When prohibited items are found or inadvertently possessed on school property or at a school function, students shall immediately notify school staff and surrender the items.

When a student inadvertently possesses an object prohibited by the Code of Student Conduct, the student shall approach a school staff member and voluntarily surrender the object. The student may not be subject to discipline so long as the object is one that the student could lawfully possess off school grounds.

When a student finds or inadvertently possesses an illegal item (e.g., drugs or weapons) or other contraband, the student shall immediately report the discovery to school staff and surrender the item (if it’s in student’s possession). A student will not be in violation of the Code of Student Conduct solely for making such a report. After a report is made, school officials shall investigate to determine if a violation of the Code of Student Conduct has occurred. If a student inadvertently possesses or finds a firearm or destructive device, the student will not be subject to a 365-day suspension if the superintendent finds 1) the student delivered or reported the firearm or other destructive device as soon as practicable to a law enforcement officer or a school employee and 2) the student had no intent to use the firearm or other destructive device in a harmful or threatening way.

The Safe Harbor Provision may not apply if a search is ongoing in any location at the school, if the object is surrendered during a search, or if the object is not turned in prior to discovery by school staff. With respect to objects that have been turned over to school staff, the parent/ guardian must make arrangements to pick up the object from the school, unless it is an object that must be turned over to law enforcement.

Any student subject to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s eight-semester rule who (1) is convicted of a crime classified as a felony under North Carolina or federal law, or (2) is adjudicated delinquent for an offense that would be a felony if committed by an adult, is not eligible to participate in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s sports program from the date of the conviction or adjudication of delinquency through the end of the student’s high school career. Pending appellate or other post-conviction review of the conviction or adjudication of delinquency does not affect the student’s immediate ineligibility.

The dress and grooming of students shall contribute to the health and safety of the individual and promote an orderly educational environment. These standards apply to all students, unless a specific exception is made by the school administrator. Please see the dress code at your school.

For the purpose of providing safe transportation for all students, in addition to the other Code of Student Conduct rules, the following guidelines must be observed:

• Refrain from conduct or behavior that interferes with the orderly, safe and expeditious transportation of bus riders.
  • Obey the bus driver at all times.
  • Act appropriately while waiting for the bus.
  • Give your proper name when requested by the bus driver or monitor.
• Be at the bus stop at least ten minutes prior to a scheduled stop time.
• Ride only on assigned bus.
• Board and depart only at the assigned bus stop.
• Remain seated at all times when the bus is moving.
• Refrain from eating or drinking while aboard the bus.
• Cellular telephones and other electronic devices cannot be a distraction to the bus driver.

Video cameras have been installed on some buses. Students may be filmed while on the bus.

Violations of these standards, the Code of Student Conduct, or any behavior which substantially distracts the bus driver and causes, or has the potential to cause, a safety hazard on a bus, may be the basis for suspension from the bus and/or school or revocation of bus-riding privileges.

Parents are encouraged to be active participants in their child’s education. A partnership between parents and the school requires meaningful and appropriate communication. As such, we must be civil in our discourse. This requires that:

1. No one disrupts or attempts to interfere with the operation of a classroom or any other area of a school.
2. School rules for access and visitation are strictly obeyed.
3. Legitimate obligations and time constraints are respected.
4. Information that might help reach our common goal is shared. This includes information about safety issues, academic progress, changes that might impact a student’s work or events in the community that might impact the school.

In the event of a violation of the above guidelines, the following steps are available:

1. Students who believe they have been treated in an inappropriate manner should report the behavior to the school administrator.
2. Parents/guardians or community members who believe they have been treated in an inappropriate manner should report the behavior to the staff member’s immediate supervisor.
3. Employees who believe they have been treated in an inappropriate manner by a student or parent shall report the incident to the school administrator.
4. Anyone on school district property may be directed to leave the premises by an administrator or other authorized staff. Anyone who threatens to, attempts to, or actually disrupts school or school district operations may be directed to leave the premises by an administrator or other authorized staff and may have limitations placed on their campus access. Disruptive behavior is conduct that creates or may reasonably be expected to create a material and substantial disruption to the educational environment or to the operation of the school, or that poses a threat to the safety of students, staff or visitors.
   It includes, but is not limited to:
   - Profane, lewd, obscene or abusive language, gestures or other written or electronic communication;
   - Rude or riotous noise;
   - Disorderly or assaultive behavior;
   - Vandalism or the defacement of public property;
   - Threats to the health or safety of others; and
   - Any other conduct that violates any applicable law or policies of the Board.
5. More details about the expected conduct of visitors to campus may be found in Board Policy KI, “School Visitors.”

The district will continue the Criminal Watch program to monitor students charged with or convicted of criminal offenses. In addition, upon review of the underlying allegations and based upon the preponderance of evidence, the superintendent may reassign to a different school a student who has been charged with a violent criminal or drug offense (juvenile or adult) that is or would be considered a felony. There is no right for representative counsel to attend a triage meeting. The parent may request a hearing to contest this reassignment. In appropriate circumstances, as permitted by NC law, the superintendent may recommend expulsion of the student, even if the incident did not occur on CMS property.

School property is defined as the physical premises of all school campuses and properties, bus stops, all vehicles under the control of the district, and the premises of all school-sponsored curricular or extra-curricular activities, whether occurring on or away from a school campus. (CMS Board of Education Policy S-SUSP)