of the length of the expulsion and shall provide information to the parent/guardian concerning the availability of community-based educational, training and intervention programs. The notice shall also state whether or not the student is eligible to return to regular school attendance, or to attend an appropriate alternative education program approved by the School Board, or an adult education program offered by the school division, during or upon expiration of the expulsion, and the terms or conditions of such readmission. The costs of any community-based educational, training or intervention program that is not part of the educational program offered by the school division that the student may attend during his/her expulsion shall be borne by the parent/guardian. 

Nothing in this policy shall be construed to prohibit the School Board from permitting or requiring students expelled pursuant to this policy to attend an alternative education program provided by the School Board for the term of such expulsion.

If the School Board determines that the student is ineligible to return to regular school attendance or to attend during the expulsion an alternative education program or an adult education program in the school division, the written notice shall also advise the parent/guardian of such student that the student may petition the School Board for readmission to be effective one calendar year from the date of his/her expulsion, and of the conditions, if any, under which readmission may be granted. 

The School Board shall establish, by regulation, a schedule pursuant to which such students may apply and reapply for readmission to school. Such schedule shall be designed to ensure that any initial petition for readmission will be reviewed by the School Board, or the Superintendent, and, if granted, would enable the student to resume school attendance one calendar year from the date of the expulsion. If the Superintendent denies such petition, the student may petition the School Board for review of such denial.

  Conduct Giving Rise to Expulsion

Recommendations for expulsions for actions other than those specified below are based on consideration of the following factors:

• The nature and seriousness of the conduct
• The degree of danger to the school community
• The student’s disciplinary history, including the seriousness and number of previous infractions
• The appropriateness and availability of an alternative education placement or program
• The student’s age and grade level
• The results of any mental health, substance abuse or special education assessments
• The student’s attendance and academic records
• Other appropriate matters

No decision to expel a student shall be reversed on the grounds that such factors were not considered. Nothing in this subsection precludes the School Board from considering any of the factors listed above as special circumstances for purposes of expulsions discussed in the following subsections.

  Firearms

The School Board may expel from school attendance for a period of not less than one year any student whom such School Board has determined to have brought a firearm onto school property or to a school-sponsored activity prohibited by Va. Code sec. 18.2-308.1, or to have brought a firearm as defined in this policy or an air rifle or BB gun on school property or to a school-sponsored activity. A school administrator, pursuant to school board policy, or the School Board may, however, determine, based on the facts of a particular situation that special circumstances exist and no disciplinary action or another disciplinary action or another term of expulsion is appropriate. The School Board may promulgate guidelines for determining what constitutes special circumstances. In addition, the School Board may, by regulation, authorize the Superintendent or Superintendent’s designee to conduct a preliminary review of such cases to determine whether a disciplinary action other than expulsion is appropriate. Nothing in this policy shall be construed to require a student’s expulsion regardless of the facts of the particular situation.

The exemptions set out in Va. Code sec. 18.2-308 regarding concealed weapons shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the provisions of the policy. The provisions of this policy do not apply to persons who possess such firearm or firearms as a part of the curriculum or other programs sponsored by the schools in the school division or any organization permitted by the school to use its premises or to any law enforcement officer while engaged in his/her duties as such.

  Drug Offenses

The School Board may expel from school attendance any student whom the School Board has determined to have brought a controlled substance, imitation controlled substance, or marijuana as defined in Va. Code sec. 18.2-247, onto school property or to a school-sponsored activity. The School Board may, however, determine, based on the facts of the particular case that special circumstances exist and another disciplinary action is appropriate.

In addition, the School Board may, by regulation, authorize the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee to conduct a preliminary review of such cases to determine whether a disciplinary action other than expulsion is appropriate. Nothing in this policy shall be construed to require a student’s expulsion regardless of the facts of the particular situation.

