Dear students, parents/guardians,

I am pleased to introduce the Student Code of Conduct for Pickerington Local Schools. Our code of conduct is a comprehensive resource designed to support the growth and development of our students, as well as ensure their safety and well-being while they are in our care.

Our mission in Pickerington Local Schools is to educate for tomorrow by ensuring every student is prepared for life after graduating, whether enrolling in college, enlisting in the armed forces, or following their career path. An important first step towards fulfilling this mission is to provide a learning environment that is orderly, safe, and positive. As Superintendent, one of the responsibilities I hold most seriously, is to provide a safe and secure environment for students and staff.

Students and families, PLSD is privileged to partner with you in cultivating a safe environment for all of our students to thrive academically and socially. Please review with your child the expectations for conduct and attendance found in this handbook. Working together, we can continue to keep schools among the safest places in the community for children to learn and grow.  

Thank you for your commitment to PLSD.  

Sincerely,  

Chris M. Briggs, Ed.D.  

Superintendent of Schools 

VISION: We aspire to be the school district of choice, improving our community and society by opening  doors and providing opportunities for every child, every day. 

MISSION: Our mission is to provide an engaging, innovative and holistic experience that empowers all  students to become responsible, productive citizens.  

Your acknowledgement of these rules constitutes a first warning. You will be given no further warning. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with these rules and the consequences of violating them. The rules herein apply to all students when on all school premises, at all school-sponsored activities, and when aboard a school bus or other Board-owned vehicle. The application of the policies in this handbook applies to all Pickerington Schools activities. 

In addition to being posted on the District’s website, our Code of Conduct can be found in the Main Office, the Guidance Office, the Media Center, and classrooms. 

The Board of Education has established policies and procedures that pertain to students, staff, and school  operations. These policies and procedures can be found via links on the District’s website. 

Pickerington Schools will take reasonable steps to ensure that persons with Limited English Proficiency  (LEP) have meaningful access and an equal opportunity to participate in all services, activities, and  programs available throughout the district. It is the policy of PLSD to ensure meaningful communication  with LEP students and families and to communicate information related to the education of all students. All  services needed to comply with this policy will be provided for students and their families in need of such  assistance free of charge. For assistance, please call 614-833-2110. 

Academic Integrity: Academic Dishonesty is failure to appropriately acknowledge another’s intellectual  property in one’s own work, to falsify facts or misuse information, to use unauthorized materials during  a test, quiz, or exam, or to assist or contribute to another’s academic misconduct. If a student is  concerned that their work may violate academic integrity, then it is the responsibility of the student to  confer with the teacher prior to submitting work for credit. 

Cheating: The act of deception by submitting work as one’s own. This includes, but is not limited to  copying another student’s assignment either all or in part or supplying a student with another’s  assignment (unless specifically permitted by the teacher). Cheating also includes using unauthorized  materials such as notes, books, prohibited technology, calculators, or computers during a test, quiz,  exam, or project. Students may not share information on tests, quizzes, and projects unless the teacher  has explicitly given permission to do so. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to write papers/homework…  

Plagiarism: The act of presenting the published ideas or words of another as one’s own. This includes  but is not limited to books, poems, speeches, films, TV, newspapers, magazines, and Internet media.  Using information from such sources requires proper citations and formatting in order to give credit to  the author or speaker. Furthermore, any revision or paraphrasing of the original work must also receive  correct citations. 

Forgery: The act of altering signatures, school related forms, documents, or records (either paper or  electronic form) for an academic advantage. Forging information supplied to other sources such as  athletics or colleges may have additional consequences outside the control of the high school. 

Stealing: The act of taking academic information for personal gain. Examples include, but are not limited  to, taking another student’s work without permission, taking an exam key, removing a test from a  teacher’s room without permission, obtaining electronic material from a teacher’s computer, or keeping  test booklets instead of returning them to the teacher. 

Falsification: The act of producing unauthorized, intentionally misleading information regarding a  source or creating unclaimed references for academic credit. Although the assignment may contain the  appearance of legitimate sources and citations, the actual sources of information do not exist. A student  who has been accused of academic dishonesty will be determined based upon evidence gathered by a  teacher’s or other supervisor’s observations, materials, and/or information. Concerns provided by  others, including staff or students, may also be taken into consideration. 

