Level 4 offenses are the most serious misbehavior and cause the most concern for school safety. Any Level 4 act may result in up to a 10-day suspension with a possible removal from school.
Level 4 misbehavior must be reported right away to the school administrator to investigate. After hearing the student’s side of the story, speaking with staff members and other students, and doing any other investigation needed, the administrator will follow the procedures for Level 4 offenses. A consequence for Level 4 may include removing the student from the school or activity immediately.
Students who commit a Level 4 offense may be referred to the police for further investigation.
LEVEL 4: OFFENSES
A.
Alcohol Having, using, sharing, giving, asking for, or being under the influence of alcoholic beverages.
Use means the person is caught using alcohol, admits to using alcohol, or is discovered to have used alcohol.
B.
Arson Setting a fire or trying to set fire to school property or the property of others.
C.
Intimidation/ Threats to a Person Repeated Level 3 threats. Or threatening words or actions to hit, fight, or beat up an OCPS employee, contracted vendor, or OCPS volunteer with an aggressive act to carry out the threat. Or any threatening words or actions which threaten the life of another student, OCPS employee, contracted vendor, or OCPS volunteer and the threat to life appears to pose an immediate or a serious danger to the safety of others. The threat has details and is specific. The threat suggests steps have been taken to carry out the threat and/or there is a strong concern about the ability to act. This may include, but is not limited to, threats made verbally or nonverbally, by act, through social media, or by text.
D.
Battery Touching or striking a student, OCPS employee, contracted personnel, or volunteer, against his or her will or causing more serious injury on purpose, such as: great bodily harm, permanent harm; use of a deadly weapon; or extreme pain that requires the victim to go to the hospital. The harm must require documented medical assistance and be serious enough to report to law enforcement. This offense does not include injury that happens from a fight. This section includes the actual use of a weapon, firearm, or other dangerous object as defined under Level 4H and Level 4K.
E.
Threats to the School Any direct or indirect threat that may harm the school or may disrupt the function of the school campus or school sponsored activity including, but not limited to, threats made verbally or nonverbally, by act, through social media, or by text. All threats are taken seriously, regardless of intent.
Threats to the school may include, but are not limited to, bomb threats, threats to use firearms in a violent manner, and/or threats to conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism. Threats to the school are deemed zero tolerance by Sections 1006.07 and 1006.13, Florida Statutes.
F.
Drugs/Possession/Use Having, using, sharing, or being under the influence of any drugs or any other substance that can change your mood or behavior, or having or using anything represented or thought to be a drug. Use means the person is caught in the act of using drugs, admits to using drugs or is discovered to have used drugs. Having, using, sharing, or being under the influence of medicine you can buy in the store or medicine your doctor prescribes, over the limits allowed are included in this section. Also included in this section is any amount of THC oil.
H.
Firearms/ Weapons Possession Having any firearm or weapon (working or not working, loaded or unloaded) as defined in Chapter 790, Florida Statutes. This section also includes trying to use any object that can be used to seriously harm another person or makes another person scared of being hurt. Firearms/Weapons are deemed zero tolerance by Sections 1006.07 and 1006.13, Florida Statutes.
A firearm means any weapon which will, is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive; the frame or receiver of any such weapon; any firearm muffler or firearm silencer; any destructive device; or any machine gun. A weapon means any dirk, knife (blade is 2.5 inches or more), metallic knuckles, slungshot, billie, tear gas gun, chemical weapon or device, or other deadly weapon.
I.
Major Disruption on Campus Major disruption of all or most of campus activities, school-sponsored events, and/or school bus transportation. Disruptive behavior that is a serious threat to the school, or health, safety, or welfare of others.
This offense may include, but is not limited to, starting, encouraging, or participating in any major disruption, pulling fire alarm when there is not a fire, incidents that result in closing the cafeteria, and/or incidents that prevent students from proceeding to the next class.
J.
Larceny/Theft ($750 or over) Taking, carrying, riding away with, or hiding property from another person, including motor vehicles, or attempting to do it, without threat or harm.
This offense may include, but is not limited to, pocket picking, theft, from a building, theft from a motor vehicle, theft from a vending machine, theft of a golf cart, motor vehicle or anything that is self-propelled or motorized.
K.
Other Dangerous Objects Having, selling/buying or controlling any instrument or object, other than a firearm or weapon as defined under a 4H offense, which could be used to harm another person, or to scare any person. The actual use of a dangerous object will be coded as a Level 4D. The attempted use of a dangerous object will be coded as a 4H.
This offense may include, but is not limited to, BB guns or pellet guns, air soft guns, paintball guns and replicas of any gun or weapon, common pocket knives (blade is less than 2.5 inches), chains, pipes, razor blades, box cutter/utility knife, ice picks, other pointed instruments, nun chucks, Tasers, Chinese stars, pepper spray, bullets, firearm clips, or firearm cartridges. This offense also includes lighting fireworks or firecrackers.
