Academic Honesty Policy

Academic expectations at Sutton Middle and North Atlanta High Schools

The IB programmes at Sutton Middle School and North Atlanta High School adhere to the IB Academic Integrity Policy. The IB upholds principles of academic honesty, which are seen as a set of values and skills that promote personal integrity and good practice in teaching, learning and assessment. The IB Organization defines malpractice as behavior that results in, or may result in, the student or any other student gaining an unfair advantage. The IB organization defines academic misconduct as behavior (whether deliberate or inadvertent) that results in, or may result in, the student or any other student gaining an unfair advantage. (Dr. Celina Garza, IB Academic honesty manager, October 2014 “Academic Honesty-principles to practice”).

Sutton Middle School and North Atlanta High school recognize that academic integrity is the foundation of academic excellence and student success. It is the responsibility of every student and employee to exhibit honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility in academic work at all times to support a positive learning environment in the schools.

Violation of Policy

Any student behavior that has the effect of interfering with education, pursuit of knowledge, or fair evaluation of a student’s performance is considered an academic integrity violation.

Students who are found in violation of the academic integrity policy will have the opportunity to resubmit assignments and will receive a disciplinary referral to their grade level administrator.

Both schools share the expectations of the district and the school’s through the Atlanta Public Schools’ Student Handbook with the schools’ community. The handbook outlines the expectations for academic honesty. According to the handbook (page 52), Rule 5.1 and 5.2 states:

“It is the responsibility of every student and employee to exhibit honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility in academic work at all times to support a positive learning environment in the school. Cheating, plagiarism and other acts of academic dishonesty are strictly prohibited. Students who cheat on standardized testing or are repeatedly dishonest can face expulsion or increased consequences. Examples of violations of this rule include, but are not limited to: copying or "borrowing" from another source and submitting it as one's own work; seeking or accepting unauthorized assistance on tests, projects or other assignments; fabricating data or resources; providing or receiving test questions in advance without permission; or working collaboratively with other students when individual work is expected. Depending on age of student, level of severity or repetition, the administrator may utilize interventions, supports, and Level 1-4 disciplinary responses for this offense…Academic Dishonesty with a Device…Use of a cellular phone without the consent of a school administrator or school staff during a test, quiz, or completion of a graded assignment is considered cheating and is strictly prohibited. Depending on age of student, level of severity or repetition, the administrator may utilize interventions, supports, and Level 2-4 disciplinary responses for this offense. Additionally, any violation will result in the device being confiscated and will result in the student’s loss of the privilege of possessing a cellular telephone or PED on school property for one (1) calendar year, and the student may receive a grade of zero (0) on the test or quiz.”

Terminology

Academic integrity violations fall under three main categories: Plagiarism, Cheating and Facilitating Academic Dishonesty.

Plagiarism is the intentional offering of the words, ideas, or computer data programs and/or graphics of others for one’s own in any academic exercise; or unacknowledged or falsely acknowledged presentation of another person’s ideas, expressions, or original research as one’s own work. Such an act often gives the reader the impression that the student has written or thought something that he or she has in fact borrowed from another.

Cheating is giving, receiving, or using, or attempting to give, receive, or use unauthorized assistance, information or study aids in academic work, or preventing or attempting to prevent another from using authorized assistance, information, or study aids and/or intentional actions taken to gain unfair or undue advantage over others.

Facilitating Academic Dishonesty/ Malpractice is the intentional help, or attempt to help, another student to violate any provision of this Code. This includes, but is not limited to, providing a copy of one’s work to another student and then copies the work as his/her own.

Summary

As our students strive to be principled learners, we hold high expectations of our students to act with integrity and honesty, including being academically honest. Academic dishonesty is unfair to other students, and demeaning to those who engage in it. Any student, staff or administrator may report a suspected honor violation. Students may also self-report honor code violations. Both schools also outline the Academic Integrity Policy in their own student handbook.

In an effort to help students to avoid academic dishonesty, North Atlanta has purchased access to turnitin.com for DP and CP students to check their work for possible plagiarism before submitting the work to the teachers. All DP and CP students also sign a ‘Declaration of Authenticity’ form that pledges to not commit any act of academic honesty in their classes as well in any work submitted to the IB.