Pickerington Schools provide students with access to computer equipment, programs, systems, email,  internet, and other technologies. Each student must take responsibility for appropriate and lawful use of  this access. Students shall not use the school district’s equipment, systems, or network for activities that  cause harm to others or damage to their property; or that violate the law, Board policy, or the Student  Code of Conduct. The board or authorized district officials will make a good-faith judgment as to which  materials, files, information, software, communications, and other content and activities are permitted  and prohibited under the particular circumstances based on the following guidelines. Uses and activities  that are considered unacceptable and constitute a violation of this policy include, but are not limited to: illegal activities, accessing inappropriate material, inappropriate or insensitive communication, violating copyright laws, copying software, plagiarism, misuse of equipment, passwords or software, malicious  use or vandalism, and unauthorized access to the internet. The district and its staff reserve the right to  filter and monitor district devices and district internet usage at all times. (24/hours, 365/days a year) 

Pickerington Schools will use a variety of services that allow the district to monitor students' accounts, all accounts linked to that PLSD Google Account and student’s PLSD owned  Chromebooks. These services may have the ability to notify students when minor infractions occur. As well as notify PLSD administrators is a major infraction occurs or the possibility of self-harm exists. 

Please review policy 7540.03 in its entirety on the district website for additional details.  

The Pickerington Board of Education authorizes the Superintendent to make accident insurance  covering children available to parent/guardian(s) at a nominal premium. Covering a child in the  program is at the discretion of the parent/guardian(s). The insurance covers accidents that occur  during school, on the way to and from school, and while attending school functions. More information  about the school insurance program can be found by visiting our website at: www.pickerington.k12.oh.us

Mock Trial, Fall Play, Spring Musical, Chorale, E-Sports, Science Olympiad, Robotics, In the Know,  Marching Band, Diversity Club, Tech Guru 

To be eligible, a student must: 

A. Maintain a grade point of 1.750 or better per grading period. 

a. Eligibility for each grading period is determined by the grades received the preceding  grading period. An athlete will be eligible or ineligible for the next grading period beginning  with the fifth school day after the end of each grading period.  Eligibility or ineligibility will  remain until the fifth school day after the end of the next grading period. 

b. For eligibility purposes, new ninth-grade students will have established their GPA if they  took any junior high school course(s) for high school credit (e.g., if a student took Spanish  only and received a “C”, their ninth-grade GPA for eligibility purposes would be 2.0). 

c. All beginning ninth-grade students must have passed 75 percent of subjects in which  enrolled and must have earned a 1.75 GPA the preceding grading period (last grading period  of eighth-grade year) to be eligible for fall activities. 

B. All students’ grades are to be checked at mid-term and at the end of the grading period.   Students in grades 9-12 must be passing in at least 5.0 credits or the equivalent at each check.  See your advisor/board policy for more specific details. 

The distribution, possession, use, or evidence of consumption of alcohol or a drug substance is  prohibited and will be dealt with severely. This includes extra-curricular events both home and away.  This policy also applies to vaping devices, caffeine tablets or powder, CBD products, look-alike substances and any other item represented to be a drug. Ohio Revised Code 3321.13 and board policy require schools to report drug- or alcohol- related suspensions of any student to the Division of Motor Vehicles.  These individuals may have their driving privilege revoked. Please refer to board policy  5611.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association (O.H.S.A.A.) mandates a student must be passing five credits at the High School and 5 classes at the Junior High or the equivalent each grading  period.  A student regaining their eligibility becomes eligible no sooner than five (5) calendar days after  the conclusion of the preceding grading period as long as the grades can be verified. If the verification is  not possible, the students’ ineligibility status continues until such time as grades can be verified. The  ineligibility of a student begins on the fifth school day of the next grading period. A school day includes  faculty in service days, professional development day, calamity days, and regular attendance days, but  not holiday or school breaks. Summer school has no impact on a student’s OHSAA eligibility. 

For clarification, contact the athletic administrator or the assistant building administrator. Students on an I.E.P. should consult the athletic administrator if they have eligibility questions. 

All Pickerington Schools athletes must maintain passing grades during the school year.

A. All student athletes’ grades are to be checked at the time of interims and at the end of the  grading period.   

B. Those students declared ineligible by O.H.S.A.A. at the end of a grading period will lose their  eligibility for the next grading period beginning on the fifth school day of the next grading  period. 

