Each new school year we see positive growth in children who are moving through the grades and we welcome new children to our community. Happily, our children have always reflected a great diversity in family cultures and traditions. From this diversity we have come together to create a Community of Learners.

All members of our community, both adults and children, need to be aware of what to expect from each other. For children, the conduct that is appropriate at school may not always be the same as the conduct that is appropriate at home. Compared to children's homes, schools and classrooms are crowded, public places. In school, individual children's rights must be protected by public commitment and by public policy. Our students' earliest lessons in social studies are in developing an awareness of their own rights and the fights of other children in a group setting.

Most members of our community are aware of children's rights at school:

• Children have the right to work and to learn.
• Children have the right to feel safe in school and be glad that they are in school.
• Children have the right to be treated fairly and respectfully by adults and by their peers.

In order to protect these rights, we must teach children respect and responsibility. In school we teach standards of respect and responsibility in a concrete and age-appropriate manner. We let children know that their safety, education, and well being are priorities and that they have a stake in maintaining our "Community of Learners." Teachers model respect and responsibility by treating children with fairness according to their individual needs.

Our teachers and children start the school year by discussing the routines of the classroom, as well as the children's rights and obligations. Together, teachers and children brainstorm classroom responsibilities that they will take on to help them maintain their classroom as a safe, happy and productive place. In this way children take part in a rule making process and teachers can explain their thinking about the classroom responsibilities. It is important that the children understand the purpose and need for rules and the values upon which the rules are based. Throughout the year as the need arises, teachers and children continue to discuss how to maintain a learning atmosphere in the classroom.

Social and Personal Responsibility

Social and personal responsibility are not only taught through classroom discussions and rules but as an integral part of the core curriculum studies. When the first graders learn about the school o the fourth graders learn about the country, they also discuss the levels of responsibility and conduct necessary to maintain a school or country that functions together as a cohesive unit.

Whether our expectations for children's conduct are communicated through classroom discussions, curriculum studies, or individual problem solving, the focus remains on the need to provide a fair atmosphere that accommodates and cares for each individual child. These expectations are meant to secure the safety and learning of all children and to manage groups of children as they travel through the halls and stairwells, participate in various out-of-classroom experiences, go to recess or leave the building for field trips.

Our teachers are committed to doing everything possible to help children succeed in our classrooms. Some children need directed help by a teacher to succeed; for example, some children pay attention better at meeting times if the teacher helps them to choose a seat. Teachers will try to do whatever is possible and reasonable to help children succeed before intervening.

When Intervention Becomes Necessary

When intervention becomes necessary, we will help the child understand which rule has been broken by verbalizing and forming a plan that will help him/her follow that rule in the future. We will enlist family support in discussing and enforcing school rules and children's plans to abide by those rules. We need to emphasize that family support is essential. Children need to feel that they can solve problems and control their own behavior, and they need to know that all the adults in their lives - family and teachers - are there to help them, and to support each other helping children achieve their goals.

We realize that a significant portion of the curriculum of kindergarten and entering first graders learning and remembering how to function in a socially responsible and respectful way in the classroom. While it is likely that all rules are appropriate for all children, some consequences m not necessarily be appropriate for kindergarten and first grade children; accommodating their need to learn personal conduct and other children's rights is one of the skills of our kindergarten a first grade teachers.

Building Trust

To some extent in all grades, but particularly in kindergarten and first grade, children need to feel that teachers will help them to solve problems and work through feelings. To this end, while trust is being built, teachers may not initially call a family's attention to a problem. However teachers will inform families and ask for their support and help when they see a consistent difficulty.

At our school, we value each child's positive development of self and each child's development of compassion, understanding, and ethical behavior, towards all members of our community.

The principal is the instructional and administrative leader of the school. In order to contribute to a comfortable, considerate, safe, and pleasant school community, the Principal will:

• assure that all classrooms function as safe and healthy environments for learning.
• respond to parents with openness and fairness while protecting the privacy of families.
• provide timely information about student performance to all parents and staff.
• mobilize the resources of the entire community to help children, individually and as a group.
• foster an environment in which collaboration can thrive.
• facilitate the continuity and transition between the school day and after school programs

The Principal is responsible for development and implementation of the curriculum at MSC, and for making final decisions on matters of interpretation and appropriateness. Further, it is the role of the Principal to determine that as the curriculum evolves, it continues to support the integrity of the pedagogical philosophies on which the school was founded.

