Disciplinary System
The Disciplinary System is the most clearly elucidated component of “Student Life” and generally understood and accepted by all students as a base foundation.
Beyond justifying the school’s Code of Ethics (see lws-handbook-v12.pdf) the primary objectives of the disciplinary system are to assist the students in maintaining personal responsibility for their behaviors, to help them understand accountability as citizens of the school community, and to ensure that all disciplinary matters are handled in a consistent and fair manner. The system also serves to clarify issues for faculty and staff, and to support them in being the front line of policy and rule enforcement.
The school relies upon a disciplinary system that has carefully evolved over many years. The cornerstone of the school’s disciplinary procedures is the “Point System.” Basically, infractions of different rules garner a student a specified loss of points. Included with a loss of points are mandatory restrictions and community service opportunities. Residential students begin the year with 135 points (day students begin with 110), if they get to a zero or negative point balance they are facing expulsion from the school. Most typically LWS is a “two strike” school in regard to major disciplinary infractions; however, some infractions (see Student Handbook) are zero tolerance and may result in a “one-strike” expulsion.
At the beginning of each year all students are issued a lws-handbook-v12.pdf. They then meet with the Dean of Students to discuss the pertinent disciplinary issues that tend to arise during the course of a year. Each issue is specifically discussed, questions are answered, and the typical consequences for rule infractions are clearly delineated.
Significant disciplinary issues are processed through the Disciplinary Committee. The disciplinary committee is comprised of the Dean of Students (Chairman), Head of School (non-voting), several faculty members and three students. The committee is essentially a jury of peers, who process any specific information regarding an infraction within the framework of existing rules, and ultimately dole out fair, consistent and appropriate consequences.
Minor issues tend to be dealt with between the student involved and the Dean of Students. Consequences vary from minor point loss (or credit hour loss) to written apologies and/or creative solutions commensurate with the violation.