Redwood Elementary School-Wide Discipline Plan
Introduction
The foundation of Redwood’s Elementary school-wide discipline is based on an acknowledgement that students are at all different behavioral levels. We have a tendency to be impatient with students at low levels of behavior development when we would not be impatient with students at low levels in math or reading development. Truthfully, we should view behavior development similarly as we do other areas of development
Redwood’s discipline plan (and individual classroom plans) should largely be based upon positive reinforcement. Educators should be in a constant cycle of expecting, getting, and appreciating as follows:
Most breakdowns in desired outcomes result from a breakdown in this model. Surprisingly, many of the breakdowns actually happen in the Expect and Appreciate stages—both responsibilities of the educator. The students are then exclusively blamed for misbehavior somewhat unfairly.
Redwood will adopt the following general expectations:
Follow Directions First Time Given Keep Your Hands, Feet, and Other Objects to Yourself
(KYHFOOTY) Be On Task
These expectations will look different in all different settings. Teachers and administrators will explain, demonstrate, practice, and evaluate what these expectations look like in all different settings and situations of the school.
Granite School District’s Annette Brinkman has developed what she calls “The Big Eight.” These eight skills are based on the same expect-get-appreciate principle. The Big Eight are:
1. Expectations – Teacher ensures that students know what to do and when and how to do it. (What does it look like and sound like?)
2. Attention Prompts – Teacher uses prompts and position to focus students’ attention for instruction to follow. (Give signal, wait for 2-3 seconds of think time, give 2 specific positive cues, and then teach, but only if you have everyone’s attention.)
3. Proximity – Teacher moves purposefully around the classroom for maximum effect. (Give expectations, look, walk towards, cues, stand by student)
4. Cueing – Teacher uses positive, clear, and effective verbal cues to clarify, maintain, or re-direct activity. (“Thank you for . . .” “I like it when you . . .” “Good job . . .”
5. Signals – Teacher has students use kinesthetic, or non-verbal signals to indicate when they are ready, finished, or need help. (“I’ll know you are finished when I see . . .” “Give me a thumbs up when you find page . . .”
6. Time Limits – Teacher identifies and communicates specific times for beginning and completing tasks. (“You have __________ minutes to finish” “You will begin in ___________ seconds.”)
7. Tasking – Teacher focuses and sharpens students’ engagement through questioning strategies and purposeful and thought-provoking activities. (Questioning: Is everyone thinking and responding?)
8. Voice – Teacher uses positive, clear, effective tone, pitch, and diction. (Avoid too soft, too loud, monotone, “Shhhh!” “OK!”)
Hierarchy of Interventions
To address the behavioral needs of our students, Redwood will adopt the three-tier structure that follows:
Classroom management plans should be meeting the behavioral needs of 80% of the students (Tier I). 15% of the students will need supplementary intervention for their behavioral needs (Tier II). And, 5% will require intensive intervention help (Tier III).
To facilitate this proportional breakdown of behavior intervention, Redwood will adhere to the offense hierarchy on the following page:
REDWOOD ELEMENTARY OFFENSE HIERARCHY
Follow Directions ◊ KYHFOOTY ◊ Be On Task
Minor Misbehaviors
Handled by teacher
• Minor inappropriate physical contact
• Throwing paper
• Mistreating property
• Off task
• Bringing toys to school
• Eating candy or drinks in class
• Coming in late from recess
• Side talking
• Unprepared
• Running in school
• Teasing others
• Arguing with peers
• Talking out
• Breaking dress code
• Chewing gum
• Wearing hats/hoods
Sit Away Offenses
Handled by teacher
• Spitting/inappropriate contact of bodily fluids
• Throwing rocks/snowballs
• Participating in inappropriate contact (tackling, pushing, tripping, play fighting)
• Defiance towards an adult
• Swearing
• Lying
• Sliding on ice
• Backbiting, name calling, gossip
• Cheating
Office Referral
Refer to Principal
(Conference/White Slip)
• Bullying
• Sexual harassment
• Racial harassment
• Physical or verbal threats
• Bringing weapons, using items as weapons
• Bringing or using illegal substances
• Vandalizing
• Showing severe defiance or assaulting adults
• Using obscenities
• Stealing
• Fighting (causing bodily harm to another student)
A school-wide discipline plan must be consistent throughout the building. Such a plan empowers every staff member in the building to know exactly how to respond to inappropriate behavior and be confident the same actions are taking place in other classrooms. It helps us present a united front to both students and parents. To achieve the uniformity needed in a school-wide discipline plan, Redwood will use the following consequences for students who do not follow the school rules:
Sit Away Program:
o Warning – Student will receive a warning.
o Sit Away – Student will receive an appropriate in-class timeout.
o Cross-Class Sit Away – Student will have a fifteen-minute time away to another class, and fill out the grade-appropriate time away form. Teacher calls parent. Record in Educator’s Handbook.
o Office Referral – Student will receive a referral to the office. Any students referred to the office on account of chronic minor misbehavior should be sent with their time-away form. Parent will be contacted by the teacher. Infraction will be entered into Educators Handbook.
• Successful Recess – Students miss the very next recess after a recess of inappropriate behavior.
• In-school Suspension – The principal assigns half-day and full-day in-school suspensions as necessary to students for repeated inappropriate behavior. Students serve in-school suspension in partner teacher’s classrooms.
• School Conference – The principal contacts parents for a school conference to design a behavioral intervention plan. Teacher(s), the principal, the student, and the parents attend.
• Out-of-school Suspension – The principal may suspend a student from attending school for up to three days for serious violations of school or district policies.
• Referral to Alternative School Placement – If a student is involved in serious violent behavior that endangers the safety of others, the student may be referred to the district on a Safe-School Violation and be considered for placement in a different, more suitable school setting.
Cross-Class Sit Away
Student is sent to another classroom. Student completes a time away form. Student spends about 15-20 minutes. Three Cross-Class Sit Always automatically go to a severe problem.
Office Referral
An office-discipline referral should come as a result of bullying, sexual harassment, racial harassment, physical threats, verbal threats, bringing weapons, using items as weapons, bringing/using illegal substances, vandalizing, showing sever defiance/assaulting adults, using obscenities, stealing, or fighting (causing bodily harm to another student).
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To maintain as many positive reinforcements as possible, Redwood will use the following incentives for students who do follow the rules:
• RAM Tickets – Individual students can earn RAM tickets for following the school rules and for overall school effort. RAM ticket recipients will be turned into the office for a drawing once a week. These students will have their picture taken and displayed on the RAM Hall of Fame and will receive a special prize or treat from the main office.
• Redwood Student of the Month – One child per class is selected each month as the Student of the Month. These students will be announced to the student body and recognized on the bulletin board by the office.
• Token Tower- Individual students can earn a certificate for the token tower located in the office. The reason for the recognition is chosen by the teacher.
• Positive calls -Teacher or administrator will call home when student has a great day.
• Published Author-Teachers will pick a finished piece of writing from one student a month. The piece is displayed on the entrance bulletin board with the student’s picture. They take home a certificate and an incentive.