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Saints Life

Honor System

Cheryl Jackson Director, Middle School Academic Center

A break in the Honor Code can erode the health of a community. These violations make a community lose power and become weaker. So here is the most important thing to remember: Something powerful happens when a community does the right thing—together.

Living with Integrity

At St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School, emphasis is placed not only upon intellectual and physical development, but also upon the continued development of personal integrity. Established by students, the Honor System centers around the Honor Code, to which all students, faculty, and administrators pledge adherence at the beginning of each academic year. This common commitment promotes an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect, which is vital to each student's growth. By adhering to the Code, all students learn the value of honorable conduct and reap the benefits of living among honorable individuals.

The Honor Code

As a member of the St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School community,

I pledge that I will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.

The fundamental principle of the Honor Code is that all students must assume responsibility for their own actions, even those beyond the stated requirements of the Code. Therefore, it is expected that a sense of personal honor will direct a student's conduct in all aspects of school life.

Honor offenses are lying, cheating, and stealing. They are defined as follows:

Lying is deliberately presenting a false impression or giving false information to another person. Evasiveness falls under the category of lying.
Stealing is the taking of another person's property without right or prior acknowledgment. A student should never assume that it is acceptable to "borrow" any item from a community member without obtaining permission, even in the case of borrowing from a friend. Plagiarism falls under the category of stealing and is outlined in a subsequent section.
Cheating is deliberately giving or receiving any unauthorized information on examinations or assigned work; in general, cheating is passing off another's work as one's own. Collaboration, which is not permitted on any assignment unless a teacher explicitly states otherwise, is a form of cheating.

These definitions must be seen as guidelines for the student's benefit; they cannot be expected to cover all possible interpretations of honor offenses. If a student is ever uncertain as to what constitutes an Honor Code violation, he or she should ask a teacher or Honor Council member for help. Ignorance of what constitutes an honor offense is never an acceptable excuse.