Positive Behavior Development
One of the major goals for all preschool children is learning how to get along with other children. For many children, preschool is their first time away from family and home. Some children may not have had the experience of working, playing and spending time with other children.
We recognize that children need to learn a variety of skills to be successful in their relationships with other children. We have a program-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) system that is in place in all of our classrooms. PBIS guides our program to directly teach children the expected behaviors and give positive reinforcement to all children. We use The Teaching Pyramid Model to directly teach prosocial behaviors such as sharing, problem-solving, and turn-taking. PBIS and the Pyramid Model are the basis for our guidance policies.
Three school-wide rules are directly taught and positively reinforced in our program. The rules are posted in each classroom in print and pictures. Teachers and children use the rules when discussing individual and group behaviors. Our mascot, “HUGS” (the koala), teaches positive reinforcement for following the Safety Rules. The 3 Safety Rules are:
We keep ourselves safe.
We keep each other safe.
We keep our things safe.
Access to Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants and Behavioral Health Specialists
We have a Mental Health Consultant and two Behavioral Health Specialists on staff to assist both teachers and parents with training and support for behavioral challenges. Parents will be informed if the Mental Health Consultant is requested to observe their child in the classroom due to behavior concerns. The Mental Health Consultant is also available to assist and support families with parenting questions, behavioral interventions, and questions about managing mental health issues of either the child or the parent. They are also able to help families access community resources such as housing, private mental health therapy, parenting classes, etc.
When Challenging Behaviors Present Safety Issues in the Classroom
When challenging behavior occurs, we have personnel who are trained to assist teaching staff in implementing positive strategies that help decrease the behavior and increase positive replacement skills.
Our Early Childhood Staff understand that all behaviors; positive and negative, are a form of communication for a child. It is important to our teaching staff that we determine the reason for a child’s behavior so that we can teach an appropriate replacement skill to help the child get their desired result. All children need to learn prosocial skills and problem-solving. This is a major focus in early childhood. Discipline is never associated with food or toilet training. Children are never spanked, threatened, shaken, subjected to abusive language or humiliated.
We adhere to the Thompson School District’s Discipline Code which states:
It is the intention of the Board of Education that district schools help students achieve maximum development of individual knowledge, skills and competence and that students become responsible, contributing members of society. Every student in a public school in this district has the right to learn in an environment that is safe, conducive to the learning process, and free from unnecessary disruption.
In accordance with state law, the Board has adopted a written student conduct and discipline code based upon the principle that every student is expected to follow accepted rules of conduct and to show respect for and to obey persons in authority. The code also emphasizes that certain behavior, especially behavior that disrupts the classroom, is unacceptable and may result in disciplinary action. At each site, the code shall be enforced uniformly, fairly and consistently for all students. (Behavior Code of Conduct/Board of Education Policies JIC)
Family Communication
Preschool teaching staff strive to maintain consistent and open communication with families regarding the progress of their students. You may be notified of minor behavioral incidents in the following ways: email, telephone, written communication, or in person.
A report will be required for more serious incidents in which the behavior seriously impacts the safety of other students, staff, or the child's own safety or if an injury occurs. In this case, you may be asked to come in and discuss the incident with your child’s teacher and the Administrators of Early Childhood before the child returns to the classroom. The connection between home and school is important, and children must understand that we are all communicating and working together.
Should a child’s behavior become a consistent problem, the parents/guardians will be contacted to schedule a conference and the team will develop a Positive Behavior Support Intervention Plan. Interventions may include taking a child out of the classroom for breaks with 1:1 support, shortening the child’s day, moving a child to another class and/or parents being required to pick up the child if behaviors are unsafe.
Extreme unsafe behavioral situations that continue despite all efforts will be referred to the Director of Early Childhood and be handled on a case-by-case basis.