Philosophy

To ensure an atmosphere of integrity and mutual respect, the students and faculty of Lake Highland Preparatory School have established the Highlander Honor Code. We wish to encourage academic honesty by developing a personal sense of integrity and individual responsibility among our students. Our students achieve their greatest potential when character growth accompanies academic growth.

We seek to foster a community with standards of conduct above reproach and to evaluate students on the basis of their own decisions and actions. The goal of the Code is to encourage personal responsibility, individual integrity, and school pride.

In order to provide students with a better understanding of the behaviors addressed by the Highlander Honor Code, the following general information is provided. It is not possible to note every behavior that may be interpreted as an Honor Code infraction. We hereby attempt to inform students of the spirit and intent of the Honor Code and to challenge our students to honor the full intent of the Code.

---

Lower School and Middle School Honor Code violations will be managed by the Deans of Students and administrators as they deem appropriate in each individual case.

Upper School Honor Code violations, when referred by the Dean of Students, will be adjudicated by an Honor Council. The Honor Council shall be composed of three faculty members appointed by the Upper School Director and four students. The four students will be drawn from a pool of jurors as each case is referred to the Honor Council. The Honor Council Jury Pool will be composed of 9-12th grade students whose applications have been screened by the faculty and approved by the Upper School Director. The Honor Council may appoint a faculty/student panel of investigators if a case referred by the Dean of Students requires further investigation to discover all the facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged violation.

The Honor Council shall make findings on the factual issue of whether the alleged Honor Code violation occurred. The standard of proof shall be “clear and convincing evidence.” All proceedings are confidential and all decisions or recommendations are made in closed sessions by a vote of at least five of the seven members. The rights of the accused, including the right to have a faculty advisor present at the hearing, shall be guarded and enumerated in the Highlander Honor Code Procedures Manual governing the deliberations of the Honor Council. Findings and recommendations are forwarded to the Upper School Director for disposition. Any appeal of the penalty imposed should be addressed to the President of LHPS, whose decision shall be final.

---

Minimum penalties: For a first offense, a one-day out- of-school suspension, which is reportable to colleges, a three-week suspension from extracurricular activities, a zero on the assignment, and a one-year suspension from National Honor Society. A second offense will result in the same penalties except the suspension will be for three days and disqualification from National Honor Society will be permanent. Additional penalties such as removal from a school-elected office will be considered by the Court. A third offense will result in expulsion.

---

If a Highlander observes what he or she believes is a violation of the Honor Code, the Highlander is honor-bound to act in one of three ways:

• Speak to the suspected violator and encourage him either to turn himself in to the Dean of Students or to cease immediately his suspect actions.
• Ask the Dean of Students to notify the suspected violator that a fellow student, whose identity is protected, has asked that he or she be officially warned that his or her actions are causing suspicion, and if continued, could result in an Honor Code violation investigation.
• Report the suspected violation to the Dean of Students for investigation if the suspected violator ignores the warning and if the suspect actions are repeated or flagrant. The Dean will then make a referral to Honor Council for adjudication.

Failure to take one of the three actions outlined above is, in and of itself, violation of the Highlander Honor Code. A society of honorable men and women is a self-policing one.

To paraphrase Edmund Burke: all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men and women do nothing.

---

• I will always be truthful and never consciously misrepresent a fact with the intent to deceive or to obtain special consideration or privilege.
• I will not accept help from, or give help to, another student during a test, graded assignment, or homework assignment, unless collaboration is specifically authorized by the teacher.
• I will not use notes, books, electronic devices, or other unauthorized materials during a test or quiz unless instructed to do so by a teacher.
• I will complete and submit my own work.
• When I am instructed to use outside sources of information, I will cite them properly and not represent them as my own ideas. I understand the following definition of plagiarism:

to produce the work of another, in whole or in part, with the intent to receive credit for it as if it were one’s own work.

• I will treat all fellow students, faculty, staff, and administrators with dignity and respect. I will be civil to others and will not treat others with contempt or with prejudice.
• I will not take the property of another student or the property of LHPS without consent.
• I will protect the property of LHPS and will not litter or vandalize the school.

---