School Policies

TUSD ADMINISTRATORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES
ADMINISTRATIVE RULE 5144:
DISCIPLINE POLICY FOR GRADES 6-12

Students may be suspended or expelled if the act is related to a school activity or school attendance, including but not limited to the following: (a) while on school grounds; (b) while going to or coming from school; (c) during a school lunch period, whether on or off campus; or (d) during or while going to or coming from a school sponsored activity. Education Code 49079 requires that teachers be informed of a pupil’s suspension and the infraction specific to the case, as described in Education Code 48900, except for smoking. The information shall be provided confidentially to teachers for the previous three school years. All students will be held accountable for the last three years of their discipline history.

The attached discipline matrix indicates the types of disciplinary action that may apply to each offense. These actions may be applied to a first time or repeated incident. Progressive consequences, when applicable, are listed for each subsequent offense within the respective education code violation. School officials use this matrix as a guide intended to standardize disciplinary procedures throughout the District. The recommendations are not intended to substitute for the judgment of professional personnel based upon knowledge of the student’s behavior record and statutory restraints.

Policies are linked as documents and listed below:

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2023-24 North High School Attendance and Discipline Policies
Parents/Guardians: Please make sure to review this document with your student so that you and your student have a clear understanding of school policies and expectations. Uou and your student have agreed to the Attendance and Discipline Policies by completing the annual 2022-23 North High School online PowerSchool registration for your student.

NHS VISION STATEMENT
Elevate Our Youth, Cultivate Our Future.

SAXON STRONG
North High School students are Saxon Strong, demonstrating the characteristics of being Responsible, Trustworthy, Fair, Respectful, Caring, and Citizenship on and off the North High School campus.

The North High School-Wide Matrix was created by Saxon Students for Saxon Students. This matrix shares how these characteristics are demonstrated in student actions and interactions whether in classrooms (in-person or online), on campus, or within themselves.

At North High School, Saxon Strong students will be recognized.

ATTENDANCE

Absences
Students are required by state law to attend school full-time until age 18. Studies show that there is a direct correlation between good school attendance and achievement; therefore, we encourage parents to help their children achieve the habit of daily attendance. If you find it necessary to keep your children out of school for reasons other than illness, we encourage you to send them to school for at least part of the day so that they will not be counted absent. This will also help them to keep up with assignments.

Schools are required by law to account for absences. When students return to school following a full or partial-day absence, a parent/legal guardian must notify our Attendance Office Staff, located in the Administrative Building, to verify absences.

Excessive Truancies
When a student accumulates 3 or more truancies a computer mailing will be sent from the Attendance Office to the parent/guardian informing them of the number and date of each truancy and the importance of regular attendance. This mailing will be sent each time the student reaches 3 or more truancies during the school year. Excessive truancies may result in further disciplinary action, a meeting between the parent/guardian with administration, referral to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB) and possible withdrawal from North High School.

Attendance- Fraudulent Emails or Forged Notes
Fraudulent emails/forged notes cannot be cleared. They will be marked truant and students are required to serve Saturday detention. Failure to serve Saturday detention will result in further consequences. No emails/notes will be accepted from students who have previously fraudulent emails/forged notes. If forged notes have been determined, the parent/guardian must email the attendance office for any future absences for that student. If fraudulent emails have been determined, the parent/guardian must provide written notes, signed by the parent/guardian to the attendance office for any future absences for that student.

NOTE: Administration may deny the approval of off-campus passes on certain days. It is illegal for a student to leave campus during class time or between classes without first obtaining permission to do so. Anyone leaving without an off-campus pass will be issued a TRUANT absence. This is termed a walk-off truancy and cannot be cleared by a note from home or email once the student has left campus and will result in a Saturday detention (no exceptions). Failure to serve Saturday detention will result in further consequences.

Students may not leave the school campus without parent permission verified by the Attendance Office - students may be cited by the Torrance Police Department for daytime loitering. All absences are reported to the State for auditing purposes. Since school funding is based on attendance, it is important to you and to the school that absences are verified.

