Academic Honesty

Students of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District are subject to an Academic Honesty Policy which deals with students who cheat on tests or plagiarize assignments. All tests, quizzes, reports, homework, other assignments and any school related test are subject to this policy.

Cheating includes looking at another student’s paper, taking credit for work that is not your own, talking, or using an electronic device during an exam. It also includes using technological means to acquire assistance or provide assistance. Helping another student cheat on an exam, homework or other assignment is also a violation of the Academic Honesty Policy if it has been made clear by the instructor that students are to work on their own and not collaborate.

Major State, National, or International Exams

A student who violates the Academic Honesty Policy while taking a major state, national, and/or international examination (such as CAASPP, AP, IB, PSAT, SAT, ACT, etc.) jeopardizes the academic reputation, integrity, and future of all other students within the district. Therefore, he/she will receive the following consequences in addition to those outlined in the directions for administration of the specific test. All consequences apply for the semester that the incident occurred plus the following semester or trimester if the student attends Silverado High School or is in intermediate school. Summer session is not considered a semester under this regulation.

1. Administrator will assign off-campus suspension not to exceed five (5) days.
2. Administrator will contact parent/guardian regarding the incident.
3. Student may be removed from academic programs.
4. Student will receive no academic recognition at award events and/or participate in celebratory, promotion, and graduation ceremonies throughout the duration of the consequence.
5. Student will be ineligible and/or lose eligibility in all academic organizations (National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation, etc.,) in compliance with the by-laws of each organization.
6. Student will be ineligible and/or removed from any elected or appointed leadership position.
7. Student may be recommended for other disciplinary action as deemed appropriate.

Academic Honesty in Classroom Situations

The following action will be taken in regards to students in violation of the Academic Honesty Policy.

First Offense

1. Teacher notifies school administration prior to contacting parent with details of offense and explains consequences including Academic Honesty Contract.
2. Automatic “0” (Failure) on assignment or test.
3. Student given a “U” in citizenship for the semester/trimester.
4. Parent conference and contract signed.
5. Documented in student discipline file.
6. Placed on contract in all classes for the remainder of the semester/trimester and the entire next semester/trimester. Notification of student’s contract communicated to student’s current teachers.
7. If the Academic Honesty Policy violation occurs in a student aide class, the student may be transferred to another course.

Second Offense

(The second offense by the student during the period of time on contract)

1. Teacher notifies school administration prior to contacting parent with details of offense and explains consequences including Academic Honesty Contract.
2. Automatic “0” (Failure) on assignment or test; “U” in citizenship and work habits in the class in which the second offense occurred.
3. Student may be suspended off campus not to exceed 3 days.
4. Student remains on contract in all remaining classes through the rest of the semester/trimester and the entire next semester/trimester.
5. Parent conference.
6. Student removed from any and all elected or appointed leadership positions for the remainder of the school year.
7. Student will receive no academic recognition, including valedictorian or salutatorian status, at awards events or graduation ceremony if the offense occurs while on contract.

Third Offense

(The third offense by the student during the period of time on contract)

1. Teacher notifies school administration prior to contacting parent with details of offense and explains consequences including Academic Honesty Contract.
2. Student assigned “F” in class which violation occurs at high school level.
3. Student may be suspended up to 5 days.
4. Student will lose privileges for the remainder of the semester/trimester in which infraction occurred and one additional semester/trimester.

The accused student must file a written appeal within ten working days from the date of infraction. Students who wish to appeal these penalties may do so to the local site Academic Committee. This committee is composed of three members; two teachers, and an administrator. A student committee member may be added at the accused student’s discretion. The student committee member will be selected by school site administration. The student committee member will have an advisory capacity.

Appeal

Students who wish to appeal these penalties may do so to the Ethics Committee. This committee is composed of four members: two teachers, an administrator, and a student. The student committee member will have an advisory vote. The accused student must file an appeal within ten working days from the date of infraction.

