Safe and Supportive Schools (School Climate)

Safe and Supportive Schools(School Climate)

What Works… Essential Components

Culture v. Climate

• Culture refers to the behavioral norms, assumptions and beliefs of a school

-A School’s Personality • Climate refers to perceptions of persons in the

school that reflect those norms, assumptions and beliefs.

-A School’s Mood

Leadership Team• Decide on and recruit members (training?)• Schedule meetings/time to meet• Assign roles: agenda, student & dashboard data,

minutes, communicating with staff • Establish a fixed agenda: e.g., analyze behavior and

other data, review action plan review budget (how much left to spend)• Create effective in-school communication system• Anticipate threats to team effectiveness• Be CHEERLEADERS!

WHY a Team?Cooperative planning

Whole staff initiative (not top-down, not bottom-up… represents entire staff)

Shared responsibility for implementing initiatives

On-going management and support

Leadership Team Issues

• Member burn out• Turn over (teacher/staff and administrator)• Some carrying all the weight• Removal of a member• Dynamics of team members

Discipline Matrix Example

Staff Buy-InOn All Components

• Must understand the WHY of improving climate• Staff meeting to go over draft plan• Share copy of draft plan• Panel presentation by team members• Staff input into steps for achieving goals• Ask for help, e.g., team for each goal• Person to person convincing of fence-sitters• Share data of progress to win over skeptics• Recognize, celebrate successes• Food and T-shirts

Staff Buy-InOn All Components

• Staff meeting to go over plan• Share copy of plan• Panel presentation by team members• Staff input into plans for achieving goals• Ask for help, e.g., team for each goal• Person to person convincing of fence-sitters• Share data of progress to win over skeptics• Recognize, celebrate successes• Food and T-shirts

Establish Staff Norms Identify staff norms that contribute to a positive school

climate and reinforce, reward, and hold each other accountable for those behaviors. For example:

high expectations for all students positive approaches to discipline no display of anger or sarcasm model respectful behavior no bullying or harassment

Agree on hallway behaviors that invite relationships, e.g. smiling, making eye contact, using students’ names, greeting students at the classroom door before and after class.

Safe and Supportive Schools

Activity

Data Analyzed Regularly• School Climate Survey analyzed annually and reviewed

periodically• SWOT, Environmental Scan• Behavior Data reviewed at each team meeting

(frequent referrals – students, behaviors)• Dashboard Data analyzed for patterns• Attendance, Graduation Rate, etc.• Evaluation… did we get the results we wanted?

Data, Not Hunches! – Don’t Make Assumptions!

Behavior ExpectationsClear to All

• What are they and what do they mean?• Communicate to staff and clarify• Present and explain to students (stress priorities)• Teach -- don’t assume! – and re-teach,

re-teach, re-teach• Make parents aware of expectations• Prompt parent notification of inappropriate behaviors• Stick to expectations unless major cause for change…

but revisit at the end of the year

Expectations Consistently Enforced

Consistently enforced? REALLY???? YES!!!! School wide Classrooms? Most often a work in progress Options to move toward greater consistency

Talk about scenarios as a staffSome choose to observe (and mentor) in pairsProvide reminders of target areas, behaviors, etc.“Coach” staff members who don’t conformRecognize progress using dataCelebrate success

What teachers permit, they promote!

Teachers expect students to follow rules in their classrooms. But if teachers permit certain behaviors that do not align with their expectations, they send the message that those behaviors are acceptable.

In other words, what they are permitting,

they are promoting.

(How to Lead Teachers to Become Great, by Janet Pilcher and Robin Largue, p. 39)

A rule or a suggestion?If a teacher expects her students to hand in their papers in a certain way but then allows some students to do it differently, she is essentially saying,

“The paper-handing-in rule is not really a rule, but a suggestion.

Do it if you feel like it.”

(How to Lead Teachers to Become Great, by Janet Pilcher and Robin Largue, p. 40)

A Caring, Non-Punitive Effort to Shape Behavior

• Not all students come to us knowing how to behave • Our job is to support them in their process of growth • To help them learn to make better choices… not to

catch and punish them• ATTITUDE is the key! “Dislike the Behavior – Not the Child”

When kids don’t behave, we play the blame game.

Who is to blame?