C. Students must be passing in at least 5.0 credits at the High School and 5 classes at the Junior  High or the equivalent at interim. Those students declared ineligible at interim can regain their eligibility at any time once the student athlete is passing 5 credits at the High School and 5  classes at the Junior High. 

D. Students must maintain a 1.75 GPA per grading period. There is one probationary period  permitted for this standard in the student’s high school career and in the student’s Junior High  career.  

Requirements for Participation (Athletic Handbook) 

1. A physical examination is required and an Ohio High School Athletic Association physical form  must be completed and on file in the athletic office. Physicals are valid for 13 months or one  calendar school year, with the exception: if the pre-participation athletic evaluation is conducted  between May 1 and June 1, the pre-participation evaluation, signed by the medical examiner, is  valid for one calendar year plus the remainder of the current school year’s spring sport season  (ex: through June). We encourage all potential student athletes to get their physical during the  summer months. 

2. Parent/guardian(s) and the student athlete must complete the online registration and athletic  code of conduct for each student in each session of athletic participation on a yearly basis. This  must be done prior to the first day of tryouts or practices. 

3. Student athletes must attend the preseason athlete meeting each school year. Attendance  once per school year will count for all athletic seasons. 

4. Student athletes must submit to a preseason drug test each year. One test per school year will  count for all athletic seasons.

Students must follow the standards set forth by the Ohio High School Athletic Association, the Ohio  Capital Conference, the Pickerington Board of Education, and the Pickerington athletic department. 

Pickerington Schools has a no-cash policy; therefore, the office cannot loan money to students. 

We believe that regular, punctual attendance to school is essential if our students are to receive maximum benefit from the educational program we offer.  Success in school is directly related to attendance habits, and developing a regular pattern of good attendance is crucial for future success.

Our Board of Education policies on student attendance and absences from school follow all statutes and regulations of both the Ohio Administrative Code and the federal Missing Child Act.  Together, our local policy and these pieces of legislation outline each aspect of your child’s attendance to school.

First and foremost, it is the responsibility of the parent/guardian(s) to ensure their children have regular school attendance.  Additionally, in the event a student is absent from school for any reason, it is the responsibility to notify the school. The specific policies related to our elementary and middle school attendance program are described below. Questions should be addressed to your school’s office.

Please refer to policy 5200 on attendance for information on habitual absences, tardies, preplanned absences, and procedures for addressing truancy.

When a child will be absent from or tardy to school, parent/guardian(s) must notify the school no later than 10:00 a.m. the morning of the absence. An answering machine is available 24 hours a day for reporting a student absence or tardy. If school office personnel have not been notified of an absence, we will place a telephone call either to the home or to the parent/guardian’s place of employment.

Absences from school are classified as either excused or unexcused.  Students will be permitted to make up and receive credit for work missed. The State of Ohio permits us to excuse a child’s absence for the following reasons:

1. Illness (doctor‘s excuse may be required)
2. Illness inside the immediate family that necessitates the presence of the child
3. Death of a relative (limited to 3 days)
4. Observation of religious holidays consistent with their religious beliefs (Notification must be submitted at least one day prior to the absence )
5. Medical or dental appointment (usually a partial day)
6. Quarantine for contagious disease (as verified by a medical professional)
7. College visitation (three approved days allowed/must complete pre-approval form)
8. Emergency circumstances (eg. court appearance, required meeting with social services agency, student required to travel with a parent/guardian.)
9. Absences due to a student’s placement in foster care or changes in foster care placement or any court proceedings related to their foster care status
10. Absences due to circumstances impacted by homelessness

All other absences will be counted as unexcused.  Excessive absences may result in a phone call from school, written notification from school, or a referral to the District attendance/truant officer.  In addition, further absences illness may result in the child being placed on Needs Medical Excuse status.  Students placed on N.M.E. restrictions must produce a note from their physician for the absence to be excused.  Without this medical note, the absence will remain unexcused.

Once a student gets to school, they are expected to stay the entire day or until that student is dismissed. Each student leaving school property during school hours will be required to have written communication from the parent/guardian. Please note that for security purposes, students will NOT be dismissed to parent/guardian(s) following school events held during the regular school day. Parent/guardian(s0 wanting to take their child out of school early must follow the regular sign out procedures. Any student leaving early will be counted absent for that portion of the day.

Vacation days are noted in the annual school calendar. It is the expectation of the Board that families do everything possible to plan their vacations during these times. If this is not possible, arrangements must be made in advance through the office. All work missed must be completed and turned in on the day of return to school. Scheduling vacations during established testing windows is strongly discouraged. Vacations are unexcused absences.

