Parent/Guardian Expectations

SCHOOLWIDE FOUR-STEP SUPPORT CONTINUUM

Step 1: Teach & Reteach Expectations and Academic Content

When staff notices that a student is struggling with content and/or behavioral issues, the teacher or staff member will contact the student to ensure that the student is aware of the expectations and determine if there are any supports needed to help the student. If the need is academic, the teacher or staff member will initiate support for the student or inform the appropriate teacher or staff member to follow-up with the student for re-teaching and/or other intervention and monitor progress and advancement.

Step 2: Intervention Coordinator (Document Behaviors - minor/major)

If expectations are still not being followed after it is clear the student understands the expectations, a series of interventions are available for use and can be accessed by contact with the Intervention Coordinator. Interventions are designed to provide immediate feedback to the student about their behavior or academic situation and provides an opportunity for the student to make changes to find success in the future.

Step 3: Parental Intervention

If school interventions do not help or change behavior, parents will be contacted to enlist additional support. Often, involving parents through phone calls, email, and virtual meetings produces the desired result much more effectively than what can be accomplished just as a school. If parents have concerns and would like to request additional supports, please contact the school.

Step 4: School Leadership Team Intervention

Whereas classroom and school-wide interventions are immediate and made by individuals, team interventions take time and are made by more than one staff member. These interventions include developing a positive behavioral or academic intervention plan, documenting interventions, brainstorming solutions, and sharing information. It can also lead to more formal interactions, starting with a parent meeting to start the process of completing an in-depth plan.

APPROPRIATE USE OF ELECTRONIC LEARNING PLATFORMS

1. Adults may assist with technical needs of the students, information about where or how to find information, brainstorms or ideas to trigger student creation, and/or prompts for encouragement, etc.

2. Adults may not do any work nor provide any content for a student that is designed to demonstrate student learning.

3. Adults may not help students on any assessments, including quizzes, pre-tests, end of semester tests or any other type of assessment meant to identify a student's understanding of the material.

CYBERBULLYING AND HARASSMENT

Cyberbullying and harassment will not be tolerated in any form and will be reported to the applicable agency. Oregon anti-bullying laws include the following definitions of bullying or harassing behavior ORS § 339.351 (2009):

(1) “Cyberbullying” means the use of any electronic communication device to harass, intimidate or bully

(2) “Harassment, intimidation or bullying” means any act that:

(a) Substantially interferes with a student’s educational benefits, opportunities or performance;

(b) Takes place on or immediately adjacent to school grounds, at any school-sponsored activity, on school-provided transportation or at any

official school bus stop;

(c) Has the effect of:

(A) Physically harming a student or damaging a student’s property;

(B) Knowingly placing a student in reasonable fear of physical harm to the

student or damage to the student’s property; or

(C) Creating a hostile educational environment, including interfering with the

psychological well-being of a student; and

(d) May be based on, but not be limited to, the protected class status of a person.

Being a good citizen means standing up to what is wrong. If we do that, harassment will end. Students need to tell an adult if you know or have heard of a dangerous situation.

It is important that students understand that as tempting as it is to be mean back, getting even with someone for their bad behavior does not help, is not allowed, and that student will also face consequences. It is never, ever, okay to pick on other students or staff, call names, or purposely make other students feel bad. Harassment of any nature will result in disciplinary action.

Examples of harassment include: name-calling; making threatening statements; spreading rumors or lies; lying to an adult about something someone did to get them in trouble; saying nasty, obscene, or mean things; making unkind remarks about a person’s parents, family or friends; calling someone fat, short, stupid, etc.; or referring to a race, gender, orientation or other things in a mean way to hurt others.

TRUANCY

It is the expectation of our school that parents/guardians do everything in their power to make sure their student(s) is logging into their learning platform, attending online meetings and communicating with staff on a consistent, weekly basis.

STUDENT/PARENT RESPONSES TO INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR

Remember, bullies pick on others because they think they can get away with it. As soon as they are discovered and found out, they will stop. Take a stand against harassment by not harassing anyone yourself and speaking up for yourself or your friends to be harassed.

1. First, ask the student to stop and tell them that you do not like what they did.

2. If it happens again, ask the student to stop and state that you do not like what they did. Warn them you will tell an adult.

3. If the problem still does not go away, write down your concern and seek help from an adult.

Identify behaviors that make you uncomfortable and see which category they fall into because there is a difference between rude, mean, and bullying:

● Rude: is unintentionally hurtful one time

● Mean: is intentionally hurtful one time

● Bullying: is intentionally hurtful over and over or doesn’t stop when asked

When someone is rude, students are often able to work it out themselves. When someone is mean, the student should decide if it is a big deal or a little deal. If it is a big deal, they should tell a staff member. When someone is bullying, students are expected to immediately get an adult involved.

Students need to tell a school staff member as soon as possible if an incident that involves harm happens, or if they believe bullying is happening to them or someone they know. We can only act when we have information.

If you believe your child is being bullied:

1. Find out which staff member your student has talked to. Gather all information that your student has told you about the bullying.

2. Contact the teacher or administration and let them know what you/your student believe is happening.

3. Give us time to investigate. While we cannot update you with the exact consequences a student receives, we can talk your student through the process. We take bullying behavior very seriously and want to make sure we have all information before acting.

4. We will contact you and give your student a plan outlining exactly what to do if something else happens.

5. If you believe that the bullying is still continuing after steps 1-4, set up an appointment with the school. Please provide all documentation related to the bullying.

Throughout the year, our staff teach lessons to all students on a variety of social/emotional growth topics, including bullying and harassment. These lessons are delivered by faculty or administration and are supported throughout the school environment. We appreciate when parents advocate for their students. However, we cannot do anything about specific bullying incidents if we don’t know about it. If your student hasn’t told us about it yet, please be patient as we work through the information you give us and we do everything we can to keep your student safe.