DISCIPLINE POLICY –RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

By action taken on October 15, 1984, the Board of Education determined that the use of corporal punishment as a disciplinary option at any grade level and with any student was abolished and that corporal discipline in any form is not to be used within this District.

 

Prior to Formal Intervention:

Although there are four formalized levels of disciplinary action in Bernstein’s Progressive Discipline Plan, staff should begin with informal classroom strategies and techniques that often will decrease the necessity to move on to formal interventions. These strategies can include, but are not limited to:

  1. Clearly defining expectations for the classroom, and explicitly educating students regarding work habits and related skills that will contribute to their success in school, work, and post-secondary educational and career opportunities.
  2. Employing techniques, such as proximity to student, visual and verbal cues that warn the student that he/she needs to change his/her behavior, etc.
  3. Giving discreet, yet clear, verbal warnings and reminders of expected behaviors.
  4. Providing opportunities for students to “work-off” consequences for initial misbehaviors.
  5. Utilizing other classroom management techniques, such as individual or group point systems, positive reinforcements, etc.

If informal strategies fail to modify the negative behavior, teachers will then begin with a level 1 intervention as outlined below, documenting the types of intervention used. This written documentation is necessary to progress to higher levels of interventions. Although, as a rule, staff should begin with informal strategies and then, if necessary, progressively move through each level of formal intervention, there are certain behaviors and activities that pose such a level of disruption to learning, and/or danger to self and/or others that immediate action at higher levels of intervention is required by school and district guidelines. Examples include: violence or threat of violence, harassment/bullying, drug or alcohol use, weapons, etc.

Level I Interventions

  1. Conference: Meeting to discuss behavior. May be formal or informal. May be in person or via telephone or email. Includes any of the following: Teacher/Student, Teacher/Parent, Teacher/Student/Parent, Teacher/Dean, Teacher/Teacher, Teacher/Lead Teacher, Teacher/Student/Administrator, Teacher/Counselor, Student/ Dean, Teacher/Student/Counselor, Administrator/Parent/Student, or any combination of the above mentioned.
  2. In-Class Consequence: Seat moved or other change in environment.
  3. Parent/Teacher Contact: Teacher sends email, leaves phone message, or sends a note home.
  4. Time Out: Temporary denial of student’s participation in classroom activities. Student is sent to another classroom utilizing the “Buddy System.”
  5. Contract with Student/Parent: Statement is written, listing steps to be taken to improve behavior. The statement also describes the support to be provided by school staff and/or parent/guardian, as well as the date when results of the contract will be reviewed.
  6. Student Journal: Student writes about his or her behavior and identifies possible alternatives.
  7. Student Retained during Nutrition/Lunch/After School (kept after class): May not extend more than 10 minutes. Students must have ample time to purchase and eat food during scheduled breaks. Students should not be retained if this will prevent them from getting to their next class on time. If possible, notify the parent to alleviate parental concerns.

 

Level 2 Interventions

  1. Referral: To Dean, Lead Teacher, Parent Representative, Counselor, or Peer Mediation.
  2. Parent will be asked to sit in the class period with the student for assistance.
  3. After-School Detention: Retaining a student for disciplinary reasons after school hours for a scheduled detention.
  4. Student Success Team Conference: Counselor, Teacher, or Lead Teacher will initiate and facilitate a meeting with parent(s), student and selected teachers to discuss the student’s academic, behavioral and/or social emotional challenges and assist the student in planning a positive course of action with the necessary supports.

Level 3 Interventions

  1. Referral: Student referred to Dean, with appropriate documentation in MISIS.
  2. In-School Suspension**: Alternative to out-of-school suspension, at the discretion of the teacher. When a student is removed from the specific classroom in which the behavior occurred, the student is denied in-class instruction for that particular classroom period only. The student will keep up with class work and homework assignments while under the supervision of designated school personnel during the class suspension period. Written documentation is required, and an administrator must be notified of this action.
  3. Coordination of Services Team (COST)/ Discipline Review Team( DRT): Meeting of school personnel with the student and Parent (optional) to consider the academic and behavioral needs and challenges of the student and make formal recommendations, following the district guidelines.

Level 4 Interventions **

Referral: Student referred to Administrator, with appropriate documentation in MISIS

  1. Suspension: from school
  2. Opportunity Transfer/ Credit Recovery Referral: Transferred out of school to another school.
  3. Expulsion: Denial of a student’s right to attend LAUSD school and school-sponsored activities.

**Administrative involvement is necessary for starred interventions. Also note that situations involving students with an Individualized Educational Plan must be addressed using specific district, state and federal guidelines.

Please refer to: Bernstein’s Progressive Discipline Policy and REF-4984.1 Implementing a Multi Tiered Framework for Instruction, Intervention, and Support

 

IDENTIFICATION CARDS

  1. Students must have a Bernstein High School Identification Card in their possession while on campus.
  2. Student I.D. cards will be required for all student activities on or off campus throughout the school year.
  3. I.D. make-up Schedule: I.D. card make-up dates are announced in the bulletin. There is no charge to new students.
  4. LAUSD employees are expected to wear their ID whenever they are on District property. Staff ID photos will be taken on the same days as student IDs.

DETAINING PUPILS

  1. Each student belongs in the room of the teacher to whom he has been assigned.
  2. Do not take or keep a student from another teacher’s class unless you have the approval of the teacher in advance.
  3. A teacher wishing to detain a pupil after school for additional help in the subject, or disciplinary action, should obtain parental permission at least one day in advance.
  4. Students must not be detained for more than ten minutes during lunch or Nutrition.

SPECIAL REPORT TO PARENTS

  1. These reports can be classified in three categories: Complimentary, Unsatisfactory, and Failure.
  2. It is recommended that Complimentary Reports be utilized as frequently.

ACCIDENTS

  1. Each teacher is responsible for the prevention of accidents, removal of safety hazards, and development of good safety habits and attitudes.
  2. All accidents causing injury to students or staff should be reported to the Health Office and an accident report filled out by the staff member in charge the same day. Forms are located in the Health Office and Ms. Pendleton’s office.
  3. If the injury is severe and there is doubt as to the extent:
  4. The nurse should be notified at once to come to the student or staff member.

2.         In case the nurse is not on the premises, notify an administrator or the Main Office.