A student who will be out of the country for an extended period of time will be withdrawn from the district.  Upon their return to Pickerington they will need to provide the Welcome Center proof of residency to be re-enrolled and continue their education in Pickerington Schools.

Publicly funded transportation is a service provided under the direction of the Pickerington Board of Education, which should be regarded as a privilege by students. It is expected that those who ride the school buses will always conduct themselves as good passengers. All students who ride a school bus are subject to these regulations while riding to and from school or on special trips.

The superintendent/designee is authorized to deny transportation to a student.  A student must be given a written notice of the intended suspension.  The student shall have the opportunity to appear informally before the superintendent or superintendent’s designee before the suspension is imposed.  Students are also subject to emergency removal from the bus for other disciplines. If emergency removal is imposed, a hearing will be held within three (3) school days of the initial removal.  The notice shall also include the reasons for removal.  Students may be suspended for up to one (1) year.

1. Parent/guardian(s) are responsible for the safety of their student before pick up and after drop off.
2. Students must be at the designated bus stops five (5) minutes before arrival time. In the evenings when school is dismissed students have sufficient time to board their assigned bus. After the bus drivers have been notified that it is clear to leave, they are instructed to close the bus doors.
3. Students must cross approximately ten (10) feet in front (only) of the bus. Students must follow the driver’s hand signals when crossing the street.
4. When boarding, students must go directly to an available or assigned seat so the bus may safely resume motion.
5. Students must remain seated at all times, keeping aisles and exits clear. Students shall not move from seat to seat.
6. No standing on the seats or sitting on the backs of seats.
7. Unauthorized touching or hitting, along with tripping and spitting, or making physical threats to a student or bus driver or any other person, will not be permitted and will generally result in a suspension for a minimum of three (3) days.
8. A student shall not use abusive, obscene, profane, or offensive language, gestures, or signs toward the bus driver, bus monitor, another student, school employee, or adult.
9. Students are not permitted to smoke, otherwise use, possess, buy, sell, attempt to sell, distribute, or burn tobacco in any form, including, but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, clove cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, and any other form of tobacco. Ohio law prohibits pupils from smoking and/or using and/or possessing tobacco in any area under the control of the school district or at any activity supervised by any school in that district.
10. Students are not permitted to use matches or cigarette lighters. A student shall not burn or attempt to burn any part of any school bus or objects therein, or any other property belonging to another person or to the Pickerington Schools.
11. Eating, drinking, and gum chewing on the bus is not permitted at any time, except as required for medical reasons.
12. Students will ride only on assigned buses and are not permitted to get off other than at the assigned bus stop without prior administrative approval.
13. Throwing litter on the bus or out the windows, or throwing anything at the bus, is prohibited and may result in suspension from the bus.
14. Students will keep all parts of their body inside the bus.
15. At no time are students allowed to tamper with the emergency exit door or windows. A suspension will be given.
16. Vandalism of buses, such as cutting seats, poking holes, etc., shall not be permitted. Parents/guardian(s) will be financially responsible for any damage done by their children.
17. Students must promptly obey the bus driver’s instructions the first time they are given and refrain from talking back. If a student fails to comply with reasonable requests or directives of any school employee or bus driver, it will be considered insubordination. The bus is an extension of the classroom with equal expectations for behavior.
18. Absolute quiet must be maintained at all railroad crossings until the bus is across the tracks and at other points of danger as specified by the bus driver.
19. Spitting is not permitted.
20. Except as required by state or federal disability laws, animals of any size will not be transported on a school bus.
21. A student is not permitted to possess, transmit, or conceal a dangerous weapon, dangerous instrument, or “look-alike” counterfeit weapon or instrument. Look-alike weapons could include, but are not limited to, starter pistols, stun guns, or any object a reasonable person might consider, under the circumstances, to be a weapon or dangerous instrument such as firearms, ammunition, explosives, fireworks, knives, or mace.
22. A student is not permitted to possess, solicit, use, conceal, sell, offer to sell, be under the influence of, show evidence of consumption, supply, or transmit narcotics, other illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, alcoholic beverages, counterfeit controlled substances or “look-alike” controlled substances. A lookalike controlled substance could include but is not limited to anything that a reasonable person would believe to be a controlled substance because of its similarity in shape, size, color, marking, labeling, packaging, distribution, or the price for which it is sold or offered for sale. Possession includes, but is not limited to, retention on the student’s person, or in a purse, wallet, locker, desk, or vehicle on school property or vehicle used for school purposes. Included in the prohibition are any substances represented as a controlled substance, such as non-alcoholic beers, steroids, tobacco products, e-cigarettes/vaporizers, and drug paraphernalia.
23. Noise on the bus shall always be kept to a minimum at all times to ensure safe operation of the bus.
24. Students wishing to ride a different bus for one trip must have a note signed by the parent/guardian(s) and by the building administrator/designee. This will be done only in emergencies, not for convenience.
25. Students may carry on the bus only objects that can be held in their laps. Absolutely no glass containers or aerosol cans will be permitted on any school bus. Balloons, lacrosse sticks, hockey sticks, basketballs, and skateboards are not permitted on the bus. Baseball bats, tennis rackets, and athletic equipment are permitted when transported in appropriate bags/covers.
26. Students may possess wireless communication devices (WCDs) on the school bus. Students may use WCDs while on the school bus. However, distracting behavior that creates an unsafe environment will not be tolerated. The bus driver or District staff member (e.g. teacher, activity sponsor, advisor, coach) has the right to ask any student to turn off their device. Students are prohibited from using WCDs to capture, record, or transmit the words (i.e. audio) and/or images (i.e., pictures/videos) of any student, staff member, or other person without express prior notice and explicit consent for the capture, recording, or transmission of such words or images. Failure to comply may result in a bus suspension.
27. Students must comply with all provisions and requirements of the Student Code of Conduct. Students who have been given a misconduct slip must have said slip signed and returned to their bus driver the next time they board the bus. Failure to do so may result in a bus suspension until the signed misconduct slip has been returned.

