LaphamElementary School

School-Wide Positive Behavior Plan

Our approach to positive school-wide behavior represents the fundamental values of Lapham Elementary School and is connected with each student’s right to a positive educational experience. We are committed to taking the responsibility for, and caring about, every child in the school community, and to building an environment where every child and adult feels welcomed, valued and connected to the school.

Our Guiding Beliefs: 

1.     We believe that all students and staff must be physically and emotionally safe if learning is to occur. 

2.     The responsibility for teaching students appropriate behavior that leads to self discipline must be shared by students, staff, administration and parents/guardians. 

3.     We believe that appropriate behavior must be clearly defined, taught, modeled, encouraged, supported, and recognized to achieve personal growth. 

4.     Responses to misbehavior will be developmentally appropriate and consistent throughout the school.

5.     We believe that establishing an appreciation of all cultures and developing positive relationships between staff and students is essential for students’ engagement and learning.

 Prevention: 

Proactive steps will be taken to promote a positive learning environment. These include the teaching of social skills, reinforcement of positive behavior and community building activities. For minor misbehaviors, teachers will use a variety of strategies, including acknowledging positives, humor, self-calming strategies, giving choices, redirecting, re-cueing and forms of “good” ignoring.

  

School-Wide Behavior Management Plan:

Positive Recognitions, Reinforcements, and Celebrations 

The most important component of our positive behavior initiative is an intentional plan to recognize, reinforce, and celebrate the kinds of behaviors we want to see in our students.  That is, we need to work together to ensure that students understand our positive expectations for their actions at least as much as they understand the rules and boundaries in the school system.  

At this point, the following ideas were brainstormed and are being proposed.  The ideas in italics are probably best implemented at the beginning of the school year, with continued reinforcement throughout the year.  

    Who is being recognized?

Text Box: What is the level of recognition?

Individual Student

Whole Classrooms

Recognized within the classroom

·        Classroom teachers and other staff employ different strategies using 4Bs and Kronenburg training.

 

 

 

 

·        Above the Line information, practice and activities.

 

 

School-wide recognitions

·        Monthly positive behavior and Life Skills Assemblies.

·        “Top Dolphin” recognition in assemblies.

·        Special lunch with principal.

·        “Turning it around” celebrations for students who have improved behaviors.

 

·        Recognition for classrooms who have exhibited Above the Line behavior on an ongoing basis.

·        Lunchroom Behavior awards at awards assembly.

 

   

    Other related ideas include:

·        Having a student group help in planning monthly positive school-wide celebrations based on the Above the Line behavior that is being focused on, tapping into their sense of meaningful and motivating events.  Be sure to include a diverse group of students.

·        Post Lapham ‘s version of the Above the Line, Below the Line, Bottom Line behavior triangle on each floor of the building.

·        Develop and post positive posters throughout the school to accentuate positive expectations.

·        Create a Bulletin Board outside of the Office focusing on our Above the Line behaviors.

·        Arrange opportunities for administration to discuss and practice Above the Line behavior in the classroom within the first few weeks of school and revisit quarterly or more frequently as needed.                                 

 School-Wide Behavior Management Plan: Responses to Misbehaviors 

The reactive component of the Plan consists of three levels of rule infractions and consequences. The list of possible infractions is not exhaustive, but includes common misbehaviors in both classroom and non-classroom settings.  Both general staff and administration has protocols where ways of responding are detailed at each level. The protocol also attempts to clarify the procedures staff should follow before referring a student to the Student Support Team.

An important part of our response to misbehavior includes the piece of restorative practical consequences. There will be a FIX IT PLAN written with each level 2 and level 3 misbehavior. The student will work with an involved staff member to make decisions regarding reentry to the ongoing activity or the classroom. 

In determining the consequences of the more serious misbehaviors (Level 3 or Bottom Line), MMSD policies on suspension and expulsion will be used by the administrators.

 

Acronyms used within this document include:

·        BIP (Behavior Intervention Plan) – Per the individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 1997) some students with disabilities have alternative behavior plans to and regular school code of conduct.  These are part of a student’s individual education plan (IEP).

·        ISS (In-School Suspension) – Suspensions where student placement is in the school building.

·        OSS (Out-of-School Suspension) – Suspensions where student placement is out of the school building.

·        Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD).

Student Support Team (SST) Roles and Assignments: 

As part of the School-Wide Behavior Management Plan, the SST plays a critical role as an intervention team when behaviors fall in the Level 2 and 3 categories of the Plan. The model is based upon the following roles: 

·        Two staff assigned the responsibility of transporting students to the designated room or covering for a teacher that will help transport the student.

·        Team member will process the incident with the student and help the student create a fix-it plan to provide restitution for the misbehavior.

LEVEL 1

These misbehaviors will result in the student being talked to by staff.  If the behavior is repeated, the response to the misbehavior increases in severity. 

 

MISBEHAVIORS

Classroom Misbehaviors:

·         Refusing to follow directions, rules, expectations, but not disrupting others’ learning.

·         Inappropriate physical behavior (play-fighting, rough-housing)

·         Messes/damage which can be cleaned up or repaired

·         Not keeping hands and feet to oneself.

·         Inappropriate clothing

·         Theft of less than $5

·         Tardiness coming back from bathrooms etc.

·         Not respecting others’ property

·         Inappropriate language (epithets, swearing and slang not directed at a student or staff)

·         Inappropriate volume (screaming, yelling)

·         Not following individual classroom rules

·         Dishonesty

Non-Classroom Misbehaviors

·         Refusing to follow directions, rules, and expectations of staff.