 

  Procedure for School Board Hearing

   The procedure for the School Board hearing shall be as follows:

1. The School Board shall determine the propriety of attendance at the hearing of persons not having a direct interest in the hearing. The hearing shall be private unless otherwise specified by the School Board.
2. The School Board may ask for opening statements from the principal or his/her representative and the student or his/her parent/guardian (or their representative) and, at the discretion of the School Board, may allow closing statements.
3. The parties shall then present their evidence. Because the principal has the ultimate burden of proof, he/she shall present evidence first. Witnesses may be questioned by the School Board members and by the parties (or their representative). The School Board may, at its discretion, vary this procedure, but it shall afford full opportunity to both parties for presentation of any material or relevant evidence and shall afford the parties the right of cross-examination provided, however, that the School Board may take the testimony of student witnesses outside the presence of the student, his/her parent/guardian and their representative if School Board determines, in its discretion, that such action is necessary to protect the student witness.
4. The parties shall produce such additional evidence as the School Board may deem necessary. The School Board shall be the judge of the relevancy and materiality of the evidence.
5. Exhibits offered by the parties may be received in evidence by the School Board and, when so received, shall be marked and made part of the record.
6. The School Board may, by majority vote, uphold, reject or alter the recommendations.
7. The School Board shall transmit its decision, including the reasons therefore, to the student, his/her parent/guardian(s), the principal and Superintendent.

  Alternative Education Program

The School Board may require any student who has been (1) charged with an offense relating to the laws of Virginia, or with a violation of School Board policies, on weapons, alcohol or drugs, or intentional injury to another person, or with an offense that is required to be disclosed to the Superintendent pursuant to Va. Code sec. 16.1-260.G; (2) found guilty or not innocent of an offense relating to Virginia’s laws on weapons, alcohol, or drugs, or of a crime that resulted in or could have resulted in injury to others, or of an offense that is required to be disclosed to the Superintendent of the school division pursuant to Va. Code sec. 16.1-260.G.; (3) found to have committed a serious offense or repeated offenses in violation of School Board policies; (4) suspended pursuant to Va. Code sec. 22.1-277.05; or (5) expelled pursuant to Va. Code sections 22.1-277.06, 22.1-277.07 or 22.1-277.08 or subsection B of Va. Code sec. 22.1-277, to attend such an alternative education program. The School Board may require such student to attend such programs regardless of where the crime occurred. The School Board may require any student who has been found to have been in possession of, or under the influence of, drugs or alcohol on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity in violation of school board policies, to undergo evaluation for drug or alcohol abuse, or both, if recommended by the evaluator and with the consent of the student’s parent/guardian, to participate in a treatment program.

A principal (or his/her designee) may impose a short-term suspension, pursuant to Va. Code sec. 22.1- 277.04, upon a student who has been charged with an offense involving intentional injury enumerated in Va. Code sec. 16.1-260.G, to another student in the same school pending a decision as to whether to require that such student attend an alternative education program. 

As used herein “charged” means that a petition or warrant has been filed or is pending against a student.

  Reporting

Except as may otherwise be required by federal law; regulation, or jurisprudence, reports shall be made to the principal or his/her designee on all incidents involving:

1. The assault or assault and battery, without bodily injury, of any person on a school bus, on school property or at a school-sponsored activity
2. The assault and battery that results in a bodily injury, sexual assault, death, shooting, stabbing, cutting, or wounding of any person, or stalking of any person as described in Va. Code sec. 18.2- 60.3, on a school bus, on school property or at a school-sponsored activity
3. Any conduct involving alcohol, marijuana, a controlled substance, imitation controlled substance, or an anabolic steroid on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity, including the theft or attempted theft of student prescription medications
4. Any threats against school personnel while on a school bus, on school property or at a school-sponsored activity
5. The illegal carrying of a firearm as defined in Va. Code 22.1-277.07 onto school property
6. Any illegal conduct involving firebombs, explosive materials or devices, or hoax explosive devices, as defined in Va. Code sec. 18.2-85 or explosive or incendiary devices, as defined in Va. Code sec. 18.2-433.1, or chemical bombs, as described in Va. Code sec. 18. 2-87.1, on a school bus, on school property or a school-sponsored activity
7. Any threats or false threats to bomb, as described in Va. Code sec. 18.2-83, made against school personnel or involving school property or school buses

