Schoolwide Discipline Plan

We have BRONCO POWER!!

The mission of Stephen F. Austin Elementary is to provide a safe learning environment, which utilizes high quality instruction to ensure students develop skills, concepts, cultural awareness, and behaviors essential for a lifetime of productive and responsible citizenship while fostering the growth of outstanding Character.

Purpose: The purpose of a schoolwide discipline plan is to teach children to make appropriate choices, accept responsibility for their behavior, and understand their behavior has consequences for themselves and others.

When parents, teachers, and students work together toward a common goal, it will help students have a positive experience at Stephen F. Austin Elementary School.  Discipline underlies the whole educational process and is the key to good citizenship and proper consideration for other people.  All our students deserve the most positive education climate for their academic growth.  Therefore, this school-wide discipline plan will be in effect at all times.

Our Code of Conduct contains the expectations we know are important for maintaining a trusting, safe, and positive environment where all students will learn.  Positive techniques will be used in the class and throughout the school to encourage appropriate behavior.  Each teacher has a classroom management system to address discipline in the classroom.  

Definition:

Discipline is the process of teaching, modeling, and other appropriate strategies to maintain the behaviors necessary to ensure a safe, orderly, and productive learning environment.  This process can best be achieved through positive reinforcement.  Only positive reinforcement will bring about permanent change in student behavior.

The Stephen F. Austin staff believes:

1. The misbehavior of one student will not be allowed to interfere with the learning opportunities of other students.
2. The misbehavior of a student will not excuse him/her from successfully completing the learning objectives.
3. Every discipline situation is an opportunity to teach expected behavior.
4. Expected behaviors must be communicated, taught, and modeled throughout the school year.  
5. Parents  and teachers must work together to ensure that their children’s behaviors do not take away from a safe, orderly, and academically productive learning environment for others.

School expectations have been established to promote academic and social student success.

Character Traits to be Modeled and Reinforced with Students Schoolwide:

• Respect
• Obedience
• Diligence
• Wisdom
• Kindness
• Self-Control
• Orderliness
• Service
• Attentiveness
• Cooperation
• Courage
• Honesty
• Forgiveness
• Responsibility
• Loyalty
• Confidence

School Expectations:

• Be in the right place at the right time
• Have all necessary supplies and materials
• Follow the directions of the person in charge
• Keep your hands, feet and objects to yourself
• Demonstrate good character at all times

Student Responsibilities

In the halls

• Walk in the halls
• Voices off
• Keep hands and feet to yourself

In the lunchroom

• Remain Seated
• Use soft voice
• Eat your own food
• Clean up your area
• Raise your hand for help
• Listen to the bronco helper

In the restroom

• Use bathrooms appropriately
• Use soft voice
• Leave the restroom area cleaner than you found it

On the playground

• Play where directed
• Line up when teacher signals
• Things on the ground stay on the ground
• Use equipment safely and appropriately

During assemblies

• Sit Flat
• Voices off
• Applaud Appropriately
• Demonstrate Respect
• Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself

Students who make choices to keep themselves and others safe, learning, and happy, could have the following positive reinforcements:

1. Teacher praise
2. Parent teacher contact- “Good News”
3. Parent office contact “Positive Report”
4. Recognition at Morning Bronco Announcements
5. Lunch or Dessert with the principal/assistant principal
6. Brilliant Buckaroo Award recipient
7. Bronco Bucks for use in campus treasure chest.

Students who DO NOT make choices to keep themselves and others safe, learning, and happy will could have the following consequences.

1. Warning
2. Time-Out at recess or station time
3. Parent teacher contact
4. Parent office contact
5. Referral
6. Detention
7. In-School Suspension
8. Suspension

Parent Responsibilities

Parents are expected to participate in the education of their children.  Without the cooperation and partnership between parents and school staff, we cannot effectively help a student reach his or her full potential.  The major role of parents is to continually show the child that they are interested and supportive of how their child is doing in school.

In order to ensure your child’s success in school, we ask that parents commit to the following:

1. Provide a nutritious breakfast at home or be sure your child arrives at school no later than 8:20 A.M. to participate in breakfast.
2. Ensure your child gets adequate rest.
3. Dress your child appropriately for school activities.
4. Have your child arrive at school on time (no sooner than 7:45 and not later than 8:20).
5. Follow parking lot safety procedures as directed by staff members when dropping off or picking up your child.
6. Check your child’s folder and backpack daily for school communications and homework.
7. Review, sign, and return the Daily Parent Communication Calendar.
8. Help your child establish good study habits by providing an appropriate time and place for completing homework.
9. Check your child’s homework for accuracy and completion.
10. Communicate with your child’s teacher regarding any questions or concerns.
11. Leave all items not school related at home (toys, games, sports equipment, trading cards, jewelry, make-up, I-Pods, Gameboys, etc.).
12. Praise and reward your child for practicing Stephen F. Austin Elementary Bronco Power Principles.

Teacher Responsibilities

Teachers are expected to incorporate “Building Relationships” with the behavior management of their students and parent communication. Without the cooperation and partnership between parents and school staff, we cannot effectively help a student reach his or her full potential.  The major role of teacher is to continually create a classroom environment that allows for building relationships and modeling for students the appropriate way to handle difficult situations.

In order to ensure your student’s success in school, we ask that the teacher notes the following points:

1. Build a relationship with your students and parents! You get the best out of your students and their parents when a strong bond and relationship is built.  
2. Be pro-active with your discipline- set up your classroom with high expectations and routines.  Students respond to consistency.
3. No children should ever be unsupervised in a classroom, hallway, or any other location on campus.
4. If you begin to notice certain behaviors that you can’t seem to correct, it is expected that you attempt (more than once) to contact the parents to collaborate with you on solutions.
5. When and if you see a discipline emergency that is keeping you from instruction or endangering the safety of others, CALL the office, do not send an email.  Administration will do what they can to help with the situation.
6. DO NOT assign a student to ISS.  This assignment must come from an administrator.
7. Behaviors, good and bad must be communicated to parents on the Daily Parent Communication Calendar.
8. Communicate, communicate, communicate expectations and concerns with the students and the parents.
9. Praise and reward your students for practicing Stephen F. Austin Elementary Bronco Power Principles.

Your child’s success in school is important to us!  We believe children thrive in a well-organized, focused environment; therefore, we daily implement the Stephen F. Austin Schoolwide Discipline Plan.  This plan has been developed to guide our students in making good decisions about their responsibilities.