Trinity Honor Council

At Trinity School, our values and competencies guide students and faculty, setting a moral compass for our community. Central to this is the Honor Code, which states: "Because I believe that integrity is essential, I promise not to lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do." This code is the foundation of trust for every Trinity Charger. However, there are times when the Honor Code is violated. When this happens, the Trinity Honor Council steps in to determine the appropriate course of action.

The Trinity Honor Council is composed of eight upperclassmen: two seniors, two juniors, two sophomores, and two freshmen. These students are nominated by their teachers, and the finalists are selected by their peers. Once chosen, they serve for the remainder of their upper school years. Council members participate in a summer training session to ensure their decisions are grounded in the latest research and best practices and are in line with the values of Trinity School.

Appearing before the Honor Council is not meant to be pleasant, but it is designed to be more restorative than punitive. The Council's goal is not to judge a student's character but to address the specific action that brought the student to the meeting. When a potential Honor Code violation is identified, the concerned teacher discusses it with the Dean of Students. Together, they decide if the matter warrants a Council hearing.

During the hearing, the student is allowed to explain the circumstances of the alleged violation, while the teacher provides a statement detailing why they believe the Code was breached. After reviewing all the evidence, the Council recommends a consequence, which may include a letter of apology, a grade reduction, or a chance to complete a new assignment to demonstrate mastery of the material. The final decision on consequences rests with the Head of School, Mrs. Hammer.

The Honor Council process is private and confidential. A student's advisor accompanies them throughout the process, offering support and clarification as needed. The goal is for the experience to be a one-time learning opportunity within a supportive environment—one that helps students understand the importance of integrity before they face potentially more severe consequences in college or beyond.

 

Occasionally, the Council hears the evidence and determines that the Code was not broken by the student and, therefore, not in violation of the Trinity School Honor Code. While this is rare, it does happen and often centers around the use of technology. As we enter this new brave world of AI, faculty members and students are learning how best to navigate this new frontier. We will continue to hold all students accountable, but will also attempt to determine how AI and other new technologies can best serve our students. 

For Middle School students, it can be quite intimidating to appear before the Council. For this reason, the Council treats these incidents with great care and endeavors to use the opportunity to teach what is expected and appropriate for students at Trinity School. For those Middle School students who appear before the Council, a previous issue of integrity has likely occurred and their appearance before the Council is an attempt to remedy that behavior. Just as it is better to correct an issue with honesty before attending college, it is also better to remedy this behavior before Upper School. 

By empowering students to administer the Honor Code, we hope to encourage the entire student body to take ownership of the code and hold one another accountable. The goal is for each student to learn from their mistakes and move forward positively. As Hebrews 12:11 reminds us, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." This reflects the intended outcome of the Honor Code and Council process and the values of Trinity School.