The Superintendent and the principal or designee shall receive reports made by local law enforcement authorities on offense, wherever committed, by students enrolled at the school if the offense would be a felony if committed by an adult or would be a violation of the Drug Control Act, Va. Code sec. 54.1-3400 et seq., and occurred on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity, or would be an adult misdemeanor involving any incidents described in the clauses (1) through (7) of subsection VII. A of this policy, and whether the student is released to the custody of his/her parent/guardian or, if 18 years of age or more, is released on bond. A Superintendent who receives notification that a juvenile has committed an act that would be a crime if committed by an adult pursuant to subsection G of sec. 16.1-260 shall report such information to the principal of the school in which the juvenile is enrolled.

The principal or his/her designee submits a report of all incidents required or authorized to be reported pursuant to VII.A (1-7) of this policy to the Superintendent. The Superintendent shall annually report all such incidents to the Virginia Department of Education. 

In submitting reports of such incidents, principals and the Superintendent shall accurately indicate any offenses, arrests or charges as recorded by law enforcement authorities and required to be reported by such authorities pursuant to subsection VII.B of this policy.

The principal or his/her designee shall also notify the parent/guardian of any student involved in an incident required or authorized by this subsection to be reported, regardless of whether disciplinary action is taken against such student or the nature of the disciplinary action. Such notice shall relate to only the relevant student’s involvement and shall not include information concerning other students.

Whenever any student commits any reportable incident as set forth in this subsection, such student shall be required to participate in such prevention and intervention activities as deemed appropriate by the Superintendent or designee. Prevention and intervention activities shall be identified in the local school division drug and alcohol violence prevention plans developed pursuant to the federal Improving America’s Schools Act of 1994 (Title IV-Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act.).

Except as may otherwise be required by federal law regulation, or jurisprudence, a principal shall immediately report to the local law-enforcement agency any act enumerated in clauses (2) through (5) of subsection VII.A of this policy that may constitute a criminal offense to the parent/guardians of any student who is the specific object of such act. Further, the principal shall report that the incident has been reported to local law enforcement as required by law and that the parent/guardians may contact local law enforcement for further information, if they so desire. 

For purposes of this section, a parent/guardian means any parent/guardian or other person having control or charge of a child.

  Readmission of Suspended and/or Expelled Students

Any student who has been suspended from an ACPS school is not eligible to attend any other school within ACPS until eligible to return to his/her regular school. Any student who has been expelled or suspended for more than 30 days from attendance at school by a School Board or a private school in this Commonwealth or in another state or for whom admission has been withdrawn by a private school in this Commonwealth or in another state may be excluded from attendance in ACPS, in accordance with Policy JEC. In the case of a suspension of more than 30 days, the term of the exclusion may not exceed the duration of the suspension.

In excluding any such expelled student from school attendance, the School Board may accept or waive any or all of any conditions for readmission imposed upon such student by the expelling School Board pursuant to Va. Code sec. 22.1-277.06. The excluding School Board shall not impose additional conditions for readmission to school. No suspended student shall be admitted to the regular school program until such student and his/her parent/guardian have met with school officials to discuss improvement of the student’s behavior, unless the school principal or his/her designee determines that re-admission, without parent/guardian conference, is appropriate for the student.

If the parent/guardian fails to comply with this policy or Policy JEC, the School Board may ask the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court to proceed against the parent/guardian for willful and unreasonable refusal to participate in efforts to improve the student’s behavior.

Upon the expiration of the exclusion period for an expulsion or a withdrawal of admission, which period shall be established by the School Board, or Superintendent or designee, as the case may be at the relevant hearing, the student may re-petition the School Board for admission. If the petition for admission is rejected, the School Board shall identify the length of the continuing exclusion period and the subsequent date upon which such student may repetition the School Board for admission.

