CABOT SCHOOL
Comprehensive Discipline Plan
Revised January 2011
1. Cabot School’s philosophy of child behavior education & discipline
includes:
! An active partnership between parents & school
! Clearly communicated, developmentally appropriate lists of expected behaviors
! Direct, repeated instruction in expected behaviors
! High frequency recognition for expected behaviors (verbal description & husky paw)
! Targeted intervention/supports for chronic anti-social (unexpected) behaviors
This learning requires a consistently supportive and safe environment that models and
teaches self-control and a sense of community among students and adults. These factors
will enable students to become socially responsible citizens, lifelong learners and
successful contributors to our diverse local and global economy.
2. Cabot School Behavior
Respect yourself
Respect others
Respect the environment
( see matrix of behavior expectations on the next page)
3. What are the responsibilities of Cabot School staff members to respond to
positive and negative student behaviors? Staff members at Cabot School are expected
to respond to positive and negative student behaviors according to the following pyramid
of responses:
(see Pyramid of Responses to Student Behaviors 2 pages forward)
The Pyramid of Responses to Student Behaviors
INDIV.
BEHAVIOR
PLAN
OSS
ISS
CRISIS TEAM
RESPONSIVE INTERVENTION
BREAK/COOL DOWN AREA
DIALOGUE
SUBTLE TEACHER INTERVENTIONS
FREQUENT RE-TEACHING
INTERMITTENT, FREQUENT RECOGNITION OF POSITIVE BEHAVIORS
CLEAR EXPECTATIONS
Cabot
Expectations
Respect for ...
All Settings
Bus
Cafeteria
Classroom
Self
•Be prepared
•Be honest
Others
Environment
•Use kind words and actions
•Help keep everyone safe
•Model good behaviors
•Report problems
• Stay seated
•Face the front
• Obey the rules
• Share the seat
• Respect other’s feelings
• Keep bus clean and in
good condition
• Eat nutritious food
• Have polite, quiet
conversation
• Use table manners
Clean up
Recycle
Compost
Return Silverware
• Focus on learning
•Be on time
• Always do your best
•Let others learn
Special
Presentation
• Learn from the program
Campus
• Get where you are going
quickly and safely
• Stay together
Playground
• Get exercise
• Be safe
• Obey the rules
• Include others
• Compromise
• Play fair
Bathrooms
• Walk to and from the
bathrooms
• Flush toilets
• Wash your hands
• Give people privacy
• Use quiet voices
• Wait your turn
•Sit quietly
•Applaud politely
•Learn and let others learn
•Keep materials organized
• Take your belongings
when you leave
• Leave space better than
you found it
• Pick up litter
• Keep buildings and
grounds in good
condition
• Use equipment the
right way
• Report problems with
sink or toilets
• Put trash in garbage
Cabot School Community Members
Live and Learn
cans
4. How Will Staff Implement The Pyramid Of Responses To Student Behavior ?
The diagram is a set of steps. Each step represents one of the components of our plan.
The set of steps sits on a base where learning takes place. Children cannot be expected to
exhibit behaviors that they haven’t been taught. For most students, the fact that this set
of steps exists will be all they need to be successful. Once expectations are taught, they
will work hard to discipline themselves and adult intervention will be minimal.
LEVEL 1 — CLEAR EXPECTATIONS—The first step in the Discipline Plan calls for
establishing and teaching rules and expectations to all students, staff and parents. These
must be discussed, posted and clearly visible in all appropriate areas in the school. For
most students simply having a set of expectations will be all they need to assume
responsibility for themselves and their actions. For others, additional interventions and
supports will need to be provided.
LEVEL 2 – FREQUENT RE-TEACHING – When acquiring new information in
changing environments, students often need reminders. Students will be reminded of the
Cabot School Expectations through re-teaching and examples of positive behavior.
LEVEL 3 – SUBTLE TEACHER INTERVENTIONS – Teachers have many subtle,
non-confrontative strategies for re-directing student’s behavior such as: moving closer to
the student, establishing eye contact, asking a question, giving a new direction, etc.
Teachers may have a chime or other attention device to re-focus students who are off
track.
LEVEL 4 — THE DIALOGUE - When conflict or disruption arises, a consistently
employed script guides the student to recognize the negative behavior, state the
appropriate behavior and choose to do it.
The script consists of three questions:
What are you doing? ( tapping my pencil on neighbor’s desk)
What are you supposed to be doing? (finishing my math assignment)
What are you going to do? ( stop tapping the pencil & finish the math assignment)
LEVEL 5 — TAKE A BREAK / COOL DOWN AREA
The break area will be determined by the teacher at the beginning of the school year.