Addendum

For students who are members of CSF at LHHS, you may re-apply the 2nd semester following your ethics violation as your application is based on your previous semester grades, ethics, and citizenship. NHS members may not apply/reapply after an ethics violation, and therefore lose their rights to membership.

Common Application for Colleges and Universities

If a college or university inquires with a question about a student’s academic misconduct, and a student has received two or more Ethics Code violations, we will be obligated to mark a “yes” on the application.

The Attendance office is located in the main administration building behind the receptionist's desk. The Attendance office hours are 7:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. The attendance window opens 10 minutes prior to the start of period 1. Please see the pages under "Attendance" to learn about school absences, early dismissals, Independent Study Contracts (ISC's) and other miscellaneous items. 

Public schools are run on State funds and, therefore, must meet State guidelines. Students are required to attend a certain number of minutes of school every year and absences decrease those mandated minutes. Every absence also causes LHHS to lose money needed to educate our students. That is why it is very important that students should not miss school unless it is absolutely necessary.

Please make all doctor or dentist appointments either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. By making appointments during this time, it allows the student to attend a partial day of school.

For every full day that a student is absent, whether excused or unexcused, LHHS loses about $60.  As you know, in this economy schools cannot afford to lose this type of funding. This is why it is so important for students to attend at least half a day of school.

If a student leaves campus without permission it will be an AUTOMATIC SATURDAY SCHOOL. Please be advised that students are not allowed to leave campus during school hours unless they have an early dismissal release from the attendance office or health office PRIOR TO LEAVING.

LHHS Attendance Page

Saddleback Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) students are held to high standards of behavior at all times;

SVUSD students are to be respectful of themselves and others

SVUSD students are to be responsible for themselves, their actions, and their healthy choices

SVUSD students are to be exemplary representatives of themselves, the programs in which they participate, the schools in which they attend, and the greater community in which they thrive

We believe in a positive approach to behavior intervention and expect students to accept responsibility for their actions and subsequent consequences. SVUSD High schools and Intermediate schools use demerits to account for detention hours accrued by students for a variety of school rule violations. Seniors MUST be at 0 demerits in order to participate in commencement ceremonies.

Demerits 1 demerit = 1 hour of detention. Students can remove demerits by serving the assigned consequences through detention, Saturday school, etc. on or before the date assigned. Failure to serve the discipline consequences will result in earning additional demerits and intervention counseling as well as the loss of privileges.

A one (1) hour detention = One (1) demerit earned. One (1) demerit will be removed from the student’s record if the detention is served on or before the date assigned. Failure to serve the detention will result in one (1) additional demerit being assigned.

A two (2) hour detention assignment = Two (2) demerits earned. Two (2) demerits will be removed from the student’s record if the detention is served on or before the date assigned. Failure to serve the detention will result in two (2) additional demerit being assigned.

A four (4) hour Saturday School assignment = Four (4) demerits earned. Six (6) demerits will be removed from the student’s record if the Saturday school is served on the date assigned. Failure to serve the Saturday School will result in the Saturday School being rescheduled and two (2) additional demerits being assigned.

School Service Students may also recover demerits earned through hours of school service. School service must be coordinated and approved by the Assistant Principal of Supervision prior to being completed. Two (2) demerits will be removed for each hour of school service being completed.

DISTRICT HOMEWORK POLICY

At the beginning of each school year, the principal will inform his/her parent community of the District make-up policy. Included in the information shared with the parent/guardian will be the following:

• Students shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed, which can be reasonably provided during an excused absence. This includes Independent Study contracts.
• Students may be allowed to complete school work missed during an unexcused absence at the discretion of the classroom teacher.
• Students will not be allowed to make up work missed during a truancy.
• The student has the responsibility to make arrangements with the classroom teacher for make-up work. Upon parent request the classroom teacher will provide information on make-up during the student absence in a reasonable and timely manner. The teacher will use the following make-up schedule in determining the minimal amount of time the student will be allowed for make-up assignments.

Work Assigned or Tests Given During an Absence:

• A student will be allowed two (2) days for each day of absence to make up assignments and/or tests given during the period of absence.

