August, September 2013 Promoting Positive Behavior: One Student at a Time!!!! Parents, We Need Your Help!!!

POSITIVE DISCIPLINE-A PARADIGM SHIFT In Every School, In Every Classroom, On Every Bus HOW DO WE CREATE A POSITIVE CLIMATE FOR ALL??? What Parents Need to Know PGCPS has a new approach to making schools safer. It focuses on: Promoting positive student behavior Providing early and ongoing intervention Preventing inappropriate behavior Addressing inappropriate behavior with appropriate responses

YOUR GO TO RESOURCE FOR ACADEMICS ATTENDANCE AND BEHAVIOR!!

The Student’s Rights and Responsibility Handbook (SRRH) tells you what these changes mean for you and your child. What is the SRRH The SRRH provides guidelines and procedures for student academics, behavior and attendance for Prince George’s County Public Schools. It promotes respect and sets clear standards of behavior for the school community. The SRRH applies: To everyone – students, school staff, parents and the police At school or school-related events, and to activities that happen outside of school but might have an impact on the school climate. This includes cyberbullying THE NEW STUDENT’S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILTY HANDBOOK

Progressive Discipline means:  Principal will consider the most appropriate way to respond to each situation  Students will have more opportunities to learn from the choices they make  Parents will be made aware sooner and will have more opportunities to be involved PGCPS PHILOSPHY OF DISCIPLINE PROACTIVEINTERVENTION PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE

 Introduction/Application of the Handbook/Code-(in school, on the bus, at the bus stop and at school activities) page 5  College and Career Ready and resources for students and families-page 6  Roles and Responsibilities of School Community (students, teachers, parents, administrators)-8-10  Graduation Requirements, H.S.A and Service Learning Requirements-page 12  Attendance-page 14  Coping with Problems/Alternative Education Options-page 16  Bullying/Harassment/Intimidation reporting procedures-page 17  5 Phase Discipline Levels with responses and interventions (classified from less serious to behaviors which may seriously jeopardize school order and security) WHAT’S IN THE NEW STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES HANDBOOK

 Dress Code-page 34  Use of Technology-page 34  Addresses use of social media-page 35  Alcohol and Other Drugs-page  Possession of Weapons-36  Gangs-page 37  Glossary pages  Administrative Procedures-page 44  Cyber bullying definition  Sexual harassment section  Section on sexual misconduct including sexual activity and sexual attack  Includes forms section: Memorandum of Understanding, Bullying, Harassment, Intimidation and Cell Phone Policy. After review of the SRRH, students will take the document home to review with parents and bring signed copies of the MOU and Cell Phone Policy back to schools WHAT’S IN THE NEW STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES HANDBOOK

When a student does not follow a school rule there are several levels or response: Level I-Teacher and/or parent contact Level II-Counselor or administrator will talk to me. Level III-Detention, In School Suspension or 1-5 days short term suspension Level IV-This happens when there is a serious incident. Students may receive a long term suspension (6-10 Days) or an extended suspension (11-45 days) Level V-In elementary school, this will only happen if a student brings a firearm to school. What is a Response?

 Set standards of behavior, limits and clear expectations for children both in and out of school  Develop rules about homework, extracurricular participation and grades,  Discuss with their children the school’s discipline policy and the SRRH.  Encourage their children to talk about school, their social activities, their interests and problems.  Talk to their children about the responses regarding drug and weapon use, gang participation, and violence  Monitor the programs children watch, the video games they play, and the music they listen to regularly. Take time to explain to their children the actual nature of what is being said and done Parents play a key role in ensuring that their children are safe and drug-free. Parents have to be part of a school’s effort to create an orderly, respectful environment. WHAT CAN PARENTS DO TO HELP?

Central Office – Performance Management Analysis and Planning Process (PMAPP) FY 2013 How do we work as partners to manage student behavior and keep students in schools? How do we work as partners to establish and maintain positive and supportive learning environment in our schools? How do we work as partners to teach positive behavior to our students (PreK-12?) How do we work as partners to teach proper decision making skills? How do we work as partners to teach problem solving? How do we work as partners to teach children skills to diffuse physical confrontations? How do we work as partners to make our school an anti-bullying zone? How do we work as partners to teach our students to seek the assistance of an adult when they have a problem? How do we partner with community agencies? Parent Questions

Ensure the safety of students, teachers, administrators and staff. Create climate conducive to learning including all schools, classrooms, and buses. Teach students needed for successful interaction in school, to and from school and in society. To reduce rates of future misbehavior improve student achievement Increase graduation rates Decrease drop-out rate Parents, We Can Do It! One Student At a Time!! PGCPS IS COMMITTED TO:

For A-Z information about PGCPS programs, procedures and resources, check out the Parent Information Guide at visit The guide is on the parent's page. Parent Information Guide