Student Code of Conduct

Student Code of Conduct, also referred to as Student Handbooks, include students rights and responsibilities.

Introduction

Holly Area Schools believes when schools and parents work together, children feel a consistent level of support and encouragement, and they are given a uniform message about the value of a quality education. Our student, school, and parent partnerships shall be based on civility, the act of showing mutual respect toward one another.

Practicing civility and civil discourse allows everyone to share viewpoints and listen to each other. It does not mean we have to agree, but it means we can disagree respectfully.

It is through this foundation of respect that Holly Area Schools has developed the following Code of Ethics.

Holly Area Schools believes

all students can reach their highest potential with the support of the entire community;
effective communication is essential to building and sustaining positive school-family partnerships;
in maintaining an environment that promotes the safety, dignity and growth of all students;
in protecting the confidentiality and privacy of all students;and
in resolving conflicts, whenever possible, privately, and respectfully in accordance with district policy.

Holly Area Schools expects all students, parents and staff

to work together to promote a positive learning environment that supports continued growth and achievement for all students;
to respect the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual;
to exhibit civil discourse, whether face to face, via phone, email, or social media, that supports the best interest of the school community;
to support all students’ educational, academic, personal, and social needs;
to respect all students’ values, beliefs, and cultural background(s);
to challenge the limits of their academic, athletic, and social potential; and
to use their knowledge and skills to develop the capacity of others.

Restorative Practices

In order to support the beliefs and expectations of Holly Area Schools, our staff and leadership will utilize the Restorative Practices approach to developing and supporting civil and respectful relationships throughout our school community.

School-based Restorative Practices is an approach which engages the school community in positive interventions and behavioral supports. Restorative practices promote a culture of civility by nurturing safety, inclusion, respect, and positive relationships. The use of restorative practices strengthens relationships between individuals as well as social connections within the community enhancing the school’s learning environment. Restorative Practices can be used to address misconduct, student conflict and repair harm. Restorative practices may result in a reduction of disciplinary action.

Communicating with School Leaders

As situations arise when students and parents may have questions or concerns with the educational process, it is important that open communication exists. Many questions can be easily answered by the educator directly involved in the class or program before it becomes necessary to move on to the next level. One of the easiest ways to communicate is via email, or a phone call. As a way to help parents effectively ask questions or communicate a concern, a “chain of command” process has been developed. Holly Area Schools leadership will follow the communication process below, and asks families to use this process as a reference when beginning their communications. You may also print a copy of this process and the contact information from our webpage Chain of Command.

For a complete listing of staff, please visit our Staff Directory webpage. We look forward to continuing to develop positive partnerships with all Holly Area Schools parents.

Social Media Guidelines

Holly Area Schools utilizes social media (Facebook, Twitter, and other networking sites) to connect with our school families and the community for the purpose of sharing information rapidly. Our posts are intended to provide information about what’s going on across the district. This information will often include various announcements, postings about upcoming events, promotion of clubs, teams, programs, academics, and celebrations of success. Specific questions or concerns will not be addressed on the district’s social media sites, but rather through our “chain of command” process referenced on our district website and in our student/parent handbooks. Students, parents, staff, and community members are expected to use social media in a responsible manner that reflects the highest standards of honesty, respect, and consideration of others. Under no circumstances will offensive or negative comments about students, staff, community, or the district be tolerated. Posts and comments should build and support a positive school community. Misuse of the District’s social media sites could be regarded as a violation of these guidelines and may result in restrictions and disciplinary action in accordance with district and state policies.