·         Running in the hallway

·         Inappropriate physical behavior (play-fighting, rough housing and chasing)

·         Inappropriate language (epithets, swearing and slang not directed at a student or staff)

·         Inappropriate volume (screaming, yelling)

·         Inappropriate clothing (see handbook)

·         Having electrical equipment or toys  

·         Littering

·         Inappropriate lunchroom behavior (throwing food, pushing in line, not cleaning up, loud voices, etc.)

·        Playing in the bathroom.

CLASSROOM TEACHER/STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES

Classroom Misbehaviors:

·         Teach and practice strategies when possible (role playing, brainstorming).

·         Offer a chance to “recycle” the behavior (redo it the correct way)

·         Talk to student, identifying misbehaviors, and redirect.

·         I f the misbehavior continues, require the student to choose between a fix-it plan or a consequence. (A fix-it plan is a collaborative process, a consequence is imposed upon the student.)

·         Make sure the consequences match the misbehavior as much as possible.

·         When needed, communicate with grade level team, support staff, caseworker, or administrator to gain support/discuss strategies.

·         Communicate with home when appropriate.

·         Once the first 6 steps have been done and the misbehavior persists or student continually fails to follow through, see LEVEL 2 infraction on next page. 

Non-Classroom Misbehaviors:

·         Talk to student, identifying misbehaviors, and redirect.

·         If applicable, take away inappropriate objects (food, electronic equipment, toy).     If behavior is repeated, refer behavior to support staff and notify student’s classroom teacher. Support staff follows the sequence outlined for classroom misbehaviors.

 

ADMINISTRATOR/SS TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES/ STUDENT CONSEQUENCES

Classroom Misbehaviors:  None

Non-Classroom Misbehaviors: None

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEVEL 2

These misbehaviors are more serious because they are repetitive, they are disruptive to the learning process, or they may have potential for harm.  Staff members will refer students to the administrator/SST and provide detailed information on the referral form.

MISBEHAVIORS

Harassment (sexual or otherwise) will be subject to the policies and procedures spelled out in MMSD policy and the student code of conduct.

Classroom Misbehaviors

·         Not “paying” the consequences resulting from a LEVEL 1 infraction

·         Being verbally threatening or physically aggressive with others (hitting, kicking, tripping others, throwing objects)

·         Leaving class without permission

·         Defiantly refusing to comply resulting in a disruption to others' learning

·         Permanent damage to property

·         Substitute teacher/guest speaker infractions

·         Leaving school building or grounds without permission.

·         Bullying

·         Inconsolable temper tantrum

 

 Non-Classroom Misbehaviors

·         Not “paying” the consequences resulting from a LEVEL 1 infraction

·         Being verbally (swearing) or physically (hitting, kicking, tripping others, throwing objects) aggressive with others

·         Permanent damage to property

·         Refusing to comply when asked their names/running away from an adult who wants to talk to them (this misbehavior shall be considered severe)

·         Inappropriate  bathroom behaviors (peeing on the walls)

CLASSROOM TEACHER/ STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES/ STUDENT CONSEQUENCES

Classroom Misbehaviors:

·         Talk to student – tell him/her why they are being referred.

·         Call office for student pick-up.

·         Complete Behavior Referral Form.

·         Communicate with support staff to determine who will contact home that day to provide details.

Non-Classroom Misbehaviors:

·         Talk to student – tell him/her why they are being referred.

·         If behavior is serious, escort student to designated room or seek assistance from office/colleagues.

·         Send completed Behavior Referral Form to office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADMINISTRATOR/SS TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES/ STUDENT CONSEQUENCES

Classroom/Non-Classroom Misbehaviors: 

1.        Staff/Administrator will review Behavior Referral Form and may consult with administrator or other support staff.

2.        For EEN students, review BIPs, and hold student until consultation with caseworker.

3.        Contact family on same day of misbehavior, if possible.

4.        If appropriate, work to mediate situation, provide means of restitution, or reinforce a positive problem-solving strategy.

5.        Staff will return students to the classroom to assist in reintegrating student back into classroom activities.

6.        For incidences of harassment and fighting the administrator. pupil service team, classroom teacher and referring staff and parent may create a plan to assist student(FBA, BIP, etc) 

7.        If misbehavior is severe or repeated, ISS/ may be administered, with reentry contingencies clearly communicated.

8.        If misbehavior is extremely severe or repeated, recommendation for expulsion may occur.

9.        Communicate outcome with referring staff member.

 

 

LEVEL 3

These misbehaviors are of the most serious nature (part of the zero-tolerance plan).  The consequences for these behaviors will be suspension and/or recommendation for expulsion.  Depending on the nature and severity of the misbehavior, criminal charges may be filed with the Madison Police Department.

 

SCHOOL-WIDE MISBEHAVIORS 

·        Swear at or threaten a staff member

·        Hit a staff member

·        Verbally or physically aggressive with a staff member

·        Possess a weapon or use or threaten to use a weapon (penknives are classified as weapons)

·        Endangering the safety of self and others

·        All 300-400 level infractions that are part of the MMSD student code of conduct

 

STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES/ STUDENT CONSEQUENCE

Call office for immediate removal.

Send Behavior Referral Form to the office.Make sure administrator/support Team has complete referral as soon as possible.

ADMINISTRATOR/SS TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES/ STUDENT CONSEQUENCES

 

Staff with review Behavior Referral Form and consult with principal.

For EEN students, review BIPs, and hold student until consultation with case manager.

Contact family on same day as misbehavior.

In school/out of school suspension students for 1-3 days (longer suspensions for more severe behaviors or repetitive problems)

Create and communicate reentry plan that  includes restitution with student, parent/guardian, classroom teacher and other involved staff before student returns to classroom.

Recommendation for expulsion as per MMSD policy.

Communicate outcome with referring staff member.