Behavioral Expectations

The following information is included in this handbook under the direction of the Catholic Schools Office of the Archdiocese of Washington.

As a Catholic school, Our Lady of Lourdes believes and teaches that each of us is called to love our neighbors and treat them with respect. Our Lady of Lourdes School is committed to providing a physically safe and emotionally secure learning environment that is free from bullying, harassment and intimidation in any form, including cyberbullying. Bullying, harassment and intimidation of any member of the school community is prohibited. All reports of bullying, harassment and intimidation will be treated seriously. The principal’s review and investigation of a credible allegation will be done in a prompt, confidential and thorough manner.

Reprisal or retaliation against anyone who reports acts of bullying, harassment and intimidation is strictly prohibited. All reports of reprisal or retaliation will be treated seriously. The principal’s review and investigation of a credible allegation will be done in a prompt, confidential and thorough manner.

Bullying, harassment and intimidation mean any intentional written, verbal, or physical act, including electronic communication (telephone, cellular phone, computer, pager, iPad, etc.) that:

Physically harms an individual; damages an individual’s property; substantially interferes with an individual’s education or learning environment; or places an individual in reasonable fear of harm to the individual’s person or property; and
Occurs on school property; at a school activity or event; on a school transportation vehicle or bus; or substantially disrupts the orderly operation of a school.

In the event of any actual or perceived threat of violence or other inappropriate/ illegal behavior, Our Lady of Lourdes School reserves its right to take any and all actions it deems necessary for the health and safety of its school community, including the individual(s) making the threat. These actions may include contacting law enforcement offices, mental health professionals and/or any other outside experts as the school official(s) deems necessary. A student who makes a threat of violence may be required to remain off school property until a mental health professional certifies that the student is not a danger to him/herself or others, or may be subject to disciplinary action, including expulsion.

Students’ Rights

Each student has the right:

To be treated in a manner that exemplifies Christ’s command to “love one another.”
To be true to one’s self and God’s purpose.
To be treated respectfully by faculty, staff, visitors and peers.
To learn in a caring and positive atmosphere.
To receive support when needed.
To expect that the school will provide a strong academic curriculum.
To work with teachers who come to class prepared for each lesson.
To have every opportunity to excel in a safe environment.

Students’ Responsibilities

Each student has the responsibility:

To treat others in a manner that exemplifies Christ’s command to “love one another.”
To show respect to faculty, staff, visitors and peers through the use of good manners.
To contribute to a caring and positive learning environment.
To seek support in an honest and appropriate manner.
To approach each lesson with a willingness to learn.
To come to class prepared for each lesson.

Student Code of Conduct

Each teacher will discuss with students the specific behavioral expectations for their class. Most misbehavior is addressed at the classroom level. Teachers will contact parents if the student’s behavior is impacting classroom instruction. If a child’s behavior continues to impact the class, teachers or parents may choose to include administrators in the dialogue.

Behaviors that negatively impact instruction include, but are not limited to:

Disrespectful and rude behavior
Use of foul or inappropriate language
Chewing gum or eating in classrooms without permission
Refusal to comply with instructions from teachers or administrators
Being in any school space or leaving school grounds during the day without permission
Use of cell phones, iPods, iPads, laser lights, pagers, cameras or other items that will detract from the learning situation.

More serious infractions can result in suspension or expulsion. These include, but are not limited to:

Bullying, fighting, threatening or harassing
Vandalism, stealing, smoking, using drugs or alcohol
Possession of drugs or alcohol on school grounds
Possession of a weapon on school grounds or at school sponsored events

Technology and Internet Usage

The following statement is included in this handbook under the direction of the Archdiocese of Washington Catholic Schools Office.
Student Responsibilities When using any Technology Equipment, All Students:

Shall use all Technology Equipment, including, but not limited to computers, networking systems, Internet, mobile devices, tablets, hosted or cloud-based environments, communication devices, cell phones, email, social networking sites, calculators, DVD players, and cameras (“Technology Equipment”) with care and respect, whether at school, at home, or elsewhere.
Shall not type, send or otherwise use any inappropriate or offensive words, or display, send, or otherwise use inappropriate or offensive images, sounds or messages from or on Technology Equipment. This includes, but is not limited to, creating, publishing, displaying or in any way disseminating any information or files that are abusive, obscene, sexually oriented, threatening, harassing or damaging to another’s reputation.
Shall not violate any local, state or federal laws.
Shall not engage in cyber-bullying behavior.
Shall not use the device to capture photos, video, audio or other media involving other students, faculty or staff without explicit permission from the subjects of the media.
Shall never use the technology in bathrooms or locker rooms.
Shall not impersonate others or hack or otherwise seek unauthorized access to any restricted information or account.
Shall immediately report to a teacher or supervising staff member any inappropriate material or misuse of Technology Equipment of which the student becomes aware.
Shall not engage in any behavior otherwise prohibited by school disciplinary standards.

