2009 – 2010
Yates Elementary
“Positive Behavior Supports”
(Student Code of Conduct)
Dear Parents,
It is with great pleasure that we welcome your child to Yates Elementary! We can all look forward to an exciting and rewarding school year. In order to provide our students with the excellent educational climate they deserve, a school-wide plan for success entitled “Positive Behavior Supports” (Student Code of Conduct) has been developed that will be in effect at all times.
It is in your child’s best interest that we work together with regard to his/her education. Your child’s teacher will keep you informed about his/her progress in their class, and we ask you to contact them if they can be of any assistance. This plan has already been discussed with your child. We ask your support by reviewing it with him/her before signing and returning this page. Please keep this plan to refer to throughout the school year.
Sincerely,
Yates Faculty and Staff
________________________________________________________________________
Please return this entire page to your child’s teacher!
I have read and discussed the school-wide “Positive Behavior Supports” with my child. I look forward to hearing from his/her teacher about his/her progress. I also will expect to see his/her Student Behavior Record (SBR) weekly. It will be signed and returned to school on the following day. Together, we will celebrate my child’s growth in appropriate classroom interaction and behavior.
Teacher’s Name__________________________________________________
Child’s Signature_________________________________________________
Parent’s Signature________________________________________________
1 of 8GOAL OF OUR PLAN
Yates Elementary seeks to provide a safe and equal learning opportunity for each of its students.
Our school must be free from disruption that would interfere with the teachers’ rights to teach and the students’ rights to learn. Yates Elementary will not tolerate behavior that disrupts or interferes with the education of other students.
We will offer assistance to parents and guardians in the forms of counseling, peer mediation, and other school and community resources in order to ensure a safe and hospitable environment.
Using “Positive Behavior Supports” allows us to keep our school focused on rewarding outstanding behavior and minimizing the negative.
Students are responsible for understanding and adhering to these “Positive Behavior Supports” (Code of Conduct). Parents are responsible for helping students understand and follow these policies and for recognizing that unacceptable behavior will be subject to disciplinary action. As parents, you have expressed a desire for better communication regarding misbehavior before it becomes a serious problem. The staff at Yates agrees and is responding with an individual Student Behavior Record (SBR). This record will give you the information you need as a parent, on a weekly basis, to assist in behavior intervention. Students will be rewarded for positive and appropriate behavior.
The staff looks forward to recognizing and celebrating with the many students who exhibit proper behavior and interact positively at school. We value your involvement as a parent. Together, we make a team!
REWARDS
Your child will have opportunities to be recognized for positive behavior daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and end of year special trip. Yates Elementary seeks to honor these students as frequently as possible and, with your help, to continually reinforce the demonstration of quality character attributes.
Examples of rewards include:
Classroom store Recognition on the Morning Show
Reward cook-out ABC Reward Zone
Positive letter home Award ribbons
Lunch with administrators/teacher/counselor Mystery Events
HOW THE PLAN WILL WORK
The Student Behavior Record (SBR) will be used by all teachers/staff who work with the child. Each child will have his/her own SBR. The SBR will reflect work habits and social development. Specific behaviors needing improvement will be checked. This information will help parents and teachers to communicate and provide appropriate discipline. All SBR’s will be sent home weekly for parent signatures. The SBR’s will have another section where the students who choose to follow the rules will receive a stamp or sticker at the end of each week. Those students who meet a monthly and quarterly goal will again be rewarded.
Specific Guidelines:
- Students with no behaviors checked for needing impovement for the week in their SBR’s will receive a reward from their teacher.
- SBR’s will be sent home weekly, but can be sent home at other times at the teacher’s discretion to be viewed and signed by the parent.
- It is the responsibility of the student to return the SBR weekly, on a day to be determined by the teacher. If it is not returned, the student will receive a consequence and be ineligible for the classroom reward that week.
- Students are not allowed under any circumstances to write in, scratch out, or deface the SBR. The SBR is considered an official school document. If an SBR is lost, the student will receive one if available. If not available, the parent needs to supply a folder for use as the SBR.
- SBR’s will be cleared of all needs improvement checks the first day of each nine weeks. Teachers will, however, keep a record of previous SBR information.
- Cumulative positive behaviors demonstrated by the SBR will be eligible for monthly, quarterly and end-of-year rewards.
EXPECTATIONS
Yates Elementary has established high expectations for positive student behaviors. Listed below are the ABC’s …
Act Safely
Be Respectful
Care for others, self, and the environment
The following expected student behaviors are examples of expectations we hold for our students and are offered here as an illustration of such behaviors. When students demonstrate these positive expected student behaviors, they help create a safe and orderly learning environment that promotes accelerated achievement. These behaviors also lead to measures of personal satisfaction and success in school.
Act Safely by…
- Following rules and directions of adults
- Remaining in the classroom and on school grounds
- Choosing not to bring tobacco, alcohol, other drugs or weapons to school
- Using playground equipment in a safe manner
Be Respectful by…
- Attending school regularly and being on time
- Trying my best to complete my schoolwork and homework
- Controlling my behavior
- Accepting consequences for my behavior
- Cooperating with others
- Wearing the school uniform appropriately
- Using language that is appropriate for school
Care for others, self, and property
- Showing kindness when speaking to others
- Treating others like I would like to be treated (“The Golden Rule”)
- Saying positive things to others
- Using words to solve problems peacefully
- Taking care of things in my school and on school grounds
“When I behave in these positive ways, I will be successful. If I do not behave in these positive ways, consequences will follow.”
