Board amends draft code of conduct after extended debate over suspensions and wording

The Greece Central School district Board of Education voted to change the draft 2025–26 code of conduct, approving a rewrite of the document’s first goal and, in a separate vote, narrowly removing a sentence that said out‑of‑school suspension “does not improve school climate or outcome for students.” The board took the votes during a regular meeting after a staff presentation and nearly two hours of discussion.

The board heard the code presentation from district leaders who said the committee that drafted the revisions included board members, administrators, safety staff, teachers, mental‑health staff and parents; students also contributed feedback during a student summit. “This code of conduct provides that balance between traditional consequences and interventions that have been shown to shift behavior,” Doctor Baker said, describing the district’s intent to pair consequences with restorative and instructional interventions.

Board members and staff said the committee reviewed post‑COVID discipline data and focused revisions on the district’s highest‑frequency behaviors. Director of Student Services Abby Toronto described specific changes: clearer definitions splitting tardies and skipping, a recommended progressive‑discipline triangle for first‑time skipping, clarified language distinguishing moderate versus dangerous disruption, adding personal electronic devices to…