The Principal will work with and coordinate the activities of the teachers as, together, they build, integrate and preserve such a curriculum, so that it that meets the needs of students as they progress from grade to grade. The goal of the curriculum, and by extension the goals of the staff, are to give every child the fullest opportunity to succeed academically, socially and personally, and to reach their full potential as members of a greater community.

TEACHERS' RESPONSIBILITIES AT SCHOOL

To contribute to a comfortable, considerate, safe, and pleasant school community, each teacher will:

• ensure that children have a safe and supportive environment in which to work, learn and play.
• be prepared and begin class on time.
• provide children with the materials they need to learn.
• do whatever is reasonable and possible to help students succeed, individually and as a group.
• assist children in working through feelings and solving problems.
• treat parents and children with honesty and respect.
• guard the privacy of students, families and teachers.
• give parents opportunities to share in the learning community at the school.
• share information about health concerns or issues of safety and well-being as early as possible.
• strive for the highest standards of excellence in all children and provide support to those children need.
• support the established rules of conduct of the school community.
• maintain regular contact with parents.
• follow-through on parent-initiated contact.
• communicate to parents when issues arise concerning their child's academic and social progress and performance.

Teachers are empowered to maintain a safe, respectful and supportive atmosphere in their classrooms. If a teacher determines that a discussion with a parent conflicts with these objectives, they have the indisputable right and obligation to postpone that discussion, move it to another venue or to reschedule it to include the principal.

FAMILIES' RESPONSIBILITIES AT SCHOOL

To contribute to a comfortable, considerate, safe, and pleasant school community, families will:

• understand the educational philosophies behind our school curriculum, and to support the teaching methods developed or adopted by our teaching staff to bring that curriculum to life.
• support the established rules of conduct of the school community.
• maintain regular contact with teachers.
• follow through on teacher-initiated communication.
• ensure that children arrive at school on time and ready to commence the school activities upon arrival.
• help children settle into their classroom for the day.
• ensure that children are picked up on time at regular dismissal time observed at both campuses and 11:30 AM on early dismissal or half days.
• ensure that children are well prepared for each school day, including having proper nutrition, appropriate clothing, and necessary supplies.
• support to completion of homework assignments.
• inform teachers of relevant health information.
• inform teachers of changes in the child's schedule, including adults who are picking up or dropping off children.
• participate as fully as possible in classrooms and community events.
• treat teachers, other staff, and the Principal with honesty and respect.
• respect other parents, teachers and staff by choosing appropriate times and places for discussions of concerns over classroom matters. Those discussions should never involve children or their fellow students.
• take issues of concern to the Principal. Try to avoid spreading rumors, or "hearsay" information that may lack a basis in reality. Where issues of confusion exists, bring those issues to the attention of the Principal in order that clarity may be communicated to the all concerned.
  

Families acknowledge and understand that the Principal and the teachers establish curriculum and teaching methods. Respectful suggestions for the enhancement of classroom curriculum and parent initiated projects are welcome, but they will be approved and implemented at the discretion of the teacher and the principal.

Trip Responsibilities

To support teachers and children on field trips, family volunteers will:

• support teachers' decisions regarding travel and safety issues.
• arrange for child care for infants and toddlers in order to remain focused on children in the class
• inform the teacher of their availability as soon as possible.
• treat all children in the class, including their own, fairly and equally, (for example, making purchases for all children or no children while on the trip).

After Hours Responsibilities

To create a strong sense of community and ensure the safety of all children at events held after the regular school day:

• families will be responsible for their own children's behavior and safety during after-school activities.
• families will be responsible for reminding their children of school conduct expectations.
• Parents' Association sponsored childcare personnel will be responsible for all children under their care from dropoff to pickup.

CHILDREN'S RESPONSIBILITIES AT SCHOOL

Personal Responsibilities

• To contribute to a comfortable, considerate safe, and pleasant school community, each child will:
• treat others as they would like to be treated.
• show courtesy, politeness and respect to other students and adults in the building.
• show kindness and understanding toward other people.
• share feelings and try to understand how other people feel.
• be responsible for personal care: washing hands, respecting privacy in the bathrooms, flushing toilets, using tissues to blow noses, covering coughs, cleaning up spills, etc.

