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Prince William schools presented its proposed student code of behavior for the 2025-26 school year to the School Board May 7, with several revisions coming from the current year.
The proposed code of behavior includes edits for readability and organization and revisions to the student behavior section to make responses to student behavior broken down by grade level.
The appropriate responses to student behavior is broken out into groups of grades: pre-K through second, grades third through fifth and grades sixth through 12th.
“This enhanced information narrows consequences, creating a clear guide for our school administration, for our parents,” said Denise Huebner, the associate superintendent for student services and post-secondary success.
Also proposed in the code of behavior is cellphone information to align with the division’s new policy for the 2025-26 school year and the implementation of Virginia Department of Education Student Behavior Administrative Response codes.
The school division voted in December to implement a bell-to-bell cellphone ban at the start of the 2025-26 school year. Students at all school levels will be required to have their cellphones “off and away” from the first bell of the day to the dismissal bell at the end of the day.
“It’s important to remember that applying consequences is not a one size fits all. School administrators must consider many different factors, including a student’s pattern of behavior, to ensure progressive discipline is utilized,” Huebner said.
Huebner likened the possible interventions and consequences for student misconduct to a size guide, similar to when buying shoes, that should be considered depending on the student and their specific situation.
Other factors that should be considered include age and the developmental stage of the student, Huebner said.
“Discipline strategies should be age appropriate and consider the cognitive, emotional and social development of the student,” she said.
Positive behavior interventions are important, too, Huebner said, instead of focusing solely on punitive measures. Restorative practices also help to address root causes of behavior, repair harm, but are not a replacement of consequences.
“This approach emphasizes teaching and reinforcing positive behaviors in order to avoid future infractions and to support students’ learning,” Huebner said.
The new dean of students position that the division added in its recently-approved budget will also be important in the implementation of the code of behavior and in “norming consequences” for students who commit infractions.
Woodbridge District School Board Member Loree Williams said it was important the school community understood the division takes discipline seriously, but it’s not simply about checking a box, so-to-speak.
“We do discipline our students, but it’s not just a check the box because you did this, you did that because I do believe it’s important,” Williams continued. “Because the goal of discipline is to correct the behavior, not just to alienate a student or make them feel like they don’t belong or that they can’t learn.”
Justin Wilk, the Potomac District School Board member, said he appreciated some of the changes, but would still like to see more, specifically when it comes to consequences for specific infractions.
“I look at the assault and battery chart … I look at the level in which things start, I would like it to start at a higher level and not have the option of a lower level,” Wilk said.
While he understood the need for flexibility for responses and consequences, Wilk said the assault and battery section was not one that should include lower level responses.
Another change Wilk said he’d like to see is which infractions require mandatory reporting to law enforcement. For example, in the assault and battery section, any incident in which a student causes physical injury to another person is required to be reported to law enforcement. A student striking staff or using force against a staff member, with no injury, is not an infraction that requires mandatory reporting to law enforcement.
“I think if you’re striking a staff, although it may be onerous, but, I think it should be reported to the law,” Wilk said. “I don’t think the staff member should have to file a report. I don’t think the staff member should have to possibly press charges or litigation. I think we should file the report.”
Several board members inquired about expanding in-school suspension as a consequence for students. While the school division does use in-school suspension, it is only at a select number of schools that either have a high need or have the staffing required to implement in-school suspension.
The School Board is expected to vote on the proposed code of behavior at its next meeting in late May.
