To provide a safe and orderly environment conducive to learning, students need to follow school rules and procedures. When there is a parent/school partnership, children benefit. We urge you to talk with your child about the school wide rules and help your child understand why these rules are important.

SCHOOLWIDE RULES

· Speak respectfully to others. No teasing or name-calling! Writing must also be respectful.

· Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself. No fighting, Please!

· Follow directions from adults in charge the first time they are given.

· Walk everywhere in the building.

· Speak in soft voices. Please do not yell!

CONSEQUENCES

· Warning

· A time out, loss of special privileges or restricted recess area

· Parents contacted. Often the child will be expected to accept responsibility for his or her actions in a letter or a phone call to the parent.

· Referral to the principal for more severe consequences if misbehavior is frequent or severe. Consequences can include after school detention, missing special school events and parties, lunch in the classroom or office, time out in the office. Suspension from school will be used for severe behavior issues.

REWARDS

· Specific verbal praise.

· At the discretion of the principal and or the teachers, students may earn individual or group rewards to celebrate good behavior.

Students need to know that they are responsible for their actions and will be held accountable and also recognized for their behavior.

Parents and children need to know that certain behavior is always a punishable offense.

Students may never:

· Possess any knife, gun or other weapon. Please do not allow your child to bring toy weapons to school. We also encourage you to tell your child not to speak about violence, guns, or make any threats to other students.

· Destroy school property or the property of others.

· Bully, harass or threaten others. Please see the District Bullying Policy which is included with this Guidebook.

· Smoke on school grounds or possess tobacco or tobacco products.

· Possess or use alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs.

Classroom, lunch, and recess procedures will be taught to your child by the teachers in charge. Urge your child to follow these important directions and expectations.

We have found that electronic games, smart watches, or cell phones have become disruptive to the school learning environment. To preserve an appropriate school climate, we will not allow students to use these items during class recess or lunch. Please require your child to keep them at home.

Students may not use cell phones during school hours. Cell phones do not belong in school. If a child has a cell phone at school it must be turned off and invisible to teachers, staff and other students. If a teacher or staff member sees or hears a cell phone during school hours, it will be taken and sent to the office. Parents may come to school the next day to retrieve the phone.

While rewards and consequences can assist students who are learning to conform to school rules, procedures and expectations, our goal is to empower students with self-control. Since we initiated the Pro-social Skills Program, we have found that the behavior of our students improved dramatically. We believe that the strategies described below encouraged students to think before acting and then to act responsibly with self control.

A Prosocial Skills Overview

Behavioral psychology indicates that internal language is a key to self-control. The Prosocial Skills Program includes a five-step system that provides language to help students control impulses and make constructive choices. Initially, this language is externally impressed by teachers and visual icons. Through modeling, rehearsing, and application, this language is internalized by students and used to exercise self-control and social responsibility. The following is a list of the five steps and the rationale for each.

Stop and Think

Teachers say, “stop and think” to students behaving inappropriately. This message interrupts negative and impulsive behaviors. This prompt also aids self-control as students internalize and apply it themselves. For teachers, “stop and think” is a calm, rational, consistent response to challenging behaviors. It serves as an alternative to emotional responses such as yelling or being drawn into arguments with students.

Good Choice or Bad Choice

Teachers ask, “Are you going to make a good choice or a bad choice?” This question places responsibility for decisions squarely upon students. Power struggles and win or lose situations that are generated by student defiance are defused. It is made clear that consequences are derived from choices made by students.

Choices or Steps

Implementation of this part of the sequence varies according to need. Some students are helped to explore alternative choices. In other cases, students with social skill deficits are taught specific steps of social skills essential for school and interpersonal success. These steps are concrete and specific. For example, steps for listening are: 1. Feet on the floor. 2. Bottom on the chair. 3. Hands folded. 4. Eyes on the speaker. 5. Mind engaged. After the skill of listening has been taught, teachers find that even young children can gain their classmates’ attention with directions such as “Give me five.” (for the five steps of listening) or “I need listening.”

Just Do It!

Teachers say, “Just do it!” This message is intended to activate students and eliminate excessive verbiage regarding events and behavioral expectations. (Dr. George Batsche, originator of the five-step sequence, reports that he coined this slogan before Nike.)

How Did I Do?

This step is used for self-monitoring and self-evaluation. Students reflect upon the results of their choices and consider alternatives when needed.

In addition to this five-step sequence for addressing challenging student behaviors, the Prosocial Skills Program offers a problem-solving system that is adaptable to diverse student populations and applicable at classroom or building levels.

Based on the work of Dr. George Batsche; Adapted by Jerry McMullen, Ph.D.

Stop & Think – Good Choice or Bad Choice lets students think first to make good choices.