We place importance on all aspects of a child’s growth and development — emotional, behavioral and academic. We emphasize the values of respect for the worth of the individual, integrity and diversity as well as the concept of making responsible choices. Part of growing up is learning to make responsible, positive choices. Good behavior, following the rules and making responsible choices arc important and are regularly acknowledged at Marengo. Understanding that no one makes the best choice all the time, we stress the importance of making better choices with each new experience.

All adult on campus are here to guide students in following the rules and learning from previous situations and choices. Consequences, either natural or imposed, are an important part of learning to make appropriate choices. Although some actions, behaviors, or violations need the immediate attention of the principal, the teacher is usually the first person to deal with the child when there is a problem. The following procedures are usually taken by the teacher before a child is sent to the office:

• Discuss the incident/counsel student.
• Work with the student to correct the behavior (time out, behavior contracts, and modifications of the student’s day).
• Call the parent or write a note home.
• Conference with the parent or call a Student Success Team (SST) meeting with principal, counselor, teacher and parents.
• Send the student to the office with a discipline referral slip indicating to the principal the steps taken previously.

Once a child has been sent to the office, the principal will address the behavior using the following procedures;

• Discuss the incident/counsel student.
• Student and principal contact the parent.
• Modify the student’s day with teacher/parent/student input.
• Parent/ principal! student conference
• Full/partial day of suspension
• Zero Tolerance Policy
  

Depending on the nature of the incident, parents will be involved and informed about the discipline plan for the student.
Parents and students need to be aware that, according to California law, there are certain actions, which require suspension and may lead to expulsion. Students may be suspended/expelled if any of the acts are committed while on school grounds, going to or from school, and during a school sponsored activity. Among these actions are:

1. Caused, attempted to cause or threatened to cause physical injury to another person
2. Possessed, sold or otherwise furnished any firearm, knife, explosive or other dangerous object unless, in the case of possession of any such object, the pupil had obtained written permission to possess the item from a certificated school employee, which is concurred in by the principal or designee of the principal, (includes possession of an imitation or replica of a firearm or other weapon.)
3. Unlawfully possessed, used, sold or otherwise furnished or been under the influence of, any controlled substance, as defined in Section 11007 of the Health and Safety Code, an alcoholic beverage, or an intoxicant of any kind.
4. Unlawfully offered, arranged or negotiated to sell any controlled substance, as defined in Section 11007 of the Health and safety code, an alcoholic beverage or an intoxicant of any kind, and then either sold, delivered or otherwise furnished to any person another ligquid, substance or material and represented the liquid, substance or material as a controlled substance, alcoholic beverage or intoxicant.
5. Committed robbery or extortion.
6. Caused or attempted to cause damage to school property or private property.
7. Stolen or attempted to steal school property or private property.
8. Possessed or used tobacco, except as provided in Section 48901.
9. Committed an obscene act or engaged in habitual profanity or vulgarity.
10. Unlawfully offered, arranged or negotiated to sell any drug paraphernalia, as defined in Section 11364 of the Health and Safety Code.
11. Disrupted school activities or otherwise willfully defied the valid authority of supervisors, teachers, administrators, school officials or other school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties.
12. Knowingly received stolen property.
13. Possessed and imitation firearm.
14. Committed or attempted to commit a sexual assault.
15. Harassed threatened, or intimidated a pupil who is a complaining witness or witness in a school disciplinary proceeding for the purpose of either preventing that pupil from being a witness or retaliating against that pupil for being a witness, or both.
16. Unlawfully offered, arranged to sell, negotiated to sell, or sold the prescription drug Soma.
17. A pupil may be suspended or expelled for acts that are enumerated in this section and related to school activity or attendance that occur at any time, including, but not limited to any of the following:
    1. While on school grounds.
    2. While going to or coming from school.
    3. During the lunch period whether on or off the campus.
    4. During, or while going to or coming from, a school sponsored activity.