Response Plan and/or Intervention Strategies
Response Plan and/or Intervention Strategies
Our practice at ‘X’ is to inform our parents and students about our philosophy regarding student discipline, our expectations of behaviour, and the process of intervention to be followed.
Our school’s response plan includes restorative intervention strategies for students who have acted in an inappropriate manner towards another human being. The school believes in a restorative approach that brings students together to talk about the situation and to find a resolution.
Our restorative justice approach has been designed based on the belief that all students have control over and responsibility for their own behaviour and that consequences are a part of the learning process. At times, students make inappropriate choices that diminish, rather than enhance the positive school or classroom environment.
The following plan has been made to allow students the opportunity to make choices to self-correct and to learn from their errors in judgment. The plan is incremental and is intended to move students along a continuum of consequences, while educating them about each increment at the same time. The goal of this plan is to restore students to the routines and environment of the classroom and school settings as quickly as possible. If the needs of the child and/or the school indicate a necessity to vary from this plan, other responses may occur.
Level I – Classroom Plan
If an infraction occurs, the student will be given feedback on the behaviour and given the opportunity to self-correct, with one reminder.
If the student chooses not to self-correct and has to be reminded a third time based on the same behaviour, one of the following intervention strategies may be used:
- In-class timeout (Timeout may appear similar to a suspension but it is intended for a different purpose. Suspension is a consequence earned for inappropriate behavior at Level III (referenced below). Timeout is preventative. It can be suggested by either the teacher or the student, if the student is unable to re-focus or to participate appropriately. The duration for the timeout will generally be determined with the student. At times, children are unable to cope with the demands of the classroom and need quiet and privacy in order to get focused or to regain composure. Support is provided for students in timeout periods as resources permit.)
- Loss of privileges
- Time after school
- Informal interview with the teacher
- Parent involvement (e.g., telephone call home, conference or meeting)
- Withdrawal from the classroom
Level II – School Plan
- If classroom intervention strategies are unsuccessful, the student will move from the classroom plan to the school plan.
- If the student is moved from the classroom to an alternative learning environment, the student will be asked to reflect on the incident, series of incidents, both in writing and verbally, under the supervision of either the teacher, the principal or other school or district personnel
- Parents and/or guardians may be notified.
- Following an independent time for reflection, the student will debrief the situation. The debriefing will follow the format of negotiating an agreement by:
- Focusing on the impact of the behaviour or action on others
- Showing concern for students who are bullied and the students who are conducting the bullying behaviours
- Providing support and accountability to all students involved
- Working to ensure all students within the situation are addressed (e.g., not just providing a consequence for the offender)
- Supporting the offender but with a firm message that the student accept responsibility for the action/s and to work towards a positive future, building back the trust
- Encourage, collaborate and reintegrate rather than discourage in a punitive manner with coercion and isolation
Level III
If Level I and Level II Plans are unsuccessful, ‘one-to-three-day’ in-school suspension may follow the third debriefing. Duration of the in-school suspension will be determined by the principal or designate.
Parents will be notified and parent input may be acquired. The range of consequences outlined in Levels I, II, & III may include the development of a written contract. The goal of the contract will be to help the student make better choices to improve the behaviour.
Level IV
From time to time, there may be certain situations involving dangerous or long-term disruptive behaviours which will require an out-of-school suspension. Should this occur, there would be a meeting with the parent to develop a plan for re-entry and for addressing the inappropriate behaviour. This action will occur at the discretion of the principal or designate, and will follow the procedure outlined in the School Act.
Notification
In extreme cases, the principal will advise other appropriate personnel and agencies, other than only parents and the staff. This includes school district personnel such as counsellors or the Threat Assessment Team, police, and the Department of Children and Families.
Staff Strategies for Instilling a Strong Code of Conduct:
- Teachers are responsible for educating students of the Code of Conduct, reinforcing it in a positive way, intervening when applicable, using the language of the Code of Conduct when problem-solving.
- Ensure and reinforce consistent expectations that are simply worded and align with the Code of Conduct. Teachers all deliver the same message.
- Parents and students have the expectations of the Code of Conduct clearly communicated on such events as Curriculum Night and throughout the school year.
- Specific empathy training for new students or those a part of the New Buddy Program.
- All teachers teach empathy throughout the school year in their classrooms.
- Use Buddy Classes to connect and work together so that connections are made between and among the various grade levels and age groups.
- Ensure student input and feedback using regular Classroom Meetings.
- Work to have students provide service to the school.