Good conduct is based on respect and consideration for the rights of others. Students are expected to conduct themselves in such a way that the rights of others are not violated. Pickerington Schools students will conform with school regulations and accept directions from authorized school personnel. The Pickerington Board of Education will not tolerate violent, disruptive, or inappropriate behavior by its students and will vigorously enforce related policies and the Ohio Revised Code.

A student who fails to comply with the Student Code of Conduct, established school rules, or with any reasonable request made by school personnel when subject to the authority of the Board of Education will be subject to the approved student discipline regulations. The superintendent/designee shall develop regulations that establish strategies to address student misbehavior. Strategies shall encompass efforts ranging from prevention to intervention.

Each year (or when entering during the year), students and parent/guardian(s) will receive information on where to access the rules and regulations to which they are subject. These discipline regulations apply to conduct while school is in session; at school-sponsored activities; on school premises; off school premises at any interscholastic competition, extracurricular activity, or any other school program or activity that is not located in a school or on property that is owned or controlled by the Board of Education; in any vehicle whose use is controlled or organized or arranged by the school; when the student is within the school district’s off-premises institutional authority; or at any time when the student is subject to the authority of the Board of Education or school personnel.

In addition, a student may be subject to school disciplinary action, including suspension or expulsion for harassment, vandalism, physical abuse, or other harmful or disruptive behavior toward school personnel during non-school hours. The information will include the types of conduct that will make them subject to suspension, expulsion, removal from school, or other forms of disciplinary action. The Board directs the administration to make all students and parent/guardian(s) aware of the Student Code of Conduct, which is designed to encourage positive appropriate behavior, and the fact that any violations of the Student Code of Conduct are subject to the consequences outlined therein.

If a student violates this policy or the Code of Conduct, school personnel, students, or parent/guardian(s) should report the student to the appropriate building administrator. The administration cooperates in any prosecution pursuant to the criminal laws of the state of Ohio and local ordinances.

Student attendance at after-school co-curricular events is a privilege. Any pupil may be removed from such events for engaging in disruptive conduct, for violation of the Student Code of Conduct, or for conduct posing a danger to persons or property. Any student removed from co-curricular events may be barred from attendance at future events for the remainder of the school year.

During the time of suspension (not to include in-school study), expulsion, or removal, the parent, guardian, or custodian of the student (or the student aged 18 or older) is responsible for the student.  While suspended, expelled, permanently excluded, or removed from school, students are not permitted to attend curricular or extracurricular activities or to be on school premises for any reason unless a prior appointment has been made with school officials.

