PACT Charter School

Original Creation Date: August 20, 1998
Last Approved By: PACT Charter School Board of Directors
Last Approved Date: June 6, 2023
Year Reviewed: 2023-2024

Discipline Approach at PACT

PURPOSE

School discipline is the system of expectations, consequences, and behavioral strategies appropriate to the school environment. PACT Charter School aims to maintain uniformity, consistency, and fairness in addressing disciplinary issues to create a safe, supportive and conducive learning environment.

POLICY STATEMENT

Schools have a responsibility to provide a quality learning environment to ensure equal educational opportunity for all students. In many ways, the disciplinary process is one of the most vital learning opportunities a student can have when we empower them to learn from and overcome their mistakes. Children learn best when they feel safe, valued, and successful.

Teachers are entrusted with the responsibility of classroom management. Individual classroom rules and consequences will be consistent with school-wide expectations. Teachers teach best when they feel safe, valued, and successful.

Research and experience indicate that a positive approach to discipline, implemented with respect and involving student input, is highly effective. Early intervention to redirect a student’s behavior is expected, and early involvement of parents or guardians is in keeping with PACT philosophy.

Positive behavioral management is based on these simple foundations:

• Safety first.
• Students should be at school and in class as much as possible.
• Making mistakes and experiencing logical consequences is an opportunity to learn.
• Finding solutions to problems teaches responsibility and builds authentic confidence.
• The primary purpose of discipline is to address and correct behaviors, not to punish children or to "get even" for the offended parties.

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Behavioral expectations and responsibilities of the school, parent and student are found in the 507 - Behavioral Expectations & Code of Conduct Policy and 507 - Behavioral Expectations & Code of Conduct Procedure.

CONSIDERATIONS IN THE DISCIPLINARY PROCESS

A school discipline plan must provide opportunities to consistently do what is most effective and best for each unique situation and for each unique child. Consistency means that when there is a problem, it will be addressed; when there is misbehavior, it will be addressed. Consistency DOES NOT mean that each child and each similar situation will be handled in the exact same way with the exact same consequence. Administration reserves the right to use discretion when assigning any disciplinary action at school, up to and including a recommendation for expulsion from school.

There are Five Critical Disciplinary Considerations to examine when determining a disciplinary course of action:

• the precipitating events and extenuating circumstances
• the intentions of the offender (if discernable)
• the personality and temperament of the offender
• what actually happened
• the perceivable damage or hurt caused by the misbehavior

While we desire to keep students at school, and to work through problems as much as possible, when infractions occur, and disciplinary action is required beyond the philosophical approach, PACT will follow the MN Fair Pupil Dismissal Act (outlined in policy 507). This includes a student's right to due process.

SCHOOL RULES

There are several categories of potentially problematic behaviors in which students are expected to meet the PACT standard. These standards are in place to maintain an orderly and safe school operation, to support optimal learning opportunities for all students, to promote excellent teaching environments, to help students develop responsibility and character, and to encourage healthy and responsible social interaction. Please refer to the resource list of policies at the end of this document - administrative discretion applies to all possible disciplinary situations.

The GOLDEN RULE: Treat everyone with the same respect you expect to receive from others.

POSITIVE INTERVENTIONS FOR BEHAVIORAL INTERACTIONS

To maintain a safe environment in which staff and students interact in conditions ideal for optimal learning, disciplinary consequences are intended to accomplish several outcomes:

• Stop or change the undesired behavior(s)
• Provide a physically and emotionally safe environment
• Respond to the individual as unique, valued, and capable.
• Provide an opportunity for the student to grow as a responsible, problem-solving member of the community.
• Whenever possible and appropriate, administer fair consequences, repair the community, and restore the offender's position in the community. Remember, "FAIR" DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN "SAME" when it comes to consequences.

HOW IT WORKS:

1. As a part of this process, students will be asked to fix (solve) the problem(s) they have created or encountered.
2. If a student cannot or chooses not to solve the problem, school personnel will impose appropriate consequences.
3. These consequences will depend on the situation and the unique individual(s) involved.
4. School personnel will use their best judgment based on the information they have at the time.
5. If a disciplined student or their parents/guardians feel that a consequence appears to not be fair, they may request a "due process" hearing. A due process hearing does not need to be formal in nature; it is simply a time for concerned individuals to meet together and share information related to the situation in question. In the event that the discussion sheds a different light on the situation, the consequences issued may be altered to reflect this new understanding. This may not always work in favor of the offender.
6. Students with reoccurring or unchanged behavior issues may be elevated for administrative review, resulting in additional consequences.