Discipline System

Ordinary problems and relatively minor infractions occurring within or outside the classroom are handled by a teacher. If a student creates a disturbance within the classroom or disrupts the learning of another, he is subject to the teacher’s disciplinary action, which may include student or parental conferences, written punishment, private detention, calls to parents, etc. Teachers may also assign school discipline for policy violations of less than 2 conduct points.

If a student receives a total of 15 conduct points throughout the school year, he will be assigned Level I discipline status. This may result in a (1-3) day activity suspension depending on the severity of the discipline. If a student receives a total of 25 conduct points throughout the school year, he will be assigned Level II discipline status. This may result in a (5–10) day activity suspension depending on the severity of the student’s history and ongoing infractions. Students reaching Level II status will be referred to the Discipline Review Board to better support the student and his needs. If the student’s behavior continues and he reaches 35 conduct points he will be removed from activities for a period of up to 30 days. The student will then meet with the Discipline Review Board in person to discuss the ongoing issues. Upon accumulation of 50 conduct points throughout the school year the student will be placed on Level IV discipline status and his enrollment at Central Catholic will be reviewed. 

A singular violation to which 20 conduct points or more are assigned will warrant action by Administration. If a student’s behavior appears to present a danger to himself, other students, or the Central Catholic community, he may be suspended pending further action, which could be a safety assessment, parent meeting, referral to the Discipline Review Board, detention, ineligibility, continued suspension, a combination of the preceding, or expulsion.

Conduct points range from 1 to 25, depending on the seriousness of the infraction. Below are samples of infractions with conduct point and detention values for a first offense. Repeated offenses carry increased values.

Following is a list of common offenses and the corresponding conduct points and detentions typically assigned for a FIRST offense. It is at the discretion of the Dean of Discipline and Administration to assign points and detentions as appropriate.

Level I: A student is automatically placed on Discipline Level I if he accumulates 15 conduct points during the school year. This status may result in the student being removed from activities for a period of 1-3 school days. The student will be asked to set up regular meetings with the Dean of Students in addition to his school counselor. The student will be required to report to the counseling center or library during any free periods. The student will only be permitted to attend the lunch period on their school-issued schedule. 

Level II: A student is automatically placed on Discipline Level II if he accumulates 25 conduct points during the school year. The student will be referred to the Discipline Review Board.  For a period of 5-10 days:

• The student may be suspended for 1-3 days.
• The student may be required to be in school for the entire school day and must report to study hall during all free periods or cancelled classes.
• The student’s conduct will be closely monitored. Level II consequences will be extended for continued misbehavior while in this status.
• The student may have parking privileges revoked.
• The student will be ineligible for National Honor Society, Student Council, and other positions of honor, leadership, or school representation.
• The student may be referred to the Student Support Team or Guidance Counselor.
• The student’s parents may be requested to come to school for a conference with the Dean of Students.
• The student is ineligible for attendance, participation, and practice in all extracurricular activities and social functions. Ineligibility will last for 5-10 calendar days (including weekends and holidays) from the date of notification.
• Seniors and juniors may not attend the Prom and may be refused permission to participate in Commencement Exercises.
• The student and parents must sign a letter of notification.
• Students may be assigned Level II consequences more than once during a semester or school year.
• Student will be referred to the Discipline Review Board. 

Level III: If a student accumulates a total of 35 conduct points in the school year, he is referred to the Discipline Review Board (DRB) for an In-Person meeting. The DRB may assist the student by: 

• Examining his discipline problems
• Providing assistance to avoid behavior problems
• Assigning a peer mentor to help the student
• Making recommendations to the Administration that may include suspension, a discipline contract, ineligibility for activities, a school or community service project, a requirement to attend school support group sessions, a requirement for professional counseling or education through an outside source, or other actions deemed appropriate to assist the student in improving his behavior
• The student and parents must sign a letter of notification or a discipline contract, as recommended. In addition, the student’s parents may be requested to attend a meeting with the DRB, or a conference with his teachers. Level I consequences may also be assigned if the student has not yet received that punishment. 

Level IV: If a student accumulates 50 conduct points at any time during the school year, he is again referred to the DRB. The DRB will consider the student’s enrollment status and may recommend any or all of the following consequences: 

• Expulsion
• Suspension
• Ineligibility for activities
• School or community service project
• Required attendance at school support group sessions 38
• Required professional counseling or education through an outside agency 
• Parents’ meeting with the DRB
• Discipline contract requiring the student to fulfill specific obligations in order to remain at Central Catholic. An additional contract may be written for academic performance or attendance. Reinstatement of Eligibility Level I discipline ineligibility for attendance at and participation and practice in extracurricular activities will last 30 days from the date of notification. After 30 days the student must request eligibility reinstatement from the Dean of Students.