The Board may seek the permanent exclusion of a student aged 16 or older who is either convicted in criminal court or adjudicated delinquent by a juvenile court of any of the following offenses that occur on school grounds or at a school function:

• illegal conveyance or possession of a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance, carrying a concealed weapon, aggravated trafficking, trafficking in drugs, trafficking involving the possession of a bulk amount of a controlled substance or the sale of a controlled substance; and/or
• aggravated murder, murder, voluntary or involuntary manslaughter, felonious or aggravated assault, rape, gross sexual imposition or felonious sexual penetration, if the victim is a District employee.

In the event of student misconduct, one or more of the following procedures may be administered or other discipline imposed as deemed appropriate by the school administration. The options listed below will be determined by the building administrator. The following list of actions is not specific to the order of assignment.

Conference: A conference involving any combination of student(s), parent/guardian(s), teachers, counselor, and administrator.

Detention: A thirty (30) minute period before, during, or after school. Detentions must be served within two school days. If not, the student may be issued a second detention. Failure to serve that detention could lead to other corrective measures.

Office time out: Students may be assigned an amount of time to be spent in the office or other designated area.

Emergency removal: Students may be removed from class/school as per board policy and the ORC.

In-school study: In-school study shall be used within the structure of the Student Code of Conduct, depending upon the nature of the offense. Students assigned to in-school study are removed from the mainstream of the student population to a designated area. Academic work may be made up provided the student abides by the rules and completes the work assigned.

In School Suspension/Out of School Suspension/Expulsion: When students are suspended in-school, out-of-school or expelled, they have the opportunity to complete all work assigned and receive full credit. Students will not be penalized for missed work that cannot be duplicated outside of the classroom. Teachers may use a different assignment to determine mastery of the missed assignment. Suspended or expelled students may not be on school property or attend/participate school events, home or away, on the days they are suspended/expelled. Additional guidance regarding discipline can be found in district policies located on the district’s website.

Pathways to Success Program: The Pathways for Success Program is an after-school alternative placement for students that can be assigned by the Superintendent/designee. 

The suspension and expulsion of students with disabilities will be in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, the Ohio Revised Code, and the 2008 Operating Standards for Ohio Educational Agencies serving Children with Disabilities (Rules 3301-51-01 to 3301- 51-09 and 3301-51-11 of the Ohio Administrative Code).

Note: This is a representative listing of rules and violations.  It is not a complete listing of all acts of misbehavior that may require disciplinary action.  The Pickerington Schools administration reserves the right to take disciplinary action as the situation warrants.

In addition to these items, a student may be subject to school disciplinary action, for misconduct that occurs off school property to the extent that the misconduct, regardless of when it occurs, is directed at a district official (or employee or the property of such official or employee.)  Such action is deemed appropriate by the Board of Education because disrespectful acts could negatively affect student behavior at school and thereby cause deterioration in the learning environment.  See ORC 3313.661(A).

Certain violations of the Code of Conduct involving firearms, knives, bomb threats, or serious physical harm to persons or property can result in the student being expelled for a period of up to one calendar year or being permanently excluded from school.  See board policy.

Given a specific set of circumstances, charges may be filed against anyone who has violated the law in addition to school punishment.

The Code of Conduct shall apply to conduct not specifically set forth herein which substantially and materially disrupts or interferes with good order, discipline, or operation of the academic or educational process taking place in the school, or which substantially and materially is, or poses a threat to, the safety of persons or property.

Pickerington Schools comply with all requirements of state and federal law in regard to the discipline of disabled students.

All Student Handbook policy references were current at the time of publication. Policies are subject to change as the Board of Education updates policies throughout the year. All discipline and policy enforcement will be based on current Board of Education policy located on the District website and/or at www.boarddocs.com/oh/plsd/board.nsf/public. Please refer to board policies online for the most recent version.

A student shall not commit any act not listed herein that constitutes a felony, misdemeanor, or violation of an ordinance.

For purposes of this section of the Code of Conduct, the term “Substance” shall include, but not be limited to the following: alcohol; illegal drugs; un-prescribed drugs; narcotics; hallucinogens; amphetamines; barbiturates; marijuana; steroids; caffeine tablets; K2, spice, posh, “legal weed”, or any other marijuana substitute; look-alike drugs; or any substance that is represented to be, to contain, to mimic, or be used to produce the same or similar effects as illegal drugs, narcotics, hallucinogens, amphetamines, barbiturates, marijuana, alcohol, CBD products, stimulants, depressants, or other intoxicants; or any other controlled substance as defined under the laws of Ohio or federal law. 

