Part V: Protection & Conduct

The teacher is the source of authority and discipline in the classroom. In this role, the teacher manages problems of a non-threatening, non-disruptive nature. All students are expected to follow the OHS expectations list posted in each classroom. Teachers may use their discipline log to handle Class I infractions. Referral to Administration is used when deemed necessary.

It is fundamental that an orderly school has clearly-defined behaviors to which students must conform. Non-conformity to these behaviors becomes a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. Violations are grouped into three classes (Class I, Class II, and Class III) which range from the least to the most serious. Appropriate school personnel shall investigate, verify, and take the necessary action to resolve student misconduct. After determining a violation and the classification of the violation, the principal or designee will implement the appropriate sanction. Violations apply to student conduct on a school campus, at school-related events, or while being transported to or from school or school-related events.

Vaping
In an effort to address the increase of adolescent use of e-cigarettes, JUUL, and/or other vape devices, the following plan of action will be in effect beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.  These procedures will be in place to educate students and parents about the dangers of these products and the risks associated with them.  

Vape Prevention-Students in grades 7-12 will be required to complete a Vape Education module at the beginning of each school year. 

In the event a student is found to possess, use or distribute these products, the following protocols will be enforced.  

First Vape Infraction-Two days Out of School Suspension, three days Transitional Education, and the student and his/her parent/guardian must successfully complete a face -to-face Vape Early Warning course.  

Second Vape Infraction-Three days Out of School Suspension, two days Transitional Education, and the student will complete a research assignment on the dangers of long term use of Vaping devices.  

Third Vape Infraction- Fifteen day placement in an alternative setting. 

Fourth Vape Infraction-The student will be referred to the district’s Due Process Hearing Committee.  

• Possessing, distributing using a Vape devices constitutes and infraction

• Accumulation of infractions will reset each school year.

Vape Early Warning Course

Oxford City Schools Vape Early Warning Course is designed to address the vaping epidemic we are experiencing with adolescents across the United States.  On Wednesday of each week, the Vape Early Warning Course will be held in the Tiered Classroom, located on the bottom floor of Oxford High School’s Media Center.  The class will begin promptly at 1:30.  Students and their parent/guardian are required to complete the Vape Early Warning Course together BEFORE the student is able to return to their normal schedule.  Oxford City School will not provide transportation to or from the Vape Early Warning Course. 
 

Note to Parents/Guardians

A reasonable effort will be made to contact a parent/guardian when persistent or serious discipline problems occur. In the event telephone contact cannot be made at the moment, it will be the responsibility of the student to present a written notice of the event and action taken to the parent/guardian.

The school assumes no obligation to anyone except the person or persons who have legal custody of the student.

The faculty and staff at Oxford High School take pride in creating and maintaining a school environment that contributes to academic and social growth. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary for every student to know and follow the rules and policies regarding discipline and supervision. All students are expected to behave in a manner that is acceptable to everyone concerned—other students, teachers, administrators, and society in general. All students are under the authority of the principals, teachers, and staff. Behavior on the part of any student that is disruptive is not permitted at Oxford High School or at any school-sponsored event. Rules that apply to students during the school day also apply to students at school functions or events, regardless of time or location. Parents and students should be reminded that in addition to mandatory compliance to school rules, students are also subject to the laws of the State of Alabama including the Criminal Code. Students are subject to arrest and prosecution for violation of Alabama laws while at school.

1. Students are expected to be where they are supposed to be, when they are supposed to be there, behaving appropriately.

2. Students coming on campus before 7:15 a.m. should report to the Main Building 2nd floor entrance, College Building main entrance, or 3rd floor Career Tech Building entrance. Students should not enter the school building until the first (1st) bell rings.

3. Students should be off-campus within 15 minutes after the last bell, unless permission has been granted to stay.

4. Students are expected to be orderly during change of classes. Do not run, push, or be excessively noisy.

5. Students should not congregate. When the bell rings, students are to go directly to their next class.

6. Every student must go to the cafeteria during the lunch period. Students cannot leave the cafeteria for any reason without permission from the teacher. Parents are not to bring in lunches in fast food containers.

7. Students are prohibited from breaking line in the lunchroom or to use another pupil’s lunch ticket. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that their Lunch I.D. numbers are protected and are not disseminated to other students.

8. Students should practice good conduct during assemblies. This includes an orderly, quiet entrance and exit. All talking must cease when the program begins. Students’ not practicing good conduct may be escorted from the assembly for appropriate disciplinary action to be taken.