Building and Classroom Responsibilities

To maintain an environment, in which everyone is prepared to learn every day in a safe, healthy, respectful, and cooperative way, each child will:

• follow classroom rules to be sure that the teacher knows the child is leaving with the appropriate grown-up.
• be responsible for their own property and respectful of the property of others.
• walk quietly and safely throughout the building
• run only during designated gym activities.
• use a quiet indoor voice when in the building.
• behave in a way that is not hurtful to others, either physically or verbally. A basic school rule is NO HURTING AND NO HURTING BACK!
• resolve conflicts in nonviolent ways (i.e. verbally communicating the problem, telling an adult in-charge, walking away, etc.)
• be responsible for not bringing violence into the school, including violent toys or reading material.
• respect and follow the directions of the adults in charge. line up in an orderly and safe way.
• keep the building clean and safe by respecting school property.
• clean up eating areas.
• not chew gum or eat candy at any time during the school day.
• not bring glass bottles or soda to school.
• respect classroom rules and the rules of any "special" class or program, like the art studio Lincoln Center; playground, dance studio, etc.
• come prepared for class each day.
  be responsible for completing assignments as they are given by the teacher for work to be done at home.

Playground/Yard Responsibilities

To maintain a safe and secure play environment, each child will:

• use only the play equipment that has been provided by the school.
• use play equipment safely, i.e. use ropes for jumping, go down the slide one person at a time feet first; not use equipment on the rubberized mat area.
• remain in the supervised play area at all times.
• play safely without running wild, playing roughly, yelling, etc. not throw objects in an unsafe manner.
• play only teacher led "tag" games
• not climb on the fence or gate; not sit on the top of the Monkey Bars.
• return playground equipment when the five-minute whistle is blown and for line up when the end-of-recess whistle is blown.
• not run on the mat area.
• respect, listen to, and follow direction of all adults in charge (teachers, student teachers, and parents).

Trip Responsibilities

To ensure that trips are safe, pleasant, and meaningful experiences, each child will:

• follow the directions of the teacher and chaperones
• be responsible for behavior on public transportation; speak softly, be polite, and stay together with the class.
• show respect and good manners to the people and places being visited.

INTERVENTIONS AND CONSEQUENCES

Depending on the situation, teachers use one or more of the following intervention strategies when a specific rule is broken or a responsibility is not fulfilled:

• The teacher reminds the child of the rule and/or gives the child a warning.
• The teacher will set a conditional or a fixed-interval time-out. In a conditional time-out, the teacher asks the child to leave the group or activity until she/he is ready to come back. When the child comes back, the teacher asks? Are you ready to come back? What do you need to do to come back? In a fixed-interval time-out, the teacher asks the child to leave the group for a fixed amount of time. The child may need to continue to do hi/her work in a separate are in the classroom or in a different classroom.
• The child writes a report on his/her behavior. This may take place at the time of the incident or during recess. The teacher may also need the child to be apart from the class during recess or another free period in order to complete work that she/he has missed.
• There is a two-way conference with the child and the teacher. The behavior report(s) are reviewed and an individual plan is made for resolving the problem.
• There is a three-way conference with the parent, the child and the teacher. The behavior report(s) are reviewed and an individual plan is made for resolving the problem.
• There is a three-way conference with the principal, the child and the teacher. The behavior report(s) are reviewed and an individual plan is made for resolving the problem.
• There is a four-way conference with the child, the teacher, the Principal, and the family. The behavior report(s) are reviewed and an individual plan is made for solving the problem.
• In-school suspension.

When a child injures another child, there will generally be an immediate four-way conference before the child is permitted to return to class. While we value helping a child with their feeling and helping them to solve their problems, we do not believe that there is any emotion, feeling, or problem that justifies physically or verbally hurting another child. A conference including the family must occur before the child may return to class.

The purpose of the four way conference is to show a child that the family, teacher and the principal - the important adults in a child's life - are constructively working together to help the child solve a problem and thus build support for future problem solving and success.

On occasion, parents may have questions or disagreements about a particular circumstance or approach. These should be discussed with the Principal and the teacher outside the four way conference, at a time when the child is not present. It is extremely important that the child not witness anger or confrontation during this critical four way meeting.