Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students based on The Code of School Behaviour Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students

Ashgrove State School

Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students

Anti-Bullying Strategy

(This policy will be formulated early in 2010 along with other schools in the MCC Cluster so that we have a co-ordinated approach, but will follow these guidelines.)
Bullying is a problem that exists in all social contexts. Every member of the school community has the right to be free from bullying.
Definition
Bullying is the assertion of power through aggression. It is a deliberate attempt to harm, threaten, frighten or intimidate another person.
Ashgrove State School will not tolerate bullying of any kind. Bullying falls into a number of categories.

1. 
   Physical bullying: fighting, pushing, shoving, deliberate invasion of personal space and the destruction of property.
   
2. 
   Verbal bullying: any comment of an offensive nature that refers to ability, race, religion or gender, including name calling, offensive language and spreading of rumours.
   
3. 
   Extortion bullying: the use of force to obtain money, food or personal belongings from other students; forcing children to do tasks.
   
4. 
   Exclusion bullying: includes the deliberate isolation of an individual student from his/ her peer group.
   
5. 
   Gesture bullying: includes making gestures to intimidate or embarrass.
   
6. 
   Cyber-bullying: using the internet or mobile phone to verbally abuse or threaten someone else.
   

Sometimes people are inclined not to report bullying because of a misguided fear of making the situation worse. It is critical that all forms of bullying are addressed and Ashgrove State School wants children to feel safe and encourages children to report incidents of bullying immediately.

In order to achieve a bullying free environment we:-

• 
  Use our ‘You Can Do It’ program to teach the children emotional resilience, persistence, getting along, confidence and organisation.
  
• 
  Have very firm limits on unacceptable behaviour as outlined in our Code of School Behaviour, with consistent application of sanctions.
  
• 
  Through our Code of School Behaviour, inform parents of incidents of bullying perpetrated by their child and include them in conferences where necessary.
  
• 
  Use our School Chaplain to teach intensive social skills and self esteem programs where necessary.
  
• 
  Work with children who have been guilty of bullying as outlined above with counselling using the ‘You Can Do It’ program to outline to children ways of moving from negative habits of mind to positive. Information on this is sent home to parents. An individual behaviour plan will be developed where necessary.
  
• 
  Educate children on what bullying is and the difference between dobbing and responsible referral to an adult.
  
• 
  Educate children on the need to comply with rules on the signed Student Internet Access Agreement Form regarding use of the internet.
  
• 
  Refer victim and perpetrator to outside agencies if necessary.
  
• 
  Keep comprehensive records of incidents.
  

PARENT INFORMATION STATEMENT

BULLYING AT SCHOOL

Introduction
Bullying is the wilful, conscious desire to harm, threaten or frighten someone. It includes physical attacks, verbal threats, name calling, ostracism, rejection, gesture, extortion, exclusion and a range of other behaviours that undermine the autonomy and self-esteem of the child.
All those who work in schools recognise that bullying goes on and more importantly, that something needs to be done about it. However, this can sometimes be quite difficult because of the secretive nature of bullying and sometimes the reluctance of victims to speak out.
Bullies look for victims. Which children are more likely to become victims of bullying is not clear. Certainly, some children may be more vulnerable due to factors they cannot control such as ethnicity, disability or physical features. It also seems that more sensitive children are more vulnerable because they are likely to show distress, thus reinforcing the bully’s actions. On other occasions, children just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The Bully

Identifying bullies can be difficult. It is easy to be deceived by appearances. There is no stereotype. Sometimes a bully is a child who has experienced violence in the home. Sometimes he/she has a chip on his/her shoulder because he/ she has been hurt. Children who bully can be very influential with their peers and can be likeable people. They can justify their bullying quite persuasively and can often elicit considerable peer support.