9. All trash should be placed in trash receptacles.

10. Students may not sell anything in the school during the school day unless approved by the administration.

11. No student should leave any classroom without a hall pass. Any student in the hall without a pass will be subject to disciplinary action.

Participation in Field Trips, etc.
Field trips are a privilege and not a requirement for any academic class. Therefore any field trips are contingent upon a student’s discipline and academic status. Students with excessive referrals or absences may not be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities or field trips.

A student assigned to T.E. for an entire school day must report to room 126 upon arrival to school. Students must have with them all needed books and materials. Students assigned to T.E. will remain there under supervision for the specified length of time. The students will perform class work all day. This procedure is in effect for each day of T.E. assigned. The students’ teachers will provide work. An administrator and/or classroom teacher will monitor those students operating under an IEP periodically.
 

Misbehavior in the T.E. room may result in suspension.

• Other acts of misbehavior deemed disruptive to the normal instructional process may result in a student being assigned to the Transitional Education program at the discretion of an administrator.

• Students assigned to the T.E. program will report to the T.E. area upon arriving on campus.

• There will be two breaks during the day for restroom use.

• Students will have lunch separate from the regular lunch sessions and will report to the lunchroom as a group.

• Students must complete all assigned time in the Transitional Education program before being permitted to return to the regular classroom.

• Students must complete all assigned work given for Transitional Education. Students will remain in T.E. until such work is completed and verified with the instructor.

• Tests may be sent to TE to be administered. Students in T.E. must make arrangements for make-ups within one (1) school day of returning to class.

• Students assigned to T.E. for a day or more may not be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities on any day they are assigned to more than four (4) periods of T.E. unless granted administrator approval.

Corporal punishment is permitted at Oxford High School within the scope of Board of Education policy and state guidelines. This method is generally used after other approaches to solving the problem have proven unsuccessful. If corporal punishment is administered, it is done with care, tact, and caution. The principal or his/her designee may administer corporal punishment.

Students or visitors are required to identify themselves when asked by any staff member or person in authority. A student who refuses to identify himself/herself will face disciplinary action. Visitors failing to identify themselves will be issued a trespass warning and will be subject to questioning by law enforcement officials.

Extreme effort is taken by the principal to resolve discipline problems without suspending students. However, some conduct violations are such that it is in the best interest of the school to remove the offending student(s). Any student suspended may not participate in athletic and/or extra-curricular activities. When suspending a student, the following procedures are used:

1. The student will be given a written discipline notice signed by the referring principal.

2. The reason for the suspension and the necessary procedure for re-entry will be stated on the suspension form.

3. A student’s parent/guardian will be contacted before the student is sent home. If contact cannot be made, the student will be assigned to Transitional Education the remainder of that day.

4. If a parent/guardian cannot be contacted, the student is responsible for giving the copy of the suspension report to his/her parent/guardian as soon as possible when he/she arrives at home.

5. Upon re-entering school, a student must obtain a re-admittance slip from the referring principal before resuming their schedule. THE PARENT/GUARDIAN MUST MEET WITH AN OHS ADMINISTRATOR.

A student who has difficulty in adhering to the rules and regulations of the school may be placed on disciplinary probation. During the period of probation more intensive individual attention is directed to assist the student in conforming to expected behavior standards. Students on disciplinary probation may be limited to school only and prohibited from extra-curricular activities.

SAFE School is an alternative placement program the Oxford City Schools utilizes in extreme circumstances. The principal may refer a case to the disciplinary committee with a recommendation for placement into the SAFE School for an alternative placement.

The principal may refer a case to the Board of Education with a recommendation for expulsion if the student’s conduct is detrimental to the educational process. Violators of certain rules (Class III offenses) are automatically considered for referral to the Board for possible expulsion.

Employers of minors are responsible for obtaining work certificates for underage workers from the department of labor.

Procedures have been developed in conjunction with Oxford Police Department for the contact of juveniles while in school. Such contacts are subject to the following guidelines or restrictions.

In the event that a juvenile must be contacted at school, the officer will first receive permission from his/her supervisor. Next, he will contact the principal and discuss the situation with him for approval.

The school Administration will be present when law enforcement questions student to act in “Loco Parentis” if parent is not available.

For generations, the competitive programs of Oxford High School have enjoyed the enthusiastic support of the student body. Traditionally this support has been characterized by good-spirited and decorous intensity.

