Longwood Central School District has a long-standing commitment to Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and mental health wellness. With a department of 70 full-time, highly qualified counselors, social workers, psychologists, and nurses, we are dedicated to supporting academic and social growth for all students. We offer many programs and support options for students and families, including:
Our staff works collaboratively with teaching and non-teaching staff to offer high-level professional development. Additionally, our team works directly with students to provide instruction in restorative practice, emotional regulation, youth mental health first aid, trauma-informed practices, PBIS, substance use/abuse, and healthy relationships.
We work to increase relationships with outside agencies catering to students' wellness and mental health needs while connecting the community with resources. Our school counselors at the high school work with students to assess progress toward graduation requirements. At the same time, our entire staff works with all students from K-12 to develop deeper College and Career readiness.
This year, we are pleased to have a new program to deliver instruction in SEL to our staff and students provided by our Social and Emotional Learning Instructional Coaches.
Dignity Act Coordinator Referral FormThe Longwood School District is committed to providing a safe, supportive and orderly learning environment where students may receive and district personnel may deliver quality educational services without disruption or interference. Responsible behavior by all students, teachers, school personnel, parents, and other visitors is essential to achieving this goal.
The district has a long-standing set of expectations for conduct on school property, at school functions, and while using school-provided transportation. These expectations are based on the principles of civility, mutual respect, citizenship, character, tolerance, honesty, integrity, and in some cases, contractually negotiated agreements as embodied in the District’s Code of Conduct. The following is a summary of our Code of Conduct.
Student Rights and Responsibilities: The District is committed to safeguarding the rights given to all students by state and federal law and District policy. Conversely, our students are obligated to embrace their responsibilities to ensure a safe, supportive and orderly school environment that is conducive to learning and to protecting the rights of others. Students are expected to conduct themselves in an appropriate and civil manner and to learn to assume and accept responsibility for their behavior, as well as the consequences of their misbehavior. Their responsibilities relating to school attendance, personal conduct, academic achievement, and positive interactions with others are detailed in the Code of Conduct. Inappropriate behavior concerning violence, drug and alcohol use, sexual harassment, insubordination, weapons, and disorderly conduct are clearly defined and prohibited. Students are also expected to maintain appropriate and acceptable standards for dress and appearance as outlined in the Code of Conduct and District Policy.
Essential Partners: Parents, teachers, guidance counselors, principals, other school staff, the Dignity Act Coordinators, school personnel, the superintendent, and the Board of Education are vital contributors to our goal of maintaining safe, orderly, and successful schools and all have a role in actively supporting the implementation of the Code of Conduct.
Parents are encouraged to recognize and maintain an active role in their child’s education.
Teachers, guidance counselors, and other school personnel are responsible for maintaining 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 or sex, which will strengthen students’ self-concept and promote confidence to learn.
Principals: Promote a safe, supportive, orderly, and stimulating school environment, supporting active teaching and learning for all students regardless of actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex.
The Dignity Act Coordinators: 1. Promote a safe, supportive, orderly, and stimulating school environment, supporting active teaching and learning for all students regardless of actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or sex. 2. Serve as a resource to building and District shared decision teams and wellness committees. 3. Identify curricular resources that support infusing civility in classroom instruction and classroom management, and provide guidance to staff as to how to access and implement those resources. 4. Serve as a resource for the Professional Development Committee, training in support of bullying prevention. 5. Be responsible for monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of the District’s anti-bullying, harassment and discrimination policy. 6. Addresses issues of discrimination and harassment or any situation that threatens the emotional or physical health or safety of any student, school employee, or any person who is lawfully on school property or at a school function. 7. Address personal biases that may prevent equal treatment of all students and staff.