Attendance and All Extra-Curricular Activities

To participate in all extra-curricular activities, including sporting events, dances, and performances, students must be in attendance for the entire day of the activity or the entire day before (Friday) in the case of a Saturday activity, such as a school dance. Furthermore, students with excessive absences, unexcused absences (of any sort), truancies, or excessive tardiness will forfeit the opportunity to attend any and all extra-curricular activities, including Homecoming or Prom.

Tardy to School or Class

Being on time to class...

Increases the instructional time for the student.
Reduces the interruptions to the learning environment, improving the quality and time for all students.
Teaches time management and reduces student’s stress.
Punctuality is a practice valued by business and society; students should be trained in this practice while in school.

Tardiness is defined as:

Not arriving to class on time and/or sitting in the teacher’s assigned seat and being ready to learn after the tardy bell has rung.
Any student who is tardy by more than 30 minutes from the student’s first period of the day will be regarded as absent for the period and must be excused by parent/guardian’s note or email to the Attendance Office.

Excusal of a Tardy:

A parent/guardian may, through an email to the Attendance Office, excuse their student’s tardy to their first period of the day.
Tardies during the school day may only be excused by campus staff.

Corrective Action for Unexcused Tardiness (by class period) will be as follows, per academic quarter:

Parents are notified by PowerSchool (email, PS app banner alert, district automated alert) whenever a student is marked tardy.
On the 2nd and 3rd tardy- Students will be reminded of the tardy policy and expectations, as well as corrective action for continued tardiness. Parents/guardians will be contacted by the teacher to work on a resolution to the tardiness.
On the fourth tardy- Parents are notified by their student’s teacher and the student assigned a detention.
Fifth tardy- Parents are notified by their student’s teacher, the student is assigned detention, a progress report for a U in citizenship may be issued, a referral is made to administration, and a formal entry into the student discipline file is made.
After fifth tardy, students are considered chronically tardy for that class period, which will result in an attendance contract, possible removal of school activities, and the assignment of a Saturday School detention.

DISCIPLINE
Conduct (California Education Code 48900)
School officials use this matrix as a guide intended to standardize disciplinary procedures throughout the District. The recommendations are not intended to substitute for the judgment of professional personnel based upon knowledge of the student’s behavior record and statutory restraints.

Students will . . .

… treat everyone with respect.
… respect everyone’s privacy and property.
… attend class on time prepared to work.
… remain on campus all day.
… have good citizenship and conduct.
… use appropriate language

Students will not . . .

… fight or threaten others while at school.
… fight or threaten others on the way to school
… fight or threaten others on the way home.
… buy, sell, or trade any items
… distract from the learning process.

Saxons will show respect for our campus, and the property and health of others by not throwing/kicking items such as food, bottles, trash, water balloons, etc. Water toys are not permitted on campus. These are Health and Safety issues and may result in Saturday school detention.

Spitting on campus is a health concern and will not be tolerated.

Gambling is illegal in the state of California. Card games and dice related to gambling will result in Saturday school detention and a possible referral to TPD.

Saxons come to school to learn. Student actions that prevent learning are inappropriate. Infractions of school exceptions will result in consequences that may include:

Warning
Detention - before or after school
Saturday School
In-school suspension
Out-of-school suspension
Parent visitation to school to monitor student
Adjustment transfer to another school
Expulsion
Restitution

Students may be suspended* or expelled** for reasons including, but not limited to the following:

Causing, attempting to cause, or threatening to cause physical injury to another person.
Possessing, selling, or furnishing any firearm, knife, explosive, or other dangerous objects.
Unlawfully possessing, using, selling, or otherwise furnishing or being 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 including prescription drugs.***
Making terroristic threats.
Unlawfully offering, arranging, or negotiating to sell any controlled substance, as defined in Section 11007 of the Health and Safety Code, an alcoholic beverage, any “look-alike” controlled substance, or an intoxicant of any kind.
Committing robbery or extortion.
Causing or attempting to cause damage to school property or private property.
Stealing or attempting to steal school or private property.
Engaged in an act of bullying, including, but not limited to, bullying committed by means of an electronic act
Possessing or using tobacco or any products containing tobacco or nicotine.
Committing an obscene act or engaging in habitual profanity or vulgarity.
Unlawfully offering, arranging, or negotiating to sell any drug paraphernalia, as defined in Section 11364 of the Health and Safety Code.
Unlawfully offering, arranging, or negotiating to sell any drug paraphernalia, as defined in Section 11364 of the Health and Safety Code.
Disrupting school activities or otherwise willfully defying the valid authority of supervisors, teachers, administrators, school officials, or other school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties.
Knowingly received stolen school or private property.
Harassment (sexual or otherwise) of another student