Students are urged to show their spirit on behalf of the school’s endeavors. However, display of enthusiasm must always be restrained by the conventions of proper sportsmanship. Therefore, certain behaviors are deemed undesirable and will not be tolerated. These include but are not limited to the following: excessive booing, jeering, taunting, throwing objects, inappropriate cheers, posters and signs in questionable taste, and distasteful demonstrations including encroachment on a playing surface by an individual or group.

Individuals and groups who engage in unacceptable behaviors will be removed from the event.  They may also be subject to T.E. assignments, suspension, banishment from future events, or, in extreme cases, expulsion. Students are expected to honor the O.H.S. tradition of sportsmanship and decorum.

Oxford High School subscribes to the belief that gang membership and activity is detrimental to the educational and social well being of students. Oxford High defines a gang as two or more individuals who together function as a criminal or antisocial group. In response to public and community concerns revolving around gang-related activity and school safety, and the proven association between gang activity and violent crimes, Oxford High School prohibits anything promoting gang-like behavior.

Students are not allowed to wear or display any gang insignia/tattoo, clothing, and etc. The administration reserves the right to ban any such items which may lead to potential problems associated with gang or gang-related activities. Any student participating in gang-related activities (signing, language, displaying gang paraphernalia) will be subject to prompt severe disciplinary action. Groups of students who are displaying antisocial behaviors and gang-like dress (not limited to but including untied shoes, reversed clothing, wearing like-colored shoes/shirts, bandannas, etc.) are subject to modified dress code and other disciplinary action.

1. Students entering the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades must have passed during the prior year in attendance and summer school, if applicable, at least six new Carnegie units and have a minimum composite numerical average of 70 in those six units.

   1. Four core curriculum courses must be included in those units – passed and averaged. (English, mathematics, science and social studies are core curriculum courses.)

   2. Any student that accumulates more than four units of core courses per year may earn less than the required four core courses during the next school year and be eligible as long as the student remains on track for graduation with his/her class.

2. Students entering the 8th and 9th grades must have passed during the prior year in attendance and summer school, if applicable, at least five new subjects and have a minimum composite numerical average of 70 in those five subjects.

3. Students entering the 7th grade for the first time are eligible.

Refer to www.ahsaa.com for additional information and/or clarification.

Note: A new unit is one that has not been previously passed. 
 

Guidelines

1. Eligibility will be determined before the start of each new school year. A student who is academically eligible at the beginning of the school year remains eligible for the remainder of that school year as far as grades are concerned.

2. Only one unit (or subject) of physical education per year may be counted.

3. If a unit (or subject) is repeated in summer school, the higher numerical grade for that unit (or subject) may be used to compute the composite grade average.

4. An accredited correspondence course may be accepted by a school system but must be approved by the principal prior to credit being granted and reflected on the student transcript.

5. For eligibility purposes, special recitation, extra work, make-up work, tests, review, etc., may not be given for the purpose of making a student eligible.

6. To be eligible, all students (including repeaters and hold backs) must be enrolled in a specified number of units at the school they represent.

   1. 9th, 10th, and 11th graders must be carrying at least six new units (three per semester on a 4X4 block schedule).

   2. Seniors that are on track for graduation with more than the required number of units earned must be carrying at least four new units for the school year (two units per semester on a 4X4 block schedule).

   3. 7th and 8th graders must be carrying at least five new subjects.

7. Any student who has attended another school during the preceding year must obtain a transcript from that school establishing the student’s eligibility before the student is permitted to participate at the new school.

*NOTE: We follow the AHSAA eligibility guidelines per the AHSAA Handbook

In an effort to comply with the Oxford City Board Policy and ensure the safety of the students of Oxford High School, the cell phone permit procedures will be followed when students are found in possession of, or using, a cell phone or other electronic device on school campus.

Oxford High School students are issued a laptop computer. If a school faculty or staff member observes inappropriate use of an electronic device, discipline will be enforced. If the administration deems it necessary, violators could lose their computer privileges resulting in temporary or permanent confiscation of the device issued. Students will not receive a refund of the $50.00 maintenance fee.

Earbuds are used as an electronic device accessory designed to enhance a student’s education at Oxford High School. Students observed using ear buds in a way that is not enhancing their education would be administered discipline consistent with the OHS cellular phone use policy.

Good grooming and personal appearance are essential elements in the teaching and learning process. Therefore, it is expected that students dress in such a manner that will ensure health and safety, and not detract from the learning environment.

