Statement of Philosophy
We believe that a life of honesty and integrity should be at the core of all human endeavors. Building character and academic integrity, as well as promoting academic success, is a priority at GHS. In a society where the lines between honesty and cheating are blurred, we challenge students to make honest decisions in their academic, extracurricular, and social commitments. Therefore, cheating, plagiarizing, and lying are unacceptable behaviors for a person of character.
Violations of the Academic Integrity Policy
Violations must be observed or verified by a Granville Exempted Village School District employee.
A. Using, as your own, the work, ideas, and information provided, knowingly or unknowingly, by others.
1. Sharing and/or copying homework, labs, projects, and/or all other assignments.
2. Bringing in and/or using unauthorized information during class time, including information stored in a calculator.
3. Sharing and/or copying test/quiz answers.
4. Using friends’/siblings’ papers or work from previous years as your own.
5. Knowingly taking credit for an assignment to which you did not contribute.
6. Fabricating or “fudging” data, information, or sources to pass off made up material as the result of genuine efforts.
7. Changing answers during trade and grade (graded assignment) or grade-your-own.
8. All other actions of an inappropriate nature or as defined by an individual teacher’s requirements.
B. “The act of plagiarism may include direct copying, but it may also be more complex than verbatim repetition. A student, in preparing a project for a class, will have plagiarized if he/she has taken information from sources without citing what sources were used. Plagiarized material may appear in a student’s paper as word-for-word copying, a summation, or a paraphrase of another’s ideas. A student has plagiarized whether the material from another source has been taken in whole or in part. In effect, by not naming the source, the student is claiming the work of another as his/hers” (South).
1. Submitting images and/or documents in whole or in part from the Internet without citation of the source(s).
2. Copying another’s work.
3. Using another’s ideas without proper citations.
4. Incorporating portions of another’s writing within the context of your own work.
5. Failing to acknowledge a source of information.
6. Using “unique” phrases without citations.
7. Using graphics, charts, diagrams, and illustrations without citations.
8. All other actions of an inappropriate nature or as defined by an individual teacher’s requirements.
Responsibilities
Supervision of the Policy is the joint responsibility of the faculty, students, and parents.
A. Student Responsibilities
a. Accept responsibility for what they know and what they don’tknow.
b. Prepare adequately for all forms of evaluation (for example: quizzes, tests, exams, and projects).
c. Take advantage of opportunities for help from teachers and tutoring programs.
d. Consult the teacher when any questions arise regarding the use of sources.
e. Understand the Academic Integrity Policy including the violations and consequences.
f. Understand how to properly cite a resource.
g. Initiate the appeal process if necessary.
B. Teacher Responsibilities
a. Create an environment conducive to academic integrity, which may include:
1. Monitor student behavior closely during tests.
2. Separate student desks as much as possible.
3. Consider presenting tests in various formats and using a variety of assessment techniques.
b. Review the Policy with students, making students aware of the Policy at the beginning of each course.
c. Administer the consequences stipulated by the Policy.
d. Ensure that the Policy is being applied consistently throughout the class.
2. When an incident of cheating occurs, first talk with the student and inform their parent(s) about the incident, and then report that incident to the Dean of Students using the referral form.
C. Parent Responsibilities
a. Read and discuss the Policy with their child to assure that he/she understands the provisions of the Policy.
b. Encourage their child to keep high standards of behavior with regard to integrity, honesty, and personal responsibility, and to refrain from behavior which will result in disciplinary action by the school.
c. Promote the belief that learning is its own reward, and that grades are less important than the expectation that one should do the best that one can.
D. Administrator Responsibilities
a. Assure that all faculty, students, and parents receive and understand the Policy.
b. Establish a school-wide environment which encourages academic integrity.
c. Assist teachers in enforcing the Policy.
d. Maintain accurate records of Policy violations.
e. Administer the consequences stipulated by the Policy.
f. Ensure that the Policy is being applied consistently throughout the school.
Consequences for Students who violate the Policy
Offenses accumulate throughout their high school career.
First Offense
1. Using the referral form, teacher reports incident to the Assistant Principal.
2. Assistant Principal notifies school counselor, parent, and National Honor Society Faculty Council.
3. Student involved forfeits credit for the assignment not to exceed 10% of the quarter grade. A plagiarism violation requires satisfactory completion of the written assignment/essay in order to earn a maximum of 50% on the written assignment/essay; otherwise, the written assignment/essay receives 0% and the reduction limit of 10% is forfeited.
4. Student forfeits eligibility for induction first year into NHS.
Second Offense
1. Using the referral form, teacher reports incident to the Assistant Principal.
2. All interested parties – student, parents, teachers, administrator, and counselor – meet to discuss violations of the policy.
3. Student involved forfeits credit for the assignment not to exceed 15% of the quarter grade. A plagiarism violation requires satisfactory completion of the written assignment/essay in order to earn a maximum of 50% (35% if a repeat plagiarism offense) on the written assignment/essay; otherwise, the written assignment/essay receives 0% and the reduction limit of 15% is forfeited.
4. Nine-week’s grade for that course is dropped ten percent at the end of the 9-weeks period.
5. Student forfeits eligibility for induction into NHS.
Third Offense and beyond
1. Using the referral form, teacher reports incident to the Assistant Principal.
2. Student involved forfeits credit for the assignment not to exceed 20% of the quarter grade. A plagiarism violation requires satisfactory completion of the written assignment/essay in order to earn a maximum of 50% on the written assignment/essay; otherwise, the written assignment/essay receives 0% and the reduction limit of 20% is forfeited.
3. Nine-week’s grade for that course is dropped ten percent at the end of the 9-weeks period.
4. The administrator will immediately notify the student’s parents and issue a one day in-school suspension.
5. The student’s teachers will also be notified of the cause of the suspension. The administrator will hold a conference with the student and his/her parents.
6. Consequences for any additional violations of the Policy will be discussed at that time.
7. A letter listing the offenses will accompany any transcript requested within five years of graduation.
*Students who commit a second offense before the first is discovered/reported will receive the following consequences:
1. Both violations will receive first offense consequences.
2. An additional violation will be treated as the third offense and will receive the appropriate consequences.
Teacher Referral Process
Referral forms will be available to teachers in both the guidance office and the main office. Teachers are to report all violations of the Policy.
Works Consulted:
MountainLakes High School. “Honor Code.” 7 Feb. 2006https://www.mtlakes.org/hs/honcode.pdf.
SouthLakes High School. “South Lakes High School Code of Academic Integrity.” 6 Feb. 2006 https://www.fcps.k12.va.us/SouthLakesHS/backpack/Codeof 20Academic Integrity.pdf.