Due process shall be afforded to each student suspended or expelled. All such action will be taken in strict conformity with the procedures and limitations set forth in the Education Code.

Education Code 49079 requires that teachers be informed of a pupil’s suspension and the infraction specific to the case, as described in Education Code 48900, except for smoking. This information shall be provided confidentially to the teacher for the previous three school years.

* Suspension: Removal of a student from school for a specified length of time.
** Expulsion: The dismissal of a student from all Torrance Unified School District schools.
*** (NOTE: TUSD Policy 5141.21 and Education Code 49480 requires parents/guardians of pupils taking medication on campus to notify the school nurse or other designated school employee of the medication, dosage, and the name of the supervising physician. All medication will be kept in the school health office.)

Check here to view Torrance Unified School District’s Discipline Matrix

Bullying/Cyberbullying (cf. 5137, cf 5138, cf 6164.2)
Cyberbullying conducted using District-owned or personal equipment or on school premises, as well as off-campus cyberbullying that impacts student learning, school activity, or school attendance shall be subject to discipline (in accordance with District policies and regulations). Students are encouraged to submit a formal complaint to any school staff. Complaints of bullying or harassment shall be investigated and resolved in accordance with site-level grievance procedures specified in AR 5145.7.

Zero Tolerance Policy
The staff and students at our school actively protect the safety of this campus. We enforce a policy of Zero Tolerance. The following violations will result in immediate suspension and may result in expulsion from the Torrance Unified School District:

Possession of a firearm
Brandishing a knife
Sale of a controlled substance
Committing or attempting to commit a sexual assault or battery
Harassing, threatening, or intimidating a witness

In addition, the following violations will result in immediate suspension and a determination of further action that may result in expulsion proceedings:

Serious physical injury to others
Assault or battery upon any school employee
Possession of knives, explosives, or other dangerous objects
Possession of a controlled substance
Robbery or extortion

Anyone with information regarding the above violations is encouraged to inform school personnel. You may call this number anonymously for the same purpose. 1-800-78CRIME.

Academic Honesty (TUSD AR 5131.9) & Plagiarism (TUSD BP 5131)
Students are expected to complete academic work without plagiarism, cheating, tampering, stealing, giving or receiving unauthorized assistance from any other person, or using any source of information that is not common knowledge without properly acknowledging the source.

On the first offense- parent conference, a possible “U” in citizenship with a plan for improvement, and possible detention.
On the second offense- a parent, teacher, student, counselor conference, a possible “U” in citizenship with a plan for improvement, and possible detention or Saturday School.
On the third offense- a parent, student, and administrator conference, a “U” in citizenship, and a Saturday School or in-school detention.*

*Continued violations will result in counselor report of incidents of academic dishonesty on college applications.

NHS Dress Code
North High values equity and inclusion for all community members. North High believes the responsibility for the student's dress and appearance rests with the student and the parent/guardian. While each student’s individuality and expression of fashion are respected, in order to create an inclusive and safe environment, Saxons are expected to dress in a manner that is respectful and supportive of a positive learning environment. North High validates and affirms the values of others and respects our students as individuals.

NHS Saxons, when dressing for school, are expected to follow the dress guidelines below to maintain a respectful and supportive learning environment that reflects our Saxon Strong values of Responsibility, Trustworthiness, Fairness, Respect, Caring, and Citizenship.

Safety and Health

Clothing may not depict, advertise or advocate the use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or other controlled substance or paraphernalia, equipment, or rituals associated with alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or other controlled substances.
Clothing, including gang identifiers, must not threaten the health and safety of any student or staff.
*Clothing must be suitable for all scheduled classroom activities including physical education, science labs, woodshop, and other activities where unique hazards exist. Specialized courses may require specialized attire, such as sports uniforms or safety gear.
Hats and other headwear must allow the student’s face to be visible to staff.

