Ossining board adopts revised code of conduct after public hearing; committee emphasizes restorative approach

The Ossining Union Free School District Board of Education on Sept. 17 adopted a revised district code of conduct after a public hearing and committee presentation that framed the changes as a move from punitive language and practices toward restorative, equity‑focused discipline.

Anne Dealey, presenting on behalf of the code of conduct committee, told trustees that the proposed edits reflect state guidance and local data review and were posted for public comment for at least 30 days. Dealey said the revisions emphasize five themes: aligning the code to the district's vision, defining and integrating restorative practices, aligning language and procedures with the district's progressive behavior intervention and support (PBIS) rubric, revising gendered language, and removing criminalizing terminology that can feed the school‑to‑prison pipeline. She described changes to the minor incident form, school‑level rubrics, and teacher…