What to Do if Your Child Has Been Expelled: Sacred Heart Academy

Student Discipline at Sacred Heart Academy

"Sacred Heart Academy’s primary concern is the student and her growth, and as such, Sacred Heart Academy seeks to provide all students with an environment conducive to academic endeavor, social growth and self-discipline. Sacred Heart Academy will apply formal investigatory procedures when appropriate, impose disciplinary sanctions on a student when it believes her conduct has interfered with the health, safety or other rights of any community member or otherwise violated explicit policy or reflected poorly on Sacred Heart Academy and its ideals. Discipline is not intended to punish; Sacred Heart Academy further seeks through behavior modification and feedback to develop students’ problem-solving skills in personal and academic matters."

Disciplinary Action and Investigatory Procedure

A student accused of violating the Honor Code, accused of academic dishonesty or violating a code of student conduct will undergo an investigation in accordance with the following procedures:

• The person who observed the alleged violation will report the accusation in writing to the Dean of Students who will inform the student and her family of the accusation.
• The student will be permitted within 24 hours of receiving notice of the accusation to respond to the accusation in writing to the Dean of Students.
• The Dean of Students, after reviewing the written accusation and response (if any) will in his sole discretion make a determination whether the student has committed an honor or conduct violation. However, in so making his determination, the Dean of Students may call a meeting of the administrators to discuss if the contemplated consequence of the violation will be suspension or expulsion from Sacred Heart Academy.
• In addition to considering written report(s) of the violation and the student’s response, the administrators may call confidential witnesses to the alleged behavior. The 24 administrators will make a decision about whether a violation has been committed and what discipline will be imposed.
• Sacred Heart Academy strictly prohibits retaliation by a community member due to the making of an accusation of misconduct, a finding of guilt or innocence in respect thereof, or participating in an investigation thereof. Concerns of actual or threatened retaliation should be reported to the Dean of Students at once.

Disciplinary Consequences

• Academic
• Detention
• Probation
• Suspension
• Expulsion

Read more about student discipline at Sacred Heart Academy in the student handbook here: https://www.sacredhearthamden.org/uploads/application/files/final-student-handbook-for-2023-2024-9_11_23.pdf

Contact Us

If your child is facing suspension, discipline or expulsion from a private or public school in Connecticut, your child has rights. You should protect those rights by hiring an experienced education law attorney. Often, but not always, disciplinary charges may be accompanied by an arrest or criminal investigation. The sooner you hire a lawyer, the better off your child will be in terms of ensuring the protection of rights, and the ultimate outcome. Your child will achieve the best outcome with an experienced Connecticut Expulsion Attorney, who can try to reduce the expulsion to a stipulated agreement or dismissal of charges altogether. The experienced Connecticut Expulsion Law attorneys at Maya Murphy, P.C. can help you and your child navigate the difficult and emotional process of an expulsion proceeding.

When a child violates a school policy - even if off school grounds - the violation can sometimes rise to the level of an expulsion from private or public school. An expulsion can negatively impact a child’s educational and emotional success. It can also sometimes affect college admissions if not handled by an experienced Connecticut Education lawyer familiar with handling expulsions and suspensions.

At Maya Murphy, P.C. we only represent students and families, we never represent school districts against students. We are available 7 days a week to answer questions; if it is important to you, it is equally important to us. We can assist your child with any education related needs including special education, suspension, discipline, expulsion, and criminal or juvenile criminal charges. You can contact one of our experienced Education Law Attorneys in Connecticut directly by calling (203) 221-3100 in Connecticut, or (212) 682-5700 in New York. You can also email Joseph Maya, the Managing Partner directly at JMaya@mayalaw.com.

Maya Murphy P.C. has proudly been included in the 2024 Edition of Best Law Firms®, ranked among the top firms in the nation. In addition, Managing Partner Joseph C. Maya has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 for his work in Employment Law and Education Law in Connecticut. Recognition in Best Lawyers® is awarded to firms and attorneys who demonstrate excellence in the industry and is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor.

Our firm in Westport, Connecticut serves clients with legal assistance all over the state, including the towns of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bethel, Branford, Bridgeport, Brookfield, Cheshire, Danbury, Darien, Derby, East Haven, Easton, Fairfield, Greenwich, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, Middlebury, Milford, Monroe, Naugatuck, New Canaan, New Fairfield, New Haven, Newton, North Branford, North Haven, Norwalk, Orange, Oxford, Prospect, Redding, Ridgefield, Seymour, Shelton, Sherman, Southbury, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull, Wallingford, Waterbury, West Haven, Weston, Westport, Wilton, and Woodbridge. In addition to assisting clients in Connecticut, our firm handles education law matters in New York as well.

If you have any questions about education law in Connecticut or would like to speak to an attorney about a legal matter, please contact Joseph C. Maya and the other experienced attorneys at Maya Murphy, P.C. at (203) 221-3100 or JMaya@Mayalaw.com to schedule a free initial consultation today.