Behavior Expectations

Philosophy

The school staff and parents/guardians share the responsibility of helping children behave appropriately in the school environment where children have rights and responsibilities. The school staff will help students learn to follow rules of proper conduct and safety.  Student self-discipline is a main goal of the discipline plan at our school. Another goal is to foster communication between the school staff and parents to help students behave properly. The guidelines for our discipline philosophy are the Character Traits of: Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, Self-Discipline and Compassion.  

Discipline

The purpose of the discipline program is to provide an excellent learning climate at our primary school.  The success for this program will be determined by those who abide by the rules and work to keep our school an excellent learning facility.  Students who behave properly will be rewarded and/or recognized, just as students who misbehave will experience an appropriate consequence.  A system of rewarding students for proper behavior and removing privileges for misbehavior shall be designed by each grade level.

Discipline will include using non-exclusionary practices before dismissing or suspending a student for more than a day unless there is an ongoing safety threat to the child or to others. School staff will use Tiered Interventions based in the district Positive Behavioral and Supports Framework (PBIS) as outlined in the Cambridge-Isanti Schools Code of Conduct.

Office Referrals for Behaviors that create a safety concern or are illegal in nature are referred to the office immediately. Specific behaviors that typically result in an office referral include but are not limited to: persistent disruption of student learning, disrespect or insubordination, abusive language or profanity (including inappropriate gestures), physical contact or aggression, property destruction or vandalism, harassment or bullying, or theft. 

Removal from Class

Disruptive or insubordinate students may be removed from class and sent to the office. Staff will contact parents/guardians when this occurs. Parent conferences may be required to evaluate the situation and future actions.

Lunch Detention

Discipline will not include recess detention unless the student is likely to cause harm to other students or staff, the student’s parent or guardian specifically consents to the use of recess detention, or for students receiving special education services, the individualized education plan (IEP) has deemed it appropriate. 

Reasonable Force

In accordance with MN State Law and in order to maintain a safe environment, staff are permitted to use reasonable force to restrain or correct a student when that individual is in danger of hurting themselves, others, or property. An employee of the district shall not use prone restraint or inflict any form of physical harm that restricts or impairs a pupil’s ability to breathe, communicate distress, or places pressure on pupil’s head, throat, neck, chest, lungs, sternum, diaphragm, back, or abdomen, or results in straddling a pupil’s torso.

Removal for the Day Students may demonstrate behaviors that include actions that interfere with their learning and other students’ learning.  If the behavior includes aggression that impacts the safety of others or other safety concerns, the administrator will call home and work on setting up a parent meeting to discuss the behavior and work on a solution with the family.  In these isolated events, the family may decide to bring the child home for the day.  This would be considered a removal for the day.

Suspension

The suspension process will follow the provisions of the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act. Examples of why students may be suspended include, but are not limited to defiance/refusal, assault, harassment, violence, weapon possession, fighting, threats, and possession or use of alcohol, drugs or tobacco. A conference with the principal may be held before a student is allowed to return to school.

Due Process

If students feel they have followed procedures concerning school policy yet have reached an impasse, they may file a grievance by doing the following:

• Step 1: The student must present a written statement of facts concerning the impasse to the principal within 15 days of the initial situation.  The statement should include specifics such as dates, names and incidents.
   
• Step 2: The principal will investigate the grievance and respond in writing to the student and faculty members involved within five days.
   
• Step 3: If the impasse is not resolved, the grievance will be presented to the Superintendent of Schools and a meeting of involved parties will be arranged, including parents/guardians of the involved student.  Conciliation is the goal of this meeting.  A time limit of 10 days is provided for this procedure.
   
• Step 4: If the impasse is not resolved, it will be presented to the School Board.  Their decision will be final.

Students, parents and other guardians, and school staff may file a complaint and seek corrective action when the requirements of the Minnesota Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, including the implementation of the local behavior and discipline policies, are not being implemented appropriately or are being discriminately applied. Complaints should be filed with the Director of Administrative Services at (763) 689-6235.