The college professor said:

“Such rawness in a student is a shame, lack of preparation in high school is to blame.”

Who is to blame?

Said the high school teacher:

“Good heavens! That boy’s a fool. The fault of course is with the middle school.”

.

Who is to blame?

The middle school teacher said:

“From stupidity may I be spared. They sent him in so unprepared.”

Who is to blame?

The elementary teacher huffed:

“Kindergarten blockheads all. They call that preparation-why, it’s worse than none at all.”

Who is to blame?

The kindergarten teacher said:

“Such lack of training never did I see. What kind of woman must that mother be?

Who is to blame?

The mother said:

“Poor helpless child. He’s not to blame. His father’s people were all the same.”

Who is to blame?

Said the father at the end of the line: “I doubt the rascal’s even mine.”

A Caring, Non-Punitive Effort to Shape Behavior

“Competence …is promoted in the context …in which students feel valued, respected, connected to and

engaged in learning.” (WVBOE Policy 4373, Ch. 1, Sec. 2)

At some point, school staff need to have difficult discussions about what they believe about behavior, discipline, punishment, school’s role in teaching values, and in providing mental health supports for students.

Consequences Structured to Change Behavior

• If the behaviors don’t change, the consequences have not been effective.

• Develop a flexible plan of consequences (increasing severity, greater support, etc.)• Review individual student data at team

meeting: if multiple referrals or serious violations, what consequences have been used? results?

Sample ConsequencesTardiness – When the bell rings students will be out of the hallway and in their assigned classroom / area.

1.Teachers have the right to have higher expectations than the school rule.2.The teacher’s higher expectation must be discussed with students and requirements posted ahead of time and followed consistently.

•1st tardy teacher issues verbal warning, document on log•3rd tardy parent contact, document on log•5th tardy, parent contact to invite parent in for a conference, document on log•6th tardy, referral sent to EHB, 1 day ISS (6 pts)•9th tardy, referral sent to EHB, 1 day ASD (9 pts) •12th tardy, referral sent to EHB, 1 day ASD, Referral made to Discipline Advisory Board (12 pts)

On tardies 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, and 11 remind student of next consequence.

Meaningful IncentivesLow or No Cost

The common thread woven through the following examples is time with friends.

a movie a couple minutes early to lunch or to the buses dance, music at lunch early to lunch “Minute To Win It” stations sock hop after school game time (students play their games)

For incentives with a cost, ask for help from your community partner or PTO...

Academic Systems Behavioral Systems

1-5% 1-5%

5-10% 5-10%

80-90% 80-90%

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•High Intensity

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•Intense, durable procedures

Targeted Group Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response

Targeted Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response•Individual or Group

Universal Interventions•All students•Preventive, proactive

Universal Interventions•All settings, all students•Preventive, proactive

School-Wide Systems for Student Success

TEACH TEACH


Provide

Individualiz

ed Intens

ive Suppo

rtsIntervene Early & Provide

Focused Youth Development Activities

Build a School-wide Foundation

Provide coordinated, intensive, sustained, culturally competent, individualized, child- and family- driven and focused services and supports that address needs while building assets.

Implement strategies and provide supports that address risk factors and build protective factors for students at risk for severe academic or behavioral difficulties.

Universal prevention & youth social skill development approaches, caring school climate, positive & proactive approach to discipline, personalized instruction, cultural competence, & strong family involvement.

Support for All Students


Prevention Strategies• Design a school wide prevention framework to promote

student success

• Teach and re-teach behaviors: anticipate problem behaviors, school issues

If you want it, teach it!

• School-wide themes… some examples:Rachel’s ChallengeCapturing Kids’ HeartsPeer MediationNatural HelpersBy-Stander Training

Prevention Strategies Character Education: trustworthiness, respect, fairness,

responsibility, caring, citizenship

Social and Emotional Learning “Socially Competent Students are Skilled in Three Core Areas:

① Self-awareness and Self-management② Social-awareness and Interpersonal Skills

③ Decision-making Skills and Responsible Behaviors”

(WVBOE Policy 4373, Ch. 1, Sec. 2)

Use data to decide where to focus

“…the process through which individuals acquire the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need to

recognize and manage their emotions, demonstrate caring and concern for others, establish positive relationships, make responsible decisions, and handle challenging situation constructively.”

