Academic Integrity Policy

Dogwood Mission:

Our mission is to develop a globally minded community enriched by differences, engaged in inquiry, and empowered to take action to impact the world.

Academic Integrity in FCPS

According to the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Students Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R), students are expected to be “honorable school citizens, taking credit only for work that is their own. Deliberately copying or using the work of others is considered cheating, plagiarism, or forgery. Students are prohibited from sharing work or from discussing assessments with others.” Additionally, “students are expected to use technology ethically, respect the privacy and work of others.” To be principled Dragons, kindergarten through sixth grade students are required to sign and comply with the SR&R.

Philosophy and Beliefs

As a Primary Years Programme (PYP) school, we believe that academic integrity is important to teach and reinforce. Students at Dogwood have the right to communicate their ideas and to receive instruction on how to cite sources. Dogwood staff and the school community (families, caregivers, and community members) are responsible for modeling and emphasizing how to honor others’ ideas.

At Dogwood, the International Baccalaureate (IB) learner profile attributes are the foundation of the PYP and are incorporated throughout all grade levels. These are used to define the important concepts of academic integrity. Dogwood students are taught to be:

Inquirers by utilizing learned skills to ask questions, conduct research, and find answers;
Knowledgeable by sharing their learning and applying it to solve problems;
Principled by taking responsibility for their actions and acting with integrity;
Open-Minded by learning about and honoring different perspectives;
Risk-takers by trying something new and defending their beliefs;
Communicators by articulating individual ideas, using a variety of resources, and sharing their knowledge clearly with others;
Thinkers by using critical and creative thinking skills to take action when solving problems effectively and fairly;
Balanced by supporting themselves mentally, physically, and emotionally;
Caring by showing respect and compassion through their actions;
Reflective by recognizing their strengths and opportunities for growth to support their learning.

Grade Level Expectations

Pre-Kindergarten	I can share where I got my ideas
Kindergarten	I can share where I got my ideas
1st Grade	With help, I can name the source where I got my information.
2nd Grade	With help, I can name the source where I got my information. I can explain the difference between plagiarism and using my own words when researching.
3rd Grade	I can share ideas in my own words. I can cite my sources using a fill in the blank form. I can explain the difference between plagiarism and using my own words when researching.
4th Grade	I can share ideas in my own words. I can cite my sources using a fill in the blank form. I can explain the difference between plagiarism and using my own words when researching.
5th Grade	I can share ideas in my own words. I can cite my sources.
6th Grade	I can share ideas in my own words. I can cite my primary and secondary sources.

Responsibilities of the Students

To be honest when completing their word
To be active participants in their collaborative groups
To evaluate and cite sources
To use technology in an appropriate way
To present their own original work
To explain, reflect, and improve if alleged violations of the academic integrity policy occur

Responsibilities of the Teachers

To model academic integrity
To incorporate experiences that allow students to learn and practice skills
To foster a collaborative environment that promotes trust and honesty
To recognize creative and original work

Responsibilities of the Administrators

To model academic integrity
To promote and communicate academic integrity policies with students, staff, and community members
To support staff in navigating alleged violations of the academic integrity policy
To recognize creative and original work

Responsibilities of the School Families, Caregivers, and Community Members

To reinforce the importance of academic integrity as a part of the learning process
To participate in conversations following repeated violations of the academic integrity policy
To recognize creative and original work

Resource Documents

Students Rights and Responsibility

Policy Review

In efforts to reflect the evolving work of our school, the Dogwood Academic Integrity Policy will be reviewed at least every three years by the PYP Leadership Team. All updates will be made public to our community including families, students, and staff.

Written Spring 2022
Reviewed again by Spring 2025