Attendance for grades K-12 will be tracked in the following ways:

• Logging into Edmentum, the online school platform, at least five (5) out of seven (7) days per week. Each week starts on Monday and ends on Sunday.
• Students should be making progress on their course assignments when they login.

Though students may work at their own pace, it is important to maintain progress in all courses. 

• Grades K-5 students should plan to complete an estimation of four (4) hours of effective school work or a weekly average of 20 hours of online work per five (5) days within a seven (7) day week window. Keep in mind the amount of time online may be different for each student.
• Grades 6-12 students should plan to complete an estimation of five (5) hours of effective school work or a weekly average of 25 hours of online work per five (5) days within a seven (7) day week window. Keep in mind the amount of time online may be different for each student.
• Students can complete work aligned with live teaching or can work ahead within the given week’s work of content as allowed by the classroom teacher. 
• Students are expected to stay on pace with at least 50% of their courses on a weekly basis to be considered in good standing. 
• There may also be additional work to complete offline. 
• This time should be divided among all classes.

If a student will not be completing any work on a specific date due to illness, doctor’s appointments, or other reasons that may be excused, the parent should email MCCSCOnline@mccsc.edu or call The Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship with the reason for the absence.

Families can monitor the current status of their student's pacing by reviewing the course tiles when the student logs into Edmentum. On the home screen they can see the following:

• Yellow Text - student is behind pacing 
• Green Text - student is on pace 
• Blue Text - student is working ahead of pacing 

Families should focus on the information on this screen only when communicating regarding pacing. Students in grades 6-12 should work to submit assignments 2-3 days before the due date so that all pacing screens are aligned. Families should be aware that the color of pacing (yellow, green, and blue) does not equate to passing the class. 

Students are expected to stay on pace and complete assignments at all times. Should extenuating circumstances arise that may keep a student from meeting goals and thus regular attendance, the MCCSC Online office should be notified. Absences will be coded as excused or unexcused based on district policy.

According to Indiana Code 20-20-8-8, Chronic Absenteeism is defined as being absent 18 or more days within a school year for any reason and Habitual Truancy is defined as being absent 10 days or more from school within a school year without being excused.

Indiana Code 20-19-9-5 states that a school corporation that operates a virtual education program must require that if a student who attends a school corporation's virtual education program accumulates ten (10) consecutive or eighteen (18) cumulative unexcused absences, the student must be withdrawn from enrollment in the school corporation’s virtual education program.

Under the guidance of the principal, success coaches, and/or designee, students who accumulate multiple absences will receive specific interventions in order to help prevent a student from becoming truant. Prior to a student reaching Chronic Absenteeism or Habitual Truancy status, the school will hold a truancy conference. Notification of the conference date, time and location will be sent to the student’s family through email and U.S. certified mail. The notice will clearly state that the student has failed to adhere to the attendance policy and required immediate intervention. The truancy conference team will seek to understand the unique situation of the student and family. 

The school will review information provided by the student’s family and will determine if there is sufficient basis for an excused absence, in accordance with school policy. 

Under Indiana Code 20-33-2-25, the “Superintendent or an attendance officer having jurisdiction shall report a child who is habitually absent from school . . . to an intake officer of the juvenile court or the department of child services. The intake officer or the department of child services shall proceed in accord with IC 31-30- through IC 31-40.” 

If a student is withdrawn due to Habitual Truancy, MCCSC Online may: 

• Report the student to the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) 
• Report to the Indiana Clearinghouse for Information on Missing Children and Missing Endangered Adults (The Clearinghouse) 
• Report to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) information to indicate ineligibility for an operator’s license or learner’s permit 
• Call the local law enforcement agency to confirm child welfare 
• Not allow the student to re-enroll for the remainder of the current school year

PLEASE NOTE: An MCCSC Online student who does not maintain regular attendance may be withdrawn from the MCCSC Online program and be required to return to in-person learning at the discretion of the principal or designee. A student who is removed from MCCSC Online will not be able to apply to return to the program for the remainder of the school year. MCCSC may also be required to refer students to probation or other local authorities based on attendance related issues.

Bullying: Indiana State Law and school policies prohibit bullying. Indiana State Law defines “bullying” in the following manner: “bullying” means overt, unwanted, repeated acts or gestures, including verbal or written communications or images transmitted in any manner (including digitally or electronically), physical acts committed, aggression, or any other behaviors, that are committed by a student or group of students against another student with the intent to harass, ridicule, humiliate, intimidate, or harm the targeted student and create for the targeted student an objectively hostile school environment that: 

(1) places the targeted student in reasonable fear of harm to the targeted student’s person or property; 

(2) has a substantially detrimental effect on the targeted student’s physical or mental health; 

(3) has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student’s academic performance; or

(4) has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, and privileges provided by the school. 

Students should report any cases of bullying to a teacher, counselor, administrator, or other school staff member immediately. Behavior determined to be bullying by the standards defined above shall not be tolerated. 