Work Assigned Just Prior to an Absence:

• Assignments made prior to an absence will be given no additional time but are due on the day the student returns to class. Additional time may be given at the classroom teacher’s discretion. The exception to this rule is the high school long-term project which will be due on the original due date when advance notice of the due date has been given by the classroom teacher.

Lab Practicum Missed During the Period of an Absence:

• Classroom lab-type activity assignments shall be made up through individual arrangement with the classroom teacher. Arrangements for a make-up activity shall be made within two (2) days of a student’s return to school.

Dress Code

Laguna Hills High School recognizes its obligations to provide an educational environment, which will prepare students for successful and productive adult lives. In an effort to meet this goal, while on campus or at school sponsored events, students shall be dressed in a manner which reflects the local school standards as determined by administrators, teachers, support staff, parents, students and law enforcement through a collaborative process and in accordance with California Education Code Sections 35183 (“Gang Related Apparel) and 32282(a). Local standards shall ensure that student dress will not detract from or interfere with the educational process, both on campus or in the classroom, or with school safety, while complying with legal standards. LHHS dress code policy is enforced from curb to curb. Local standards provide for alternative means of expression, consistent with Education Code Sections 48907 and 48950 and shall be content-neutral in their application. Although LHHS believes that the major responsibility for the cleanliness, grooming, and dress standards rests with the individual parents, the school has the responsibility of assuring that the health, safety, and general welfare of all students are safeguarded and promoted.

Prohibited on Campus or School Sponsored Events Including Saturday School

1. Clothing which displays gang insignia or which could reasonably be construed as gang-related, including, but not limited to:

• SS insignia
• No pulled-up socks paired with long Dickies type shorts
• Initialized belt buckles
• Dangling belts below waist level
• Trench-coats
• No red or blue bandanas worn at eye level or knotted on the forehead, hairnets or “doo-rags”
• Tattoos that are gang related or promote gang activity, must be covered at all times
• Long shorts (i.e. shorts to the calf), or shorts that are too short (must cover all of your derriere)
• Any t-shirt that extends past the finger tips when the hands hang down to the sides, or is too baggy, or too long, as determined by the administration
• Rasta type attire
• Pendleton type shirts with the top buttoned

In addition, any group of students (two or more) found to be wearing the same attire that is not school related may be considered as wearing gang attire. Any student that wears two or more items that can be interpreted as gang-affiliated may not be worn.

2. Pants or shorts not worn at waist level, or which are sagging or oversized. Pants should be able to stay up without a belt and underwear should not be visible at any time in any position. Pants and shorts larger than two sizes over wearer’s normal size are not allowed.

3. Clothing which is obscene, libelous, and slanderous, or which causes a substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the campus, including, but not limited to:

• Clothing which references or implies by words, symbols or graphics, alcohol or tobacco products, drugs, gangs, tagging, violence, or which displays sexual references, sexist, or sexual objectification, racist, vulgar, or hate messages, including:Pants tucked into military style (combat) boots, or any full body military type look, is prohibited.
• Hooded sweatshirts with the hood pulled up, which conceals a person’s face, are prohibited.
• Any derogatory message directed towards any person or group is prohibited. Specific examples of this type of clothing include, but are not limited to: “Fatal” t-shirts, “187” t-shirts, happy/sad face t-shirts, rolled up pant leg, Mob Inc. gear, Orange County script gear, swastikas, red cup logo, shirts with Old English script, or death related pictures or symbols. These restrictions also apply to backpacks, notebooks, and schoolwork.
• Sunglasses are not to be worn in class.

4. Clothing, accessories, and/or personal items that could be used as weapons, such as spiked wrist/ankle bands, belts, spiked rings, or wallet chains. Spikes that are worn in eyebrows, lips, or ears are not acceptable.