This break/cool down area might be an adjacent teacher’s classroom, the hallway, a
private space in the classroom or any other space that would allow the student to cool
down, re-focus and re-start. The principal’s office is not an appropriate cool-down area
unless no other space is available. The cool-down area is not punishment, carries no
further negative consequences and must last only as long as it takes for the student to
agree to come back to class/area and participate appropriately in the activity. A natural
consequence is for the student to make up any missed work and repair the impact of their
actions with other students or adults who were negatively affected.
LEVEL 6 — RESPONSIVE INTERVENTION - Teacher or Behavior Support
Staff
When a student continues to be disruptive (for non-compliance w/o disruption,
student should continue to sit in cool-down area)
Immediately
1. Call Behavior
Interventionist at ext.
239
2. Guidance Counselor
at ext. 234
3. Principal at ext. 201
Intervention
! Quiet reflection & Processing*
Supports & Consequences
! Participation in the
development of individual
behavior plan
! Restitution
! Loss of privileges
! Parent notification
*Processing Basics
•
•
•
•
•
Have quiet reflection until ready to process.
After a time, give an opening for child to speak about incident/feelings.
Acknowledge feelings with limited adult talking.
Use Prompts below to develop an acceptable plan.
Call home/work to inform a parent that he/she needed behavioral support
and/or mail completed plan home.
Return to the classroom teacher for approval of the plan, including time to
complete assignments & restitution.
Prompts
What happened? Student responds using I statements either verbally or in writing.
Students identify who was impacted by the behavior.
Why did it happen? Student identifies what need the behavior filled. Most children
will need suggestions.
What could I have done differently? Assist the student in identifying replacement
behaviors.
What could I do next time? Choose a replacement behavior, model and practice
the behavior. Choose appropriate restitution & plan for implementation.
LEVEL 7 — CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM AND PROCEDURE
This level will assist when a serious disruption occurs and the teacher cannot quickly
resolve and keep all students safe.
Teacher notifies office and calls for near-by adult assistance.
Secretary contacts team members. (RI, GC,Principal)
Team members come to area as soon as possible.
Student removed from the area or separated from the class
Teacher processes briefly with class if needed.
Teacher documents the incident as soon as possible.
Team reports back to teacher as soon as possible.
Skills Needed
De-escalation strategies, Mediation, Short term counseling, safe physical restraint
procedures
LEVEL 8 – IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION
When a student is unable to maintain expected behaviors in the social/classroom
environment, he/she may be assigned to in-school suspension. Parents will be notified.
The student will spend the in-school suspension day(s) in the assigned area with
bathroom breaks as needed. Lunch will be delivered to the student. Teachers will
provide classwork and reading and the student will be expected to work consistently
throughout the day so that he/she returns to class prepared and with work up-to-date.
The student is also expected to maintain behavior expectations or the suspension may
be extended. Special education supports will be provided.
LEVEL 9 — MAJOR INFRACTIONS
The following constitute major infractions which result in immediate actions and
consequences outlined in Vermont Statutes and School Board Policy:
Weapons
Bomb scare/threat
False setting of fire alarm
Bullying
Harassment
Possession or misuse of drugs,
tobacco, alcohol or a
controlled substance
Serious physical altercations
Serious verbal, non-verbal or
physical aggression & threats
Damage to or theft of property
Chronic violation of school or
class rules
Interventions, Supports, Consequences for Major Infractions
Immediate parent notification and due process when required by law, will precede
disciplinary actions for major infractions. When these infractions are criminal in nature,
police, Dept. of Children, Youth & Families and/or community mental health agency
notification may be warranted.
Consequences for major infractions may include:
Safety plans
Loss of priveleges
Restitution & Reparations
In-school suspension
Out- of- school suspension (up to 45 days)
Expulsion
LEVEL 10 — INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR PLANNING
A small percentage of students will require plans. These are students who chronically
violate school rules and for whom the system appears ineffective. Students may be
referred for educational and psychological evaluation. The school will need to rely on
skilled individuals (e.g. behaviorist) to design plans that teach students expected social
behaviors. These plans may need to be revised often and require a team approach for
successful implementation. This team should include the student, their family, Cabot
school staff and possibly some other professionals. When no behavior plan is effective
in teaching appropriate social behavior for success in public school, the team may
consider placement in an alternative setting such as a day school, residential school,
home placement or a hospital setting.