Formative Discipline & Discipline Grades

A disciplined environment is essential for the school to achieve its education and formation goals. Consistent with its emphasis on the integral formation of the student, the school’s approach to discipline is formative.

Formative discipline seeks to positively motivate students, guiding them to identify and choose what is good and just. Students are informed of the rules and given the rationale behind them. They are encouraged to see the benefit of these expectations for themselves and others.

Formative discipline is only possible with the ongoing cooperation between parents and the school. Communication with the parents is timely and consistent.  Positive results are achieved with the faculty, students, and parents working in unity towards the same goals -ultimately what is best for the student.

The students receive discipline grade for their behavior during school hours. This grade is based on the input of their teachers and dean of students.

They receive a separate discipline grade for their behavior outside of school, which is based on the input of their formation instructors, deans, clinic instructors, and any staff members who interact with them outside of school hours.

A third grade is given with regards to the student’s habits of human formation. This grade reflects the students’ weekly habits of punctuality, order, social manners.

On the quarterly report card an overall average for discipline is determined by averaging together the school discipline grade, the discipline grade for after school hours and the grade for human formation habits.

 

Student Conduct

The essential expectation for student behavior is that students conduct themselves in a mature and dignified manner at all times. Their behavior should exemplify respect for themselves, for those around them whether it is adults or fellow peers.  Anything that contributes to a family spirit, positive growth, service to others, and an environment of acceptance and respect is encouraged.

 

Code of Conduct

Overbrook Academy has established a code of conduct that aim to help students form themselves and assist the school to maintain a safe, orderly, and formative atmosphere. Infractions to this code of conduct can merit a report and a detention, suspension or expulsion depending on the frequency and or gravity of the student’s action. 

Described below are the different disciplinary actions that can be administered when the code of conduct is not followed. And, below that a list is provided of different examples of infractions to the code of conduct. This list is not meant to be all-inclusive; however, it will serve as a guide for students’ conduct. The school will review violations in light of the individual and the common good of the entire school community.

 

Infraction Reports

During the school day the teachers, staff, instructors of formation, and deans can issue a minor infraction report for misconduct. The dean of students keeps a record of these minor infraction reports. An accumulation of three minor reports merit a major report, which signifies a detention and a lowered discipline grade for the week. If an infraction is not minor a student could receive a major report directly. Three major reports or a grave infraction can merit a suspension and a failing discipline grade.

 

Detention

Detentions will be carried out either after school during the time of clinics in a classroom or on a Saturday during the outing. Detention work is assigned by the dean of students and the students in detention are supervised by a dean or teacher.

Detention is also issued to students who obtain a low English conversation, habits or conduct grade for the week. Once a student receives one detention and the student’s grades continue to be low she will lose internet time and an outing.

 

Suspension

A student may be suspended for serious misconduct or repeated occurrences of less serious misconduct. Suspensions last one to three days. Suspended students must make up assignments missed during the suspension period. While on suspension, students are not eligible to participate in extracurricular programs or activities.

 

Expulsion

A student may be asked to withdraw from the school for extreme forms of misconduct or continual neglect of basic regulations and conduct expectations, either on or off the Overbrook Academy campus.

 

List of actions that merit an infraction report that can be minor or major depending on the situation /frequency/ type of fault

• Everything listed under the inappropriate displays of affection and bullying within the Overbrook Academy & Praesidum guidelines
• Use, possession, or distribution of pornographic materials and improper texting
• Profanity, vulgarity, or abusive verbal or body language
• Lying, disobedience, or lack of respect toward administration, faculty members, staff, or peers
• Constant refusal to comply with disciplinary measures or habitual criticism of school norms
• Destruction of school property or the personal property of someone else.
• Theft of any kind, from the school or from fellow students
• Excessive tardiness without excuse or justification, either to school or to daily classes
• Repeated unexcused absences, leaving campus, or being absent from class during school hours without permission
• Copying another’s homework, assignments, tests, exams, or attempting to obtain copies of the exams and answer keys before they are administered (cheating)
• Falsification or forgery of documents, permissions, or others’ signatures.
• Engaging in any form of gambling
• Use, possession, or trafficking of tobacco, alcohol, drugs, firearms, knives, or other weapons
• Improper conduct off campus during school trips, events, or outings
• Frequent refusal to speak English
• Not following the rules for internet use and ipad/ipod use
• Misbehavior on school bus or in the dining room
• Constant disruption in class and study hall
• Violation of the dress code for school, clinics, weekend or night-time
• Storing food in the bedroom or section
• Repeated tardiness at bed time and/or getting up at night
• Leaving the section at night

 

Dress Code

The school’s dress code contributes in a very important way to the overall identification with the sense of unity as a school community. Student uniforms are purchased through the school. Each uniform piece should be carefully labeled with the student’s ID number. 