Schools may supply students with Technology Equipment owned or leased by the school for instructional use. Schools may also permit students to use their own Technology Equipment during class as directed by their teachers as part of a “BYOD” (Bring Your Own Device) initiative. When using Technology Equipment supplied by the School, or Technology Equipment permitted under a BYOD initiative, all students:

Shall not reconfigure any school hardware, software, or network settings.
When on school grounds, shall access only school-supplied wifi or other networks provided by the school. Under no circumstances may students use Technology Equipment to access the Internet through 3G or 4G connections or any other means not specifically provided by the school.
Shall not attempt to bypass or otherwise evade any content filters or security measures in place on the Technology Equipment.
Shall not intentionally receive or send any viruses, worms, Trojan Horses, or any other kind of malware.
Shall not install, download, upload, or otherwise transfer any software, files, or other data onto Technology Equipment supplied by the school without first obtaining the teacher’s permission.
Shall not use any school Technology Equipment to create, store, transfer or use software or electronic content in a manner which violates the rights of the holder of copyright in the software or the content; and shall not plagiarize works found on the Internet or elsewhere.
Shall only use the Internet for school-related projects and shall visit only the sites assigned by the teacher.
Shall not take photographs or record audio or video unless as directed by the teacher for instructional purposes.
Shall be solely responsible for the physical security and care of their Technology Equipment. The school does not assume responsibility for damages, lost or stolen devices.
Shall ensure that their Technology Equipment is fully charged at the beginning of the school day.
Shall promptly comply with a teacher’s request to shut down, close, put away, or hand over any Technology Equipment.
Shall not play any games on Technology Equipment except as directed by the student’s teacher for instructional use.
Shall not give out, post, or otherwise distribute personal information such as social security numbers, birthdays, credit card or bank account information, photographs, home addresses, telephone numbers, parents’ work addresses or telephone numbers or the name and location of the school.

All students understand and acknowledge:

Student use of cell phones, tablets, laptops, and any other portable electronic devices during school hours is strictly prohibited, except in the case of a medical emergency or as otherwise directed by the student’s teacher for instructional use.
Schools may require that Technology Equipment used in a BYOD program must meet certain compatibility requirements, use certain security measures, and include certain hardware, software, or applications, which may include applications that grant the school control over the content on the Technology Equipment.
Use of equipment is a privilege, not a right. As such, any violation of this policy may result in permanent revocation of their technology privileges and other disciplinary action may be taken in the sole discretion of the principal.
Use of all Technology Equipment may be monitored. There is no expectation of privacy for any information stored on any Technology Equipment used on school grounds, including any information or files stored in students’ personal accounts (such as social media or file sharing accounts) that are accessible via such Technology Equipment. The school reserves the right to access a student’s computer files or any other Technology Equipment when required for the maintenance of the school’s Technology Equipment, in emergencies, in the course of investigation of possible wrongdoing or a disciplinary infraction, or at the discretion of the principal. If a student refuses to grant the school full access to his or her Technology Equipment for such a purpose – for instance, by withholding a password – the school may treat that refusal as an admission of wrongdoing.

Parent/Guardian Acknowledgement:

Parent/guardian shall be responsible for reading and reviewing the terms listed above with their child.
Parent/guardian shall be responsible for any damages, claims and expenses resulting from their child’s use of the school’s Technology Equipment.
Parent/guardian shall be responsible for damages, claims (including theft) and expenses of all personally owned Technology Equipment used in any BYOD program.
Parent/guardian acknowledges that any failure to honor the terms of this agreement may result in disciplinary action determined at the discretion of the Principal, any or all of the student’s technology privileges being revoked, and/or the reporting of such infraction to appropriate authorities.
Parent/guardian acknowledges that violation of any provision of this policy may result in confiscation of the equipment until retrieved by such parent/guardian.
Parent/Guardian acknowledges that they have read and reviewed the terms of acceptable technology use with the student listed below, and both parent and student understand and agree to abide by those terms.