A basic objective at Nixon School is to create a learning environment in which children behave appropriately, respect the rights of others, and take responsibility for the school community.  Each student has the right to learn in a safe and supportive environment.  Each student has the right to be treated with fairness and respect by students and staff.  With these rights come responsibilities, and each student has the responsibility of preserving her/his rights as well as the rights of others.

Students at Nixon are expected to:

“Be Responsible”

• Come to school on time and ready to learn.
• Follow school rules, make safe and respectful decisions, and take responsibility for their actions at all times and in all locations (classrooms, library, playground, halls, theater, lunch pods, restrooms).
• Listen to and follow the directions of all adults at the school.

“Be Respectful”

• Treat all students, staff and adults with courtesy and respect.
• Listen to all adults and follow their directions.
• Treat materials, the school building and the outdoor environment with respect and care.
• Use inside voices when in the school building.

“Be Safe”

• Follow school rules while on the school grounds:  on the playground, at the bus and car pick-up zones, on the black top areas, in the classroom, and in all parts of the school building.
• Walk when inside the school building.
• Enter school in the morning and leave in the afternoon through the classrooms outside door (not through the library or the inside halls).
• If late, check in at the office first.

To foster this school climate, the staff emphasizes positive attitudes, encourages good conduct, and helps children to value themselves and others.  Assemblies and recognition programs are designed to validate students in a positive manner.

As much as possible we use a problem-solving approach to settle disputes among students.  We believe students must learn to work with others to settle conflicts and arrive at mutually agreeable solutions.  Therefore, all students are introduced to and practice conflict resolution strategies in the classroom and on the playground.

From the beginning of the school year, each teacher works with her/his class to establish classroom rules and procedures, to share school-wide rules and expectations, to develop ways to reinforce appropriate behavior, and to make clear the consequences for misconduct.  Students receive positive reinforcement and clear, consistent consequences that focus on students’ taking responsibility for their own behavior.

Consequences for misbehavior in the classroom depend upon the seriousness of the offense, the conditions under which it occurred, and the degree of recurring instances.  These consequences may extend from checks on the board, to time-out, to student/principal discussion, to teacher/ parent conference, to teacher/parent/principal conference.  In the rare instance of serious violation of conduct (severe fighting, defiance of authority), suspension from school may be instituted.

On the playground, yard duty supervisors use “blue slips” to communicate behavior infractions to the child’s teacher.  The consequence procedure is as follows:

During Recess:

Student is benched outside and recess yard duty supervisor gives blue slip to classroom teacher after the recess (given for refusing to listen to the adult, for malicious/unprovoked bodily hurt to another, and for ethnic/racial name-calling).  The child is given a blue slip and sent immediately to the office to wait for her/his teacher or to speak with the principal.

After Recess:

• 1st Blue Slip: Teacher meets with student and selects appropriate consequences.
• 2nd Blue Slip: Teacher selects appropriate consequences AND contacts parent.
• 3rd Blue Slip: Teacher sends child to the principal, who contacts the parent.
• 4th Blue Slip: Student has a site or home suspension.

This procedure starts fresh with each monthly attendance period.  For students with repeated, continuing playground difficulties, an individual behavior contract will be designed.

Teachers and other staff members earnestly seek to work with parents to encourage good behavior and to solve behavior problems.  We know that when teachers and parents work together, children recognize the importance of good conduct.