  Regulation regarding Readmission of Expelled Students

Students who are expelled from the Alexandria City Public Schools and who are not permitted during the expulsion to return to regular school attendance or to attend an alternative education program, may petition for readmission to be effective one year after the date of the expulsion. The process for the readmission of any expelled student is as follows:

In order to ensure that a student has an opportunity for timely readmission to school, a petition for readmission must be filed not earlier than nine months, and not later than 10 months from the date of the School Board’s decision letter expelling the student. Failure to file a petition for readmission in a timely manner may result in a delayed decision on the petition. Petitions must be in writing and must be filed with the ACPS Department of Student Services and Equity. Any student age 18 or older must file a petition on his/her own behalf. If the student is under the age of 18, the parent(s)/guardian(s) may act on the student’s behalf;

Within 21 days of the receipt of a written petition for readmission, the ACPS Department of Student Services and Equity will schedule a hearing. At the time of the hearing, the student and/or parent(s)/guardian(s) must come prepared to explain why the student should be readmitted to school, and how the school can be assured that the student’s behavior has improved and that there will be no recurrences of inappropriate behavior. If any conditions for readmission had been imposed by the School Board at the time of the student’s expulsion, the hearing will review whether all of those conditions have been achieved. The Department of Student Services and Equity administrator will issue a written decision within seven days of the hearing. The parent(s)/guardian(s) and/or student will receive a copy of the decision.

Parent(s)/guardian(s) and/or the student may appeal the decision of the Department of Student Services and Equity administrator to the School Board within five days of receiving that decision. A copy of the administrator’s decision, a copy of the expulsion decision, and any other materials that have been submitted concerning the expulsion, and petition for readmission will be provided to the Board. The Board may, but need not, hold a further hearing. The Board shall issue its decision within 21 days of convening to consider the appeal.

Where a petition for readmission is denied, a student (or if applicable, his/her parent(s)/guardian(s)), may reapply on an annual basis in accordance with the above schedule. Additional information can be found in Appendix F: Student Suspension/Expulsion, Policy JGD-R/JGE-R

There are five themes in the federal and state regulations that guide ACPS discipline requirements for students with disabilities:

1. All students deserve safe, well-disciplined schools and orderly learning environments grounded in the framework of positive behavioral interventions and supports;
2. Teachers and school administrators should have the tools they need to assist them in preventing misconduct and discipline problems and to address these problems, if they arise;
3. There must be a balanced approach to the issue of discipline of students with disabilities that reflects the need for orderly and safe schools and the need to protect the rights of students with disabilities to a free appropriate public education;
4. Appropriately developed Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) with well-developed behavior intervention strategies decrease school discipline problems; and
5. School personnel may consider any unique circumstances on a case-by-case basis when determining whether a change in placement is appropriate for a student with a disability who violates a code of student conduct.

In the event the student’s behavior impedes the student’s learning or that of others, the IEP team must consider the use of positive behavioral interventions, strategies and supports to address the behavior.

The IEP team must consider either:

• Developing goals and services specific to the student’s behavioral needs; or
• Conducting a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and determining the need for a behavioral intervention plan (BIP) to address the student’s behavioral needs.

If the student engages in behavior that results in disciplinary action that leads to, or may lead to, short-term or long-term removal, the IEP team shall address the behavior violation. IEP team discussions and revisions must focus on efforts to address the student’s behavioral problems in order to minimize and/or prevent the behavior from recurring. Appropriate supports and services that may be considered include:

• Conducting a functional behavioral assessment (FBA)
• Developing or revising a behavior intervention plan (BIP)
• Providing counseling
• Providing social skills training
• Providing adaptive behavior technique training (i.e., teaching of replacement skills designed not to have the behavior recur)
  • Providing conflict management skills
  • Providing peer mediation skills

Virginia regulations stress the importance of the IEP team addressing a student’s behavioral challenges before an incident arises that leads to a disciplinary infraction. As such, the most appropriate course of action is to convene an IEP team and determine the need for conducting a functional behavioral assessment (if one has not been done), and developing or reviewing a behavioral intervention plan prior to a short-term removal or a series of short-term removals accruing. These proactive measures will document preventive steps for processing short-term removals. When an administrator deems it necessary to remove a student with a disability short term from the student’s current educational setting to an alternative educational setting or through suspension, this may be done to the extent those alternatives are applied to a student without disabilities.