Furthermore, dress and personal appearance are not to be disruptive or interfere with the educational interest and welfare of the students or the purposes of public school education.

1. Students must be neatly dressed, clean and well-groomed while at school.

2. Shoes must be worn at all times by all students. Open-toed shoes are permitted, but spiked-heels are prohibited. Shoes must be tied and have straps fastened at all times.

3. Shirts and blouses should have modest and appropriate necklines, arm openings, and closures; such as crew neck, jewel neck, or boat neck. Bare midriff tops, open backed tops, halters, cleavage revealing tops, and transparent garments are not allowed. Cut-off garments are not permitted, and undergarments must be worn. Male students cannot wear sleeveless garments. Female shirt straps must be no less than a credit card in width.

4. Clothing, tattoos, and jewelry may not be paraphernalia related to or associated with gang or cult affiliation or activity are prohibited. Belongings and garments must be void of controversial writings, drawings, and decals. This includes, but is not limited to, those which show firearms, alcoholic beverages or tobacco products; have obscene or suggestive statements, handwritten messages, and/or illustrations, portray controversial and/or extremist groups, or which otherwise create a hostile and/or offensive learning environment. Clothing worn backwards or in any unconventional manner is not allowed.

5. Dresses or skirts should not be shorter than 4 inches in length above the middle of the kneecap. Shorts shall not be shorter than 17 inches in length along the outside seam beginning at the waistband or not shorter than 4 inches from the middle of the kneecap.

6. Pants must cover the pelvic girdle (hip bones). “Slacking” will not be permitted and belts must be worn if pants/shorts have belt loops. Form fitting garments and any type of underwear are not permitted as outerwear, including leggings.  Leggings may be worn under a dress that meets length and other requirements for a dress.  Leggings may NOT be worn as pants or with a shirt.  Sweat pants, pajama pants, wind pants, joggers or any other drawstring/elastic-waited garments including shorts are not permitted. No oversized and/or undersized pants and shirts are allowed.

7. Sunglasses, themed contacts, hats, caps, bandannas, curlers, picks or other head covering may not be worn to school. Metal chains, wristbands, lanyards, spiked apparel, or accessories are prohibited.

8. Garments are not allowed to have holes, rips, frays, or tears above dress/short length.

9. Vocational shop, physical education, and lab classes may develop additional dress codes to promote safety for all students or to allow for mobility for specific activities.

10. With approval of the administration, activity sponsors may establish more restrictive rules for dress and grooming as a prerequisite for membership or participation in specific activities.

11. The principal or his/her designee will make the final judgment as to whether or not a student’s clothing is appropriate for school wear. Attire for special days and after school activities must be pre-approved by the administration.

12. Jewelry and excessive colored beads, and anything that draws attention to oneself in a manner that may be disruptive to the educational process is prohibited.  Facial Spacers must be clear, nose piercings may only be the size of a stud, nose rings and other facial jewelry are not permitted.  

13. Earrings may be no larger than the width of a credit card (2 inches).

14. Shirts, tee-shirts, athletic jerseys, and blouses that extend below the waistline and cover pants pockets must be tucked in pants or skirts. Button-up shirts must be buttoned and tucked in pants. Some accommodations may be made if deemed appropriate by administration.

15. Hair shall be clean and well-groomed. Students must wear their hair above their eyebrows (the student’s vision must not be hindered and the teacher/administrator must be able to see the student’s eyes.) The student may not dye their hair or style their hair in a way that distracts or hinders the education of others Administrators will handle distractions to learning on a case by case basis. Since some violations may not be immediately correctable, those students may be allowed to continue their work on class objectives in a setting which minimizes the disruption. After administrative approval, the student may return to their regular setting when the distraction is corrected.

16. Book bags, oversized purses, and backpacks are not allowed. Athletic bags must be placed in designated areas upon arriving at school. If an iPad can fit in a purse it is considered oversized.

17. Coats may not extend below the waistline and cover pants pockets. Students may be asked to remove coats that extend below the waist line. Seasonal modifications may be made by school administration.

18. Hoodies and sweatshirts are permitted if staff are able to see the student’s pockets. If pockets are not exposed the garment must be tucked in the student’s waistband.   

Disciplinary Action – High School Students

*Corporal punishment may be substituted if appropriate.

A copy of the Asbestos Management Plan for Oxford High School can be reviewed in the school office.