Taylor Connard

Education 650

Standard Activity 5.22B

Clay County Schools policies regarding discipline are laid out in their Expected Behavior

in Safe and Support Schools Policy. Section 1.1 states, “This policy sets the requirements for the

development of safe and supportive schools as defined by WVDE Policy 4373. This policy

establishes disciplinary guidelines for student conduct in order to assure the orderly, safe, and

drug-free, violence – and harassment- free learning environment.” Discipline is divided into

three levels with appropriate punishments for each level.

Level 1 behaviors include cheating, deceit, disrespectful conduct, skipping class,

tardiness, etc. There are multiple options for dealing with a level 1 behavior. Some of those

options include reprimands, behavioral contracts, detention, and in school suspension. Level 1

offenses can also be reported to police if the administrator feels that it is necessary. Within Clay

County High School, each offense is divided into phases. For example, a first offense tardy to

class is three days of detention hall. Second offense is 5 days of detention. Third offense is 10

days of detention hall.

Level 2 behaviors include gang activity, insubordination, leaving school without

permission, physical fight without injury, technology misuse, etc. The options for punishment for

these offenses are the same as a level 1, but add on expulsion and alternative education to the list.

For these offenses within the high school, it also is done in a phase system. Fighting without

injury for a first offense will earn you two days of suspension, three days of alc, and parent

notification. Second offense is two days suspension and five days of ALC. Your third offense

will earn you 10 days of suspension.

 Level 3 includes battery, false fire alarm, hazing, larceny, sexual misconduct, trespassing,

etc. The punishment for these offenses is the same as level 2. A level 3 offense includes use or

possession of tobacco products. First offense at CCHS will earn you three days of ALC. Second

offense is five days of ALC, and third offense is 10 days of ALC.

Level 4 is the highest level of discipline and includes the harshest punishment. Offenses

that are considered a level 4 are battery against a school employee, felonies, illegal substance

related behavior, and possession and/or use of a dangerous weapon. These offenses are outlined

in WVDE Policies and are used in identification and classification of persistently dangerous

schools. Level 4 offenses almost always result in expulsion and can carry charges brought

against the student from the police.

The strength of Clay County School’s Policies is that it follows what has been set forth

by the West Virginia Department of Education. These policies provide options for administrators

to decide how they want to handle discipline. Clay County High School has further broken down

each offense and provided phases with the appropriate punishment for each. These punishments

and phases are provided to the students so that they are aware of how discipline will be handled.

The weakness of policies at CCHS are that different administrators hand out different

punishments. One administrator may give three days for cheating, but another administrator may

give out five. The students are aware that every administrator handles things differently and they

try and pick which administrator to go to so they get a more favorable punishment. My

suggestion is that our administrators come to a solid agreement on how punishment is handled

and they stick to that no matter what.