Administrators must be cautious in determining the length of time of removal for each infraction. It may be considered excessive to remove a student for close to or up to 10 school days when an infraction may not warrant such a time frame; this is especially true if such disciplinary action is not applied consistently or to students without disabilities. When a student has been suspended for 10 days or more in a school year for separate incidents of misconduct that constitute a pattern, this is considered a change in placement (see procedures for long-term removal). The school-based administrator, in collaboration with personnel in the Office of Special Education Services, determines when isolated, short-term removals for unrelated instances of misconduct are considered a pattern. If the infraction, albeit individual and distinct, shares similarities (common elements) then it could be relevant in determining if a pattern exists. In order to promote a truly collaborative approach to reviewing the issue of pattern, parents should be consulted in the process and informed of the decision immediately.

Documentation of the decision regarding pattern shall include a summary of information gathered through a review of disciplinary records, a review of the student’s IEP which includes any behavior intervention plan developed, other educational records and input from any other relevant sources. Individuals consulted in making the decision should also be documented. 

In reviewing if the student’s behavior and separate incidents of misconduct to establish whether a pattern does or does not exist; the school-based administrator shall contact the ACPS procedural coordinator who will assist with the following:

• Analyzing factors related to the behaviors that resulted in suspension;
  • Where the incident occurred (environment)
  • Interactions with other people
  • Requirements of a task
  • Events that may have triggered these infractions;
  • The length of each removal
  • The similarity of the student’s behavior in previous incidents that resulted in the series of removals
  • The total amount of time the student is removed
  • The proximity of the removals to one another.
• Reviewing IEP response to date (FBA, BIP, goals, services related to behavior)
• Assisting with documentation of decision that pattern does not exist; and establishing next steps.

Removal of a student for disciplinary purposes for portions of the school day shall be counted toward the cumulative amount of time removed. Any portion of a day less than half shall be considered a half day of removal; portions greater than half shall be considered a full school day of removal.

The purpose of long-term removal as a disciplinary measure is to ensure that schools are safe and conducive to learning for all students and to give school personnel and parent/guardians the opportunity to determine what is appropriate for the student. Long-term removals constitute a change of placement when there are more than 10 consecutive school days or cumulative school days which constitute a pattern. A change in placement requires relevant members of the IEP team to meet and conduct a Manifestation Determination Review (MDR).

The IEP team must determine appropriate services during the long- term removal. Should the school-based administration refer the student to the ACPS Department of Student Services and Equity administrator, and the removal constitutes a change of placement (more than 10 days), the Manifestation Determination Review must be conducted as soon as possible so as to inform the designee of the results. The results of the manifestation when available shall be provided to the ACPS Department of Student Services and Equity administrator prior to the scheduled meeting.

Additional information can be found in Appendix J: Disciplining Students with Disabilities, Policy JGDA

The IEP team shall meet prior to the 11th day of removal, or as soon as possible, to determine the services needed for a student who is facing a long-term suspension, so as to enable the student to:

• Continue to participate in the general educational curriculum, although in another setting
• Continue to receive supports and services described in the student’s current IEP which will enable the student to progress toward meeting IEP goals
• Receive, as appropriate, an FBA, and behavioral intervention supports and services, which are designed to address the behavior violation so that it does not recur.

An IEP addendum shall be developed to document the proposed services during a long-term removal. The amount and type of instructional services to be provided in order to allow the student to continue to participate in the general education curriculum would depend on:

• The length of the removal
• The extent to which the student has been removed previously
• The student’s educational needs and goals

In order to serve the student during a long-term removal, the IEP team shall consider alternative instructional techniques, such as alternate/highly supervised partial school attendance (e.g., two hours per week after school dismissal) or home-based instruction. School personnel must ensure that the student will have the opportunity to avoid falling behind and enable the student to progress in the general curriculum and on IEP goals and objectives. Additionally, students who are removed from school during state or division-wide testing must be provided arrangements for participation in all required assessments.

