Behavior, Conflict Resolution and Discipline
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
Main tenets of PBIS
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports require trust and communication across families, staff, and students. To set expectations, staff teach and model how to treat others with respect. We focus on proactive strategies for positive reinforcement and encouragement, including STAR Cards. Through this instruction, and through the inclusion of student voice and choice, students learn the school expectations and are empowered community members.
All BRSSD schools are committed to supporting students through proactive instruction, interventions, alternatives to dismissal, suspension or other sanctions that require removal from the educational setting. This Safe and Supportive Schools Policy provides specific, tiered behavioral interventions and alternatives to suspension that shall be exhausted before referring a child out of the classroom except in cases of immediate safety threat or significant disruption that can only be remedied by removal. Click here to view the BRSSD's Safe and Supportive School Policy.
Progressive Responses to Behavior
Sandpiper takes a progressive response approach to behavior in order to address the concern as early as possible and match the response to the nature of the behavior.
Every school site has worked with their staff and community stakeholders to create a behavioral flow chart to indicate which issues are classroom-managed versus office-managed. In conjunction, each school site has created a Discipline Matrix and that provides evidence-based supports and interventions that can be used to address unwanted student behaviors in a productive and educational manner.
Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs)
When reviewing an Office Discipline Referral, the principal or admin designee will seek to understand the facts, hear the perspectives of involved parties, and minimize disruption and loss of instructional time. When determining what supports and consequences are needed, the principal or designee will follow these steps:
seek to foster reflection and build empathy
guide students to learn how to repair harm
reteach the student expected behavior(s) and provide supports for greater self-control and independence
issue logical disciplinary consequences in a progressive discipline manner
return the student to the classroom as quickly as possible
inform staff and parent/guardian with either a phone call or in-person conference, depending on the severity of the offense
Restorative Justice
Sandpiper School embraces the practices of Restorative Justice to cultivate a safe, healthy and inclusive school climate. Through ongoing professional development, teachers and administrators continuously practice and develop effective implementation of Restorative Practices. Practices that focus on repairing the harm caused by actions and words are implemented as a means to teach students desired behaviors while maintaining their status in the community. Community circles, restorative conversations and mindfulness are all implemented throughout the campus as we support students to positively contribute to school climate and culture. Restorative Justice maintains that those who have a stake in a specific offense must be involved in the resolution process to the extent possible. When guided by evidence-based practices, they can collectively identify and address harms, needs, and obligations in order to heal and make things as right as possible by resolving the conflict. Misconduct affects victims, but it also impacts communities as well as the offenders themselves. https://peacealliance.org/the-political-rise-of-restorative-justice/
Essential Elements of Restorative Justice
Encounter: Creates opportunity for person harmed and the wrongdoer to meet to discuss the offense and its harm.
Amends: Expects wrongdoer to take steps to repair the harm they have caused.
Reintegration: Seeks to restore the person harmed as well as wrongdoer to whole, contributing members of society.
Inclusion: Provides opportunities for all to collaborate in creating a resolution.
The Big 5 Restorative Justice Questions
To determine if a process, program or activity complies with the concept of restorative justice, we ask:
Does it show equal concern for those affected, including the person harmed and the wrongdoer?
Does it encourage the wrongdoer to feel accountable for his/her conduct and be willing to repair the harm caused in a way that helps the wrongdoer develop competency?
Does it provide opportunities for dialogue, direct and/or indirect, between all of those affected, including the person harmed and wrongdoer?
Does it encourage those involved to collaborate in restoring and developing positive relationships among those affected?
Does it empower those affected to increase their capacity to recognize and respond to harm and offenses in a restorative way?
Restorative Conversational Questions
To the person harmed:
What happened?
What did you think when it happened?
What have you thought about since?
How has it affected you?
What's been the hardest part for you?
What's needed to make things right?
How can we make sure this doesn't happen again?
What can we do to help you?
To the wrongdoer:
What happened?
What were you thinking at the time?
What have you thought about since?
Who do you think as been affected by what you did?
In what way?
What do you need to do to make things right?
How can we make sure this doesn't happen again?
What can we do to help you?
Alternatives to Suspensions and Expulsion
All BRSSD schools are committed to supporting students through behavior interventions and alternatives to dismissal, suspension or other sanctions that require removal from the educational setting. This Safe and Supportive Schools Policy provides specific, tiered behavioral interventions and alternatives to suspension that shall be exhausted before referring a child out of the classroom except in cases of immediate safety threat or significant disruption that can only be remedied by removal. Click here to view the BRSSD's Safe and Supportive School Policy.
Although it is rare, there are some instances where a suspension is warranted. A pupil shall not be suspended from school or recommended for expulsion unless it is determined that the pupil has committed a suspendable act. Also, suspensions shall only be imposed when other means of correction fail to bring about proper conduct. Please visit California Ed Code sections 48900 - 48927 for more information.