Academic Integrity Policy

Philosophy:

At Brentwood Middle School, we believe that the development of character is a key aspect of good citizenship.  We are charged with the responsibility of helping students to grow academically, socially, and ethically, to become effective citizens who will act with integrity.  The BMS faculty is dedicated to these purposes.  Behavior such as cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated at BMS, not only because it is self-defeating for the student, but because it is a reality of life.  Plagiarism is illegal.  Individual students are solely responsible for their own work; they will be held accountable for any deceitful actions which undermine this premise.

Definition:

Academic dishonesty falls under two basic categories:  cheating and plagiarism.

Cheating is defined as, but not limited to, the following:

• representing the work of others as one's own work

  -by both copying from another student's work as well as allowing your work to be copied
  -by giving another student answers during a test, quiz, or any other assignment without your teacher's approval (for example:    talking during a test)
  -by using electronic means (such as text messaging, email, photo mail, etc) to copy assignments, projects or communicating test answers

• referring to a book, person, or any other resource while you are taking a Reading Counts test.

• obtaining, possessing, using, or distributing tests, quizzes, answer keys, teacher manuals, or teacher textbooks, etc.

Plagiarism is defined as, but not limited to, the following:

• not using quotation marks, indentation, and/or footnotes to denote material that has been directly quoted from another source.

• paraphrasing an author without giving proper credit.

• violating copyright laws by not following fair use guidelines.

Consequences:

Offenses will be recorded by team (6th-7th) or grade level (8th).  By violating the academic integrity expectation, student offenders will not be considered for the National Junior Honor Society, the Golden Viking Award, or any other honor with character as a consideration.

First Offense:

• Parent contact

• Administration will be informed

• Student must complete an alternative assignment, paper or test

Second Offense:

• Zero for assignment, paper or test

• Parent contact

• Student must complete assignment, paper, or test for no credit

• Student must see administration

Third Offense:

• Zero for assignment, paper or test

• Parent contact

• Student must complete assignment, paper or test for no credit

• Student must see administration

• In-school suspension

Fourth Offense:

• The administration will impose appropriate consequences.