Parkland Magnet High School Honor Code
Parkland Magnet High School supports academic and personal integrity by upholding and
honoring the values of honesty, integrity, respect, and responsibility.
Name (please print): _______________________________________________________ Grade: ___________
Signature: _______________________________________________________________ Date: ___________
The above signature indicates that the individual understands the Honor Code as the accepted standard
for all academic work related to Parkland Magnet High School, including the principles of academic
integrity with regards to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, fraud, and forgery, and academic malpractice.
Honesty is a value that holds each person to the truth, to tell the truth, and to defend the truth.
Honesty results in fairness for each member of the Parkland Magnet High School community.
Integrity is firm adherence to our values with and without the presence of others.
Respect is treating others as we would like to be treated. In an environment of respect, work we
turn in as our own, is our own.
Responsibility is the quality of being accountable for our actions and accepting the
consequences of our actions.
The Honor Code is a physical representation of the principles that Parkland Magnet High School
should encompass. At any educational institution, a code of conduct must be established so that
teachers, students, and parents understand the accepted standards. The behavior students
acquire through their actions is the most valuable gift they can carry with them after graduation,
and it is the most valuable gift any educational institution can give to their students. Formulas
and facts can carry students only so far in life; true success lies in one's desire to be good for the
sake of being good -- doing the right thing, even when no one is looking. The Honor Code is not
meant as an imposition, but rather as a standard to which all students and Faculty should be
held. At Parkland, we push each other to higher academic achievement. This honor code asks
that we hold each other to a standard of integrity for our personal achievements, our academic
achievements, and our personal behavior.
Parkland Magnet High School Principles:
At Parkland Magnet High School we believe that every student should hold true to the following values:
Respect: To show consideration for each other regardless of differences; treat each other the way we
want to be treated. Respect for each other is displayed through tone of voice, listening, body language,
and being mindful of those around you.
Honesty: Being free of deceit and untruthfulness (The American Century Dictionary). Honesty requires
each of us to tell the truth and defend the truth.
Integrity: Doing the right thing when no one else is watching; moral integrity; honesty (The American
Century Dictionary).
Responsibility: To be accountable to a person or thing for one’s actions and capable of rational conduct
(The American Century Dictionary). It is the quality of being accountable for our actions and accepting the
consequences of our actions.
Accountability: Being required to explain for one’s conduct (The American Century Dictionary).
At Parkland Magnet High School, we believe that no student should engage in the following
unacceptable behaviors related to academic integrity:
Cheating: Cheating is gaining an unfair advantage by deceiving or breaking the rules in academic,
extracurricular, or other school work (The American Century Dictionary).
Examples, but not all-inclusive, would be as follows:
 Copying or allowing someone else to copy information from another person’s work, test,
homework, computer file, etc.
 Using study aids such as cheat sheets, notes, books, formulas, or information from calculators,
computers, or cell phones without express permission from the instructor.
 Using, duplicating, or obtaining prior knowledge of an examination or test.
 Collaboratively working on assignments explicitly stated to be individualized work.
 Aiding and abetting any dishonest act.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is taking and passing off another’s thoughts, ideas, or work as one’s own (The
American Century Dictionary).
Examples, but not all-inclusive, would be as follows:
 Stealing and passing off words or ideas as one’s own without giving proper citation to the
original author.
 Copying language or language structure from a book, web site, magazine, or other publication
for use in research or a report without proper citation.
 “Cutting and Pasting” words from an internet source or other electronic sources.
 Obtaining or purchasing papers from individuals or web sites on the internet and turning them
in as your own work.
Fabrication, Fraud and Forgery: Fabrication is inventing documents or evidence (The American Century
Dictionary). Fraud is deliberately deceiving others in order to secure unlawful gain. Forgery is
signing another person’s name, making false statements, or creating false documents.
Examples, but not all-inclusive, would be as follows:
 Attempting to pass off someone else’s work as your own using imagery, technology, purchasing
and/or selling an assignment from another person or technological resource.