L.
Repeated Misconduct of a More Serious Nature Repeated misconduct that tends to seriously disrupt the school, school function, or extracurricular/co-curricular program or activity.
M.
Robbery/Extortion Taking or attempting to take something valuable from another person by force or threat of force or violence and/or putting the victim in fear that you’re going to take it.
This offense may include the taking of objects such as purses, phones, clothing etc.
N.
Sexual Battery Doing or attempting to do any sexual act against another person, forcibly and/or against the person’s will.
O.
Sexual Harassment Saying or doing something that reflects on another’s gender which has the purpose of interfering with another student’s learning or disrupts the school creating an offensive school environment.
These acts are sexual in nature and may include, but are not limited to, sharing/sending/showing/taking images or video that have private body parts showing, grabbing, rubbing or feeling private body parts.
P.
Sexual Offenses Any willful and/or deliberate act, behavior, or conduct intended to result in sexual gratification, or furthering acts of lewd or lascivious in nature.
This offense includes, but is not limited to, consensual sexual acts, and/or exposure of naked body parts in front of other people or by sending naked pictures through the use of electronics.
Q.
Violation of Early Re-entry Plan Committing any act or series of acts that violates or has the effect of violating a re-entry plan from expulsion.
S.
Vandalism ($1000 or over) Purposely destroying, damaging, or ruining public or private property including act of ruining with graffiti, keying, or scratching a car or trashing a room resulting in damages.
T.
Other Any behavior which goes beyond what is expected at school and in the community, which cannot be coded in another Level 4 offense.
This offense may include, but is not limited to, hate crimes; making up stories that can hurt adults on campus; any speech on the basis of race, sex, national origin, religion, or disability that does or would be likely to cause a substantial disruption to the educational environment; dating violence; human trafficking; possession/sale of items used to do drugs; or pretending to be another person and creating or signing documents with their name.
U.
Drugs/ Transmission/ Distribution/ Selling/ Buying Giving, making, buying, selling, or trying to sell any drug, or giving, making, buying, selling or trying to sell anything represented to be a drug. This includes any form of payment for any drug Buying or substance.
V.
Bullying Repeated behavior toward another person that causes that person to be afraid on school property or off school grounds.
This offense may include, but is not limited to, repeated name calling with threats, sharing/showing/sending texts or video/pictures to more than one person, posting video/pictures to social media, and/or physical contact which seriously hurts another.
W.
Harassment Any threatening, insulting, or rude gesture, use of electronic device, or written, verbal, or physical act that places a student or school employee, volunteer, or contracted personnel in fear of harm to his/her person or damage to his/her property, has the effect of interfering with another student’s learning and/or has the effect of disrupting the school including any act that causes stress to another person for no reason.
This offense may include, but is not limited to, stalking or cyberstalking, and/or making another person fearful of serious injury or death.
X.
Hazing Secondary only.
Y. Physical Attack An actual and intentional hitting of a student OCPS employee, contracted personnel, or volunteer, against his/her will, resulting in less serious harm. Less serious bodily harm does not include risk of death or the victim being in extreme pain that requires him/her to go to the hospital. The injury must be documented. This section does not include an injury from fighting.
Z.
Sexual Assault An incident that includes a threat of rape, fondling, indecent liberties, or child molestation. Both male and female students can be victims of sexual assault.
AA.
District Technology Violation Use or access to programs and/or files without permission which are not expected or intended for student use on a district issued and/or personal device; or any use that violates Board policies, local, state, and/or federal laws and regulations.
This offense may include, but is not limited to, gaining access to the OCPS mainframe with intent to do harm or change records.
CC. Burglary Entering OCPS property without permission and causing damage or breaking the law. This offense is more severe than trespass.
DD.
Homicide The unjustified killing of one human being by another.
EE.
Kidnapping Forcibly, or by threat, confining, abducting, or imprisoning another person against his/her will and without lawful authority.
FF.
Tobacco/Vaping/ Nicotine Selling/ Distribution Selling, trying to sell, or giving any tobacco/vaping nicotine products to other students, such as electronic cigarettes, CBD oil, Juuls, pods, vapors, and hookah pens that do not have THC or any other drug, at school or at a school activity.
LEVEL 4: CONSEQUENCES
- Contact your parent/guardian mandatory*
- Talk with you about your behavior*
- Up to a 10 day suspension with a recommendation for expulsion (mandatory)
- Expulsion from the school district
- Assignment to an alternative school
- Referral to an intervention program
- Bus expulsion
- Temporary or permanent removal from participation in extracurricular/co-curricular programs or activities
- Restorative Practice
- Alternative classroom
- Safety plan
- No contact contract
- Guidance referral
- Referral to mental health services
*Required Administrator Responsibilities