Ponderosa Elementary School’s Guiding Principles and Discipline Plan

 

We all take care of each other.

We are safe.

We are respectful.

We are responsible.

 

Each student is a unique individual with unique personal, social, and educational needs. As a result, every disciplinary situation becomes unique in nature. Consequences for misbehavior provide the best learning value when matched to the unique student and the unique situation. The probability for children learning from their mistakes increases dramatically when children see a reasonable connection between their behavior and the resulting consequences.

 

If a student causes a problem for him/herself or anyone else, he or she will most likely be asked to solve that problem. If he or she cannot solve the problem, or chooses not to, appropriate consequences will be imposed. These consequences will depend upon the situation. For major disciplinary infractions, the school follows the Elementary Student-Parent Handbook found at http://www.meridianschools.org/. Staff members will use their best judgment based upon the information they have at the time. If students or parents feel that the consequences are unjust, they may request a meeting.

 

The above Guiding Principles direct our attempts to provide consistency in disciplinary procedures. They also allow the staff to accommodate to meet the needs of individuals and circumstances. Since these principles provide the guide for our professional decisions, the staff encourages parents to bring concerns and questions to us in the event we operate in ways that appear to be inconsistent with

these principles.

Updated on January 25, 2008

Safety Rules and Procedures

 

The purpose of school and playground safety rules is to provide a safe learning environment. The Elementary Student-Parent Handbook also contains school district expectations. The Handbook can be found on the district’s website: www.meridianschools.org.

Children are expected to act in ways that will not cause a problem for themselves or anyone else.

Expectations include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

Student Behavior:

1. Students will be good problem solvers:

a. Use Problem Solving Graph.

b. Use “Rock, Paper, Scissors” to help solve problems.

2. Students will choose appropriate language and touch:

a. Report bullying, name-calling, daring, or teasing to duty and/or classroom teacher

b. Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself.

3. Students will use respect towards others at all times:

a. Listen to and follow directions from all teachers, duty, and other staff members.

b. No fighting, bullying, or harassing.

 

Items at School:

1. Electronic equipment should not disrupt the learning environment.

a. Cell phones are not to be visible or heard in the school building or on school grounds.   Cell phones are to be kept in backpacks. They may be confiscated.

b. Keep toys and electronic equipment at home. They may be confiscated.

 

Classroom Expectations:

1. Students will be ready to learn:

a. Show respect to the teacher, classmates, and self.

b. Be part of a positive learning environment.

c. Participate in classroom learning opportunities.

d. Complete homework.

e. Have materials ready.

f. Be on time everyday.

g. Have good attendance.

 

Hallway Behavior:

1. Students will demonstrate appropriate behaviors:

a. Use proper hallway behavior. Stay quiet and in single file lines. Always walk.

b. Maintain personal space.

c. Refrain from touching items displayed in halls.

d. Use a hall pass when not with class.

Restroom Behavior:

1. Students will use bathrooms correctly and quietly:

a. Chasing in and out of the bathrooms is not allowed.

b. Playing in the bathrooms or inner and outer door areas is not allowed.

c. Respect the privacy of others when they use the bathroom.

d. Use a hall pass.

e. Wash hands after using the bathroom.

Recess:

School Grounds:

1. Students will stay in assigned areas on school grounds and be visible to school personnel at all times:

a. Stay within the fenced area and away from the Portable Buildings during recess.

b. Neighborhood walkways are off limits.

c. Passes from duty personnel are required to leave classrooms or enter the building during recess.

2. Riding bikes, skateboards, skates, or scooters on school grounds is not allowed.

 

Student Behavior:

1. Students will choose appropriate behavior, respect and share with others, and be good problem solvers:

a. Rough play, play fighting, and wrestling are not allowed.

b. Throwing rocks, objects, cut grass, snowballs, or ice is not allowed.

c. Do not walk through others’ games (4-square, tetherball, basketball, football, and so on).

d. Tag is for the field only. Use a light short touch to tag - no pulling, pushing, grabbing, or hugging as the tag.

e. Only walk on snow. Keep snow on the ground. No snow angels. No kicking of or sliding on snow or ice.

 

Equipment/Games:

1. Students will use equipment properly and safely.

a. One hand must be on the play equipment at all times.

b. The slide is for going down one person on the slide at a time. Go down on your bottom and do not block the bottom of the slide.

c. Swinging or spinning can be done on the pull-up bars with both hands holding the bar.

d. Standing on pull-up bars and cross-bars (monkey bars) is not allowed.

e. Wall-ball is allowed for 4th and 5th grade students during the last recess.

f. No kicking balls on the blacktop.

g. No hanging, sitting, swinging, climbing, or pulling on tetherball poles.

h. Follow tetherball, 4-square, and Pacer rules.

i. No running, chasing, and playing tag on the playground equipment, nor in the equipment

area.

j. No hardballs - i.e.: baseballs, super balls, handballs.

k. No bats.

l. Green Monkey Bars “The Big, Green Monster” (west playground) is for 3 – 5 graders only during lunch recess after 2nd grade returns to class.

m. Only two students on the “bouncy toy”.

n. No hanging or standing on the outside of designated play areas on the equipment, including the lion’s head.

o. Stay away from bike racks and fire hydrant.

 

Walk & Talk:

1. A Walk & Talk will be called if the playground is not usable (ex: too wet/muddy).

a. Stay on the black-top only. (Pacer Path may be used if it is safe.)

b. No equipment use or playing on the field during Walk & Talk.

 

Recess Dismissal:

1. For safety reasons students will follow the dismissal procedure.

a. Stop, Wait, Walk Rule: When the bell rings, all students stop, get off of the equipment in an orderly and safe fashion, hold classroom recess equipment, freeze (and stay in their own personal space), and wait for the whistle. Upon hearing the all-clear whistle, students walk and carry their equipment to their lines or proceed to the playground.

 

Parking Lot & Bus Lane (Pull-through):

1. Students are to remain on safe areas in parking lot and wait patiently for rides.

a. Students should only be picked up and dropped off at designated areas in parking lots.

b. Students should walk outside the yellow lines on sidewalks.

c. Students should remain in designated areas and be visible to staff when waiting for

rides.

d. Students are not to be in bus lane (pull-through).

 

The school district has written and adopted a new Cyberbullying policy. You may find it helpful to discuss it as well as other internet safety concerns, in an age appropriate manner, with your children. Cyberbullying is prevalent and causes much harm to children.

 

Please note the following school district policy regarding Cyberbullying:

Cyberbullying is an aggressive, intentional act carried out by a group or individual using electronic forms of contact. These include but are not limited to:

 

a. Text message bullying involves sending unwelcome texts that are threatening or cause discomfort.

b. Picture/video-clip bullying via mobile phone cameras is used to make the person being bullied feel threatened or embarrassed, with images usually sent to other people.

c. Phone call bullying via mobile phone uses silent calls or abusive messages.

d. Email bullying uses email to send bullying or threatening messages

e. Chat room bullying involves sending menacing or upsetting responses to children or young

people when they are in a web-based chat room.

f. Bullying through instant messaging (IM) is an Internet-based form of bullying where students are sent messages as they conduct real-time conversations online.

g. Bullying via websites includes the use of defamatory blogs (web logs), personal websites and online personal polling sites.

 

Due to safety concerns, rules may be revised or new rules implemented at any time. Please read over these rules with your child to help us keep your child and others on the playground happy and safe.