The discipline plan at FPCS is designed with progressive consequences and with multiple opportunities to educate the child about appropriate behavior. Our goal is through communication, modeling, and offering opportunities for reflection, the student will learn to make good choices about behavior. We also hope that we will be able to “catch them being good” at times when they are making the right choices and reinforce those good choices.
Teachers are encouraged to intervene and counsel students before beginning the formal discipline process for most behavior issues. This may include, but is not limited to different seating, talking with student, reinforcement, time out, etc. Once the decision is made to begin disciplinary action, the teacher will take the following steps:
Incidents 1 & 2: The teacher fills out a Behavior Notification form and sends it home to be signed by the parent and returned. The student goes immediately to a buddy classroom (or stays in the room) to fill out a Think Time form. Either of these incidents could result in a loss of privileges including sitting out from recess while outside with the class. After the second incident, the parent should also be given a phone call by the teacher on the day the note goes home.
Incident 3: The teacher fills out a Behavior Notification form, sends it home to the parent to be signed & returned, and the student fills out a Think Time form in the buddy classroom. The teacher refers the student to the principal by sending a Discipline Action form (with copies of 3 Behavior Notification forms attached) to the principal. The principal/designee will meet with the student & typically assign 3 days of recess detention (sitting in the office during recess). .
Incidents 4 & 5: Fill out a Behavior Notification form and send it home for the parent to sign & return. The student goes immediately to a buddy classroom to fill out a Think Time form. Again, loss of privileges may apply. Parents should be called at this point and invited to come in for a conference with the teacher (and principal if desired) to develop a plan for the student.
Incident 6: The teacher fills out a Behavior Notification form, sends it home to the parent to be signed & returned, and the student fills out a reflection for m in the buddy classroom. The teacher refers the student to the principal by sending a Discipline Action form (with copies of 3 Behavior Notification forms attached) to the principal. The principal/designee will meet with the student & typically assign 5 days of missed recess.
Incidents 7 & 8: Fill out a Behavior Notification form and send it home for the parent to sign & return. The student goes immediately to a buddy classroom to fill out a reflection form.
Incident 9: The teacher fills out a Behavior Notification form, sends it home to the parent to be signed & returned, and the student fills out a reflection for m in the buddy classroom. The teacher refers the student to the principal/designee by sending a Discipline Action form (with copies of 3 Behavior Notification forms attached) to the principal. The principal/designee will meet with the student & typically assign 1 to 3 days of suspension.
Incident 10 … Notify the principal using the Discipline Action form. Consequences will be determined in consultation between the teacher & administrator. Parents should be called and a conference should be arranged with the teacher and the principal.
Emergency Removal – A teacher may on occasion be required to remove a student from the classroom when the student’s behavior is too disruptive for learning to take place. In-school suspension or out-of-school suspension maybe be appropriate in this instance. The student should be escorted to the office by an adult (if possible). The teacher should contact the office with details about the reason for the emergency removal.
Positive Office Referrals
Writing positive office referrals is strongly encouraged when students have exhibited ongoing positive behavior or have made great strides in improving their behavior. A student who receives a positive office referral brings the referral to the office to share with the principal. The principal congratulates the student, encourages them to continue the positive behavior, gives them tokens of appreciation, and shakes their hand. Students are very proud when they receive a positive office referral.
Support Staff and Specialists:
Support staff (teaching assistants) and specialist teachers may also need to write a Staff Report to Teachers if a child has misbehaved when they are teaching or supervising. The classroom teacher will then follow-up with the appropriate discipline step which may mean sending home a Behavior Notification Form to parents. However, the classroom teacher may also determine to try intervening and counseling students instead or removing a classroom privilege.
Preschool versus Kindergarten -Third Grade:
Although these procedures may be more appropriate for kindergarten through 3rd Grade (especially the think time sheets), they may also be used for preschool students when it is determined appropriate by the teacher.