Sunset High School

“Where Success is the Only Option”

Detention Policy

2012- 2013

Sunset High School is continuing its detention program. The detention program is designed to keep students in their educational environment as much as possible, by providing teachers and administrators the option of issuing lunch detention or after school detention instead of issuing “In School Suspension” or “Out of School Suspension” for relatively minor offenses.

Teachers will have the authority to issue detention to a student if the student has committed any of the following offense:

·  after the 5th tardy for a six week period and each additional tardy

·  failure to bring student notebook (*9th & 10th grade teachers only)

·  failure to complete homework

·  minor classroom disruption

·  use of any electronic device; such as but not limited to a paging device, mp3 player, or cellular phone during instructional time (in the classroom)

·  profanity/obscene gestures toward other students in the classroom

Administrators will assign students to detention as a consequence that is consistent with the Dallas ISD Student Code of Conduct.

Once a teacher assigns a student to detention, the information needs to be documented on the teacher’s behavior log and the teacher must enter all information on the Detention Form and submit it electronically.

After the student’s information is completely filled out, a list of students assigned to detention will be generated and pulled by the discipline office. Students who serve their detention will be marked off the list; students who skip their detention will be given 1 day of I.S.S.. The detention facilitator will call the parents of the students who did not serve detention and inform the parent of additional consequences.

*2 days of lunch detention = 1 day of after school detention

Those students assigned detention will have the option to attend after school or lunch detention. Students who choose after school detention will report to an administrator in the Cafeteria no later than 4:35 p.m. and will remain until 5:35 p.m.. Those students assigned to lunch detention will report at the beginning of their lunch period to Office 105, sign in and leave their ID badge with the secretary. Students will then report to the blacktop for litter duty. If a student is assigned lunch detention before the lunch period, the student will attend the day he/she was assigned detention. If the student is assigned detention after the lunch periods the student will attend the following day and a half hour of after school detention (Students must complete detention within 36 hours). Students assigned to after school detention/homework academy will be given 24 hours notice, so that the student can make arrangements for transportation. Students will have the opportunity to serve detention on the same day the detention is issued. The school will not be responsible for transporting students to their home from detention. No one will be excused from their assigned detention. Students will not be excused from detention to participate in or attend an athletic or extracurricular event. The penalty for failing to attend detention on the assigned day will be ISS.

Students are responsible for attending their scheduled detentions on time at the scheduled site. It is the student's responsibility to see an administrator to inquire about a detention change if there is an emergency or a legitimate reason that warrants a detention change. Also, students will not be excused from detention because of an employment reason. Having to work after school is not a legitimate reason for a detention change.
Rules for Detention: (Students will copy the rules for detention)

1.  Be on time. Detention is from 4:35 p.m. to 5:35 p.m., after school, or at the beginning of the student’s lunch period. Students will not be permitted to complete detention if they are late and the next level consequence will be given.

2.  Attendance will be taken at the beginning and end of the detention period.

3.  Students will copy the Rules for Detention on a sheet of paper

4.  Teachers who assign detention to a student must provide the student with a meaningful content specific assignment that benefits the student’s academic progress. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain a meaningful assignment to complete in detention from the teacher.

5.  Students are expected to do schoolwork during the entire hour. All needed materials (books, paper, pencil, etc.) should be brought to detention.

6.  If a student does not have schoolwork, the detention supervisor will assign TAKS and EOC exam lessons. Students are expected to complete the assigned lessons before the conclusion of the detention period, or the student will be assigned duties such as scrubbing desks or picking up litter.

7.  Students will not be permitted to use the bathroom, to go to their lockers, or to see another teacher once the detention hour has started. Students should take care of these matters before arriving to the detention room.

8.  There is no whispering/ talking, writing notes, texting or trying to communicate in any other way with any other student during the detention hour.

9.  Students may not sleep during detention

10.  All electronic devices must be turned off and put away during detention

11.  No eating or drinking.

12.  Students will not be released early from detention.

13.  The detention supervisor will dismiss the students when it is time to leave.

14.  Failure to attend detention or comply with school rules will result in a level II discipline referral and a consequence of I.S.S. or Out of School Suspension