Just as our students are learning the academic content of elementary school, they are also learning how to behave appropriately at school, how to control their emotions, how to get along with peers and how to work effectively with others, whether they are friends or not. A basic objective at Nixon School is to support children as they learn these behaviors, learn to 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 contributing to the positive, safe learning environment.

Students at Nixon are expected to:

“Be Responsible”

“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.

To foster this school climate, the staff models the behaviors that we want students to learn, emphasizes positive attitudes, encourages good conduct, and helps children to value themselves and others. Our Lifeskills awards assemblies 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 teach students conflict resolution skills through our Second Steps and Talk It Out curricula. We believe students must learn to work with others to settle conflicts and arrive at mutually agreeable solutions. Therefore, all students are encouraged to 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 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. Teachers will involve parents and the principal when further support for the child is needed or the seriousness of the problem warrants parent/principal involvement.