Disciplinary Responses

Detention

Detention is typically held on Friday evening, starting at 7:30 p.m. and takes precedence over other commitments.

Projects

The deans’ office, or a designee, may assign projects deemed appropriate to the circumstances of the infraction. Projects are designed to match the particular offense and could include: a project that is intellectually driven (reading a particular work and/or writing a paper pertinent to the topic); meeting a need within the Milton Academy community that is somehow related to the offense; required meetings with a faculty member chosen by the deans’ office. If a student misses assigned project appointments without an excuse considered valid by a dean, that student will receive an additional penalty as well as serve the missed appointment.

Suspension

  1. Parents assume full responsibility for the oversight of the destination and the travel arrangements for their child during a suspension. In the event that a parent is not available to oversee a child’s suspension, he or she must designate a School-approved adult who will act in loco parentis until the student is permitted to return to School. The School will not assume travel expenses for a student suspended or dismissed by decision of the Discipline Committee.
  2. Students who are suspended are not allowed on campus during their suspension unless special permission is granted by the dean of students, academic dean or head of school.
  3. If a student is suspended during a period of time that includes the weekend, the weekend will count as one day. Long weekends and vacations will also count as one day.
  4. Students suspended for the remainder of a school year may be required to repeat the grade in which they are enrolled at the time of their suspension.

Loss of Leadership

Students who hold a leadership position and appear before the Discipline Committee may lose their positions as a response to a violation. Sports team captains automatically lose their positions for any violation of the School’s drug or alcohol policies, or repeated violations of the School’s tobacco policy. Loss of captaincy may result from infractions of other School rules, as well. Students who face disciplinary action after January 1 may not run for or assume a new leadership position. Holding or losing other leadership positions will be reviewed by the deans’ office on a case-by-case basis.

Expulsion

Expulsions appear on a student’s transcript. Students who are expelled will not be allowed on campus for at least one year. Exceptions can be granted only by the dean of students, upper school principal or the head of school.

Drug and Alcohol Policy Violations

The School’s policy prohibits the provision, use or possession of controlled substances and alcohol, as well as the misuse of prescription or non-prescription medications. Students found to have been using illegal substances can expect to appear before the Discipline Committee and to be suspended or expelled from the School. If a student is suspended rather than expelled, the following procedures will go into effect upon the student’s return:

  1. Students will be subject to a drug/alcohol evaluation with a licensed substance abuse counselor, not affiliated with Milton Academy, at the parents’ expense. Parents should schedule this evaluation before the student returns to School, and it should be completed as soon as possible. Parents may call the Faulkner Health Center for referrals.
  2. The student must attend counseling sessions with one of Milton Academy’s counselors. The student should schedule a meeting with a counselor immediately upon their return to School. Though required by the deans’ office, the counselors will determine the appropriate number of sessions on an individual basis.
  3. The student will undergo random, regular drug testing, at the parents’ expense. Students should expect to be tested for the remainder of their Milton career. The deans’ office, in consultation with the Faulkner Health Center, house head (for boarders) and the advisor, may determine when to end testing.

Students in violation of this policy, and their parents, will be required to sign a form agreeing to the above procedures. Failure to abide by the School’s expectations may result in withholding of a student’s reenrollment contract and/or further discipline. Any positive test for a student undergoing random drug testing as a result of violating the School’s drug and alcohol policy, will be considered a repeat violation of the School’s drug and alcohol policy and will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.