Degree Name

Education Specialist (EdS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1996

Thesis Director

Donald W. Smitley

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a student code of conduct for students in the North Clay Junior High School in Louisville, Illinois. At the time of the study the author was the principal of the North Clay Elementary I Junior High School. The North Clay Junior High School had a student discipline policy called the General Guidelines For Discipline developed by the author. The author constructed a survey instrument to assess the effectiveness of the North Clay Junior High School's General Guidelines For Discipline.

The survey was completed by teachers, students, and parents. The building principal and a teacher committee reviewed the survey results and found that parents, teachers, and students generally agreed with the alignment of student misconduct and the consequences received. Input gained by reviewing the survey results helped the committee adjust the alignment of student misconduct and consequences received and add a new category of student misconduct.

The new Student Code of Conduct was a better tool to improve student conduct because it built on the accepted General Guidelines for Discipline and because it was directly incorporated in the student handbook. Also, the Student Code of Conduct was better because it establishes stronger consequences for student misconduct in the following areas:

1. Students possessing pornography on school property will receive Saturday School hours.

2. Students pulling fire alarms will receive out of school suspension.

3. Students using obscene or profane language toward a staff member will receive out of school suspension.

4. Students involved in fights will receive out of school suspension.

Another improvement that the Student Code of Conduct had over the General Guidelines for Discipline was the addition of the student misconduct of pulling a fire alarm with the consequence of out of school suspension.

The building principal and a teacher committee utilized the results of the survey to draft a model student code of conduct for the North Clay Junior High School. The model student code of conduct was presented to the teaching staff for further input and approval. After receiving overwhelming approval from the teaching staff, the building principal and the teacher committee presented the model student code of conduct to the district's academic committee which consisted of school board members, parents, teachers, administrators, and students. The district academic committee recommended approval of the model student code of conduct for the North Clay Junior High School to the North Clay Board of Education. The building principal presented the model student code of conduct to the North Clay Board of Education. The board of education approved the North Clay Junior High School Student Code of Conduct for implementation beginning at the start of the 1995-1996 school year.

The study concluded with the building principal implementing the Student Code of Conduct that was developed with the help and support of teachers, parents, and students. The Student Code of Conduct was placed in the North Clay Junior High School's student handbook.

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