(WVBOE Policy 4373, Ch. 1, Sec. 2)

What is Social and Emotional Learning?

Obj. 5—8.2.01 Predict others’ feelings and perspectives in a variety of situations.

Ideas for Promoting and Supporting this Objective

Opportunities to Teach Opportunities to Practice Evaluation

Health: 5 6 7 8Phys Ed: 5 6 7 8Soc Studies: Guidance: Advisor: 5 6 7 8LS&TT: 5 6 7 8

Classrooms (all):Hallways:Lunchrooms:Gym:Assemblies:Games/Events:All of the above:

Student self-assessment:Assessed by the teacher who provided “Opportunity to Learn”:Assessed by all of the student’s teachers:Assessed by analysis of data:

LEVEL 1 Core Instructional Interventions

All settings, all students

LEVEL 2Targeted Group Interventions

Some students (at-risk)

Intensive Interventions Individual students

LEVEL 3

80-90%

5-10%

1-5%

PREVENTION

LEVEL 1 Core Instructional Interventions

All settings, all students

LEVEL 2Targeted Group Interventions

Some students (at-risk)

Intensive Interventions Individual students

LEVEL 3

80-90%

5-10%

1-5%

INTERVENTION

Intervention StrategiesLevel 2

Early intervention for at risk students (5-10%) who need something more to be successful.

Such as: smokers, bullies/targets/by-standers, students considering suicide

Example strategies: tobacco cessation, behavior management plan, check-in/ check-out, anger management skills, by-stander skills,

mental health supports

Intervention StrategiesLevel 3

For a individual students (1%-5%) who need more intense interventions.

Examples: Treatment Center, Teen Drug Court, Alternate Education Site -- oftenrequires the support of community groups/ agencies integrated with school supports

Team to organize screening and referral

Partnerships“School systems cannot provide

all of the resources and intervention services to meet the more severe behavioral needs of students For this reason, partnerships with other agencies and organizations are essential…” (WVBOE Policy 4373, Ch. 3, Sec. 2)

mental health law enforcement

social servicesjudicial system

Etc.

Alternatives to Suspension

• Extended Day • Saturday Academy• School or Community based Service Learning

(time = suspension)• In-school Suspension• Planning Center (get emotional support, “cool off, "resolve conflicts, learn coping/ problem-solving skills, complete school work)


Family/Community Support• Provide parents clear information about behavior

expectations and consequences for violations• Welcome parents, give them good news about

their child from day one• Communicate to parents and community survey

results, plans to address them, data on progress• Ask parents and community organizations to do

something specific to help

How Measure Effectiveness?

By Outcomes…

student attendancegradesachievement scores discipline datapromotion and graduation ratesextra curricular participation teacher, student, staff and parent satisfaction surveys


What Schools Must Do

What WV schools have found creates A Safe and Supportive School Climate

is now policyfor all WV Schools

WV State Board Policy 4373Chapter 3

At a minimum, schools shall:

Establish a Leadership Team

(may be an existing team) to manage the design, monitoring and

improvement of school climate/culture.(Ch. 3, Sec. 5)


Establish A Process to Gain

School-Wide Input and Commitmentto school climate/culture improvement from students, staff, parents and community

(Ch. 3, Sec. 5)


Develop School-Wide Priorities

(Ch. 3, Sec. 5)


Analyze

School Climate/Culture Data


Make

Data Driven Improvement Decisions

based on analysis of consistently tracked student behaviors


Implement School-wide Plans

… to support and reinforce expected behaviors

At a minimum, schools shall:Implement

Programs/Practices that promote

youth asset development to support• expected student behaviors,

• positive education, and• health outcomes

At a minimum, schools shall:Implement

comprehensive and effective

Intervention Programs/Practices

that target identified behaviors that are disruptive to the educational process and that place

students at higher risk of poor education and health outcomes


Develop Referral Procedures

that are appropriate and reliable for intensive intervention

that enlist school and community partnerships


EvaluateAnd Revise as Neededthe school climate/culture

improvement process

Change is Slow, Often Subtle!

Changing a school’s climate is aPROCESS

• It happens not in big events, but in small steps implemented strategically, over time

• It happens with INDIVIDUALS first, then institutions

• It usually takes 3-5 years58

Activity 2

Documents

Safe and Supportive Schools (School Climate)