Updated Edition of Bestseller! "How to Handle Staff Misconduct has simplified the process with its step-by-step format and has removed a lot of the emotions that have previously gone into addressing staff misconduct issues. I′ve had occasions to put the steps into play and have found them to be logical and straightforward." Anne Hutcheson, Director of Special Education and Pupil Personnel Bellefonte Area School District, Pennsylvania "Lawrence and Vachon did an outstanding job of writing guidelines that deal with the core aspects of supervision and documentation without becoming embroiled in state law issues and differences. I wish that I had this book as a guideline when I became a principal. I would have used it to train new hires on my administrative team." Mary A. King, Director of High School Services Texas Association of Secondary School Principals What administrators must know about staff misbehavior and the steps to correct it Ever-changing laws regarding sexual harassment, teacher accountability, and safety in the workplace, combined with increasingly complex union contracts, have made the handling of staff misconduct a veritable minefield for novice and experienced administrators alike. Fortunately, this expanded and updated second edition of an indispensable resource will clarify all of the steps principals must take to ensure that their schools are run according to the policies and laws that govern them. In clearly delineated sections, How to Handle Staff Misconduct, Second Edition, offers strategies that include managing excessive tardiness, insubordination, misconduct requiring suspension, and even criminal behaviors. Each section includes an outline of principal responsibilities, and common errors that can interfere with a successful intervention. In addition, the authors demonstrate: How to use progressive discipline to fairly correct unwanted behaviors How to set up a school-level misconduct meeting Why just cause is a key defense against legal backlash How due process can avoid technical errors during a disciplinary action Why privacy is paramount Covering everything from the first day of school to the first sign of an infraction, this book guides administrators through all phases of investigation and documentation, and remains an essential resource for any principal or supervisor trying to keep students and staff focused on education.

Table of Contents:
List of Progressive Discipline Charts A Cautionary Note Preface About the Author Introduction Part I: General Procedures to Handle Misconduct 1. Strategies to Handle Misconduct Just Cause Due Process Progressive Discipline 2. The Misconduct Investigation Victim/Witness Statement Form Diagram of the Human Body Police Records Photographs and Videotaping 3. School-Level Misconduct Meeting Part II: Administrative Misconduct Handled by the Principal 4. Unexcused Absence and Excessive Tardiness 5. Neglect of Duty 6. Abuse, Insulting, or Profane Language 7. Corporal Punishment 8. Insubordination Part III: Serious Misconduct Requiring Immediate Suspension 9. The Immediate Suspension Conference With Hearing Officer 10. The School Board Hearing Part IV: Criminal Misconduct 11. Sexual Misconduct 12. Abuse of Controlled Substances 13. Theft and Fraud 14. Criminal Misconduct Outside the School Setting RESOURCES Resource A: Standards of Acceptable Conduct for Staff Members Resource B: Letter to Schedule an Oral Reprimand Conference Resource C: Major Components of an Oral Warning Resource D: Letter to Schedule a Misconduct Meeting Resource E: First Letter of Reprimand - Major Components Resource F: Second Letter of Reprimand - Major Components Resource G: Allegation of Staff Misconduct Standard Report Form Resource H: Diagram of Human Body Resource I: Misconduct Meeting at the School Level Resource J: Misconduct Meeting With Hearing Officer Resource K: Letter to the Media About Criminal Misconduct References Index