“St. Jerome School is committed to providing a learning environment that is free from harassment in any form.  Harassment of any student by any other student, lay employee, religious, or priest is prohibited.  The school will treat allegations of harassment seriously and will review and investigate such allegations in a prompt, confidential, and thorough manner.

 

A charge of harassment shall not, in and of itself, create the presumption of wrongdoing.  However, substantiated acts of harassment will result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.  Students found to have filed false or frivolous charges will also be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.”

 

The above is an excerpt from the Archdiocesan Harassment Policy for Students in Catholic Schools.  The complete text may be found on the last pages of this Calendar/Handbook.

 

St. Jerome School needs your help in keeping our school safe for everyone.  St. Jerome School will take seriously all threats to inflict serious harm to self or others.  The school will respond to any statements or behaviors of a threatening nature, any behaviors by individuals that might pose a threat to the well being of students, staff or others and any weapon possession.  St. Jerome School has an obligation to keep our school safe and will take this matter seriously.  This is not an area for practical jokes or offhand comments, as recent events demonstrate the importance of investigating thoroughly all potential concerns.  If you become aware of a threatening situation, you must immediately report it to a teacher or the principal.

Intimidation or non-physical acts such as bullying, hard looks, stare downs, mad dogging are punishable offenses.

Under normal circumstances a pupil is not to be deprived of a Catholic education on grounds relating to the attitude of parents; nevertheless, it is recognized that a situation could arise in which the uncooperative or destructive attitude of parents might so diminish the effectiveness of the school in acting in "loco parentis" that continuation of the pupil in the school might be impossible in practice.  In such a circumstance the principal in consultation with the pastor may dismiss the student.

 

Any parent, guardian or other person who upbraids, insults, or abuses any teacher of the school in the presence or hearing of a pupil is guilty of a misdemeanor.  Any parent, guardian, or other person who insults or abuses any teacher in the presence of other school personnel or pupils and at a place which is on school premises or public sidewalks, streets, or other public ways adjacent to school premises or at some other place if the teacher is required to be at such other place in connection with assigned school activities is guilty of a misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine.

 

School personnel reserve the right to search desks and personal property if there is a reasonable suspicion of a misdemeanor.