An MDR meeting must be held within 10 school days of any decision to change the student’s placement because of misconduct. This decision is made by relevant members of the IEP team. The purpose of the meeting is to determine if the conduct was:

Caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship to the student’s disability; and/or,

The direct result of the school’s failure to implement the student’s IEP.

If either question is answered “yes,” the behavior subject to disciplinary removal is determined to be a manifestation of the student’s disability.

Question #1:

Was the conduct in question caused by the student's disability, or did the conduct in question have a direct and substantial relationship to the student's disability?

A comprehensive problem-solving review to identify why the misconduct occurred should guide IEP teams to successful manifestation determinations. In determining if the conduct in question was caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship to the student's disability, the IEP team shall consider the following factors:

• The student's educational program;
• Environmental factors;
• Home factors and the student's mental, physical and developmental challenges;
• The student's discipline history (total number of suspensions, the proximity of suspensions and the length of each suspension);
• The type of misconduct in relation to the student's discipline history (isolated instance vs. repeated; whether the student's behavior is substantially similar to behavior in previous and current incident);
• Other factors contributing to the misconduct such as unique circumstances, information from observers of the incident, etc.
• Documentation that the student code of conduct was provided to the family;
• Whether the behavior was dangerous, likely to result in injury or inflicted "serious bodily injury" on another person;
• The effectiveness of current behavioral strategies to prevent similar misbehavior and reinforce desirable behavior in the student's school (PBIS);
• The effectiveness of the student's BIP in relationship to the misconduct;
• In the absence of a BIP, the administration of an FBA;
• Whether more information is needed (FBA or other types of evaluation); or
• Most recent eligibility evaluation.

Question #2:

Was the conduct in question a direct result of the school district's failure to implement the IEP?

The IEP team must determine the impact of the failure to implement the student's IEP on the misconduct. It means first determining what was not implemented and then determining its impact on the student's behavior. The IEP team may consider:

• How the area of the IEP not implemented relates to functional skills, social competency and behavior of the student and the misconduct observed.
• How the area of the IEP not implemented relates to service, goals, positive behavior supports or the BIP.

If the IEP team determines that the school failed to implement the student’s IEP, school-based administration shall take immediate steps to remedy those deficiencies.

Behavior Is a Manifestation of Student’s Disability

If the team determines that the misconduct is a manifestation of the student’s disability, the following shall occur:

• The IEP team shall return the student to the placement from which the student was removed unless the parent/guardian and the school division agree to a change in placement as part of the modification of the BIP or IEP.
• Conduct an FBA, unless the school division had conducted this assessment before the behavior that resulted in the change in placement occurred;
  • An FBA may include a review of existing data or new testing data or evaluation as determined by the IEP team.
  • If the IEP team determines that the FBA will include obtaining new testing data or evaluation, then the parent/guardian is entitled to an independent educational evaluation if the parent/guardian disagrees with the evaluation or a component of the evaluation obtained by ACPS.
• Implement a BIP for the student.
  • If a behavioral intervention plan already has been developed, review this plan, and modify it, as necessary, to address the behavior.

Behavior Is Not a Manifestation of Student’s Disability

If the IEP team determines that the student’s behavior was not a manifestation of the student’s disability, school personnel may apply the relevant disciplinary procedures to students with disabilities in the same manner and for the same duration as the procedures would be applied to students without disabilities, except that services shall be provided as determined required by the IEP team.

Special circumstances may require a student with a disability to meet with the ACPS Department of Student Services and Equity administrator. The student with a disability may be placed by the designee in an interim alternative educational setting for 45 school days for situations involving the student at school, on school premises, or at school functions under the jurisdiction of the school division for the following special circumstances:

• Weapons: carrying or possessing a weapon
• Drugs: knowingly possessing or using illegal drugs, or selling or soliciting the sale of a controlled substance
• Serious Bodily Injury: inflicting serious bodily injury upon another person. 