Set out below are some common myths about bullies:-

• 
  all bullies are cowards
  
• 
  it’s easy to pick the bully
  
• 
  bullies are unpopular
  
• 
  bullies feel inadequate
  
• 
  if you fight back, a bully will never bother you again
  
• 
  bullies are compensating for poor academic skills
  

Bullies look for people who don’t look confident and who don’t stand up for themselves. One or more of the following may drive the behaviour of a bully. He/ she may:-

• 
  be jealous of others
  
• 
  not know how to feel successful in other ways
  
• 
  like to feel powerful
  
• 
  like to be noticed by other people
  
• 
  think it’s a clever or funny game
  
• 
  have been exposed to similar behaviour at home or elsewhere
  
• 
  be seeking material gains - such as food, money or prized possessions
  

The Victim

Would you be able to recognise the signs that your child is being bullied? Depending upon your child’s personality and the nature of your relationship, he/ she might talk openly about being bullied. However, many victims of bullying do not readily talk about their experiences. The following is not an exhaustive list, but includes some typical reactions or changes in behaviour. The child may be:-

• 
  upset/crying after school
  
• 
  not his/her usual self
  

• 
  unwilling to discuss reasons for upset
  

• 
  suddenly rejected by friend/s
  
• 
  not wanting to see his/her friend/s
  
• 
  not wanting to go to school
  
• 
  feigning illness to avoid school
  

Dealing with Bullying

Parents can make a significant contribution to the detection and eradication of bullying by not only recognising the signs/changes in a child’s behaviour but by actively encouraging the child to report instances of bullying to parents or school staff. Alternatively, parents may elect to report concerns themselves. Parents are asked to refrain from taking action such as confronting the alleged bully at school, as such action can be inflammatory and counter-productive.
Often children are afraid to report bullying for fear of reprisals. Parents and children need to feel confident that the school is committed to the prevention of further bullying as a pay-back for speaking out. At school, very serious consequences will follow any such pay-back bullying.
How can children deal with bullies? It does help if children:-

• 
  let the bully know that what they are doing constitutes bullying.
  
• 
  refuse to join in with bullying.
  
• 
  support other children who are being bullied.
  
• 
  stand up for themselves by telling bullies to stop, to ignore, to walk away, and/or to ask an adult to help.
  

How will the school deal with bullies? The school cannot guarantee an environment free of bullying. However we can commit ourselves to dealing, in a fair and impartial manner, with each and every incident that comes to our attention.

Parents need to be aware that not every incident that is reported is clear cut. In many cases, there are contradictory reports and with the passage of time and in the absence of witnesses, it is often difficult to establish exactly what did happen.
Where it is established that, on the balance of probabilities, bullying has occurred, then the school will record the incident in the register - as required by Education Queensland - and administer consequences that will vary according to the nature and seriousness of the incident, the pre-history and any other relevant factors. Assistance for children who bully can be arranged through the school’s Guidance Officer or other relevant personnel. Effective, open lines of communication and a cooperative relationship between the parents of these children and the school are important and most likely to cause a change of behaviour.
Generally, repeat offenders will face suspension from school.
In Summary

The school’s ability to effectively deal with bullying depends upon our knowing that it has occurred. Parents can play an important part in encouraging and supporting victims through the process of making a complaint - thus enabling school staff to follow-up on incidents.

Remember - no one has the right to bully.

- those experiencing bullying or witnessing bullying have a responsibility to report.

Classroom Behaviour Management

At the beginning of each school year all teachers will negotiate a set of classroom rules with the class. This will include rewards for good behaviour and consequences for poor behaviour.

This set of rules will be displayed in the classroom and/or sent home for parent perusal.
The class teacher will manage classroom behaviour. However, Time Out and other school behaviour consequences may be used for severe breaches of classroom rules or persistent disobedience.
An example of a Classroom Behaviour Management Plan is included below.

Dear Parents

It is with pleasure that I welcome your child into my class. In order to provide my students with the excellent educational climate they deserve, I have developed with the students the following Classroom Behaviour Management Plan which will be in effect at all times.

Rules:

1. 
   When someone else is speaking, we wait our turn and put our hand up.
   
2. 
   We speak politely to our friends and visitors.
   
3. 
   We always do our best in class.
   
4. 
   We look after our belongings and other people’s belongings.
   
5. 
   We listen carefully and follow directions. We use quiet voices in the classroom.
   

Consequences:

1^st Time Name on board.

2^nd Time Tick against name.

3^rd Time Two ticks against name – Lunch time detention. Fill out our classroom “Think Sheet” in the classroom with the teacher. “Think Sheet” to go home to parent to be signed.

Three times in classroom detention will incur a Time Out in the Re-Think Room or after-school detention.

Rewards:

Certificates

Whole class point system to reward individual children for good behaviour and the possibility of accumulating points for a class reward each term.