Research shows that successful students have learned to think about their own behavior and take responsibility for their choices. Yates uses four levels of social development to teach our students how to succeed at school and in life. We believe that by teaching the levels below, we are encouraging students to learn how to make responsible choices as well as supporting the goals of our school.
Democracy…
Doing good because it is the right thing to do.
Cooperation…
Working together to benefit everyone.
Bossing/Bothering…
Following your own ideas, telling others what to do, acting selfishly.
Anarchy…
Total lack of order; not meeting any of the expectations.
LEVELS OF CONSEQUENCES
As with any incident of student behavior, school administrators must exercise informed judgment as to whether a student’s actions constitute an infraction of policy. The levels, shown below, allow and encourage administrators to use progressive interventions to change student behaviors. The administrator always has the option to use an intervention not listed. Moreover, if a behavior is deemed a criminal offense by local authorities, the consequence may be expulsion. Restitution for loss or damage will be required in addition to any other prescribed consequences.
Repeated chronic or cumulative offenses may require higher levels of consequences. For serious (crisis) incidents, disciplinary consequences may begin at the district level.
Classroom Level Interventions
Teachers use the following interventions for minor school infractions to help the students change behavior in the classroom. If these interventions are successful, referral to the office may not be necessary.
Warning Time-out
Letter of apology Reinforcement of appropriate behaviors
Loss of privileges Written reflection about incident
Seat change Use of Student Problem-Solving worksheet
Parent contact Behavior contract
Teacher conference with student Write-up in the SBR
Peer Mediation Refer to guidance
Ignore behavior/reinforce desired behavior
Office-Level Interventions
The following interventions will be used for major school infractions (or repeated minor infractions)
Administrator /Counselor conference Phone call to parent/guardian
with student Parent contract
Phone call/letter to parent/guardian Parent/guardian accompany student
Confiscation of item to school/class
Time-out outside of classroom In-school suspension
Behavior contract with administrator or Campus clean-up
counselor
Out-of-school suspension
Minor offenses
These offenses will be dealt with by the classroom teacher (unless the offense is repeated which may classify it as a “major” offense and may warrant a district office discipline referral).
Disrespect towards others Disruption to classroom/school
Dress code violation Electronic device misuse
Use of inappropriate language Insubordination
Unsafe actions Bothering/teasing
Major offenses
Major offenses are serious acts of misconduct. These offenses may result in a district office discipline referral.
Property damage Bullying (including cyber-bullying)
Physical aggression/Fighting Cheating
Computer misuse Malicious gossip
Profanity directed at another Leaving an area/classroom/school
Defiance of a school board employee/adult without permission
Stealing
Bullying
Yates staff works through PBS to prevent behaviors leading to bullying. Staff intervenes consistently and appropriately to maintain a safe environment for all students.
We define bullying as repeated aggressive behavior that is intentional
and Involves an imbalance of power or strength.
Crisis offenses
These zero tolerance offenses (and others) are listed in the Hillsborough County School Handbook. Consequences are: notification of parent or guardian; referral to the appropriate area director and, absent of special circumstances, a recommendation for expulsion or change of placement; ten days out-of-school suspension; referral to law enforcement agency as appropriate.
Alcohol/Tobacco/Drug possession Arson
Attack on, threat or intimidation of a Bomb threats
school board employee or other Weapon possession
student False fire alarms
Use of non-weapon as weapon
REPORT CARDS AND THE STUDENT BEHAVIOR RECORD (SBR)
So that report card grades are no surprise to the student or the parent, we use the checks on the Student Behavior Record (SBR) to decide on the conduct grades on a student’s report card. The SBR is an exact copy of the left-hand side of the Hillsborough County Report Card.
For example, should a student receive a check or N on his/her SBR three times in a nine week grading period for a particular area (i.e. “Respects Others”), they would receive an “N” on his/her report card for this area.
WHAT ARE WRITE-UPS?
(AND HOW DO YOU GET THEM?)
When a student breaks a school/classroom rule, consequences must follow. A write-up is a possible consequence for violating these policies. Before a student receives a write-up, he/she will receive a warning (with a teacher reminder on how to follow the rule). This write-up appears in the Student Behavior Record (SBR) so that both parent and child will be able to keep track of problematic behaviors and work with the teacher to help eliminate these problems.
PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES
It is our responsibility to provide a quality education in a secure and pleasant environment. In order for the school to be a safe environment for all students, the home and school must work together. The responsibility of the family includes the following:
- Understand and support this “Positive Behavior Supports” (Code of Conduct) and discuss it with your child.
- Teach your child, by work and example: self-respect, respect for authority, and respecting the rights and property of others.
- Demonstrate a positive attitude toward the school by showing interest in your child’s education.
- Make sure your child goes to school, arrives on time, and stays in school all day, everyday, unless your child is ill.
- Advise the teacher or counselor of any problems that may affect your child’s ability to learn, to attend school, or to take part in school activities.
- Work with school personnel to solve any disciplinary or academic problem that may arise.
- Insist that your child dress properly and follow the uniform policy of Yates Elementary School.
- Provide the school with the correct home, work, and/or emergency phone numbers and a correct address.
- Support the school by volunteering. You are a necessary and valuable resource. No amount of time is too small. Volunteers are needed for the media center, lunchroom, PTA fundraising, tutoring, classrooms, picture day, yearbook money collection, field trips, etc.
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