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CPS’ Positive School Culture Plan
A New Approach
To Student Discipline
Alternatives to Suspension and
Expulsion Keep Students Learning
A new approach to discipline within Cincinnati Public Schools aims
to help students learn good behavior and offers alternatives to putting
students who misbehave out of school.
Beginning with the 2004-05 school year, CPS will create a
Positive School Culture
within its buildings, where staff and students emphasize respect for each
other and where supports are in place to help prevent problem behavior.
The Positive School Culture Plan is a proactive approach to discipline
designed to head off behavior problems before they occur and to reduce the
number of out-of-school suspensions and expulsions.
"The goal is to change the
attitude and
beliefs of adults and students. If the culture within a school is such
that children feel valued and appreciated, behavior will improve."
Superintendent
Rosa Blackwell
Key components of CPS’ Positive School Culture Plan are two new
programs for students in grades 4-12:
Alternative to Suspension (A2S)
and
Alternative to Expulsion (A2E).
Both programs, explained in this brochure, provide academic instruction
along with counseling and social-skills instruction at off-campus sites
for students removed from regular schools because of misbehavior.
CPS’ superintendent and the Board of Education believe the solution
to problem behavior is not to expel or suspend most students who
misbehave. Too often, students’ behavior does not improve when they return
to school, and, to make matters worse, the returning students now are
behind in class work.
The district is moving away from putting students out of school ‘to
the streets’ for misbehavior, which does not benefit the student.
The new approach, the Positive School Culture Plan, will help staff
work out problems with students before they lead to bigger problems and
will keep students in school. |
Vision of the
Positive School Culture Plan
To create and maintain a safe and orderly
educational community that keeps students in school and engaged in
learning.
Components
Code of Conduct
Rules of behavior and consequences for K-12 students.
Alternative to Suspension (A2S)
Geared to students who exhibit chronic disruptive behavior that interferes
with classroom instruction.
Alternative to Expulsion (A2E)
An alternative for students who have committed serious offenses in
Category II or III of the Code of Conduct.
Positive School
Culture Focuses on Preventing Problem Behavior
A school practicing Positive School Culture will be
recognized by the mutual respect shown among all staff and students, aimed
at creating a school that maximizes learning and minimizes problem
behavior. Rationale for
Positive School Culture Plans:
«
In the past, too many students who misbehave have been removed from
classroom instruction.
«
Lifelong consequences of low-academic achievement
include the increased chance that students will drop out before graduation
and be unemployed as adults.
Purpose of Positive School Culture Plans: To
create an environment where teaching and learning can prosper
«
To promote character development to enable students
to make meaningful contributions to the community
«
To provide an alternative to suspension and
expulsion
«
To involve families and the community in creating
safe and effective learning environments
«
To address the needs of students with behavior
problems |
