Student+Behaviour+and+Discipline+Policy+and+Rationale

Type in the content of your page here. We believe that providing a safe and stable learning environment is an essential element in maintaining a supportive learning culture at Apocrypha Secondary College. Accordingly, we aim to provide sensible and flexible behaviour management guidelines that enable the whole school community to work together to manage unproductive and disruptive behaviour consistently, fairly and with the wellbeing of all students as a central concern. ● To provide students with clear behavioral expectations and consequences ● To maintain a positive, caring and respectful environment that allows students to feel comfortable and safe ● To equip staff with effective procedures with which to manage their students ● To actively encourage students to develop self discipline and regulate their own behavior ● To maintain student wellbeing as a central concern and support students with behavioral issues ● To ensure the involvement of parents, teachers, and welfare support staff in preventing and managing unacceptable behavior ● To provide clear processes to minimize the impact of behavioral incidents on affected members of the school community ● To facilitate the creation of individual responsibility and the allow students the opportunity to redress their behavioral infractions ● To encourage and nurture responsible behavior so that students have sufficient incentive to act in a socially acceptable manner ● To be as inclusive as possible and give students time and support to develop resilience and appropriate behaviors ● To provide for the continual review of policy in order to improve practic
 * High School Apocrypha Student Behaviour and Discipline Policy **
 * Preface: **
 * 1.0 Aims: **

2.1 Staff and Management
 * 2. 0 Implementation: **

2.1.1 Student Management Team The student management team will oversee the management of student behavioral and disciplinary procedures and incidents. It is comprised of key teaching staff, the Principal and Vice Principal, all year level co-coordinators, and the student welfare officer. To maintain community input representatives of the Parents Association are also periodically invited to attend meetings where policies are under review. The Student management team will liaise with teaching staff to maintain a culture that proactively addresses behavior management and the maintenance of effective procedures.

2.1.2 Student Welfare Officer The student welfare officer is regarded by the school as central to the effective and sensible implementation of the behavioral and disciplinary policy. Accordingly, the student welfare officer’s role includes the responsibility of regular liaison with year level coordinators in order to facilitate early intervention and proactive prevention of disciplinary issues. Additionally, all serious or repeated cases of rule infringement are referred by staff to the student welfare officer.

2.1.3Staff Education and Support In order for staff to be able to effectively manage student behavior and discipline regular professional development opportunities in this area will be offered periodically. In addition, staff will be regularly peer reviewed and invited to self evaluate so that any opportunities for behavioral management improvement can be identified and addressed. Staff will also have the opportunity to meet with their colleagues from the Student Management Team in order to pool their knowledge and disseminate insights, strategies and tips that aid in classroom management.

2.2 Whole School Approach

2.2.1 Welfare Based Approach Student behavior is seen to be closely connected with student welfare and accordingly the ‘whole school’ approach outlined in the student welfare policy encompasses student behavior and discipline concerns. Of particular relevance to discipline is the focus on continually assisting students to develop a positive sense of wellbeing and resilience so that they are fully equipped to respond appropriately to the inevitable disruptions that occur during adolescence. We aim to teach students the skills to both look after themselves and treat others with respect.

2.2.2 Positive Reinforcement The best way to ensure that more students are well behaved more of the time is to create a culture where good behavior is recognized, valued and encouraged. Accordingly, information is disseminated to teachers about how to effectively give positive feedback and create a team environment where the focus is on students working together and collectively reinforcing appropriate values based behavior. Along with outstanding academic performance exemplary behavior is acknowledged and celebrated at team meetings and school assemblies. Additionally, values and morality are explored as part of the moral/ philosophical Key Knowledge Area and explicitly connected to a students own behavior in specific contexts. Finally, the encouragement of co curricular activities provides another avenue of positive reinforcement and the opportunity to develop a sense of inclusion and community.

2.3 Classroom Practice

2.3.1 Teacher Autonomy While everyone involved in a classroom is provided with a clear set of rights and responsibilities and are made aware of the rules that govern their behavior it is recognized that circumstances within a classroom are subject to a wide variation that require the teacher to use initiative to respond appropriately. Teachers are thus encouraged to use their judgment to follow the most appropriate course of action provided that they are consistent, fair, and are prepared to justify their actions.