Discipline Procedures: The Code of Conduct defines the responsibilities of students and staff members to report violations to appropriate school personnel and for the building principal to contact law enforcement agencies when violations constitute a crime. Also outlined in the Code are guidelines for imposing disciplinary sanctions that may include detention, suspension (from school, transportation, or other activities); or teacher disciplinary removal of a disruptive student. A disruptive student is defined as one who is substantially disruptive of the educational process or substantially interferes with a teacher’s authority over the class. Disciplinary actions outlined in the Code are designed to be firm, fair, and consistent to be the most effective in changing student behavior and improving future conduct. Disciplinary procedures will respect student due process and the procedural safeguards required by applicable laws and regulations. Included are the procedural protections given to students with disabilities. Particular attention is given to managing the needs of all of our students in the course of creating a safe, supportive and productive learning environment. Corporal punishment of any student by any employee is strictly prohibited by the Code of Conduct and District policy.
Highlights
Students’ Rights: The Longwood Central School District is committed to ensuring the rights of all students in the course of providing a safe, healthy, orderly, and civil learning environment, including the right to due process.
Student Dress: All students are expected to dress appropriately for school and school functions. Clothing that may be interpreted as offensive, obscene, sexually and/or sensually suggestive, gang-related, or that advocates bias or prejudice, or is disruptive to the educational process, is prohibited.
Prohibited Student Conduct: Any behavior that is disorderly or disruptive, threatening or violent, insubordinate or offensive, destructive, or inappropriate for a learning environment is prohibited on school grounds, during school authorized activities, and when using Longwood Central School District transportation services.
Zero-Tolerance Issues: Possession of weapons or dangerous instruments, sexual harassment, bullying, acts of bias, the use/possession/sale/distribution of drugs or alcohol, and any violations of law will not be tolerated. Local law enforcement officials will be contacted when violations of the Code of Conduct constitute a crime.
Disciplinary Sanctions: Discipline will be administered fairly, impartially, consistently, and appropriately in order to develop student self-discipline. A teacher’s response will be progressive in nature, related to the offense, and may include removal from class. Administrative responses may include detention, suspension, referral to outside agencies, and/or consideration of an alternative placement as related to the offense.
Students With Disabilities: The District is committed to ensuring that the procedures for suspending, removing, or otherwise disciplining students with disabilities are consistent with the procedural safeguards required by applicable laws and regulations.
Alternative Instruction: When a student of any age is removed from class by a teacher or a student of compulsory attendance age is suspended from school, the District will take immediate steps to provide alternative means of instruction for the student.
Student Searches: In recognition of certain societal problems which present themselves from time to time in our schools, the Superintendent of Schools, building principals, and assistant principals are authorized to conduct searches of students and their belonging where there is reasonable suspicion to believe that the search will result in evidence that the student violated the law or the District Code of Conduct. Student lockers, desks, and other school storage places are the property of the District and are subject to administrative inspection at any time.
Smoking: In accordance with Suffolk County and New York State law, the Board of Education prohibits smoking and the use of tobacco on all school grounds at all times, including when school is not in session.
Off-Campus Conduct: Students may not engage in off-campus misconduct that endangers the health and safety of students or staff within the school or interferes with, or can reasonably be expected to substantially disrupt the educational process in the school or at school functions. Examples of such misconduct include, but are not limited to 1. Cyberbullying; 2. Threatening, hazing, harassing students or school personnel over the phone or the internet; 3. Using message boards, the internet, social media, or electronic devices to convey threats, derogatory comments, or post pornographic or inappropriate pictures or videos of students or school personnel.
Visitors/Public Conduct: Visitors to the school grounds must report to the sign-in station upon arrival at the school where they will be required to sign a visitor’s register and receive a visitor’s pass. All persons on school property or attending a school event shall conduct themselves in a respectful and orderly manner in accordance with the provisions outlined in the Code of Conduct and in District policy.
In-Service Education Program: The Board will sponsor an in-service education program for all staff members to ensure the effective implementation of school policy on school conduct and discipline, including, but not limited to, guidelines on promoting safe and supportive school climate while discouraging, among other things, discrimination or harassment against students by students and/or school employees; and including safe and supportive school climate concepts in the curriculum and classroom management.