5. Rave beads or Rosary beads wrapped around the wrist or worn as jewelry are not allowed.

6. Clothing that disrupts the orderly operation of the campus or which could be construed as immodest, distracting, provocative, unsafe, or extreme, including, but not limited to:

• Clothing that has been cut or has holes in inappropriate areas
• Clothing that is too revealing or low cut, including, but not limited to: Strapless/off the shoulder tops, Halter tops, Tube tops, Bandeau tops (including bandeaus under sheer clothing or under tank tops where skin is revealed at the bottom edge and not covered by the top layer), and Bathing suit tops
• Clothing exposing a bare midriff
• Shorts and skirts of an inappropriate length (thumb level when hands at your sides)
• Tops that do not cover undergarments (regardless of the type of color of the undergarments). This also includes shirts with large armholes that expose a student’s undergarments.

7. No Muscle shirts or sleeveless undershirt style shirts (tanks).

8. Shoes and shirts must be worn at all times.

9. Only LH hats and beanies may be worn at school or to school sponsored events. For example, non-LHHS logo, sports/team caps, beanies or hoods are not allowed. No altering, initializing or changing of the original hat or beanie is allowed. LHHS caps may not be worn tilted to the side of the head or backwards. Headwear is not allowed inside the classroom. Carrying a banned hat is the same as wearing it and is not permitted.

10. Students are not allowed to carry blankets or wear sleep attire such as pajamas, pacifiers, bathrobes, slippers, etc.

Note: It is a violation of the dress code, when you wear a sweatshirt or jacket over a banned item, if the sweatshirt or jacket comes off, or is open.

As trends change, administration reserves the right to amend the dress code policy as needed.

Consequences

Laguna Hills High School wishes to promote a safe, friendly, non-intimidating environment for students and staff alike. To this end, the dress code shall be enforced and students will be subject to consequences. Parents need to be mindful of these rules when purchasing clothing for school. LHHS would appreciate your active involvement in supervising how your student dresses for school.

Student will be asked to turn the apparel inside out, wear P.E. clothes/school issued shirt, or remove the item, when appropriate*. Parents may be called and notation will be made in the discipline screen.

First violation, warning

Second violation, two hours of detention

Third violation, Saturday School

Fourth violation, Student will be assigned a one-day Intervention Class suspension. In addition, students who reach this level of defiance will not be allowed to attend the next dance in that school year.

*If the student refuses to correct the dress code violation, he/she will face further consequences for defiance of a teacher/school administrator, including Intervention class, or suspension.

 

Privileges within SVUSD are defined as, but not limited to:

1. All School Dances - Students placed on the Loss of Privileges List are not permitted to purchase dance tickets until they reduce their total demerits to zero (0). Students have until the day before the last day of tickets sales to reduce their total demerits and be permitted to purchase a ticket to attend the dance.

2. Field Trips - Students placed on the Loss of Privileges List are not permitted to attend field trips until they reduce their total demerits to zero (0). Students have until the day before the field trip to reduce their total demerits.

3. On-Campus Parking - Students on the Loss of Privileges List will not be able to buy parking passes. Students placed on the loss of privileges list after purchasing a parking pass, will have their parking pass revoked (without refund), until they reduce their total demerits to zero (0). As as soon as the student is removed from the loss of privileges list, the parking pass will be reinstated.

4. Activities - Students placed on the Loss of Privileges List are not permitted to participate in any of the activities listed above until they have zero (0) total demerits.

5. Senior Activities/Commencement Ceremony - All Seniors on the Loss of Privileges List MUST clear all demerits in order to participate in senior activities and the commencement ceremony.

Students with six (6) or more demerits will be placed on the loss of privileges list until they have zero (0) TOTAL demerits. **Demerits that are not cleared will carry over from year to year** All Seniors MUST clear all demerits in order to participate in senior activities and the commencement ceremony.

The loss of privileges list will be generated every month and two weeks prior to school dances. Students will be removed from the loss of privileges list by the Assistant Principal as soon as they have zero (0) TOTAL demerits.

Students that are placed on the following contracts will also be on the loss of privileges list and will remain on the list for the duration of the contract term noted below.