It is in your child’s best interest that we work together with regard to your child’s education. The children have been made aware of the classroom rules, consequences and procedures, but I would appreciate it if you would discuss it with him/her.

Yours sincerely

Ashgrove State School Re-Think Room Policy
The Ashgrove State School Re-Think Room is a supervised detention where children are expected to complete a worksheet and are counselled using the “You Can Do IT” model. The Re-Think Room sheet will identify what the child did to warrant the detention and the length of time they are to be detained.
Children will mostly be sent to the Re-Think Room for inappropriate behaviour in the playground. However, each class will have its own classroom discipline plans and in this plan there will be a stage where children will be sent to the Re-Think Room. Normally this will be around the fourth stage of their discipline plan.
Time spent in the Re-Think Room will be either 10 or 20 minutes depending on the rule that child breaks and the level of behaviour that rule is assigned.
The Re-Think Room is a duty for a teacher which starts at 1:15 p.m. (or 1:00 p.m. on Friday) and finishes when the last child is dismissed after serving the appropriate time. It is this teacher’s duty to record the entries in the Re-Think Room roll and to check that the child on detention has filled in the form. The teacher will then use The Barrier Model to discuss with the child appropriate behaviours.
Teachers and staff show their commitment to maintaining a supportive school environment in many ways. Students need to accept consequences for bad choices in behaviour. It should be recognized that it is not the fault of the teacher on the Re-Think Room who should be held accountable but rather that of the child who has shown neglect for the rights and safety of others by not choosing to obey the rules.
A child who receives a Re-Think Room form before 1:00 p.m. on any given day must report to the Re-Think Room on that day. If a child receives a form after 1:00 p.m. he or she must report to the Re-Think Room the following day. Any child who fails to attend the Re-Think Room will have their time doubled. In the event of a 20-minute detention, he/she will return on the following day. Those children who have been given a detention three times in a term will be asked to attend the Re-Think Room on another occasion to discuss their actions and commit to a specific plan to improve their behaviour. Those children who have been given an after-school detention or who have been suspended will also be asked to attend the Re-Think Room and commit to a Behaviour Management Plan.
A child must, after completing the Re-Think Room form, take it home and have it signed by at least one of his or her parents or guardian. We ask that parents take an interest in their child’s progress and therefore go through the form with their children. Due to the limited amount of time children are able to spend in the Re-Think Room and the fact that staff recognize the need for children to eat their lunch and attend to routine matters, it is not always possible to correct all the children’s work. We therefore ask that parents also take responsibility for this aspect of their children’s form.
From time to time, issues may arise in regard to the issue of a detention form. We ask that parents first check with the children to ensure all details of the incident have been examined. If this fails to solve the issue, we ask that parents contact the teacher who issued the detention, as this teacher is in the best position to explain the details of the incident. If this fails to bring satisfaction, the Deputy Principal or principal will be happy to discuss the issue.
The Deputy Principal will collect the Re-Think Room forms from the children and match them with the pink forms left in the Re-Think Room. Failure to return forms will result in another detention and/or a phone call to the parents. He/she will then record the child’s name and behaviour to enable reward certificates to be awarded and to allow the school to discuss most frequent misdemeanours. The forms will then be stored in individual children’s files in the Office.
Examples of forms used to counsel children after 3 detentions in one term are included as Attachments.

Individual Behaviour Plan

Name:…………………………………….. Class………………… Date …………..

Negative Habits Being Displayed	Positive Habits Required	Action Plan
Social Irresponsibility Being intolerant of limits Acting without thinking Being intolerant of others Planning time poorly Having no goals Giving up I can’t be bothered I can’t do it Needing Approval Needing to be perfect Self Downing	Social responsibility Playing by the rules Thinking first Being tolerant of others Planning my time Setting goals Giving effort Working tough I can do it Being independent Taking risks Accepting myself

Ashgrove Awards

Encouraging and recognizing students for their social and academic endeavours is the focus of this adjunct to the school’s behaviour policy.
ASHGROVE ALL STARS AWARDS
Ashgrove State School acknowledges that student achievement is a combination of factors. The school has a long tradition of acknowledging students’ sporting achievements under a ‘house’ system. The three houses Binda, Munda and Warroo contest the Athletics Trophy, the Swimming Trophy, Ball Games etc.
This policy embraces the house system, extending its application to both the social and academic arenas.
Within this policy children will be encouraged to become pro-active social and academic contributors to their ‘house’. Children will be awarded an Ashgrove All Stars Award for working well towards learning goals, consistent good behaviour, excellence in a work task, achieving a goal, acts of kindness, working well on You Can Do It goals or for being selected in the activities listed below.
Selection for/achievement in: UNSW competitions

Readers Cup

Maths Tournaments

QDU Debating

Chinese Competitions

GRIPPS

Musical Competitions

Optiminds

Extension Programmes e.g. GSHS Art/ Maths.

