- Policies & Procedures
Sage Canyon Discipline Plan
Our school-wide discipline plan provides a structure to support a safe school environment while helping children develop self-discipline, strong character, and a sense of responsibility.
The primary goals are to:
- Establish a calm, safe, and fun learning environment
- Foster our students’ development of empathy
- Teach children to think and act in socially responsible ways
- Promote respectful, kind and healthy student-teacher and student-student
- Have students recognize themselves as part of a team
- Help children develop self-control and self-discipline
Our approach is to help children become aware of how their actions affect themselves and others. We do our best to ensure students receive positive reinforcement throughout each day. We know and recognize that everyone makes mistakes from time to time. Our expectation is that students’ responses to mistakes positively impact their behavioral growth over time. At Sage Canyon, we utilize four types of logical consequences:
- Reminder or redirection - If a child is acting inappropriately, staff will give a verbal or nonverbal reminder or redirection.
- “Take a break” - If a child is getting frustrated, angry, overwhelmed, or upset, s/he will be given an opportunity to take a break. A staff member will ask the child to “take a break” or the child may voluntarily “take a break”. If appropriate, students will be asked to reflect on his/her behaviors.
- Loss of privilege - If a child continues to not abide by school agreements, s/he may lose a privilege. Loss of privilege could include removal from class, playground activities, and/or special events. Depending on the severity of the behavior the Sage Canyon staff and administration may determine an alternative yet appropriate and logical consequence.
- Make it right - If a child continues to be disruptive, hurts another’s feelings, or damages something, she/he will be expected to repair the damage. Some examples of reparative action include; sincere written and verbal apologies, helping with an activity, replacing damaged items, or an alternative apology of action as determined by the student and staff.
The purpose of any discipline plan is to assist students in learning to make better choices and thereby changing their behaviors. The following is our progressive plan to provide students with multiple opportunities to make good choices.
- Warning/Redirection – Students are counselled and coached by staff members and given an opportunity to demonstrate appropriate behavior.
- Student Reflection– Students reflect on their choice and discuss with a staff member to learn from this moment.
- Principal Referral – Principal will make personal contact with parents. At this discipline level, consequences may involve loss of privileges, apologizing and making it right, or suspension (depending on the circumstance).
While we hope all problems can be resolved using the logical consequences and progressive discipline, there are some behaviors that may require immediate referral to administration. Examples include:
- Harassment and bullying
- Physical/Verbal aggression
- Dangerous defiance
- Possession of drugs, alcohol, cigarettes or weapons
Our ultimate goal is to provide a safe, nurturing environment where students learn and grow from their choices and are contributing and supportive members of the Sage Canyon Community.
The District will not tolerate bullying as defined in Board Policy 5131.2, or any behavior that infringes on the safety or well-being of students, staff, or any other persons within the District’s jurisdiction, whether directed at an individual or group. This includes, but is not limited to, discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying based on disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
Reports of bullying should be reported to the classroom teacher, or principal, as soon as possible.
“Bullying” means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act of conduct, including communications made in writing or by means of an electronic act, and including one or more acts committed by a pupil or group of pupils as directed toward one or more pupils that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:
- Placing a reasonable pupil or pupils in fear of harm to that pupil’s or those pupils’ person or property.
- Causing a reasonable pupil to experience a substantially detrimental effect on his or her physical or mental health.
- Causing a reasonable pupil to experience substantial interference with his or her academic performance.
- Causing a reasonable pupil to experience substantial interference with his or her ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.
“Electronic act” means the transmission of a communication, including, but not limited to, a message, text, sound, or image, or a post on a social network Internet Website, by means of an electronic device, including, but not limited to, a telephone, wireless telephone, or other wireless communication device, computer, or pager.
“Reasonable pupil” means a pupil, including, but not limited to, an exceptional needs pupil, who exercises average care, skill, and judgment in conduct for a person of his or her age, or for a person of his or her age with his or her exceptional needs.
“Cyberbullying” includes the transmission of communications, posting of harassing messages, direct threats, or other harmful texts, sounds, or images on the Internet, social networking sites, or other digital technologies using a telephone, computer, or any wireless communication device, camera, computer, or pager. Cyberbullying also includes breaking into another person’s electronic account and assuming that person’s identity in order to damage that person’s reputation.
Lunch/Student Playground Standards
The purpose of the playground standards is to create an environment that encourages students to interact in a respectful and positive manner. The parameters of all activities chosen by students must support this positive environment. These standards will provide the guidelines for students to support one another, resolve their own conflicts, and assist in creating their own physically and emotionally safe environment.
- I will eat and play in my class’ designated zones.
- I will participate in all activities in a respectful and safe manner.
- I will use playground equipment in a safe and respectful manner.
- I will use respectful language and speak honestly and kindly.
- When I use the bathroom, I will wash my hands before returning to class or playground.
- When the bell rings I will stop playing, return all equipment, and walk back to class.