We are going to Implement school wide expectations and teach positive behaviors.
Our core expectation and school motto is Respectful Attitude Meek Spirit. We will set behavioral expectations that are in line with this motto for the classroom, hallway, vehicles, and cafeteria and post these throughout the school and in all classrooms. Staff and students need to be taught and reminded of these expectations through modeling, and lessons throughout the year. This will reinforce these expectations. Every announcement will end with our school motto. Students must never forget that they are RAMS. VPSAVE200
1. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
2. Display the character traits of Christ.
3. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
4. Show respect for all staff and students.
5. Show respect for school property and keep our school clean.
6. Accept responsibility for your actions and learn from your mistakes.
7. Be in your classroom and prepared to learn by 8am.
8. Take pride in doing more than the minimum.
9. Wear your proper school uniform.
10. Show your school spirit.
The introduction of peer mediators.
We will train student volunteers to mediate incidents involving their peers. For example, a peer might intercede in a situation where a student is referred to the office for being disrespectful or perhaps for using inappropriate language. At this age, it helps students to have someone who understands where they’re coming from. This allows them to feel like they have someone who can relate to them and will make it easier for the student involved in the disciplinary action to calm down quickly. Sometimes kids, simply by being able to relate to someone their own age, will be able to defuse a situation quickly.
We need to have fun with creative rewards.
How you earn RAMS bucks
Our students will earn “RAMS bucks,” paper money with a picture of our school mascot, as a reward for positive behavior, like saying kind words to someone in the hallway or helping another student solve a difficult english or math problem. All students have to do is follow our Respectful Attitude Meek Spirit motto. Teachers and other staff members hand out one dollar bills. When students earn enough money, they can shop in the “Thicket” (our school store). It was in the thicket that Abraham and Isaac found their best blessing, the RAM. Our students will be rewarded for their faithfulness by receiving something from the thicket. They can buy everything from school supplies to apparel, hats, t-shirts, toys and games. I am willing to invest in this program so it is imperative that we do our best to give it a solid try and effort.
We will assign student mentors.
Students that we find that are struggling with behavior will be paired with mentor volunteers. These volunteers will be background checked teachers, parents, and church members that have a desire to help children succeed. Once a mentor has been assigned to a student the mentor will come in during school throughout the day and meet with the student one on one. This will give them an opportunity to open up and share what they're going through and whats on their mind.
Student behavior contracts.
These are customized behavior contracts that each student will be a part of creating. Each student will be asked to recognize at least 2, 3 at the most, areas that they may struggle with in the area of behavior. Included with the potential behavior struggle will be a help. Something that the student can use to help keep them focused and on track with their goal of bettering their behavior. Students will then sign the contract. They as well as the teacher will get to keep a copy. When needing to discipline teachers/staff can reference the students individual behavior contract.
Teach social and emotional skills.
The reality that I am learning is this; students simply don’t know how to act and react socially or emotionally very well. For most of our students this is something that they have never been taught. We will spend time each day having an advisory period class teaching students the proper way to handle themselves in social situations. For elementary this will occur at the teachers discretion. For middle/high school this will happening during the period of time from 2:20-3:10.
Work through minor incidents.
I want teachers to really learn and understand the difference between what warrants a “CAN” (corrective action notice) and what warrants an automatic referral. When a student misbehaves, we file a “CAN” and then follow a series of steps to address the issue i.e. the steps listed above. The first time a student doesn’t follow UBIC Academy’s motto Respectful Attitude Meek Spirit, the teacher/staff member gives the student a “CAN” and records the notice on the MySchoolWorx discipline tab. The second time the teacher might have lunch with the student. Not a silent lunch but eat lunch with the student. Open a dialogue about what is causing them to act out and review their helps from their behavior contract. At this time a teacher/staff member might want to notify the parents, as well as documenting the incident on the MySchoolWorx discipline tab. If there’s a third incident, the student is referred to the administrators office to meet with the student and phone home. If necessary they will be issued detentions, suspensions, or a dismissal.
Remember that this process is for subjective forms of behavioral issues/concerns. Concrete issues will still result in standard disciplinary actions i.e. stealing, cheating, gum chewing fighting, bullying etc…