News and Notes
September 30, 2011
1. Tonight is the Homecoming game and parade. I encourage your family to attend if you can. It is always a positive family activity and a great opportunity to share some time with the Bullock Creek family!
2. In case you missed it, we had a great article in the Midland Daily News. I am attaching the link for you to view it if you missed it. http://www.ourmidland.com/news/article_c4f82382-096f-5b3e-bacd-e8c3500beccc.html
3. Below I am sharing our school district’s discipline philosophy – more specifically RTC and how it works. I encourage you to speak with your child’s teacher if you have more questions regarding the RTC process. Hopefully this will help you see that our discipline philosophy is a positive one designed to help children make plans for changing their behavior to make more positive choices. In our school, RTC is NOT a punishment but rather a chance to teach students how to make better choices to benefit their learning.
From our school’s handbook (approved by the Board of Education in August, 2011)
According to Michigan Law, school teachers and administrators stand in place of parent/guardian in their relationship to children, and may administer disciplinary measures as a sensible parent would. We have found the RESPONSIBLE THINKING PROCESS to be the most effective way for reducing disruption while enhancing the student’s ability to resolve problems through the creation of effective plans.
Discipline Philosophy:
We believe that all students are responsible for their own actions and must be taught to respect the rights of others. Teachers have a right to teach and students have a right to learn in safety. None of the students have a right to disrupt at school, regardless of where they are, especially if they are preventing other students from learning or are threatening the safety and rights of others.
Classroom Rules:
No student is allowed to disrupt in class or anywhere else in school. When they do, they are given the choice of remaining where they are and following the rules, or going to the RESPONSIBLE THINKING CLASSROOM (RTC), where they will stay until they indicate to the teacher that they are willing to follow the rules.
When they do make the choice to leave and go to the RTC, because of continued disruptions, they work with the RTC paraprofessional under the guidance of the building principal.
The student will work out a plan, which they will use to negotiate their return with the person who was in charge of wherever they were disrupting. Students are permitted to go to all other classes and other areas, such as the cafeteria, recess, and the library, where they are following the rules unless their behavior in the Responsible Thinking Classroom is not acceptable.
There are incidents in which it will be necessary for the building principal to determine the appropriate disciplinary measures for student misbehavior. These disciplinary measures may include suspension from school, removal from certain school activities, and referral of student to the Superintendent, or referral to the Board of Education for appropriate action.
4. Have a wonderful weekend!
Rod Dishaw, Principal