Honor Code

Peninsula Catholic High School functions on the premise of mutual trust and respect between all members of our community. Students are expected to demonstrate integrity and individual responsibility, both personally and academically, in order to maintain a fair and honest environment. Students are asked to commit themselves to uphold Peninsula Catholic’s Honor Code at all times. The Honor Code is based on the belief that honor and integrity are important character traits we should live by at all times.  

Honor Code Pledge

“On my honor, I will not cheat, lie, or steal, nor tolerate those who do.”

On written assignments, students affirm: “I abide by the Honor Code” with their signature.

Honor Code Council

The Honor Code Council is divided into two sub-Councils (Council A and Council B), each consisting of eight voting members; six students and two adults. Each school year, class officers and faculty members recommend students with a 2.0 academic average or higher to serve on the Honor Code Council for the current school year. Additionally, interested students may self-nominate with a teacher's recommendation on his/her behalf to be considered for the Honor Code Council.  All nominated students are then asked to complete an application.

Faculty members on the Honor Code Council review applications and select the final six student members of each Honor Code sub-Councils, A and B. These twelve students will serve on the Honor Code Council, in Council A or Council B, for the entire school year. 

Members of the Honor Code Council are expected to serve as a model for honorable behavior, attend all required administrative hearings, and maintain strict confidentiality. Any member of the Honor Code Council who discharges their duties negligently, habitually ignores school regulations, or becomes involved in a disciplinary action will be required to resign.

Honor Code Violations

The following unacceptable behaviors are considered a violation of the Honor Code. 

Cheating is defined as submitting for credit as one’s own, someone else’s work obtained either in or out of school; giving or receiving from another student unauthorized assistance in the preparation of that work for credit, and using any unauthorized materials in the preparation of work for credit.

Attempted Cheating is defined as the attempt to accomplish any of the above.

Plagiarism is defined as submission of work copied directly from any source whatsoever that is not properly enclosed in quotation marks and acknowledged by parenthetical documentation and/or in the Works Cited; paraphrasing and/or restating an author’s original idea that is not acknowledged by parenthetical documentation and/or in the Works Cited.

Lying is defined as the willful and knowledgeable telling of an untruth and any other form of deceit, be it oral or written. This includes but is not limited to lying to administration and faculty members; forging or falsifying any official school document (i.e. progress report, detention slip, etc.); lying to Honor Code Council members during investigations and/or hearings.

Stealing is defined as taking or appropriating, without permission to do so, any property belonging to any member of the Peninsula Catholic High School community, property located on the school grounds, and property belonging to members of another school while they are visiting PC or while PC is a guest at their school.

Toleration is defined as the knowledge and acceptance of any of the above (i.e. cheating, attempted cheating, plagiarism, lying, and stealing). A student has an obligation to inform any faculty member, administrative authority, or adult member of the Honor Code Council within three school days. Failure to do so is considered toleration, which is itself a violation of the honor code.