 

School Uniform and Clinic Uniform

The daily school uniform (skirt, blouse, sweater or vest, blue socks and school shoes) is worn during class time.

The school clinic uniform is worn during afternoon clinics and physical education class.

 

The uniform must conform to the following criteria:

Daily Uniform	Skirts –Plaid skirt school issue Blouse–White ¾ sleeve school issue Sweater/vest–Navy blue with crest Blazer –Navy blue school issue Shoes –Black loafer style (no ballet slippers) Socks –Navy blue knee socks
Physical Education Clinic Uniform	Polo shirts- Yellow school issue Shorts –Navy blue mesh school issue Shoes – Sneakers Socks – White athletic socks Clinic Jacket – Royal Blue school issue Clinic Pants – Royal Blue school issue
Outerwear	Navy blue lined – school issue
Hair Criteria	Hair must be neat and pulled back off face (ponytail, braid or bun) Hair bows can be white or blue; and barrettes, hair elastics, and clips can be white, blue, brown or black Hairstyles should be moderate. Cuts with spikes, lines, or tails, braids with beads or cornrows are not permitted Hair and hair color should be natural-looking
Jewelry	A watch; a single necklace or chain, a single pair of dime size (or smaller) earrings on the earlobe; a discreet, modest ring; religious medal, and school lapel pin
Make up, tattoos and other body markings	No makeup or nail polish may be worn in class or study hall Tattoos are not permissible on any visible area of the body Body piercings and other styles of markings are not permissible

 

Weekend attire

Clothes for the weekend should be clean, modest and not torn

Shirts should come down over the top of the pants

Shirts should have sleeves

Shirts should not be cut too low in the front

No mini shorts or miniskirts allowed. Standing on an upright position the hands should not touch bare skin.    

 

Night time dress code and code of behavior when changing clothes

Students are required to change their clothes in the bathroom or shower stalls. They do not change in the bedrooms since the bedrooms are shared among several girls.

In the bedrooms the blinds should be lowered in the evenings and left drawn until it is light outside the next morning.

The pajamas of each student should be modest and a bathrobe has to be worn whenever leaving the bedroom in pajamas or leaving the shower room after having showered.

It is unacceptable to walk around the school or section only in pajamas or to leave the shower room only wearing a towel. 

CLEANLINESS & ORDER

To ensure good personal hygiene students are required to:

• Take a shower and wash hair daily.
• Change their socks and underwear daily and send the dirty garment to the laundry.
• Not share brushes/combs, ribbons, hats, scarves, pillows, stuffed animals with others.
• Avoid lying on each other’s beds.
• Wear only clean clothes (no stains) that are in good condition.

General order of bedrooms

• Beds must be well made.
• A few stuffed animals may be on top of the bed, personal blankets must be kept under the comforter.
• There should be nothing hanging from the bedposts, or around the bedposts, nothing on the floor, under the beds or on the windowsills.
• The towel is hung on the rack.
• All extra clothes and items go to the suitcase room to be stored.
• No food is allowed in the section at any time.

Classroom order

• School supplies should be stored in the classroom cubby
• Items should never be left in the aisles so that no one trips
• Only school supplies are brought to the classroom, no personal belongings except a water bottle which is kept in the student’s cubby
• Personal belongings should be in the students’ bedroom and personal lockers.

 

Overbrook Academy’s Policy on Bullying

Overbrook Academy is committed to providing all students with a safe environment in which all members of the school community are treated with dignity and respect. Overbrook Academy will not tolerate any behavior that is classified under the definition of bullying and will take steps needed to eliminate such behavior. Similarly, sexual activities and abuse between two students are not tolerated.

Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional, is repeated over time, and involves an imbalance of power or strength. Anyone who sees an act of bullying, and who then encourages it, is engaging in bullying. This policy applies to all students, school employees, school volunteers, and school visitors.

All school employees are required to report alleged violations of this policy to the director or whomever she designates for this. All other members of the school community, including students, parents, volunteers and visitors, are encouraged to report any act that may be a violation of this policy. Retaliation against individuals who report such alleged violations is expressly prohibited.

School administrators will accept and review all reports of bullying, including anonymous reports.

School administrators will consider the ages and maturity of the students involved the type of behaviors, the frequency and/or pattern of behaviors, the context in which the incident occurred, and other relevant circumstances. Consequences may range from positive behavioral interventions up to and including suspension, expulsion, and/or reports to law enforcement officials.

The school implements a comprehensive bullying prevention program under which students, employees, parents, and community members’ together partner to prevent bullying and maintain a safe environment for our students.