A student shall not possess, solicit, use, conceal, sell, offer to sell, purchase, be under the influence of, show evidence of consumption, supply, distribute, or transmit any substance, or otherwise violate Board Policy.

“Possession” includes, but is not limited to, retention of a Substance on the student’s person or in a purse, wallet, locker, desk, or vehicle. Included in this prohibition are the possession of drug paraphernalia, which includes, but is not limited to rolling papers, and other items use to inject, inhale, administer, deliver, ingest or otherwise consume a substance.

No student shall possess any counterfeit "Substance," as the term is defined under "Alcohol and Drugs," nor shall any student make, sell, offer to sell, give, package, conceal, supply, transmit, or deliver a counterfeit Substance. Possession is defined under "Alcohol and Drugs."

No student shall directly or indirectly represent a counterfeit Substance as a Substance that is prohibited by the Code of Conduct by describing, either with words or conduct, its effects as being the same or similar to the physical or mental effects associated with the use of a Substance.

No student shall directly or indirectly represent a counterfeit Substance as a Substance that is prohibited by the Code of Conduct.

a. Any Substance that bears, or whose container or label bears, a trademark, trade name or other identifying mark used without authorization of the owner or rights to such trademark, trade name, or identifying mark;

b. Any unmarked or unlabeled contraband that is represented to be a Substance prohibited by the Code of Conduct, which is manufactured, processed, packaged, or distributed;

c. Anything that is represented to be a Substance prohibited by the Code of Conduct but does not fall within the definition of a "Substance."

d. . Anything that a reasonable person would believe to be a Substance prohibited by the Code of Conduct because of its similarity in shape, size, color, markings, labeling, packaging, distribution, or the price for which it is sold or offered for sale.

A student shall not possess, transmit, or conceal a dangerous weapon, dangerous instrument, or “look-alike” counterfeit weapon or instrument. Such items include, but are not limited to, explosives, bullets, fireworks, mace, firearms, knives, BB or pellet guns or any object that can reasonably be considered a dangerous instrument. Look-alike weapons include, but are not limited to, any object a reasonable person might consider, under the circumstances, to be a weapon or dangerous instrument.

• Additionally, O.R.C. Sec. 2923.122 makes it a felony for any person to knowingly convey, attempt to convey, or possess any deadly weapon or dangerous ordinance onto or on any property owned by or controlled by, or to any activity held under the auspices of, a school. A violation may result in the student being expelled for a period of one calendar year. Violators of the Code of Conduct may be referred to civil authorities. Whenever a student is suspended, expelled, or permanently excluded from school for a Code of Conduct violation involving a firearm, knife, or other weapon, the student may lose or be denied a driver’s license.

No student shall induce panic, i.e., cause the evacuation of any school building or otherwise cause serious public inconvenience or alarm, by:

1. initiating or circulating a report or warning of an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime, or other catastrophe, knowing that such a report or warning is false. Examples include, but are not limited to, pulling a fire alarm when you know there is no fire, making a bomb threat when you know there is no bomb, and making a fake “hit list.”
2. threatening to commit an offense of violence, as that term is defined in ORC Section 2917.31. Examples include, but are not limited to, threatening to kill, assault, kidnap, rape, or rob someone; to commit extortion; to provoke a riot; to commit arson; or to discharge a firearm at or into the school.
3. committing any offense with reckless disregard of the likelihood that its commission will cause serious public inconvenience or alarm. For purposes of this policy, reckless disregard means perversely disregarding a known risk that your conduct is likely to cause serious public inconvenience or alarm, and being heedlessly indifferent to the effects of your actions on others.

Any student who violates this rule will be subject to school discipline, in accordance with board policy and the Code of Conduct. In addition, any student who violates this rule may be referred to the authorities. Under Ohio law, any person who “induces panic” is guilty of a felony, regardless of whether anyone is hurt or the school suffers economic harm. Students may be expelled for one calendar year. See ORC Section 2917.31.

A student shall not initiate a fire alarm or initiate a report warning of a fire, bombing, bomb threat, or other catastrophe or emergency without cause, or give false information or falsely report school incidents. A violation may result in the student being expelled for a period of up to one calendar year.