Teachers will give children an award to place in the House boxes outside the office. One name will be drawn from each house at the weekly assembly and receive a prize. The winning children will be acknowledged in the newsletter as well. House points will then be counted at the end of each term so that the children receive a progress report and the winning house given an award at the end of the semester.

ASHGROVE ACHIEVER AWARDS

Each month a child will be selected from each class to receive an Ashgrove Achiever Award certificate. This award is for achievement of learning goals or working very hard toward goals. Certificates will be laminated and presented on Assembly each month. Names of the winning children will be included in next newsletter.

PRINCIPAL’S AWARD

At the final assembly of each year, one child from each class Prep – Year 6 will be awarded a Principal’s Award. This award will be in the form of a book voucher or book.

Children are selected using the criteria below:

1. 
   A commitment to the school, class and self improvement
   
2. 
   Achieving as close to possible their potential
   
3. 
   Significant progress or achievement of their individual learning goals
   
4. 
   Be persistent in their learning even when difficult tasks are presented
   
5. 
   They are considerate, caring and display excellent behaviour in all areas.
   

ASHGROVE STATE SCHOOL COMPLAINTS MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE

At Ashgrove State School, we understand that there will be occasions when parents/carers are unhappy about a certain issue regarding their child’s education. It is important that we as a school deal with these complaints in a fair and equitable manner.

To resolve an issue, parents/carers should:-

1. 
   Make an appointment to see the classroom teacher.
   

At this meeting the parent/carer will share the problem with the teacher. Parents/carers will provide complete and factual information and deliver the complaint in a non- threatening and non- abusive manner. The teacher will then have an opportunity to tell all he or she knows about the incident or problem. Together both parent/carer and teacher should then take steps to resolve the problem. The teacher will make a record of the complaint and report the meeting and any outcomes to the school principal or deputy.

2. 
   Discuss the complaint with the principal/deputy or ask principal/deputy to assist by participating in informal conflict resolution
   

Where the issue remains unresolved the parent/carer will make an appointment with the school principal or deputy to discuss the issue further. Alternatively, the parent/carer and teacher may agree to ask the principal to act as a go-between in informal conflict resolution.

If the complaint is related to the school more generally the parent/carer will raise the complaint directly with the principal or deputy.

3. 
   Contact Regional Office
   

If parent/carers feel the issue has not been resolved through discussion with the principal they have the right to contact the Regional Director of Metropolitan Region.

Suggestions for Staff upon receiving a complaint

• 
  Be respectful, helpful and calm
  
• 
  Give the person your undivided attention
  
• 
  Remain positive
  
• 
  Find out what the parent/carer wants to happen as a result of the complaint
  
• 
  Take detailed notes and date them
  
• 
  Inform parent/caregivers that you are not prepared to discuss the punishments that may or may not have been given to another child with them. Let it be known that the matter concerning another child has been dealt with. You may only discuss the issue with regard to their child.
  
• 
  If after a certain amount of calm discussion, the matter is not resolved, suggest the parent/caregiver make an appointment to see the deputy principal or principal.
  
• 
  In the event of a parent/carer becoming angry and/or aggressive inform them that you would like the meeting to continue with the principal or deputy present or phone the office and request support.
  

Appendix 1
The Use of Personal Technology Devices* at School
This policy reflects the importance the school places on students displaying courtesy, consideration and respect for others whenever they are using personal technology devices.
Certain Personal Technology Devices Banned From School

Students must not bring valuable personal technology devices like cameras, digital video cameras or MP3 players to school as there is a risk of damage or theft. Such devices will be confiscated by school staff and may be collected at the end of the day from the school office. Breaches of this prohibition may result in discipline.