Defiance/Failure to Comply/Insubordination: Defying the authority of a staff member in such a way as to be rebellious or disobedient, or willfully refusing to follow a reasonable request or directive will not be tolerated. Disciplinary action up to and including removal from MCCSC Online may be the result for those that continue to disregard the instructions of teachers and staff.

Disrespect: A negative attitude displayed toward any teacher, staff member, administrator, or to a visiting adult, or considered disruptive to learning routine will be considered disrespectful. Continual incidents of this nature by a student may result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from MCCSC Online. 

Drugs and Alcohol: The use, consumption, possession, or transmission, including by sale, or being affected by any controlled substance, prescription drug, narcotic drug, hallucinogenic drug, amphetamine, barbiturate, marijuana, synthetic drug, alcoholic beverage, intoxicant or depressant of any kind, including but not limited to over-the-counter medications and substances, any capsule or pill, look alike drugs, nonalcoholic beer, inhalant, or intoxicant of any kind, as well as any apparatus or paraphernalia used or which could be used in connection with the listed substances is prohibited. 

Consuming any of the listed substances immediately before attending virtual sessions or on-site visits is prohibited. Using, consuming, possessing, transmitting, or being under the influence of any of the items listed above by any student while subject to school rules will result in suspension, request for expulsion and notification of law enforcement. 

Selling and/or distribution of the items listed above will result in removal from MCCSC Online, suspension, request for expulsion and notification of law enforcement. Any student who arranges to sell or buy drugs at school (even if the actual transaction occurs off school grounds) will be subject to suspension and a request for expulsion, and law enforcement will be notified.

Electronic Cigarettes: The possession and/or use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) of any variety is strictly prohibited. Students witnessed online or found in possession of or using e-cigarettes/vaping devices will be suspended, and may be issued a citation for violating state laws.

Harassment: Any form of harassment is unacceptable and will be dealt with accordingly. Students and employees should not be subjected to harassment or threats of violence. Harassment is defined as persistently disturbing, tormenting, pestering, or persecuting another person by any means of communication. Forms of harassment include, but are not limited to, sexual harassment, racial harassment, religious harassment, ethnic (national origin) harassment, or disability harassment. No form of harassment will be tolerated and is prohibited. 

Habitual Misconduct: Students who repeatedly violate one or more school or district policies will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including suspension and removal from MCCSC Online. 

Humiliation: Any behavior that causes another person the painful loss of pride, self-respect, or dignity is prohibited. 

Interference: Any behavior that disrupts or interferes with school purposes and functions is prohibited. Lying to school personnel during an investigation, or impeding a school or criminal investigation is prohibited. 

Intimidation: Any behavior that forces another person into an action, or any behavior that deters another person from an action by inducing fear is prohibited. 

Obscenity/Profanity/Vulgarity: Vulgar, lewd, profane, or obscene language, gestures, or images are prohibited. 

Obstructing a School Investigation: Any student who knowingly gives false information, or intentionally fails to give information in an investigation conducted by a school administrator may be subject to disciplinary action. 

MCCSC holds students accountable for doing their own work. Students who submit work as their own when it is not wholly and completely their own are guilty of cheating and/or plagiarism. Plagiarism is the deliberate representation of another’s words, thoughts, or ideas as one’s own without attribution in connection with submission of academic work, whether graded or otherwise. Cheating can be defined as claiming credit for any assignment or assessment without putting forth the academic effort required for the assignment or assessment. Assisting other students in cheating or plagiarism is also considered academic dishonesty.

Here are some clear examples of what can be considered plagiarism and cheating:

• Having a friend or parent help you on a test, even if the friend/parent just explains words or questions to you.
• Copying the words of another source (person or print) without putting those words in quotation marks.
• Using the ideas of another source without giving credit to the source, even if you are using your own words.
• Using books, websites, smartphones, notes, AI, or assistance from other people on tests or
• quizzes unless your teacher has specifically stated outside material may be used.
• Copying your assignments/tests (in part or in whole) and posting them on help websites like Yahoo Answers or Wiki Answers for assistance with the assignment.
• Talking with others (family, friends, acquaintances, online help sites, etc.) during a test.

After an initial warning and explanation by the teacher, students who are guilty of cheating or plagiarizing will be referred to school administration for breach of the school’s Academic Integrity Policy and the corporation’s discipline procedures will be followed.

Unless otherwise instructed by your teacher or by a specific assessment, students are expected to honor the following principles while taking assessments:

• You will not copy or redistribute any part of the assessment in any way—electronically, verbally, or on paper.
• Your answers will represent your work and only your work, free of any outside assistance. You will not plagiarize in any way.
• You will not repeatedly attempt the same test multiple times in one sitting in order to reach a passing grade.

Students are expected to wear clothing and to manage their appearance in a proper, modest and responsible manner. A student’s appearance should not disrupt the educational setting, interfere with health or safety, or promote vulgarity.

Appropriateness is monitored by all staff members. Final decisions regarding appropriateness will be made by administration. If a student is in doubt, he/she should not wear the item of clothing.