2.3.2 Classroom Rules Classroom rules are generally subsumed under the rubric of rights and responsibilities. To ensure the orderly transition of classes there are, however, a number of explicit rules governing behavior upon entry and exit to the classroom. These are as follows:
 * 1) Students must arrive on time to class
 * 2) Students may enter and exit the classroom only when instructed by the teacher
 * 3) Students must have a note in their diary if they leave the classroom during class times.

2.3.3Appropriate responses We recognize the difference between actions that disrupt others and are socially unacceptable and those that reflect an unwillingness to participate in or complete work. Disruptive behavior thus attracts a different set of consequences than disengaged behavior.

2.3.3.1 Disruptive Behavior Disruptive behavior may attract the following consequences depending on teacher discretion and the severity/reoccurrence of the offence 2.3.3.2 Disengaged Behavior Disengaged behavior covers such things as failure to complete homework, failure to do work in class, refusal to participate in class activities.
 * 1) Verbal reprimand
 * 2) Lunch time and recess in class detention
 * 3) Note to parents
 * 4) Referral to level coordinator (and automatically student welfare officer)
 * 5) In class segregation
 * 6) Suspension and expulsion after consultation with parents, principal, and student welfare officer
 * 7) Written reflection
 * 8) Behavioral Agreements
 * 9) Removal from classroom
 * 10) Counseling
 * 11) Reconciliation procedures
 * 12) Notification of police
 * 1) Note to parents
 * 2) Referral to level coordinator (and automatically student welfare officer)
 * 3) Allocation of study session
 * 4) Behavioral agreements
 * 5) Counseling

2.4 Incident response While every effort is made to contain unacceptable student behavior there are occasions where serious incidents that threaten the harmony and safety of members of the school will occur. In these cases the student is to be immediately removed from the situation and referred to the year level coordinator for further action. Teachers and students will be required to fill out an incident form. Any students that have been affected as a result of the incident will be given appropriate assistance and referred to the student welfare coordinator.

2.5 Truancy Truancy is regarded as a serious behavioral issue at this school and is approached from a holistic perspective. Students who are persistently absent from school will be referred to the Student Welfare Officer who will pursue the matter further with the assistance of the students’ parents. Truant behavior is explicitly exempt from the consequences that disruptive behavior attracts as it is deemed ineffective to make the school environment less attractive when the aim is to encourage participation.

2.6 Rights and Responsibilities At Apocrypha Secondary School we aim to encourage students to develop a personal sense of responsibility for their own actions and therefore embrace a rights and responsibilities based philosophy rather than a rules based one. By allowing students the freedom to choice the right course of action we believe that we are developing thoughtful, values based and socially responsible citizens. Student, Staff, and parent Rights and Responsibilities are displayed throughout the school and actively communicated to students at the beginning of each term. Furthermore, within each class students are given the opportunity to augment the school wide list of rights and responsibilities with those that they democratically elect as relevant to themselves. Rights and responsibilities are explicitly taught to students as part of the moral /philosophical KKA and these are advertised around the school.

2.8 Suspension and Expulsion

2.8.1 Suspension Suspension is an extremely serious consequence that will be implemented only after other avenues of behavioural management have been exhausted. Out of school suspension in particular is not regarded as an effective consequence in most circumstances and internal suspension will usually be implemented instead. Internal suspensions will require the student to attend school and complete work but not in their usual classroom setting.

2.8.2 Expulsion Expulsion will only be implemented when the student has clearly demonstrated that they are unwilling to take on the responsibilities necessary to operate in the school community. Any decision to expel a student will occur only after consultation with parents and the Student Welfare Officer.

2.9 Reconciliation We recognize that incidents are bound to occur between students and between staff and students that may create tension and increase the likelihood of further incidents. To provide opportunity for rapprochement we encourage students (and teachers if necessary) to apologize once they recognize their behavior is inappropriate. In terms of ongoing disputes between students, once these are identified, meetings can be by organized the Student Welfare Officer between students to discuss how these students can prevent further incidents.

2. 10 Bullying All forms of bullying are regarded as unacceptable and students found to be abusing the rights of others will be dealt with under the provisions outlined in sections 2.3.3.1 Disruptive behaviours. All parties involved will be referred to the Student Welfare Officer who will determine the appropriate response.

2.11 Drug use and illegal behaviour Students found using drugs on school property or attending school in a drug affected state will be immediately referred to the Student Welfare Officer. Students found to be selling drugs will be referred to the police as will vandalism and other illegal behaviour that jeopardises the safety of the school community.


