Policy Proposal Submitted by Staff of Shabazz High School Since 1971, Shabazz City High School has provided a safe place for students to grow and change. The Shabazz staff s strong commitment to creating a community of acceptance by teaching supportive values and modeling positive behaviors and skills provides the foundation for a safe community. In addition, a strong anti-bullying and anti-harassment policy provides clear expectations for students and families, and provides a progressive system of interventions to maintain safety at Shabazz. The following policies support the fundamental values of Shabazz and the district s goal of creating a positive learning environment for all students. These new policies align with the district s Behavior Education Plan (BEP) and maintain Shabazz as a unique school that meets the needs of students who, above all else, need a safe and supportive environment.
Core Values of Shabazz Values for Creating a Safe, Engaging, Authentic Learning Environment A fundamental value of Shabazz is safety. All students deserve a safe environment where everyone feels comfortable enough to take the risks needed to learn. We understand that creating a safe environment requires everyone s effort. A fundamental value of Shabazz is student choice. Students choose to come to Shabazz. In choosing to come to Shabazz, they are making a commitment to growing and changing and being willing to work toward meeting the expectations at Shabazz. Student choice is fundamental to creating a community at Shabazz. In choosing Shabazz, students are volunteering to become members of the Shabazz learning community. A fundamental value of Shabazz is engagement in learning. Shabazz strives to serve students by designing authentic learning opportunities for students. These opportunities require student participation. Students committed to attending school and engaging in learning will thrive at Shabazz. A fundamental value of Shabazz is a commitment to community. Relationships are the building blocks of community. Students and staff who commit to the community of Shabazz are making a commitment to building positive relationships with others. We believe every student and staff at Shabazz has a right to a safe, engaging, and authentic learning community. With this right comes responsibility for maintaining a safe environment, for participating positively in classroom activities, and for taking the positive risks needed to learn. Shabazz works because all members of the community are committed to creating a safe learning environment, to actively participate in classroom and community activities, and to put forth effort in taking positive risks to learn.
We believe there is a reciprocal relationship between community and the individual. The community creates an environment that supports student growth and change, while individual students, in their choices and actions, support the community in creating this environment. Every student walks into Shabazz at a different place of readiness in their willingness to engage in taking positive risks to grow and change and their willingness to support others in taking those risks. The Shabazz staff is committed to supporting students in learning how to take risks to grow and change. They are committed to working collectively and individually with students to develop academic skills and to build the internal capacity to grow and change. We cannot expect that everyone will know what behaviors constitute safe behaviors. Nor can we expect that every student will always make good choices as they grow and change. Shabazz will follow a MTSS model in supporting students and determining if Shabazz is the appropriate placement or intervention. In doing so, Shabazz will work collectively with all students to communicate the expectations at Shabazz. Expectations will be supported and reinforced for all students. When individual students fail to meet these expectations staff members will first intervene within the classroom setting and then intervene outside of the classroom with support and clear expectations. Students that fail to respond to the interventions provided at Shabazz, as outlined below, will be referred to another placement. To achieve the end of a safe, engaging, and authentic learning community, the Shabazz staff commit to the following policies to support student growth and change by setting and teaching clear expectations for students who are members of the Shabazz community, and by working with students to establish a positive learning environment. Safety e agement unity Choic Eng Comm
Policy Changes: Level 1 and 2 Engaging in 5 violations at Levels 1 or 2* in the BEP will result in the loss of placement at the semester after the following process: 1. ) Shabazz staff members will work with students collectively, to clearly communicate the expectations of the Shabazz Community and to support students in learning the behaviors that will support a safe and engaging community. 2.) Shabazz staff members will communicate clearly to students by giving them notice when they are not meeting expectations. These notices will be documented. 3.) Shabazz staff members will meet with students to address on-going concerns and establish a plan for changing behavior when a behavior is recurring and not responding to positive re-direction. Context will be considered. Behaviors occurring across multiple classrooms will be treated differently than behaviors occurring in one setting or with one teacher. If the behavior is occurring in a specific context, a plan will be made to address the specific issues occurring in that particular context. This meeting will result in a written problem solving document signed by the student. Parents will be informed of the written agreement. 4.) Students and parents will be provided written notice of behaviors or actions that are creating an unsafe or challenging environment for others. Multi Tier System of Support Communicate the expectations Teach the expectations Take action to intervene Determine if the student is responding to the intervention
Policy Changes Level 3 and 4 5.) Students who continue unacceptable behaviors will meet with the principal and complete a contract. Contracts will continue from one year of the last incident related to the contract. 6.)If a student continues to violate the contract, Shabazz staff will seek an alternate placement for the student or arrange to have the student return to their home-school. *Positive student participation is an expectation at Shabazz and is a foundation for a successful learning experience. A pattern of resistance to the learning process (e.g. disruptive behaviors, refusal to participate in in-class work) will be treated as a Level 1/2 violation (akin to refusal to cooperate with school rules) and subject to intervention, support, and possible loss of placement if the behavior, after interventions, does not change, and if the behavior is occurring across contexts (e.g. multiple learning environments and teachers). Engaging in two violations at Level 3 in the Behavior Education Plan (BEP) will result in the loss of placement at the end of the quarter. The Shabazz principal will meet with the student and parent to communicate clear expectations for behavior and to create a behavior contract. If student receives another violation at Level 3 the student will lose their placement for a minimum of one semester at the nearest quarter.
Policy Changes Level 3, 4 and 5 Engaging in any behavior that starts at Level 3 and ends at Level 4, or engaging in any behavior that begins at Levels 4 or 5 in the BEP, will result in the loss of placement at the quarter and, depending on the violation, will likely result in an alternate placement until the end of the quarter. Students may reapply after they have completed one semester and earned at least one credit outside of Shabazz and have documented evidence of a change in behavior that resulted in the loss of placement. Upon re-acceptance at Shabazz, if a student violates the Shabazz policy for which they were removed, the student will be allowed to finish the quarter but will automatically and permanently lose their placement at Shabazz at the end of said quarter. Depending upon the violation, the student may lose placement immediately.
Shabazz AOD Policy Violations in the Alcohol, Drugs, Tobacco category will require specific interventions: *Students who violate a Level 2 possession or under the influence violation will need to complete an AOD assessment to remain at Shabazz. *A Level 3 violation will result in the student losing their placement unless they are willing to engage in an additional level of treatment including enrolling in day treatment, completing an in-patient treatment program, or agreeing to regular drug testing. *Level 4 or 5 violations will result in the immediate loss of their placement at Shabazz. *Students who receive a Level 2 or higher violation on an extended (overnight) field trip will automatically lose their placement at the end of the quarter. *Students may reapply after they have earned one credit outside of Shabazz and have documented evidence of a change in the behavior that resulted in the loss of placement. *Upon re-acceptance at Shabazz, if a student violates the Shabazz AOD policy for which they were removed, student will be allowed to finish the quarter but will automatically and permanently lose their placement at Shabazz at the end of said quarter.
Responsibility of Staff Relationships matter. Many students require a positive relationship with a teacher in order to be successful in class. When behavior problems occur, it is the responsibility of the teacher and school staff to address any potential relationship concerns. The Shabazz staff will be held to higher expectations in regard to their behavior and treatment of students. As the adults, Shabazz staff will always be willing to work constructively with students to repair relationships and to work positively to solve problems that occur in the classroom. Although it is the expectation of the school for students to meet with teachers to solve problems, it might be necessary for a third party to intervene and mediate this problem solving process. It is never ok for a teacher or staff member to refuse to sit down and problem solve with a student.