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Parent and Student Information

At Midway, our goal is to create a positive atmosphere where minimal discipline is needed. However, for students who choose not to follow the rules, our policy will assist us in maintaining a safe and respectful learning environment.

DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES and POLICY
Maintaining a healthy and safe learning environment is a responsibility shared by the entire Midway community. In support of our philosophy each classroom works together to create the expectations necessary for the successful operation of their particular class. These guidelines will be sent home to each family early in the school year.

We also have building-wide expectations that focus on respect for staff and students, appropriate regard for the safety of school personnel, students and property. Specific guidelines for the playground, lavatory, bus and bike safety will be sent home soon. Each classroom teacher will teach and review the building-wide expectations with his or her students.

The following discipline process has been developed to ensure the fair and equitable treatment of all students. Individual circumstances play a significant part in the application of discipline procedures. Communication with parents is a vital element of the discipline process.

Midway Elementary has a "Safety and Respect" slip, which serves as our referral and communication between staff, students and parents. Our intent is to communication information about student behavior that has violated our safety and respect guidelines at school. The form has a place for indicating "warning" or "infraction," making it clear there are degrees of severity in terms of behavior. There is also a place on this slip to describe the behavior, the place the behavior occurred and the time of the occurrence. At the bottom of the slip are spaces for signatures of both student and parent, as well as a "request conference" section for parent if needed.

The student is responsible for taking the slip home for parent signature. The slip should be returned to school the next day. This system helps us to track student behavior in the interest of school safety and continual parent-school communication.

Step 1 Staff-student contact (conference)

  • Teacher-student refers to the teacher's efforts to support and encourage all students to behave according to the agreed upon classroom procedure. Each teacher strives to develop a strong trust with each student and understands that all behavior is motivated by each student attempting to get his/her basic needs met. A common language exists throughout our school to assist staff, students and parents in understanding behavior. If a pattern of inappropriate behavior develops, a student referral may be initiated either by the teacher or playground support personnel.

Step 2 Principal notification of problem

  • Principal notification is simply letting the principal know that a concern exists.

Step 3 Staff-parent contact

  • Teacher-parent communication is vital in effective discipline. If a problem exists a teacher will either make an attempt to contact by telephone or issue the student a referral slip.

Step 4 Staff-support personnel contact

  • Midway offers the services of a full time social worker as well as several trained paraeducators who make interventions and offer suggestions for changing inappropriate behaviors. Minor infractions may be resolved by visiting the Problem-solving Room.

Step 5 Development of student behavior plan

  • If the concern persists the student may be referred to the CARE Team. The CARE Team is a group of Midway staff members who meet regularly to brainstorm and develop individual behavior plans.

In cases of serious safety concerns, parents will be contacted as soon as possible. A letter of "First Warning" will be issued. Subsequent instances of a serious safety concern will lead to suspension and ongoing support intervention. Exclusion from class is based on specific documented concerns. Emergency removal from class may occur when a student becomes a threat to the safety and well being of others. This progressive discipline policy has proven to be an effective method of demonstrating to the student that safety is our number one priority.