To ensure that Harbour Pointe is a safe and welcoming school, students are taught the behavior expectations on the next page. These expectations are framed as the Hawk Core Four: Respectful, Responsible, Safe, and Inclusive. Students should always follow these expectations on campus, on school buses, and any time students are representing our school, such as field trips, community service opportunities, and productions/competitions.

Teaching Expectations

We spend time at the beginning of the year making sure all students understand the expectations in the various places around school. The expectations are posted throughout the building, and we give regular reminders on HPTV. The expectations are also discussed in teacher/student or administrator/student conferences or when students are in the Focus Room.

When Expectations Aren’t Met

Even when we teach and reteach behavior expectations, middle school students can still make mistakes. When students make choices that interfere with their own or others’ learning or safety, our staff seeks to help the student modify their behavior. How we respond depends on the level of the behavior and may include the student, their peers, and/or their family.

Levels of Behavior

Student behavior that disrupts the learning environment or endangers the emotional or physical safety of others can be divided into three levels:

• Level 1 behaviors are minor, limited in time, and do not greatly impact others. This includes behaviors like minor disruption, non-compliance, inappropriate language, and electronic device violations. These behaviors are typically handled by the teacher or staff member through conferencing with the student; notification to families; assignment of a lunch detention or afterschool detention; and/or brief exclusion from the classroom.
• Level 2 behaviors are either 1. still minor in severity but are ongoing, or 2. more disruptive of learning and/or dangerous to others. This includes behaviors like major disruption, disrespect of others, derogatory language, truancy, and vandalism. These behaviors are typically handled by administration, starting with the Level 1 interventions and going up to various lengths of exclusion from the classroom and school.
• Level 3 behaviors are those that substantially disrupt the learning environment and/or harm the wellbeing of others. These are described further below, along with potential consequences.

Students may be removed from the classroom briefly to help them self-regulate or to conference with a teacher, administrator, or other staff member. This may occur for a few minutes in the hallway or, if more intervention is needed, the student may be sent to the Focus Room for the remainder of the period. If the student is sent out for the majority of the class period, the student’s family will be notified, and it will be entered into our Qmlativ system. When in the Focus Room, the student will be expected to fill out a reflection form and otherwise engage in schoolwork.

Administrators practice progressive discipline. Additional offenses of misconduct can result in greater consequences.

Unkind Language vs. Hate Speech

Middle school students are still learning how to socialize with one another and are easily influenced by what they see and hear from peers and social media. It is not uncommon for students to use language with one another that is unkind and may sometimes even cross the line into something more serious.

Unkind language is hurtful and may include comments about someone’s appearance, achievement at school or in sports, or comments about their family. Hate speech, on the other hand, is focused on the other person’s membership of a group, such as their race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, or disability. Neither of these types of speech will be tolerated at HP and consequences depend on the severity of the language, from restorative conversation to lunch detention to suspension.

Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying

Harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying are never acceptable at school. The definition of harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB) includes:

• Physically harms a student or damages the student’s property; or
• Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s education; or
• Is so severe, persistent or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening educational environment; or
• Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.      

• Harbour Pointe is committed to a safe and civil educational environment for all. If a student or family member feels that harassment, intimidation, and bullying are taking place, they are encouraged to submit a HIB report to a counselor or administrator as soon as possible. Early intervention is important if the harassing behavior is to be changed and, if the negative behavior continues, letting staff know is critical so it can be readdressed.

Search and Seizure

• Students and students’ personal property and/or lockers are subject to search by school officials if an individualized reasonable suspicion exists that the search will yield evidence of a student's violation of the law or school rules governing student conduct.  The Principal or Assistant Principal shall have an additional administrator or staff member present during the search.
• Any student search must be reasonably related to the discovery of contraband or other evidence of a student's violation of the law or school rules. For the purpose of this policy, "contraband" means items, materials, or substances that are prohibited by law or district policy, including but not limited to, controlled substances, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, or any object that can reasonably be considered a firearm or weapon.
• Staff shall conduct searches in a manner which is not excessively intrusive in light of the age and sex of the student and the nature of the suspected infraction.
• If a student refuses to cooperate with any search, the student may be disciplined for failing to cooperate with and following directives of a school administrator.

Drug/Alcohol Detection Dog Search

• No student shall be subject to a search by a drug/alcohol detection dog unless there is an individualized reasonable suspicion that the student is under the influence or in possession of a controlled substance or alcohol. 

• Canine detection inspections, however, may be used before, during and after the school day and at school events, for general campus inspections including but not limited to classrooms, student lockers, gym lockers, desks, school parking areas and automobiles parked on school property. Any such inspections will be conducted in the presence of school personnel by a properly trained and certified dog and dog handler.

Use of Video Cameras

For purposes of promoting and maintaining a safe environment, protection of district property, deterrence and prevention of criminal activity, and conduct violations, the Mukilteo School District will utilize video cameras on school grounds and in District-provided school buses.  Students, parents, staff, volunteers, and visitors may be videotaped while on school grounds or in District-provided school buses.  Further information on the use of video cameras can be found in Policy 9321 located on the District website.