Levels I, II, III, and IV discipline ineligibility for attendance/participation and practice in extracurricular activities will vary depending on the discipline determined at the time of the offense. Reinstatement will be deferred back to the date of notification. After the period is concluded the Dean of Students will re-instate the student. The Dean of Students and Vice Principal of Student Affairs have the ability to decrease or increase the length of ineligibility due to the student’s behavior/compliance with the penalties.

If a student reaches a total of 25,35, or 50 conduct points, or in some cases a singular offense of 25 points during the school year, the Dean of Students will convene the Discipline Review Board (DRB) to determine the student’s continued status at Central Catholic. If he considers it necessary, the Dean may convene the DRB prior to a student’s accumulation of a set number of points. Chaired by the Dean of Students, the DRB consists of two teachers and a guidance counselor. Other faculty may be asked to consult with the DRB before it submits its recommendations to the Administration. Students who reach one of the discipline levels during the last month of the school year will have their status reviewed by the DRB and Administration, who will determine the punishment (including possible withdrawal from Central Catholic) and possible carryover of ineligibility to the following school year.

Private: A teacher may assign private detention to be served before or after school on a 24-hour notice. Private detention takes precedence over regular detention. If there is a conflict, the regular detention should be scheduled for make-up with the Dean of Students as soon as possible. Students who fail to report for private detention will receive conduct points and regular detentions.

Regular: For general policy and procedural violations, tardiness to class or school, regular detention is held during the following times:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 7:15 am – 7:45 am (report to Office of the Dean of Students)
Monday-Thursday: 2:40 pm – 3:10 pm (report to Office of the Dean of Students)

Students are not excused from detention because of employment, athletics, or transportation. Students who fail to report for assigned detention incur additional punishment, including the possibility of suspension. Seniors and juniors must complete all detentions prior to the Prom or Commencement activities.

Saturday/Holiday: For repeated violations of school policies and for truancy, students may be required to report to detention on a Saturday or a school holiday. Students will be informed as necessary. An accumulation of 4 or more unexcused tardies during the course of one calendar month will result in a Saturday detention. Additionally, cutting class can result in a Saturday morning detention. Detention on Saturday is held from 8:00 am – 9:30 am.

A student may be suspended by the Administration for a serious infraction or for repeated violations of school regulations. Suspension may vary in length from one to ten days, depending upon the seriousness of the infraction (Diocesan Policy 603.10).

A suspension normally becomes effective after a parent/guardian has been notified, but it may be imposed without prior notice. When the health, safety, or welfare of an individual or the school community is at risk, e.g., when a fight has occurred, a suspension may be issued immediately. Parents will receive a written Discipline Notice explaining the reason(s) for the suspension, the type and length of the suspension, other consequences, the importance of future cooperation, and the necessity of meeting with the Administration. During this meeting, the Administration will outline and define expectations for the student’s return to classes.

While under suspension, a student is not permitted to attend or participate in any schoolrelated activity. A suspended student will be given the opportunity to make up and submit missed tests, quizzes, and homework, which must be completed by the third school day after the student’s return to classes.

Expulsion from school is incurred for a persistent, willful disregard of school regulations or for a single major incident. Authority to expel a student rests with the Principal (Diocese of Pittsburgh Policy 603.11). The school makes every attempt to provide guidance and support for students with discipline issues. However, in rare cases, expulsion may be necessary. The following examples illustrate, but do not exhaust, reasons for expulsion from Central Catholic:

• Chronic, undesirable conduct detrimental to the student’s and others’ physical and/or moral well-being
• Malicious disobedience or disrespect for school authority
• Refusal of student or parents/guardians to comply with school policy
• Violation of a discipline or substance abuse contract • Successive years’ of Level 2 discipline status

Expulsion may be necessary for a clear and serious violation of a school regulation in a single incident, event, or situation. 

The following examples illustrate, but do not exhaust, single reasons for expulsion from Central Catholic:

• Extreme defiance or disrespect
• Fighting or threats of violence
• Major disruption at school or at a school-sponsored activity
• Possession of fireworks or smoke bomb
• Possession, use, sale, transfer, or aid in procurement of alcohol, drugs, other illegal substances, or related paraphernalia at school, while traveling to or from school, or at any school-related activity
• Vandalism (destroying or defacing school property or the premises at a school-related activity)
• Violation of the anti-hazing policy
• Possession of, use of, or threat to use a weapon
• Theft, indecent behavior, arson
• Violation of criminal or civil law

Central Catholic High School does not accept a student for readmission if he has been expelled or has withdrawn from school in lieu of expulsion or for other disciplinary reasons.

Hazing violates the purpose and mission of Catholic education, wherein students are called to grow in their commitment to God, one another, the Church, and the wider community.