*The administration and school staff may establish reasonable dress regulations for times when students are engaged in certain sports and/or classes and extracurricular/other special school activities.

Electronic Devices
Electronic Devices (cell phones [during class time] AirPods, earbuds, headphones, etc) need to be silenced and put away during structured learning time.

Cell Phones shall:

Be turned off and put away during class time, and at any other time as directed by a District employee.
Not disrupt the educational program or school activity.
Not be used for illegal or unethical activities such as cheating on assignments or tests.

North High School staff will apply the following progressive disciplinary action for electronic device violations:

A reminder of school policy by the classroom teacher
Reminder and parent/guardian notification by the classroom teacher
Parent notification and one-hour detention assigned by the classroom teacher
Student referral to administration, parent notification, and one-hour detention
Phone/device confiscation by school admin, and conference with parent and student

TUSD AR 5144. If a disruption occurs or a student uses any mobile communications device for improper activities, the employee shall direct the student to turn off the device and/or confiscate it. If a school employee finds it necessary to confiscate a device, he/she may either return it at the end of the class period or school day or keep it until the principal or designee has consulted with the student's parent/guardian.

In accordance with the Board of Education’s policy and administrative regulation on search and seizure, a school official may search a student’s mobile communications device, including, but not limited to, reviewing messages or viewing pictures. (cf. 5145.12 – Search and Seizure) A student who violates this policy may be prohibited from possessing a personal electronic signaling device at school or school-related events and/or may be subject to further discipline in accordance with Board policy and administrative regulation.

Students are not allowed to possess laser beam pointers on school grounds (California Penal Code 417.27 (a), (b), (c), and (d)).

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Student Identification
North High students are expected to verify their identity as an NHS student (via school ID or PowerSchool account) upon staff request. The Student Activities Office, Records Office, Attendance Office, Business Office, and School Library require students to present their school ID when requesting information or student-related services. The Security Desk requires students to present their ID when they have an off-campus sticker. Students may not check out library books without their student ID and barcode. Students who are not able to produce their school ID to staff after a warning will be assigned a detention. Replacement student ID cards are available through the Student Activities Office for $5.

Food Deliveries, Personal Item Drop-Offs, and Medication

Bring snacks and lunch to school.
Lunch Service is FREE for 2022-23. For this reason, NHS will not accept any food drop-offs for students. Furthermore, Uber Eats, DoorDash, GrubHub, Post Mates, etc deliveries are NOT PERMITTED. Any and all food deliveries will be turned away!
Personal items may be dropped off at the front security desk of the administrative building.
All medications may only be authorized and administered by the school health office.

Public Displays of Affection (PDA)
PDA should be appropriate for our learning environment and respectful of school community members. Students who violate this expectation will meet with an administrator, the Dean of Students, or a staff member. Parents/guardians will be notified.

Other

Bicycles, skateboards, or roller skates/“Heelys” may not be ridden on campus as per the City of Torrance Municipal Code due to student safety and liability reasons. Students who violate this rule may be subject to a citation by the Torrance Police Department.
Students are responsible for their own property and must secure their property to avoid theft.
Bikes should be locked in one of the school’s bike racks which are located in the C and L wings, closest to the Quad). Bikes should be removed by the end of the students’ day.
Assigned school and PE lockers should not be shared.
Student lockers need to be securely closed and PE lockers must be secured with a lock.
Lost items, textbooks, and library books are the responsibility of students and parents. The cost of lost or stolen textbooks and library books must be reimbursed to the school.
Balloons/Flowers/Gifts are often disruptions to the learning environment and are not permitted on campus during the school day. Any balloons/flowers/gifts, if brought to campus, will be held at the Security Desk in the Administrative Building until the end of the day.
Eating or drinking in classrooms is only allowed with the teacher's permission. Vending machines may not be used during class time.

updated on 10/10/2022

School Policies

Policies are linked as documents and listed below:

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