This document is a plain language summary of the Southern Westchester BOCES Code of Conduct; it does not replace the complete Code of Conduct. The full text of the Code of Conduct is available on the Southern Westchester BOCES website.

School Climate:

Every student has a right to attend school in a safe and supportive learning environment. The Board of Education, administration, and staff are committed to ensuring all individuals are treated with respect, and that students are provided with an atmosphere that is conducive to personal growth and educational development.

Student Dress Code:

The responsibility for the dress and appearance of students rests with individual students and their parents. Student clothing, grooming, and appearance must comply with health and safety standards, and must not interfere with or distract from the educational process or infringe upon the rights of others. Specifically, clothing should not be overly brief or revealing and undergarments should be covered; appropriate footwear should be worn at all times; clothing should not be perceived as being associated with gang or other unlawful behavior; and clothing should be appropriate for the student's course of instruction. The administration may take action in instances where individual dress does not meet stated requirements.

Harassment, Bullying, and Discrimination:

All BOCES employees must abide by and enforce school rules in a fair and consistent manner and are expected to maintain a climate of mutual respect and dignity for all students regardless of actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, sex, or other legally protected category. Employees must report incidents of discrimination and harassment that are witnessed or otherwise brought to their attention to the Dignity Act Coordinator (DAC) or Civil Rights Compliance Officer (CRCO) or Title IX Coordinator in a timely manner. Similarly, students and parents are expected to report incidents of discrimination, harassment, and/or bullying for resolution.

The SWBOCES Dignity Act Coordinators are:

 

Rye Lake Campus:	Principal	(914) 948-7271
	School Psychologist
	School Counselor
	School Social Worker

 

Transfiguration School	Principal	(914) 366-2560
	School Social Worker
	School Psychologist

 

Irvington:	Principal	(914) 591-8529
	School Psychologist

 

St. Matthews:	Principal	(914) 761-2863
	School Social Worker

 

Rochambeau	Assistant Principal	(914) 422-2000
	School Social Worker

 

Valhalla:	Principal	(914) 948-7271
	School Social Worker

 

Career Services:	Principal	(914) 761-3400
	Assistant Principal
	School Social Worker

 

THE SWBOCES Civil Rights Compliance Officers / Title IX Coordinators are:

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Administrative Services:                    (914) 937-3820

Director of Human Resources:                                                                                      (914) 937-3820

Student Attendance:

All students must attend classes on a regular basis and participate in the classroom programs, activities, and discussions. Students who are absent from class, late for class, or leave class early must provide appropriate notification and/or excuses to the Attendance Office or other appropriate personnel. Consequences for unexcused student absences, tardiness, and/or early departures may include, but are not limited to, in-school suspension, detention, and/or denial of course credit. As necessary, efforts will be made to address a student's school attendance problem, which may include involvement of the student's parents or family court.

Student Driving and Parking:

Driving to school is a privilege, not a right. Students who abuse this privilege will not be allowed to park on school property. Students must always display the appropriate parking permit while on school property during the school day. Unauthorized and improperly parked vehicles will be ticketed.

Technology and Electronic Devices:

Students are permitted to have and use personal technology devices in the classroom at times, to the extent teachers and administrators deem acceptable. Students are expected to act thoughtfully and responsibly when using technology resources, either personal or BOCES-owned, and may not use those resources to invade the privacy of others, engage in harassment, bullying, or discrimination, gain access to, or transmit inappropriate materials, disrupt the learning environment and otherwise violate applicable law or BOCES policies and regulations.

Prohibited Conduct:

All students must promptly report any prohibited conduct to a teacher or administrator. No one who, in good faith, reports a violation will be retaliated against. A student who knowingly makes a false accusation will face disciplinary action.

Prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Conduct that is disorderly (including trespassing and engaging in any act which disrupts the normal operation of the school community).
• Conduct that is insubordinate (including failure to comply with the reasonable directives of teachers, administrators, and other school staff).
• Conduct that is disruptive (including engaging in behavior that interferes with the health and safety of others, the learning environment, the school community, or BOCES/school-based activities).
• Conduct that is violent (including threats of violence, acts of violence, possession of weapons, and the intentional destruction of property).
• Conduct that endangers the safety, morals, health, or welfare of others (including discrimination, harassment, bullying, and hazing; possessing, using, or selling alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, and other prohibited substances and their paraphernalia; and inappropriate touching or indecent exposure); and
• Academic misconduct (including plagiarism, copying, altering records, and other forms of cheating).

Consequences of Engaging in Prohibited Conduct:

Students will be subject to disciplinary action as the facts may warrant, in accordance with due process requirements. Disciplinary measures may include verbal or written warnings, notification of parent/guardian, detention, suspension from transportation, an athletic program, extracurricular activity or other privileges, removal from the classroom, in-school suspension, short-term suspension (5 days or less), long-term suspension (more than 5 days) or permanent suspension from school. Discipline will be appropriate based on the seriousness of the offense and the student's previous discipline record. Restorative Practices may also be utilized.

Visitors/Volunteers:

All people on BOCES property or attending a BOCES function will conduct themselves in a respectful and orderly manner. Visitors and volunteers are required to adhere to BOCES policy as well as applicable laws and regulations. Parents or pupils who wish to observe a classroom while school is in session are required to provide rationale and obtain prior approval in advance from the Building Principal. All visitors and volunteers will be required to sign the visitors’ register and follow specific building procedures, including the use of the Raptor Identification System where applicable.

 

 

Board of Education Adoption: June 25, 2025