In situations involving weapons, drugs and/or serious bodily injury, the Superintendent’s designee may assign the student to an interim alternative educational setting for a maximum of 45 school days without regard to whether the behavior is determined to be a manifestation of the student’s disability. 

Beginning on the 11th cumulative day in a school year that a student with a disability is removed from the student’s current placement, and for any subsequent removals, educational services must be provided. Services for 11th day or subsequent short-term removals are determined by school personnel by assessing the student’s progress and the impact of the interruption. School-based administration, in consultation with the student’s general education and special education teachers, determines the necessary services, if any, for the student to continue to:

• Participate in the general education curriculum
• Progress toward meeting the goals set out in the student’s IEP

ACPS is strongly committed to creating a safe and positive school environment in which the academic performance and social emotional and physical well-being of all students is supported. The ACPS Department of Student Services and Equity provides programs and staff that promote healthy, caring, and responsible behaviors among students.

What is Bullying?

Bullying, harassment and intimidation are not tolerated in ACPS. As per sec. 22.1-276.01 of the Code of Virginia, bullying is defined as unwanted, aggressive behavior that: 

• Is intended to harm, intimidate or humiliate the targeted person,
• Involves a real or perceived imbalance of power or strength; and
• Is typically repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma.

Bullying can take a variety of forms, such as:

• Verbal bullying which includes name calling, making threats, insults, intimidation, remarks regarding race, gender, religion, physical abilities, sexual orientation, physical characteristics or other forms of verbal abuse.
• Physical bullying which consists of hitting, kicking, tripping, spitting, pinching, pushing, or damaging someone’s property.
• Relational or social bullying which is designed to hurt someone’s reputation or relationships. It includes:
  • Spreading rumors
  • Embarrassing or humiliating someone publicly.
  • Excluding or encouraging others to exclude someone.
• Cyberbullying which is taunting or humiliation through the use of electronic technology such as cell phones, computers, tablets and communication tools including social media sites, text messages, chat and websites. It includes:
  • Mean text messages and emails
  • Rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites
  • Posting embarrassing pictures, videos, websites or fake online profiles
• Bullying does not include
  • Ordinary teasing or horseplay,
  • Mutual arguments or peer conflict,
  • Isolated acts of meanness, aggression, social rejection or fights.

Bullying can have damaging effects on those targeted by the behaviors, those who witness the behavior and those who engage in the behavior. In some cases, the negative impact of bullying can be long term and has the potential to cause emotional trauma.

ACPS investigates all reports of bullying. Students or parents/guardians of students who have been bullied or witnessed bullying should immediately report such incidents to the school principal or assistant principal. When an incident occurs, the following steps are taken to address the matter:

1. A report is generated that outlines the incident and the parties involved.
2. A thorough investigation is conducted by the designated site administrator.
3. Parents of both the victim and perpetrator are notified of the incident.
4. Disciplinary action, if necessary, is taken and enforced by the site administrator.
5. All students involved to include the aggressor, the victim, and bystanders will be assessed to determine if counseling or other positive behavioral interventions are needed.

Online reporting

Instances of bullying can be reported to ACPS via the Tip Line. Tips can be anonymous, however, providing as much information as possible will assist ACPS in investigating the instance of bullying. 

Alexandria Safe Place is the city's 24-hour hotline to report bullying or crisis events. To access immediate help and support for young people (age 5-18), call 703-746-5400. Visit the City of Alexandria's website at www.alexandriava.gov for more information. 

Please refer to the following web page for additional resources on bullying and how to be an ally: www.acps.k12.va.us/bullying.

See Policy GBA/JFHA –  Sexual Harassment/Harassment Based On Race, National Origin, Disability, Religion, Age, Gender, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and Sexual Orientation/Hostile Work Environment.