Desktop Schools Popup

Select a School

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Dear District 196 Families:

To help provide a safe and productive learning environment for students, staff, families and visitors to our schools, the district publishes this Overview of Student Rights and Responsibilities handbook each year to share important information about student rights, responsibilities and disciplinary responses for different types of behavior.

We ask that all families be familiar with the information in this handbook and discuss it with your school-aged children. School staff will briefly review the handbook with students at the beginning of the school year, but your support of expectations for student behavior at school is an important part of our partnership to educate our children.

There are a number of changes in this year’s handbook. Some of the more significant updates include:

  • A new section about student health, including information about student medications, management of communicable disease, and vision and hearing screening.
  • A new section linking the district’s language access plan, which provides resources for students and adults who communicate in a language other than English.
  • Updated language about limits on student use of cell phones at school.
  • Information about student use of artificial intelligence (AI).
  • Various updates to the list of prohibited student behaviors and the range of school responses to these behaviors.

Note: Information about the Educational Benefits Program and the application form are available at the end of the handbook. Families who complete the form and qualify for the Educational Benefits Program generate additional funds for their child’s school and may receive free or discounted Community Education and activity participation fees.

If you have any questions about information in this handbook, please contact the principal at your child’s school. Best wishes for a successful school year of learning and growth.

Sincerely,

Michael Bolsoni
Superintendent

Commitment to Justice

District 196 decries and rebukes any and all forms of racism, bigotry or intolerance towards District 196 students. District 196 will continually examine district practices and policies to eliminate injustices where they are found and to develop an inclusive and equitable culture in which all students can learn and flourish.

Student Rights

The School Board recognizes that students are entitled to the civil liberties guaranteed all citizens. One of the primary goals of public education is to prepare students to successfully complete the transition from school into the generalsociety in which they will live and to accept the responsibility commensurate with the rights and privileges that they have and those they will assume. The district shall provide an environment in which students may exercise the rights and privileges of the society in which they live, with its proportional amount of responsibility. Students have the right to freely express ideas, verbally or in writing, within their school program. Responsible criticism and reasonable dissent are basic to the educational process. However, false statements, disruptive activities, threats, the use of obscenities, profanity or ridicule, and advocating violation of the law or school rules and regulations are unacceptable means of expression. Students have the right to be safe and free from threatening situations on school property, at school activities and in district vehicles. Students have the right to an equitable educational environment, free from bias, discrimination or institutional racism.

Student Responsibilities

Student responsibilities include: conscientious effort in school work and activities; respect for the rights of other students, staff and visitors; and adherence to and cooperation in upholding local,state and federal laws, and district and school policies, rules and regulations. Most of all,students, administration and staff share the responsibility of establishing and maintaining a safe, stimulating and productive learning environment

Search