 * RATIONALE:**

One of the primary aims of our student behaviour and discipline policy is to minimise the amount of negative intervention required by creating a school environment that encourages responsible and respectful behaviour. Accordingly, Apocrypha Secondary College has adopted an holistic view of student behaviour that recognises that student behaviour is affected by a number of areas within our sphere of influence including the students own attributes, the classroom teacher and the general school climate. (Gottfredeson 1993; Watkins 2000; Green 2009) By being proactive in these three areas we will be able to effectively institute a whole-school preventative approach to behaviour management that promotes the general resilience and self responsibility of students .Prescott (1995)

A core concern of our behavioural policy is fostering in students the desire and equipping them with the skills to meet their own needs responsibly. We understand that there are genuine reasons for student misbehaviour and that if we give students the skills to meet their needs in an appropriate way we will be able to decrease the incidence of problem behaviours.Rogers ( 2006) To this end we educate our students in the pro social skills and understanding of their rights and responsibilities through our moral/philosphical KKA and explicit rights and responsibilities education. We recognise that students are capable of learning to accept responsibility for their behaviour as they develop and aim to guide and support this development as much as we can. Department of Education and Children's Services (2007)

Important components of helping students to develop personal responsibility are the need to balance consistent externally imposed expectations with student participation. Brown (2005) We believe we have achieved a fair balance by the use of a school wide set of rights and responsibilities along with the democratic discussion, augmentation and formulation of these in to rules by students. The advertisement and explicit teaching associated with these rules and responsibilities ensures that all students have a clear understanding of the expectations of them and the consequences of failure to conform to the expected standards.

We make an effort to ensure that consequences are suitable and not punitive. The principles of restorative justice are used to ensure that any parties involved in an instance of unacceptable behaviour are reconciled and empowered to make the right choices in future.Wearmouth (2005) This is regarded as an integral component of maintaining a school social climate that encourages responsibility, inclusion and consideration so as to minimise the occurrence of behavioural problems. Wearmouth (2005)

Equipping teachers with the skills to successfully manage students and identify what is causing students to misbehave is extremely important to the implementation of a sensitive approach to student behaviour and discipline.Ayers ( 1997) The role of the student management team is critical in this instance as it provides a central body that can support and assist teachers to work together to manage students and identify areas of improvement.

While the focus of this policy is on whole school prevention of problems with an aim to minimise the use of disciplinary intervention we nonetheless realise that a percentage of students will require further assistance to manage their own behaviour. Thus there are clear incident response procedures in place that minimise the disruption to the majority of students and provide for the best outcomes for all. Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (2009) The role of the Student Welfare Officer in those instances where intervention is necessary is essential so that a comprehensive plan can be formulated to meet each students needs and ensure that their behaviour is given every opportunity to improve.

Ayers, H. ( 1997) //Perspectives on Behaviour//, David Fulton Publishers, London Brown S. (2005) //Students' Needs and Responsibility in Education//, Doctoral Thesis, Latrobe University, Bundoora Department of Education and Children's Services,(2007) School Discipline, retrieved from [] Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, (2009) Student Engagement Policy Guidelines, retrieved from [] Gottfredeson D. et al. (1993) Can prevention work where it is needed most?, //Education Review//, 22(3) Green J. (2009) Changing Past Student Discipline Practices to create a district wide Discipline Plan. //Education and Urban Society//. 41. Prescott K. ( 1995) //Teaching Prosocial Behaviour to Adolescents: A Directory of Processes and Programs used in Australian Schools//, Australian Guidance and Counselling Association, Adelaide Rogers B. ( 2006) Behaviour Management: Classroom Discipline, Whole School Discipline, Scholastic Press, Lindfield Snowman J. et al. (2009) //Psychology Applied to Teaching//, Milton, John Wiley and Sons Australia Ltd. Watkins C. & Wagner P. (2000) //Improving School Behaviour//, Paul Chapman, London Weatherilt T. & Griffiths C. 2006 'Creating a Safe and Friendly School:Using a 360-Degree Approach' In Jimerson S. & Furlong M. (eds.) //Handbook of School Violence and School Safety: From Research to Practice//, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, London Wearmouth J. et al. (2005) //Perspectives on Student Behaviour in Schools//, Routledge, New York
 * Bibliography:**