 Falsifying scientific or other data submitted for academic credit.
 Forgery of signatures or tampering with official records (including hours for community service).
 Signing a person’s name, including a parent or guardian, or presenting information known to be
false.
 Deliberately giving false information such as name, telephone numbers, or addresses to school
officials and teachers.
 Attempting to have someone call school pretending to be a parent/guardian
 Accessing confidential academic or administrative records without authorization.
Academic Malpractice: IBO defines academic malpractice as “behaviour that results in, or may result in,
the candidate or any other candidate gaining an unfair advantage in one or more assessment
component.” (IBO Guide to Academic Honesty, 2003.)
Examples, but not all inclusive, would be as follows:
 Cheating
 Plagiarism
 Fabrication
 Fraud
 Forgery
 Collusion
 Duplication of work
 Any other behavior that gains an unfair advantage
If a student is unclear as to whether or not his or her action(s) are in violation of the Honor Code, then it
is that student's responsibility to clarify any ambiguities with the appropriate administrator or instructor.
Teacher Responsibilities
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Clearly outline and define unacceptable academic behaviors within the teacher's course
Address the degree to which students may collaborate on the completion of assignments, making
distinctions where necessary as to assignment types
Clearly outline the responsibility each group member must bear for a collaborative project
Address the use of study aids (e.g. Cliffs Notes, etc.) in course work
Abide by the honor code -- upholding its standards for each student
If a violation occurs, a discipline referral stating the violation will be prepared and proof of
allegations will be provided to the administrator, student, and parent
Student Responsibilities
It is the student’s responsibility to write and sign the following statement on all academic work:
“On my honor, I have followed the PHS Honor Code when completing this task.” (Student signature)
Parent Responsibilities
Parents are asked to assist in the educational process by discussing the importance of academic integrity
and adherence to the Honor Code with their child.
Procedures
In accord with the WSFCS discipline policy (AR 5131), violating the honor code is a Level II offense
which may result in 1 – 3 day out of school suspension for the first violation. However, aggravating
and mitigating circumstances may result in a more severe penalty or a less severe penalty. The
procedure for determining the consequences of violating the PHS Honor Code is as follows:
When a teacher has reason to believe the Parkland Magnet High School Honor Code has been violated,
the following steps will be taken. The teacher along with the assistant principal will:
 Investigate the matter through discussions with parents, teachers, and students
 Complete a discipline referral form, if the investigation verifies that a violation has occurred
Sanctions
Sanctions for Honor Code violations may include, but are not limited to, the following:
 Verbal warning
 Written warning
 Letter of apology to teacher, peers, or community
 Exclusion from running for office for a set length of time
 Removal from club or organization office or leadership position
 Ineligibility for athletics and extra-curricular activities for a set length of time
 Community service hours
 Full financial restitution in the case of stealing
 In-School Suspension
 Out-of-School Suspension
 Forfeiture of eligibility for an IB Diploma or Certificate
Level A: Upon the first violation of a student’s career, the administrator and teacher may:
 Notify parents
 Allow student to “redo” the assignment with the original grade of zero being factored into the
final grade
 Complete an academic misconduct form and place it in the student’s internal disciplinary file
 Assign any other sanctions based on the severity of the violation as deemed appropriate by the
assistant principal (Sanctions may be from level B or C depending on severity of violation)
Level B: Upon the second violation of a student’s career or a more severe violation of the honor code, the
administrator and teacher may:
 Institute one of the sanctions listed above
 Assign any additional academic consequences according to the severity of the incident
 Impose a suspension (Sanctions may be from level C depending on severity of violation)
 Notify the coaches/directors of all extra-curricular activities in which the student is involved
Level C: Upon the third and subsequent violations of a student’s career or SEVERE violations of the
honor code, the administrator and teacher may:
 Institute the sanctions listed above
 Remove the student from extra-curricular activities for a length of time determined by the
administration
Note: Adapted from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Fairfax, VA; Peninsula Catholic High School,
Newport News, VA; Seaholm High School, Blomfield Hills, MI