NORTHFIELD CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION FILE CODE: 5127
Northfield, New Jersey Monitored
X Mandated
Policy X Other Reasons
PROMOTION ACTIVITIES
The Northfield City Board of Education endorses promotion activities and ceremonies. The date of promotion ceremonies shall annually be recommended by the Superintendent and approved by the board.
Guidelines for Promotion Activities
Student participation in special promotion activities will require conduct of the highest caliber in all school situations. Any student being academically placed (not promoted) in ninth-grade is not eligible to participate in promotion activities.
Additional criteria for exclusion from promotional activities may include, but are not limited to, consistent behavioral patterns such as:
- Consistent involvement in disciplinary action(s);
- Suspension;
The final decision shall be made by the Superintendent.
Students and parents/guardians shall be given advance notification of these criteria.
Promotion Procedures and Ceremonies
No student shall be barred from participation in promotion ceremonies for arbitrary or discriminatory reasons. If a student is prevented from participation, his/her parents/guardians shall be so notified in advance prior to the close of the school year.
When a student or his/her parents/guardians experiences financial hardship and is unable to pay the costs of participation in promotion ceremonies, the board shall assume the costs.
Financial hardship shall be defined by eligibility standards for free and reduced price meals under the state school lunch program.
The board reserves the right to deny participation in promotion activities when extreme circumstances warrant it. Such denial shall be treated in the same manner as a suspension and the student so affected shall be afforded the rights of review provided in policies of this board.
The board shall not prevent, or otherwise deny participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in any district school, consistent with guidance issued by the United States Department of Education and applicable judicial decisions interpreting the religion clauses of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Adopted: No Date
NJSBA Review/Update: November 2009; December 2010
Readopted: October 24, 2011
Revised: May 24, 2021
Key Words
Promotion Activities, Graduation Ceremonies
Legal References: N.J.S.A. 18A:7C-5.1 Boards of education prohibited from excluding students from graduation ceremony or from obtaining yearbook for inability to pay fees
N.J.S.A. 18A:11-1 General mandatory powers and duties
N.J.S.A. 18A:36-18 Books containing organic laws at graduation
N.J.S.A. 18A:37-2 Causes for suspension or expulsion of students
N.J.S.A. 18A:54-20 Powers of board (county vocational schools)
N.J.A.C. 6A:8-5.1 et seq. Implementation of Graduation Requirements
N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1 et seq. Student Conduct
Ballato v. Long Branch Board of Education, 1990 S.L.D. (August 20)
Lee v. Weisman, 112 S. Ct. 2649 (1992)
R.L. v. Kingsway Regional Board of Education, 95 NJAR2d (EDU) 296
D.C. v. Parsippany Troy Hills Board of Education, 96 NJAR2d (EDU) 697
DO’G v. Ridgefield Park Board of Education, 96 NJAR2d (EDU) 820
R.F. v. Park Ridge Board of Education, 97 NJAR2d (EDU) 1
American Civil Liberties Union v. Blackhorse Pike Regional Board of Education, 84 F. 3d 1471 (3d Cir. 1996)
Possible
Cross References: *5113 Absences and excuses
*5114 Suspension and expulsion
*5126 Awards for achievement
*5131 Conduct/discipline
*6111 School calendar
*6115 Ceremonies and observances
*6141.2 Recognition of religious beliefs and customs
*6146 Graduation requirements
*Indicates policy is included in the Critical Policy Reference Manual.