Hazing is defined as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act meant to induce pain, embarrassment, humiliation, deprivation of rights or that creates physical or mental discomfort, and is directed against a student for the purpose of being initiated into, affiliated with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization, club, athletic team sponsored or supported by any parish, elementary, or secondary school in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, whether such hazing practices were mandatory or voluntarily entered into by any student or organization in question.

The following are some examples of hazing:

• Recklessly or intentionally endangering the physical health, mental health, safety, or dignity of a person
• Willful destruction or removal of public or private property for initiation or admission into affiliation with, or as a condition of continued membership in any organization
• Forcing or requiring the drinking of alcohol or any other substance
• Forcing or requiring the eating of food or anything an individual refuses to eat
• Calisthenics such as push-ups, sit-ups, jogging, etc.
• Paddling or striking in any manner
• Treasure or scavenger hunts, road trips
• Marking, branding, or shaving the head or body hair
• Preventing/restricting normal personal hygiene
• Sexual harassment causing indecent exposure or nudity at any time
• Physical harassment such as pushing, cursing, shouting, etc.
• Requiring uncomfortable, ridiculous, or embarrassing dress
• Requiring the carrying of items
• Requiring personal service or acts of servitude
• Treating a person in a degrading or demeaning manner
• Requiring new members to practice periods of silence
• Conducting interrogations or any other types of questioning

Students and supervising adults must not remain silent if they observe hazing. Silence condones these activities and may make the observer as guilty as the hazers themselves. Any hazing incident witnessed by a student or supervising adult should be immediately reported to the Principal.

Individuals or groups found in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action that could include suspension or expulsion from the school (Diocese of Pittsburgh Policy 603.4)

The secondary education system within the Immediate Unit Consortium and the Diocese of Pittsburgh recognizes that chemical abuse and dependency seriously impair the ability of individuals to develop their full potential. Students must be chemically free to develop productively.

Because substance abuse is a serious problem, Central Catholic aggressively attempts to prevent it within the jurisdiction of the school. We know that chemical dependency is a life-threatening illness that affects individuals in all areas of their lives: emotional, intellectual, social, and physical. Because we believe that chemical dependency is a treatable illness, the following Substance Abuse Policy has been adopted.

The possession, use, sale, purchase, distribution, and/or intent to distribute any illegal or controlled mood-altering medication or chemical on school property or at any schoolsponsored, student-centered event is absolutely prohibited. All student events and trips must be alcohol and tobacco product free, regardless of location or duration. Any school organization allowing a Substance Abuse Policy violation may have its affiliation with Central Catholic revoked and its activities cancelled.

This policy will be implemented through the cooperative efforts of Administration, faculty, coaches/moderators, parents/guardians, students, alumni, and community representatives.

Anonymous drug and alcohol surveys may be administered to students. Among the possible surveys are the American Drug and Alcohol Survey; the Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS); the Sports and Drugs Survey (University of Pittsburgh); CCHS Parent Group surveys; and a comprehensive Drug and Alcohol Survey. Violations of the Substance Abuse Policy may result in the following consequences:

• Appropriate disciplinary response consistent with the Central Catholic philosophy
• Notification of parent/guardian
• Notification of municipal authorities when appropriate
• Suspension or expulsion from school
• Referral of student to appropriate drug and alcohol agency and other Central Catholic supports

The Secretariat for Education, Department for Catholic Schools recognizes that chemical abuse is a serious problem. Our policy is based on the belief that chemical dependency is a life-threatening illness that affects individuals in all areas of their lives: emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social, and physical.

A student who violates the Substance Abuse Policy is required, with his parents, to sign a
Substance Abuse Agreement. The school thereby follows the explicit guidelines of the Diocesan
Substance Abuse Policy and supports the student and his family in complying with that Policy.
Failure to comply with the following requirements will result in the student’s dismissal from
Central Catholic. The student must:

• Be present at a meeting with his parent(s) and the Vice Principal for Student Affairs and comply with all discipline consequences;
• Be referred to the Student Support Team for monitoring of his progress in the areas of academics, attendance, and discipline;
• Meet with the Director of Family Support Services for information and referral to an approved substance abuse assessment facility/professional evaluator;
• Make immediate arrangements for a drug and alcohol assessment by a licensed agency within five days and permit the release of assessment results to the school;
• Attend a school-approved substance abuse assessment facility or professional evaluator within 10 days and permit the release of assessment results to the school;
• Comply, within three months, with recommendations made in the assessment;
• Comply with recommendations made by the Director of Family Support Services that may include any or all of the following: attending a minimum of three individual and/or group substance abuse counseling meetings; conducting community service activities within the Central Catholic community or at an approved off-campus site.
• May result in referral to the Discipline Review Board