School policies are the backbone of Southside High School. These include, but are not limited to, attendance, personal device use, tobacco/controlled substance abuse, and dress code. The student handbook provides a full version of school policies.
Disciplinary action takes place in violation of policies. SDC, or “Student Discipline Center,” requires students to work the full day with two five minute breaks, one in the morning and another in the afternoon, as well as a supervised lunch break. Personal devices cannot be used during this time. If students continue to misbehave while in SDC, they will be given out-of-school suspension. Out-of-school suspension prohibits students from being on campus and participating in any school-related activities. Completion of school work is still required.
Attendance is the most extensive policy in the handbook. Attendance covers both absences and tardies. There are three types of absences: excused, unexcused, and parent permission. Students receive five parent permission days per year. Three tardies equal one absence. Disciplinary action takes place on the third tardy. By the tenth tardy, students are at “discretion of the assistant principal, including but not limited to SDC, and/or denial of a credit.”
The biggest policy change this year regards personal device use. Phones are now prohibited during instructional time. Students receive a warning on their first offense, as well as confiscation of the device. On the second and third offense, students are given SDC. By the fourth offense, students face out-of-school suspension. The ban on personal devices extends to the use of personal computers and iPads/tablets.
The policy on tobacco, vaping, and use of illegal substances remains unchanged. Students caught with any kind of tobacco receive SDC for three days on the first offense, and three out-of-school suspension days the second offense. Disciplinary action is left to the administrator’s discretion on the third offense. As for other controlled substances, students face five days of out-of-school suspension. On the second offense, students face at least ten days of out-of-school suspension. Use of tobacco products and controlled substances may result in removal from elective activities.
Regarding dress code, students may not wear spaghetti straps, strapless tops, crop tops, revealing or see through attire, and exposed underwear. Dress code bans anything promoting alcohol, drugs, tobacco, pornography, violence, suggestive language, and participation in sororities, fraternities, secret organizations, and gangs as well. Shorts and skirts must reach mid-thigh, and any rips in pants or shorts may not go above mid-thigh. Hats, hoodies, and other non-religious head coverings cannot be worn. Students are sent to the office to correct the violation on the first offense, and receive detention for any following offenses.
Mavericks must follow these policies for a successful school year. It is Southside’s mission to “equip all students with the skills to be productive members of society.”
